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"Hey kid, we're here! Are your big mushrooms ready yet?"
A gap in reality unzipped with a schloop, and a vibrant voice rang out.
Marisa hopped out, dragging a very reluctant Red-and-White Shrine Maiden behind her. The maiden's mental state could be described as "beautifully tragic."
Leo recognized the look instantly. It was the face of a corporate slave who had worked two months of consecutive night shifts. The eyes were dead. The soul was gone. The vibe was: If I die, I die.
"Ah... hello," the Shrine Maiden mumbled, barely lifting a hand.
Damn it, Marisa, Leo thought. Don't you know Reimu's schedule? She never wakes up before noon. Dragging her out before 7:00 AM is attempted murder.
Name: Reimu Hakurei Race: Human (Shrine Maiden) Ability: Floating / Manipulation of Aura / Barrier Residence: Hakurei Shrine Occupation: Shrine Maiden / Youkai Exterminator / Urban Manager Unlock Condition: Have 100,000 Gold in savings.
"Hello, Miss Reimu," Leo greeted her cautiously, then nodded to the Yakumo family stepping out behind them.
Ran was carrying a heavy crate—the Sugar, Vinegar, and Glass Jars Leo had commissioned yesterday. Mystia Lorelei had apparently taken the contract. The Night Sparrow Diner was desperate for cash and had liquidated its pantry stock at a discount.
"Come on," Marisa urged, vibrating with energy. "Let's go to the cave!"
Reimu immediately found a patch of soft grass, flopped face-down onto it, and passed out. Chen sprinted off to chase butterflies in the woods. Ran set up her mobile kitchen station.
Yukari followed Leo and Marisa. She was desperate. Over the past two days, her reputation in Gensokyo had plummeted to rock bottom—she was now arguably less popular than Aya Shameimaru, the gossip paparazzi. People were spitting on the ground when she walked by.
She needed a win. She needed edible, delicious food to restore her status as a benevolent ruler. Otherwise, shops would start putting up "No Yukaris Allowed" signs.
"Whoa... there's so many."
Inside the cave, Marisa held up her Mini-Hakkero, the magical furnace casting a warm glow.
The ten wooden cultivation boxes were pulsing rhythmically, covered in a dense forest of fungi.
Leo stepped forward. He harvested the crop first—transferring them to his inventory to "materialize" them for the others—then handed samples to Marisa and Yukari.
Each box produced 10 units daily.
Yield: 50 Common Mushrooms, 10 Purple Mushrooms, 10 Red Mushrooms, 20 Morel Mushrooms, 10 Chanterelles.
Marisa didn't hesitate. She grabbed a mushroom—dirt and all—and took a huge bite. She chewed thoughtfully, tilting her head like a sommelier tasting vintage wine.
"Munch munch... This small brown one is average. Just generic mushroom flavor. Pass."
She tried the yellow one.
"Ooh. The Chanterelle. Very unique. Nutty, peppery... hard to describe, but excellent."
She bit into a Morel.
"This honeycomb one has a rich, earthy aroma. Crunchy texture. Full marks!"
Then, she picked up the Purple Mushroom. In the game, this was a high-tier item that restored massive health and energy.
Marisa took a bite and froze.
"This..." Her eyes widened. "What is this flavor? It's sweet and creamy like heavy cream, yet the texture is smooth as silk. This is the best mushroom I've ever eaten in my life!"
She shoved the entire thing into her mouth and stood there, swaying in bliss.
"Aren't you going to try some?" Leo asked Yukari.
Yukari stared at the mushroom in her hand suspiciously. "Uh... Marisa can do it. She has an iron stomach. When it comes to mushrooms, she's the strongest in Gensokyo."
Yukari shook her head. Marisa lived in a poisonous forest and ate experimental magic potions for breakfast. Even Eirin wanted to study her blood to understand how a human could consume that much toxicity and still be alive.
"Hey kid," Marisa wiped her mouth. "There's one more kind. I saw you stash a red one. Don't hold out on me."
"This is a Red Mushroom," Leo warned, pulling it out. "It's poisonous. In my world, eating this drops your health to zero. I don't know if it'll kill you, but it'll definitely knock me out."
"Poisonous?" Marisa grinned. "That's easy. Let's get Reimu to appraise it."
They dragged Reimu out of her nap.
"You better have a good reason for this," Reimu growled, cracking one eye open. "Or I'm sealing you in a jar."
"Try this," Marisa shoved the Red Mushroom into Reimu's face. "Leo says it's poisonous. Give it a taste test."
The mushroom was bright red with white spots. It screamed DANGER. Any normal person would run away.
"Give it here."
Reimu sighed, sat up, and took a bite. She chewed lazily under Leo's horrified gaze.
For a split second, Reimu's entire body flashed purple. Then, the color faded, and she swallowed.
"Yeah, it's poisonous," Reimu confirmed calmly. "Rule-level toxicity. True Damage. It's not fatal, but it sets your vitality to zero and induces an immediate coma. I'd say it knocks a normal person out for two days."
She popped the rest of the mushroom into her mouth.
"Are... are you okay?" Leo stammered.
"Oh, don't worry about me," Reimu yawned, lying back down. "I'm bound to the Hakurei Barrier. I'm immune to all status effects, have infinite mana, and infinite stamina. I'm basically in God Mode while inside the Barrier. It's just how my stats are written. Can't help it."
She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
While Reimu flexed her invincibility, Yukari quietly pocketed the Red Mushroom sample Leo had given her.
Rule-level True Damage that induces a coma?
A wicked smile spread across Yukari's face.
It seems it's time to invite Miss Megumu Iizunamaru to a private dinner.
The Sage of Youkai was extremely petty. Did the Tengu really think they could steal her strawberry and get away with it? If she didn't get revenge, people might start thinking she was actually a nice person.