Chapter 1: Meeting the Ballrabbit
Chapter 1:
Meeting the Ballrabbit
Part 1
……
………………….
MY CONSCIOUSNESS returned slowly. I was aware of time passing, but my brain felt foggy. I remembered defeating the Little Rock Dragon and then plunging into the river with that slime thing…before blacking out. I had no idea what happened after that.
My eyelids felt too heavy to lift. I heard a rushing noise, like waves crashing on a shore. My lower body was uncomfortably chilly; I had to be submerged in water.
I tried to sit up, but my joints were stiff and painful. I couldn’t move my arms or legs. I pushed harder and heard a horrible snapping noise.
That isn’t good. I need a special dragon doctor or something. Judging by how stiff I felt, I must’ve been out for days, not just hours. Years…? Probably not. Or at least…I hoped not.
Even the muscles controlling my eyelids felt too tight to work, but I somehow managed to force them open. Blue filled my vision. In the distance, sunlight reflected off the water.
Is that the ocean? Am I on a beach? Guess the river washed me all the way out to the shore. Which means I have no idea where I am in relation to my forest. Though I don’t plan to go back there until I can do something about that disastrous Dragon Scale Powder skill.
I was just happy that I survived.
I moved my shoulders and legs to loosen them up. Doing that for a while got the blood flowing back to my brain, all my senses sharpening. My mind was clear; I could check my status. That slime had attached itself to me, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it had mooched some of my skills. It had swiped the black lizard’s Neutralize Poison ability, after all.
Illusia
Species: Plague Dragon
Status: Normal
Lv: 20/75
HP: 249/249
MP: 192/192
Attack: 239
Defense: 178
Magic: 164
Agility: 161
Rank: B-
Special Skills:
Dragon Scale: Lv 5
Divine Voice: Lv 4
Grecian Language: Lv 3
Fly: Lv 5
Dragon Scale Powder: Lv 4
Dark Type: Lv —
Wicked Dragon: Lv —
Automatic HP Recovery: Lv 3
Psychic Sense: Lv 2
Resistance Skills:
Physical Resistance: Lv 4
Falling Resistance: Lv 5
Hunger Resistance: Lv 4
Poison Resistance: Lv 5
Loneliness Resistance: Lv 5
Magic Resistance: Lv 3
Dark Resistance: Lv 3
Light Resistance: Lv 2
Fear Resistance: Lv 2
Asphyxiation Resistance: Lv 3
Paralysis Resistance: Lv 2
Normal Skills:
Roll: Lv 6
View Status: Lv 5
Scorching Breath: Lv 5
Whistle: Lv 1
Dragon Punch: Lv 3
Disease Breath: Lv 3
Venom Fangs: Lv 3
Paralyzing Venom Claws: Lv 3
Dragon Tail: Lv 1
Bellow: Lv 1
Meteorite: Lv 2
Nutcracker: Lv 3
Human Transformation: Lv 3
Whirlwind Slash: Lv 1
Neckbreaker: Lv 2
Title Skills:
Dragon King’s Son: Lv —
Walking Egg: Lv —
Klutz: Lv 4
Just an Idiot: Lv 1
Infighter: Lv 4
Pest Killer: Lv 3
Safety First: Lv 1
Liar: Lv 2
King of Evasion: Lv 1
Protective Spirit: Lv 5
Itty-Bitty Hero: Lv 5
Wrongdoer: Lv 6
Calamity: Lv 5
Chicken Runner: Lv 2
Mr. Chef: Lv 3
Dastardly King: Lv 4
Stalwart: Lv 2
Giant Killer: Lv 1
Ceramic Artisan: Lv 4
Clan Boss: Lv 1
Laplace Interference Authority: Lv 1
I’d really powered up a lot. I didn’t particularly want this evolution, but I still got a huge boost going from a D-rank monster to a lower-level rank B. My attack power especially—it was over 200. If I wanted to, I could crush a Little Rock Dragon to bits.
Did I lose any stats or skills? Hm, not that I can tell. I’m glad. Losing Roll would break my heart. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call Mr. Roll my partner in crime. That skill meant a lot to me. If I raced the black lizard again, I could smash right through the trees blocking my path, clearing the quickest route and claiming an overwhelming victory. Not to be cocky or anything.
It didn’t look like I lost any skills at all. In fact, a bunch of them went up. My Normal Skill Nutcracker was at level 3, and my Title Skill Itty-Bitty Hero was at level 5. My overall level had gone up by one too.
