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"Really, Boss?!"
Nitori's eyes lit up with the brightness of a thousand LEDs.
The Old Hell Geyser Center in Gensokyo was developed by Kappa Heavy Industries. It had been their most stable cash cow for years.
Technically, soaking in the hot spring was free. Youkai Mountain belonged to everyone, and Nitori couldn't fence off a piece of land and demand an entry fee. If she tried, Reimu would be the first person to show up, beat her up, and soak for free.
However.
The free things are often the most expensive.
Nitori had mastered the "Microtransaction Model." The hot spring is free! Maintenance is on us! But... if you soak too long and get thirsty? We offer chilled nuclear fusion cola, cucumber beer, and snacks. Since we make these ourselves, charging a "small" markup isn't excessive, right?
Even Reimu couldn't fault them for selling snacks.
"Uh... I'll leave it to you," Leo nodded hesitantly. He wasn't sure what Nitori was planning, but he was too tired to argue.
He watched as Nitori pulled something out of her backpack.
It was a laser gun.
"Wait," Leo blinked. "Isn't the art style a bit... broken?"
It looked like a sci-fi weapon capable of catching the God of the Lake. Nitori aimed it at the rock wall Leo had indicated.
ZZEEEWWWW—BOOM!
A beam of condensed magic obliterated the landslide.
The Little Kappas swarmed forward like ants, clearing the debris in seconds. The path to the Railroad was open.
Leo walked through.
Stardew Valley produces 12 days a year. The people make planting their business. Following the mountain, they forget the distance... suddenly, they encounter Hot Spring Valley.
Okay, maybe not that poetic.
The area behind the blockage was... disappointing. It was just a flat, wilderness area full of weeds, rocks, and dead trees. The actual Spa building from the game was ruined.
"In that case, Boss, you go about your business," Nitori waved her hand dismissively. "We handle the cleanup and surveying. We are professionals."
"SHOCKING NEWS: Kappa Heavy Industries and Stardew Valley in Secret Deal!"
According to this reporter's investigation, Nitori Kawashiro, CEO of Kappa Heavy Industries, has engaged in illicit backdoor dealings with the Master of Stardew Valley. This Reporter suspects dirty money laundering! Is the Master planning to control Gensokyo's economy through a monopoly on leisure? Residents are advised to beware of scams!
Hooking her toes into a crack in the cave ceiling, Aya Shameimaru hung upside down like a bat, scribbling furiously in her notebook.
She snapped a photo of Nitori shaking Leo's hand, then vanished into the shadows.
"Yes, just like that... keep moving forward... I will keep stalking you..."
Unaware that he was being watched by a tengu paparazzi, Leo said goodbye to Nitori and walked toward the Apothecary (Adventurer's Guild).
Along the way, he harvested Salmonberries. The yield was insane. In just a short walk, he had gathered dozens of pounds. Since one unit was roughly half a kilo, he calculated he could make enough jam to drown a person.
"Yo, little brother! Come look at the Slimes I'm raising!"
Outside the Apothecary, Marisa had built a makeshift fence. She was lying on her stomach on the wooden planks, staring at a group of slimes bouncing around inside.
"I'm researching Slime genetics," Marisa explained. "You said there are variants. I went back to the Mine this morning and found a Special Slime."
She reached into the pen, ignored the seven regular green slimes trying to bite her, and picked up a slime with a little yellow star antenna on its head.
"This one is special. If you kill it, it drops loot. Do you want it? If not, give it here, and I'll blast it."
Leo looked at it with envy.
Weapons weren't a big deal. His rusty sword could block, and he'd get the Obsidian Edge later. But Rings? He was desperate for rings. Specifically, the Glow Ring and Magnet Ring.
With a Glow Ring, he would never be afraid of the dark again. With a Magnet Ring, his farming efficiency would double.
"I'll take it," Leo said. "Hand it over."
Marisa tossed the slime out of the pen. "Have fun. I'm going back into the cave to find more."
Leo drew his Rusty Sword.
Thus began the Epic Battle of the Slime King.
Leo fought the Special Slime for 300 rounds... or rather, ten minutes of awkward kiting and blocking. The slime had 3x the HP and 2x the Attack of a normal slime.
Finally, with a heroic thrust, Leo popped the balloon.
Splat.
The slime dissolved into a puddle of goo. In the center lay a ring.
Marisa swooped in, bottled the goo for research, wiped the ring with a cloth, and tossed it to Leo.
"It has magical fluctuations," she noted. "But I can't tell what it does."
Leo inspected it.
Small Glow Ring Emits a constant light. Radius: 5 tiles.
"Yes!" Leo pumped his fist. "Light! Civilization!"
This version was better than the game. In Stardew Valley, stacking rings only increased the radius. Here, the description implied it increased brightness too.
"Well, you keep busy," Leo said, putting the ring on. A warm yellow circle of light immediately illuminated the ground around him. "I need to head back. It's almost noon, and I have to sweep the Cindersap Forest for berries."
He tossed a bag of Salmonberries to Marisa. "Snacks for the road."
"Thanks!" Marisa crunched on a berry. "Sweet and sour. Not bad."
Leo turned back toward town.
He had a plan. With this massive haul of berries, he needed to craft Preserves Jars.
Sure, Salmonberry Jam was cheap trash in the game. But for a guy currently surviving on a diet of fish soup and raw garlic? It was a luxury item. Jam meant sugar. Jam meant happiness.