17
Chapter 17
I classified the Nightmare Woodfiend as an enemy.
Even if it had saved me before, it bared its hostility and attacked me.
If we couldn't be friends, we were just enemies.
"To think I'd lose to a guy like this......."
Those were the words it left behind after a desperate scream.
With those final words, the Woodfiend died, burnt to a crisp.
Serves it right.
The fire didn't spread to the surroundings.
My flame skill could only damage targets I recognized as enemies.
Crunch, crunch.
I approached the Woodfiend's corpse.
I unexpectedly hunted another Superior grade.
I got lucky again this time.
It was already a mess thanks to the Slow Stone, and since it was a tree-type monster, fire was its weakness.
Well, the fact that I killed it with my own skills remains unchanged.
After all, they say luck is also a skill.
Riiiip- riiiiip-!
Celebrating my victory, I tore off its bark.
I chewed on the torn bark just like that.
Munch, munch.
As I tore, chewed, and tasted the bark, I naturally discovered a brilliant ore inside the guy's corpse.
Nice, I acquired a Mana Stone.
Today was a bountiful harvest.
I swallowed the Mana Stone without hesitation.
[Flame Teddy Bear lv.20]
┗Pw.40 (+4)
┗Rnk.Uncommon
Oh. I went up by 2 levels.
It seemed I absorbed quite a lot of Reinforcement Mana contained in the Woodfiend's Mana Stone.
This guy's Mana Stone must have had a good absorption rate.
I finished devouring the rest of the corpse.
Then I walked around the empty shell of the Slow Stone's corpse and took in the devastating trail left by the rolling boulder once more.
Should I call this a silver lining?
If I just followed that trail, I would be able to return to where I originally was.
But returning was put on hold for now.
Moving right now was dangerous.
There was a high probability that the way back wouldn't be smooth.
You never knew what kind of terrifying monster might block my path home.
Therefore, I needed to become a little stronger.
[Current Physical Adaptability is 43.]
The Physical Adaptability required for Evolution had already been more than met.
Let's start with Evolution first.
With this kind of number, I could probably evolve two or three times.
[[Evolution lv.2] Do you wish to use it?]
Yep!
================
[Evolvable Species]
◎ Spinning Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Rock Teddy Bear - Uncommon
================
The Evolution list popped up.
There were two options.
Spinning Teddy Bear and Rock Teddy Bear.
I stroked my chin with my front paw and groaned.
Hmm. What should I pick.
Neither of them seemed bad.
My deliberation did not last long.
I should just go with the Spinning Teddy Bear.
The species name made it sound like it would have a movement skill.
A movement skill was essential for a quick return home.
Even without that purpose, I wanted to secure at least one movement skill if possible.
I quickly made my choice before my indecisiveness could kick in again.
[Evolution is complete.]
[Spinning Teddy Bear lv.19]
┗Pw.38 (+6)
┗Rnk.Uncommon (Limit Breakthrough unavailable)
[Skills]
[Helper lv.1], [Evolution lv.2], [Action lv.2], [Feeding lv.1], [Magic Chef lv.1], [Teddy Bear Camouflage lv.1], [Bloodsucking lv.1], [Spicy-Sweet Fist lv.1], [Flame Manipulation lv.2], [Synthesis lv.1], [Hero lv.1], [Rolling lv.1]
[Current Physical Adaptability is 29.]
There were no changes to my appearance.
My bonus power increased by 2, and I gained a new skill called Rolling.
To think there were two rewards for this Evolution too!
I was really lucky today!
...That thought completely vanished when I saw my decreased Physical Adaptability.
This is a disaster.
My plans were ruined.
I was planning to do consecutive Evolutions.
Well, it could not be helped.
Swallowing my disappointment, I checked the information for the Rolling skill.
[Rolling lv.1]
─Rolls.
Helper? What is this?
Have you gotten too lazy to explain the skills?
I wondered if I was seeing things.
Are you still writing the skill description?
Will a proper description appear after some time passes?
Thinking that, I stood there blankly and waited.
However, no matter how long I waited, the skill description box did not update.
I guess this really is the end of the description....
Helper, you jerk, your affection for me has cooled down....
Sullen.
I hung my head low.
I wondered if acting pitiful would change anything.
Naturally, nothing changed.
Even when I slowly raised my head to look at the description again, it still only said Rolls.
