Starting My Reincarnated Life as a Pebble – Chapter 4

Author: rolypoly

Hop—

A terribly adorable baby rabbit was approaching the pond.

It had been so long since I’d seen a cute, furry animal that just watching it felt healing.

‘Ayy. No way it reacted to that rabbit, right?’

To such a tiny, fluffy, and cute baby rabbit?

Swish—

Just then, I spotted a giant snake stealthily closing in behind the rabbit.

‘It was that guy!’

Of course.

There was no way that harmless-looking baby rabbit could be a dangerous monster.

Hop, hop—

Unaware of anything, the baby rabbit hopped over to the pond and began nibbling on something.

Having crept right up behind the rabbit, the snake opened its maw and lunged in an instant.

‘Rabbit, watch out!’

However, in the very next moment, I had no choice but to doubt my own eyes.

Crunch—

‘…Did it really activate because of the rabbit?’

Feeling threatened, the rabbit expanded in size like Ultra-M*n.

It didn’t just grow bigger, either; it became a bipedal muscle-bound beast that would put bodybuilders to shame.

‘Mm. So it wasn’t eating grass, but gnawing on a frog.’

It was chewing on the corpse of a frog I’d hunted like it was bubblegum.

Its cuteness vanished without a trace, transformed in a single moment into an imposing, menacing figure.

Soon, the “thing that was once a baby rabbit” clamped its massive hand around the snake’s neck.

Then, showing off its hulking forearms, it began wringing it out like wet laundry.

‘I don’t know who was supposed to be worrying about whom.’

This world really never gives me a moment to adjust. Ha.

Thump— Thump—

The muscle rabbit (formerly baby rabbit) grabbed the knocked-out snake by the tail with its burly arm and slammed it repeatedly against the ground.

‘Ooh….’

And then, grabbing the tattered jaw of the snake, it ripped it in half.

It was a breathtaking scene where the positions of predator and prey in common sense were flipped.

‘This is more entertaining than watching a documentary during exam week.’

I feel like I can understand the people of the Middle Ages now.

Could it be that medieval rabbits were actually like that too?

‘If I get caught in that, I’ll be crushed to dust.’

Sensing bad news, I quietly tried to slip away from the spot.

However, my modest wish was not granted.

Thud—!

‘Whoa, my heart almost dropped!’

Did it leave its own liver behind and try to carve out mine instead or something?

‘Damn it.’

Our eyes met.

Considering he noticed me even with my Stealth skill active, he’s clearly not ordinary, just as his looks suggest.

Well, it’s not like I actually have real eyes, so if I just stay quiet, he’ll be on his merry—

Squeak?

The giant medieval rabbit-sir tilted his head while letting out a cute chirp that completely clashed with his outward appearance.

Then, picking me up with his index finger and thumb, he placed me on his palm.

‘Gasp—’

I was startled thinking it was going to crush me.

For some reason, it feels like two fingers would be more than enough to smash me to bits.

‘I’m just an ordinary passing pebble, good sir. So if you just put me down, I’ll be on my—’

Squeeeak?

Ugh. The cognitive dissonance of this visual is insane.

The veins bulging around the clear red eyes that I thought were cute just moments ago were downright terrifying.

For some reason, it didn’t look like it had any intention of letting me go.

At this point, hasn’t it really mistaken me for a rolling liver or something? Haha.

‘Sir Rabbit. I have no liver and no flavor; I am merely a hard pebble. While I can spew poison if I sense danger…. Wait a minute.’

If I play this right, can’t I get an insanely sweet skill?

Seeing how the rabbit suddenly enlarged in size, he might possess a related skill.

I could go from a pebble to a boulder!

Perhaps because my optimism kicked into overdrive, my brain suddenly began spinning at full throttle.

‘First off, getting swallowed looks unlikely.’

Whether a misfortune or a blessing, for now, it didn’t look like it intended to eat me.

Punching through those buckteeth that look like shields would be rough, too.

‘If I leap, get the Headbutt bonus, and use Poison Mucus on top of it, that should work.’

This is the best combo attack I can pull off with my current skill set.

Then, to maximize the poison’s effect, the most ideal spot to hit on the head would be…….

‘The eyes.’

Because eyes are strictly part of the head, too.

Of course, I don’t think I can kill it with just that.

With that size, even if I hit both sides, wouldn’t it end with at most blindness?

