Chapter 117 Wow, it’s a fat cat monster [VIP]

The clamor on the farm gradually died down. With the banter between Noise Monster and Dazai, the atmosphere became familiar again. After all, they had already done this once before.

The three people also showed off the props they brought back.

Noise Monster took out an exquisite portable dessert tool box, which contained piping nozzles of various sizes, thermometers, miniature electronic scales, etc., and even a small freezing module.

"A top pastry chef's essential secret weapon," he swung it proudly. "What? It's all thanks to the tools? No, no, no, tools are part of my strength, too."

Dead Fish Eyes took out something that looked like ordinary sports goggles, but the lenses were flashing a faint blue light.

"A simple scanner," she said briefly, putting it on. She aimed the lens at Noise Monster and scanned it. A simplified skeleton outline and a few flashing physiological indicators immediately appeared on the screen. "It's a rough idea, but it's better than nothing."

When Noise Monster Satoru looked over with dead fish eyes, he brushed his bangs and struck a bodybuilding pose: "Look! My perfect body!"

Dead Fish Eyes looked away as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, take a look!"

The strange bangs display a palm-sized silver metal disc. When turned on, it projects a miniature stereoscopic projection, showing the complex process of garbage sorting and compression.

"A small recycling station," he explained, "can compress small objects into high-density blocks for easier processing."

Dazai Osamu leaned over and poked the projection: "Oh? Anything is fine?"

"I haven't tried it yet," Dead Fish Eyes said hesitantly, "... maybe?"

The player listened to their small talk, but his mind was already on the mission.

She took out the game cartridge and ran her fingertips over the "Gases" mark.

Because of the habits she left behind in Punklod, she quickly found the answer from the real-world network: Gases, a small, unknown independent game creation team, active in some geek forums. An anonymous user revealed that their possible base was in a remote countryside near Kumamoto Prefecture.

The goal is clear! The player put down the communicator and put it in her backpack. Just as she was about to leave, Noise Monster suddenly reached out to stop her.

"Hey, Lin Chen, wait a minute." He put away his playful expression and said seriously, "There's something strange I want to ask you about this piece of land here."

He pointed down and looked around at the lush farmland. "It used to be known as Radium Street, a slum where all sorts of people lived together. Curses grew like weeds. We'd wipe them out, only to have them pop up again within a few days. It was really annoying. But when we came here today, we found it incredibly clean. There's not even a hint of the curse left. It's like a completely different place. How did you do it?"

The player hurried away without stopping, and without even turning back, he said, "Because I don't want it."

The tone is as matter-of-fact as saying, "Today's sun rises from the east." "If you don't want them to appear, they won't appear."

Simply turn off [Whether to generate hostile monsters] in the farm settings. It's very simple for players, right?

Before she finished speaking, the player had already pulled up the system map and locked onto an anchor point in Kumamoto Prefecture. With a single thought, space silently opened up that familiar, wiggling crack before her. She stepped through, and her figure instantly vanished from the farm.

When she reappeared, she was standing on a quiet country road.

The air is fresh, with the smell of grass, trees and earth. In the distance are low hills and scattered farmhouses.

We have arrived in Kumamoto Prefecture.

The task panel is refreshed in time:

[Quest: Punk Lord Spirit · Continued]

[Objective: Follow the clues of 'Gases' and find the real rare item [Punk Lord Spirit].]

[Phase 1: Ask nearby residents about 'Gases'.]

The player looked around and saw a boy with brown hair and a gentle temperament walking slowly along the path not far away, holding a chubby... fortune cat in his arms?

The cat was as fat as a ball of fur and was dozing with its eyes closed.

The player ran towards the NPC that appeared in front of him and poked the boy's arm. "Hey, do you know Gases? A team that makes games."

The boy, Natsume Takashi, was startled by the sudden sound and looked down to see a little girl with black hair, blue eyes, and a serious expression. He was stunned for a moment and subconsciously replied, "Gases? Sorry, I haven't heard of it..."

Before he could finish his words, a glaring prompt suddenly popped up on the player's system panel:

[Ding! High concentration of strange energy fluctuations detected!]

[Source: Lock on target [Natsume Takashi]! ]

Play!

After all, Gases is there and won't run away, and it can be obtained quickly, but the clue to this strange object may run away!

She immediately changed her tone, took a step closer, and stared at Natsume Takashi with her blue eyes: "Have you encountered anything strange recently? Or encountered anything strange?"

Her eyes swept over Natsume and then fell on the fat cat in his arms with undisguised curiosity.

Natsume Takashi felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by this god, and frowned slightly: "Strange things... maybe not?"

“I got a little anxious and started circling around him like a persistent puppy.

Her eyes unconsciously fell on the fat cat that was sleeping soundly again. The impatient player reached out and, as fast as lightning, took the heavy, furry ball out of Natsume's arms.

"Wow! This cat is so fat!" The player weighed it and exclaimed sincerely.

It feels solid, the fur is smooth and warm.

“——Huh?!” Natsume Takashi’s pupils trembled, and he was completely——unable to react!

