Cultivating Anthro CEO RPG Hero Harem Reincarnation In Another World

The tunnel leading from the fort basement gradually grew into a series of caverns, alive with the droning roar of running water.

It grew louder and louder as they proceeded, until it became deafening when they at last came face-to-face with the source: A tall, circular cavern through which the water ensued, cascading down a deep pit to feed into a coursing stream below. Designed in such a way that, in order for the party to proceed, the only path forward was across a single narrow, naturally formed bridge of rock which passed alongside the falling water, connecting to an opposing cliff that would then lead into another tunnel. 

And it was here, just as the group was about to make this treacherous crossing, that Akira stopped then turned to face Zhao.

"So, where did your men take our women?"

Zhao explained, "in the lower prisons, where we have a vault that stores all the confiscated goods. They're right up ahead, past the Guard Skeleton."

"Eh? Did you just say 'Guard Skeleton?'"

As if on cue, a loud creaking and groaning of withered bone joints could be heard when an animate skeleton, strapped with a dulled Iron Sword and rusty Iron Shield, could be seen crawling up, along a slippery rock face, out of the fathomless pit that lay underneath the natural bridge. Standing fully upright, upon reaching the top of the opposing cliff of the cavern: possessed of a glowing, evil, red-eyed stare as it hastily took up arms and positioned itself at the center of the bridge, directly in the way of the party's advancement.

Akira and Vash, Lorica and Cindy all looked at Zhao expectantly.

"Ah. I guess I should explain," he scratched the back of his head, saying. "Well, basically, when Cultivators first moved to take this fort, we found the lower depths were crawling with necromancers—something which, I'm sure, you'll find to be the case with many ancient ruins across Seaspan."

He held up one hand, pointing across the chasm at the skeleton.

"We managed to clear the place of their presence: all except for this lone skeleton, who—through some form of soul sealing magic, most likely—is able to continually revive, no matter how many times it is destroyed. Even if its scattered bones get washed away, into the pit: so that it must crawl its way back up to resume its eternal vigil at this bridge. Hence, why we have come to call it the 'Guard Skeleton.'"

"How...intriguing," Vash said flatly.

After which Lorica came forward, yawning loudly, speaking through it: "That's quite a lengthy explanation, for an enemy that'll most likely die in one attack."

Staring intently forward, she held an empty palm out toward Akira.

"Master, hand me that bow..." she said while cracking a toothy smirk, as she cast a sideways glance at the ever-inexpressive Cindy. "I'll use this as an opportunity to show you just how skilled I am with the bow!"

Akira shook his head in refusal, however. "Not now." Instead, looking to Vash as he suddenly suggested, "try using one of your [Maidé Balls]."

"Uh…" Vash blinked, replying with nothing at first; taking a moment for Akira's words to settle, after which he became incredulous with his voice raising, his entire demeanor bristling when he returned, "are you actually saying...you want me to try to capture a skeleton?!"

Akira insisted, "technically it's still human, right?"

Vash gawked, looking to Zhao for support but only receiving an uncertain shrug, before turning back to Akira with a frustrated growl. Lowering his voice to a heated whisper:

"We don't even know if it's a…"—he sighed—"girl...skeleton."

Akira was determined, though: "That makes it a 50/50 chance. And if you succeed, we'll have a new [Pocket Maid] added to our strength. Whereas, if it doesn't work, we only risk losing a [Maidé Ball] in the process." 

Vash couldn't believe he was actually about to humor Akira's wild idea, though he had to admit the CEO's logic was sound.

And, aside from this logical viewpoint…

There was even a conceivable humanitarian angle:

"I guess it could also be considered a merciful act: for us to relieve the [Guard Skeleton] of his duty," Vash mused. "Even if that involves becoming a [Pocket Maid], it's arguably a step up from being forced to guard such a lonely place in one's undeath; climbing up the same cliff over and over again."

"Sure. Whatever," Akira said, nodding his head quickly as he let his tongue wag in anticipation. "Since it was my idea, you wouldn't mind if I borrowed her sometimes, right?"

Lorica was grinning with excitement, too, pulling on Cindy's shoulder.

"Didya hear that? A new friend!"

Cindy was blushing. "Oh.

Vash ignored all of them, though: setting his sights squarely on the skeleton as he clutched an empty [Maidé Ball] in his hand.

From this distance...he'd never been very good at baseball—or any sport, for that matter—but, fortunately, from his prior observations, he knew the [Maidé Ball] possessed a homing technology of sorts. That, if thrown, it would lock on to a nearby target to capture them.

'Assuming this skeleton can even be captured,' he considered. "I've read, in a book once, that a male and female skeleton can be told apart based on their pelvic bone distribution. As well as the width of the shoulders, and shape of the rib cage—"

Suddenly Lorica brushed against his side, snatching the [Maidé Ball] from his hand in the process.

"What the—"

A crazed smile was spread across her face.

