[MashUp] Ch 41: Pancake Defense Battle

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"Welcome to Moffle's Candy House—"

"And his Great Pancake Defense Battle!"

With a wave of the little dog-fairy's hand, the massive door — built from gingerbread and frosting — swung open with a soft whoosh.

A rush of warm, sugary air washed over them, so sweet it almost felt edible.

Every sugar-loving cell in Anon's body practically sang with joy.

"Woooow…"

The kids' gasps were half awe, half the sound you make when you're about to cry from happiness.

"Come in, brave guardians," the dog-fairy said with mock solemnity.

Anon grabbed Tomori's hand, and the moment they stepped through the door, the entire world flipped upside down.

This wasn't a "room" at all.

It was an entire world made of candy.

The ground beneath their feet was a soft, bouncy chocolate gummy floor that pushed back gently with every step.

A river of milk flowed nearby, carrying a sweet fragrance in the air.

Towering lollipop trees lined the banks, their glowing sugar leaves raining down soft light.

"Holy uhh—!"

Anon's vocabulary failed her completely. All she could do was make incoherent noises of delight.

Tomori just stood there staring at the milk river, her clear eyes sparkling as if song lyrics were already writing themselves in her head.

Then, out of nowhere—

A spotlight slammed down on the massive cake-shaped stage in the center of the world.

Pop!

With a tiny, dramatic explosion, Moffle wearing a royal crown and princely clothes leapt from the top of the cake, landing perfectly.

His crown was Pancake.

He held a candy scepter in one hand, raised it high, and proclaimed with a booming operatic tone:

"Foolish humans! Wait— cough, cough— I mean, honored guests!"

"Welcome to my Candy Kingdom!"

"I am its ruler — Pancake the First!"

The ridiculously over-the-top entrance had the entire crowd laughing.

"But!"

Moffle's expression suddenly turned grim.

"My kingdom is under attack by the evil Mischief Sugar Mice!"

"They steal our most precious candy! They even laugh at your incompetence!"

He pointed his scepter dramatically at the crowd.

"That's why I need your strength!"

"Take up arms! Become the guardians of candy! Fight by my side!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, hundreds of brightly colored toy water guns materialized in midair, gently floating into everyone's hands.

And then—

Shrill, mocking screeches echoed from every direction.

"Squeeeeee!"

Countless mice made of dark chocolate poured out from cracks in the walls, holes in the floor, and even from the chandelier above!

Without hesitation, they started lobbing sticky candy bombs straight at the guests.

"They're coming!!"

The cheerful fairy-tale scene instantly turned into utter chaos.

"Fire! Fire back!"

The room erupted into a full-blown magic war.

Anon shrieked with excitement, squeezed the trigger, and blasted a jet of sparkling lemon soda straight at one of the sugar mice.

Poof!

The mouse exploded into a shower of glittery candy dust.

"I did it! Tomori, I—"

She turned to brag, only to see Tomori cornered by three sugar mice, trembling but refusing to stop firing. Her eyes were shut tight, and her finger stayed on the trigger, stubborn as ever.

"Tomori! Don't be scared, I've got you!" Anon's protective instincts flared like wildfire.

"You little pests dare to bully my Tomori?!"

Gripping the water gun with both hands, she unleashed a relentless barrage, turning into a pink-haired goddess of war.

The "battle" was perfectly balanced — hard enough to get everyone's adrenaline going, but never so punishing that anyone got discouraged.

Soon, new enemies appeared.

"Oh no.... It's the Ironclad Sugar Mice!"

These ones wore armor made of crunchy nuts and could only be defeated if everyone focused their fire together.

Kids shrieked and laughed as their parents helped them take the mice down.

Students got way too competitive, forming squads and planning actual tactics.

Even the moms who had just come to get freebies were now screaming louder than anyone, blasting away like soldiers on the frontlines.

At last, the final ironclad mouse melted under a combined assault. Everyone thought the game was over—

But the cheerful background music cut off.

Rumble—!

The entire candy world began to shake violently.

The massive chocolate volcano in the center started spewing thick smoke.

A horrible stench of sulfur and burnt caramel filled the air, making Anon gag.

"W-what… what is that?"

"Is there… a next stage?"

The crowd backed away nervously, kids clutching at their parents.

BOOM!

The volcano erupted.

Anon instinctively shielded Tomori and looked up—only for her heart to skip a beat.

