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

Chapter 38

■□■

I ended up staying one night at the Seaweed Drift Inn after all.

By occasionally using [Cure Light], a Lv2 [Light Magic] spell that cures poison, confusion, and charm, I was able to enjoy Mungaga-san’s delicious food without any issues.

“The food itself is incomparably delicious, you know? But everything else is just too problematic…”

As I grumbled while trying to get up from the bed, I noticed something flashing at the edge of my vision.

Concentrating on it, I saw:

▶Acquired [Poison Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Fear Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶[Balance] activated.

Adjusting skill balance.

▶Acquired [Paralysis Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Petrification Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Stun Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Confusion Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Blindness Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Charm Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Curse Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired [Instant Death Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶Acquired title [Iron Man].

5 SP added.

▶All types of resistance skills acquired, skills will be integrated.

Lost all resistance-type skills.

Acquired [Status Ailment Resistance] Skill Lv1.

▶[Balance] activated.

Adjusting skill level balance.

▶[Status Ailment Resistance] Skill became Lv5.

▶[Important] Notice of World Event has arrived.

“It’s been a while since [Balance] went wild like this.”

Faced with [Balance]’s rampage after so long, I consider whether it’s time to face reality.

You know, I think we need to make an effort to accept reality bit by bit before things get really bad.

So, let’s open the status…

A quick glance.

Name: Yamamoto

Race: Dullahan (Fairy)

Gender: ♀

Age: 0

LV: 22

HP: 2130/2130

MP: 2130/2130

SP: 31

Physical Attack: 337(+124)

Magical Attack: 300(+87)

Physical Defense: 228(+15)

Magical Defense: 226(+13)

Stamina: 213

Agility: 213

Intuition: 213

Spirit: 213

Fate: 213

Unique Skill: [Balance]

Racial Skill: [Carriage Summon]

Common Skills: [Blacksmithing] Lv5 / [Alchemy] Lv5 / [Compounding] Lv5 / [Appraisal] Lv5 /

[Storage] Lv5 / [Fire Magic] Lv5 / [Water Magic] Lv5 / [Wind Magic] Lv5 / [Earth Magic] Lv5 /

[Light Magic] Lv5 / [Dark Magic] Lv5 / [Cooking] Lv5 / [Yamamoto Style] Lv5 /

[Mining] Lv5 / [Gathering] Lv5 / [Crafting] Lv5 / [Leatherworking] Lv5 / [Woodworking] Lv5 /

[Jewelry Crafting] Lv5 / [Sculpting] Lv5 / [Fishing] Lv5 / [Tracking] Lv5 / [Escape] Lv5 /

[Magic Steel Refining] Lv5 / [Demon Weapon Creation] Lv5 / [Invisibility] Lv5 / [Concealment] Lv5 /

[Mana Manipulation] Lv5 / [Mana Armor] Lv5 / [Status Ailment Resistance] Lv5

Well. It’s not that much worse than the last time I looked…?

My Physical and Magical Attack have reached 300, but that’s thanks to Gaga-san’s sword.

If I ignore the fact that about seven skills have increased in a short period and they’re all at level 5, it’s a fairly normal pace of growth, isn’t it?

Actually, since I often consume a lot of MP with the [Magic Steel Refining] and [Demon Weapon Creation] skills now, I’m tempted to put all my SP into stats…

No, no, that’s not good.

I always say that SP should be used more strategically.

It would be no laughing matter if I ran out of SP when I needed a certain skill.

That’s why I need to keep some SP in reserve for when I really need it.

So, I’ll save it for now.

Today, I plan to go to the material habitats and monster territories that Katze-san told me about yesterday, and collect materials if I find any.

“Hm?”

I see there’s also a notice from the management that was hidden behind the status increase.

Let’s see, what is it?

Ah, it’s the notice about the Grand Martial Festival that Katze-san mentioned yesterday.

Huh, so it’s being held as a World Event.

“An event… Even though it’s a death game, they’re holding an event… The management here is stupid, but they put effort into weird things…”

It’s beyond my expectations…

But this event probably doesn’t concern me, right?

These things are usually for adventurers anyway.

If there was a production contest for crafters, I’d participate, but…

There’s nothing like that this time, so I’ll pass.

To those participating, I wish you all the best of luck.

“Well then, Mungaga-san said he couldn’t prepare breakfast because he’s going to procure food supplies in the morning, so maybe I’ll go buy some food from that grilled eel food stall from before.”

