IGTL Chapter 63

Chapter 63 – The Phoenix’s Flames Burn Hair Follicles to Ash. They Do Not Regenerate.

After hearing the proposal from Root, vice leader of the “Transfer Group,” I sank into thought.

Standing before me was the “Transfer Group.”

They were a group of lunatics who were happy about being trapped in this world, and a criminal organization that tried to use liberation activities from this world as a shield to rob people of money and valuables.

However, precisely because they were a criminal organization, their ability to gather information was not to be underestimated.

The information these guys had obtained about a new world was something I wanted badly enough to drool over.

After all, I had obtained “Move Yggdrasil (Unlimited)” in exchange for real money solely for that purpose…

Honestly, even though I had gotten my hands on “Move Yggdrasil,” I had felt just a tiny bit irritated that there had been absolutely no sign of a new world being unlocked.

Give me back my money, basically…

However, judging from what the “Transfer Group” said, it seemed a new world could indeed be unlocked if the proper procedures were followed.

Well, it was still only at the level of “seemed,” and I wasn’t exactly convinced yet…

There was a saying about licking the plate clean once you’d eaten the poison. I might as well hear them out…

If worst came to worst, I could use the overwhelming power of the Elementals, which had even repelled the imperial soldiers, to drive the “Transfer Group” into dissolution.

I turned my gaze to the man and gave a small nod.

“…Fine. Take me to the ‘Transfer Group’s’ hideout.”

“You catch on quick. Then follow me.”

The members of the “Transfer Group” hoisted up the man who had been electrocuted unconscious by Volt, the lightning spirit, and followed behind me.

“…”

Those stares felt unpleasant. If I let my guard down even a little, it seemed like I might get stabbed from behind.

“…Phoenix. If these guys make any strange moves, kill their follicles without mercy. Depending on the situation, I’ll also permit you to carbonize their crotches.”

The moment they heard my words, the Elementals stirred with excitement. In contrast, the members of the “Transfer Group” put distance between themselves and me.

“Oh my… That doesn’t sound very peaceful. We have no intention of harming you, you know? Right, everyone?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Th-There’s no way we’d do something like that…”

“Is that so? Then that’s fine.”

That said, the place I was headed to now was enemy territory.

It was the main base of a criminal group calling itself the “Transfer Group.” No amount of caution would be too much.

In situations like this, it was best to issue a direct verbal warning as a form of deterrence.

The atmosphere had turned absolutely terrible, but I had no regrets.

I mean, at present, they were basically enemies…

“That’s right. Here we are. This is our hideout.”

“Huh? This is?”

The place Root, vice leader of the “Transfer Group,” had brought me to was the basement floor of the “Drowsing Inn,” the property whose building rights and land I had seized from “Land Shark Main Office,” a subordinate organization of the Refrigerator Clan.

To think a group of criminals had been nesting inside the inn I ran. What a twist. What a twist indeed.

“All right. For now, get out.”

“Huh? No, what are you even saying…?”

“No, this is the inn I run, so get out. If you leave now, I’ll even refund you.”

I had no rooms to spare for a criminal organization.

I wanted them to pack up their belongings and leave immediately.

“Oh, so you were the owner of this inn? That’s perfect.”

“Huh?”

What was this guy talking about?

Had he even heard a word I said? Was his head okay?

I had absolutely no idea what part of this was supposed to be perfect!

“If I recall correctly, you were Mr. Kakeru, yes? Would you be willing to become one of our ‘Transfer Group’s’ sponsors?”

“Haaah? What are you talking about?”

And what nonsense did he decide to bring up? He wanted me to become their sponsor?

Like hell I would!

There were way too few benefits to being a sponsor!

I made a blatantly displeased face, one so obvious that anyone could understand it at a glance.

However, Root, vice leader of the “Transfer Group,” did not give up.

“Of course, if you become our sponsor, we will provide you with various sponsor benefits, just as we do for the Central Kingdom, the Adventurers’ Guild, and the Refrigerator Clan.”

“Sponsor benefits?”

Wait, the Central Kingdom, the Adventurers’ Guild, and the Refrigerator Clan were all sponsoring these guys?

Their judgment was way too terrible.

Besides, wasn’t the Refrigerator Clan basically a yakuza-style organization?

Wasn’t it dangerous to be connected with an organization like that?

“Yes, sponsor benefits. If you become our sponsor and provide us with funds and a base of operations, we will give you information worth that much in return.”

“Information? For example?”

“For example, let’s see… How about information on the new world? You followed us all the way here. Surely you’re interested, aren’t you?”

I was interested, true.

Or rather, I was extremely interested.

However, it wasn’t to the point where I absolutely had to be the first to know that information.

If these guys established a way to reach the new world, that information should reach me through the Adventurers’ Guild.

“I’m interested, but it seems like waiting will solve that eventually. I’ll bide my time. That’s enough for me.”

“I see. You’re quite difficult…”

“This is so roundabout, Mr. Root! Someone like him should just be dealt with by force from the start… Gyaaaah!!?”

