Despite the different patterns and pushback, you still manage to take the demons down that are in your way and escape the arcade. Just outside, you see just how far the world has fallen. There are destroyed buildings, small groups of demons roaming the area, humans being taken as prisoner or just getting outright fucked and transformed. Seeing the desperate situation before you motivates you to keep moving forward.
After taking down a few groups of demons and leveling up a little bit, you come across a naked group that seems like they are on their last leg surrounded by a group of stronger demons. Taking a closer look, you see tanukis like the ones from the VR simulation you just escaped, only with modern weaponry and cybernetic enhancements. You make quick work of the demons surrounding them as you offer your hand to them hesitantly, your mind not taking to kindly to the furry creatures you just had to fight recently. You then remember your HUD and think about the deserters, this group seems to fit the idea you had of deserters. You heal them with a few of your potions and introduce yourself to them.
The leader is Ren, a chubby drunkard with a worn rice hat, fuzz that acts like a beard, and brandishing a solid, spiked club. Despite his gut and moobs, he’s a pretty competent martial artist and pretty strong despite smelling like sake and beer most of the time. He’s the fun one.
There’s a very shaggy and brusque herm called Nezo, despite having both genitalia, prefers female pronouns while acting like the most masculine one in the group. Shi’s even larger than Ren in every way, but shi is also the most aggressive, making hir an aggro tank that wields brass knuckles, but crazy outside of battles.
There’s a twink named Nashi who hasn’t stopped looking at you since you appeared to save them. Even though all these tanuki are chubby, he’s the slimmest one of them all despite his abundant ass. He’s taken the role of the responsible one or the group mom as the archer/gunner.
Somehow they’ve managed to rope in a demon to help them named Phi, who was now getting destroyed by his own kind. He helps the group by boosting their magic and casting spells. You suppose they don’t take traitors to kindly.
After meeting them, they tell you in order for them to team up with you, they need some leaves from a tree they can use to transform.