Wow, shouldn’t that slime have been worth way more experience points that that? It was so stubborn and nasty, but I guess its rank and stats were pretty low. Seriously, though. That thing was so creepy.
Thinking back on the encounter, more memories returned to me. I hadn’t had time to analyze it during the heat of battle, but the slime had a lot of strange properties. It knew I understood human language, and it mentioned things like “skill,” “level,” and “gaining resistance”—almost as if it knew about the Divine Voice.
But one thing stuck out most: it clocked how dangerous the black lizard was. The moment I poisoned it, the slime immediately knew to absorb Neutralize Poison. It had to have View Status among all the skills it took from other monsters. And I hadn’t really been listening, but I could’ve sworn it mentioned the Divine Voice at some point.
Would something with that slime’s attitude follow that crappy excuse for a god? I couldn’t say, but I had a feeling the slime knew something I didn’t. Maybe it had even been reincarnated like me.
I was pretty sure that when I’d seen it slinking around my cave a while back it didn’t have View Status, which meant it either stole it or gained it some other way. That was a while ago, though, and I’d barely even checked. I could be wrong.
If it really did have View Status, it had to have known I had Divine Voice. So why hadn’t it been curious? Maybe it was closer to the Divine Voice than I was and had access to information I didn’t.
At any rate, the thing was dead, and my theories would never be more than that. Theories. Just a bunch of grasping at thin air.
I still had no idea how it controlled Doz and the mahawolves or why I couldn’t view its status clearly. Between the evolution and the slime and everything else, I’d suffered enough catastrophes that I would love to give the Divine Voice a piece of my mind. Trouble was, I didn’t even know what to get angry about.
The Divine Voice’s motives were a mystery, and I didn’t know how much influence it actually had. Did it cause the things that happened to me, or was it all just a coincidence? Some of its communications seemed very self-aware, but I didn’t know if it was even a sentient being.
What the heck are you, anyway?
Special Skill “Divine Voice” Lv 4 is unable to provide that explanation.
And here we go with the canned phrases again. I always got that response for everything that wasn’t a direct question about the system, and when it did feel like talking, it was always a one-sided stream of consciousness. A lousy communicator in general.
Well, no use tiring myself out thinking about it. I would just have to hope that another monster like the slime would show up—one that was willing to stop and chat.
Right now, exploration was my priority. I had to establish a home base and find something to eat.
My new post-evolution body most likely required way more food than I was used to. And after being asleep for so long, not to mention hurtling down a chasm into a river, I was starving. Here’s hoping some weak, tasty monsters live around here.
Part 2
HAVING DECIDED to explore and find food, I used Roll and raced down the shoreline.
An hour passed and the scenery never changed. The vast sea was still on my left, and a barren, sandy beach stretched out to my right like a desert. The utter lack of greenery surprised me. Despite being on the coast, this area couldn’t get much rain. The few plants here were sparse and spherical—round little cactuses with needles that looked like hair growing all over their green bodies. They sprawled out along the earth like caterpillars, kind of grotesque. Out of the corner of your eye it’d be easy to mistake them for darkwyrms.
I saw a couple of living creatures, like three-headed camels with humps all over their bodies and a line of giant red ants. Nothing looked particularly appetizing. When a sand-colored centipede four times my size appeared, I seriously considered jumping in the ocean out of fear. But before I had the chance, Mr. Giant Centipede spotted some prey and slithered after it.
The sight of its short, thick legs scrambling and kicking up sand in every direction was nerve-racking. I could likely escape it if I used Roll, but it seemed faster than I was.
What rank was it? Had to be above B. This place had even weirder creatures than the forest.
I really wanted to go home. The woods had spoiled me. Out here, the only edible-looking thing was the monster that giant centipede went after. I needed to at least find somewhere safe to sleep, but the landscape was totally flat. The only way I’d be able to sleep sheltered was if I dug a hole.
Continuing to use Roll, I finally came upon a large circle of rocks about five meters across. Dozens and dozens of rocks—this was not a naturally occurring formation. As I stared at it, I began to feel sick. What the heck was this, some kind of dangerous monster’s nest? Should I turn back?
I canceled Roll and looked around. More stones lined the inside of the formation, almost like a magic circle. This had to be the work of a human, not a monster. I didn’t know what it was for, but it occurred to me that I hadn’t seen any creatures around in a while.
Ahh, I get it. It’s to ward off monsters. That’s why I don’t feel well when I look at it. Moving all these rocks couldn’t have been easy, though. If someone went to this much effort to keep things away, there had to be a village nearby.
Deep down, I knew I’d been hoping to find a human settlement this whole time. I shook my head, chastising myself.
