I Came Back from the Dead, Quit Being a Holy Hero, and Just Wanna Shake My Hips in a Harem - Chapter 39: The Beginning of Us: RE

Chapter 39: The Beginning of Us: RE

The Kikino I had traveled with in my past life… was actually Kokono.

Their faces matched perfectly; their dances were almost the same. The only real difference was in the way they carried themselves.

Kokono’s smile was warm and fluffy, while Kikino’s presence had always felt hollow and distant—the two never seemed to connect.

“…Mm.” “Yeah.” “…”

She’d only ever given short, clipped replies—sometimes not even enough to carry a conversation.

She rarely met anyone’s eyes. So how could that be Kokono, after all this time? It hadn’t felt like she was acting. So then… how?

The more I thought about it, the tighter my chest grew.

Kokono trembled when Kikino suddenly appeared. She stared up at the younger-looking woman with clinging, desperate eyes.

“B-Big sis… that’s, listen… um, listen…”

“‘Listen, listen’ doesn’t tell me anything. You really haven’t changed.”

“Mm… I really haven’t changed at all… Still the same useless shrine-maiden candidate…”

“Come on, don’t be so hard on yourself. That bad habit again.”

Kikino laughed, and Kokono’s face brightened a little.

…Was this really the true Kikino? 

Had Amhaya called her here for Kokono’s sake?

It all felt staged. Kokono herself had said she leaned to the yin side; if communing with the dead was her path, maybe this was meant for her. Lily and Filio looked uncertain, while I tried to keep my breathing steady.

Kikino spoke more earnestly now, as if trying to guide Kokono.

“Have confidence. You’ve worked harder than anyone.”

“But… compared to my genius big sister…”

“Yes, compared to me your dance lacks power. But your delicacy—that’s stronger than mine. Your style, your very nature: it makes you perfect for communing with the dead.”

“With… wraiths?”

“Be proud. You could become a special kind of shrine maiden. One who doesn’t have to carry the crushing burden of hosting a god.”

Kikino smiled easily in the same way Kokono did—but her smile carried confidence.

“I can… become a special shrine maiden…”

Was it coaxing?

The aptitude seemed real. Lily had said before that if someone without holy affinity tried to host a god, the backlash would be awful. 

Maybe that was why the girl from my past had been silent all the time—lost, like someone wandering in a dream.

The goddess and Lily must have known about Kokono’s nature back then. If they’d thought she wasn’t suited, they wouldn’t have pushed her. 

That meant Kokono herself had insisted. 

She had forced herself to host a god despite having no compatibility, and danced the Divine Descent Rite because the world needed soldiers—because of the Demon King. In that life the rite had been carried out.

But if Kokono truly followed her yin nature, there would be no burden. She wouldn’t need to host a god—she’d become a rare and precious buffer: a top-tier support on the battlefield. 

If that were true, then Amhaya should’ve suggested wraith communion back in my past life too…

But hold on—the first one who hinted at the Demon King’s lingering presence this time… was Amhaya himself.

So is this whole “wraith communion” thing irregular?

Had he stumbled onto it now, or had there always been a plan to push Kokono into it? 

What exactly is Amhaya plotting?

Could he have been influenced by something dark…? And is this Kikino even the real thing?

And why did Kokono call herself Kikino in our past life anyway…?

While I wrestled with my doubts, Kokono let out a weak, droopy smile.

“Y’know… big sis died from illness… and then I was all alone…”

“Yes. You kept pushing forward all by yourself.”

“Everyone thought my big sister Kikino would become the shrine maiden. She was called the second coming of the first shrine maiden… so I tried really hard not to lose to her shadow…”

“I watched it all. You never gave up, always working to live up to those expectations.”

“Every time I failed, people compared me to her… Even if they didn’t say it loud, I could feel it… those eyes, looking at me like, ‘Why her?’”

“And yet, you had the strength of heart not to be crushed by those stares.”

“Ehehe~.”

Kokono smiled with an expression I couldn’t read—half joy, half sorrow.

That smile hit me like a punch.

…

……Ah. Kokono… so that’s how it is, huh?

