Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 453 The Spotted Cat Man and "Bloodstriped" Arken

"Furui" and "Nekoniang" are two completely different creatures.

The former is similar to the anthropomorphization of animals. It may have human-like features in terms of facial features, limbs and movement, but its main body still retains the appearance of an animal.

Its most obvious feature is its furry skin all over its body.

The only difference between the latter and normal humans in terms of appearance is that they have an extra tail, two animal ears, and occasionally their hands are slightly animalistic.

As for Xia Nan, in his ignorant youth in his previous life, he had unrealistic fantasies about these two creatures that did not exist in the real world because of the characters in various cultural and entertainment works, and imagined what their furry skin would feel like.

But as he entered the crucible of society, the high pressure from work left him no time to think about anything else, and he was unable to continue developing those interests from his youth.

Right now, I've been transported to a fantastical continent where supernatural powers truly exist.

Initially, as an ordinary adventurer at the very bottom of society, the pressure of survival left him with no time to think about such things.

But soon, as he gradually gained a foothold on the continent of Aifara, and as he met more and more people and encountered more and more things, his physical abilities gradually improved to the point that he could easily break the world records of the previous human world and could actually create sword light when he swung his sword, Xia Nan also truly felt the reality of crossing over to another world.

He truly realized that those fantastical creatures that only existed in works of literature and entertainment in his previous life seemed to have actually... become reality.

Speaking of which, Xia Nan has probably never encountered a creature like a "catgirl" since he transmigrated.

The character that is closest in appearance is probably the beastman "Mint" whose head was smashed off by his punch. Normally, he looks thin and small, and his face is not bad-looking. However, he does not have any beast-like features on his appearance. Only after transforming does he become a bear-like beast.

Strictly speaking, it shouldn't fit the definition of "animal girl".

It is said that offspring born from the union of a cursed beastman and a normal human will naturally possess some beastly characteristics.

But Xia Nan had never met him before, so there was nothing to say.

However, strictly speaking, he did have some experience interacting with the so-called "Fu Rui".

Although it wasn't furry, judging from its appearance, the dragonborn I encountered during the quest to obtain the [Dream Corridor] should meet the characteristics of anthropomorphic beasts, although it had also been dead for a long time.

However, due to the mission at the time and the Dragonborn's own personality, Xia Nan did not have the opportunity to contact the other party, and naturally did not think too much about it.

At this moment, the creature standing next to the druid Hein almost perfectly matched all the stereotypical characteristics of "Furry"—furry, anthropomorphic beast... and even its prototype seemed to be a cat.

That was a "spotted cat man" that was quite rare in Suyu Bay!
An adult male is about six feet tall, which is not short, but it is far from being tall on the dock. However, his body proportions are very good. His long and powerful legs, combined with his lean body, give him a sense of competence and lightness.
He was wearing a set of rather fine light leather armor on his upper body. Perhaps because it was too hot, there was no lining inside the armor, revealing its brownish-yellow fur with irregular black spots. It was fluffy, and you could vaguely see faint scars crisscrossing under the thick mane.

His tail was long, also covered with a layer of brownish-yellow fur, but with much sparser markings. It was now raised behind him and swaying slightly like a cat, which to some extent helped stabilize his center of gravity and keep him balanced on the deck high in the air and amidst the surging waves.

It's worth mentioning that this spotted cat-man wasn't wearing boots.

Let its broad feet and thick, soft pads tread on the deck, and you can vaguely see the claws tucked deep inside its paws.

Whether it's a racial custom or a personal preference, rationally speaking, going barefoot should provide an advantage for a race with such obvious bestial characteristics when sneaking or climbing.

"Hello, my name is Alton!"

"Xia Nan".

As newly joined teammates, Xia Nan and his companion came to the deck and introduced themselves to each other.

"I, I am Sasha..."

In stark contrast, the spotted cat-person named "Sasha" had a stern face when seen from below the ship, exuding the aloofness and elegance of a feline creature, but seemed somewhat shy when actually approached.

Its gaze darted around, avoiding eye contact with the person who greeted it. When it stammered out its name, even the tail behind it wagged faster.

