IGTL Chapter 24

Chapter 24 – Hit Back When You’re Hit! Payback Times Two! (1)

The moment I logged out of DW after getting trapped by the Refrigerator Clan’s boss, Refri Jilator, I bolted straight for the Candeo Hotel bathroom, clutching my stomach and my butt.

“Hah… hah… hah… Th–That was close…”

At the very last second, I remembered the logout button, and by sprinting for the toilet, I managed to preserve my human dignity.

When you were thrown into a crisis, your field of vision really narrowed.

I had to keep that in mind for next time.

Once the wave passed, I pulled a bottle of “Status Ailment Recovery Potion” out of my item storage and chugged it in one go.

“Whew…”

The instant the potion hit my tongue, I could feel my condition improving.

Still, that damn Refri Jilator…

Spiking a banana with laxatives was a new low. Did he not feel even a little bad for the banana farmers of the world?

And that expression he had worn while mocking me.

I could never forgive him.

I was going to make him suffer the exact same thing.

Leaving the bathroom, I lay back on the bed and murmured, “—Connect ‘Different World’,” logging once more into the world of DW.

Waiting there for me was Refri Jilator, wearing a stunned expression.

“Yo. What’s wrong? Why the stupid look?”

“You… One moment you suddenly vanished, and the next… Well, no matter. You are still inside the cage. More importantly, how did you find the taste of my super-strong laxative banana?”

“Oh, once I made it to the toilet, it tasted like heaven. Before that, it was pure hell, though…”

“Is that so? I am very glad to hear it… Now then, shall we go? Mr. Beets, Mr. Cresson.”

At Refri Jilator’s clap, the narcissistic pretty-boy and the punch-permed brute started pushing the box trap I was in, hauling it right out of the inn.

“Wait, huh? H–Hey, where exactly are you taking me?”

When I shouted, Refri Jilator smiled.

“Is that not obvious? First we shall parade you through the streets, then transport you to the Refrigerator Clan’s headquarters. Did you truly think you could defy me and walk away unscathed?”

“W–What!? A public shaming!?”

“Public shaming” referred to the old system where a condemned criminal was mounted on a horse and taken in full view of the populace to the execution grounds, accompanied by a placard listing their crimes.

So what, did that mean I was getting the death penalty?

What kind of private justice ended in a death sentence!?

“Yes, you stripped the assets from the Land Shark Main Office, who managed our finances, after all. Once we’ve dragged you through the streets to the Refrigerator Clan’s headquarters, we’ll have you executed. Naturally, we’ll recover every last bit of the assets you took, along with everything you own.”

“Y–You’ve got to be kidding me…”

So he still wasn’t ready to give up.

Also, was he even listening to himself?

I had gone to the bathroom and recovered completely, you know?

I’d taken a Status Ailment Recovery Potion, so my stomach didn’t hurt at all anymore.

On top of that, they had gone out of their way to wheel me out of the inn, which meant I was free to rampage to my heart’s content now.

“Come, Mr. Beets, Mr. Cresson. Load this fool onto the wagon’s bed. We shall show everyone what happens when they dare to make light of the Refrigerator Clan!”

At Refri Jilator’s words, the box trap I was in was secured onto the wagon’s cargo bed.

“Well then, let us be off, my foolish friend. Mr. Beets, Mr. Cresson, I leave the rest to you…”

“Yes, Lord Refri Jilator!!”

Refri Jilator climbed into a second wagon and rode off ahead.

“Heh heh heh, what an idiot. Of all the people you could have messed with, you chose the Refrigerator Clan. This is the end of the road for you. Hey, Beets! You drive the wagon! I’ve got some business with this guy!”

“Yeah, yeah, I hear you, Cresson. But don’t overdo it. We only get to kill him after Lord Refri Jilator’s assets are safely back in his hands…”

“Tch, I know that.”

With that, the narcissistic pretty-boy called Beets took his seat on the driver’s bench, and the punch-permed brute, Cresson, stepped into the box trap with me.

My chance had arrived.

Honestly, the fact that they had opened the lock themselves made them practically good guys in my book.

“All right, let’s have ourselves a nice, fun little ‘discussion’ using our bodies. Though to be honest, I have a feeling it’s going to be pretty one-sided…”

The moment he stepped into the trap, Cresson twisted his ugly face into a sadistic grin.

When he felt the wagon start moving, he squared up to face me.

“…You seriously think you can beat me?”

It was a genuine question.

My level was 100. On top of that, I had max-level Elementals acting as my bodyguards.

I could not imagine losing.

“Hah? What the hell are you babbling about? I’m one of the Refrigerator Clan’s top fighters. There’s no way a punk like you could ever beat me. Don’t tell me you actually think you’re stronger? Honestly, young hotheads like you are always the same, thinking you’re tougher than you are… A little civilian like you shouldn’t be fronting in front of the mob.”

“Oh, really…? In that case, Cresson, why did you come into the trap?”

“Huh? Isn’t that obvious?”

Wearing a cruel smile, Cresson raised his fist at me.

