Surviving in a World Teeming with Monsters with the Useless Skill 【Everyday Items Master】! I Was Just Hunting Wild Animals with a Crowbar, So Why Is Everyone Screaming It's an S-Rank Monster? - 107

Chapter 107: The Frozen Leviathan

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Plan B went like this:

“We can’t damage it while it’s still in the water state, right? So I’ll freeze it with the cooling spray. Once it’s frozen, we can break through the ice, and eventually get to Shachimaru inside.”

Just as the plan dictated, Botan uppercut the ice dragon’s jaw with a road sign.

“HyuAAAAAAAH!”

The ice dragon let out a shriek, twisted its body, and put some distance between itself and Botan, regaining its stance. Its shattered jaw showed no sign of healing. The rain had already stopped, and sunlight streamed through gaps in the clouds.

I stepped outside to confirm the situation and muttered with a wry smile:

“I mean, if Shachimaru can do all this, he’s actually pretty damn strong, isn’t he? He wouldn’t even fall behind against Big Ape Junior.”

That said, his attacks probably took a lot of preparation and left him drained. So back there, waiting on standby was probably the best call in case of emergencies.

Compared to that, my combat style is super energy-efficient. Aside from my stamina, I never really feel my skills draining me. The perks of having trash-tier skills, I guess.

Anyway…

“Botan!”

“Taku. Did that work?”

“Yeah, perfect score. Now we can go all out against this ice dragon.”

Botan and I stood face to face with the ice dragon. I readied my measuring tape and spray with a built-in lighter, while Botan gripped the road sign again.

The ice dragon glared at us cautiously. Pretty cautious for such a big guy. Inside, the real Shachimaru huddled within the ice, muttering to himself. I couldn’t make out the words.

“…Taku, that guy…”

“Botan, you have good ears, right? Can you hear what Shachimaru’s saying?”

“Yeah. He’s saying…”

Botan took a breath and relayed his words.

“‘I’m not your parent.'”

The moment Botan said that, the ice dragon lunged.

“HyuAAAAAAAH!”

“Here it comes!”

I leapt into the air and sprayed the ground beneath me with the lighter-equipped can.

【Jet Spray】

The intense flame propelled me upward.

“HyuAAAH!?”

The great thing about spray flight is, unlike 【Close Umbrella】 teleportation, I can maintain continuous, fine movements.

I circled behind the ice dragon, dodging its line of sight. It spun to follow me but quickly lost track and became disoriented. Taking that chance, I used 【Open Umbrella】to smash a nearby ruin and wrapped some debris with my tape.

“First hit.”

I tightened my grip on the tape and swung the debris like a flail. At the same time, Botan jumped in and raised her road sign high.

“Here’s a big one.”

With a vertical slash, Botan struck downward with the base of the sign, asphalt still attached.

【Measuring Hammer】

【Super Strength】

I hammered debris into the dragon’s torso with the tape, while Botan slammed the sign into its head.

“HyuAAAAAAOOOOOOHHHH!”

Cracks spread across the ice dragon’s body. It recoiled, sliding sideways to escape.

“Yes! It’s working!”

“Taku, let’s keep pushing!”

“Yeah!”

I used the measuring tape to launch myself toward the dragon and wrapped it around its neck, pulling in fast with 【Powerful Retraction】.

Botan sprinted in, swinging the sign at its legs. As I closed the gap, I started to hear Shachimaru’s voice.

“I can’t be a parent. At best, a sibling. Don’t believe in me blindly. Don’t expect absolutes from me. I can’t carry those hopes.”

A chill shot down my spine.

“Botan! Defense!”

“Got it!”

I released the tape and dodged sideways with 【Jet Spray】. Botan stomped the ground, flipping up asphalt to use as a shield. Moments later, countless ice spears shot from the dragon’s mouth.

“Whoa, that was a close one!”

If I’d taken a direct hit, I’d be toast. Cold sweat trickled down my back. Botan, on the other hand, looked unfazed. As the barrage ended, she rushed forward again.

“Wait!”

The dragon’s tail swung around and smacked Botan hard.

“Botan!”

“I’m fine! This much is nothing!”

I saw her stand back up in the distance. But with her out of range, the dragon turned its sights on me. I frowned as I contemplated my next move. 

My combat strategy is to never take a hit. I’m fragile. Botan, though, is tough—she fights by pushing through damage. Which means, during that ice barrage, she should’ve pushed forward instead of holding back. She could’ve handled it. But heavy hits, like that tail swipe, are a no-go even for her.

So I shouted.

“Botan! Stick to the dragon and keep pummeling it! I’ll call out any big moves!”

“Got it!”

The dragon lunged to bite me, and I deflected with 【Open Umbrella】, landing on a ruined rooftop. In that moment, Botan closed in again and resumed her assault with the road sign.

Chunk by chunk, the ice dragon’s body started to erode under her blows. It thrashed wildly in pain. But Botan didn’t back down. She dodged only when necessary and stayed glued to its side, hammering it non-stop.

Impressed by her sheer tenacity, I drew in close again and wrapped my tape around a particularly large piece of rubble from the destroyed ruins. Shachimaru’s sorrowful voice came again.