"Don't mind him, he's just a little shy around strangers."

"After all these years working on ships, things are still the same as before."

Seeing that the atmosphere on the field was getting a bit cold, Hein spoke up to defuse the situation.

"Don't worry, Sasha isn't a bad person. He's quite reliable during missions."

Hearing his teammate say that, the already introverted and shy spotted cat-man subconsciously lowered his head, and his long tail curled inward awkwardly like human toes digging into the ground.

Xia Nan, of course, didn't care.

She's just a little introverted; it's not like she harbors any hostility towards him. It's perfectly normal.

Moreover, to be honest, Xia Nan himself is also a professional. Regardless of his actual combat strength, just from the perspective of professional level, level 3 is not low in the docks. Recently, he has even made a name for himself and has the nickname "The Hague".

He joined "Blade of Vengeance" as a temporary member at the personal invitation of the fleet captain, Lorraine, and will most likely leave after three months.

Whether considering strength, reputation, or level of threat, it does nothing to harm the adventurers on the ship.

Anyone with even a modicum of critical thinking skills wouldn't provoke him for no reason, much less look down on him for no apparent reason.

At most, they'll just be slightly neglected because they're not familiar with each other.

It's actually quite easy to solve, especially when both sides are members of the same adventurer team.

According to Xia Nan's understanding, no matter how distant and cold the relationship between them may be, as long as there is no fundamental conflict... after going through a battle together, all problems will be solved.

Compared to the other party's reaction, Xia Nan was more concerned about the physical characteristics of this spotted cat-man.

A pair of pointed ears stood upright on its head, the inside of which was covered with a layer of beige down. There was a small V-shaped notch at the tip of its left ear, which must have been left during a battle. It would turn its head alertly in response to the cries of the seagulls above its head.
His cat-like eyes were exaggerated, taking up almost half of his furry face, and his irises were a much brighter amber color than his fur.
She wore a small brass ring on her left ear and a shark tooth necklace suspended by a leather cord around her neck.

Xia Nan knows this!

After transmigrating, my training almost became integrated with daily routines, and the various kinds of knowledge I had been cramming for every day finally came in handy.

He remembered reading in a bard's travelogue that the spotted cat people liked to wear earrings and necklaces to accentuate the lines of their ears and necks.

It belongs to the kind of little-known knowledge that you might not notice even after spending a long time with someone if you don't observe carefully.

Besides that, Xia Nan also had some understanding of the Spotted Cat People race.

They sound somewhat like halflings like Alton, with a passion for things and crafts, and a love for novelty. A legendary tale they've never heard of is more appealing to these furry creatures than a bag of gold coins. Like cats, they are fickle and cunning, sometimes even using their racial talents to engage in petty theft to satisfy unfulfilled desires. They also possess some artistic talent.

The things he had learned were finally coming in handy, which stirred something within Xia Nan, who longed to have a conversation with Sasha in front of him.

However, since it was only their first meeting, and seeing how shy the other person was, his interest waned considerably, and he decided to wait until later.

Furthermore, based on Xia Nan's judgment combined with his own perception, this spotted cat-man "Sasha" should be quite strong, with an aura much stronger than that of the twin warriors.

Level 4? Level 5?

In terms of profession, judging from the short crossbow on his back and the two short swords hanging at his waist, he should be a type similar to the Ranger, who combines ranged and melee combat.

They are quite strong.

As Xia Nan pondered this in his heart, before he could speak again, a rough voice came from behind him, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching quickly.

The Hague?

“I heard from Boss Lorraine a few days ago that you were going to board the ship, but I didn’t believe it. I thought they were conspiring to trick me.”

"Haha, I can't believe it's true!"

I still haven't gotten used to being called by a nickname to my face.

Xia Nan's expression remained unchanged, but her heart couldn't help but clench twice.

He turned around and looked toward the source of the sound.

What came into view was a very tall and muscular human man.

Standing nearly two meters tall, his muscles, which stretched his clothes tightly, combined with his thick frame, did not appear bulky at all; he looked more robust than many orcs.
His prominent trapezius muscles made his neck appear to disappear, leaving only his bald head.

