Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

Upon hearing this, Marisa subconsciously looked down and her face instantly turned bright red. She quickly pulled her skirt up quite a bit and put her legs down, keeping them together and looking very reserved.

Knowing how to maintain boundaries is an essential skill, and pretending not to see anything is the most basic requirement.

Akina Ze also watched the increasingly intense battle scene in the distance without saying a word.

Suddenly, a shy, admonishing voice came from beside me.

"...You didn't see anything, did you?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I'm not quite sure." Akina Ze also turned his head, his expression showing confusion.

"Ugh! I'm angry, and you clearly saw that!"

Marisa Kirisame pouted, looking like a wronged little girl.

No, I said I didn't see it for your own good, so what else do you want me to do... Akina Ze was speechless.

Hey! What are you two doing?! Come and help!

Unsure of how much force to use, Reimu Hakurei was furious when she saw the two people behind her watching the show.

What's with you two just watching the show while we're fighting like this? Especially Marisa, Alice clearly came out of your room, how come you're acting like it has nothing to do with her?

"Wait a moment, I'll be right there."

Marisa Kirisame casually pulled off her hat and decided to join the battle between witches and priestesses.

"Marisa, wait a minute," Akina Sawa called out.

"Master Akina, is there anything else?"

Upon hearing this, Marisa turned around and asked, already riding on a broom.

In a hurry, Akina Ze quickly asked, "Did you give Alice an item that was enchanted by a box? That box is actually called the Obsession Amplifier, which can strengthen a person's obsession in a certain aspect."

"An obsession amplifier? So that's what it does." Marisa Kirisame's eyes lit up, her mind wandering to whatever came to mind, which was definitely not something good.

Akina Ze interrupted her reverie and asked seriously, "Tell me, what did you give Alice? While you're still fighting, maybe I can go inside and find it, then we won't need to completely defeat Miss Alice."

The colorful light of the spell card in the distance shone on Marisa's face. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Crochet hook. I'm giving you a crochet hook, the long kind with a curved hook at the end."

"A long crochet hook?" Akina Ze nodded and waved his hand, saying, "Then go ahead, Reimu is still waiting for you."

"Oh~" Marisa Kirisame responded calmly, and then her broom took off.

"Wait a moment," Akina Zeya suddenly said again.

"What is it now, Master Akina?" Marisa Kirisame turned around, somewhat puzzled.

"Your hat is crooked." Akina Ze smiled and reached out to straighten Marisa's hat.

"This...!" Kirisame Mari held her breath, not daring to utter a single sound, her eyes filled with shock, mixed with a hint of joy.

"I apologize, I did see it just now, I hope you don't mind," Qiu Mingze said in a deep voice.

"Hmph~ I knew you saw it, but you pretended not to!" Marisa Kirisame snorted arrogantly and turned her head away. "I care a lot! And I don't want a verbal apology, I want a real one!"

Hearing this, Akina Sawa laughed, "You want a real apology? How about I treat you to a few meals?"

“Of course…” Marisa Kirisame paused, her eyes flickering, not saying what she wanted to say immediately. After a few seconds, she said, “Okay, but I need to specify the time and the place!”

“No problem,” Akina Ze nodded in agreement.

This kind of designated time and place is just a temporary job as a chef, it doesn't matter. Are you going to eat him or something?

"Hehe~" Marisa Kirisame immediately beamed with joy, placing one hand on the spot where Akina Zeya had just been adjusting his hat, and said with her head down, "Master Akina, it's settled then!"

With that, the broom shot into the sky, and Marisa Kirisame joined the battle.

Immediately, Akina Ze, who was standing on the ground, saw a thick beam of light sweep across the sky.

"Well, Marisa still prefers this violent aesthetic. I hope she doesn't hurt Alice."

Looking in the direction of the pillar of light, Akina Ze was also a little worried, because he had seen Marisa unleash the power of the pillar of light many times, and because of Marisa's sneak attack, Alice was completely covered by the pillar of light.

He only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the exquisite doll-like girl emerge unharmed from the pillar of light.

Suddenly, Akina Sawa's pupils also contracted slightly; he seemed to see the long crochet hook that Marisa had mentioned.

It was in Miss Alice's right hand, and she was holding it tightly.

......