That’s how strongly you’ve felt… like you were all alone in the world…

I didn’t fully understand why she had taken Kikino’s name.

And with time rewound, I’d never get the chance to ask her again.

But I could feel it all the same—the pain of a girl who kept dancing as a shrine maiden, hosting a god, all by herself.

We’d both been alone… so why hadn’t we managed to talk, to connect?

No matter how many times I regretted it, it would never be enough.

Kikino, meanwhile, smiled proudly, praising her little sister.

“You’ve grown enough to fulfill your duty as a shrine maiden.”

“Mmhm~.”

“Your wish—to be more of a shrine maiden than anyone else—moved Lord Amhaya’s heart. That’s why he welcomed the wraiths as a new path. Kokono, you are truly wonderful.”

“Leave it to meee~.”

“I’ve been watching you all this time, Kokono.”

“Eheee~.”

Kikino then spoke to Kokono, who was smiling softly, like melted butter.

“Kokono, now you can finally become the shrine maiden you always wished to be.”

“…Ehehe~.”

Kokono’s smile didn’t change.

Even I could tell she was forcing it.

…That Kikino wasn’t really looking at Kokono. If she had been watching properly, she would have seen the truth. 

She had to be fake—or, if not, some sort of evil spirit.

I wanted to cut her down right then, but if I slashed and hurt the sister Kokono loved, she’d be crushed.

So I grinned like a fool, stood up, and put myself between Kokono and that strange Kikino.

“? What? I’m talking to my sister right now.”

“Hey hey heeey! Before your big ritual starts, here’s a little performance for you all!”

“Um… what?!”

Everyone froze, shocked. 

Maybe Lily and Filio guessed what I was planning, but still—total surprise.

Right in front of Kikino’s annoyed face, I suddenly dropped my pants—then my underwear— and presented my dangling son for all to see. To stop Kokono from breaking down, I kept my butt firm and showed off while I did it.

“Begone, evil spirits! Begone, begone!”

Thwap—cock—thwap.

Thwap—cock—thwap.

I started flapping and bouncing my son up and down, side to side, my hips swinging in a ridiculous, rhythmic dance. My raw, flesh-and-sex-filled performance—half taunt, half farce—carried enough blunt force to unsettle even that cursed presence. The spirit recoiled at once.

“Gyaa—aaaaaaah!?!?”

Kikino screamed in shock, her form flashing half-transparent for a second. For an instant three wraiths overlapped where she stood before she snapped back into her usual shape.

Ha! Fake—just as I thought!

“You insolent fool! That is sacrilege!!”

Amhaya boomed from above, claws glinting as he shouted.

“Shut up! Don’t you dare try to steal away my precious jerk-off buddy!!”

“My—what did you say!?”

“Don’t you get it? A dried-out, dead spirit can’t enjoy self-pleasure, can it? Ha! Big body, pathetic soul! Watch this—stroke stroke strooooke!”

When I made the exaggerated motion, the air itself trembled.

Fwahahaha—this dragon’s pissed!

But I was way more pissed than him!

Feeling Kokono’s gaze on my back, I threw the words out like a challenge.

“I haven’t even properly watched Kokono do it yet!”

“What are you—?”

“I haven’t taken in her pretty side or her naughty side—properly!”

“You dare treat a shrine maiden as unclean?!”

“Please—haven’t other shrine maidens ever taken care of themselves? You think Kokono won’t? She’ll do it—cute, lovely, and downright filthy!”

“You vile, depraved human scum!!”

“All humans are horny! Strip away the masks and we’re all filthy! We are too!”

I answered with a leering, obscene grin, booming the last lines.

“That sainty-looking one over there? She’s actually a priest who secretly loves to self-pleasure!”

“I’ll blow your eyes and ears clean off,” Lily warned.

“And that prince-y one over there? She’s totally into loud moans when she gets off!”

“N-Now’s not the time to—” Filio stammered.

Ignoring my teammates’ protests, I stared down Amhaya. 

A fierce, murderous intent lurked behind his mask.

“Who do you think I am?! Stand down, humans!”

“Hahaha! Everyone’s different—everyone’s horny! Crybabies are off-limits! We’re the dangerous adventurer party, ‘Masturbation Lovers’ Club’! You’re the one who should back off!”