The fat cat, whose sweet dream was disturbed, instantly became furious, meowed in dissatisfaction, and kicked around with its four claws in an attempt to struggle.

But the player's cat-stroking skills were already maxed out, reaching the level of a "Super High School-Level Cat-stroking Master." She expertly dodged the claws, holding the cat steady with one hand while the other precisely scratched its chin and behind its ears.

The fat cat's struggling movement suddenly froze, and a comfortable "gurgling" sound came out of its throat uncontrollably. Its squinted cat eyes revealed the dilemma of "I'm very angry but really comfortable".

At this moment, the player's [Insight] passively swept over the fat cat, and a line of information clearly emerged:

[Target: Cat Teacher (Ban)]

Status: A powerful youkai trapped within a beckoning cat container, sealed with a powerful seal. Due to the length of time it has been sealed, it has become deeply integrated into the container, and its behavior is becoming more like that of a real cat. Health Assessment: Significantly overweight for a cat; dietary restrictions and increased exercise are recommended.

"Ah, it's a youkai," the player suddenly realized, and calmly said something that made Natsume Takashi's heart stop. She even pinched the cat teacher's soft belly, "It's been sealed for so long and still so fat, it must be very greedy."

"What...?!" Natsume Takashi's face changed instantly!

The cat teacher, who was a little confused from being stroked, became completely awake and furious the moment he heard the two keywords "monster" and "fat"!

"Meow--!!!" With an angry roar, the fat cat's body suddenly swelled up and turned into a puff of smoke.

In the smoke, a huge, snow-white beast with a staff-shaped red demon pattern on its forehead suddenly appeared!

Its golden-green eyes burned with rage, and beneath each eye were two red spots. With a sweep of its massive tail, it stirred up a powerful gust of air, and a deep roar shook the air.

"Hey! You ignorant little brat! Who are you? What's your purpose in approaching Natsume? Damn it... Why can't I feel anything from you? Are you a monster? Or a human?!" Madara's huge body surrounded Natsume Takashi with an oppressive feeling, staring warily at the little girl in front of him who had a strange aura that he sensed.

The player's hair was blown all over the place, but there was no fear on his face. Instead, he looked at the majestic Madara with interest.

"I'm Player," she introduced herself, still staring at Natsume Takashi, "I lost something very important, and you have the scent of that thing on you."

The player pointed at Natsume without feeling threatened at all, and added, "Not this fat cat monster."

Madara's nose was almost crooked with anger: "Fat...fat cat?! Say that again! I am the noble Madara!"

It exhaled a puff of white air and scratched the ground with its claws anxiously.

The player ignored the irritated Madara and continued circling around Natsume Takashi, persevering, "Think about it, think carefully! Have you picked up anything strange lately that doesn't seem to belong here? Or do you feel like something's wrong?"

Takashi Natsume looked at the little girl in front of him who completely ignored the pressure from the cat teacher and had clear eyes (but extremely persistent), and felt Madara's anger and confusion that was about to materialize (it really could not sense any demonic power, spiritual power or cursed power from the player, it was like facing nothingness), and he felt overwhelmed.

To find something that could be defined as strange in his already colorful daily life filled with various monsters, friend books, returning names, and dealing with monster disputes... is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.

What's more, the characteristics of the things the players are talking about are extremely vague.

"Um... what does the 'thing' you mentioned look like? Is there anything special about it?" Natsume Takashi tried to get more information.

The player blinked, looking as if he was asking, "It's just a very strange item! The effects are pretty magical."

She gestured, but her movements were aimless.

Natsume Takashi: "..."

That's a really wide range! Magical? The things he touches every day are magical to a normal person, right? The pages of his friend's book? His mustache comb? The hairs that fell from his head? Clearly, none of them fit the description.

Madara irritably swept away a few fallen leaves with his tail: "Hmph! What a weird little brat! Natsume, ignore her! Let's go!"

As the sky darkened, the setting sun gilded the fields. The little girl tugged at his sleeve eagerly, pursing her lips whenever she showed any sign of leaving.

...Really.

Natsume Takashi sighed helplessly. He really couldn't think of any clues to strange objects that particularly matched the player's description.

He bowed slightly to the player. "I'm sorry, Miss Player...? I can't remember it right now. My name is Natsume Takashi, and I live in the Fujiwara family. If you don't mind, you can come back tomorrow, or tell me more specific characteristics?"

Wan nodded reluctantly, remembering the name: "Natsume Takashi, right? I remember it."

She waved her hand and said in a straightforward tone, "Then I'll come to play with you tomorrow!"

After saying that, she didn't stop, turned around, and continued to jump along the path. Her goal was clear - to find the next NPC to ask about Gases.

As for the angry fat cat that had returned to its sealed state and the helpless brown-haired boy behind him, they should be put aside for the time being.

Although the clue to the strange object is important, Gases' mission cannot be delayed. Maybe after Gases is dealt with, he will remember the clue?

With such a beautiful wish in mind, the player began to randomly harass passers-by.