And we're back, first Tales chapter of the year has a good mixture of all the things that make this story fun, so I hope you all enjoy.


It had been a week since they'd first entered the Dungeon of Fallen Leaves as a full party, and in that week, they'd entered daily, comfortably falling back into their usual rhythm for hunting.

… And mapping out the [Territory] of the dungeon boss, readying themselves for a rematch. Iormu had explained that a [Territory] was a sort of lesser [Domain], influenced but not controlled by its main occupant, which explained why they couldn't see through the ring of trees surrounding the Gashadokuro's area.

It was a bit of a different feeling, actively preparing to battle a monster of that level.

The closest they'd come to fighting a 'boss-like' monster on purpose was when they went up against Zoran Zesshu, the Orc Guardian from the raid, and his Shaman, Avaael.

Though they'd divided their party of four in half to do that.

… Come to think of it, they'd never fought a boss monster with their full party.

For a moment, that left Haruhiro wondering how bad their luck was, which twisted around to being impressed with how good their luck was because none of them had died in the process.

Except that… Yukio was supposed to die, when she fought the Gashadokuro.

He was sure of it, but he'd… prevented that, somehow.

Haruhiro didn't know how or why he could do that, or if he could ever do it again, and thus, he could only keep close to his heart the lesson that anyone's luck could run out, at any time.

So he'd just stack the decks as much as he could, so that they didn't need luck to win.

What had happened in the dungeon marked a turning point in more ways than one, in more lives than one.


It had worried Yukio at first, that after her 'rebirth' she had come to truly enjoy fighting.

She had wondered if there was something wrong with her.

Somewhat hesitantly, she had voiced her concerns to Rachnera.

They were both aware without being told that they had become something akin to kindred spirits.

"Do I like fighting? … Not exactly?" Rachnera said after a moment.

Yukio couldn't help but feel somewhat disheartened, without truly understanding the meaning behind that feeling.

"If I'm being honest, I like winning fights more than I like the actual fighting part." Rachnera went on with a shrug. "Probably the carnivore in me who associates 'food' with 'victory'. And really, winning without having to fight means I'm putting less work into getting fed."

"I… see." Yukio replied slowly. "The result rather than… the process?"

Rachnera nodded. "I don't mind fighting, but I'd rather hunt, if that makes sense? Though I suppose I enjoy the fighting part more when the stakes aren't so high."

"Mm." A brief nod from Yukio.

"Cerea's a bit of both since she loves a challenge, while Tio and Iormu are both in it for the shared excitement, in a sense, and to keep an eye on those they care about. And Haru…"

"... Haru?"

"... I don't know, to be honest." Rachnera said after a while, tapping a finger to her chin. "Not sure if Haru knows himself."

It was hard to say that Haru had truly 'chosen' the sort of life they lived, but at the same time, if he had wished to hang up his blades, no one would have blamed him.

"I wonder if his old home was… a peaceful place?"

"Good question," Rachnera said. "It makes sense that everything seems new to him when he has so few memories, but… hardly anything, except things tied to your culture, seem to trigger any recollections in him."

And only the more mundane aspects. Things like monsters and magic, spirits… even other races of people like themselves, none of that seemed to have ever been 'familiar' to Haru.

"Don't tell Haru I said this, but it's kind of exciting how many memories we get to help him make."

"And perhaps we should not tell him… how often our conversations end… with him as the topic." Yukio said with a soft smile.

Rachnera smirked back, but didn't actually voice any opinion on the matter.

Haru might have been a little harder to fluster nowadays, but that had only made fluttering him feel more worthwhile.

… Maybe the result wasn't always better than the process.

The two women sat together quietly for a while, aware that their thoughts were being shared on some level, even without being voiced.


For all their caution in preparing for the final confrontation with the Gashadokuro, it was somewhat ironic to be caught by surprise by something else.

It became a thoroughly embarrassing experience for… most of them.

The Yokai being an ape really should have been a dead giveaway that it was trouble.

"Ah… that is a Satori," the creature loudly murmured in Yukio's quiet voice. "Is that the one that speaks our thoughts… out loud?"

… The Yokai and the party both froze in place.

Yukio covered her mouth with her sleeve, eyes a little wide.

The Satori resembled a large and muscular ape, almost as tall at the shoulder as Tio was period.

The shoulder being the highest point of its body, as it didn't really have a head, just facial features crammed into its upper chest, as if its clavicle was actually its brow.

"It can read our thoughts!?" The Satori exclaimed in Tio's bubbly voice. "Wait, if it reads mine it's gonna just talk about how fluffy Haru makes me feel, that's not embarrassing at all- I take it back don't say that out loud when everyone's listening!?"

