Chapter 22: The Grit
With Cookie by her side, Muko's ready for battle.
Muko barely survives her encounter with Kalita because her lust caused her to melt out of the vixen's grasp. Sadly, this depresses Muko as she finally realizes how her lust is her true weakness. It's up to Cookie to motivate Muko to regain her fighting spirit and continue the fight with Kalita.
- Call-Back: Cookie pulls an Instant Costume Change on Muko for her rematch on Kalita, just like she did on their first fight.
- The Cameo: Saniko, the Cafe Carrots maids, and Nyarai appear in Muko's memories as people who looked down on her, or hurt her, in the past.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Implied, as when Muko remembers all of the people who looked down on her, one panel is pure static, as if Muko is trying to suppress a memory.
- Deadpan Snarker: Kalita isn't impressed with Muko and Cookie's exchange at the end of the chapter, just snarking in annoyance.
- Determinator: Cookie points out that she's this as she's been suffering two years of losses and yet she's still in furry fighting. This is what gets Muko to turn solid the first time at the beginning of the chapter.
- Did Not See That Coming: Both Muko and Cookie are shocked when Kalita flashes her breasts at them to defeat Muko. Cookie lampshades that she didn't expect Kalita to resort to that and assumed her to be more reserved about her body.
- Disappointed in You: Kalita voices her disappointment in Muko when she starts to cry about her weakness. Kalita expected better since their first fight.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Muko wants to continue the fight with Kalita, but being stuck in a hot tub with her, with two Monyan girls watching them, triggers an Imagine Spot that causes her Lustful Melt in the beginning.
- Fatal Flaw: Muko finally recognizes that her lust is a weakness to her, especially now that she wants to fight to protect others.
- Girl on Girl Is Hot: Muko had an Imagine Spot with Kalita and the Monyan girls having a threesome that induced her Lustful Melt this time.
- Gratuitous Japanese: Muko delivers a deluge of synonyms for breasts upon seeing Kalita's. One of the words she uses is oppai, which is Japanese for "breasts".
- Imagine Spot: Muko had one where Kalita and the two Monyan girls had a threesome, which triggered her Lustful Melt this time.
- Instant Costume Change: Cookie once again demonstrates the ability to dress Muko instantly by giving her a new Combagal outfit to resume her fight with Kalita.
- Mentor's New Hope: Cookie calls Muko her last lifeline when she motivates her the second time, acknowledging how Muko was the only one who forgave her for Trilamity Day and for failing her for the Masato Match. Her words give Muko a Heroic Second Wind that allows her to resume the fight.
- One-Hit Kill: Played for Laughs as rather than keep fighting Muko, Kalita exploits the bunny's lust by flashing her breasts at her. The sight causes her to be blasted into the hot tub.
- The Resenter: Muko can live a happy life, but she still remembers when someone has looked down on her. As such, she strives to prove them wrong.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: The Monyan girls run away at the sight of Muko melted in their hot tub.
- Show Some Leg: Kalita shows her bare breasts to Muko in order to beat her in one shot rather than waste any more time on her.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Kalita isn't impressed by Muko's Heroic Second Wind and her Battle Aura at the end of the chapter, treating it as a minor inconvenience. She is right as she wins against Muko again with a single blow after going all out in the next chapter.
- Villain Respect: Kalita shows that she still has this with Muko, showing disappointment for giving up on the fight compared to their previous encounter.
- Walking Swimsuit Scene: Muko's Combagal outfit for her rematch against Kalita is a swimsuit with an exposed belly.
- Weaksauce Weakness: Played for Drama as, thanks to her Character Development, Muko finally acknowledges that her lust is a weakness that will hinder her dream of being a Combagal.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Cookie gives this to Muko when Kalita takes her out, begging her to keep fighting until the end. This gives Muko a Heroic Second Wind to continue fighting Kalita again.
