Chapter 375 The Meeting with the Cat Boss, Leader of the Cat People

Before Hermit could finish, Suzuka interrupted him with her usual boldness. She turned on her heel, spreading her arms wide, and began shouting into the dense foliage with a mischievous grin plastered across her face.

“Here, here, kittens! I know you’re close by! Come out, come out, wherever you are! I’ll give you a belly rub or scratches under your ears! I’ll be gentle, I promise!”

Hermit’s jaw dropped, his eyes darting around in terror. 

“M-Master Helen! Please, stop! They’ll think you’re mocking them!” 

But Suzuka didn’t seem to care. She cupped her hands around her mouth and added, “Come on, don’t be shy! I’ve got snacks too! Who doesn’t like snacks, huh?”

The forest seemed to hold its breath; the only sounds was Hermit’s panicked breathing. Then, from the shadow of the tree, came a low growl, followed by a voice that was smooth but carried a hint of menace.

“And who might you be, human, calling us out as if we’re house pets?”

Hermit whimpered, clutching Suzuka’s thigh in terror as a group of dressed cats stepped out from the underbrush, their slitted eyes gleaming and tails swishing with caution. Their leader, a tall Cat person with sleek black fur and a pair of sharp, piercing green eyes, crossed his arms and stared at Suzuka with suspicion.

 “Ah, there you are! Took you long enough. I was starting to think you didn’t want any belly rubs!”

The Cat leader's tail flicked sharply as he narrowed his piercing green eyes at her.

“Enough with your jokes, Human! We are not here for your amusement. Why have you approached us? State your business plainly or leave us be. You tracked us down! Call us out so boldly, but we are not fools, and this is no game. Speak your purpose, now.”

Suzuka placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head with a sly grin.

 "Oh, come on, let’s calm those claws down, alright? I was just trying to be friendly. Don’t take it the wrong way! You cat folk are supposed to like playing around, right? Anyway," she added, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, "as for why I’m here, I’d like to talk to your tribe leader. You see, I don’t mean to brag, but the one who crushed the mountain is standing right in front of you and is asking for an audience with your leader—to discuss some very important future plans."

The group of cats' leader’s tail flicked in surprise, and he and his followers instinctively took a cautious step back, their eyes wide and ears perked. His voice quivered slightly, blending awe and disbelief.

“What? You’re the Mountain Destroyer? A mere human? So, the news from our scouts was true... It was done by a single human. Unbelievable.”

"Yep, that’s me, alright—the one and only. But don’t get your hopes up expecting a demonstration or anything. I’ve had my fill of that mountain business, and trust me, I’m not planning on pulling that stunt again anytime soon. Let’s just call it a one-time show. You missed it, your loss."

She gave a playful wink.

 "So, how about we skip the disbelief and move straight to the talking part, hmm? I’m here for your leader, not to give an encore."

The cat-person eyed Suzuka with curiosity and wariness, his sharp ears twitching as he spoke in a low growl, "If you weren’t the mountain destroyer, we would have disappeared by now, human. But as it happens, our leader has shown interest in meeting you after your display of power. I think he’ll agree to seeing you. Follow us, and don't even think about doing anything funny. We don’t want to start trouble, something we all would regret."

He motioned with a swift flick of his tail, turning to lead the way into the dense woods. His companions flanked him, their eyes narrowing as they watched Suzuka closely, ready for any sign of deception or sudden movement.

As Suzuka followed the group of cat-people deeper into the woods, her excitement bubbled over. Her eyes lit up as she observed the graceful movements and soft fur of the feline humanoids. Nudging Hermit with her elbow, she leaned down and whispered with barely contained glee, "Oh, Hermit, why didn’t you tell me they’re this adorable? I mean, just look at them! That fur! I swear, I just want to pet them so much. They’re like big, fluffy, walking pillows!"

Hermit’s eyes darted nervously to the cat-people walking ahead, his voice barely above a trembling whisper. 

