The well-Balanced Yamamoto-san Gets Caught up in a Death Game

Chapter 60

▶[Balance] has been activated.

Adjusting the monster spawn balance.

The ground starts rumbling for the third time.

I’m used to it by now, but Tsuna doesn’t seem to be.

He shows a bewildered expression at the sudden phenomenon.

“I might get land-sick.”

What’s land-sickness? Is it like seasickness but on land?

Well, there’s no time to ask about that now.

We spread out according to our plan and wait for the Great Boulder Worm.

Soon, the ground in front of us unnaturally bulges, and a giant insect head pops out!

“Tatsu, draw its aggro as planned!”

“Leave it to me! This is the perfect time! I’ll show you my unique skill! [Magic King] activate!”

▶Copycat Animal has been activated.

Acquired [Looks Like a Magic King].

Huh?

Wait, what…?

I can even copy other people’s unique skills? Copycat Animal…

While the Great Boulder Worm’s attention is on Tatsu, I quickly check the skill details of [Looks Like a Magic King]!

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[Looks Like a Magic King]

A pretense of mastering magic-related skills.

During the effect, skill cooldown for magic/spell skills is halved.

*Can be used for only one hour.

*Cooldown 24.0h

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Skill cooldown is halved?

Copycat Animal can only produce half the effect of the original skill, so the original effect of Tatsu’s [Magic King] skill must be…

“[Follow Wind] x10 activate!”

Does it mean magic-type skill cooldowns become zero!?

“[Magic King] is a unique skill that reduces magic and spell cooldowns to zero! And if magic or spells are cast at exactly the same time, their power doubles! If the timing is off, it only extends the effect duration!”

So it means you can stack magic? Moreover, to stack magic without mistakes and create synergistic effects by yourself… isn’t that a broken skill!?

“And now, my ultimate [Fire Missile] x10!”

As the [Fire Missiles] overlap instantly, instead of ten separate [Fire Missiles], one massive [Fire Missile] is formed.

Tatsu hurls it.

With a whoosh! The [Fire Missile], leaving a giant fiery tail, hits the Great Boulder Worm without giving it time to dodge, violently burning its surface.

Against a normal opponent, they’d shatter into polygons in an instant, but…

“As expected of an EOD. This much doesn’t seem to affect it…”

Even while engulfed in flames, the Great Boulder Worm starts moving.

It’s heading straight for Tatsu, who likely drew its aggro, while chewing up the ground with its many drill-like teeth.

It’s moving in a straight line, but its body is so huge that we need to run away too.

Tatsu seems to be able to escape, flying at an incredible speed, probably due to the stacked [Follow Wind], but Tsuna isn’t so lucky.

I hoist Tsuna onto my shoulder with the momentum of a body tackle and hurry away from the spot.

“Sorry.”

“Thank me later! You’ll bite your tongue if you talk!”

I run seriously for a bit and put Tsuna down where it seems safe.

It’s still an absurdly huge worm, isn’t it?

The sight of it slithering like a snake while destroying the ground as it advances is truly monstrous.

Once again, the thought of whether we can really beat this thing wells up, but I psych myself up, thinking there’s nothing we can’t do if we try!

“God.”

“Huh, what is it?”

“When I use my unique skill, don’t come near me.”

“Eh, why?”

“I lose all sense of discrimination. That’s the kind of skill it is.”

Hey now, that sounds like a dangerous skill…

But that danger might be reassuring right now.

“Understood. When Tsuna uses his skill, I’ll try not to get close. By the way, with that skill, you can flip that thing over, right?”

“There are many creatures that size in the sea. I wouldn’t say I can’t do it.”

Alright, I guess I’ll leave that part to Tsuna then.

“Tatsu!”

I signal to Tatsu while taking out equipment from [Storage] that looks like thicker, larger versions of box cutter blades.

I attach them to Gaga’s magic sword while suddenly increasing my speed to chase after the Great Boulder Worm.

Whoa!

Tatsu just slipped past the Great Boulder Worm’s side and made a U-turn!

It seems he’s trying not to stray too far from the battlefield out of consideration for Tsuna.

Of course, the Great Boulder Worm follows with its huge mouth wide open.

“Do it!”

“You sure?”

“I’ll manage somehow after this!”

“Got it!”

Tatsu turns around and starts throwing items from his [Storage] at the Great Boulder Worm one after another.

They’re various dishes on plates—

The leftovers I received from Mungaga but couldn’t finish eating!

“Take this barrage of poison dishes!”

