Crossover: Monthly Character Templates in the Multiverse Chat Group — Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Berry Gift Pack

The gentle breeze carried the refreshing purity of mountain dew, lightly brushing over the rolling hills and terraced fields of Chenyu Vale.

Tea fields spread across the mountains in cascading layers of vibrant green, the new leaves heavy with undried morning moisture. Houses with dark green tiles and pristine white walls nestled comfortably against the slopes, following the natural curves of the valley’s waterways. Cooking smoke curled lazily from stone chimneys, blending into a pale blue haze that merged with the mountain mist before dispersing into the wind.

“The scenery in Liyue is truly wonderful. I should have come to see it sooner.”

Furina took a happy bite of her candied haws. Ever since learning there was a viable method to counter the prophecy hanging over Fontaine, the heavy burden on her shoulders had lifted, leaving her bright and energetic.

Kiana floated lazily beside her, holding her own stick of the sugary fruit. “The food here is amazing too.”

They had arrived at Chenyu Vale late last night, taking the time to rest at a local inn. The breakfast served this morning had been incredibly fragrant, even if it could not quite match the bizarrely high-quality ingredients Frez occasionally brought back from Terra.

“Liyue’s culinary scene is probably the best among the seven nations. If you really want a feast, we can head straight to Wanmin Restaurant once we reach Liyue Harbor.” Frez walked ahead of the girls, adjusting his collar against the morning chill. “Of course, Xinyue Kiosk and Liuli Pavilion are top-notch as well, but those places require reservations months in advance and cost a small fortune.”

“We can worry about food later. Let’s just enjoy the sights for now.” Furina waved her candied haws like a conductor’s baton. “Clorinde, is there anything you want to buy while we are here?”

The Champion Duelist shook her head. Her sharp eyes scanned the perimeter, lingering on a patch of shadows near the tea fields. She stepped closer to Frez, her voice dropping to a low murmur. “Mr. Frez, behind us…”

“Don’t worry about them.” Frez did not even turn his head. “They are likely Liyue intelligence agents. We are a rather conspicuous group.”

Furina was a massive public figure in Fontaine, and the neighboring region of Chenyu Vale received plenty of cross-border news. For the Hydro Archon to stroll openly through foreign territory on a sightseeing tour, drawing the attention of the local authorities was inevitable. Still, the agents tailing them had to be quite bold to track a supposed god.

Kiana and Furina remained completely oblivious to the surveillance, and Clorinde eventually relaxed her posture. They were just here to have fun.

The entire trip was being funded by Furina’s personal accounts. Hydro Vision holders were stereotypically wealthy, and while the true Hydro Archon, Focalors, was currently locked inside the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale without a single Mora to her name, Furina had centuries of accumulated funds to burn.

After spending the daylight hours exploring the vibrant markets and scenic overlooks of Chenyu Vale, the group rented a small boat to travel downstream. The vessel drifted past the towering stone structures of Jademouth, handled the winding currents near Lingmeng Mountain, and glided by Ancient Tea Slope before finally merging into the wider waters of the Bishui River.

The boat bumped gently against the muddy bank near a dense bamboo forest.

Frez tossed a pouch of Mora to the boatman and hopped ashore. “We can hike to Qingce Village from here. Kiana, don’t run off. This area is crawling with wild boars.”

Kiana completely ignored the warning. She dashed straight into the thicket, weaving between the towering green stalks. A moment later, a tragic yelp echoed through the trees. A massive, bristling wild boar charged out of the underbrush, slamming its snout into her side and sending her flying backward into a patch of tall grass.

She sat up, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. Her pristine white hair was tangled with grass seeds and broken leaves.

“You stupid pig! I am definitely stewing you today!”

Refusing to take the humiliation lying down, Kiana scrambled to her feet and chased after the beast. She summoned the Umbra: Void Umbrella, using its spatial properties to trap the squealing boar in place. She dragged her prize back to the riverbank, a triumphant grin plastered across her dirt-smudged face. “Frez, you are cooking. We are eating this guy.”

“I told you to be careful.” Frez sighed, rolling up his sleeves. “Fine. You and Furina go dig up some fresh bamboo shoots. Braised pork with bamboo sounds perfect for lunch.”

While the two girls vanished back into the forest with a pair of shovels, Frez and Clorinde stayed behind to process the meat.

Clorinde drew her sword, preparing to dispatch the trapped animal efficiently, but Frez stopped her. He pulled a massive metal basin from his inventory, sprinkled a generous layer of coarse salt into the bottom, and poured in some mineral water.

Clorinde tilted her head. “What is that for?”

“Draining the blood to make Mao Xue Wang. Pork tastes awful if you don’t bleed it properly. Do they not drain the blood in Fontaine’s slaughterhouses?”

Clorinde shook her head. She only ever bought neatly packaged cuts from the high-end markets in the Court of Fontaine. The actual butchering process was entirely foreign to her.

“Let me handle it.”

Frez materialized the Whiteblind, a massive Liyue claymore, gripping the heavy hilt with both hands. With a single, brutal swing, he decapitated the boar. The severed head dropped heavily into the prepared basin, followed by a geyser of crimson. The splashing blood flew toward Frez’s clothes, only to freeze in mid-air, perfectly blocked by the invisible barrier of his Limitless technique.