The Satori's eyes went wide as a red-faced Tio swung the club she got from a different ape at it in a spirited attempt to cave its face… chest… in.

"Wait, hang on," it borrowed Rachnera's voice to say. "If it knows what we're thinking, why did it look so surprised when Tio swung at it?"

"Ah, that makes sense," Centorea's voice asserted confidently from the ape's mouth, as it took a white-feathered arrow to the shoulder. "It can only divine our tactics when we plan them, it is helpless against spontaneity."

The Satori swung its wide arms to drive off Rachnera, who easily gave ground.

"I suppose I am no different though, as Haru can surely attest. Ah, who knew that having both 'attacked' at once would be such a blissful-"

"C-CEASE THAT AT ONCE, YOU WRETCH!" Centorea screamed in Centorea's voice, looking more flustered than anyone had ever seen her.

"Oh man, Cerea's really embarrassed!" The ape stammered in Tio's voice, followed by a slapping sound as Tio clamped a hand over her mouth in reflex. "Sorry! I didn't mean it! I totally get it though, Haru's way too good sometimes, especially when he does that thing with his tongue-!"

Tio shrieked.

"Screw this, I'm done waiting!" The Satori shouted back in Rachnera's voice. "You think I need my hands to rock Haru's w-w-world y-y-you daaaaammmn monkey!?"

No one had ever heard Rachnera shriek, so it was a little disorienting to hear it coming from someone else's mouth.

… A sword that gleamed with its owner's outrage… Dainty boots that cratered the earth with every step…. The menacing rattle of eight spear-like legs.

"... Ah, if Haru thinks I am a dirty girl… will he treat me like one?" Yukio's whimper was lost beneath the cold and obscuring wind that began to swirl around the Tsurara-Onna, menacing even as it concealed her mortification.

"A lesson learned too late, foolish ape," Iormu blandly commented, crossing her arms beneath her bust and watching with some amusement as four thoroughly incensed women advanced upon the Satori. "Ah, Haruhiro, I would suggest averting your gaze for a moment."

Wisely, a furiously blushing Haruhiro did as he was told.


There was a good deal of eye contact being avoided on the trek out of the Dungeon, but the trip was quiet otherwise.

In their haste to leave, they missed entirely the second Satori…

The one who had chosen its target first, yet had not made it into the clearing at all.

The other Yokai gave it a wide berth as it dashed and stumbled through the shifting woods, burnt orange leaves crunching beneath its every step as it crashed through the trees.

"Sure Mom I'll bring the garbage out right after- what the hell, is that a slime? -hey what's that light- who are you people? Does anyone know where we are!? Get off the road-! My condolences- I don't wanna die here-! damn, bottle's empty- my name is- who are you-?"

To the garbled cacophony of a dozen voices not its own, a monster hurled itself into the river in pursuit of silence.


"Is it weird that I feel bad for none of my embarrassing secrets getting told out loud by a giant monkey?" Haruhiro muttered to Iormu, as they moved in the rear guard.

Iormu gave a brief chuckle, and shook her head.

"It is not so strange, to feel guilty when you are the only one 'spared' misfortune while those you care for suffer… even if it is only their pride that has been wounded, somewhat." The serpent commented. "I do not believe 'choice' was involved in my being spared, however."

"What makes you say that?"

"Body, mind and soul, we Jormungand, in fact any demigods, are put together somewhat differently than the mortal races." Iormu explained. "For the Yokai, reaching into my mind would have been something akin to attempting to draw well water with a garden rake."

Haruhiro considered that for a moment, and the slither of Iormu's coils slowed somewhat, at the hint of consternation that appeared on the boy's face, seemingly without his awareness.

Iormu chided herself mentally as the reason became clear- she hadn't meant to imply that she was beyond mortal understanding.

That she was beyond his.

"Naturally, it is different for those who wish to 'draw from the well' with our blessing, so to speak," Iormu continued on, as if she hadn't noticed anything.

Haruhiro turned his head slightly her way, and Iormu continued the act, 'missing entirely' the hint of hopefulness there.

And then she smirked, because if he was expecting something profound, he had another thing coming.

"For people such as that, most of my kind would simply offer a bucket."

Haruhiro snickered a moment later, and Iormu unashamedly basked in the sense of achievement her not-quite joke had granted her.


Rachnera dragged him off the moment they'd returned to the inn.

Except in a careful way, because Rachnera was consistent like that.

Once at the inn, she'd fished the key that hung around her neck on a thin cord out of her cleavage, and whisked him away to her bedroom loft in the Twilight Manor.

