Returnee from Another World - Chapter 6: The Mask of the Shapeshifter

Chapter 6: The Mask of the Shapeshifter

“Yes. 24-karat gold ingots.”

“Hm… May I take a look? Well, not out here. My apologies for not inviting you in properly. Please, come inside.”

The sound of the chain lock being undone echoed, and the door swung open fully.

At first glance, the man could pass for an ordinary salaryman, with a mild expression and average build, unremarkable in appearance.

Yet there was something about him—an intensity, perhaps—that stood out.

I couldn’t help but wonder.

What was the source of this intensity, this sense of unease?

Compared to the inhabitants of that other world, even a yakuza member was child’s play. In that world, people could casually stab someone to death mid-conversation without batting an eye.

It felt unfair to compare them, but this man gave off almost no violent aura. In peaceful modern Japan, that was probably normal.

Still, there was something else I sensed from this man, Yasunaga, at that moment.

“Hey, Yasu. We’ve got a guest to entertain. Prepare some drinks and snacks. Come on in, please.”

“Pardon the intrusion.”

I stowed the ingot back in the suitcase and followed Yasunaga inside.

From the presence I sensed, there were probably three or four people inside.

That said, I hadn’t checked every room, and I couldn’t sense anyone deeper in the building.

Given the time of day, most of the group’s members were likely out, so it was possible only a handful remained.

Normally, an organization of this size would have at least ten full members, and with associates, the total could be twenty to thirty.

The interior felt unusually spacious for an apartment.

Perhaps the entire building belonged to the organization. The entrance door was clearly bulletproof, and there were no other residential units on the first floor—just a few shady businesses.

Inside, there was one room deeper in, two rooms lined up on the right side of the hallway, and the corridor turned left at the end, suggesting at least one more room out of sight.

“Let’s discuss the details here.”

I was led to a room labeled “reception” on the right side of the hallway.

A large framed plaque on the wall listed the organization’s name and members. A Japanese sword, likely a replica, was ostentatiously displayed on a shelf.

Sitting across from Yasunaga at a luxurious marble table, I noticed a cheap polka-dot tie hanging from his neck, clashing with his expensive suit.

“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Yasunaga. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Yasunaga handed me a business card.

It was an ostentatious card with a bold black crest.

Only then did I realize that in this world, such things were necessary. Naturally, I hadn’t prepared one and couldn’t reciprocate, but Yasunaga didn’t seem to mind.

“Let’s get to business, then. About the gold you showed me earlier. I assume it’s not something as simple as an investment opportunity, right?”

“Of course, of course. Since you seem quick on the uptake, I’ll cut to the chase. I can supply gold ingots like the one I showed you at a discount.”

“Hmm, I see. At a discount, huh? We run a fairly broad operation, but gold is new territory for us. So, how much are we talking?”

I took the ingot out of the suitcase and placed it on the table before continuing.

“How about 60% of the current market price?”

Yasunaga’s eyes gleamed with interest.

I knew he’d bite.

Unless there’s antique value involved, gold’s price is consistent. Selling it at a 40% profit margin would make it a viable business.

“May I touch it?”

“Go ahead.”

Yasunaga picked up the ingot, examining it closely.

He flipped it over, weighed it in his hand…

He probably knew such actions wouldn’t reveal much. Still, with a deal this good, there’s always a catch. It’s only natural to be skeptical.

But when a knock came at the door, Yasunaga quickly placed the ingot back on the table.

“Sorry for the interruption.”

Yasu, the thuggish man, entered with drinks and snacks.

After serving me with an oddly respectful demeanor, Yasu didn’t leave. Instead, he positioned himself behind Yasunaga, near the door, as if blocking it.

His stance felt like a silent threat: Don’t try anything funny, or you won’t leave here alive.

“60%, huh? If this is real 24-karat gold, it’s not a bad deal. But…”

“Yes, there’s no hallmark.”

I’d used my abilities to locate a gold vein, extracted the gold with magic, and shaped it into ingots with magical flames. Naturally, there was no hallmark.

Most ingots circulating on Earth have hallmarks—stamps indicating the manufacturer, purity, weight, and serial number—proof of authenticity that ensures trust in transactions.

Of course, some ancient ingots lack hallmarks and can still be sold, but they’re treated as mere gold lumps, fetching a slightly lower price.

“Then we’d need to melt it down and sell it as something else or slip it to an authorized manufacturer under the table…”

“I’ll leave the method to you.”

“Let me see… The current market price is, what, 4,503 yen per gram? For a 450-gram bar, that’s 4.5 million yen, with our cut being 1.8 million. Considering the hassle and risks, that’s a bit tight.”

I deliberately pulled the remaining two ingots from the suitcase.

“I brought three today, but I can prepare two or three each month. However, due to some circumstances, these ingots aren’t exactly 1 kg—they’re 1.12 kg.”

The weight wasn’t 1 kg because comparing units between that world and this one was impossible.

I tried using my own weight as a reference or measuring roughly a liter of water, but it was no use.

The slight difference in gravity between worlds made precise measurements unattainable. I made the ingot mold early on, when I still believed I’d find a way back and thought I’d make a fortune with these.

When I measured them after returning, they turned out to be 1.12 kg each.

“Well, melting them down makes that a non-issue. If anything, the extra weight is a bonus for us. If you can supply a steady amount each month, that changes things.”

How many are in my dimensional storage?

I haven’t counted exactly, but there are at least a thousand.

Finding gold veins was child’s play for me. Plus, the magic to extract pure gold from ore was incredibly convenient.

The reason for selling in small batches was to avoid drawing attention, even with a disguise.

