Author's Note: Just a heads-up before we dive in: This is a pure romance novel. However, the protagonist is extremely career-focused, so romance might take a backseat. Also, this story has undergone a rough edit. There might still be a few typos here and there, so please bear with me.
The Story Begins
John was currently playing the farming simulation game, Stardew Valley.
He had set up a new save file: Remixed Bundles and, for an extra challenge, he turned on the "Spawn monsters on the farm at night" setting.
Name: John Farm Name: Grandpa's Farm Favorite Thing: Iridium Ore Favorite Animal: Grey Cat Farm Type: Standard Farm
John was a veteran player, so he skipped the opening cutscene without hesitation.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the man sitting in front of the computer vanished, transmigrating directly into the game world.
A mechanical voice echoed in his mind: [Complete all achievements in Stardew Valley v1.6.15 and achieve True Perfection to return to the real world.]
John's eyes widened. "What? Enter the game and get 100% completion? Are you kidding me? That's asking for the impossible! Give a guy a break!"
Before John could complain further, his vision blurred, and he lost consciousness.
Spring 1st – Morning
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the dilapidated curtains, spilling into the small, rustic room.
John slowly woke up on the single bed.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked around, confirming the grim reality: he really had transmigrated.
The familiar, broken-down shack. An old television, a wooden table, and a rickety chair. This was everything he owned.
"Let me out!" he roared at the ceiling.
Silence. No one responded.
Is this really the only way? He thought. I have to beat the game. Get every achievement. Reach Perfection.
John rolled out of bed. At his feet lay a cardboard gift box containing fifteen Parsnip Seeds.
These tiny seeds seemed to carry his only hope of escaping this world.
Various speed-run strategies flashed through his mind like a movie reel.
Clay Farming? Sleep Spamming? Evaluation Rushing? Wine Empire? Which method would get him to the goal the fastest?
He walked over to the small table and pressed the power button on the old television. The screen flickered to life. The Fortune Teller channel showed that the spirits were somewhat annoyed today—bad luck. However, the Weather Report promised a beautiful, sunny day tomorrow.
Just then, an episode of "Living Off the Land" started playing, offering a tip: While waiting for your first harvest, you can earn extra cash by chopping wood and foraging for wild plants.
"Hmm, not a bad idea," John muttered to himself. "Foraging doesn't cost energy, and it brings in a little pocket change. Energy is the most scarce resource at this stage, after all."
Making up his mind, he turned toward the door, ready to start Day 1.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to open his journal to check the current quests. Two tasks were listed:
Getting Started: Cultivate and harvest a Parsnip.
Introductions: Greet 2/28 people.
To John, greeting people wasn't exactly a priority. However, giving gifts to residents to boost friendship and unlock valuable recipes was crucial. He closed the quest panel without hesitation and stepped out into a world full of unknowns and challenges.
He stepped onto the overgrown farm to get to work.
First, he chopped down enough trees to gather 50 pieces of Wood and crafted a Chest to store his items.
Next, he cleared a small 5x3 plot of land, planted the fifteen Parsnip Seeds, and watered them with his Watering Can.
By the time he finished these chores, the clock had jumped from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
His energy bar was already critically low, with only 26 points remaining.
I need to save some energy for digging up Artifact Spots if I see any worms sticking out of the ground, he calculated.
John headed toward the north exit of the farm, intending to loop around Pelican Town to check for forageables.
He entered The Mountain area and immediately spotted a figure near the tent—Linus.
John walked up and greeted him enthusiastically. "Hello there."
Linus looked like he hadn't spoken to another soul in ages. Seeing this unfamiliar young man, he stared blankly for a moment before responding tentatively. "Are... are you talking to me?"
John smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am."
A shy blush appeared on Linus's weathered face. He wiped his hands on his clothes repeatedly before politely extending a hand. "Hello, stranger. My name is Linus. May I ask yours?"
John shook Linus's hand, introducing himself with the confidence of a protagonist. "I'm the new farmer who just moved in. The name's John."
Linus looked thoughtful. "Oh... John. That is a good name. I will remember you."
"And I'll remember you too, Linus," John said, waving goodbye as he continued his route.
John passed by Robin's House and headed down toward the dilapidated Community Center.
Here, he used his Scythe to clear out a massive amount of weeds, collecting Fiber. Since swinging the scythe didn't consume any energy, it was free real estate. The more Fiber, the better.
Further south lay the center of Pelican Town, where most of the villagers lived.
He eyed the trash cans outside the houses, then looked at the villagers walking back and forth in the town square.
Rummaging through trash right under their noses is a guaranteed way to lose friendship points, he reasoned. It's unwise to start with a negative reputation before I've even properly begun.
He resisted the urge to dive into the garbage and continued south, arriving at the Blacksmith.
He scanned the ground. No Daffodils.
Damn, he thought. I was hoping for a Daffodil. That's a god-tier early-game gift for a lot of the villagers.
Refusing to give up, he walked west toward Marnie's Ranch and the Cindersap Forest.
There was plenty of Fiber in the forest near the lake, but he still couldn't find the specific seasonal forage items he needed.
Finally, he headed south toward the Sewer entrance. There, he struck gold—or rather, green. He harvested 14 Spring Onions.
He trudged back toward the farm, a bit disappointed he hadn't found a Leek or Dandelion, but the onions were better than nothing.
By 10:30 PM, it was pitch black. Without a Glow Ring, it was hard to see the path.
He began clearing a small trail from the bottom entrance of the farm back to his shack.
On the way, he spotted a Green Slime stuck between some weeds and a rock.
Lucky for me it's glitching out, John thought, eyeing the monster. I don't have a sword yet, so I can't deal with that thing.
He reached the farmhouse. Before going inside, John planted the 3 Mixed Seeds he had found while scything weeds. Then, he dumped the 14 Spring Onions into the Shipping Bin to sell for some quick cash overnight.
At 11:10 PM, John collapsed into bed and drifted into a sweet, exhausted dream.