novelraw Chapter 147: News of the Legendary Fish
Chapter 147: News of the Legendary Fish
“I’ll think about it. But since my house is mostly made of wood, using a fireplace could easily cause a fire. I’ll need to ask Robin to design something special.” Willy nodded, clearly finding Leon’s suggestion useful.
“By the way, Leon, you came all this way in the rain—what’s the plan? Surely it’s not just to visit a lonely old fisherman like me?”
“Why not? Maybe I did just come to see you,” Leon teased.
“Hah, I appreciate that, but honestly, instead of visiting me, you’d be better off visiting some of the young ladies.” Willy spoke with a straight face, as if giving serious advice.
“No way. I’d probably get thrown out as a creep.” Leon shot back.
“Hahaha!” Willy laughed heartily, patting Leon’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. Sometimes you get beaten up at first… but that can lead to feelings later, you never know.”
“Forget it. I’m actually here to tell you something.” Leon reached into his backpack and pulled out two broken halves of a fishing rod, handing them to Willy.
“I was fishing in Pelican Town’s river today and hooked a monster. The rod you gave me couldn’t handle the struggle from something that big and snapped. Sorry, Willy.”
“No problem. This old fellow was ready to retire anyway. I only gave it to you as beginner gear so you could get the hang of fishing. If you want to catch a big one, this old guy can’t keep up.” Willy smiled as he took the broken rod, waving off the apology.
“By the way, did the big one get away? Or did you pull it out before the rod snapped? Did you see what it looked like?”“Of course—and I even brought it up.”
Without hesitation, Leon pulled the culprit from his backpack.
The giant catfish hit the wooden floor with a dull thud. The moment it landed, it started thrashing wildly, only to be pinned down by Willy’s quick reflexes.
“Whoa, that’s a big catfish. Even I’ve never landed one this size. You’re lucky, Leon—and skilled too. Pulling a beast like this out of the water isn’t easy.”
Willy’s eyes gleamed as he stared at the fish under his hands, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Leon had pulled it from thin air.
“This kind of giant catfish doesn’t taste great, but its size alone would make it a prize for many aquariums. Planning to sell it? If you want, I can keep it alive for you, and when the fish traders’ boats come by, we could set up an auction. You’d make a fortune.”
Finding a live catfish this size was rare. Willy instantly thought about maximizing the profit—not for himself, but for Leon.
“Really?” Leon had planned to toss it into the shipping bin back at the farm, but Willy’s connections were clearly better. He wasn’t about to turn down the offer.
“Of course. Rarity drives value, and an oversized specimen like this is a great selling point. Some aquarium or private collector will definitely be interested.” Willy sounded certain.
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Willy. When it sells, you can take a twenty percent commission.”
“No need. It’s no trouble for me, and helping you sell it gives me some indirect benefits. Win-win.”
Willy refused the cut, then fetched his special fish crate. Together, they stuffed the giant catfish inside.
“Didn’t expect you to hook a monster so soon after starting fishing. Maybe one day you’ll be the first person in Stardew Valley to catch all four seasonal Legendary Fish.”
With the catfish handled, Willy dragged Leon into a relaxed chat.
“Four seasonal Legendary Fish?” Leon knew about them from the game but still put on a curious face.
“Yeah. They’re the four most famous fish in Stardew Valley, each appearing only in a specific season. Every year, anglers come here hoping to catch them—but most go home empty-handed. They’re one of the ultimate fishing challenges.”
“Have you caught them before?” Leon asked.
“I’ve only managed the Crimsonfish that shows up at the Tidal Pool pier in summer—it’s the easiest of the four. The other three are too tricky and powerful.” Willy’s voice carried a tinge of regret.
“Where are the other three?” Leon asked, interested.
“The spring one’s in the mountain lake in front of the abandoned mines. The autumn one’s at the base of the waterfall above Joja Mart. The winter one’s on the small island to the left of the Sewer Drain in Coal Forest.” Willy recited the locations without hesitation.
Leon, however, remembered there was actually a fifth—Mutant Carp in the sewer—catchable year-round. Why hadn’t Willy mentioned it?
“Of course, besides those four, there’s a legendary fish in the sewers, hidden in the murky water. But since the entrance is sealed, I’ve never been able to check if the legend’s true.”
Right as Leon thought of it, Willy added the missing piece.
“You think I could catch those four?” Leon’s expression turned conflicted. In the game, he’d done it—but only with a cork bobber and +4 fishing buff from Seafoam Pudding. In real life, it would be much harder. If even a veteran like Willy had only caught the Crimsonfish…
“Of course I believe in you. You’re young, with better strength and reflexes than this old man. When you catch all four, I’ll give you a special gift.”
“What gift?” Leon asked curiously.
“You’ll see when the time comes. But I’m sure you’ll love it.” Willy smiled mysteriously.
Leon didn’t reply, but he had a good guess—probably the Starfruit from Willy’s family collection.