I Died and Was Reincarnated as a Goth Femboy

The weight of Gluteus's words settled over the small, impromptu gathering in the middle of the bustling city street. The giant knight's gentle, heartfelt speech about achieving one's dreams, delivered with the gravity of a royal decree, had a profound effect. The merciless jeering from the livestream chat subsided, replaced by a wave of supportive comments and heart emojis. The adoring crowd that had mobbed Bombom fell into a respectful silence, moved by the sincerity of the colossal warrior.

SynchroNoice, who had been looking at the ground, his small frame trembling with a mixture of grief and shame, slowly looked up. He let out another soft "boop" sound with his mouth, followed by a quiet, determined, "Noice." A single tear traced a path down his cheek, through the pink whiskers of his beard. He wiped it away, not with sadness, but with a newfound resolve. He looked from Gluteus's massive, helmeted face to Bombom's, his eyes shining with a desperate, fiery hope.

"I want to be like my brother," he said, his voice stronger now. "A hero. And... more like you, Bombom. So, give me tips. Please. Tell me what I need to do."

A cold sweat trickled down Kenjiro's back. His mind flashed with images of Taguro: the clingy hugs, the weird wall-staring, the constant, unnerving presence. He already had one copycat fan who had somehow become a core part of his life. He absolutely, positively, could not handle another one. The thought of a second, even shorter Bombom-wannabe running around was a nightmare of epic proportions. He had to shut this down, and fast.

Before he could formulate a response, Gluteus Maximus let out a deep, rumbling chuckle. He looked down at the diminutive SynchroNoice, his voice full of a gentle, paternal amusement. "You can't be like Bombom," he stated, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. "He's perfect." The giant knight paused, his helmet tilting slightly as he looked Bombom up and down. "...at least in appearance."

The compliment, if it could be called that, hung in the air for a moment before Kenjiro's brain finally processed the backhanded insult. His face, which had been pale with panic, exploded into a furious shade of crimson.

"W-WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'ONLY IN APPEARANCE'?!" he shrieked, his voice cracking. He launched himself at the giant knight, his small fists hammering uselessly against the solid steel of Gluteus's leg armor. The impacts made a series of pathetic tink, tink, tink sounds.

"I'm gonna make you regret that, you flat giant warrior!" he yelled, his tsundere rage in full effect. He paused his assault mid-punch, his own words echoing in his head. Giant. He looked up, and up, and up at the mountain of a man before him. "Hey, Gluteus," he asked, his anger momentarily forgotten, replaced by a sudden, intense curiosity. "Are you a giant?"

Gluteus blinked rapidly, the massive lenses of his helmet shifting. "Oh, Bombom, giants don't exist," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "At least, not anymore. But my grandfather was one."

"Oooh," Bombom said, his eyes wide. "So... was he taller than you?"

The knight nodded solemnly. "He was at least ten meters tall, Bombom."

A collective gasp went through the crowd. Bombom's jaw dropped. SynchroNoice looked like his entire perception of reality had just been shattered. Ten meters. That was the size of a small building. The idea of Gluteus, who was already a behemoth, being the smaller descendant of such a creature was mind-boggling.

Kenjiro finally snapped out of his shock. This was his chance to escape. He turned to SynchroNoice, who was still staring at Gluteus with an expression of pure awe. "Look," Bombom said, trying to sound like a wise and busy leader. "If you really want to be an adventurer like us, you should go to the guild. Talk to Ryo. He handles all the new recruits." He clapped the small man on the shoulder. "Right now, I need to go shopping. Right, guys?"

"YES!" the crowd around them screamed in unison, their excitement for the next phase of the livestream overriding their shock at the revelation of giant-kind. The chat exploded with similar messages, demanding to see the S-Tier Lily's fashion sense.

Bombom and Gluteus began to walk away, the sea of fans parting before them. They left SynchroNoice standing there, a thoughtful expression on his face. He scratched his pink beard for a moment, then a wide, genuine smile spread across his face. He looked in the direction of the departing adventurers, his voice full of a gratitude they couldn't hear.

