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### Chapter 1: Chapter 1 A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
On a certain mountaintop, high above the clouds, a hero and a villain were having a grand battle. “Take this—[Holy Infinite Beaming Sword of Banishing the Nasty Darkness]!” “Hah, that is nothing against my [Aegis of Divine Darkness for Repelling Pesky Heroes]!” Grand spells and abilities were flying every which way, tearing apart the landscape and slicing up the clouds below. It was a very grand battle indeed—one that would decide the fate of the world. But did it really matter? Like, really really? Because… the fate of the world was constantly shifting this way and that. There was always balance. Another hero and another villain. Yes, it was the fate of the world, but… Only for like—30 years or so, probably. The record was half a year before a new villain rose up. A rather short eternity of peace that turned out to be. Therefore, it really was not that special of a battle. Similar battles had been fought before. Similar battles would be fought again. Whichever side won; the other side would eventually strike back. Ultimately, it was a pointless story that would lead nowhere. Luckily, they are not the main characters of this story. In fact, they will be left as mere footnotes in history, while our hero will lead a much grander tale. On the violently shaking mountaintop sat a stone. It was a nice stone—a gneiss stone in fact. It might have been more accurate to call it a pebble. The type of pebble a child might take along due to its nice shape and pretty coloring. This pebble was spending its time as stones tended to, minding its own business. The racket nearby was quite annoying, and it wished that it could get some peace and quiet. That however threw the stone for a loop—wishing for peace and quiet? Since when had it wished for anything? Since when had it had thoughts anyways? The stone strained its mind but could only recall a long time spent in comfortable silence. Was this awareness a new thing? It was. Just a few minutes ago, one of the hero’s stray spells had hit this very pebble, causing some strange changes to come over it. The pebble found the situation quite odd and wished it could go back to the relaxing state it had previously been enjoying. Who wanted to be aware of eternity spent waiting on a mountaintop? As it tried to relax its mind, the pebble noticed a strange screen hovering in front of it. Had that been there before? No—it had to be new. Curious, the pebble focused on the little grey box. [Unnamed] Title(s) : None 🗿 HP : 1/1 Mana : 0/0 Level : 0 Experience : 0/10 Class : None Sub-class : None Race : Gneiss Stone Gold : 0 STATS Diameter (d) : 0.06m Mass (m) : 0.3kg Velocity (v) : 0 m/s => [0,0,0] ABILITIES Collide Crash into a foe and inflict damage equal to m * Δ v / 4 . Bounceback damage is reduced. The stone found the screens rather curious—it somehow understood the contents. It understood that the screens were referring to itself in some way, and that they indicated that the pebble was not a very mighty pebble currently. That thought saddened the pebble somewhat. Now that it was aware of things, it considered itself superior to all the other pebbles around, but its statistics indicated anything but! The pebble was not quite sure how it observed its surroundings, but somehow it did just that. All around it, other stones lay about—many quite a bit larger than itself. The pebble did not like that. It wanted to be the best of all stones. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Just then, as it was deep in thought, a new screen appeared in front of it. Tutorial Quest Assigned Roll out Reach the bottom of the mountain. Current Altitude : 10 000m Difficulty : Legendary Rewards : ??? ( Legendary ) What was this? A quest! A grand, heroic, quest! The pebble was ready to set forth towards danger, to seek out the mysterious rewards it could receive, when it suddenly recalled a poignant detail. It was a stone, and stones did not tend to move about too much. A trap! A jest! A taunt! Who would be so cruel as to assign a monumental task like that to an immobile pebble? Oh greatest of sins, what cruelty! “Go, [Heroic Homing Overpowered Lazer of Atomic Water Bonds]!” “You fool, all water is atomic, you cannot penetrate my [Impenetrable Shield of Darkness that Cannot be Penetrated]!” Of course, the battle was still raging in the background. Just as the pebble was about to fall into a deep depression, a blast of energy was deflected near it, and it was launched into the air. The pebble was perplexed—it was moving ! For the first time ever, the pebble moved from that place! It rather enjoyed the feel of it and noticed a change on its stats screen as its flight passed its apex. STATS Diameter (d) : 0.06m Mass (m) : 0.3kg Velocity (v) : 26.13 m/s => [3, 7, -25] The numbers had gotten bigger! Overjoyed, the pebble realized that it should do this fly-about thing more—anything that made the numbers grow was surely a good thing. Perhaps it could even advance on its quest? The pebble then noticed that its flight was nearing its end, as it was flying right at the head of some strange, red-skinned creature. The creature seemed to be engaged in battle with another white-clad one. And the pebble was flying right at the red creature's hea— Bonk Collide activated! [Unnamed] Dealt 0,3 * 13.1 / 4 = 1 dmg to [Demon Lord Diablos] New Velocity for [Unnamed] : 13.01 m/s => [1.4, 12.3, -4] The red-skinned creature flinched for a second as a pebble hit it in the face, allowing the white-clad one to plunge its sword deep into the creature’s chest. “This isn’t over... I will resurrect in 666 years, and then humanity will be doomed!” “Heh, I don’t care. The isekai office only contracted me for one demon lord. I’m saying goodbye to this shitty world.” Some more words were spoken, but the pebble was already far away, rolling down the mountain. Soon, a notification appeared in front of it once again. You have assisted in defeating [Demon Lord Diablos!] 