With no small amount of curiosity, after being seated upon the couch Haruhiro let his eyes drift around the room.

It was the first time Rachnera had invited him in, usually she just visited his room when they spent time together.

It was clean, cozy, and dimly lit. A large hammock hung near the center of the room, and a desk with no chair rested against the wall, covered in a mixture of sewing and writing supplies. Above the desk on a corkboard hung from the wall were varying sketches of familiar figures in not quite familiar outfits.

"I didn't know you could draw, but I guess it makes sense to have a reference for the outfits you make."

Rachnera gave a slight smile, seating herself on the floor in front of him (putting them more or less at eye level).

"So," she said, her tone leading. "I've been careful."

Haruhiro nodded.

"Too careful."

Haruhiro tilted his head.

"See, Haru, it occurs to me that boobs are soft."

"I think that's usually the case?" Haruhiro agreed, somewhat confusedly.

"My boobs are soft." Rachnera specified. "Which means I can't cut you open with them."

"I'll admit, I'd be frightened if you could."

Rachnera gave an amused little huff, and after a moment of silence between them, promptly took hold of the bottom of her halter top and tugged it upwards.

Her pale skin seemed to glow in the dim light, and Haruhiro followed the bouncing as her top went from covering half her bust, to covering none of her bust.

Rachnera gave a pleased smirk, and crossed her other arm beneath her breasts, pushing them up for closer inspection.

"So, if you know all that, why are your pants still on?"


"They're doing it, huh?"

"Yes Tio, I believe they are."

"Well good, Rachnée held herself back way longer than I expected!"

"And Haru will… reward her for it, in his own way."

"Mhm, mhm, yep! So, Io, when are you going to take your turn already?"

"... Myself?

"Mhm!"

Iormu's response was a smile that made everyone blush.


Sometimes, taking your time only heightened the experience.

How delicious.

Spreading her breasts apart slowly and carefully, Rachnera leaned forward, enjoying Haru's reaction to her bare tits brushing against his bare legs.

And then, with an almost casual motion, Rachnera removed her hands, letting her heavy bust slap down onto his lap and practically bury his cock at the same time.

Haru moaned for her and it was music to her ears, but it was with some surprise that her own voice intermingled with his.

She hadn't expected having him between her tits to feel so good.

… Well, just maybe Yukio wasn't the only one who craved the warmth of another.

Hiding those complicated feelings behind her smirk, Rachnera gave her shoulders a little wriggle, letting her cleavage jostle Haru's cock about just to watch him squirm.

"So responsive~" Rachnera purred in delight. "I'm having so much fun already, don't you feel the same, Hun~?"

When Haruhiro swallowed and went to respond, Rachnera pressed her palms against the sides of her breasts and pushed them together, prompting another moan.

"Just the answer I was hoping for~"

Hefting her bust with much less caution than she'd hold someone else (she knew her own body well, and her skin was much tougher than it looked), Rachnera began to slowly move her breasts up and down, letting the way she shivered as his heat slid against her skin be concealed by the jiggle of her bust.

All six of her eyes devoted to not missing a single twitch of Haruhiro's body, to feel out every weakness for the sole purpose of maximizing his pleasure.

Taking care not to mix in any of her venom- the last thing she wanted was for Haru to feel her less- Rachnera let drool dribble down from her long pointed tongue and into the valley of her bust, kneading it in to make her breasts nice and slippery.

Haru gasped, and his hips bucked up strongly, so Rachnera pushed down with her hands on top of her bosom. It kind of made her feel like she had Haru pinned with just her tits, and Rachnera liked that feeling more than a little.

"R-Rachnée!"

An indescribable rush of pleasure surged through her when Haru hissed her name through clenched teeth.

Again.

She wanted to hear it again, and again-

"Again, Haru, again," Rachnera demanded as her huge pale tits relentlessly bullied his cock. "I want to hear you say my name when you cum."

As if she'd cast a spell on him, Haruhiro didn't consider anything but obedience.

His hips pushed up, her breasts pushed down, and a hoarse shout echoed through the dim room.

The blissful sound of her name echoing from his lips and that blissful heat spurting all over her boobs left every one of Rachnera's limbs trembling with pure and total pleasure.

Rachnera kept it to herself that the first orgasm shared between them was mutual.


"Woow~ just look at all the mess you made of my boobs," Rachnera teased with a smile, giving her boobs a little jiggle to spread the mess just that little bit more . "I guess I didn't have to worry about you getting too used to breasts to enjoy them properly, huh?"