Where gold’s involved, trouble always follows. Selling too much at once could tempt someone to rob me.

This was my insurance policy.

There was another reason I brought it to them instead of selling directly.

I wanted to establish a connection with these people.

Crime organizations are useful, whether in that world or this one.

They’re the only source for certain information or items.

That’s not all.

If I commit crimes in the future, there’ll be little trace of James Masuda, and suspicion will naturally fall on these guys.

While they’re busy dealing with that, I can slip away unnoticed. By then, James Masuda will be nowhere to be found.

In short, I’m using them as a smokescreen.

The cost is losing one Shapeshifter’s Mask, which stings.

The mask is made through alchemy using four materials: the core of a shapeshifter, a monster that mimics human forms; powdered apatite gemstone; the beak of an Imitation Bird, a creature that mimics other animals’ calls to lure prey; and the head of the person to be imitated.

Only the wearer can remove the mask. It allows for rich expressions and even feels real to the touch.

There are no visible seams, and with proper skin tone matching, it’s indistinguishable. The Imitation Bird’s effect lets you mimic the voice perfectly.

I don’t know what happens to DNA from hair samples, though.

I relied on this mask countless times in that world.

I have others, but this one looked the most Japanese, making it convenient.

The person was probably in their 40s.

I vaguely recall they were a pimp or something. When I stopped by a village, they were trying to take a village girl to settle a debt. Without knowing the details, I impulsively beheaded them.

In that world, people could lose limbs and still fight, so I always aimed for the head.

As I recalled those memories, a knock sounded, and a new person entered the room.

“Sorry to interrupt during your talk.”

“Shindou no Kashira, perfect timing. I was just discussing a deal with Masuda-san. Take a look at this. What do you think?”

Yasunaga slid over to make room, showing the gold ingot to the middle-aged man called Shindou.

“Gold, huh?”

“Yes, he’s offering to sell it to us at 60% of market price. Two or three bars a month.”

“Is it real?”

“No one would be foolish enough to try passing fakes to us. Right, Masuda-san? Anyone that stupid would be at the bottom of Tokyo Bay by tomorrow.”

“Hmm, I wonder, Masuda-san. I won’t pry into the details, but this is shady stuff, isn’t it? That means our group could take some heat. Considering that, 50% seems more reasonable.”

“Now, now, Shindou-san. That’s why we’re offering it at a 40% discount from the market price. If you’re not satisfied with 60%, I’m not opposed to taking this deal elsewhere. I’d prefer to work with you, given this connection, but…”

That’s when I noticed.

Shindou looked slightly displeased, and Yasunaga subtly signaled Yasu near the door. It was a tiny gesture—something only I would catch.

“Kashira, let’s discuss this further with Masuda-san. Can I proceed with accepting this deal?”

“Hmm, alright. I’ll leave it to you, Yasunaga. But your cut’s 10%. The rest goes to the group.”

Is that how it works?

I don’t know much about this, but that seems a bit low.

“Shindou no Kashira, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? Even for Aniki Yasunaga, 90% to the group is rough.”

Suddenly, Yasu, who’d been silent, snapped at Shindou.

Yasunaga visibly flinched.

“Yasu, shut up!! Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong! This is a deal for the Hayashi-do group, and Kashira’s graciously letting me handle it. Punks like you don’t get a say!!!”

Yasunaga circled behind Yasu and delivered a heavy kick.

As Yasu staggered, another kick landed. What followed was a relentless storm of violence.

Punching, kicking, even grabbing the replica sword to bludgeon him.

Yasunaga beat Yasu mercilessly, far beyond what seemed necessary.

Yasu, the pitiful victim, cowered on the floor, waiting for the assault to end.

But Shindou, sitting across from me, remained stone-faced.

“Huff, huff… Listen, Yasu. Don’t ever talk back again. My apologies, Masuda-san. Our young blood got a bit out of line…”

Yasunaga faltered mid-sentence.

Probably because he saw my face and froze.

Shindou’s scowl deepened, as if he’d bitten into something bitter.

“Ku, ku, ku…”

I was laughing.

I hadn’t meant to, but a chuckle slipped out.

Calling it a poorly acted farce would be too harsh. Because I could see Yasunaga’s aura.

Despite the violence, it didn’t turn red at all.

This was a staged act during negotiations, meant to intimidate the other party.

It’s a common yakuza tactic.

Even knowing that, most people would flinch. The overwhelming violence unfolding before you would make anyone, even non-civilians, fear for their safety.

Yasunaga hadn’t dropped his mild demeanor once. Seeing him unleash such frenzied violence would naturally terrify anyone, given the abnormality of it.

“No, no, my apologies. That was quite a show, and I couldn’t help myself. How about this: I’ll agree to 50% if you offer some conveniences moving forward. Also, do you have a burner phone for contact?”

“Masuda-san… who are you? No, my apologies, that was rude. Yasunaga, I’ll allow it. Make this deal with Masuda-san work.”

Shindou muttered curiously.

But he seemed satisfied with my concession to 50%.

I was fine with 50% from the start. Selling even a third of my gold would be enough for a lifetime.

“Understood, Masuda-san. I look forward to working with you. Of course, we’ll need to verify the gold’s authenticity. Can we borrow it for testing? Also, we’ve got plenty of burner phones. How about we continue this at my shop?”

“Go ahead and take it. I trust you enough not to pull something cheap like running off with it.”

“Yasu, take the gold and get it verified. There’s a precious metals shop near the station, I think.”

“Yes, sir!”

Yasu left with the gold, followed by Shindou, me, and finally Yasunaga.

The negotiation took longer than expected, and as we left the office, the sky was tinged with the crimson of sunset.