"Thank you, Bombom," he whispered to himself. And with that, he turned and began walking in the direction of the Femboy Adventuring Guild, a new purpose in his step.

With a new, albeit temporary, sense of purpose, Bombom and Gluteus left the small crowd surrounding SynchroNoice and continued their journey into the heart of the city's high-end shopping district. The procession of fans followed, a chaotic but surprisingly respectful parade, their phones held high to capture every moment for those who couldn't be there in person. The hover-drone buzzed along, its red light a constant, unblinking eye broadcasting to the world. Their destination: the most exclusive, most expensive clothing boutique in the city, "Lily's Embrace."

The moment they stepped through the ornate, flower-wreathed entrance, the cacophony of the street outside was replaced by the gentle strains of classical music and the faint, pleasant scent of lavender and vanilla. The store was a temple to aesthetic perfection, with soft, plush carpets, crystal chandeliers, and racks of exquisite, beautifully crafted clothing.

The crowd of fans was politely but firmly stopped at the door by the store's impeccably dressed security. A man glided towards Bombom and Gluteus, his movements smooth and graceful. He was wearing the store's uniform, a simple but elegant black suit, but there was something different about him. He moved with an air of refined authority, and his smile, though warm, held a hint of professional judgment. He traversed the short distance from the back of the store, weaving through the displays with practiced ease, murmuring "pardon, monsieur," and "excusez-moi" as he passed other patrons.

When he reached Bombom, he came to a halt and performed a slight, perfect bow. He spoke with a soft, melodic French accent. "Ah, you have arrived. You seem to be a very popular Lily, non?" he said, his eyes twinkling. "Welcome to our humble store. We have anything your heart might desire. Short clothes, elegant gowns, wigs of every conceivable color, perfumes blended from the rarest flowers..."

Bombom, for once, was not in the mood for aesthetics. He had a goal. "What about clothes with effects?" he asked, cutting straight to the point. "I want more strength."

A single, perfectly sculpted eyebrow on the worker's face twitched. A vein began to throb almost imperceptibly at his temple. "Strength?" he repeated, the word tasting like ash in his mouth. "A Lily such as yourself... you do not need strength." He stepped forward, his professional demeanor momentarily forgotten. He circled Bombom, his eyes scanning every detail, from the perfect, smudge-proof eyeliner to the flawless posture. He leaned in, taking a delicate, analytical sniff. A single, crystalline tear formed in the corner of his eye and rolled down his cheek. "I have never," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "seen a more perfect Lily in all my years. Your makeup is a masterpiece. Your posture, divine. Your natural scent... it is a symphony." The worker took a pristine, silk handkerchief from his breast pocket and delicately dabbed the tear from his eye.

Bombom was completely weirded out. "S-so, okay... since you don't have any clothing that buffs my strength, I'll just—"

He was cut off by a new voice, sharp and musical. "Oh, so it's you that stole all my fans?"

A new figure appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, standing directly in front of Bombom. It was another Lily. This one was the complete opposite of Kenjiro's dark, gothic aesthetic. He was a vision of pink and gold, with long, flowing blonde hair, startlingly blue eyes, and a sweet, angelic face. He was wearing a long, frilly pink skirt and a delicate white blouse, looking like a porcelain doll come to life.

Bombom looked from the new Lily to the crowd of his fans still pressed against the glass of the store's entrance, then back again. "Yeah," he said with a defiant smirk. "So what?"

The blonde Lily let out a high, tinkling laugh, looking Bombom up and down with a dismissive air. He held a delicate hand out behind him, not even looking. "Lilyscan, now," he commanded. A man in a sharp butler's uniform instantly came at his side, placing a sleek, pearl-white scanner into his waiting hand. The Lily aimed it at Bombom.

Level 23 - Kenjiro "Bombom" Tanaka

Strength: 60

Intelligence: 10

Agility: 10

Dexterity: 15

Charisma: 25

Luck: 15

Perception: 10

The blonde Lily laughed again, a sound that was both beautiful and incredibly condescending. "Hahahaha! Only 25 in Charisma? Tsk, tsk, tsk!" He circled Bombom like a shark, his blue eyes glinting. "And what are you going to do with 60 in Strength? W-wait..." He paused, looking again at the scanner in disbelief. "Sixty in Strength? You are nothing like Gluteus. You're a brute in a skirt. Check this out."