I’m a monster now. If I were still a Baby Dragon it would be a different story, but anyone who looks at this form will see nothing but an enemy of humanity.
The Plague Dragon’s description said it was one of the most feared dragons out there. Forget about me stepping foot inside a village—even just coming close would send the population into a panic. And then there was that damn Dragon Scale Powder.
I turned around, curled up into a ball, and used Roll to return the way I came. Then I stopped. I hated to admit it, but I really wanted to at least check out the village. As long as I stayed far enough away, I wouldn’t cause a commotion, would I?
I kicked off the ground and flew straight up into the air. Scanning my surroundings, I searched for possible signs of habitation. Empty land stretched out from the rock formation, but finally I caught sight of a tall stone wall.
That wall has to be at least ten meters high. Is it to keep monsters out? Guess the magic circle isn’t 100 percent effective.
The rocks made me feel sick, but stronger monsters could doubtless push past. This village looked pretty big. So big, in fact, that I didn’t think it was a village at all—it was a city.
Beyond the walls were countless buildings and brightly colored flags—signs of a dense population. I landed and headed in the opposite direction. The empty land felt even lonelier than before.
Maybe I shouldn’t have looked after all.
No. No, no, no. There’s no use in getting down about it. It’s not like I’m gonna spend the rest of my life alone. I need to stay positive. Positive!
I’m sure Dragon Scale Powder will disappear once I evolve. If I raise Itty-Bitty Hero, I can become a more benign type of dragon. Then I can go back home to the forest.
And my Human Transformation skill is coming along nicely too! It’s level 3 now. If I keep practicing it, I might actually start looking like a person. And when my max MP goes up, I’ll be able to extend my transformation time.
Human Transformation burned up about 1 MP per second. Currently I had 192 total MP. Three minutes as a human felt kind of worthless, but if I could get to 600 MP, I’d have about ten minutes.
Possibly an unrealistic goal, but if I could snag a skill like the slime’s Automatic MP Recovery, it’d be another story. And even ten minutes would be plenty of time to chat with travelers. I could go into the village and check on the aftermath of the Little Rock Dragon attack. I could see Myria again. Maybe even find other people sympathetic to my situation.
Hope stirred in me as I considered my new goal: to become a dragon with a ton of MP. I had a suspicion that would take me further down the Evil Dragon route, but I could figure that out later. Hey, if my MP was 360,000, I could be a human for a thousand hours! I can’t give up!
Part 3
I STARED AT THE MAGIC CIRCLE for a while, then realized just sitting there wasn’t going to do me any good. I turned and continued back down the path. I should make my base far away from the village, just in case. If I was spotted, they’d send someone to get rid of me.
Honestly, they should focus on that giant centipede, not me! That thing is freaky!
I had to avoid people. Should I just start digging a hole? If I didn’t do it right, it could collapse and kill me in my sleep. And my night vision was terrible. I needed a light source, but there weren’t any light shrooms growing around here. I had so many problems.
Okay. If I couldn’t live underground in a hole, maybe I could try somewhere really high up. If this were the forest, I could climb a tree, but there weren’t any trees here.
Out of all my meal options, those three-headed camels seemed the most appetizing. They didn’t look great, but I’d rather eat them than a giant centipede, or a red spider, or a giant beetle that looked like a huge lump of hardened sand. Oh right, and there were those things the centipede was chasing. The lowest rung on the food chain.
I shouldn’t stick around here too long. That magic circle is making me nervous.
This place seemed far more dangerous than the forest, but I figured that meant it would be good for leveling. I needed to check out the statuses of a couple monsters.
The first thing I came across was that cactus—the one that looked like a big hairy bug. If I could eat those, life here would be easy. My scales were probably thick enough to guard against their tiny needles.
Remembering the whole situation with the carnivorous flower, I approached the cactus cautiously. Just in case it was actually a monster, I touched it very slowly. Its needles bent but didn’t penetrate my hand. Yeah, this should be fine.
I remembered hearing once that cactuses symbolize enduring love, probably because of their ability to store water and survive in the dry desert. A romantic notion. I wondered if this world had flower language. Even if it did, they probably wouldn’t symbolize the same things. “Enduring love” didn’t really fit these big, swollen monstrosities.
How can I remember all this stuff from my previous life but not my own name? What the heck did I do back then anyway?
I chopped a cactus in half. A piece splintered off and hit the ground, white liquid oozing out, filled with little seedlike granules. It looked edible, but I checked the status just in case.
