V4C9

Volume 4, Chapter 9: Decisive Battle

A person who can use a hundred-person skill barrier came from Yamato along with a basket.

There are over a hundred baskets.

Inside them are the strongest monsters in history.

People who can use skill barriers were also gathered by Mr. Kazanzakis.

Half of the skill barrier users who participated gathered at the location of the previous banquet while using their skills, and the baskets were opened. It was an incredibly strict barrier.

"Is this the strongest monster?"

The Yamato royal family had a serious expression, but Mr. Kazanzakis and others from the Patrida side had tense faces.

Among them were six monster creatures that resembled children with the faces of tanuki-like Shiba Inu dogs.

"Where is the strength in these?"

Mr. Kazanzakis had a bewildered expression.

"Well, you see, my grandfather had a dog called a Shiba Inu in the world over there before he was reincarnated here. And my grandfather, who had a special skill of crossbreeding, desperately wanted to create Shiba Inu dogs, so he bred various monsters like his life depended on it."

I answered Mr. Kazanzakis.

"So, you're saying he created this?"

"Yes. However, as you may know in this world, cute-looking monsters generally use their cuteness to get close to others and parasitize them for things like meals. This one seems to have a power that's about a thousand times greater than the normal cute-looking monsters."

"A thousand times!"

"Yes. If you adore and adore it, your brain will release lots of endorphins, and well, it seems that you can't live without this fake Shiba Inu anymore. If someone does something for this fake Shiba Inu, you'll trust that person one hundred percent, and just looking at the fake Shiba Inu will make your brain flooded with endorphins. So, you'll become a person who just watches and adores it all the time."

"It sounds dangerous if you ask me."

"Yes. Without a barrier, they will possess you just by looking at them. And it intensely stimulates your protective instincts, so if someone tries to harm this fake Shiba Inu, they apparently try to kill that person."

"Huh? They try to kill them?"

"Yes. Moreover, it seems that it becomes their sense of justice."

It's probably something like a group that's ten times more dangerous than extremist environmental protection organizations or animal welfare associations.

"T-That's scary."

Mr. Kazanzakis trembled.

"But that's not all. According to the remaining records, they eat half their body weight in a day and, get this, their lifespan is probably over ten years, but they keep giving birth until they die. Moreover, about four offspring every two months."

"Whaaat?!"

"It multiplies in no time with the Rat Calculation. But we can't exterminate them. They're cute, and on top of that, the possessed ones come to kill you."

"That's why we had it sealed by Saint Tree-sama."

"During the night, we'll put these one by one in their tanker, inside the baskets. Once they see them, it's game over."

"I see."

Kazanzakis-san nodded.

"Probably, judging from their investigative attitude and equipment, they have a way to return. Otherwise, I don't think they would come with just that equipment. And if they bring back a fake Shiba dog, it will turn into a scene from hell."

"You're a terrifying man."

Kazanzakis-san said, and all the Yamato people, including the king and prime minister, nodded.

"But we're not done yet. We'll add another touch here."

"Huh? Are you still going?"

The king was surprised.

"Yes. First, using the sea serpents, we'll prevent fish from approaching the tanker. Furthermore, we'll use wyverns and others to anticipate in advance, cutting off fruits and edible plants using Aoi and Mitsuki's abilities. We'll also release animals and monsters that seem edible, making it impossible for the humans who come out of their tanker to procure food. Occasionally, during the night, we'll make the tanker's bottom appear on the sonar like protrusions emerging from the seafloor, tapping it steadily, creating the fear that if the tanker gets too close to the coast, it might run aground."

"I see, brother. You plan to besiege them with the tanker as well."

"That's right, brother. And when they feed the fake Shiba dog and become starved, we'll give them food. Please use the fake Shiba dog."

"What is the purpose of all this?"

Kazanzakis-san asked.

"Please recall the characteristics of those who were possessed by the fake Shiba dog earlier. They firmly believe that anyone who feeds the fake Shiba dog is a good person. In other words, among the attackers, there will definitely be humans who continue to think of us as allies."

"Impressive, brother!"

Aporito nodded.

"With this, their attack speed against us will slow down, and during that time, the fake Shiba dog will invade their territory."

I looked at everyone.

Sure enough, everyone was appalled.

"See, they're appalled after all."

"Don't worry, brother. We're not appalled."

