To the west of the kingdom lies the Nameless Forest.
Once, merchants and travelers crossed its well-worn roads, but for months now, no one has dared to enter.
The reason: ogres.
Massive creatures twice the size of a human had taken over the forest.
But just recently, every last one was wiped out.
Thanks to Onee.
"Oh my, even here? Look at all this blood," said the tall man, wiping crimson stains from his tunic. His muscular frame stretched the fabric so tight it looked ready to burst. If it did, someone might complain, "Who's going to sew that?"—but no worry. Onee sewed his own clothes, frills and all.
"Ugh, this won't wash out. And I barely have any clothes left!"
Yes, the impressive man was, without question, Onee.
And unfortunately, a Japanese person.
Accidentally summoned to another world, Onee has survived with the kind of toughness even the summoners hadn't expected. Too tough, maybe—but that's Onee for you. A perfect blend of masculine strength and feminine grace. Truly, the ultimate human.
* * *
"Yuuki-dono is as strong as ever," said a female knight, seated across from Onee in a small tavern below the royal capital.
She owed him her life. Onee had saved her once, and she'd fallen hard for the strong, kind man ever since.
But Onee didn't return her feelings. Such is the curse of charm.
"I'd love for you to join the knight order."
"That again? No, no, I'd look ridiculous as a knight who can't even use a sword."
Because Onee always fought barehanded.
Every weapon he touched broke from sheer strength.
You could call him Cú Chulainn, but the Irish hero himself would probably object—"Don't lump me in with that guy."
"And if you did," the narrator noted dryly, "Gáe Bolg would turn into Gay♂Bolg."
* * *
"But, Yuuki-dono... why that lifestyle?" asked the knight.
"!?"
The question dropped like a rock in the room. Every patron in the tavern froze.
"I could say it's a secret," Onee began, smiling, "but I'm in a good mood today.
Once, there was a woman I loved."
Wait—seriously?
Now the entire tavern, the knight included, shared a single thought.
"She was my childhood friend. Strong-willed, always protecting me when I cried."
The knight didn't know where to begin questioning that, but the tone sounded too heartfelt to interrupt.
"We grew up, got married—it just felt natural."
Shock rippled through the room.
Onee had been 'straight'—and married.
The knight took critical damage, twice over.
"But happiness didn't last. She died not long after."
The knight's grief softened her frustration. Everyone listened quietly.
"Her last words were so her," Onee said with a sad laugh. "'If you ever forget me and settle down with another woman, I'll never forgive you.'"
"Shouldn't it be, 'Forget me and find love again'?" the knight blurted.
Was that a will or a curse? Hard to say.
"She was strong but lonely. So I honored her words. Still, I was young and didn't want to live alone forever."
"..."
"Then I realized—'If I can't be with another woman, I'll just fall in love with a man instead!'"
"Why would you think that!?" the knight shouted, slamming the table.
Love made him strong. Logic made no sense.
And so, otherworld peace continues.
* * *
"...Tsukuyomi, you're sure that man has no divine blessing?" asked Amaterasu.
"None at all," said Tsukuyomi. "Not even a trace of magic power. It's all muscle."
Amaterasu blinked. Somehow, Onee had grown absurdly strong without any divine help.
A human myth in the making.
"I can't believe someone like that existed in the mortal world. Shame he ended up in another one--"
A deep voice joined the conversation.
"...Yo."
Amaterasu froze.
Standing behind her was a huge, muscle-bound man—their younger brother, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, youngest of the Three Noble Children (Izanagi's three divine children—Amaterasu (sun), Tsukuyomi (moon), and Susanoo (storm)).
The same god who once cried to see his mother, got kicked out by Izanagi, and made such a mess in Takamagahara that Amaterasu hid herself in a cave (the myth where Amaterasu hides herself, causing darkness to fall over the world).
"...Ama-no-Iwato—!?"
"Calm down, sis."
Amaterasu tried to retreat into her cave again, but Susanoo caught her by the scruff like a cat.
"Meow—!? Let go! Go back to Ne-no-Kuni (the underworld)!"
"I passed that on to my son-in-law. I'm free now. So I came to play."
"Don't play with me!"
"C'mon, let's play PuyoPuyo."
"Wha—fine, but only if I get a handicap!"
Tsukuyomi sighed as his sister was dragged away. Cold? Maybe—but he knew Susanoo loved his family too much to actually hurt her.
Anyway—
"Oh, Omoikane-dono (the wise Shinto deity)? Please tell everyone to prepare for a banquet. My elder sister's been kidnapped by Susanoo again."
In Takamagahara, that always meant one thing:
Sibling reunion = Amaterasu hides = Banquet.
And so, the heavens prepared for another lively night.
"Also," Tsukuyomi added, "notify Sarutahiko (god of guidance) to watch Ame-no-Uzume (goddess of dance and mirth). She always tries to strip during parties. And tell Takemikazuchi to warn them before any weird party tricks."
And so, preparations continued.
Peace reigns once more in Takamagahara.