Turkey! Time to Strike (Turkey!)

Mai?

Rina.

Sayuri-dono.

Nozomi!

Nanase.

Knaves!

Show yourselves!

We're right here.

Fire!

Careful, boys. You might get hurt.

Release.

Mai!

Hold tight, okay?

We're just getting started.

Knaves!

As expected.

Saving them on this occasion won't matter if they just get invaded again.

War Room

Keep out!

m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100

Natsume-san and her sisters have to keep living in their time.

So our goal shouldn't be rescuing them.

Kagetoki Army

It should be victory.

Victory?

But I mean, like, how are we gonna beat them?

We have to cut off Kagetoki's head.

C-C-C-C-C-Cut off his head?

N-N-N-N-No way!

Don't say that so lightly! What are you, one of the 47 ronin?

A surprising deep-cut reference.

If possible, we should cut off all their heads.

But she's probably right. Back then, that would be victory.

I don't want to kill anyone.

I do want to save Suguri-san and everyone! Definitely!

And I know how different things are between their time and ours.

But we're going to keep living our lives in this era.

I really don't want to kill anyone.

And I don't want you guys to have to kill, either.

Got it. Okay, let's find a middle ground.

There's gotta be a way we can save the sisters without killing anybody.

I was waiting for you to say that.

Please look at this.

While I can't vouch for its authenticity,

this is one example of how lords in the Sengoku period

may have settled disagreements with shogi instead of fighting.

Shogi?

This one shows sumo wrestling.

For real?

So peaceful.

So there was a middle ground.

If we can get them on board with an activity that plays to our advantage,

maybe we can secure freedom for Natsume-san and her sisters

without having to behead Kagetoki and everyone in his clan.

Something that plays to our advantage?

Well, that's gotta be bowling, of course.

Yeah.

Really? You wanna get them on board with bowling?

Really! Bowling's about the most fun—

Let her finish, Captain.

What?

Yes. If we can get them on board, it could be the difference between life and death.

And I've found something else:

A strategy we are probably much more accustomed to than Kagetoki is.

Oh my god! Like, seriously?

Washio men are so disgusting!

Are you for real, Washio province? You think it's okay to point those at girls?

You craven cowards, Washio province! We're completely unarmed!

So that's how Washio province rolls, is it?

Huh.

What... What weird hairdos you have!

I-I'd love their lord to show his face for once. For real!

I-Insolence!

Shouting "Insolence!" again?

Don't you dumdums know the old saying: "Change the record"?

Oh, guess you wouldn't. Because you're dumdums!

You're the insolent ones, cowards!

You would call me a coward?

Insolent, you say?

Bring me those girls' heads!

So you're gonna kill us, just like that?

And let Kagetoki-sama keep on being an insolent coward?

He'll be famous in the history books!

Yeah, for murdering defenseless girls.

That's right. Aren't real warriors supposed to face their battles head-on?

This doesn't count as you winning, you know.

It's just murder!

Yeah, what she said. Oh, are you scared?

Scared you might lose in a real fight? Haw haw!

Haw haw!

Trash talk?

Right. It's spelled with the same kanji as "insult." "Trash talk."

Trash Talk

In other words, a name-calling contest.

A name-calling contest?

Meaning we will literally provoke them with insults.

Huh?

For real?

Yes, for real. However, this isn't how we'll decide the winner.

This is more a preliminary psychological attack.

There are stories of generals losing battles after their enemy's trash-talk did damage.

Seriously?

So much for sticks and stones.

Right! In a time with no internet, TV, or magazines,

big-name warriors probably had zero clue how to respond to getting dissed.

As such, they're likely as flame-retardant as a newborn chihuahua. Woof.

A newborn chihuahua?

It's something of a gamble, but if our trash-talking really gets to him,

we should be able to talk him into a bowling match.

Good. Let's do it.

You ready? Here we go.

Stubborn as Weeds! Ikkokukan High School

Here we go.

Stubborn as Weeds! Ikkokukan High School

Stubborn as Weeds! Ikkokukan High School

Stubborn as Weeds! Ikkokukan High School

Here we go.

Here we go.

I mean, like, isn't killing such a cringe way to win?

So cringe. They're just too stupid.

Bug-level intelligence.

Yeah, but even bugs don't indiscriminately kill other members of the same species.

They're dumber than bugs. Dumber than bugs. Haw haw!

Is this lord going to show us what he's got or what?

No, make up your own mind.

Kagetoki-sama.

Will you shut up for a minute, grandpa?

"G-Grandpa"?

Does Kagetoki even...

...have the guts to show us what he's made of?

You ready?

Let's do this, Kagetoki-san. Face us in a nonfatal battle.

Kagetoki-sama.

If I do not stand up to this ridicule, my clan will bear the shame for generations.

State your terms for this nonfatal battle.

Got him.

This is called bowling.

The side that knocks over the most pins wins.