“Don’t make me your parent. Don’t let a mere nickname make you jealous or fight each other. I never played favorites. You’re all my precious siblings. Why are you killing each other?”

Resolving myself, I slammed the rubble down.

【Measuring Hammer】

The taped debris became a hammer as I struck the dragon’s head. The dragon wobbled, dazed. A huge opening. I never miss those.

【Powerful Retraction】

I shot forward again with my tape and latched onto the dragon’s throat. Near the spot where Shachimaru was curled up, I swung the crowbar.

【Hook Set】

The dragon was stunned. Clinging to its throat, I drew my knife.

“Shachimaru! This ends now—”

“I told you! Stop calling me that stupid name!!”

The ice dragon shuddered violently, flinging me away.

“Ugh!”

“Taku!”

Botan caught me mid-air.

“Thanks!”

“Don’t worry! This much is nothing to me.”

Just after our exchange, Shachimaru shouted at full volume:

“Why does everyone expect me to be perfect?! No human can be perfect!”

“Big move incoming!”

“We’re pulling back!”

Botan jumped back with me in her arms. The ice dragon twisted its body in a spiraling wind-up. A swirling attack, using its whole body, destroyed every building around it.

“Holy crap!? What is that!?”

The dragon was like a sudden tornado of ice spears. Buildings shattered like tofu, the ground tore up, and everything within range was obliterated. Botan’s face showed a hint of concern.

“Tch. We’re not gonna outrun that.”

“It’s okay! I’m here!”

【Open Umbrella】

The opened umbrella blocked the dragon’s crushing blows, incoming rubble, and countless flying ice spears. Botan took the impact but still landed on her feet. Inside the dragon, Shachimaru kept murmuring:

“Don’t treat me like I’m someone special. I just want to be like everyone else. That’s why I said I’m a brother, not a parent. But still, everyone expects…”

I grimaced at the incoherent rambling.

“He’s getting even worse. And…”

How does the name “Shachimaru” even sound to him? It’s like he hears it as “Bill the Lizard” or something. But maybe it’s not just that.

“Man, that last attack was on another level. He’s not messing around anymore.”

He’s already this strong while losing his mind. Who knows how strong he actually is?

Botan spoke up beside me.

“I knew he wasn’t ordinary when we first met, but Taku, who is he really? He’s insanely strong.”

“He said something about water magic level 5000, I think.”

“Yikes. Low-tier skills with high levels tend to be super versatile and a pain to deal with.”

“Yeah, but turning into a dragon? That’s beyond versatile.”

We traded dry remarks, but Shachimaru’s voice still echoed:

“Dad, Mom… Why did you die protecting me…? Everything I do… I’m just mimicking you two… Maybe what they needed wasn’t me. Maybe it was you guys…”

Shachimaru curled up tightly within the ice dragon, while the dragon itself raged on. I climbed down from Botan’s arms and readied my spray.

“One more time. I’m going for the throat! Let’s finish this!”

“Yeah!”

The ice dragon charged at us. I took to the air with 【Jet Spray】, and Botan faced it head-on.

“A head-on clash? Then I’ll go all out too!”

She spun the road sign and stepped forward. The dragon came straight at her. Her foot sank into the asphalt.

“I never lose in strength contests.”

With a crushing vertical blow, she slammed the dragon’s head.

“HyuUUUUURAAAAHHH!”

The dragon reeled, head lifted high in pain. With its shattered head, it couldn’t even roar properly. A perfect opening. I latched onto its throat again with the measuring tape.

“Don’t call me that name… I’m Shachimaru… I’m not Bill the Lizard or whatever… I’m not like that…”

Inside the dragon, Shachimaru was falling apart. I couldn’t take it anymore. I stabbed my knife into the ice encasing him.

“Sorry for earlier. I shouldn’t have called you that without thinking. That was my bad. So now, I’ll make sure you don’t suffer anymore.”

The knife pierced slightly. It wouldn’t activate 【Deadly Kitchen Knife】 unless it was lethal. But as long as it lodged in place, it was enough. I raised the crowbar.

【Nail Drive】

The crowbar drove the knife deeper, cracking the ice. I twisted the knife, widening the fracture, and shattered the icy cage. I pulled Shachimaru’s body from the hole.

“Aniki… What should I have done…?”

Tears of blood ran from his eyes. His gaze, like that of a lost child, pierced through me.

“If I was kind, others bullied them. If I was distant, they felt alone. I feel like… Nothing I did was ever right. There were no good options.”

“…You tried too hard. Take a break already.”

I couldn’t help but say it. Shachimaru gritted his teeth in anguish.

“But, Aniki… I’m still the leader of the Ferocious Shark Gang. If I’m gone, they—”

His voice was crushed under the weight of responsibility.

“Then…”

I told him.

“When you can’t handle it anymore, leave it to your Aniki.”

Shachimaru’s eyes flew open.

【Deadly Kitchen Knife】

I swiftly slit Shachimaru’s throat. He exhaled his last breath with a look of peace and said.

“Thank you… Aniki…”

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