"That would be a sad day," Haruhiro responded almost instantly.

Rachnera giggled.

"... Cute." It was a way more girly and innocent laugh than Haruhiro was used to from the sultry woman.

Six eyes blinked when Rachnera realized that the human staring wide-eyed at her had been talking about her.

Then her pale skin flushed a deeper red than her eyes.

"C-cute!? Me? Hahaha, a little t-too much for flattery, don't y-you think?" Rachnera stammered out, vision swimming as the dizziness she was feeling from having Haru's scent thick on her body was suddenly heightened.

"Most of the time you're more sexy than cute, but this time you were more cute than sexy."

"I-is this really something to be stubborn about!?"

"Yes."

That single word cut through her fluster.

… Cute.

He really did… think she was cute, didn't he.

Her of all people.

If Haruhiro's words had needed proof, the sight of Rachnera slowly covering her reddened face with her hands, and turning her head away would have been evidence enough.


The room was quiet, as Rachnera moved herself some distance away as they cleaned themselves up.

Quiet, but in a comfortable way.

"We should stop there," Rachnera said lightly. "Fun as it is to make you squirm for me, I don't really want to test my self-control twice in one evening."

"I would have liked to make you feel good too, but I don't want to push," Haruhiro easily agreed.

"No need to worry about that," Rachnera mumbled without thinking.

"Sorry, say that again?"

Rachnera coughed, glad that the distance between them concealed her features somewhat.

"N-nothing, just talking to myself." Rachnera moved back into the light, wearing a smirk as she put her hands on her wide hips. Her confident demeanor was enhanced somewhat by how she hadn't bothered to cover her breasts back up at all, and they bounced with every bold motion of her body.

"Think I'll enjoy my hammock for now, so run along before I get anymore tempted to tie you up and use you as a pillow." Rachnera pointedly began removing her top entirely, naked was the most comfortable way to sleep.

Haruhiro took the playful threat with good grace, finishing buckling up his pants as he rose off the couch.

Rachnera gave him a curious look as he went towards her, rather than away, and Haruhiro gently closed his hands over hers, briefly halting the process of untying her loincloth.

Six eyes widened in pleasant surprise as he pushed up on his heels and kissed her goodnight.

… And to think that once, being treated like a woman had been nothing more than a dream of hers.


Haruhiro slept alone that night, and thus, it was 'their' turn for a visit.

She, to visit upon Haruhiro, and Haruhiro, to cross over to visit that distant shore he could only visit in his dreams.

Leaning over him carefully, Iormu exhaled softly, letting the mist caress his face like a ghostly kiss. It wouldn't do for him to wake up while they were working, after all.

And Lala would be rather unamused if the visit was cut short.

Once the magic had set in, Iormu gently slid her tail beneath Haruhiro's body, and began to slowly coil around him.

With great care and delicacy, Iormu gradually tightened her coils, doing her part to ensure he stayed together, and would once more wake up as Haruhiro when the dawn arrived.


It wasn't all that strange for Haruhiro to go to sleep alone and wake up wrapped in snake coils, actually, it wasn't all that strange to wake up to find that at least one of the girls had wandered in for late night cuddles (it was cute when they sleep-walked and did it without realizing), but it was Iormu that morning.

Head propped up on one hand, Iormu's upper body reclined at his side as she observed him with a reserved yet gentle smile.

"Good morning, Haruhiro-"

Conveniently, his upper body was mostly free, so…

Iormu blinked as her cheek was cupped, and then hummed in appreciation as he twisted to press a kiss on her lips.

"Good morning, Iormu," he smiled in return.

Her full lips quirking into a smirk, Iormu pushed him back down onto his back, and then shifted to drape her torso atop his, their faces inches apart.

Whatever was bothering her seemed to fade away with the second kiss, so Haruhiro decided that it was going to be a good day.

Especially important given their big plans for the morning.


Iormu did not truly know why one of the greatest advantages they had against the Gashadokuro worked.

Why Haruhiro's [Twilight Eyes] could perceive the 'seams' of an Undead like the Gashadokuro.

You could not kill what was already dead, merely destroy it to free what dregs of the soul clung to its body.

Perhaps it was merely that Haruhiro perceived 'something moving' as 'something that could be killed', and thus his Eyes perceived them as valid targets, despite how he could not target plants, which actually were alive.

Iormu had spoken her made-up explanation with confidence to deny any room for doubt on Haruhiro's part to color his perception.

Rachnera had seen through her, and would later tease her mercilessly in the same breath she had admitted that Iormu had made the right call.