From the volcano's mouth crawled a creature the size of a car, a nightmare stitched together from half-melted candy.

The Sugar Mouse King.

Black syrup dripped from its body, sizzling and hissing every time it hit the ground.

"Th-that's the Mouse King! The final boss!" Moffle squeaked in terror.

But then he puffed out his tiny chest. He drew a licorice sword from his back.

"My people! Do not fear!"

"I — Pancake the First — will personally take its head!"

And before anyone could stop him, the little king let out a mighty roar, raised his licorice sword high, and leapt straight toward the hulking Mouse King.

But—

Whack!

The Mouse King just lazily flicked its massive tail.

"Pffft—!"

Moffle flew through the air like a home run baseball and crashed headfirst into a nearby marshmallow mountain, disappearing in a puff of sugar dust.

Silence.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

Anon muttered under her breath, staring at the unmoving marshmallow pile.

Everyone was frozen, unable to process what just happened.

Their king…

Had just been one-shotted.

And then, from deep inside the marshmallow heap, a trembling little paw emerged.

"H-heroes…"

The voice, trembling and weak, echoed through the entire candy world thanks to the loudspeakers.

"I can't… go on… My kingdom… my candy…"

"Please… avenge me… protect this sweet… beautiful world…"

The paw went limp and fell.

For a moment, everything was still.

Several kids' eyes immediately turned red, and tears began streaming down their cheeks.

Sniffling and choked sobs spread across the room.

Even the adults, though they held it in, couldn't deny their hearts had been stabbed right in the feels.

Anon opened her mouth but couldn't even think of what to say.

What were they supposed to do now?

Where was the NPC guide to tell them the next step?

Then—

Whoosh!

A sharp jet of water shot across the room, striking the Mouse King.

It barely did any damage, but the sudden attack snapped everyone out of their daze.

Who—?

Anon whipped around to follow the shot's trajectory… and froze.

Tomori.

The same Tomori who always hid behind her, too scared to even make eye contact.

Right now, she was gripping her water gun so tightly her small hands were trembling.

But in those eyes — the ones that usually darted away from the world — a fire was burning.

Rage.

She didn't scream. She just kept firing, pouring everything she had into each shot.

Anon watched, dumbfounded.

No way. This can't be real.

Tomori… has never been this into anything.

But before she could say anything, the sound of water jets filled the air.

The kids who had been crying just moments ago were now standing tall, water guns raised.

"Bring Pancake back!"

"Revenge for the King!"

"Kill that ugly mouse!"

The entire atmosphere shifted.

What had been a playful game suddenly became a crusade.

The spark that Tomori lit turned into a blazing inferno.

Hundreds of water jets rained down like a storm, hammering the Mouse King from every direction.

The Mouse King froze.

"???"

The War for the King's Revenge had begun.

…

No one knew how long the fight lasted.

But at last, under the relentless assault, the Mouse King let out a final, agonized screech before its body exploded into a burst of glittering sugar.

Candy rained down on everyone like confetti.

They'd won.

For a heartbeat, the candy world went silent.

And then — an explosion of cheers.

Anon grabbed Tomori in a hug, both of them flushed with adrenaline. Tomori's face was still pink with excitement, her breathing uneven.

Then, the marshmallow mountain shifted.

"Cough, cough…"

Moffle crawled out, covered in sugar dust, and gave a deep, solemn bow.

"Thank you, brave heroes from another world!"

"I am Pancake the Second, King of Candy, by the way!"

Everyone: "…"

"It is thanks to you that my kingdom still stands!"

"To honor your courage, please accept the highest gratitude from me and my entire kingdom!"

He raised his candy scepter high.

A warm light burst from its tip, sweeping over everyone in the room.

Anon gasped as she saw a glowing candy crown symbol appear on the back of her hand.

"This is the Hero's Mark," Moffle said with a touch of mystery.

"Keep it safe."

"And now, we must part ways."

"My heroes, your adventure is only just beginning!"

…

Meanwhile, in the amusement park's office building, top floor—

Takuma leaned back in his chair, watching the celebration below through the surveillance monitors.

A faint, amused smile played at his lips.

His gaze settled precisely on one girl — the grey-haired Tomori, still flushed with the afterglow of battle as Anon shook her shoulders excitedly.

"Heh."

He chuckled softly.

"So that was the missing piece. The last one I never thought would ignite."

"Maybe I should stir the pot and mess with both of them next."

"That would be… entertaining."

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