We headed to the Farm in the Mountains—or more precisely, the facility in the mountains of Saitama that Runa Urumi created based on the famous ghost story spot of the same name. Getting there by ordinary methods meant driving over winding, unpaved mountain roads. Those roads could also be overgrown with brush too, so anyone who didn’t have business out there would never even realize it existed. Maybe that made it perfect as a training ground for a group like Torchlight, who were in possession of illegal weapons.
“There...huh?”
“Correct. It is cut off from the outside world, and yet we can use the Round Hole to easily travel to and from the DS Research building. I struggle to think of a more convenient location—although, I acknowledge that you may not want anyone else going there, Kamikoshi-san.”
Migiwa said it before I could, which just felt awkward. He’d seen right through me.
I had volunteered myself as the manager of the Farm because it was the perfect opportunity to secure a facility with portals for just the two of us. Runa’s cult had set up multiple gates there, so there was no way I could just ignore a place like that. Migiwa had accepted my rambling proposal that I should be responsible for the facility, and I’d become the administrator.
That was how the Farm had become our base of operations. Honestly, I didn’t want anyone going there who didn’t need to.
However, I was also aware how selfish that wish was. And the fact was, Migiwa and Torchlight had been to the Farm with us a number of times. Torchlight also operated as a construction firm, and we had needed their assistance with large-scale construction projects such as expanding the service entrance that connected the Round Hole in the basement to ground level or installing an elevator to lift the AP-1 to the upper floors. That elevator was still in the works, but the service entrance had recently been completed. What all of that boils down to is that there were already people other than Toriko and myself going to the Farm. And for construction work that I had requested at that. It’d be awful for me to try and shoo them away as unwelcome at this point.
That said...
“That place is unquestionably dangerous. Even if it’s a bit late to be bringing it up now.”
We’d closed all the gates we found, but none of them were completely gone. There was no way to open them again from this side without Toriko’s hand, but what about from the other side of the gates?
Even setting aside the gates, the place was crazy. Runa and her overenthusiastic cult members had done too good of a job making the Farm into a hodgepodge of haunted spots. We had the means to resist, but for any ordinary people going in there, it was just a creepy place that was bound to have a negative effect on their bodies and minds.
“I might say that is precisely why we would choose it. Our hope is to train operators with a tolerance for exposure to the UBL, so it is the ideal training environment for our purposes.”
“This is one heck of an idea you’ve come up with. Are you sure it’s going to be okay?”
I got worried as I remembered one of those big, tough operators vomiting when exposed to the sinister nature of the Farm.
“I have already discussed the matter with Sasazuka and obtained her consent. They were surprisingly enthusiastic about it over there.”
Are they nuts...?
It must have been obvious how uneasy I was, because Migiwa added, “Of course, this is all premised on the two of you being able to oversee things. If that proves impossible, then we will not be making use of the Farm. It is incredibly inconvenient to access without using the gate in the basement, which makes it unrealistic for us to use it without the two of you.”
“That all makes sense... Toriko, do you think it’ll be fine?”
“I don’t see why not?” she answered easily. “And camping out overnight in this world sounds fun too.”
“Camping out overnight... Is that really what we’ll be doing? I know we talked about camping, but with the gate connected to here, it’d be possible to come home every night, wouldn’t it?”
“We plan to have the members of Torchlight camp there. It would be around three days and two nights, I suppose.”
“Which means that we need to stick with them during that time, huh?”
“That is what it would mean, yes. I must apologize, but I may not be able to be present for the full duration. I have duties to attend to here that I cannot neglect.”
“Thank you for your service...”
I dunno what it is, but it’s probably a lot more trouble than the training.
After much hesitation, I nodded. “Got it. In that case, okay, we’ll give it a go.”
“Thank you. Now, as for compensation, will this amount be enough for the two of you?” He showed me the number on his calculator.
“Consider the job taken!” I replied emphatically.
“It is much appreciated,” Migiwa responded with a bow of his head. “I have one more related matter to discuss, if that would be all right. I am considering using this training to resolve another issue of concern.”
“What would that be?” I asked.
“How we are to handle Runa Urumi.”
“Oh.”
Yeah, that’s an issue of concern all right.
“I believe we had come to an agreement to watch her behavior, and then allow Runa Urumi to go free at some point in the future. Do the two of you still have no objection to that course of action?”
“Well, yeah, that’s right,” I replied.
“Yeah... I don’t think there’s any other way,” Toriko agreed.