The man had fierce features; his high brows made his brown eyes sink deep into their sockets, shrouded in shadow and indistinct, revealing only a hint of ferocity.

What is most striking is the elaborate tattoos covering his entire body, even on his bald head.

Sea serpents churning in the waves, sharks with gaping jaws, tangled squid tentacles, iron shields, harpoons, and of course, crossed scimitars symbolizing vengeance...

To some extent, judging solely from his appearance, this burly man was probably the one on the entire ship who best fit Xia Nan's image of a sea adventurer.

To put it bluntly, in his previous life, if this kind of person walked down the street, probably no one would dare to look him in the eye.

If you do anything too extreme, a passerby might already be calling the police.

However, the burly man's actual performance was equally contrasting.

During breaks between missions, he often frequented taverns and brothels, and naturally, he had heard of Xia Nan, whose reputation had gradually spread among the adventurers in the town over the past two days.

As is well known, in most cases, as an event spreads further and over a longer period of time, its content tends to deviate from reality.

Perhaps at the beginning it was just a rumor that an adventurer named Xia Nan, nicknamed "The Hague," caught up with and killed "Broken Eyebrow," the runaway second-in-command of the Horned Shark Gang.

Later, it gradually evolved into an exaggerated storyline where The Hague single-handedly stormed into the Shark Gang's lair, wreaked havoc on the entire shantytown, rescued the Baron's daughter, and even got engaged to the Baron's daughter later on.

Xia Nan didn't know which version the burly man charging towards him was listening to, but the man's excited expression of regret at not having met him sooner was practically overflowing from his fleshy face.

"Aken, calm down!"

"You're being so embarrassing!"

Originally, she just wanted to introduce Xia Nan and Alton to their teammates for the next three months, but she didn't expect that one of them was shy and timid, while the other was so enthusiastic that he almost pressed his face against hers. For a moment, Hein couldn't keep his expression in check.

He reached out and stopped the burly man halfway, looking helpless.

Clearly, as the only spellcaster in the team and second only to Captain Lorraine in seniority, Hein holds a high position in the hearts of the crew.

The slender arm adorned with a silver and black bracelet merely extended symbolically, and the burly man stopped in his tracks, grinned, and introduced himself to Xia Nan from afar:

“'Bloodstained' Arken, you can just call me Arken!”

He was very unique; he even called out his nickname during his self-introduction.

After the introduction, he even showed a hint of anticipation, as if he thought Xia Nan would recognize his nickname.

Unfortunately, Xia Nan had no recollection of the "blood pattern" he mentioned. If she gave a random answer, the other party might reveal it with just one more question. Considering this, she exchanged a long glance with Aken before nodding with a composed expression.
"I am Xia Nan."

Zla—

It was the sound of claws scraping the floor.

Sasha, the leopard cat who was already introverted, could no longer bear the awkward atmosphere. He said something in the local dialect of his tribe, curled his tail, and turned to run away.

"Hehe." Seemingly realizing that his behavior was indeed inappropriate, Arken grinned, scratched his head, and chuckled twice.

"Go ahead and do your thing, don't come here and cause trouble." Hein waved her hand at the other person and said irritably, "I'll take Xia Nan and the others to the captain to report first. If you have anything you want to talk about, there will be plenty of time after we leave port."

Hearing the druid say this, Arken nodded repeatedly, winked at Xia Nan from a distance, made a "see you later" gesture, and then turned and left.

At this point, Xia Nan had met all the core members of the "Blade of Vengeance" adventurer team.

Captain: Lorraine;
Front row: Twin warriors Ryan and Gordon, "Bloodstriped" Arken;
Back row: Hein and Sasha the spotted cat.

There were six people in total, all of whom were experienced adventurers with a job level of lv3 or above. There was even a rare spellcaster druid among them, and the captain, Lorraine, was suspected to have reached a job level of lv6 or even lv7.

It's no wonder that "Blade of Vengeance" is so famous in Barracuda Bay. This team configuration is almost the limit that an ordinary adventurer can reach in a lifetime.

Right now, as a temporary member, we also need to add a lucky goddess and a mysterious man who happens to be passing by.

　Happy New Year everyone!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)