Ryo woke up before the noise this time.
That alone was suspicious.
"…Too quiet."
He sat up slowly, waiting.
Nothing.
No rustle.
No thump.
No vegetables launching themselves at him.
"…That's worse."
He stepped outside.
And immediately stopped.
"…No."
The field had… grown.
Not just crops.
The land itself.
Where there used to be a clear boundary—fence, path, dirt—
Now there was more field.
Same soil.
Same crops.
Same wrong feeling.
"…I didn't buy more land."
Status Check
Name: Ryo
Level: 4
Farm Size: Expanded
Expansion Source: Unknown
"…Unknown?"
"…You don't get to expand."
He walked forward cautiously.
The new soil looked identical.
But when he stepped on it—
thump
"…No."
The ground responded.
Subtle.
Like it noticed him.
"…This is not normal dirt."
A row of crops in the new area turned toward him.
Not fully.
Just slightly.
"…Why are you all doing that?"
rustle
They swayed.
But there was no wind.
"…I'm going back."
System Alert
Territory Expansion Complete
Condition Met: Extended Neglect + High Output
"…I get punished for doing nothing."
"…By getting more to not do."
He stared at the field.
"…This is unfair."
Behind him—
plop plop plop
The original crops continued harvesting themselves.
Efficient.
Controlled.
Predictable.
The new area?
It wasn't.
A fruit grew.
Too fast.
Dropped immediately.
Missed the crate.
Rolled.
Kept rolling.
"…That's your section."
He pointed.
"…Stay over there."
The fruit stopped.
Slowly.
Turned.
Then rolled back toward the new field.
"…Good."
"…Self-contained problems."
He nodded once.
"…Acceptable."