CHAPTER 178 THE UNBEARABLE PAIN OF LIFE

When they had just drifted over to Wano Country, the residents of Wano had regarded them as monsters and wanted to burn them alive. Now, the eyes of these people were strikingly similar to what it was back then.

Last time, they were saved by Kozuki Oden, but the situation has changed. Although they could now fight back, they couldn’t harm the residents. However, Nekomamushi discovered an opportunity.

As the residents arrived, the concentrated Rollout attack by Miltanks started to loosen up, and the distance between the leader, who was previously untouchable, and them also became closer.

Lightning flickered on Nekomamushi’s body as he stimulated his muscles with static electricity, seeking a faster burst of power.

According to herd mentality, if they can defeat the leader, it will instill fear in the other members, and then they will be able to leave this place.

“Nekomamushi! Come back!”

Watching Nekomamushi suddenly rush forward, Inuarashi’s forehead broke out in cold sweat. Although he is a Dog Mink, there are some differences between him and an actual dog, such as the ability to sweat through his skin instead of solely relying on his tongue for heat regulation.

To him, the sudden pause of the Miltanks seemed like a glaring trap, and Nekomamushi plunged right into it.

Although they were cornered by the Miltanks, there was a deliberate reason for their retreat.  With no path behind them, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi only needed to defend a quarter of the area each.

Now, Nekomamushi had taken the initiative to charge out, completely exposing himself to the  Miltanks’ attacks.

They only slowed down, and didn’t come to a complete stop. Instead, they formed a pocket formation. And now, with Nekomamushi charging in, they tightened the pocket.

“Moo, moo, moo!”

Under the leader’s command, only a few Miltanks remained to hold back Inuarashi, while the rest focused their firepower on besieging Nekomamushi. Nekomamushi wasn’t afraid of these Miltanks one-on-one; he might even be able to handle multiple opponents.

However, since he hadn’t brought any weapons, and at the beginning, he underestimated the Miltank leader, he suffered a direct hit from it. Now, facing the Miltanks’ encirclement, he was struggling to defend himself.

Without Inuarashi providing assistance by his side, and getting attacked from both front and rear, they quickly broke through his defense. Seizing the opportunity while he was off guard, one Miltank adjusted its angle using a small pit on the ground and then rammed into Nekomamushi from below, striking him in the groin. [TN: Ouchhhh!]

Minks were also a type of humanoid, and although the rolling Miltanks looked round and smooth, they had horns and hooves.

Struck by a irregularly spinning sphere at high speed in his groin, the pain he experienced was beyond words. Nekomamushi let out a piercing scream of agony, and it was this sound that Setsuna heard.

Nekomamushi’s reaction made the surrounding villagers feel a jolt in their groin. Unconsciously, they took a few steps back. Beasts Pirates had warned them not to provoke the Miltanks; otherwise, it would be dangerous.

During this period of interaction, the Miltanks’ gentle behavior had almost made them forget this warning. But today, they fully understood the terror of the Miltanks.

“Nekomamushi!”

Watching Nekomamushi lying on the ground, Inuarashi grew restless and almost suffered a similar fate in the next moment. This time, there was no Kozuki Oden to save them. However, shortly after Nekomamushi’s agonizing scream, Setsuna appeared.

“Wait, you two, stop!”

Currently, the nominal management authority of Paradise Farm lies with Zeraora, and Setsuna also holds some rights. Therefore, Miltank also obeys her commands.

“Why are you two here?”

Looking at Nekomamushi lying on the ground and Inuarashi panting heavily, Setsuna couldn’t quite grasp what had happened.

“Moo, moo.” Before Inuarashi could answer, the Miltank leader expressed what had happened through a combination of gestures and sounds. People who have spent a long time with Pokémon could understand the general meaning.

“You two are actually here to steal things?!” Setsuna revealed an expression of disbelief when she heard what the leader of Miltanks said.

The cultural background of Zou Island leads its inhabitants to embrace a primitive societal outlook. Due to the small population, stealing is viewed with disdain by the entire tribe.

Afterward, Setsuna looked at the surrounding villagers and said, “It’s all fine now, everyone. It was just a small incident. Go back and get some sleep.”

She still strongly values kinship with the people of her own race and felt embarrassed to be seen in such a situation by so many people. It was best to have them leave first.

Under Setsuna’s persuasion, the villagers put away their things one by one and left the place. After all, someone from Beasts Pirates had arrived, and there was no reason for them to linger anymore.

Only a few pirates remained in the vicinity. If previously the apprentice was Olga, now Olga had transitioned into a full-fledged officer, and Setsuna became the new reserve officer.

She, who had always been by Zeraora’s side, could also command these pirates.

“You all can go too. I’ll handle things here.”

“Miss Setsuna, you alone…”

“Don’t worry. I know them, and aren’t Miltanks still here?” Due to her insistence, the pirates also left the place.

“Alright, which one of you can explain to me why you were stealing here?”

Although she said so, Setsuna’s gaze had already shifted towards Inuarashi. She didn’t expect Nekomamushi, who was lying down, to give her a sincere answer.

Not because he was knocked down, but because she didn’t believe that anything good would come out of Nekomamushi’s mouth.

“Well… How should I put it?” Inuarashi looked somewhat embarrassed. They could deceive themselves by saying it was for the sake of their lord’s wife, but they couldn’t hide the fact that their actions were stealing.

“Forget it. Oh, by the way, do you still have the Vivre Card for Zou Island? I accidentally lost mine.”

Setsuna remembered her main task this time and wanted to first obtain the Vivre Card from Inuarashi. Inuarashi hadn’t lost his Vivre Card and had been carrying it all along with him. Upon hearing Setsuna’s words, he tore it in half and handed it to her.

Then she picked some vegetables and fruits and gave it to them.

“If you’re really out of food, come find me. I can still make that decision.” The children of the Beasts Pirates had their own pocket money, and since they didn’t spend it elsewhere, these supplies could be considered her personal support.

“Don’t come here to steal again. I’ll let it slide this time, but if it happens again, there will be punishment.”

Normally, they would have been punished for their actions. However, Setsuna, driven by the sense of kinship, wanted them to leave directly, so she had the others leave early.

But not everyone was willing to accept her goodwill, like Nekomamushi. Having recovered, he expressed his discontent.

“Meow… This place was originally our farm, but it was snatched away by you people. How can you call this stealing?”

“Nekomamushi!”

As soon as those words came out, Inuarashi knew they were in trouble, and the lightning flickering on Setsuna’s body confirmed it.

“Nekomamushi, I’ve been tolerating you for a long time today. Don’t be shameless and push your luck!”