Soil and a mass of poison dishes are sucked into the Great Boulder Worm’s mouth simultaneously.

And at the same time, purple bubble-like effects indicating poison start flying from all over the Great Boulder Worm’s body! Alright, this is going well!

Guooo…!

As the Great Boulder Worm writhes involuntarily, I cast [Dark Avatar], a level 8 [Dark Magic] spell.

The next moment, the shadow at my feet swells up to become another me, creating a doppelganger that perfectly mimics my movements.

“Hmm, it’s my first time using this, but the control might be difficult…”

If I were more accustomed to this magic, I might have been able to coordinate with myself alone, but for now, I can only manage to have it mimic my movements.

Still, this doubles my attack power.

“Tatsu, get out of the way! Here I go! [Fire Blast] x2!”

“Level 9 [Fire Magic]!?”

Along with Tatsu’s surprised voice, red glowing fire lines are released from the palms of both me and my shadow.

They’re fired at the Great Boulder Worm like laser beams, and where they touch, the surface becomes red-hot and melts like bubbling lava.

I use these fire lines to slash the Great Boulder Worm to ribbons, but…

Guaaaaaaa!

Perhaps because the heat hasn’t reached its interior, the Great Boulder Worm starts charging towards us while taking the [Fire Blast]!

“The aggro’s on you now, Yama-chan! What are you going to do!?”

“I’ll handle it somehow!”

But the Great Boulder Worm’s movements lack the vigor they had earlier.

That’s because the damage it took from [Fire Blast] isn’t healing automatically…

Yeah, according to plan.

The poison’s slip damage is inhibiting its HP recovery!

“I knew something was off! Mungaga’s poison dishes!”

No matter how much I raised my [Status Ailment Resistance] skill level, his dishes would still poison me. I thought it was a bit strange.

And when I got the information about the Great Boulder Worm’s automatic recovery, it clicked!

I figured Mungaga’s poison dishes might be essential event items for this Great Boulder Worm battle.

It seemed to me like the management was saying to fight the Great Boulder Worm after sealing its automatic recovery with this.

And there’s no way [Status Ailment Resistance] alone could handle poison strong enough to affect an EOD!

If I had [Status Ailment Nullification] or something, it might be different…

Rather, I just realized that I might be the dangerous one for continuing to eat such hazardous poison dishes that can poison that huge body! I’ll have to complain to Mungaga later!

“Well then, I’ll leave this to you!”

“Yeah, I’ll manage somehow!”

The plan was for Tatsu to continue drawing the enemy’s aggro and run away, but I’ve gained too much aggro with my attacks.

Since Tatsu doesn’t have any big moves to take back the aggro, I have no choice but to become the one being chased.

“Here I go, [Earth Hand] x2!”

As the Great Boulder Worm approaches, I use [Earth Hand], a level 9 [Earth Magic] spell.

Huge earthen arms emerge from the ground at my feet, which I can control at will.

I get on top of the earthen hand I created and suddenly ascend vertically. Then, another earthen arm grows from the top of that hand, lifting me even higher.

The moment I sense the Great Boulder Worm colliding with and devouring the earthen arms, I leap even higher into the sky from the top of the hand.

“[Dark Avatar] got blown away!? Even though it should have the same physical defense as me!?”

The [Dark Avatar] I had left below was instantly annihilated when eaten by the Great Boulder Worm.

Perhaps when eaten by the Great Boulder Worm, parts are destroyed regardless of physical defense.

I can feel the management’s mercilessness here!

As I’m slightly shaken by this, the Great Boulder Worm rears up vertically, devouring the earthen arms, as if chasing after me.

The sight of that mouth full of serrated teeth approaching to devour me is terrifying enough to be traumatic…!

But thanks to it rearing up, the Great Boulder Worm’s abdomen is now completely exposed!

“Tsuna!”

If we can’t defeat it head-on, we have no choice but to aim for its weak point, the abdomen!

I turn towards where Tsuna is hiding and signal him, and I think I hear Tsuna quietly muttering his unique skill…

“[Mad God Descent]—”

▶Copycat Animal has been activated.

Acquired [Half-Mad God Descent].

…………

Am I becoming some kind of dangerous person who steals other people’s unique skills?

As if to drown out my anxiety,

Gugooooooo…!

An inhuman roar erupts from deep in Tsuna’s throat.

While I’m still stunned, wondering “What…?”, Tsuna is already running across the ground at incredible speed, and with that momentum, he hurls a giant harpoon with a chain.

—BOOM!

With overwhelming destructive power that shakes the air, Tsuna’s harpoon pierces the Great Boulder Worm’s belly, sending it flying.