Chapter 201 Enlightenment

“I didn’t expect that such a prop was in Miss Alice’s hands…” Akina Ze also looked somewhat troubled.

He originally planned to wait until Reimu and Marisa had Alice in check, then sneak into the house and destroy that thing.

But to his surprise, the prop was in Miss Alice's hands, which caused his plan to fail before it even began.

The sky above the Forest of Magic is now incredibly colorful and beautiful, with all sorts of spells and cards flying everywhere. Now that Marisa has been added, the atmosphere is truly amazing.

Just by watching Miss Alice chant rapidly and having a dozen or twenty puppets release spells at the same time, you can tell that her skill level is definitely not low.

Meanwhile, Reimu was somewhat hesitant, as her opponent was Alice, who was affected by obsession. She couldn't use her full strength, but if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to defeat Alice. She was stuck here.

Marisa Kirisame was similar. Although she let Alice take a hit from Extreme Spark at the beginning, she kept the power within a safe area so that Alice would not get hurt.

The scene froze for a moment, and Reimu and Marisa were quite troubled.

Moreover, Alice showed no signs of improvement, constantly muttering about turning people into dolls. She repeated Marisa's name nine times out of ten sentences, and the last time she said Akina Sawaya.

However, combat is not a turn-based game and there are still certain dangers involved, even in spell card battles.

Akina Ze was also looking on the ground with some anxiety. He knew that the problem item was in Alice's hands. As long as he destroyed it, it would be over. Although Alice's strengthened obsession still existed, that was not the point. Without the influence of the black aura, the obsession was not so useful.

The key point is that Akina Sawaya can't fly!

It's really frustrating to see a weakness but not be able to step in and elbow it, or to point out the weakness and have the person in question discover it.

There was no other way. Akina Ze was also trying his best to circulate his Qi, trying to make himself fly, but flying was no simple matter.

Although there is a technique called "Flying Technique" that can make people fly, Akina Sawa may be too dull-witted to learn it and can only use the simple technique of spreading his energy across his body.

Seeing that Reimu and Marisa in the sky were gradually being suppressed by Alice and her puppet army, Akina Sawa could no longer hold back. He shouted, "Reimu! Marisa! Move closer to me!"

Seeing the hesitation on the faces of the two people in the air, Akina Ze knew that they were worried about him getting hurt in the spell card battle, so he shouted again, "Trust me, I won't get hurt!"

Reimu Hakurei pursed her lips, glanced at Alice who was hopelessly caught up in her obsession, and finally flew towards Sawaya Akina while still fighting.

Marisa Kirisame was reluctant, but Reimu had already started moving, so she had no choice but to follow. The balance on the battlefield was fragile.

Seeing the three of them approaching this direction as planned, Akina Ze took a deep breath and extended his thumb to estimate the distance and position of Alice.

He planned to do something shocking.

Alice, of course, also saw Akina Zeya's commotion below. She muttered to herself, "Humans are fragile and short-lived... It's all for nothing. As long as they become dolls... wouldn't they be able to live together forever? Why can't everyone understand..."

A surge of magical power erupted from Alice. Thanks to her other identity, her magical power was greater than that of almost all witches, something that a half-baked mage like Marisa could never possess.

Reimu and Marisa's expressions tightened; the sudden surge of magical energy greatly increased the pressure on them. Reimu considered using the Yin-Yang Orb several times, but hesitated. And would sealing formations even be effective against a witch of Alice's level...?

Now they're truly backed into a corner. The only way forward is for Alice to be seriously injured and forced to leave the stage. As for the shrine maiden? The Hakurei Shrine Maiden is invincible; it's just a matter of whether she wins by a small margin or a decisive victory.

Marisa Kirisame was also nearing her limit; her face was somewhat pale.

Of the three, she was the only one who truly rose through the ranks from the bottom. In order to have resources to develop, she chose to take advantage of others. Otherwise, she would never have reached her current level, although this left a negative impression. However, the people in Gensokyo are all good people (I consider myself one of them), and the dislike is only superficial.

"It's almost there."

Akina Ze's gaze was also sharp; he stared intently at Alice's position, "Just a little bit more..."

Although it was only a little short, Akina Sawa would never have made a move if it wasn't 100% certain, because... the chance only comes once.

In the sky, scattered dark clouds gradually gathered.

The sun was hiding behind thick, dark clouds.