Clorinde stared at the massive sword, then at the headless pig. “You did not need to take the entire head off. A simple strike to the main artery would have sufficed.”

Frez watched the blood slide off his spatial barrier and drip into the dirt. “Well, the pig blood is ruined now with all that dirt. Do you want to eat the head meat instead?”

“I have never eaten such a thing.”

“I am not eating it either, and those two definitely won’t stomach it if they see where it came from. Forget it, we will just use the ribs and belly.”

Frez finished the messy job, hauling the carcass to the river to clean the meat alongside Clorinde. Processing the internal organs was far too tedious for a simple camping trip, so he tossed them directly into the rushing water to feed the local fish.

By the time the pork was de-haired, cleaned, and sliced into thick chunks, Furina and Kiana returned carrying a massive pile of freshly dug bamboo shoots. Frez set up a large iron pot over a campfire, stewing half the meat with the bamboo and marinating the rest to grill on skewers.

Kiana had also found a bush of wild Berries during her expedition, dumping a colorful handful into a wooden bowl for everyone to share.

The four of them squatted in a circle around the crackling fire, munching on the sweet Berries while the rich, savory aroma of braised pork and bamboo echoed through the clearing.

Once the stew needed time to simmer, Frez handed the ladle to Clorinde. Having nothing better to do, he wandered back into the bamboo forest. Ten minutes later, he returned having hunted down a dozen more wild boars. He swiftly processed the meat and sent the massive haul into the multiversal chat group for the other members to enjoy.

As he washed his hands in the river, a thought crossed his mind. Could he import some easily domesticated livestock from Terra, or perhaps from Liyue, to help the food shortage in Kazdel?

Unfortunately, living creatures could not be sent through the Red Envelope system.

He opened the dimensional mall interface, scrolling through the daily refreshed items to see if anything useful had spawned. Most of the inventory was the usual junk, but his eyes locked onto a specific listing near the bottom.

[Berry Mega Bundle 500]

[Contains 100 seeds each of fifty distinct types of Berries. With sufficient sunlight and water, they are guaranteed to bear fruit within a year of the first planting and possess a unique property that will gradually improve the surrounding soil and environment.]

Berries from the Pokémon universe were incredible resources. Many of them possessed minor healing or status-curing effects. He had no idea if those specific mechanical effects would translate properly into the reality of Terra, but the environmental restoration alone was priceless.

Imagining a brutal battlefield where a heavily bleeding Sarkaz mercenary suddenly pulled out a Sitrus Berry, took a massive bite, instantly healed their wounds, and charged back into the fray… well, that was a bit too ridiculous to picture.

Still, it was worth the investment.

He purchased the bundle and immediately forwarded it to Wiš’adel.

[Dump Truck Hater: Find some reliable farmers to build an orchard near a water source. Ensure the area gets plenty of sunlight. These seeds can slowly improve Kazdel’s barren environment.]

Thousands of miles away in the desolate wastelands of Terra, Wiš’adel received the package. She stared at the description of the seeds, her eyes widening. She immediately barked orders to her subordinates, mobilizing a dedicated agricultural team to prepare the soil. She even assigned an elite Sarkaz mercenary squad to patrol the designated planting zone twenty-four hours a day.

The fact that these strange seeds could purify Originium-polluted soil and improve the environment was a miracle in itself. Maturing in just a single year meant the Sarkaz people would soon have a steady supply of edible, fresh fruit.

In the harsh, unforgiving lands of Kazdel, fresh fruit was a luxury reserved only for the absolute highest elites.

[Wiš’adel: I have already ordered my people to prepare the grounds. Is this stuff really that amazing?]

Reading Frez’s confirmation a moment later, Wiš’adel immediately doubled the guard detail. Nothing was going to touch those seeds.

Back in the bamboo forest, the stew was finally ready. The group devoured the rich, tender pork and crisp bamboo, washing it down with cold river water. Packing up their supplies, they left the forest behind and followed the winding dirt path toward Qingce Village.

As they crested a high hillside, a stunning view of layered, water-filled terraced fields stretched out before them, reflecting the afternoon sun like a mosaic of broken glass.

“The scenery here is truly wonderful,” Furina breathed, leaning over the wooden railing of the path.

“Liyue’s landscapes are definitely top tier,” Frez agreed, checking his map. “Our actual destination is just behind the main village.”

They passed through the quiet, rustic streets of Qingce Village, following a narrow stream up into the rocky cliffs. The path opened up into a massive cavern, revealing a perfectly still, crystal-clear pool of water resting in the center of a stone platform.

“This is the place.”

Frez leaped down from the cliff edge. He landed perfectly on the surface of the pool, the soles of his shoes resting on the water without breaking the surface tension. A massive ripple expanded outward from his landing point, disturbing the unnatural calm of the cavern.

The water began to bubble and churn. A cold, ethereal voice echoed from the depths, carrying the heavy weight of ancient hydro energy.

“An assassin from our homeland? Or a fool who trespasses upon the waters of Qingce?”