The instant he said that, the fire spirit Phoenix appeared above the head of the mob character who had tried to harm me.

Fool. If he thought threatening violence would somehow work, he was dead wrong.

As declared, the higher fire spirit Phoenix burned the mob character’s head and killed his follicles.

“H-Hot…! S-Stop alrea…”

The mob character screamed in shock as his head suddenly burst into flames.

“Good. That’s enough, Phoenix.”

When I said that, Phoenix returned to his original red ball form.

“…One of our companions has been terribly rude. Please accept my apologies.”

Root took a Basic Recovery Potion from Item Storage and sprinkled it over the mob character’s head, healing his injuries.

However, the healing power of a Basic Recovery Potion was nowhere near enough to cure the fatal damage inflicted upon his head.

“M-My hair…! My haaaaaaair!?”

The mob character touched his head, his eyes went wide in panic, and he screamed before fainting.

Phoenix’s follicle-annihilation attack.

Its effect seemed outstanding.

“Once again, I sincerely apologize. You may not believe me, but we have no intention of fighting you…”

“…You say that, but some of your people don’t seem to think the same way. Wouldn’t you be better off giving up on making me a sponsor?”

When I said that while looking at the faces of the “Transfer Group” members glaring at me resentfully, Root made a bitter expression.

“Yes… You’re right. It can’t be helped. All of you, stop looking at Mr. Kakeru that way.”

“B-But this guy…”

“We called him here to hold a constructive discussion. Despite that, you tried to resolve the matter with violence. Have some shame.”

“…!”

Root fixed the members of the “Transfer Group” with an icy glare.

At that, the “Transfer Group” members became as docile as borrowed cats.

Judging from the rank certificate hanging around his neck, Root’s adventurer rank was “A.”

It had been a little over two weeks since Odin’s level reset incident…

Unlike me, who had leveled with the help of paid items and Elementals, raising one’s level and rank that far should have been difficult.

Rotten or not, he was still the vice leader of the “Transfer Group.”

It seemed he had a certain level of ability, and only his entourage were idiots.

Well, the fact that he couldn’t keep them under control already revealed his limits, though.

“Is the discussion over? Then…”

Could you get out already?

Just as I was about to say that, Root spoke over me.

“…The Central Kingdom’s advanced dungeon ‘Desert Cradle,’ the Ligion Empire’s advanced dungeon ‘Dragon Clay,’ and the Midgard Holy Nation’s advanced dungeon ‘Ice Abyss.’ By clearing those three advanced dungeons, a special dungeon called ‘Ymir’ will appear. It is said that clearing ‘Ymir’ will open a path through Transfer Gate ‘Yggdrasil’ to the new world ‘Svartálfaheim’…”

“…I appreciate you telling me, but what’s your goal?”

“My companion behaved rudely. Consider this an apology.”

No, you were plenty rude back at the Adventurers’ Guild too… I haven’t forgotten that part where you asked me to give you one of my Elementals, okay?

“…Besides, this information is scheduled to be announced by the Adventurers’ Guild… Mr. Kakeru, are you familiar with Norse mythology?”

Hm?

Norse mythology?

“Well, I know it…”

After all, DW’s world was set in the “Nine Realms” of Norse mythology.

I had already searched Wikipedia for that information.

“Then this will be quick. We assumed this world was created based on Norse mythology and devoted ourselves to gathering information. As a result, we discovered that this world was created from the flesh and blood of the primordial giant Ymir, who was slaughtered by Odin and the others.”

Hmm. I see. I hadn’t read that deeply into it, so I had no idea what Root was trying to say. For now, I would pretend I knew.

“Yeah. And?”

I crossed my arms and put on an expression that said I understood everything.

“Ymir’s flesh became the earth, and his flowing blood became the sea. His large bones became mountains. From his teeth, jaw, and shattered bones came stones large and small. From his hair came trees and grass. His skull became the sky, his brains became clouds, and his eyelashes became the fence protecting Midgard, the realm of humans. If I say this much, you understand what I’m getting at, yes?”

“…”

…No, I absolutely did not understand?

It was more like, So what?

However, I deliberately did not say that aloud.

“I see. So the key is in Midgard… Is that what you mean?”

When I said that at random, Root quietly nodded.

“Yes, exactly. Through careful investigation, we discovered that unlocking the new world requires destroying the fence that protects Midgard. The place where that fence exists is the special dungeon ‘Ymir.’”

Hmm. I didn’t get it.

The human realm “Midgard” was surrounded by a fence made from the eyelashes of the primordial giant Ymir.

So to go outside, that fence had to be destroyed first. Was that what he meant?

That also made me feel like something bad might happen the instant the fence was removed, though…

For now, I simply said, “…I see.”

“Although we have the cooperation of the nation and the Adventurers’ Guild, clearing advanced dungeons requires money, supplies, and personnel. I had hoped you would cooperate as one of our sponsors, Mr. Kakeru, but it cannot be helped. For today, I shall give up.”

“Yeah, and while you’re at it, get out of here.”

When I said that, Root gave a wry smile.