"... Long awaited revenge," Yukio quietly said, her tone as mellow as ever as she half-raised her clenched fist, deep blue eyes shimmering with intensity.

"Hasn't it only been a week?" Rachnera murmured with a wry smile.

"It's adorable so it's fine!" Tio confidently murmured back.

They were aiming to clear the Dungeon of Fallen Leaves that day, which required defeating the boss monster.

Challenging a boss on purpose didn't really seem any less strange to Haruhiro, but they were never going to have better conditions for doing so than a challenge more or less designed for them so he agreed that it could be a valuable experience.

Cerea was excited as well, naturally, but she looked as composed and dignified as ever if you ignored the lively swish of her tail.

… The audible swish of her tail.

She caught his smile out of the corner of her eye and flashed a sheepish smile before steadying, turning her head to face him fully with a calm patience in her lovely blue eyes.

As he often did, Haruhiro took quiet confidence from the sight of the gallant beauty who had offered him both her heart and her sword.

"Stick to the plan, but don't be afraid to improvise if the situation calls for it." Haruhiro addressed the group, voice clear and steady. "We're ready, we're together, that pile of bones doesn't stand a chance."

The languid smirk of their leader sent beating hearts racing faster.

"Now, let's go prove it."


Through the dense ring of trees, they entered into that barren field, some, returning, and others, for the very first time.

"This place has… changed." Yukio murmured.

Even she could understand that, despite not having been in her right mind the last time she was there.

"And I do not believe retreat is an option," Iormu said, looking back over her shoulder.

Littered with countless clusters of bones, a long and bumpy hill dominated the center of the field, a dry breeze stirring the white dust that blanketed the land.

It was a field seemingly without end in any direction, the treeline they had entered from nowhere to be seen.

And in spite of how the morning sun had been shining brightly, what stretched above them was an endless gray sky without cloud or sun.

As if the very world around them had quietly died.

"What a dreary [Territory] we've found ourselves in," Iormu sighed.

"At least we needn't guess where the foe might be lurking," Centorea gestured with the point of her sword into the distance.

Atop the largest pile of bones, at the top of the hill, a gigantic skull rested at an angle.

As if it had merely been awaiting their attention, corpselight gleamed in great hollow eye sockets, and the bone pile began to rattle.

The bones clattered and flowed together into the shape of a colossal skeleton, the mismatched bones of its spinal column jutting from the ground as if it remained half-buried, supporting itself on its hands as if readying itself to pull free of its grave.

"It's just like you thought, Haru," Centorea raised her voice slightly. "Everything but the skull is made of multiple bones clinging together." She was the only one with the eyesight sharp enough to make out the details clearly.

And then everyone could see the Gashadokuro was reaching out with arms that seemed long enough to claw at the sky, and clenching its bony fist around a smaller bone pile.

Eyes widening, Haruhiro shouted "Yukio, ice wall!", and the time for pondering was over as the Gashadokuro hurled enough bones to fill a wagon at them.


Bones shattered against a wall of ice that held firm, splinters of bones flying everywhere.

"Good work, Yukio," Haruhiro said without looking her way, his seemingly sleepy eyes darting this way and that. "Yeah, looks like we'd hoped, the bones aren't 'enhanced' in any way… but there's no guarantee the ones attached to the Gashadokuro are the same, so keep your guards up."

Obviously, the bones of the Gashadokuro were magical in some way since ordinary bones didn't move on their own, but that didn't tell them precisely in what way those bones were magical.

But the bones hurled their way were brittle.

Brittle, but still dangerous, because they could be sharp when they shattered.

The Gashadokuro was reaching for a second pile of bones, as Haruhiro gave his next set of instructions, confident their shelter would hold but with Centorea using its transparent nature to keep an eye on the boss.

"Footing seems firm, any problems?"

Five heads gave quick shakes.

"Right, then it'll take a little longer, but we'll go with our original strategy. More distance, but more cover, so keep low, you three."

Rachnera, Tio, and Iormu nodded.

"Incoming," Centorea calmly reported, as the Gashadokuro pulled its arm back, bony fist full.

"We'll go left, you go right," Haruhiro said as he helped Yukio onto Centorea's back, and hopped up behind her. "We scatter once the bones hit."

Using the cracking of bone against ice as a starting signal, the party split in two.

Centorea galloped out from cover and into the open, circling to the left, and so naturally, the great bone head swung ponderously in the direction of her and her riders.

The great bone giant roared as the corpselight in its eyes flared.


The basics of their strategy was simple- the bulk of the party were melee fighters (and even if Centorea was a splendid archer, she doubted her bow would do much good against a skeleton), and the Gashadokuro had much, much more reach than they did.

