Skeleton Knight in Another World (骸骨騎士様、只今異世界へお出掛け中)

Sorry to interrupt, but you are Sir Arc, yes?

Sir Goemon! And...

Who're you?!

Those animal ears mean you're one of Chiyome's people...

And seemingly one of the elders...?

Mighty Dragon Lord, we have completed construction on our new village.

I would like to offer our thanks on behalf of my clan.

I assure you, no thanks are necessary.

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Arc.

Not good! I have my whole skull out!

I am the head of the Jinshin Clan, Hanzo the 22nd.

Chiyome has informed me about your appearance.

Forgive me, but it was impossible to explain the situation without doing so...

No, if anything, I appreciate it, Lady Chiyome.

We meet again, my friend.

Sir Goemon!

Sir Arc, Lady Ariane, you've done a great deal for our people.

And as representative of the Jinshin Clan,

I'd like to thank you.

Well, Chiyome has been no small help on our end, I assure you.

We were doing what comes naturally as her friends.

We intend on having a festival celebrate the founding of the new village.

I'd like to invite you two to join us as a way of thanking you.

What do you say?

You mean... I get to see a real ninja village?!

Iga, Koga, and Fuma! Along with assorted fictional names!

Their etymology suggests Japanese roots! Sarutobi Sasuke!

Hey there! It's me, Arc!

And here I am in a ninja village! Which is a whole new brand of hype!

You've made a ton of progress in just a month.

It was a group effort.

The elf village was about as fantastical as they come,

but this one is a bit more... normal?

I'm heading out!

Or so I thought, but that was a hidden door!

It really is a ninja village!

A kite?

A kite?

Someone must be having fun.

Why, when I was a boy, I remember...

Lady Chiyome! Welcome back!

People fly in those things?

It's a technique that's been passed down since the original Hanzo.

I believe they were originally used for recreation.

Is that a—

Lady Chiyome!

Honored guests, welcome to our village.

I knew it! How very ninja! Just like I imagined!

That said, I'm pretty sure the big kite is something from a manga...

And I remember reading somewhere that real ninja didn't wear black.

What are you talking about, Sir Arc?

Don't mind him. He gets that way sometimes.

Are these all Jinshin clan children?

Not all of them.

Some were persecuted by humans and had nowhere else to go.

That was the case with me.

It was, Lady Chiyome?

Yes. The village where I was born came under attack from humans...

I see...

Are they the knight and elf warrior I've heard about?

And who might you be?

This is Tsubone, one of the Six Ninja.

I'm Tsubone. It's nice to meet you.

The Six Ninja are supposed to be the Jinshin Clan's best, right?

Yes. Only the chosen are able to receive names passed down from the first Hanzo.

So, Chiyome isn't your real name?

No. It's Mia.

Tsubone... Tsubone?

Like Hatsune no Tsubone!

Hatsune no Tsubone

Hatsume no Tsubone posed as Ishida Mitsunari's mistress,

but was actually an agent sent by Ieyasu!

Mochizuki Chiyome

Mochizuki Chiyome was the head of a group of wandering priestesses,

but was rumored to be a lady spy sent by Takeda Shingen!

Hattori Hanzo

Ishikawa Goemon

Hattori Hanzo, Ishikawa Goemon...

Which means...

Lady Chiyome, Six Ninja implies there are three more, right?

Oh, yes.

And their names are?

Saizo and Kotaro.

Kirigakure Saizo

Fuma Kotaro

Kirigakure Saizo and Fuma Kotaro!

And the last?!

Sasuke...

Sarutobi Sasuke

Sarutobi Sasuke!

Iga, Koga, and Fuma! Along with assorted fictional names!

Their etymology suggests Japanese roots!

Or maybe a foreigner who loves ninja?

In any case, Sir Hanzo the First must've been...

A Reincarnation

Sir Arc...?

Ignore him.

I'm curious, Tsubone, what rumors did you hear about us?

Have you read this before?

A lady elf warrior

ends up accidentally traveling with a human knight to defeat the dark lord.

On accident?

Both of their masters order them to defeat the the dark lord,

so they start as rivals, but slowly grow closer!

Forbidden love between an elf and a human...

That doesn't really apply to us.

The elf warrior takes that kind of cold attitude at first, too.

But in book three...

The knight desperately nurses her back to health

after she's poisoned by the enemy!

When she regains consciousness, she thanks him...

And that very night, the two of them...!

Totally different! No more fantasizing!

Besides, Arc is a skele—

You needn't worry. Chiyome has told me all about Sir Arc.

How about this, then?

"Flowers and Bones."

The love story of a knight cursed to be a skeleton and a noble lady.

Appearances don't really matter, do they?

As long as there's an emotional connection.

That's not right, either!

Are you a big reader, Lady Tsubone?

Not so much books as the outside world.

Tsubone has a lot of missions that keep her in the village,

so she's really curious about the outside world.

I have friends who bring me books from beyond the village.

Lady Tsubone!

Oh, that's right, I was in the middle of working.

I should be going. I hope you all enjoy the festival.

That is our intention.

If only Sasuke had made it back.

I wonder what he's up to and where...

Is something wrong, Lady Chiyome?

It's nothing.

This is certainly lively!

Huh?

Oh, everyone, are you enjoying the festival?

Here you are: liver and onions, freshly made.

It looks delicious!

You definitely seem to be enjoying yourself, Lady Tsubone.

You never change, do you, Tsubone?

You never know what's going to happen in life,

so you've gotta enjoy yourself when you can.

Here! Eat up, Sir Knight!

Go on, Sir Knight. Don't be shy.

I appreciate the sentiment.

You don't drink, then?

It's not exactly that.

You have your troubles, don't you, Arc?

It's the tug of war!

The tug of war is starting!

What's a tug of war?

It's basically a test of strength.

Both sides pull on that rope

and whoever pulls the other side into their territory wins.

The tug of war is held

as an offering to the first Hanzo every time the clan has a festival.

The torii, that referee's uniform, these kind of ritual offerings...

The first Hanzo really must've been...

Japanese

Now then, we will begin the tug of war to celebrate the

completion of this new village.

All sides, get ready.

And...

Begin!

Goemon wins!

Yay!

Next!

Here!

Goemon wins!

Goemon wins!

Goemon wins!