500 000 Assist experience granted! You have gained the title: Enemy of Demons ! Effects: 20% Greater damage dealt to demons, 20% more experience from killing demons, permanent hostility with all demons! Level up! 500 000 / 10 xp Discarding overflow xp You have reached level 1! Stats up! Mass (m) : 0.3kg -> 1.0kg Diameter (d) : 0.06m -> 0.09m HP: 1 -> 1 [Unnamed] Title(s) : Enemy of Demons 🗿 HP : 1/1 Mana : 0/0 Level : 1 Experience : 0/20 Class : None Sub-class : None Race : Gneiss Stone Gold : 0 It had grown! Immense joy filled the pebble as it noticed that it had become a larger pebble. This was the start of a path to greatness! It celebrated for quite a while as it rolled down, then finally noticed more screens. You are eligible for the class: Rolling Stone Accept the class? Y/N A class? The pebble slowly considered each new screen as it flashed by and judged that it indeed did want to be a Rolling Stone. To be quite frank, it already was one–the pebble was making good speed down the mountain. The pebble focused on the prompt and accepted the class. Congratulations! You are now a level 1 Rolling Stone ! New Ability Gained! Steer Subtly shift acceleration vector into desired direction The pebble parsed its new ability and stats and felt satisfied. It had grown bigger! Moreover, it had received some sort of new, complicated ability. It didn't quite know what an acceleration or a vector was but had time to learn. It would experiment. Eventually. A stone was a patient one after all. The pebble continued rolling down the mountain, eagerly awaiting a chance to test out its new ability. It rolled onward to its grand quest. Down the mountain. Towards the unknown, dark horizon. To where no pebble had gone before (probably). And so, a brave hero set forth, as many had done before. This is its story. Quest: Current Altitude : 9 673m
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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Gathering Moss
As fast as it had gotten started, the [Rolling Stone’s] journey came to an end. Quest: Current Altitude : 9 253m Velocity (v) : 0 m/s => [0, 0, 0] The pebble… had gotten stuck. A cruel twist of fate, but also a somewhat inevitable one. All heroes need great trials to surpass, like the great titan who was sentenced to eternally push a rock up a mountain. However, therein lay the issue. Our pebble had no push of its own. As it had flown down from that great mountaintop, cast off in the clash of titans, it had been overjoyed. Such speed! Such process! It could watch the quest ticker tick down, and the velocity stat tick up. The numbers just kept getting bigger! Faster and faster it had rolled, gathering speed and momentum, speeding down the mountain. Until it had seen a target. A queer sort of animal, with two long ears which twitched about happily as it observed its surroundings. Then the pebble remembered two things. 1. It could grow larger by hitting things in the head really hard. 2. And it could [Steer]. Steer activated! Steering to the [Right] At that moment, its [Velocity] had been great indeed, so the pebble had begun using its new skill, subtly altering its [Acceleration] vector, gradually adjusting course towards the furred creature. The creature just sat in place, a lone challenger for the rock, standing near a mighty cliff. The pebble saw its lack of motion, and knew the enemy to be inferior. That was when it erred. For a pebble has rather limited awareness—it did not know of things like smell, taste, or... well, sound. It neared the target, bounced off a rock, and— An ear twitched. A rabbit hopped—and dodged. And a rock thudded hard against stone, getting lodged between two boulders, a great chasm under it. But it was no longer falling. It was no longer moving. Stuck. The very-much-so-not-[Rolling Stone] began gathering moss. A familiar feeling, really. It had spent most of eternity doing that, so it was in a way a return to normalcy. Retirement after a great career of adventure. It had gone where few rocks had gone before, uncharted waters, and managed to reach level 1. Not anything to be ashamed of. Proud, the pebble looked back on the folly of youth, and sat back to enjoy its retirement. And the seasons changed. First came the chill winds of autumn. Great gales blew, but no fall leaves traveled up here. The mountaintop was a barren, dry place. Far removed from any of the brilliant foliage down below. A high-up desert, with no mirages or oases offering hope to lost travelers. But the rock did not need hope, it did not thirst for water. It was a rock. Calmly, it enjoyed the cool breeze against its stony exterior, like man might enjoy a warm hearth and home. Then came the snow of winter, and the rock got buried under, frozen stiff. It had felt the sensation before, and though the ice chilled the pebble to the core, it did not despair. It was a stone. A bit of cold meant nothing to it. But—as all retired adventurers know—eventually the call of adventure comes once again. The snow began melting. Slowly—oh so slowly—things began to move. To change. First, the packed frost turned to slush, only a thin film of ice sealing the pebble inside its tomb. Then water began flowing down the mountain in great torrents, and the lowlands despaired at the floods. But the pebble… it sensed an opportunity. It