I lightly straighten the messy bed sheets and mutter these thoughts as I leave the Seaweed Drift Inn.

■□■

“Good morning, mister. The one from yesterday was delicious, so I came to buy some again today.”

“Oh, you’re saying such nice things, little miss!”

“It was delicious, so I’d like four today.”

“You got it!”

So, while waiting for the Eel Moray to grill, I chat with the stall owner.

“By the way, I heard the Grand Martial Festival is going to be held. Do you know about it?”

“You bet I do! The town will be in a festive mood then. I’m even developing new menu items for it!”

Ah, I see.

Players from the human side will probably come to Forzine too, making it crowded, so the festival period must be a busy time for food stalls as well.

“Food stalls are nice. Maybe I should set one up too, even if it’s just for the Grand Martial Festival.”

“Lots of people gather then! Even those who don’t usually run stalls will set them up, aiming for that chance. It’s an opportunity if there ever was one!”

People tend to loosen their purse strings during festivals and events.

It might be interesting to run a stall just for those times.

As I’m thinking about this, the Eel Moray is flipped over and sauce is applied right before my eyes. Ah, that good smell tickling my nostrils. It’s enough to make my mouth water just from the scent.

Well, I ate something indescribably delicious yesterday, but that’s that and this is this.

If Mungaga-san’s cooking is like a top-grade A5 rank steak, this grilled Eel Moray is like potato chips and cola. They’re completely different genres and can’t really be compared.

“Here you go, sorry for the wait!”

“Huh? There’s one extra?”

The grilled eel placed on a simple wooden plate totals five. One more than I ordered.

“It’s on the house! Take it with you!”

“Really? Thanks. — [Storage]”

After handing over the payment, I put four of them into [Storage], leaving one out.

“Well, I’ll drop by again if I get hungry.”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting!”

And so, while lightly nibbling on the grilled eel, I head towards the hill where Katze-san told me rare [Compounding] materials are said to grow.

■□■

The place where there was originally ground has become hollow, perhaps due to crustal movement or something else, I’m not sure, but an empty space was created.

That’s where they built the town of Forzine.

In other words, if you go to the edge of Forzine, there’s a huge cliff that you have to look up at, and because it’s dangerous, there are no houses around.

This means it’s become a space where plants and animals grow naturally.

Among these, there’s a particularly high hill where a plant blooms with just one large flower.

That’s apparently the rare [Compounding] material called [].

It seems to be a flower that changes its properties depending on what materials you mix it with in [Compounding], and it’s often listed as a necessary material in compounding requests.

But according to Katze-san, it’s become very difficult to obtain this [Thousand-Changing Flower] recently.

Apparently, a group of adventurers is monopolizing the [Thousand-Changing Flower], and they’re selling it at high prices like scalpers, making it hard to obtain easily.

Despite knowing this, I came here hoping that if I’m lucky, a [Thousand-Changing Flower] might be blooming, and also because I wanted to see the cliff at the edge of Forzine with my own eyes.

Yeah, the cliff is as impressive as I expected, with an overwhelming presence.

It provides good stimulation to various senses.

In the Uji Shui Monogatari, there’s a story about a Buddhist painter named Ryoshu who, when his house caught fire, found inspiration for depicting fire by watching his burning house. I think it’s good to see the real thing like this.

There are many artists who sometimes draw based on imagination and get called out for it. I think it’s better to draw based on actually seeing things or referring to photographs.

So, I take a few screenshots as reference material. Click.

By the way, I’ve also taken a few shots of the townscapes of Evil Grande and Forzine.

If I can return to reality, I’m thinking of recreating LIA’s scenery from these image data as a memento.

This game probably isn’t one you can play again once it’s cleared…

But I’m enjoying myself plenty in LIA, and I want to keep memories and records of the fact that it wasn’t all just hardships.

Well, I think the rampages of [Balance] and the stupidity of the management are things I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to…

“Huh?”

— As I reached the hill where the [Thousand-Changing Flower] blooms, it seems there are already others here.

One is a small girl with horns and bat wings. The other is a large monster covered in white fur all over. However, the large monster is missing its right arm. Is it in a state of partial loss?

As I frown, the large monster suddenly pushes the small girl.

“Ah!”

Perhaps noticing my involuntary exclamation, the large monster turns its face towards me and quickly approaches. What? What? What? Is it going to do something to me?

But the large monster just clicks its tongue softly and leaves without doing anything.

What was that about…?

Oh, more importantly!

“Hey, are you okay?”

I approach the girl who was pushed.