The Lily struck a cute pose, bending over slightly and blowing a kiss in Bombom's direction. The kiss shimmered, taking on a physical, lipstick-pink form as it floated through the air. It landed on Bombom's cheek with an audible Mwah! sound.

A strange, tingling sensation shot through him. His legs began to tremble. "H-hey, w-what's going on?"

"Bombom!" Gluteus's voice was filled with alarm. "His Charisma is too high! You are not charismatic enough to resist his advances!"

"W-what...?" Bombom was shocked. He looked at the blonde Lily, and suddenly, the world seemed to shift. The condescending smirk looked impossibly charming. The frilly pink skirt was the pinnacle of fashion. "W-why is this Lily looking so cute all of a sudden?" he whispered, his own eyes changing, the pupils dilating into two, perfect hearts.

The blonde Lily laughed, triumphant. "Hahahaha! Pathetic! A Lily increasing his points in Strength is an affront to nature!"

"H-hey!" Bombom stomped his feet, a small part of his mind still fighting. "This is not me! I'm not like this!"

The Lily's angelic face formed an expression of mock surprise. "Ooh, you think you can resist me?" he cooed. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Kiss Barrage." He unleashed a torrent of shimmering, pink lipstick-kisses. They flew through the air, peppering Bombom's entire body with Mwah! sounds. It was too much. His mind, already weakened, was completely overwhelmed by the sheer force of weaponized cuteness. In a blink of an eye, his consciousness retreated, and he found himself in the familiar, dark domain of his own mind, his muscular shadow form standing before him.

The shadow looked down at him, its arms crossed, its expression one of pure contempt. "Hey, idiot. You're going to let him turn you all lovey-dovey like that? Pathetic."

"W-what am I gonna do?!" Bombom's voice trembled. "He's too cute!"

The shadow turned its back on him. "Let the monster out."

Bombom snapped back to the real world. He could feel the last vestiges of his own will being eroded by the charm effect. He had to fight it. He focused on the one thing that had never failed him: pure, unadulterated rage. He thought of Elara's insults, the princess's entitlement, the reptilian conspiracy, and the sheer, unending humiliation of his new life.

"RAAAAAAAAARGH!" he screamed, a raw, primal sound of pure fury. His shadow erupted from his back. But instead of attacking the enemy, it turned, its massive hand moving in a blur, and slapped Bombom clean across the face. "Wake up, idiot!" it boomed.

The slap was so powerful it left a bright red handprint on Bombom's cheek, the stinging pain instantly shattering the heart-eyed charm effect. He stumbled back, his mind clear, his face a mask of shock and anger.

The blonde Lily stared, his jaw dropping. The crowd outside gasped. "Y-you... w-what kind of b-brute power is that...?" he stammered, his cute composure completely gone, replaced by fear. "Y-you aberration!"

Bombom stomped his foot, his red eyes blazing. He charged forward. "I'll show you an aberration!"

Before he could reach him, both Gluteus and the Lily's butler moved at the same time, stepping between them. "This is not a location for a fight," the butler said, his voice calm and firm.

"Indeed," Gluteus rumbled. "If you wish to fight, you must register at the Lily Fighting Club."

"As if!" the other Lily scoffed, regaining a sliver of his arrogance. "I don't need to fight him. He's weak. He's a brute."

A vein throbbed on Bombom's forehead. "I'm gonna tear your pink dress!"

A donation with a voice message, loud and clear, came from the hover-drone.

"You're gonna take his dress off, Bombom?" followed by a long, suggestive "HMMMMMMMMMM."

Both Bombom and the blonde Lily blushed furiously. The other Lily let out a sharp "humpf."

"I'm Hikaru Aoi," he declared, turning on his heel. "Don't forget my name, you brute Lily." And with that, he stormed out of the store, his butler trailing dutifully behind him.