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"Come on~ Open wide~"
"Awm~ Meow."
Leo held a strawberry, feeding it to Chen. Watching the kitty puff out her cheeks, struggling to chew the massive fruit, Leo felt a surge of pure, diabetic sweetness.
Everyone, you don't understand! The bliss of having a catgirl at home is unmatched!
"Alright," Leo patted her head. "If you want more, get them from the Red Chest. I need to head out. It's about to rain. Try not to go out today."
He looked at the darkening sky.
Today was the day. He packed his food (Grilled Fish) and his Fiberglass Rod (which he had bought yesterday after selling the strawberries).
He ran toward the river south of town.
Target: Catfish.
In Stardew Valley, Catfish only appeared on rainy days in Spring and Fall. They were the "Newbie Killers." Their movement pattern was erratic, aggressive, and fast.
But they sold for a fortune.
Regular: 200 Gold.
Iridium Star: 400 Gold.
In the early game of a min-max run, "Strawberry Farming" and "Rainy Day Catfishing" were the twin pillars of wealth. Leo was a veteran.
When he reached the riverbank, a few Little Kappas were finishing up the construction of the Fishing Pavilion.
Seeing Leo running over without a raincoat, one Kappa immediately pulled an umbrella from her bag and handed it to him.
"Thanks!" Leo grinned. "Come to the farm later! Free strawberries for the crew!"
BOOM.
Thunder cracked. The heavens opened.
The rain was torrential. Visibility dropped to zero. The lead Kappa took one look at the weather, signaled her team, and they all squeezed into the small pavilion with Leo to take shelter.
Since Leo had specified this was a "Fishing Pavilion," Nitori had built it extending over the river. Leo could fish while sitting on a comfortable stone bench, completely dry.
The rain hammered the roof, creating a curtain of water around them.
Leo cast his line.
Plop.
He remembered a former colleague who believed everything on social media. "Catfish eat trash! They live in sewage! MSG makes your hair fall out!"
Leo rolled his eyes. The Catfish in Stardew Valley lived in crystal-clear water. This river was cleaner than bottled water.
(By the way, Leo's farm sewage system led to the Southern Ocean. Given the vastness of the sea and his tiny output, his environmental impact was statistically zero. Unless he started dumping nuclear waste, the fish were fine.)
"Here it comes!"
YANK.
A massive force nearly ripped the rod from his hands. If he were still a Level 0 weakling, he might have been pulled into the river. But with Level 2 Fishing and the sturdy Fiberglass Rod, he held firm.
The fish darted up and down the bar like a maniac.
Reel. Release. Reel. Release.
Leo's eyes were locked on the green bar. Muscle memory took over.
"Go, go! You can do it, Boss!"
The Little Kappas, having nothing better to do, started cheering.
"Pull! Pull!" "Big Bro is amazing!"
With a group of cute cheerleaders behind him, Leo felt invincible. Even if the Dragon King of the East Sea was on the hook, he would drag it up!
SPLASH.
With a final tug, a sleek, black, scaleless fish flew into the air and landed in the bucket.
Catfish (Gold Star).
"Woohoo!" The Kappas applauded.
Leo grinned. This was the life.
As he pulled in catch after catch—Catfish, Shad, Smallmouth Bass—the rain began to lighten. Spring showers were intense but short-lived.
"Goodbye, Boss! We're heading back!"
The Kappas put on their yellow rubber boots and splashed their way up the mountain, laughing.
A while later.
"Meow! Leo, we've come to play!"
Just as Leo was getting drowsy from the repetitive motion, a Gap opened. Ran walked out, holding Chen's hand.
Chen immediately ran to the Blue Chest (Leo's portable cooler) and peeked inside.
"So many fish, meow! Are we eating fish tonight?"
Her tail wagged so hard it was a blur. The chest was full of high-quality river fish.
"Sure," Leo reeled in another Shad. "Grilled Catfish or Fish Soup? You choose. River fish have a lot of bones, so Catfish is best for grilling."
He turned to Ran. The Kitsune looked... pained. Her face was contorted in a weird expression, like she was trying desperately not to laugh.
"Lord Leo," Ran composed herself. "May I ask... could you sell me some strawberries? Lady Yukari is about to be driven insane."
"Insane?"
"Megumu Iizunamaru," Ran explained, her shoulders shaking. "The Great Tengu rushed into the Yakumo House this morning and started clawing at Lady Yukari like a lunatic. She's demanding strawberries."
Yukari swore she didn't know the strawberries were ripe. She wasn't a 24/7 surveillance camera. But Megumu didn't care.
"I don't care! If you don't give me strawberries, I'm living in your house! I will sleep in your bed! I will eat your food!"
Megumu was clinging to Yukari like a koala and refusing to let go.
Helpless, Yukari sent Ran to buy peace.
"Strawberries, huh?" Leo reeled in his line. "I sold all the commercial stock. The rest are for seeds and my personal consumption. They're not for sale."
He wasn't a wish-granting machine. He had repaid Yukari's favor. Now, it was business.
"Tell her no," Leo said calmly. "Unless..."
He smiled, looking at the Nine-Tailed Fox.
"Simply put: Give me some benefits."