I Died and Was Reincarnated as a Goth Femboy

The armored car rolled to a stop before a dark, gaping maw in the side of a mountain—the entrance to the Weeping Caves. A constant drip of water echoed from within, giving the place its name. Sitting on a mossy rock near the entrance, looking utterly bored, was a slender youth with vibrant blonde hair, a pair of fluffy fox ears twitching atop his head, and a giant, magnificent blonde tail swishing lazily behind him.

Ryo hopped out of the car, a knowing smirk on his face. "Kaito. I had a feeling you'd be here. Want to get your old job back?"

The fox femboy, Kaito, looked up, his expression shifting to a sly grin. "You know, that whole... situation... was my fault. It's only right I help clean it up, don't you think? So, can I?"

Ryo laughed. "Only if you can beat our Bombom in a beauty contest, which means no way." He playfully shoved Kenjiro forward.

Kaito's amber eyes landed on Kenjiro, and they widened as if he'd just discovered a vein of pure gold. His giant tail started thumping against the rock in a blur of happy motion. "OH! Ryo, where did you find him? He's SO CUTE!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

Kenjiro felt his entire body flush hot with embarrassment as Kaito bounced on the balls of his feet, his tail wagging furiously. Why did I agree to any of this? he wondered for the thousandth time.

Ryo stepped between them, draping an arm possessively over Kenjiro's shoulders. "Back off, fox-boy. This Bombom is mine. And be careful," he whispered loudly, "he can climb a tree and scream 'BIRL' at you." He burst into another fit of laughter.

Kaito's eyes just sparkled more intensely. "He's powerful, too? I want him even more now!"

With the party now assembled, they ventured into the cave. The first few chambers were filled with fist-sized spiders that skittered down from the ceiling. Here, Kenjiro's raw strength was surprisingly effective. He stomped and punched the small creatures into oblivion, venting his frustration. Meanwhile, the rest of the team made it look easy: Kaito launched fireballs from his hands, incinerating webs and spiders alike; Ryo fired shards of ice, freezing the creatures in place; and Gluteus was a walking fortress, his massive sword cleaving through monsters while their attacks bounced harmlessly off his armor.

They delved deeper, until they reached a cavern so large they couldn't see the ceiling. And from the darkness, it descended. A spider the size of their armored car, with hairy legs and multiple glowing red eyes. Before they could react, it spat a thick, sticky projectile. A massive web shot out, instantly pinning Ryo, Kaito, and Gluteus against the cavern wall, completely immobilizing them.

Only Kenjiro, who had been a few feet behind, was left free.

"Bombom! Run!" Ryo shrieked, struggling uselessly against the webbing. "There's no way you can kill that thing!"

The giant spider turned its horrifying gaze on him, its mandibles clicking. It scurried forward, closing the distance, trapping him against a wall of rock. This was it. The end.

Kenjiro squeezed his eyes shut. So this is how it ends. I'm going to be a delicious spider meal. His mind spiraled. Maybe I should have just been a model. Hopefully, I'll reincarnate back into my old body... or just into a different, better world.

SLAP!

The blow was so hard it rattled his teeth. His eyes snapped open to find himself in the familiar dark void, staring at the shadowed, muscular figure of his old self.

"Shut up and do something," the shadow commanded.

"And what am I gonna do?" Kenjiro's voice trembled. "I'm weak!"

The shadow laughed, a deep, rumbling sound of pure power. "You're weak, but I'm the strongest one. Check this out. BIRL!"

Kenjiro's consciousness snapped back to the cave. The spider was inches from his face. But as it lunged, a phantom shape ripped itself from Kenjiro's back. The shadow figure, now semi-translucent in the real world, met the spider's lunge with a devastating punch. The impact echoed like a thunderclap, sending the massive arachnid reeling backward.

Before the spider could recover, the shadow blurred into motion. It struck the giant web holding the others, and with a sound like shattering glass, the thick strands disintegrated.

Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the shadow dissolved back into Kenjiro, leaving him standing there, panting. Ryo, Kaito, and Gluteus were free, staring at him with expressions of utter shock and disbelief.