awoke from its retirement. Went down to the cellar, grabbed the old heirloom sword, and started sharpening it. For war was in the air. It was ready, waiting to pounce forward when finally it happened. Softened to mud and silt by the torrential downpour, the dirt holding up the great boulders, and holding the pebble in place shifted . Just a hint. But enough. The stone began to gradually move forward. Then it fell, finally free from its bindings. Down, down into the chasm, its great journey began anew. It had vengeance in its mind. The sword was sharpened. Because... a certain rabbit was enjoying the fresh bounty of spring berries right down below. A lucky twist of fate? Such things were patterns. An enemy not put down will always return with a sharper stake. And the pebble had been watching, carefully. The pebble used [Steer], and its downward [Acceleration] vector began gradually shifting to the side, with a precision born of endless patience, and a touch on the wheel that would not shake no matter the circumstance. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it And there was no sound. Just a silent fall through the air. Until there was. THUD Collide activated! [Unnamed] Dealt 1 * 20.1 / 4 = 5 dmg to [Common Rabbit] New Velocity for [Unnamed] : 13.01 m/s A rabbit with a skull split in two fell to the ground, above the fresh spring berries, which also got crushed under the patient adversary. You have gained the title: Patient Ambusher Effects: Deal greater damage to foe proportional to how long you have been lying in wait. And once more, the pebble started rolling down. Moss was shed, and the kinks of a long rest were worked out. And it began hunting. Because… a patient hunter could also be rather vengeful. The stone had spent a long two seasons up on the cliff, watching the happenings down in the chasm. And it had seen the rabbit’s wintery romance, and the brood it had produced. The rabbit had cast the first stone. But only that first stone mattered, for it could easily shift [Momentum], and begin rolling back, towards the opposite direction. With the inevitability of a rolling boulder, the pebble began [Steering] in a direction it knew very well indeed. It rolled over craggy exposed rock and freshly blooming grass, over dirt and trickles of water, towards a little burrow in the cliffside. Towards the little rabbits frolicking in the spring air. An ear twitched, and a young, curious eye turned towards the approaching avenger. With the arrogance of youth, a rabbit hopped to the side, easily dodging out of the way. Or so it thought. But this pebble… It did not forget. It had watched. It was moving fast, accelerating as it moved down the mountainside, and with a small and well placed [Steer], right at the perfect moment… The pebble cracked into a skull, midair. Collide activated! [Unnamed] Dealt 1 * 5.2 / 4 = 1 dmg to [Newborn Rabbit] New Velocity for [Unnamed] : 20 m/s Then it ricocheted off, and [Steered] towards the next, who did not suspect a mere pebble could move on its own. Another skull cracked. In a desperate escape, the little bunnies hopped down the mountain, instinctively fleeing along with gravity as their boost. A concerned mother joined them. But a stone rolled. It did not falter in the chase. And they were running downhill. More calm [Steering]. Splat. Splat. Splat. Three rabbits went down, skulls bashed in by a vengeful stone. Vain attempts at fleeing, all for naught. You have gained the title: Line-Ender! Effects: 20% Bonus damage to attacks ending family lines! Level up! 25 / 20 xp Discarding overflow xp You have reached level 2! Stats up! Mass (m) : 1.0kg -> 3.3kg Diameter (d) : 0.09m -> 0.14m HP: 1 -> 2 The pebble reveled in the sensation of growth, the sweet ambrosia of numbers going up. This was good. This was right. Coated in blood and stuck with fur, the pebble kept rolling down and down—eventually arriving once more to an area of deceleration. A cliff of flatland, and its momentum… It ran out just before the pebble managed to reach the next cliff's edge. Had our hero gotten stuck again? No, because the scent of war was still thick in the air. Thickest here of all. For this was no ordinary cliffside. Small green figures were assembled on two sides of the cliff, red eyes gleaming, and weapons pointed in each other’s directions. A site of imminent battle. And the cracking of a stone hitting the ground from up above served as the starting shot. Warcries rang out all around the rock, projectiles started flying, and the green figures started rushing at each other, fury clouding their minds. This too was a site of vengeance. Two lines of fighters collided, with a pebble sitting right in the middle. Arms were hacked off and figures fell down in cries of pain, pools of blood expanding to coat the clifftop. For a brief moment, the pebble hoped that the tide of blood would carry it forward, and restart its journey down the mountain. But alas—as was the fate of heroes… Although they were not always willing—war tended to find them. A green figure fell down by the rock, clutching at an arm with an arrow embedded in it. Growls of pain, but a relentless determination born of long-held hate. It saw a perfectly sized rock, and picked it up. And threw. The [Rolling Stone] moved once again. And [Steered]. Straight into the fires of war. Quest: Current Altitude : 8 673m Full Status: [Unnamed] Title(s) : Title(s) : Line-Ender, Patient Ambusher, Bane of Demons 🗿 HP : 2/2 Mana : 0/0 Level : 2 Experience : 0/40 Class : Rolling Stone Sub-class : None Race : Gneiss Stone Gold : 0 STATS Diameter (d) : 0.14m Mass (m) : 3.3kg ABILITIES Collide Steer
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