Gensokyo's Paradise Plan

"Hah... Hah..."

Heavy breaths echoed through the mist as the silver-haired figure knelt on the ground, her entire body trembling.

Her face was flushed, her mind still reeling from the unimaginable stimulation she had just endured. Sweat dripped down her forehead as her muscles refused to cooperate, leaving her unable to stand.

'What the hell kind of ability was that?! Since when was this a normal way to fight?!'

Meanwhile, Rin, the victor looked faintly impressed as he pinched Marisa's cheek teasingly.

"Look at her. She lasted way longer than you."

"That's completely different!" Marisa glared, cheeks puffing up.

'That woman was literally on fire earlier. Of course, she'd have better endurance! If I had that kind of physique, I'd have punched this bastard's head off by now!'

'But she'd adapt. Once she fully resisted his ability, the store would be hers to rule!'

As Marisa huffed and turned away, Rin chuckled and walked over to Mokou.

"A bet's a bet. Cirno and the others stay today."

"Tch... Fine."

Mokou gritted her teeth, forced to admit defeat.

'That ability was too bizarre. The sudden sensory overload had nearly erased my consciousness.'

If they kept fighting, she had no idea what would happen to her!

"Just who the hell are you?"

Finally managing to stand, Mokou glared at him.

She had never lost so embarrassingly before.

Even that black-haired beast in the bamboo forest last night had at least fought her evenly.

'But this guy? How do you even counter this?!'

"Rin, owner of the Lin Family General Store in the Human Village."

"Side jobs include tutoring, plumbing, renovations, and massages. Looking forward to your patronage."

"Fujiwara no Mokou." Mokou shook his hand, her breathing slowly steadying.

Then, as if struck by inspiration, her eyes lit up.

"Hey, about that tutoring... Can you do homework for me?" Mokou leaned in eagerly.

She hadn't done her homework either.

If not for using Cirno's absence as an excuse, Keine's headbutt of justice would've already flattened her.

But she couldn't avoid it forever. If Keine audited her later, the punishment would be even worse...

Rin raised an eyebrow.

'Is not doing homework a tradition at your school or something?'

"Did you bring your workbook?"

"Right here!" Mokou pulled out her homework, practically vibrating with hope.

Rin flipped through it and nodded.

"I can take this. When do you need it?"

"ASAP. How much?"

"This much? 2000 yen."

"Deal!" Mokou slapped the money into his palm without hesitation.

'Anything to avoid homework-induced migraines!'

Rin pocketed the cash and smiled.

"Take a seat, have some snacks. I'll get this done."

"Sweet!" Mokou plopped onto the picnic blanket, immediately snatching snacks from the kids as if she owned the place.

Meanwhile, Rin turned to Reimu.

"1000 yen. Do this homework."

"Done!"

Reimu's eyes sparkled at the thought of two whole tea cans' worth of money.

'Who knew skipping work could be this profitable?'

But when she flipped through the workbook, her face fell.

'So much... So tedious…'

After a moment of silence, she marched over to Marisa, who was tying firecrackers together.

"Marisa. 100 yen. Do this homework."

"Hah?!"

"No way! I've got explosives to play with! That's not even enough for snacks!"

Marisa waved her off, entirely uninterested.

Reimu gritted her teeth and upped the offer.

"Fine. No 100 yen. But if I get that 'liquor', I'll give you a sip if you do this."

"Oh?" Marisa paused, tempted.

After some deliberation, she countered.

"I want half."

"You greedy little—!"

"Take it or leave it. Otherwise, stop bothering me. I've got fish to bomb." Marisa dangled a firecracker tauntingly, her smirk infuriatingly confident.

Reimu's eye twitched, but she relented.

'Yukari never said the booze had to be full bottles, right?'

She tossed the workbook at Marisa and flopped back onto her mom's lap, mission accomplished.

Marisa, now seated on a stool, pulled out a pen and scrutinized the homework.

Mokou, watching from afar, felt a flicker of relief.

'She looks so serious... She must be really smart, right?'

Her attention soon shifted to Remilia and Flandre, who were assembling a new toy battleship, bigger, meaner, and heavily armed.

"Flandre, load the AA guns with firecrackers. Gotta be ready."

"Okay~"

As Flandre obediently stuffed explosives into the turrets, Remilia loaded torpedo firecrackers with gleeful precision.

With this much firepower, who could possibly challenge her now?!

Once the ship was fully armed, she carefully launched it into the lake.

Only for her smile to freeze.

Not far away, Rumia and Daiyousei had just deployed a toy aircraft carrier, its deck packed with explosives and frosted frogs courtesy of Cirno.

Compared to that monstrosity, Remilia's battleship suddenly seemed pathetically small.

As the carrier sailed past arrogantly, Remilia's eye twitched.

"Flandre. Target that carrier. Open fire."