Cactus Thorpupa: Value: C. A plant that blooms under special conditions in places where other plants can’t thrive. Has the ability to absorb water and collect it infinitely. Will therefore wilt if subjected to several days of rain. Because of its swollen appearance, legends call it a plant god’s deformed offspring. Thorpupa is a combination of the words “thorn” and “pupa.”
Due to its characteristics, it usually grows in desert locations and is prized as a rare source of hydration. Very nutritious and sweet. Difficult to transport for sale since it withers within days of being harvested.
So there is something out here to eat besides monsters. And after I spent all that time trying to come up with a way to make those giant centipedes taste good. Glad I wouldn’t have to try them.
But could a dragon really live off cactuses? That was a one-way trip to protein deficiency. I didn’t want to evolve into a Cactus Dragon.
Well, it’s a water source and it’ll fill me up, so I might as well try. It’s better than drinking salt water.
I picked up the bumpy cactus and took a bite. Sweetness filled my mouth. It was like eating over-roasted pineapple with a dash of watered-down aloe, all of it with extra sugar. Not bad, but the fear of cavities would probably have kept me away from it in my previous life.
The taste revived my appetite, my empty stomach crying out for more. That was unsurprising—I hadn’t eaten in so long. Sucking out the insides was annoying, so I just bit into it, thick skin and all. The needles stuck in my gums and made them bleed, but I ignored it and kept eating.
Yeah, the skin’s not bad. It would probably injure a human, though.
I devoured every bite, but this was more like a dessert than an actual meal. That was fine, but I really needed meat. I wondered if I should go looking for those monsters the giant centipede was after.
Just then, a sand dune nearby began to shift. Was it a monster? The dune was small enough to fit in my palm; if it was a monster, it was tiny.
I shouldn’t let my guard down, though. It could always have some kinda weird poison.
I considered using Scorching Breath to attack first, but if I burnt it to a crisp, I wouldn’t be able to check its status. Instead, I moved back a little way to gather information, while readying my Breath skill just in case.
The top of the dune crumbled, and a sand-colored something poked its head out.
“Pfeff.”
It was a rabbit with long ears, so round it didn’t even appear to have a neck. When it looked around, it had to turn its whole body, and could therefore only see about 120 degrees. I was out of its line of sight. It sighed with relief before crawling out of the earth.
“Pfeff, pfeff!” The creature squeaked in its unusual voice, shaking the sand off its body.
Part 4
THE RABBIT was about the size of a softball. It was a rabbit, right? Its body was so round and fluffy that I couldn’t see any limbs, and its unusually long ears dragged across the ground as it shuffled toward the broken cactus. Its puffy round tail wiggled left and right in time with its steps.
The sweet aroma must’ve woken it from its slumber deep in the sand. Plants were probably the only thing something this small and helpless could eat. And the cactuses were so spiky; no way this tiny thing could break through its tough, spiny skin.
It must just lie in wait and then come out of hiding to eat bits other monsters leave behind.
It didn’t seem particularly alert, though. It popped right up while I was there. At this rate, another monster was going to gobble it up.
First thing’s first: check its status. It could always look harmless while hiding some super-dangerous skill.
Species: Miniature Ballrabbit
Status: Normal
Lv: 2/5
HP: 4/4
MP: 3/3
Attack: 1
Defense: 2
Magic: 2
Agility: 2
Rank: F-
Special Skills:
Conceal: Lv 1
Resistance Skills:
Hunger Resistance: Lv 4
Normal Skills:
Burrow: Lv 1
Illuminate: Lv 1
Play Dead: Lv 1
Title Skills:
Desert Darling: Lv 1
Cannibal: Lv 1
Whoa. How long had it been since I’d seen a monster with a cute little status like that?
I’m surprised it’s survived this long in this nest of terrifying monsters. So…ballrabbit, huh? It has a bunch of odd skills. Is the Burrow skill necessary? Can’t it just dig a hole? And something like Illuminate probably just…lights up, right? Play Dead sounds totally pointless. A predator could just pick it up and eat it. It’s so small it wouldn’t even be satisfying.
The ballrabbit shoved its little face into the cactus and started licking. It had its Hunger Resistance all the way up to level 4. Clearly, it was no stranger to deprivation.
You had to fight to level up, but with such a weak constitution, it couldn’t even do that. If I hadn’t defeated the darkwyrm my first day in this world through tricks, I might have still been an egg myself.
Maybe it did get a lot of exercise, and that was why its Hunger Resistance was so high. It had leveled once. What did it defeat? It had that suspicious Title Skill… Did the hunger get so bad it ate one of its own kind?