Hmm. Is it a skill that doesn't even need an explanation?
I decided to try using it for now.
I immediately curled up my body.
To be exact, I rolled my body into a ball like an armadillo.
[You are using the [Rolling lv.1] skill.]
My body started to spin.
I didn't roll forward.
I was just slowly rotating in place.
Whirrrrr-!
A loud spinning sound echoed out.
The rotation speed gradually accelerated.
Enough to dig into the ground and kick up a storm of dirt and dust.
Am I Rammus or what.
Even while my body was spinning, my forward vision was perfectly clear.
It was probably thanks to an ability included in the Rolling skill.
Helper, you should write things like this in the description.
Anyway.
I should obviously be able to move in this state, right?
I exerted my will to move forward.
Then, my spinning body started to move forward.
Ooh!
It moves forward so smoothly!
First, I went for a test drive.
Circling around the Slow Stone's corpse.
Whirrrrr-!
Whirrrrrrrrr-!
I was zipping around perfectly.
The speed was absolutely amazing.
Sharp turns were no problem at all.
Isn't this basically a motorcycle?
I slightly changed my plans.
Originally, I was going to try using the Synthesis skill right now as well.
Because I could become even stronger through skill synthesis.
However, I decided to just return to my shelter and experiment with the Synthesis skill comfortably.
Since it seemed like I could quickly and safely return to where I originally was with just this skill.
Even if I encountered a terrifying monster, I could just roll away and escape like this.
If I encounter a monster faster than me, then I'm just out of luck.
Well then, shall we head to my cozy shelter now?
Jjokkomi! Tosuni!
I'll be back soon, so wait for me!
Whirrrrr-!!!
I accelerated my rotation.
Soon after, I began to rapidly roll along the exact trail the Slow Stone had left behind.
Ruuuuun!!!
No, rooooooll!!!
***
The mountain range where the Teddy Bear resided.
The forest connected to that mountain range.
The Slow Stone's corpse rolled through that mountain range and forest, causing massive damage.
It crushed the ground, smashed rocks, destroyed trees, collapsed various structures built by monsters, and even took lives.
The biggest victim was the Chaos Dragon.
Unfortunately, as soon as the Chaos Dragon was born, it was crushed flat by the suddenly rolling Slow Stone. Because of that, it died instantly.
The other victims didn't suffer quite as much.
They didn't lose their lives like the Chaos Dragon.
However, it was an undeniable fact that they had suffered damage.
All the victims resented and hated the Slow Stone, grinding their teeth.
[High Orc lv.60]
┗Pw.240
┗Rnk.Rare
"W-what in the world happened here! Why is the village in ruins!"
[High Orc lv.40]
┗Pw.160
┗Rnk.Rare
"This doesn't make any sense... To think our village has been laid to waste......."
[High Orc lv.45]
┗Pw.180
┗Rnk.Rare
"Chieftain! According to those who remained in the village, a Slow Stone suddenly swept through our village!"
The High Orc settlement.
This was also one of the places damaged by the Slow Stone.
Their village was structured in a long, straight line, and the Slow Stone had trampled through it from one end to the other. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The High Orc Chieftain witnessed this gruesome sight when he returned from a hunt with his subordinates.
"A Slow Stone attacked our village?"
The Chieftain's face contorted severely.
Just as the Chieftain was thinking about exterminating all the Slow Stones inhabiting this vicinity.
Whirrrrr-!!!
Along with a loud noise.
From far away, a Teddy Bear was rapidly approaching the High Orc village using the Rolling skill.
Naturally, the High Orcs did not know what was rolling toward them.
"Chieftain! Something is approaching this way!"
"What is that now!"
"Is it a young Slow Stone?"
"No, that's not a Slow Stone!"
Amidst the murmuring of the High Orcs.
The Chieftain stepped forward with his fists tightly clenched.
And stared at the rolling Teddy Bear with eyes full of Killing Intent.
"I don't know what it is, but seeing it roll like that, it must be related to the Slow Stone that attacked our village. Once it gets close, I will capture it alive."
Screeeeeech-!!!
A sharp friction sound echoed out.
The rolling Teddy Bear instantly changed direction, sliding and making a U-turn while drawing a semicircle on the ground.
Whirrrrr-!!!
Having successfully drifted, the Teddy Bear sped back the way it came.
"I-it's running away!"
"...Catch it! Do not let that bastard get away!"