Chapter 23 – Things Begin to Change

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The vanguard, who had left Foxtail for fast leveling, returned. And the information they brought was enough to change the players.

The rumor was that if you defeated the final boss of this world, the “Bird that Sings of Destruction,” you could return to the original world.

Countless people were captivated by this unverified information.

Even those who had given up on progressing stood up and picked up their weapons.

Players who had been focused on safe farming began to prioritize leveling.

It was no longer about “earning just enough gold,” but about hunting for experience.

As the players’ enthusiasm grew, hunting times naturally increased. Longer, riskier hunts.

Players truly began their adventure.

Of course, there were those who weren’t swept up in the frenzy.

Those who viewed everything with cynicism, and people like me who simply loved this world for what it was.

“Supreme!”

While I was watching the players preparing for party hunts, Isolin’s voice reached me.

I turned my head slightly and, sure enough, there she was, her large pointed hat swaying as she approached.

Isolin, who had run over, stopped in front of me, her eyes sparkling.

It was as if she was eagerly anticipating what was to come.

“Are you all ready?”

I nodded at her question.

Thankfully, Isolin wasn’t one to obsess over leveling. It was clear that she, like me, loved this world.

This world was shining brilliantly. To me, this world was reality.

“Of course. Shall we go? To the Giant Mushroom Farm.”

Today’s destination was the Giant Mushroom Farm. The reason we were heading to a farm instead of a hunting ground was simple.

To enjoy a delicious dinner.

“You said there’s a mushroom that tastes like meat, right?”

“Yeah. I read about it in a book at the Mage Tower. It’s called the Calf Mushroom…”

A mushroom that tastes like meat? I couldn’t resist.

I licked my lips and left Foxtail with Isolin.

Clatter—!

We ran freely across the green plains, waves rippling in the wind. Sometimes we walked, enjoying the scenery.

We picked berries that were easy to find nearby and drank cool water from the flowing river. When night fell, we laid out our sleeping bags and gazed at the stars.

By the second day after leaving Foxtail, Isolin and I could see the towering giant mushrooms in the distance.

“Wow…”

“Are those all mushrooms…?”

Behind the tall, straight mushrooms, large and small mushrooms stretched out in rows. It was a region so filled with mushrooms that it felt as if mushrooms had replaced everything in the world.

Each mushroom varied in size, pattern, and color. Isolin and I entered the mushroom forest.

The mushroom farm wasn’t far from the forest entrance. Even the fence surrounding the farm had mushrooms growing on it, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Surely, these mushrooms don’t grow on human bodies, right?

Just as I was lost in dark imaginings, a man walked out from inside the farm.

“Hmm. Are you customers? Are you Here to buy mushrooms?”

The man who greeted us was a middle-aged man wearing a large mushroom hat.

[Owner of the Giant Mushroom Farm]

[Mush Bob]

[Level 5]

After checking the NPC’s information, Isolin and I nodded.

“Yes! We came to buy some delicious mushrooms!”

Driven by the desire to eat tasty mushrooms, we had traveled from Foxtail to this place over two days. Isolin and I licked our lips, imagining the mushroom dishes we would soon enjoy.

“Hmm. The mushrooms I grow are past their harvest season, so there aren’t many left… But would you like to take a look anyway?”

“Yes!”

Merchant NPCs don’t show their goods directly during transactions. Even if there’s nothing around them, a system exchange window pops up, displaying the list of items they have in stock.

• [Brown Mushroom]
  
• [Poisonous Mushroom]
  
• [Cloud Mushroom]
  
• [Green Stag Horn Mushroom]
  
• [Puppy Mushroom]
  
• [Giant Mushroom]

Mush Bob had only six types of mushrooms for sale. I looked through the list and asked him a question.

“Um, I heard there’s a mushroom that tastes like beef. The Calf Mushroom…”

“Ah, you’re looking for that. Sorry, but mice got into the Calf Mushroom cultivation area and ate all that was left.”

“Ah…”

Mush Bob answered awkwardly. I let out a long sigh.

What could I do if the harvest was ruined by mice?

I bought a small amount of Giant Mushrooms and Cloud Mushrooms from Mush Bob’s stock.

“Giant Mushrooms and Cloud Mushrooms. Excellent choice.”

