The Ultimate Soak!

“Reincarnation magic takes significant amounts of mana, and without proper preparation, the spell will fail. He doesn’t have a throne that knows the shape of his soul like I have. This is an extremely sensitive procedure,” the Demon Lord explained.

“What can we do to help Kazuki?”

“Pray and trust. It’s all in his hands now. I shall create the reference point to help you remember your original form. [Ability: Undead Human Molding Level 100,000]!” from the Demon Lord’s hands, like a sculptor of life, clay began shaping into a Human man lying in peaceful rest. “You’ll have to guide me, Core Kazuki.”

“I’m surprised! You’ve got my features fairly right on this first go. But more handsome.”

“Very well.”

“More handsome. More handsome, and more handsome, and more handsome, and more handsome! GAHAHAHA!”

“No way! You’re this drop-dead gorgeous?!” Rin shouted.

“YES! IT’S LIKE LOOKING AT A MIRROR! HERE I GOOO!!”

“[Ultimate Magic: Resurrection]!”

“…”

“Is that you, Brother?” Borkas asked, excited to finally give me rides through the forest.

“…gmmmhmmm.” I trembled. It was my regular Human body. My Dungeon Core, diamond-shaped, remained sparkling in my eyes. The marble was cool under my bare, warm, gleeful body.

Rin gasped. “H-He’s… He’s really back?!”

“Clothes! He needs clothes!” Sharlotte squawked. “There’s too much holy light!”

I caught it, draped it around my waist like a proud emperor, and laughed so loudly the mineral pools trembled. “Gahahaha! Human again! Feast your eyes on these absolutely legendary abs! Aaaaah, I’ve missed my nipples!”

“Stop announcing body parts,” Rin scolded, but her usual tone was softer than usual, almost breathy. Her cheeks flushed as her eyes darted down my bare chest, then she quickly snapped her ledger up like a fan to hide her expression. “Goodness… Master, if you keep flaunting yourself like that, you’ll completely distract me. Th-That towel isn’t… covering… everything.”

I looked.

“UWAAAAAH!!” I dove behind a fountain spray, created from my own Abilities. “Nobody asked for the Kazuki Full Package DLC!!”

“P-Put it away!!” Sharlotte squeaked, wings over her eyes.

The Demon Lord actually choked. “Is that natural?”

“OF COURSE IT’S NATURAL! EVERYTHING ABOUT ME IS LEGENDARY!”

“Legendary hazard, more like!” Rin snapped as she clutched her apron, “Goodness… Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’ll cause strutting around like that? I’ll have to keep you very closely supervised.”

“Alive, breathing, and warm.” I hugged myself in disbelief. “I’m a Human again. And… I didn’t lose it. My Core’s still with me. My Abilities are intact!”

“You succeeded…” The Demon Lord studied me with peering curiosity. “You anchored both flesh and Core. Impossible. Even I had my doubts.”

“GAHAHA! I broke the gacha rates again! Human body, Dungeon Core, and diamond eyes! Truly, I’m destined to be god-tier!”

King Gremy remarked from his pool like a cranky walrus. “Th-This is unnatural. Even Heroes could not–” But the crowd drowned him out. Adventurers erupted into cheers, splashing the pools, chanting my name. Orc drummers banged on barrels. Harpies shrieked in harmony. A Minotaur did a victory belly-flop into the shallow end.

“Kazuki! Kazuki! Kazuki!”

I raised my fists high, water dripping down my reborn body, basking in their adoration. “YES! I LIVE! I BREATHE! I WILL NOW– OW!!”

Rin yanked my ear, dragging me down to her eye level. “Master… will you put on actual pants before you declare world conquest?”

“Aaaack! My first pain as a Human again!! How nostalgic!”

Sharlotte flew into her nest, halo askew. “Welcome back, dummy. The world might actually survive now.”

The Demon Lord smiled, undeniably impressed. “Three Labors. A wager honored. Against all odds… you’ve pulled it off. Enjoy your body, Kazuki Suzu. You’ve earned it.”

Steam curled around his horns as those wise, handsome eyes fixed on me. “But do not forget: with life returned comes risk returned. By contract, you must continue defending interspecies peace. And your enemies will be quick to test you.”

“Let them come!” I flexed, my towel slipping dangerously low. “I’ll greet them with muscle, magic, and marketing! Our Spa will never fall! Yahooooooo! I’M BACK, BABY! WOOO!”

The Demon Lord smirked. “Quick to collect your reward.”

“Of course!” I shouted. “This is bliss! My body, my glorious body! I love you so much!!”

“What are you going to do first?”

“Oh, Rin. We both know what I’m going to do first. Then second. Then third.”

“So greedy,” she breathed, but there was no accusation in it. “All this scheming, and it was for this? Good. I like you as a prize.”

“But before then, we have our Spa. I know exactly what I want! Let’s all take a long, well-deserved, perfect bath!”

The crowd roared again, and our Sacred Spa shook with the sound of the new era. That ridiculous, covetous dream was exactly the kind of peace we’d built.

And I, promoter of interspecies peace, had returned to man, stronger, shinier, and greedier than ever.

END