The world was plunged into darkness.

The battle has reached a fever pitch...

Alice's ferocity remained undiminished; Reimu and Marisa would destroy one doll only to have another appear, seemingly without end.

Suddenly, Marisa Kirisame's body trembled. The long and intense battle had left her somewhat exhausted, and her output of magic power fluctuated.

It was this fluctuation that gave Alice the opportunity, and she instinctively flew a few meters toward Marisa.

"Now!" Akina Ze roared, his legs bursting with tremendous power, the soil crumbled, and he was instantly lifted off the ground like a bolt of lightning.

This is a power that has not been mixed with any spiritual or magical power; it is the power generated purely from the Qi cultivated by the human body.

In the blink of an eye, Akina Zeya appeared beneath Alice, a grotesque smile spreading across his face—a result of the wind blowing in.

He opened his arms, revealing his broad chest to Alice.

Before Alice could utter a single word, she was caught in a net like a fluttering butterfly, unable to escape.

The strong scent emanating from Akina Zeya filled Alice's nostrils and mouth. She whispered something, but Akina Zeya didn't hear her at all.

Besides the deafening wind in his ears, he was also doing something else.

He held the girl tightly in his arms with one hand, and with the other hand reached for the crochet hook in Alice's right hand.

Things went smoothly, and Akina Sawa easily took the crochet hook.

Once he got his hands on the item, Akina Ze didn't hesitate at all. With a gentle push from his index finger and thumb, the iron crochet hook broke in two.

"It's finally over..."

Akina Sawa sighed, silently adjusting his position in mid-air while cradling Alice in his arms, "Anyway, I won't die..."

"boom!"

After a heavy thud, a deep crater appeared in the ground.

Akina Sawa landed on his back, his face contorted in pain.

Although you won't die, it hurts!

Alice, whom he was holding in his arms, trembled slightly. She broke free from Akina Zeya's arms, propped herself up, and tears still clung to the corners of her eyes.

After staring at her for a long time, Alice suddenly spoke up: "You... deserved it!"

After saying that, Alice buried her head in Akina Zeya's chest again, which left him somewhat at a loss.

Akina Ze also looked at Alice's blonde hairband, which was stained with a little dust, and a thought inexplicably popped into his head: Oh no, is she cursing me? But why is she leaning on my chest...? Is she exhausted?

.......

Chapter 202 Harvest

By the time Reimu Hakurei and Marisa arrived, Akina Sawa was already standing next to the pit.

It has to be said that one can only make progress in adversity. He had just begun to grasp the basics of the aerial maneuver, which he hadn't quite mastered before. Now he could float slowly in the air, but the height was limited. He could only lift his toes about ten centimeters off the ground before he could lose control.

Akina Sawa used this level of aerial maneuvering to 'climb' out of the pit.

"Akina, are you alright?!" Reimu Hakurei asked with a worried expression as she arrived first.

She had seen it clearly just now: Akina Ze leaped from the ground and soared into the sky to capture Alice, who was caught up in her obsession. Then, after rushing for nearly a few miles, he crashed heavily to the ground.

Judging from the mud splattered around him and the several-meter-wide crater, you can tell how badly he fell.

As she spoke, Reimu Hakurei disregarded the fact that Akina Sawa was also holding a sleeping Alice in his arms and tried to go forward to check on her.

"Don't worry, I'm tough. It's just a few scrapes on my back, nothing serious," Qiu Mingze said with a smile, reassuring her.

"How can I feel at ease? You're just a human, what if..." Reimu Hakurei paused, a complex look in her eyes, "...what if something happens? What will happen to the food you promised me?"

Upon hearing this, Akina Sawa was also taken aback. Only then did he remember that when he asked the shrine maiden for help because of his own residence, he had promised to send ten catties of newly planted grain every season for three years.

Unexpectedly, Reimu remembered it so clearly. Akina Sawa shook his head and chuckled, "Do I still look like an ordinary human?"

Reimu Hakurei remained silent and did not respond to the question.

"Master Akina!"

An anxious voice came from beside me.

Marisa Kirisame finally arrived, but her broom was moving much slower due to the excessive consumption of her magical energy.

She jumped off the broom and was about to rush over when she saw Alice, who looked exceptionally petite, in Akina Zeya's arms.