Even Centorea, the fastest of them all, couldn't close in carelessly when a giant skeleton was taking swings at her.

Thus, instead, she was using that speed to keep it occupied while the distance was lessened. And they were taking advantage of how the combined weight of Haruhiro and Yukio didn't hinder her at all to reduce the risk as much as possible.

Yukio on the attack to keep its attention, allowing Centorea to focus on running, and Haruhiro, as the better rider, keeping Yukio stable so that Centorea needed to spare less attention to her passengers.

And to serve as a second set of eyes, so that both the boss and the path ahead were kept in view at all times.

Thus, Centorea needed to do little but run, trusting her fate to her riders as they trusted their fates to her.

The smile upon her face remained firm the whole way.


"It's twisting around easily enough, but no sign of trying to pull itself out of the ground," Rachnera reported quietly. "And only the main eyes seem to be tracking movement."

Rachnera, as the fastest after Centorea, had taken up the potentially dangerous job of testing whether or not the Gashadokuro could 'see' with multiple sets of eyes, given that its body contained numerous skulls.

Using its long arms, the Gashadokuro could dig its finger into the earth and turn itself around, but it also remained rooted otherwise (not hard to rotate in any direction when you were seemingly just spine from the ribs down), and was focused on Centorea and the others.

The somewhat whimsical thought that she appreciated Cerea being blonde and having a ponytail came to the forefront- made her easier to see from a distance.

Damn girl must be having the time of her life over there.


It was a foolish thought to have, but Centorea was rather enjoying herself at the moment.

Something about pitting the speed of her legs against the throwing arm of a dread beast felt like a deeply worthy task, especially with both her Master and one of her best friends riding her back.

Galloping away, towards, around, it did not matter, bearing the weight of those she had sworn to defend in dangerous times was inherently noble, and like every good Knight, Centorea lived for moments like that.

Doubly so when she was doing her part in keeping the monster's gaze away from other, less swift-footed companions.

In a wide, zigzagging arc they made their way ever closer, close enough now that Yukio answered the continued assault of the Gashadokuro with glittering arrows of ice, doing little harm but keeping its attention firmly their way.

Soon, any moment now-

"I see it," Haruhiro's calm voice cut through the hammering of hooves. "Yeah, just like Iormu expected."

An Undead of this size would most certainly have a core, the Jormungand had asserted.

A fatal weak point to serve as the heart of a being whose mortal heart had long withered away.

Centorea shivered slightly, and her gallant smile widened as she came to understand the sort of expression her beloved Haru was making, even without glancing his way.

"If we want to kill this thing, we're going straight for the head."

There was no way it could have heard them, but the Gashadokuro reacted to… something, and changed tactics.

It drew its arm back, twisting away, and before bringing its huge, gangly arm lashing out.

They should have still been almost a full arms length away, but rather than hurl its latest fistful of bones, the Gashadokuro had added them to its arm.

But Centorea just laughed when Haruhiro shouted to her.

Veering sharply and laughing still, Centorea charged up a shallow hill and then leapt.

As if unwilling to mar the view, the dust cloud left in the wake of that massive arm scouring the earth below parted cleanly before the sailing body of the boldly laughing Knight who had leapt towards her attacker, rather than away.

It had leaned too far, trying to swat those pests, and for the first time, the Gashadokuro had briefly placed itself in reach as Centorea soared through the air as if given wings.

Still in its sheath to spare the blade when a bludgeon was of more use, a great blade was brought arcing down with a sharp cry.

"[Helm-Splitter]!"


… No one could blame them for needing a second to process that.

With two people on her back, Centorea had practically flown through the air, and smashed off half the Gashadokuro's bottom jaw, as the force of its swing left its body partially twisted away from them.

She hit the ground, skidded, twisted, and the hill in her way suddenly became a fluffy snow pile, which the three collided into, sidelong.

The snow protected them from most of the impact, and Haru's leg from getting crushed between the hill and Centorea (Yukio was sitting side-saddle, and her legs were on the other side).

Naturally, even Centorea hadn't had the time to stick the landing, and, considering that the hill she'd leapt from was gone, it had been leap or die.

"... Damn she's cool," six eyes blinked as Rachnera realized that it had been Tio who said that.

Tio blushed, but she'd meant every word and not a soul could blame her.


Extricating themselves from the snow could have been a fatal delay, one that scarcely crossed their minds when said snowpile vanished from around them with a snap of Yukio's fingers.

But even then, recovery was not instant, and the Gashodokuro's great head, dangling half a jawbone, was already turned their way with a malevolent gleam of corpselight in its hollow eyes, drawing it's great arm back for a second swing.