It might look adorable on the outside, but I guess it can get the job done. When you’re desperate enough, you’re capable of anything.
I was craving meat so badly that I wanted to eat it, but it was just so cute. Besides, it was way too small to fill me up. I’d just leave it alone and avoid the guilt.
Maybe it was naturally oblivious, or concentrating too deeply on its dinner, but the ballrabbit still hadn’t noticed I was right behind it. How was this thing still alive?
It finished stuffing its face and let out a satisfied sigh. Armed with a full belly, it appeared to finally sense my presence. It trembled slightly as it turned toward me.
We locked eyes.
“Pfeff?!”
It let out a cry and dove into the ground, hiding itself. Well, dove was a little generous—it just covered its head with some sand. I could still see its butt and quivering puffball tail.
I know I keep saying this, but how the heck has this thing survived out here?
I stared at the round mound of sand for a few moments, then turned and headed in the opposite direction. I wasn’t going to do anything to the ballrabbit. I wished it the best. If it kept racking up experience points, eventually it would evolve. I wondered what sort of creature it would become.
Maybe it would be worth eating once it evolved. It stirred up protective feelings in me right now, but that was only because it was so small and helpless. If it was a larger monster, I wouldn’t hesitate. A fat ballrabbit would probably be delicious.
If I had the time and energy to spare, I could even help it level up. I could feed it those gross, unappetizing monsters…but then again, spending time would just create a bond between us, utterly defeating the purpose.
A few steps on and I heard a rustling behind me.
Come on now, is that your best attempt at stealth? Not even five seconds have passed since I turned around!
Rustle, rustle, rustle…rustlerustlerustle.
Wait. That’s not the rabbit.
I turned around. A scorpion the size of a dog was making its way toward the ballrabbit’s dune. Behind it was a long trail back to its den in the sand.
Another sand-hider. I had to stay on my toes.
I checked its status.
Baby Scorpion: E+ Rank. Desert assassin that buries itself in sand and lies in wait to catch its prey off guard, then stabs with its poisonous stinger. Its form is small before evolution, which is why it hides from stronger enemies. Very efficient at killing the weak.
Rank E, huh? Well, if it’s the same as a graywolf, I don’t need to be afraid of it. I’m gonna chase it. If it hides from strong monsters but targets the weak, then this is my chance. What good timing.
I could’ve left it alone. Messing with it might be a stupid idea, since I had no intention of eating a scorpion. It looked chewy, and I didn’t like eating bugs—especially poisonous ones. The ballrabbit and I weren’t close—we’d barely even made eye contact—but I still didn’t want the scorpion to eat it. I was just helping out.
My body moved before I even realized what I was doing, crouching as I approached the scorpion and baring down on it with a snap. My claws pierced right through its shell, stabbing into the earth. The scorpion went rigid, its limbs trembling weakly, before finally going still.
Monster’s rank is too low to gain experience points.
Hey, I’ve never seen that message before. Guess that’s what happens when you reach a high enough rank—earning experience points gets harder and harder. What a complete waste of a kill. I can’t eat it or gain experience.
I felt almost as guilty as the time I threw that potortoise off the cliff. Maybe I should just put up with the poison and eat it anyway to raise my resistance. At least then its death would mean something.
The ballrabbit crawled out of its dune, poised to run away, but then it stopped and looked at me.
“Pfeff.”
It dragged its ears on the ground and walked over. It seemed aware I’d saved it.
Should I bring it with me? Traveling alone could get lonely, but I wasn’t confident I could keep it safe. Having a companion wouldn’t be worth anything if it died tragically. That would just make me feel worse. And having a passenger along greatly decreased my movement options.
Then there was the Dragon Scale Powder. Spending too much time with me could make it sick, but if it stayed here it would almost certainly get eaten…
While wondering what I should do, I recalled the ballrabbit’s Burrow skill. If it evolved, maybe it could dig a burrow big enough for me to live in. That would be a huge help.
I could level the ballrabbit up and help it evolve, allowing it to survive out here in the desert. In exchange, I’d ask it to dig me a hideout.
Best case scenario, we could finish this before it even started to see effects from the Dragon Scale Powder. But if not, I might have to leave before it finished digging me my hideout…
Whatever, I’d worry about that later. I hadn’t seen the Dragon Scale Powder in action—extended exposure was necessary. At least, that was what I was hoping.
Maybe I could use Disease Breath on a random monster and see what happens? I’ve never used it before. It gives me bad vibes, but at this point it seems unavoidable.