“M-Master, p-please... d-don’t say things like that. Petting them? N-no, no, no. That’s not a good idea. Not at all. They’re not fluffy... well, they are, but not in that way! They’re... they’re dangerous! A-and they don’t like goblins, remember? Just... please don’t get us killed.”

His hands wrung together so tightly it looked like he was trying to squeeze the fear out of his system. 

“I-I’m begging you, Master... p-please don’t provoke them, even by accident!”

As Suzuka and Hermit followed the group, they finally came upon a small clearing in the dense forest where the cat-people’s camp was set up. Suzuka’s sharp eyes immediately noticed the disarray—this camp was freshly established. Supplies were scattered haphazardly across the clearing, with crates and boxes piled up in corners as if they’d been hauled in a hurry. Bedding and other essentials were strewn about, and the majority of the cat-people were busily pitching shabby tents and setting up their temporary home.

Despite their bustling activity, the moment Suzuka and Hermit arrived, all work ground to a halt. Dozens of curious feline eyes turned to the pair, studying them with cautious intensity. Suzuka caught glimpses of their expressions—some wary, some indifferent, and a few openly distrustful. Hermit, on the other hand, visibly shrank under the weight of their stares, his head practically tucked into his chest.

At the far end of the camp stood a larger, sturdier tent that seemed to serve as the heart of the settlement. It was adorned with rough cloth drapes and faint symbols painted along its edges, marking it as a place of importance. The cat-person leading them stopped at the tent’s entrance, standing tall and firm.

“This is where our leader resides. Wait here. I will inform him that the human and the goblin wish to speak with him. Do not wander or touch anything while you wait. This will not take long.”

With that, he slipped inside the tent, leaving Suzuka and Hermit standing at the threshold. Suzuka stood with her usual confidence, hands on her hips, taking in her surroundings with excitement.

 Hermit, however, fidgeted nervously beside her, his gaze glued to the ground as though afraid to meet the eyes of any of the cat-people who continued to watch them intently from the camp. He wrung his hands together, his fingers trembling as he muttered under his breath in a barely audible voice.

“Oh, great goddess Lusseria, please let them not recognize me... please let it be a different tribe... please don’t let it be him... oh, I’ll be good, I swear, just let me live through this. Don’t let them claw my face off or slice me into bits... I didn’t mean for any of it, I swear I didn’t...”

He dared a quick glance around at the staring cat-people, his voice dropping lower.

“Why are they all looking at me? Oh no, they know... they know, I can feel it. Oh please, goddess, get me out of this, I don't want to set foot near a cat-person ever again. I’ll stay far away. I’ll hide in a hole. Just don’t let them remember me... don’t let them remember...”

Suzuka leaned toward Hermit, smirking. 

“Relax, choom. You’re acting like they’re about to eat you or something. We’ve got this.”

 Hermit merely mumbled incoherently; his anxiety still plastered across his face.

The cat-person stepped outside the tent and gesturing for them to enter. 

"Our leader will see you now. Come in. And remember—no funny business," he said, narrowing his feline eyes at them.

Suzuka brushed past him with a confident smile, motioning for Hermit to follow. Inside the tent, a large wooden table dominated the center, covered in scattered papers. Behind the table stood an imposing figure—a cat-person as tall as Suzuka herself, his physique intimidating. His dark fur rippled with muscle, and a long, worn cape hung from his broad shoulders. His hat, with ears poking out, gave him an almost regal yet rugged appearance.

The leader had his back to them, surveying the maps on the table. As he turned around, Suzuka immediately noticed the scar running diagonally across his face, narrowly missing one eye.

Suzuka leaned down to Hermit, cupping her hand around her mouth to whisper.

 “Wow, he looks so cool. By any means, we have to get cat people to move to my town. I mean, just look at him.”

But Hermit stood frozen, his green skin ashen, almost gray, his eyes locked on the cat leader. His mouth hung open, trembling as if he'd seen a ghost. 

The cat leader’s voice cut through the tense air. It was deep and commanding, yet it held a curious undertone.

 "Welcome, Mountain Crusher. I am the leader of my tribe, but most call me Cat Boss. I hear you wish to speak with me. What do you have to say?"