"Eiiiiiyah!" The admittedly cute warcry was drowned out by a sound like a pottery shop having its entire stock smashed at once, and instead, the Gashadokuro was forced to catch itself on the forearm drawn back to crush itself.

The owner of that cute voice, Tio, had charged across the remaining gap when she saw the snowpile swallow her friends, and put the rotation and momentum of her entire body into a two-handed swing at the bone giant's spine.

Smashing through a tangle of bones, Tio spun with the followthrough and came right back around, smashing through the comparatively thin trunk that remained, and briefly disconnecting the Gashadokuro's spine from the ground.

But of course, felling that moving menagerie of dead bones wasn't nearly that simple, and Tio was forced to dive out of the way as it tried to drop the bottom of its rib cage on her.

Its body twisted freely to face the Ogress scrambling to her feet, but before it could attack again, a thick line of thread latched onto its dangling jaw.

Gritting her sharp teeth, Rachnera heaved with all her might, and the leverage granted by eight legs let her tug the hanging bone right off its skull.

It swiped at her with its forearm, but Rachnera was the best jumper by far, and effortlessly evaded the swing.

Yukio froze its planted hand to the ground, but the Gashadokuro merely left those bones behind, reforming the limb into a vertebrae whip.

One it didn't immediately lash out at the Tsurara-Onna with, as Iormu breathed a torrent of ocean water into its hollow face.

The whip flailed, but Centorea had already scooped up Yukio and galloped free, so only earth was struck and shattered.

Yukio twisted in Centorea's arms and sent out a lance of ice, crashing into the Gashadokuro's shoulder and leaving it one-armed once more.

And all the while, Haruhiro waited patiently for the opening he needed, trusting in the girls to give him one.

The corpselight was the key- the spectral flame blazing inside of its hollow skull marked the 'core' his Eyes were guiding him to cut, a cluster of red seams intersecting.

It made him wonder if he was adaptable or just crazy, that he could wait so calmly to stab a giant skeleton in the eye.

Harried on every side, the Gashodokuro lifted its head high, and, unhindered by missing half a jaw, gave an echoing, hollow roar, as if to protest being ganged up on.

The party was frozen stiff when seemingly every bone pile in the [Territory] began to rattle in answer.

The bones flowed together into dozens upon dozens of mismatched skeletons that retained distinct features.

Beaked skulls with tarnished gems crowning their heads.

There, what seemed to be a fusion of skull and torso, bulky even when just bone.

Kappas, Satori… the remnants of various Yokai they had faced before, almost like…

"The slow approach has worked against us, t'would seem." Iormu sighed.

Suddenly, they were facing off against a general in the midst of its army.

… An army whose numbers had swelled with the bodies of the enemies they'd faced to get that far.

As if itching for a rematch, the skeletal swarm gave hollow shrieks and howls.

Suddenly, they were very much outnumbered.

Iormu, the one who had been closest to one of the piles, swung her tail in a long arc, scattering the small band of skeletons entirely.

And as she twisted her body, she saw what the others saw, and knew the reason as to why no one was afraid.

Smiling.

He was… smiling.

No, not smiling.

Haruhiro was grinning like a fool.

"Hey Cerea, up for a heroic charge?"

"Always, Haru," Centorea sighed as if it couldn't be helped, fooling no one with how the corner of her lips was tugging upwards.

"Great, now hold your sword like this." Puzzled, Centorea did as she was told, gripping her sword by handle and sheath just below waist height, forming almost a shelf of sorts with the broad leather sheath.

The other four had already spread out to meet the approaching skeletal mob, which 'luckily' was only coming at them from three out of four cardinal directions, as the bone piles had all been within the Gashadokuro's peripheral view.

Wasting no time, Haruhiro moved around in front of Centorea, reached up to put his hands on her shoulders, and…

"Please do not tell me you are planning what I think you are planning," Centorea sighed, feeling a sudden exhaustion that not even the battle had exposed her to.

"I mean, if you already know the plan then I don't really need to…"

Haruhiro was standing upon her sheathed sword.

In the ideal position where she could use her considerable strength to easily launch him from it.

… High into the air.

… High enough perhaps to reach the Gashadokuro's head.

"Those eye sockets are huge, and you've got great aim."

"Haru… I believe you've gone mad."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"I suppose I must have gone mad too." Centorea allowed. "Now, hold on tightly to my shoulders."

It was a foolish, reckless, and insane plan.