“To beat the crap out of some idiot who picked a fight with the Refrigerator Clan!”

“Oh, that so…”

“Damn right it—gah!?”

I caught his punch on the Mob-Fenrir Bazooka, and Cresson grimaced, rubbing his hand.

Clearly, he had not factored in the possibility of being counterattacked.

He really was an idiot.

“Tch… I didn’t think you’d still have enough fight left in you after taking that laxative. Lord Refri Jilator’s special blend is insanely strong. You should be dehydrated, if anything…”

“Wh–What!?”

That bastard Refri Jilator had done that to me…

What a piece of work.

“…Whatever. You’re dead, you hear me? Nobody crosses me and lives to tell about it!”

“…Yeah, no, I’m good. Thing is, I’ve actually got stuff to do. I don’t have time to play around with you all day. You get that, right? Do you understand?”

At that, veins bulged on Cresson’s temple and he lunged at me.

He really had zero tolerance for being provoked.

But that kind of guy was the easiest to handle.

“…I’m gonna kill you!”

Enraged by my taunts, Cresson swung his fist.

Moments before it connected, the Elemental flashed red and fired a heat beam straight into his crotch.

“B–Bopwatz!?”

He instantly released his fist, clutched his groin, and turned deathly pale.

I, meanwhile, could only grimace at the stench of roasted manhood.

“Y–You… What did you…?”

“Me? I didn’t do anything. The Elemental just intercepted you.”

“W–What…? An Elemental couldn’t possibly be that strong…”

Cresson was barely hanging on, wheezing for breath.

As a fellow man, I could sympathize.

Just getting kicked there hurt like hell.

Getting it seared by a heat ray had to be on a whole different level…

It was basically the death notice for his life as a man. I offered a silent prayer for him in my heart.

Well, all of this was his own fault for picking a fight with me in the first place, though…

“…Anyway, that doesn’t really matter. More importantly, I’m going to need you to serve as a sacrifice.”

When I curled my lips into a grin, Cresson’s face twisted with fear.

“S–Sacrifice!? What are you planning to do…?”

“What am I planning…? It’s simple, really, Cresson. All you have to do is hold this and crush it while saying ‘Refri Jilator’.”

I stored the bazooka back in my item storage, pulled out a stun gun, then shoved a tubular premium item into Cresson’s hand while pointing the tip of my foot at his crotch.

Pointing my toe there was my way of silently saying, “If you don’t crush that Swap Place, I’m going to punt you right in the jewels.”

“Wh–What are you going to do…?”

“That’s not something you need to know. All you have to do is crush this while saying ‘Refri Jilator,’ just like I told you. If you do, maybe Refri Jilator will even come to rescue you.”

I said this while stamping my foot lightly near his groin.

Tears of frustration welling in his eyes, Cresson squeezed out the name “Refri Jilator” and crushed the Swap Place.

In the next instant, Refri Jilator appeared right in front of me.

“Huh!?”

Swap Place was a premium item that swapped the positions of the user and a target player.

Having been suddenly swapped with Cresson, Refri Jilator clearly had no idea what was going on.

I pressed the stun gun to his neck and pulled the trigger, sending a jolt of electricity through him.

“Gah!?”

With a sharp crackle, Refri Jilator convulsed and collapsed.

Heh heh heh… Just as planned.

Right about now, Cresson was probably writhing in agony in the other wagon where Refri Jilator had been.

Once the tension wore off, the pain would feel that much worse.

Served him right.

Even so, the guy on the driver’s bench was really unobservant. We were making this much noise and he hadn’t noticed a thing.

Well, that worked out great for me.

I bound Refri Jilator up, then pulled a bottle of Monster Laxative from my item storage and shoved it into his mouth.

After that, I poured water down his throat. He coughed and spluttered “Gah! Gah!?” and his eyes snapped open.

“…Y–You!”

“Morning, Refri Jilator. I’m so happy we could meet again. You really did a number on me back there, didn’t you?”

At my words, Refri Jilator scowled.

He seemed to finally realize he was tied up.

“…What exactly do you intend to do with me? This wagon is already on its way to the Refrigerator Clan headquarters. There is nothing you can do.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

The box trap’s door was unlocked.

I could walk out whenever I felt like it. How did he not get that?

Well, whatever.

He wasn’t entirely wrong, either.

If I just let him go as he was, he would definitely come back for revenge.

On the other hand, I did not have nearly enough power to straight up wipe out the Refrigerator Clan.

In that case, I just had to make him never want to get involved with me again.

“To be silent all of a sudden… What is it you’re thinking—ugh!?”

Refri Jilator suddenly doubled over in pain.

“Looks like it’s finally kicking in. How’s that Monster Laxative taste?”

“W–What!?”

Heh heh heh…

As expected of a pseudo-medieval ‘Narou-Europe’ style carriage with no suspension.

I was sure every last bump in the road was sending vibrations straight into his guts and his poor little sphincter.

I pulled a chamber pot from my item storage and set it down across the wagon from him.

Immediately, Refri Jilator fixed me with a glare full of pure hatred.