To ensure the kill, I’ll need a stronger finishing blow.

Squeak?

Just then, a presence rustled nearby.

The rabbit’s head naturally turned in that direction.

‘First, I have to rob its sight before the rabbit moves.’

Right in front of him, and while his guard is down—this is the greatest opportunity.

For now, I plan to blind it, and while it’s losing its senses, think about what comes after.

Since its interest is turned elsewhere right now and it looks like it might leave any second, I have no choice.

‘If worse comes to worst, my only option is to just run away or look for an opportunity again.’

The moment I made up my mind, I quickly leapt toward his eyes.

‘Hyaaah!!’

And the instant I made contact with his eye, I triggered Poison Mucus.

Smack—!

As expected, the distance was close, so I could hit it without difficulty.

Struck in the eye by a suddenly flying pebble, the startled rabbit staggered.

Squeeeak!!

Failing to grasp the situation, it held its attacked eye and scanned its surroundings.

Completely forgetting that the pebble in his hand had disappeared.

‘Looks like he didn’t notice.’

Thankfully, it seems his intelligence didn’t scale up alongside his massive frame.

Well, even if its intelligence were high, it wouldn’t think that a pebble did it.

‘Stand still for a second.’

This time, since the distance grew further and it was moving around every which way, I exercised caution.

Considering its movement, angle, timing, distance, and so forth…

‘Now!’

Thwack—!

‘My aim is insane!!’

Even I was shocked by the spine-chilling accuracy.

Playing that game where you launch angry birds all night long during my childhood seems to have paid off.

Screeeech—!!

Having taken hits to both eyes, the rabbit let out an agonizing howl.

‘This is no time to be admiring myself…!’

Having lost his sight, the rabbit began rampaging like a maniac.

I immediately rolled my body and ducked into a nearby crevice between some rocks.

‘Isn’t that guy completely unhinged? If I get caught in that crossfire, they won’t even be able to sweep up my gravel.’

Crack—

Under its monstrous strength, trees snapped like reeds and the ground vibrated.

Perhaps drawn by the commotion, nearby monsters began gathering one by one.

‘At this rate, all the monsters in the neighborhood will gather.’

So far, the rabbit was winning against them all.

Even if it couldn’t see, it seemed to be thanks to its sensitive hearing.

However, if things continue like this, the opportunity I caught with great effort might be snatched away by another guy.

‘That won’t do.’

I racked my brain desperately, surveying the area.

In case there was anything I could exploit.

‘That is….’

Just then, the corpse of the snake that had been split in half caught my sight.

Four fangs jutted straight toward the sky, resembling a bear trap.

‘Come to think of it, the rabbit seemed to avoid the fangs.’

He had shown signs of desperately evading when the snake tried to bite him.

Even when tearing its jaw apart, he seemed to deliberately avoid gripping near the fangs.

‘Could it be venomous?’

Since it was a snake I was seeing for the first time, I couldn’t be sure, but having no other way, I had no choice but to place a bet.

I cautiously circled around and rolled toward where the trap of venomous fangs lay.

Then, leaping onto a nearby branch, I made a sound.

Snap—

‘Oopsie, my mistake!’

Despite being a sound that wasn’t very loud, the rabbit immediately pin-pointed the direction and turned its body.

Perhaps because it was after getting attacked several times, it seemed to react even more sensitively.

Screeech—!

‘It’s coming!’

Charging without hesitation, the brute stepped right into the trap he had made himself.

Two venomous fangs drove cleanly into his broad foot.

‘The slippers suit you quite well.’

With the snake corpse lodged in the sole of his foot, the rabbit continued to take steps.

One step, two steps, three steps.

His speed noticeably deteriorated, and soon, with about two steps left to go, he collapsed.

[Would you like to activate Blessing of Predation (lv. 1)?]

‘Nice!!’

Just as I expected. I had rarely seen a case among venomous animals where the poison vanished the moment they died.

The snake was the weak one; its venom wasn’t.

‘In the end, he dug his own rabbit hole of a grave.’

[You have predated the magic stone of an Ultra Rabbit (lv. 21). Absorbing demonic essence.]

No wonder he felt leagues apart from the Egg-eaters and Frogs; his level was absurdly high.

I really came close to being turned into dust.

To think I’d take down a monster of this caliber so easily…….

[You have devoured the Magic Stone of a Death Viper (Lv. 18). Absorbing magic power.]