[Giant Mushroom]
A mushroom that can only be found near the Giant Mushroom Farm.
Its sweet and sour aroma when grilled attracts many.

[Cloud Mushroom]
A mushroom that puffs up into a cloud-like shape when lightly cooked.
Don’t expect the texture of actual clouds.

I wanted to buy a large amount, like the honey candy, and store it carefully in my inventory, but with the gold I had on hand, that was impossible.

I turned to see what Isolin had bought.

Like me, she had bought Giant Mushrooms and Cloud Mushrooms, as well as Puppy Mushrooms.

[Puppy Mushroom]
A mushroom that barks when thrown.
It’s edible, but not particularly tasty.

“Why did you buy that?”

“The description looked fun.”

Isolin immediately threw the mushroom she had bought. The mushroom, flung from her small hand, rolled on the ground and let out a bark.

[Woof woof!]

“Ahahaha!”

Isolin began throwing the Puppy Mushrooms wildly. It seemed her new toy was quite entertaining.

Though the scene was surreal, it made sense.

After all, this was that kind of world.

Giant lizards flew through the sky, and people wielded ice, fire, and lightning.

A mushroom that barked like a dog wasn’t even surprising.

“Um, Mush Bob. When will the next Calf Mushroom harvest be?”

“Hmm. You’ll have to wait at least a year…”

“Ah…”

A year? I couldn’t wait that long. I wasn’t even sure if I’d remember the Calf Mushroom a year from now.

“If you’re that disappointed, why not try foraging for wild Calf Mushrooms?”

“Wild Calf Mushrooms?”

“Yes, wild Calf Mushrooms. You might find some if you explore around here.”

As he spoke, Mush Bob pulled out a small notebook from his pocket.

[Giant Mushroom Farm Guidebook]
A booklet made by Mush Bob.
It contains information on the habitats and uses of various mushrooms.

“What’s this?”

“A service. I give this to everyone who buys my mushrooms.”

“Oh… Thank you!”

As I flipped through the booklet, I found information about various mushrooms.

[Calf Mushroom]
A mushroom that tastes like beef.
It pairs well with all dishes and is highly nutritious.

※Habitat Location
It grows in areas without sunlight. Due to its unique growth method of absorbing nutrients from various nearby mushrooms, it can only be found near mushroom forests.

“Ooh…”

“It’s the culmination of my life’s work. But don’t take it too seriously. There are still many mushrooms in this forest that even I don’t know about.”

“Got it! I’ll keep that in mind!”

“I hope you’ll come back again.”

I grabbed Isolin, who was still throwing Puppy Mushrooms, and left the Giant Mushroom Farm.

“Are we going to look for Calf Mushrooms?”

“Of course. That’s why we came all the way here, right?”

Isolin nodded at my answer. She seemed more interested in the Puppy Mushrooms than the Calf Mushrooms.

[Woof woof!]

“Let’s go!”

We set off to find the Calf Mushrooms.

We passed by large and small mushrooms, climbing up the tall, tree-like mushrooms. The soft, spongy texture of the mushrooms made our balance wobble.

Because the mushrooms varied in size, it was hard to see what was nearby from the ground. Isolin and I jumped from mushroom to mushroom, exploring the forest.

Hop hop—

Every time we landed on a giant mushroom, a cloud of spores fell from underneath. Isolin and I hurriedly jumped around to avoid getting the spores on our clothes.

After some time, I found a cluster of small mushrooms growing together. Among them was the Calf Mushroom I had been looking for.

“Found it!”

“Where? Where?”

At my exclamation, Isolin shook her small head, causing her pointed hat to sway.

“Over there!”

“Oh…”

As Isolin and I prepared to climb down to harvest the Calf Mushrooms, I noticed something strange moving beyond the mushroom cluster.

It was about a meter tall. A mushroom with a green cap was walking around like a person.

“What’s that…?”

[Level 5]
[Green Mutant Mushroom]

“A monster…?”

It was a type of monster I had never seen before. But there was no need to worry. I was level 17, and Isolin was level 19. A level 5 monster could be handled by me alone.

I pulled out my mace from my inventory and jumped down from the giant mushroom, swinging my mace at the walking mushroom.

“Hyah!”

Thud—!