The Fur Race inherited the traits of beasts, which granted them the innate abilities of animals but also their weaknesses. Nekomamushi's feline tongue was a prominent feature.
Moreover, their feline noses were particularly fragile. They never expected the Miltank to attack in such a manner, causing Nekomamushi to be solidly hit on the nose by the leading Miltank.
However, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were not just ordinary riffraff. As young Fur Race members, their physical fitness was far superior to the average person. After Nekomamushi was face-rolled by the Miltank, Inuarashi reacted quickly to block the Rolling attack of the second Miltank.
But the issue was that the area wasn't occupied by just one or two Miltanks, but a whole group. Before he could catch his breath, a third Miltank charged in, and the one he intercepted adjusted its direction, re-accelerating to rejoin the Rollout sequence.
The ground bore marks akin to tire tracks. Rollout itself was a continuous attack, with its speed increasing and its power growing ever stronger.
Inuarashi began with the ability to block the attacks but found it increasingly arduous. Under the leader's command, the Miltanks divided into several echelons, ensuring that they wouldn't interfere with each other while maintaining a relentless assault, giving their opponents no reprieve.
"Nekomamushi! Are you done yet?"
The Miltanks had formed a circular formation, enclosing them within, and Inuarashi took a hard hit to the kidneys.
Iron head, steel bones, tofu waist—though this proverb describes wolves, wolves and dogs are closely related species, sharing this trait. Inuarashi's waist could be considered one of his weaknesses.
Having snuck out to pick vegetables, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi didn't bring any weapons as they didn't intend to escalate the situation, and hence Inuarashi wanted to leave quickly.
"I'm ready..."
"Then let's go quickly. Getting caught would be troublesome; we can't cause problems for the missus!"
This comment was a bit odd, seeing as trouble began the moment they decided on this course of action.
Moreover, it was difficult to leave now. At the start of the Miltanks' Rollout, they could have broken through, but with the Miltanks fully charged and combat-ready, their power had multiplied several times over.
A glowing light enveloped the Miltanks—a technique known as Defense Curl. Defense Curl and Rollout were a well-known combo, providing higher defense to make their bodies harder to injure and indirectly boosting the damage of Rollout.
Nekomamushi's claws began to glow with electricity as the Fur Race's signature Static ability was invoked. Thunder and fire have always been feared by beasts, but they had no effect on the Miltanks.
Finally, under the leader's direction, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were cornered against a wall.
"Inuarashi, we must first take down the leader, or we won't be able to handle these monstrous cows!"
They weren't just doing odd jobs on the pirate ship; they had been through various battles. Among the Miltanks, one was distinctly different. After leading the charge, it retreated and directed the others.
"You don't need to tell me, but the question is how to do it!"
Capturing the ringleader first was a basic strategy, but a necessary precondition for achieving it was breaking through the formation of Miltanks before them.
"What on earth are these monstrous cows? Do they not feel dizzy?"
Ordinary creatures would start feeling dizzy after spinning a dozen times, but these monsters executing Rollout on the ground had spun countless times and only seemed to gain power and speed.
While sneaking vegetables, they could manage to not make any noise, but in a fight, that was impossible. As the sounds of battle grew louder, the farmers living outside the farm were also awakened.
Upon hearing the commotion from the farm, they didn't flee. Instead, they grabbed hoes and pitchforks and headed in together.
The new policies of the Hundred Beasts Pirates regarding the farm included a fixed planting quota, and any crops harvested beyond this quota would be exchanged for an equivalent amount of ordinary grain.
For these farmers, a delicious fruit was far less important than three pounds of rice. Filling their stomachs was their primary concern.
Although the Kozuki Family originally established Peach Blossom Spring Farm to ensure residents had enough to eat, their method was to plant crops and have the distribution managed by the Daimyo, which limited people's motivation.
No matter how much they planted, they received the same amount; hence, there was no need to go all out.
But with the change to a system of "more work, more reward; less work, less reward," everything changed. The whole family was mobilized, with even the children involved in milking, driven by the new policy.
Now, anyone threatening the farm was threatening their interests. Every crop lost meant damage to their own interests as well. With interests tied, they were more motivated to defend the farm than a few pirates from the Hundred Beasts Pirates.
However, when those ordinary farmers approached with torches, the situation took a strange turn.
The soil stirred up by the Miltanks' high-speed spinning bodies was thrown into the air, forming large clouds of dust that impaired people's vision. The farmers' approach caused the Miltanks to slow down.
As the dust gradually settled, they could clearly see that the ones surrounded by Miltanks were none other than Nekomamushi and Inuarashi.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were household attendants of Kozuki Oden, who was the Daimyo of Kuri. As residents here, these people naturally recognized them.
"That's Lord Inuarashi and Lord Nekomamushi...."
"So what if it's them? This place was already abandoned, and we have been abandoned as well...."
In the original agreement, the Hundred Beasts only wanted Peach Blossom Spring Farm. These farmers were hired later, as Oden's attendants failed to secure a future for them.
Previously, they were filled with fear due to the negative propaganda against the Hundred Beasts Pirates, and accepting employment with the Beasts was more of a necessity.
But reality ended up revealing the truth. Faced with the actual facts they personally experienced, those "rumors" naturally crumbled on their own.
So upon seeing Inuarashi and Nekomamushi here, a complex mix of emotions arose in them.
However, when someone noticed the crushed vegetables on the ground, a surge of anger welled up within them, for these were the crops they had painstakingly cultivated, wasted just like that.
"Inuarashi... the looks on those people's faces.. remind me of something quite unpleasant."
"Yeah, me too, just like when we first arrived here years ago..."