[Level Up! You have obtained 2 Skill Points.]

[You have obtained 2 Skill Points.]

‘Huh? What. I didn’t even hunt the snake?’

Good grief. To think I could devour magic stones even if I didn’t catch them directly?

‘What’s more shocking is that not a single monster died near me all this time.’

Well, seeing a living creature pass by was rare enough to count on one hand.

Even so, not a single one in a hundred years? Isn’t that just forced bad luck from the world?

[There are skills available for acquisition.]

‘Please be there…!’

——————

[Acquirable Skills]

Cuteness – 1P

Keen Hearing – 1P

Agility – 2P

Gigantification – 4P

——————

‘Oh, it’s there!’

Fortunately, just as I’d hoped, Gigantification was on the list.

‘Then right away, Gigantification….’

[You lack Skill Points.]

‘Ah, damn it!’

How on earth am I short by exactly 1 point?

If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have learned Stealth!

‘Can’t you give me a refund if I abandon it?’

[Points spent are not returned upon skill deletion.]

‘Dammit. Of course not.’

I can’t just let this slip away. Can’t you really just give me a loan just this once?

[You lack Skill Points.]

Really sharp. I’m gonna get cut at this rate.

‘Hey, aren’t you being way too harsh on a pitiful pebble!!’

Right when I wondered if I had to give up like this.

Something caught my eye past the notification window.

‘That’s….’

I quickly rolled my body and approached.

It was the corpses of the monsters that the rabbit had ruthlessly pulverized while blindly thrashing around.

[Would you like to activate Blessing of Predation (lv. 1)?]

‘Please, a level up…!’

[You have predated the magic stone of a Fang Hyena (lv. 14). Absorbing magic power.]

[Level Up! You have obtained 2 Skill Points.]

‘Yes!!’

Perhaps because there were quite a few carcasses, my level went up.

They were right in the direction the notification window popped up; did the system hear me and lend a hand?

‘No way. It’s just a coincidence.’

Besides, this hardly counts as helping.

If I waited a little, I would have found and eaten them on my own anyway.

‘Anyway, this makes it 5 points.’

Thankfully, I can now acquire Gigantification.

Still, just in case, I scrutinized the monsters’ skills thoroughly.

There might be something even more useful than Gigantification.

‘Burrow, Tail Whip, Spitting, Deadly Fangs, Scratch….’

There were a few that looked decent, but none seemed better than Gigantification.

I briefly considered learning Deadly Fangs, the very skill that did the rabbit in, but it was grayed out with an “Unusable” notice.

Probably because I lack the “fangs” part of Deadly Fangs.

‘Unbelievable.’

[Acquiring the skill ‘Gigantification’.]

——————

[Gigantification (lv. 1)]

Consumes mana to enlarge the body for 5 minutes. Certain physical abilities alter according to the enlargement.

——————

‘Yep. This is the best.’

Even if the description was simple, the effect wasn’t.

I had already thought of a way to utilize the skill, too.

‘What if I leap, and then use Gigantification as I fall?!’

I can fight like the Kilo Kilo Fruit user from One P*ece!

Of course, in the original work, it was quickly broken through by the protagonist’s party and evaluated as a useless ability, but that was because they fought the protagonist’s party.

Monsters generally seem to have low intelligence, so this will definitely prove useful.

‘What should I do with the remaining 1 point?’

I turned my gaze to the notification windows I hadn’t closed yet.

I left behind 1-point skills that looked usable.

‘Strangely enough, I’m drawn to this one.’

——————

[Cuteness (lv. 1)]

Your adorable appearance triggers protective instincts, increasing your survival rate. The effect grows stronger the higher the target’s intellect and the kinder their nature.

——————

‘Cuteness, huh.’

Just looking at the name, I wondered if it had any use, but reading the description made it extremely tempting.

A passive that boosts my survival rate?

Even I, upon seeing the rabbit for the first time, was captivated by its cuteness and felt an urge to help it for a second.

‘Mm. The effect seems certain enough.’

They even say cuteness saves the world.

It didn’t become a skill for nothing.

‘Okay. I’ve decided.’

Since I made up my mind to live on even as a pebble, I’ll invest in raising my survivability.

Of course, I’ve only run into mindless monsters so far, but you never know what could happen.

Who knows when I’ll ever get the chance to pick up a skill like this again?