“No way, isn’t that power too much!?”

I thought he had ridiculous strength from when we first met, but to send the Great Boulder Worm flying… that’s Gobzou-level strength!

I can’t help but check the skill I acquired with Copycat Animal.

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[Half-Mad God Descent]

Pretending to bring down an enraged god into oneself.

Physical Attack, Physical Defense, Intuition, and Agility are increased by 1.5 times.

However, you lose half of your self-awareness and give in to destructive impulses.

======================

Let’s see, since my Copycat Animal only produces about half the power, the actual skill’s power is…

Ge- there it is! A skill that triples stats!

But there’s a clear disadvantage noted too.

Is it a triple stat skill because of this disadvantage?

And losing self-awareness and going berserk when using it, isn’t that just like Eva*gelion?

But now’s our chance since Tsuna’s attack has flipped the Great Boulder Worm over!

“Great Boulder Worm, I have no grudge against you, but you’ll have to become my nourishment. Activate!”

I gave CogTwo to Lily.

Why is it named 002 in the first place?

The answer is simple.

It’s because 001 had already been made.

Customized over gear.

The Cog series, aimed at being equipment worn over other equipment, includes CogTwo, a powered suit developed as equipment worn over people.

Separately, CogOne was planned and created from the start as equipment to be attached to magic swords.

I activate that CogOne!

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[COG-001G❲Model:Gaga❳]

Rarity: 9

Quality: High

Durability: 200/200

Creator: Yamamoto

Performance: Physical Attack of equipped item x3

Magic Attack of equipped item x3

Note: An amplification device created by a legendary craftsman with extraordinary skills. It’s globally rare due to its unconventional concept of being equipment for equipment. Depending on the attack power of the equipment, there’s a risk of self-destruction if the amplification device can’t withstand it. Pay close attention to usage conditions and duration.

======================

A blade of light extends from my sword.

The blade, over twenty meters long, gleams with a dangerous golden color that looks like it could slice through anything… but maybe because I cheaped out and used magic iron for the materials, CogOne itself is making some unpleasant crackling sounds, so I’d better finish this quickly…

“It’s a combined technique with a total of 713 Physical Attack and 602 Magic Attack! [Jet Stream]!”

My body, carried by the air current, approaches the Great Boulder Worm like a bullet!

And now, for the big move against the exposed belly of the Great Boulder Worm!

“I’ll take that stun! [Big★Slash★Down]!”

Spinning once in mid-air, I bring down the giant blade of light!

Like a fork cutting into a cake, the Great Boulder Worm’s belly is sliced straight down vertically and—

—CLANG!

“It’s hard!? Did it catch on something…!?”

Guooooo…!

Nugaaaaa!

As the Great Boulder Worm thrashes about, Tsuna, who’s lost his senses, starts pummeling the Great Boulder Worm’s belly, and the situation descends into chaos!

Ah!? I don’t want to get caught up in this melee!?

“It’s probably caught on the monster’s core! You gotta deflect the blade skillfully!”

Tatsu, even if you say that!?

I don’t have that kind of technique!?

While I’m saying this, the power of [Jet Stream] is gradually decreasing…

Ah, geez!

If you know where the core is, this should work, right!?

“[Magic Penetration Pressure Palm]!”

I pour an enormous amount of magic power through the magic sword.

I manipulate it with [Magic Manipulation], slamming it against the Great Boulder Worm’s core and making it explode all at once!

With a crack, something shatters, and I feel the blade of light advance slightly—

…This is our chance!

Relying on that sensation, I swing the sword with all my might!

Maybe part of the core cracked due to [Magic Penetration Pressure Palm]?

Some kind of fissure or something must have formed, changing the response, so I swung the sword with brute force and as a result—

THUD!

A mass of polygons dance in the air all at once, and I find myself rolling on the ground.

“…………”

As I stand dazed in a scene like colorful snow falling, Tatsu says to me—

“You must have destroyed the monster’s core. Monsters die instantly when their core is destroyed.”

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[Bonus] Yamamoto’s original plan

Tatsu draws aggro.
Tatsu ascends rapidly.
When the Great Boulder Worm rears up, Tatsu throws poison dishes into its mouth.
Seal its automatic recovery.
Tsuna attacks its belly to flip the Great Boulder Worm over.
Yamamoto uses [Big★Slash★Down] on the flipped worm to stun it.
Everyone focuses attacks on the weak point to overwhelm it.

This time, we achieved a quick victory because we happened to destroy the monster’s core.