"Shuddup! The suspense is killing me!"

Without another second's delay, the stunned Vash could only watch as Lorica then tossed the [Maidé Ball], sending it careening toward the stoically unwavering thrall of bone.

Whereupon the ball, hovering mere inches above her target's fleshless head, released its all-consuming light: enveloping the [Guard Skeleton] in its blinding magical rays, in combination with a distinct and satisfying suctioney pop. After which, the skeleton was simply gone. And the [Maidé Ball], now no longer vacant, promptly fell onto a patch of firm, dry ground; safely away from the loose spray of the surging waterfall.

Zhao was agape with surprise, as well as awe. "I'm...speechless," he said. "For this marks the second occasion in which you, a complete outsider from another world, have taught me something new about the [Maidé Ball]."

Akira chuckled, giving a nonchalant shrug. "What can I say? I like to think outside of the box."

"Aha! But because I was the one who caught her, she's my woman now!" Lorica said; as then, in her boundless excitement, she made a frantic rush for the other side of the natural bridge to retrieve the [Maidé Ball].

'Unbelievable,' Vash thought disdainfully. 'She sounds just like Akira.'

Moreover, and perhaps more importantly...

Was she even correct, in her assessment? Could there really exist a Russian Nesting Doll-type situation where one [Pocket Maid] can possess another [Pocket Maid] of its own? Like an impossible math equation that loops endlessly in on itself, just thinking about the many implications of such a reality made his brain hurt.

She was halfway across the bridge, happily giggling.

"But if you really would rather have it instead, Master, I'll fetch it in my mouth on all fours like a dog for you," she was saying playfully. "Anything you ask, I'll do it for y—AH!"

"Lorica!" Akira called out, just as her hastened feet had slipped upon the dampened rock, her eyes opening wide at the moment of her tripping, then falling, off the side of the bridge. Plummeting, with but a tiny shocked yelp released from her lips, into the pitch-black ravine.

"N-no!" Akira rushed forward, his voice cracking. With [Maidé Ball] in hand, he dropped onto his palms, clinging to the edge of the cliff to peer down and see…

"Lori...ca?"

She was lying still, strewn across the barely visible pit bottom. A vacant, unblinking stare being all that was left in her cold, DEAD eyes.

Vash joined Akira, to see, and choked on the air in his throat.

Next, was Zhao, shaking his head sadly.

And then at last, finally…

"Senpai…!" Cindy pleaded, with huge, wet, shiny tears glistening in her eyes.

"Damn it," Akira cursed, brushing off his own tears onto the back of his Imperial Leather sleeve. "We never even got to have a single three-way."

"Well? What do we do with the body?" Vash questioned.

"Lorica!!!" Cindy screamed.

Distraught, she made an abrupt move to crawl down into the pit after her, but Zhao held her back in his arms.

"Let...me...GO! I have to get her…!"

Zhao wouldn't budge an inch. "What will you do, Akira?" he asked.

In response, Akira wordlessly held up a [Maidé Ball] to draw Lorica back in. That way, he wouldn't be distracted from his thoughts. Remaining silent for a spell, while he was fully concentrating on the situation at hand, reanalyzing all the information he'd gathered about this world, thus far, until he arrived at a potential solution.

Wordlessly, still, he rose while pointing the same [Maidé Ball] containing Cindy into the depths of the pit—thereby reabsorbing the static corpse of Lorica into the ball, to Vash and Zhao's bewilderment.

"You captured Lorica-san's...corpse…" Vash murmured; nervously thinking ``oh, God: what could he be plotting now?!"

"If there's anything I hate to see, it's wasted resources," Akira said, with the intimidating, glowering look of a powerful emperor bearing a raging storm in his heart. "Lorica's precious womb never got to see proper use, so I'll do whatever it takes to undo this wrong."

Zhao was the first to catch on, shaking his head in disbelief when it first struck him. "Akira-san...you can't possibly mean—"

"Yes," he replied gravely, closing his eyes and turning away. "You mentioned necromancers, just now—those who are capable of bringing the dead back into the realm of the living."

"Only to an extent, Akira-san. Only in the form of a mindless thrall, hellbent on following its master's orders."

"So that is why I will then recapture her in the [Maidé Ball], to restore her back to normal: So that she may fight many more battles, in my honor. As well as bearing many countless children, created from my superior seed." The cool, majestic air he'd mysteriously adopted then abruptly faded, at this time, to be replaced with a blushing perverted grin. "Preferably, she'll be doing both at the same time"—he moaned, with lustful yearning—"because that would be so, so hot."

"That's with you assuming the skeleton you just caught actually got restored," Vash interjected. "Because for all we know, there's a mad, evil [Guard Skeleton] loose in the [Sunny Beach] right now."

Akira nodded.

Indeed, his entire plan hinged on this…

Had he successfully transformed a cursed skeleton into a cute little Gnome girl?