The Shock of Fruit

While petting Kkomangi in my one-room apartment and watching Padak's broadcast, I finally confirmed that the fruit juice had been unveiled to the Shelter.

"He went and did it."

At Granite Fist's bombshell remark, the entire experience team—including broadcaster High-Performance Eraser—froze, letting out dumbfounded noises.

Of course, it wasn't just them that stopped dead.

The broadcast chat window glitched out like it had lagged, with replies grinding to a halt. The same went for the gallery.

The shock was enough to halt the entire Shelter in its tracks.

Yeah... they probably never imagined fruit would pop up out of nowhere...

Considering the Shelter's environment, it would've been weirder if there wasn't a huge reaction.

What must be racing through their heads right now?

These were people who'd survived the past ten years locked in the Shelter, choking down gamey, unseasoned meat or flavorless slime noodles.

Sugar and salt had already caused a massive stir, but this was a whole different level.

To be precise, the Shelter folks weren't shocked by the juice itself.

It's the existence of 'fruit' that's got their eyes bulging.

Just having fruit in the Shelter opens up a ridiculous number of possibilities.

Combined with the sugar and salt already out there, it skyrockets food culture—and now they can even brew booze!!

As someone who'd been a modern guy not long ago, I couldn't even fathom the depth of their shock.

A moment later, as if snapping out of it, the chats exploded.

Of course, it wasn't just the chat that blew up.

The shock must've been massive—Elise from next door let out a survival signal scream.

"FRU, FRUIIIIIT!?!? No waaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Glad she sounds healthy, Elise."

It reminded me of her shrieks when she first got here.

"Nostalgic."

Her voice was even louder now, so she'd grown too, apparently.

Anyway, for the usually mouse-quiet Elise to scream like that meant it was a huge ripple.

If I listened closely, shrieks echoed from all over the Shelter.

"Woooooooh!!!!"

"Everyone's enjoying it nicely."

I smiled contentedly and focused back on Padak's broadcast.

The frozen crowd snapped back to life and resumed activities.

"Unbelievable... Sugar and salt, and now fruit...?"

"They really made fruit...? Not magically ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠preserved or anything?"

The park experience team struggled to accept reality.

Or rather, they were slowly processing the massive shock.

As if amused by their reactions, Granite Fist boomed with laughter.

"Kahahaha!! Have you lot been living deceived? The Dungeon Master has reached the realm where he can even produce fruit!"

"Um... excuse me! Worker sir!! Can we... drink that drink too!!?"

One team member stepped forward, yelling. He gulped, eyes pleading to try it as he stared at Granite Fist.

"Of course. It was prepped for you folks in the first place. Plenty to go around—everyone gets some."

Granite Fist started lining up his personally blended drinks on the stall.

"Ooooh!!!"

As colorful drinks appeared, the team went wild, shoving to the stall.

"Outta the way!!! Respect your elders!!!"

"No pushing, line up straight!!"

"Gaaah!! You barbarians reek of sweat!!!"

Signs of total chaos loomed when one Padak quietly stepped out.

Thud, thud—

"Sluuuuurp—! Roar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Dragon Mask Padak's lion's roar unleashed massive pressure, making everyone shrink back.

A brief silence fell, all eyes on Dragon Mask Padak.

"What kind of disgrace is this? He said there's plenty—line up. Grown adults rioting over fruit juice? Aren't you ashamed?"

His sharp words sobered them; they looked sheepish.

"Ah... well..."

"Ahem..."

Dragon Mask Padak, hands behind back, stepped forward warningly.

"We're live right now. If you wanna broadcast your pathetic sides across the Shelter, be my guest—keep going."

At his shout, they eyed each other and started lining up.

"...The juice ain't running away—single file, everyone!"

"Elder first, sir."

"Thanks, young'un."

The team lined up orderly, and Dragon Mask Padak approached... to join ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the line.

Except—

"...Um, Dragon Mask Padak sir? The line's not there—it's here?"

"...Stand behind me. This is the line..."

"......"

The other Padaks watching shook their heads with sighs.

"They say you get shameless with age..."

"Let's not end up like that..."

Goseongji covered his eyes, cringing like he'd seen something he shouldn't.

"Sigh... He just called it disgraceful himself..."

A bit later—

The whole team held cups of fruit juice, chugging without restraint.

Gulp gulp—

"Kyaaaa!! How long's it been since I had juice like this?"

"Krr~ Nothing like sugar water... Makes me realize how wrecked my taste buds are after 10 years..."

"Right? Heading back to the Shelter might give us reverse culture shock depression..."

They shared their impressions, but then—

Thud—

"Hey!! You okay?!"

"What's up?"

"This guy's eyes rolled back and he passed out after the juice!!!!"

"What a weakling... Any juice left in the cup?"

"Nah, all gone... Seeing him chug it, maybe faking?"

Someone even fainted from sheer emotion.

And Goseongji, already on his second cup.

Granite Fist had tons of varieties, so this was a new flavor.

Slurp—

"Hm... this taste..."

Unlike the first, he savored it slowly, deep in thought.

"No... folks, first cup had me iffy, but... this is a flavor I've never tasted before."

It was certain.

If his hunch was right, the fruits in this juice...

"Not that... if I'm right, this ain't fruit from our world."

At first, the shock left no room for analysis.

But the second cup confirmed it.

"I've lived over 300 years and never tasted these fruits once."

As an elf, he'd tried most forest fruits.

Both cups reminded him of similar tastes, but subtly off.

As if confirming, Granite Fist approached.

"Correct. Blended various fruits, and you nailed it? These ain't from our world. The Dungeon Master's original world fruits!"