Part 5
I CRUSHED THE SHELL of the dead scorpion with my teeth. It was hard and bitter, like freeze-dried shrimp. Yep, pretty gross.
Its Poison Belt skill was so low that it just made my mouth a little numb. My Resistance skill didn’t even go up. My poison chops were way more elite.
I finished and spat the shell fragments on the ground. Well, that didn’t taste great, but at least I wasn’t hungry anymore. Best to just appreciate the unique flavor. If I scooped out the soft parts and added sauce, it could be pretty good. Whoever ate it would need poison resistance, but I bet the black lizard would love it.
I put the ballrabbit on my head, and we walked through the desert. I was looking for another cave, but the terrain looked bleak. And I doubted the ballrabbit could dig a hole big enough for me at this point.
“Pfeff.” It fidgeted on top of my head, tickling me.
I tried to get it to use Illuminate to see that skill in action, but it didn’t understand me. Maybe if I brought it somewhere dark, it would use it on its own. I was surprised how trusting it was. I did save its life, but it was just blithely riding on top of a monster a hundred times its size! Not even a Chihuahua would get attached to me so quickly.
I moved carefully; the ballrabbit could die from a fall. The little thing only had 4 HP.
What should I use to help it level up? Something higher than rank F but not much higher. Another scorpion? If I was around, most things wouldn’t even come out of their holes. I could use the rabbit as bait, but that seemed risky, not to mention rude. We were working together, after all.
Psychic Sense pinged just the tiniest bit. The source must be buried underground. I lay down with my stomach and chin in the sand.
“Pfeff?”
The rabbit seemed to be wondering why I was suddenly so lazy. I sucked in a deep breath and sent a roar into the ground.
“Grrrrraaaaaaaaar!”
The vibrations traveled through the sand, kicking up dust.
Normal Skill “Bellow” Lv 1 has become Lv 2.
A bunch of monsters burst out of the sand and started to run, frightened by my voice. I saw some bugs the size of people and a mole as big as a dog. About thirty monsters, all between rank F and rank E+.
Huh. Maybe that stupidly large caterpillar was an exception, and this desert wasn’t too different from the forest after all. Or maybe weak monsters were the only ones hiding.
I set my sights on the nearest target—a baby scorpion, like the one I just killed. I caught it easily and stabbed a claw into its tail, activating Paralyzing Venom Claws. I pierced its shell and tore off its legs. It flailed, its movements gradually growing weaker.
Sorry, scorpion. I promise I’ll eat you up so your life won’t be a waste.
Species: Baby Scorpion
Status: Paralyzed (Major)
Lv: 6/22
HP: 4/30
MP: 8/15
All right, it’s paralyzed now. This guy’s skills are Venom Fangs, Venom Claws, and Venom Pincers. But I crushed the fangs, the tail, and the pincers—no way to strike back.
The ballrabbit could attack now and safely gain experience points. I’d monitor the scorpion’s stats from close by. If Paralyze wore off, I could just take care of it myself.
I put the rabbit in the palm of my hand and slowly lowered it to the ground. It stared at the scorpion with big, confused eyes. It didn’t get it. Come on, hurry up! We’re wasting time. Quick, before the paralysis wears off!
The rabbit looked from the scorpion and then back to me, as if asking for approval. I nodded. Very carefully, it approached the monster, long ears dragging on the ground as usual. I was a little worried about those ears. Didn’t they get all scraped up?
“Pfeff!” The rabbit tackled the scorpion, knocking it back.
Species: Baby Scorpion
Status: Paralyzed (Major)
Lv: 6/22
HP: 4/30
MP: 8/15
Wow, that did nothing… Guess that’s what happens when a Lv 2 F-rank monster faces off against a Lv 6 E-rank one.
The ballrabbit hurled itself at the scorpion again. Good job, kid. Keep it up.
Again. Oh, that was a good hit! A great hit! It used its long ears like a whip and thwapped them around violently. Whoa, I didn’t know it could do that! Awesome! It hit the part of its shell I cracked! I bet the scorpion felt that one.
After another blow, the rabbit looked at me. It was panting, likely unused to this much exertion. It seemed depressed, like it was saying “I did everything I could, but it just wasn’t enough.”
The scorpion’s HP didn’t even go down by 1. If I killed it, the ballrabbit wouldn’t get any experience points. C’mon, try again! Reluctantly, it turned back to the scorpion.
“Pfeff!” A tiny ball of fire the size of a grain of rice appeared, slowly circling the rabbit.