The Gashadokuro must have thought so too, because in its last moments before an entire person was hurled at its face, Haruhiro could have sworn those empty eyes widened.


Every skeleton in sight had collapsed when Haruhiro shoved his arm in the Gashadokuro's hollow eye socket, and neatly skewered its core of heatless flame, like a tiny sun gone cold.

Thankfully, Centorea had prepared what Haruhiro had not.

… A landing strategy for their brave fool of a leader.

Things had gotten rather noisy in another, more charming fashion, as Iormu quietly examined them for injury, thankfully finding none more than a few scrapes and bruises (though Centorea was favoring her left hindleg slightly).

Tionishia was being quite vocal about how Haruhiro had been 'very cool' but also how she thought 'her heart would leap out her throat' when she glanced back to find him airborne.

Yukio, avenged in splendid fashion, was staring at Haruhiro with those lovely eyes of hers shimmering bright, wearing the second most satisfied smile she had ever seen upon the demure ice maiden (the first had been upon confirming she was a maiden no longer, come to think of it), and yet…

What caught Iormu's attention most of all was the dazed way Rachnera was staring at her own hands.

A frown of concern spread across her lips as Rachnera pressed a claw tip firmly against her arm, above where the chitin covered, and dragged it across.

Iormu's frown turned to one of puzzlement as a razored claw left nothing but a faint red mark against silky skin.

Rachnera's hand was shaking as it withdrew.

This time with five fingers, Rachnera pressed them low against her abdomen, and slowly pulled them up along the taut planes of her stomach.

Again, nothing more than faint red marks remained, with the one on her arm almost faded away.

Why, it was almost as if Rachnera was using 'nails' like a human would have, instead of the claws she had been born with.

Rachnera's head snapped up, six eyes wild as their gazes met.

Shock, disbelief… hope.

Slowly, Iormu began to smile, as if to urge Rachnera on in a silent show of support.

It was ever the way of mortals to doubt a miracle they felt they did not deserve.

That truth had troubled her kind to no end, because whether small or large, miracles were never undeserved.

Rachnera gulped, audibly.

"H-Haru? Could you come here for a moment?" Her legs weren't moving very well, even though she had more than anyone else.

She forced down the strange lump in her throat that was born from Haru's immediate and prompt response.

"What is it, Rachnera? Are you hurt somewhere-"

"D-do you… trust me?"

"Always." Haruhiro replied with no hesitation.

With a deep breath, Rachnera lifted her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks.

Firmly, but not ungently.

The uselessly soft skin of a human did not give way beneath the uselessly sharp claws of an Arachne.

Six eyes blinked rapidly in unison.

Rachnera's lips crashed into Haruhiro's with enough force to cut his lip on her fangs, and he did not bleed.

The hands cupping his cheeks lifted him from his heels to afford a better angle for the kiss, and he did not bleed.

With all the intense focus of a born huntress, Rachnera focused her entire being upon kissing Haru, upon tasting his mouth with her own.

And decided that now… now the victory felt real.


It had started with sightings of them from afar.

A rider and mount, wandering the mists of the Thousand Valley, to the south of the Forest of Spirits.

Yukine-san and Gorou-san were aware, but as their daughter and guests were occupied challenging the Dungeon, they had elected to keep the knowledge from them, for the time being.

Because while no one had managed to get within shouting distance, they had managed to confirm that the 'mount' was a person.

A Centaur, assumedly, as the silhouette was not all that different from that of Shianus-san.

… If only they had been so fortunate.

If only the rider and mount had remained something that could be referred to as 'people'.

… If only she hadn't succeeded in getting close.

The approaching hoofbeats were muffled by the deep mist, but the screams that followed would soon carry above even that.


It's fine, it's fine, nothing sus at all roaming the mist.

It's fine until after the victory celebration, because Rachnera got her 'reward' before anyone else.

And she'll definitely be in the mood to celebrate.

So we had some lewds, some implied lewds, and a monkey driven insane by peeking into Haru's mind (leave it to Japan to come up with a man-eating, mind-reading ape monster)

One of those things is definitely not like the other.

There were some important little bits of foreshadowing there (like the implication that Iormu knows Lala despite how Haru doesn't know he knows Lala), but mostly this chapter centers around the boss fight, and clearing the Dungeon of Falling Leaves.

Next chapter will be the aftermath of that, but while there was some cool moments, I decided to have this fight be somewhat less 'high stakes' than usual.

After all, the challenge was tailored for them (and the changes were mildly colored by how I beat Star Scourge Radahn for the first time), so they actually got to do things like plan and prepare to fight the giant monster.

And that may or may not be in consideration for when things get scary.