Aporito said, and Levi, who was peeping from outside the window, barked as if saying, "We're not appalled" with a loud howl.

"I think it's a good idea."

Aoi smiled and said, and Murasaki also nodded.

Kazanzakis-san, who was watching them, seemed a little sad.

Furthermore, he might be thinking that it was a mistake to give her daughter to Yamato.

"Don't worry. Kunihito-shōsai will take care of everything," said the Prime Minister with a smile.

"Yes, Kunihito-shōsai will handle it all," said the King with an even brighter smile.

"War is a serious matter. We have considered such things," added Kunihito-shōsai, disguised as Shia, and spoke his lines.

It feels a bit pitiful.

"I'm sorry. It's not your fault; I think it's in Yamato's blood," Princess Miyabi apologized sincerely.

"Haaaa! The divine race of Yamato..." Mitsuki sighed heavily, her shoulders drooping.

She must have realized it. It's painful.

What's with this divine race of Yamato?

Without delay, during the night, we used a wyvern to gently place the lid of the cage on the tanker as if it were opening.

We were watching through Reina-san's skill of remote viewing, with multiple barriers set up for caution.

What will they do with that imposter mutt?

When America made a movie based on the loyal dog Hachiko and for some reason had a Shiba Inu play the role of Hachiko as a puppy, Shiba Inus became popular even in America.

Those who had started keeping Shiba Inus overseas long before that, for example in England, were mistaken for foxes and received complaints from neighboring houses. But now things have changed.

As everyone held their breath watching Reina-san's screen, several crew members, who should have been cautious, approached the imposter mutt with melting expressions and carried it away.

That couldn't be helped either.

The mutt whimpered, trembling with watery eyes, appealing that it was cold and hungry.

Even here, where the barrier should be effective, it showed a tremble-like artfulness.

I was convinced it would work.

But the situation changed the next day.

The crew members gathered around the mutt, taking care of it one after another.

They were completely infatuated.

However, for some reason, several of them suddenly went into labor.

Isn't it too soon?

The crew members hurriedly started assisting with the deliveries.

Cute puppies were born immediately.

The dog is already good at giving birth, but it seems to be even better at it.

Moreover, it's giving birth to six or seven puppies per litter.

The crew members were completely infatuated with those adorable babies.

"Hey, isn't it too early for them to be born? And there are so many of them, too."

When I said that to the king, he averted his eyes.

"Hey!"

I confronted the king.

"It seems like it's time for childbirth again," Kazanzakis-san said anxiously.

The king averted his eyes even more.

"What... What's going on?"

Princess Miyabi pressed the king for an explanation.

"Well, you see, Father really didn't want the Mameshiba Modoki to be disposed of, and there was opposition from the possessed ones as well. So, when we reluctantly sealed them, Father asked us to keep some records, wrapped in euphemisms, in case the future generations would dispose of the Mameshiba Modoki," he said.

"What? So, what's the actual situation?" I asked the king.

"W-Well, they've multiplied... about twice as much," he replied.

"Wha... What? What are we going to do with so many?"

What are we going to do with something like this?

"In truth, the power of the Holy Tree is weakening from a distance, and the other sealed baskets we brought are..."

Reina said hesitantly.

"What?!"

In a hurry, we placed all the baskets we brought on the tanker at night.

Already, the worn-out and tattered Mameshiba Modoki joyfully accepted them.

The food inside the tanker was rapidly decreasing, as if cursed, saying something.

Immediately, we had someone who had the Skill Translation translate those words.

"Just one more week. We can return there in just one more week," everyone said while preparing meals for the Mameshiba Modoki.

This is bad, isn't it?

They have absolutely no intention of choosing to return the Mameshiba Modoki to the mountain.

They don't want to let them go.

Moreover, everyone has stopped working.

I don't understand why they came here in the first place.

They've been smiling while hungry, looking at the Mameshiba Modoki.

It's scary!

Too scary!

And the Mameshiba Modoki are cunning as well.

They show an atmosphere of concern for the hungry crew members and eat their meals hesitantly.

This is brutal, truly brutal.

We quickly changed our plan and decided to give them a large amount of food as if we coincidentally met them on a sailboat and sympathized with them.

The Mameshiba Modoki were multiplying at an astonishing rate.

I never expected that they would be released and devour all the food on the tanker within a few days.

This is dangerously bad.