Was that Illuminate? If it lasted long enough, I could use it like a light shroom in the forest. The fireball made three laps around the rabbit, before flying at the scorpion. It burst, scorching a bit of its shell. Yes! The scorpion’s HP went down by 1!
Only three more hits and you got him.
The ballrabbit collapsed on the spot. Did it use up all of its MP?
The scorpion was twitching—the paralysis must be wearing off. Not good. I reached out and quickly crushed its skull with my claw.
Monster’s rank is too low to gain experience points.
I delivered the final blow, but the ballrabbit had also contributed to the fight. We could just do things this way until it evolved.
Part 6
I CHECKED TO SEE if the ballrabbit had leveled up at all.
Species: Miniature Ballrabbit
Status: Normal
Lv: 5/5 (MAX)
HP: 5/7
MP: 0/6
Attack: 2
Defense: 3
Magic: 5
Agility: 3
Rank: F-
Special Skills:
Conceal: Lv 1
Resistance Skills:
Hunger Resistance: Lv 4
Normal Skills:
Burrow: Lv 1
Illuminate: Lv 2
Play Dead: Lv 1
Whip Dance: Lv 1
Title Skills:
Desert Darling: Lv 1
Cannibal: Lv 1
Parasitic Leveler: Lv 1
Hey, it did! And so did its Illuminate skill! And it gained something called Whip Dance. The name was cool, though it probably referred to it thwapping the scorpion with its ears. Oh, and it had a weird Title Skill: Parasitic Leveler. I didn’t think I should let that one get too high. Would we get some sort of penalty for gaming the system? But the rabbit would never get anywhere if I didn’t help out.
The ballrabbit stretched its tail, dragged itself over to the dead scorpion, and opened its mouth wide. All that leveling must’ve been hungry work. It moved too fast for me to stop it, attempting to suck the meat out from where I’d pierced the shell.
Recovering quickly, I grabbed the body with my claw and flung it away.
“Pfeff?!” The ballrabbit tracked the scorpion with its eyes and then stared sadly at the ground.
Hey, that thing is poisonous! And you don’t have much HP! Poison could kill you!
Starvation had left it willing to eat anything. I bet its appetite rivaled the black lizard’s, who would eat anything as long as it was poisonous.
It didn’t get poisoned…did it? I’d better check.
Species: Miniature Ballrabbit
Status: Poison (Trace)
Lv: 5/5 (MAX)
HP: 5/7
MP: 0/6
Damn, it did get poisoned!
“Pfeff!” The ballrabbit gagged, vomiting up meat and fluids. I stroked its back gently, careful not to scratch it with my claws. At least the scorpion’s poison wasn’t that strong, and the rabbit hadn’t eaten much. It should be fine after it got it all out. It might even gain resistance. That was how I did it, anyway.
By the time the poison left the rabbit’s body, its HP had dropped by 2, but it did gain Poison Resistance. Still, even losing 2 HP put its life in danger—it was down to 3 HP. For what must have been the hundredth time, I thought about how much easier life would be if I had some Recovery Magic. Hopefully I’d get some next time I evolved. With enough HP, I could use Human Transformation for as long as I needed. That was a worthy goal, though I doubted dragons usually specialized in Recovery Magic.
I was expecting the ballrabbit to evolve, but it just lay listlessly on the ground, completely exhausted.
Listen, I know you aren’t feeling well with your HP and MP both drained, but would you please just evolve? You’re at MAX Level, come on!
I heard a little noise—the rabbit’s stomach was growling, despite having devoured so much of that cactus.
Okay, I’d feed it something first. I placed the ballrabbit back on my head and returned to where we’d found the cactuses. I sliced open a fresh one. My leftovers probably weren’t enough dinner. It looked small, but it was clearly a big eater.
The rabbit ate with ravenous enthusiasm, proving my theory correct. Wow. I couldn’t blame it, really. It was an F-rank monster with a level 4 Hunger Resistance skill. It must’ve led a difficult life, considering the Cannibalize skill. It would likely eat as much as it could when it had the opportunity, like pigs did.
It ate every bit of the cactus I cut for it, until even its shape looked a little different. How much could this thing put away? It had to be full by now. Dragging its ears on the ground, the ballrabbit made its way over to me.
“Pfeff! Pfeff!” it said frantically. Was it still hungry? How much cactus do you want, buddy? I didn’t want to make it sick.
It has the Title Skill “Desert Darling,” but I failed to see what was so darling about eating so much it couldn’t walk. Still, back in my world, this sort of animal would cause a huge stir online.
