Mushroom Town’s walls towered, their massive stone outline nearly sealed.
Though intricate magic arrays still needed carving and activation, once closed, the town would officially become a city.
Word was, big shots led by Farr were already debating its new name.
On the streets, lone Puffshrooms dwindled, replaced by “Puffshroom Masters” trailed by a dozen or two Puffshrooms each.
As expected, this odd new “job,” defying traditional classes, quietly took off.
Warriors, mages, archers—even powerless civilians—could become Puffshroom Masters, if they dared face near-death and let strange mycelium bond with them.
Most who chose this were mediocre adventurers stalled in progress or ex-civilians chasing a new fate.
To the truly talented, it was a risky, unorthodox path.
Plus, it had limits. Puffshroom Masters needed constant mana to keep their Puffshrooms active, tying them to the Mycelial Network.
Expensive mana potions weren’t something these lowborns could afford daily.
As Puffshroom Masters grew, Mushroom Town shifted.
The worst change? Overcrowded roads.
One Puffshroom Master and their crew took up space for ten people.
Even Farr’s big-city road plans struggled with this unprecedented mess.
Numbers were still low, barely manageable, but if they kept rising, traffic jams would be a nightmare.
Rumor had it Farr was torn—widen roads now or cap Puffshroom Master travel?
But there were upsides.
Smart Puffshroom combos let one person function like a small adventuring team.
Some Puffshroom Masters formed solo or duo setups, breaking the old three-or-four-person team rule.
Their rise birthed a new trade market.
Crafters made custom Puffshroom armor to keep the little guys alive in fights. Merchants sold diluted mana potions—too weak for humans, perfect for Puffshrooms.
The biggest shift came when people realized Puffshrooms varied not just by type but in individual stats, sparking a lively “Puffshroom trade market.”
Two dusty Puffshroom Masters stepped into the bustling trade market.
Their leather armor bore dark, dried blood—not theirs, but from bandits who’d plagued the trade route between Mushroom Town and Yafeng Port.
Those fools dared rob in Mushroom Town’s rising turf. No surprise, a bounty went up, and in ten days, they were wiped out.
These two Silver-tier Puffshroom Masters did the job.
The bandits had Silver-tier fighters too, but these two, with their Puffshroom swarms and clever tactics, crushed them!
It wasn’t a clean sweep.
The Masters were unscathed, but their Puffshroom crews took heavy losses, leaving just six trailing them now. They came to restock “troops.”
Catching new Puffshrooms in the dungeon was an option, but dungeon Puffshrooms’ random types and stats didn’t suit their honed battle setups.
Market Puffshrooms cost more but were quick and tailored.
They waved off vendors hawking “elite Puffshrooms”—scams for newbies.
A real Silver-tier elite Puffshroom would draw crowds bidding wildly, not need street peddling.
Legit vendors let Puffshrooms squat around stalls, forming display zones for buyers to browse.
Transferring Puffshroom ownership was simple. Buyer and seller touched the Puffshroom, mentally confirming “give” and “take,” and it was done.
This mind-based trade killed any chance of Puffshroom theft.
The two browsed, picking a few fitting Puffshrooms.
As they turned to leave, a thick crowd caught their eye.
As said, such a mob meant either a brawl or a top-tier Puffshroom!
Joining the fray was an adventurer’s instinct. They exchanged a glance and dove in.
“Thirty gold! Any higher?” Horn shouted from a platform, holding a plain-looking Puffshroom with a vivid red cap. “This is a legit [Tastiness LV7] Puffshroom! Guild-certified!”
He flashed a parchment with the guild’s red seal, unrolling it. The skill [Tastiness LV7] stood out bold.
“This appraisal cost five gold! Who’s topping it?”
The certified proof lit the crowd’s fire.
“Thirty gold!”
“Thirty-five!”
“Forty!”
No wonder the frenzy—a [Tastiness LV7] was unheard of!
Even most nobles hadn’t tasted such a delicacy!
Many bidders weren’t buying for themselves but to resell to nobles as a hot commodity.
Horn grinned as bids soared.
After selling the “symbiosis” info, he still had debts. Keeping some gold to buy beast corpses for Puffshroom draws was a smart move!
“One hundred gold!” A clear female voice cut through—Lillian, Farr’s personal maid.
“One hundred five,” someone countered, stubborn.
“One hundred twenty!” Lillian shot back.
The crowd went silent.
Beaming, Horn handed the prized Puffshroom to Lillian. The price beat his hopes, clearing his debts with cash to spare for more corpses!
Since Lillian wasn’t mycelium-bonded, she couldn’t do the mental ownership swap, but this Puffshroom wasn’t for fighting.
She lifted it by a foot, like a chicken headed for the pot, and strolled out.
From a window overlooking the market, Farr asked Edin, “What do you think of these Puffshroom Masters?”
Edin paused, then said, “The new city’s at a critical stage. Stability’s key. This new job boosts low-tier adventurers’ strength. My take? Don’t promote it, but don’t block it. Keep warning about risks and let it ride. The trend’s set—better to consider taxing Puffshroom trades than fighting it. If we tax, the rate’s the question.”
Farr nodded, impressed. “Edin, your analysis saves me. I’d burn out deciding alone.”
Then, lighter, he added, “Join me tonight to try this [Tastiness LV7] Puffshroom!”
(End of Chapter)
