Chapter 45 45: Plants vs. Zombies' Gift Bag

— — — — — — "H-He actually went in!!!" Inukimi stopped at the edge of the sunflower field. Her eyes widened as she saw the sunflowers inside slowly lean to either side, parting to create a clear path right through the middle, just for Veyron. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was imagining things. The reason she agreed to go home with him in the first place—aside from witnessing his strength during their travels—was that he treated everyone based on who they were, not what they were. Even if he hated those monsters who killed and ate humans, none of that disgust ever landed on her just because she was a yokai. He still treated her as... well, a friend, back then. That alone made her feel comfortable around him. But to think he was actually friends with the legendary Flower Master of the Four Seasons? That left Inukimi feeling a little overwhelmed. This wasn't just some random yokai—this was a true millennium-old great yokai, with stories and legends that had been passed down for generations. Yokai were ranked roughly like this: low-tier, mid-tier, high-tier, and then... great yokai. And between high-tier and great yokai? That gap was massive—even more than the gap between high-tier and low-tier. And the Flower Master of the Four Seasons? She stood at the very top, alongside the Yokai Sage. Inukimi curled up on her front paws, unmoving, suddenly remembering all the times she'd been told growing up, "If you don't behave, the Flower Master will take you away and turn you into fertilizer." "..." — — — Inside the sunflower field— As Veyron walked in, Kazami Yuuka glanced toward where Inukimi had stopped at the edge. "When did you start hanging out with her kind?" "She's not with a group—just her," Veyron replied. "Ran into her on my way home after leaving here last time. We clicked, so I brought her back home." "Anyway, forget her. This is my first proper visit, so I brought you a little gift. Not sure if it's your style though." He pulled out a small pouch—palm-sized, looking rough on the outside but incredibly soft and fine to the touch. Yuuka accepted it, pulled the string loose, and peeked inside. "Seeds?" The inside had clearly been enchanted—divided into dozens of small boxes, each big enough to hold a fist. But the real surprise was that each section contained nine seeds of a different kind. "Yup. Seeds." Veyron nodded. This pouch—called the Basic Plant Bag by the group system—contained nine seeds each of every plant from the first Plants vs. Zombies game: Peashooters, Sunflowers, Cherry Bombs, Wall-nuts, Potato Mines... Even higher-tier plants like Gatling Peas, Winter Melons, and Kernel-Pults, plus special types like Explode-O-Nuts and Giant Wall-nuts. Yuuka's eyes sparkled as she picked out the Sunflower and Twin Sunflower seeds, gently sensing their vitality. "These are nice. I like them." "Try planting one and see. You'll never guess their real magic just by looking." ... A few minutes later, at the center of the field— In a spot where some of the existing sunflowers had shifted aside to make room, Veyron and Yuuka each planted a regular sunflower seed from the bag. And in no time at all—pop!—two sunflowers sprouted right up, stretching their heads toward the sky, swaying happily in the sunlight. The other sunflowers nearby, sensing the change, began following their lead. Yuuka stood before one of the new blooms, quietly observing. The growth was impressive. Before she could even use her powers to help it mature, the seed had already germinated, sprouted, and grown—all in just a few breaths. But her instincts told her there was more to this gift than fast growth. And she was right. After a short pause, her eyes narrowed. Tiny golden-orange specks of light—like floating pollen—began to shimmer into view, softly radiating outward from the two new sunflowers. She reached out and touched one. Pop. It vanished. A warm, sunlit energy pulsed through her fingers. "Sunlight?" she murmured. "Yep," Veyron confirmed, touching one too. Thanks to his skill [Photosynthesis (Purple)], he could feel it clearly: this sunlight wasn't just decorative—it was identical to real sunlight, straight from the sky. Half a minute later, another wave of glowing specks appeared. The older ones that hadn't been touched simply dispersed on their own, releasing golden light that spread over the surrounding flowers. With his Observation Haki tuned in, Veyron could hear the sunflower field around them practically singing with joy as the light touched them. "You guys are being greedy, huh?" Yuuka tapped the head of one particularly happy flower. "You're hogging all the sun and not saving any for your sisters farther away." The sunflower drooped like a scolded puppy, while the others quickly turned their heads, pretending to be innocent. So, when the next wave of sunlight broke apart, it didn't just stay close—it spread, stretching out across the entire field. Every sunflower within several miles now shimmered with a faint golden glow—so faint it would go unnoticed in the bright daylight, but unmistakable to anyone really paying attention. "Help me out, let's plant the rest too." Yuuka handed him the remaining seven sunflower seeds and nine twin sunflower seeds, giving him three of each. "You take that side, I'll handle this one. Spread them out evenly." She motioned with her arm, drawing two half-circles from the field's center, dividing the area between them. "Got it." Veyron walked off toward his section, carefully holding the seeds. Yuuka had already knelt down, planting another pair of sunflowers right in the center with the same gentle touch as before. And so, the sunflower field prepared to bloom brighter than ever. . . .