Anxiously, I sliced up another cactus. And the ballrabbit kept eating. Wow, that had to be more than its body weight. What was going on inside its stomach? Did it have magical never-get-full powers? I was kind of curious to see just how much it could eat.
Part 7
BY THE TIME the ballrabbit finished, it had grown to twice its original size, eating perhaps five times its weight. This thing was wild.
Totally stuffed full, it flopped down contentedly and opened its mouth wide to yawn, before closing its eyes and going to sleep. This thing led a charmed life. Good for you, Ballrabbit.
I sat with it for a while, suddenly less upset that it hadn’t evolved yet. Watching it was peaceful. I stroked its head gently, careful to not scratch it. Its thick fur felt so soft.
“Pfeff…pfeff…pfeff?” The rabbit must’ve felt me touching it because it opened its eyes. I quickly hid my arm behind my back. Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.
“Nngu…guu!” Its body began to swell up. It had started out the size of a softball, but now it was suddenly as big as a watermelon.
Hey! It evolved! Time to check its status.
Species: Small Ballrabbit
Status: Normal
Lv: 1/12
HP: 3/10
MP: 0/6
Attack: 3
Defense: 4
Magic: 6
Agility 4
Rank: E-
Special Skills:
Conceal: Lv 1
Food Regeneration: Lv 1
Resistance Skills:
Hunger Resistance: Lv 4
Poison Resistance: Lv 1
Binge Resistance: Lv 1
Normal Skills:
Burrow: Lv 2
Illuminate: Lv 2
Play Dead: Lv 1
Whip Dance: Lv 1
Swallow Whole: Lv 1
Storage: Lv 1
Charm: Lv 1
Title Skills:
Desert Darling: Lv 2
Cannibal: Lv 1
Parasitic Leveler: Lv 1
Ravenous: Lv 2
All of its new skills had something to do with food. Maybe I shouldn’t have let it eat so much. Its Ravenous skill jumped to level 2. And what was Food Regeneration? Was Binge Resistance because it kept eating even though it was painful? Why did it feel the need to push itself like that?
It was a small ballrabbit now, which meant there were big ballrabbits. Leveling up would be easier now that it was rank E.
How long until the Dragon Scale Powder began to affect it? I’d kept my wings folded up, but I was hoping to stretch out a little. The skill was already at level 4; I had to be careful. And I still needed to do my Disease Breath experiments.
The ballrabbit stretched out again. We made brief eye contact, before it turned its gaze toward the cactuses. It kept glancing back and forth.
Don’t tell me it still wants to eat.
Was there any reason it shouldn’t? It wasn’t like letting it have all the cactuses it wanted affected me. I sliced one open, letting the ballrabbit at the insides. It got full faster this time. Before long, it sighed and stopped eating.
I wondered whether I should let it grow more. If it got bigger, I’d have a hard time finding enough food for it. It might eat all the cactuses in this desert!
That’s right—it had the Special Skill “Food Regeneration.” Did it regenerate HP by eating food?
Species: Small Ballrabbit
Status: Normal
Lv: 1/12
HP: 8/10
MP: 0/6
Whoa, it did! An ability like that was in the same class as Automatic HP Recovery; impressive for an E-rank monster. I would love to have a skill like that. It made Binge Resistance make more sense—it was good for it to eat as much as it could.
The two of us continued through the desert. I couldn’t travel using Roll with the rabbit on my head. A shame, because the quicker I moved, the quicker I would find shelter.
My body felt twitchy. I’d been walking so much, and every instinct was aching to Roll. It would feel so good to speed around the vast, open desert, bouncing off sand dunes.
Hang in there. Don’t give in to temptation.
I wandered until sunset, but we didn’t find anywhere to stay. The ballrabbit was so sleepy it was swaying. We had to rest. I took it off my head and set it on the ground, where it immediately started digging itself a hole to keep itself safe—in theory at least. A hungry enough monster could probably get to it.
I lay on top of the ballrabbit’s sand dune and closed my eyes. Now it would be protected while it slept.
Resting out in the open like this made me nervous, and I couldn’t relax. The possibility of being attacked in my sleep went round and round in my head. If something like that giant centipede showed up, I wouldn’t even bother to fight. I’d grab the ballrabbit and run.
I was just now realizing how comfortable my life in the forest had been, with a nice cave with a fluffy rug to sleep on and an endless supply of dried jerky hanging outside. I even had pottery to keep myself busy. I still had so many renovations to do.
More than anything, I missed the black lizard and the orangurangs.
I had to stop thinking about it. My focus had to be on evolving past the Dragon Scale Powder. Only then could I make my slow way home.