Lily and Filio hurried up beside me, both blushing as they yanked my pants and underwear back up—an awkward, painful tug for a second—but they didn’t hesitate. They readied themselves for a fight. I was grateful for the timing.

“Don’t you dare try to snatch away our promising rookie! Kokono’s one of our crew! Kokono—show us your honest, bare self! I’ll watch you until there’s literally nothing left to see!”

I turned back with a clumsy grin. 

Kokono had tears in her eyes, and she gave a shaky, awkward smile. I hoped she wasn’t crying because of anything I’d done.

Fake Kikino panicked and lunged to pull Kokono away.

“Kokono! You’re not seriously trusting a guy like him, are you!?”

“Big sis… I…”

“Kokono! You can’t ignore what I’m telling you!”

“I… I don’t wanna be a shrine maiden anymore…”

“What!?”

“Who… are you really?”

Kokono raised her iron fan with a tearful smile, and the fake Kikino’s face twisted.

Her body flickered, and three wraiths burst out, drifting around Amhaya.

Before I knew it, all the wraiths of old Kamunkotan had gathered.

Amhaya towered above us, reigning as their king.

“Hmph… you should’ve just stayed as my pawn.”

At that, Lily arched a brow.

“That ridiculous ‘dance’ rattled you. The aura of wraiths is leaking from your body. I see… so you’ve been possessed, Lord Amhaya.”

Even through his divine aura, I felt it too—a nasty, foul presence.

So that was it. A powerful wraith had possessed him.

“Heh… so even spirits aren’t safe from possession. And with Kokono already marked, you figured you could use her and rule over Kamunkotan, huh? That’s even worse than my stupid dance.”

“…So what if you’ve figured it out? What will you do? Fight me? Amhaya is under my control. The sacred dragon who once guarded the first shrine maiden obeys my will. You humans think you can win against that?”

Kokono looked up at the dragon with fierce determination in her eyes.

“Give back Lord Amhaya’s body and I’ll let you go, okay?”

“Kokono, think again. Your nature fits a wraith-tamer. Do as I say and you’ll suffer no pain.”

“N-No…!”

“You naughty child.”

“I’m a naughty child~.”

Bad-girl Kokono was totally ready to fight.

The wraiths kept swelling in number. Dozens, then hundreds—swarming out of the mist, ready to kill us and turn us into more of their own.

Looked like the whole of Kamunkotan was about to fall under his control. The dragon’s voice, cold as the grave, announced it:

“Controlling the dead is less precise… but it cannot be helped.”

Already acting like the victor, he sneered—so I swung my sword on the spot.

I sliced the wind, cut through malevolent things, even feeling like I carved into the air itself. The moment I got serious, the wraiths froze, wary.

I gave a wide horizontal slash, and holy energy leaked out with a ringing sound.

“No soul walks this world without doubt. O wicked wraiths—if you seek to steal the pure, behold the hero’s true strength! Know that the darkness’s schemes will be exposed before the light that shines upon the world!”

My blade glowed pale green and sang with a clear, ringing tone.

Light that cleansed the world—the sacred gleam—fell on the wraiths and tore them apart.

“—Holy Blade: Draw Slash!”

My sword ignited with light, and even the dragon, the wraiths, and Lily froze for a heartbeat.

But Lily quickly raised her holy staff without a word, facing down the wraiths. Filio let out a dark, wicked gust and shifted into her succubus form—

A silent way of saying, We trust you.

A hot wind roared through my chest.

The dragon, now wary, pulled back and used the wraiths as a shield while speaking.

“…My name is False Spirit Jangajanga. State your name, man.”

“I’m ‘Erect Shiny-Dick Man.’, Haruya Arden.”

“Even now you still mock me?!”

“Not mocking. I’m telling you—I’m going to wipe you out with holy light from base to tip. You laid hands on a member of the ‘Masturbation Lovers’ Club.’ That crime is huge.”

I leveled the tip of my shining sword at False Spirit Jangajanga.

Lily. Filio. Kokono.

This time, we’d fight together as true comrades.