Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

Chapter Sixty Three

The clouds parted, revealing the nation of Raja below. From atop her mount, a large, black, armored dragonfly named Seth, Kaede finally caught sight of their destination.

"Oh! I can finally see it, guys!" she called out over the rushing wind.

Flying behind her was her entourage: Shifu, Hachi, Kaori, Ari, and Delta. Each rode atop their own armored dragonfly, soaring in formation as they approached the nation.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Kaede said in amazement, taking in the breathtaking view of Raja. Nestled between two towering cliffs and surrounded by shimmering lakes, the kingdom reminded her of a cascading waterfall.

Ari scoffed. "It's pretty, I suppose. But once we're done, Maple Tree will be far more stunning, this place won't even compare."

Kaede chuckled in amusement. "I'm sure," she said, as the others nodded in exaggerated agreement.

Ahead of them, two wyverns ascended to meet them, each ridden by a young knight.

"Oh, look. A welcoming party," Kaede mused with a smile as the riders approached.@@@@

"This way," one of the knights, a brown-haired young man, called out, guiding his wyvern ahead to lead them.

"Welcome to Raja!" the other knight greeted warmly as he flew beside his partner.

"It's a beautiful kingdom," Kaede remarked, voicing her admiration.

"Why, thank you!" the first knight responded, pride evident in his voice. "You should have seen it in its prime, truly enchanting."

His companion coughed lightly into his hand, prompting the first knight to realize his mistake. His eyes widened as he quickly bowed. "Ah, forgive me, Your Highness!"

Kaede waved off his concern with a gentle smile. "No, it's quite alright! Your pride in your homeland is a wonderful thing. Never let go of that feeling."

The knight's eyes glistened with emotion, his lips curling into a determined smile. "Thank you, Your Highness! I promise I won’t!"

Kaede chuckled softly, pleased by his sincerity.

---

"Allow me to introduce you," Shifu said, gesturing toward Kaede. "This is the leader of the nation of Maple Tree, Kaede Honjou."

Kaede nodded politely. "Thanks for having me."

Queen Towa welcomed her with a warm smile. "No, thank you for visiting our humble kingdom. It’s a pleasure to meet you, truly."

She paused, studying Kaede for a moment. "You really are human."

Kaede tilted her head. "Hmm?"

Queen Towa shook her head. "It’s just... it’s rare for a human to create a nation of monsters."

"Oh? Well, my friends always called me weird," Kaede replied with a playful smile. "I say, what better way to live?" She placed a hand over Ari’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Ari smiled and squeezed back. "Thanks, Mom."

Queen Towa chuckled. "Well said, Lady Kaede. My kingdom has survived this long because we stand together, regardless of race. It’s incredible what we can accomplish when we unite."

Kaede nodded in agreement.

Queen Towa’s expression turned serious. "Which is why I requested an audience with you."

Kaede focused, her expression matching the queen’s.

"I would like to establish diplomatic relations between our two kingdoms," Towa stated firmly.

Kaede listened attentively, waiting for her to continue.

"I assume you’ve gathered some information about our kingdom. If so, you’re aware that we are in dire need of assistance." Towa placed her hands on the table.

Ari opened her mouth to speak, but Kaede cut her off. "I have, and you are. I am not against opening diplomatic relations between our nations." she said, sighing. "But I'm not entirely sure if you have anything to trade."

Internally, she groaned. 'Nope. Not letting Ari speak right now. She’d probably try to twist this into making Raja my vassal. This is a kingdom in need, a kingdom similar to my own.'

Queen Towa’s expression grew heavy, the weight of her kingdom’s struggles clearly etched onto her face. Though she bore the look of a woman under immense pressure, her eyes still held determination, she had not given up.

'Dishonesty will do me no good here. Not with how powerful they seem,' she thought.

Taking a steady breath, she began, “Raja does not have any local specialties, nor is our food production very high.” She met Kaede’s gaze, her tone unwavering. “We have always relied on imports to sustain our population, paying for them with the gold extracted from our mines.”

Then, her shoulders sagged slightly as she admitted, “But soon... even that will no longer be possible. Our mines are poisoning our water supply, and at this rate, our people won’t last.”

The room remained silent as she continued. “Originally, we considered cultivating the Jura Forest to secure more resources, but the presence of the Storm Dragon made that idea impossible. We had no hope of establishing a foothold there.”

She glanced at Kaede’s entourage before locking eyes with her once more. “Then your subordinate arrived in my kingdom, bringing news of a nation of monsters, created by a human, no less, within the Jura Forest. At that moment, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t afford to overlook.”

Kaede nodded, her expression unreadable. “So, what exactly are you proposing?”

Hachi (who I definitely did not forget about her existence.) exhaled calmly, releasing a soft emerald mist into the air. [Paralyzing Breath]

The moment the smoke touched them, the guards, along with Hiiro, froze in place, their bodies locking up as the skill took effect.

"Stop!" Queen Towa's voice rang out, cutting through the tension.

Everyone immediately ceased their actions, well, everyone except Kaede, Ari, Shifu, and Hachi, who hadn't been doing much to begin with.

"Queen Towa, please escape while you can," Hiiro gritted his teeth, struggling against the paralysis. "I'll hold them off as long as possible."

Kaede gave him an unimpressed look. "Cute." She then turned her attention to the queen. "How are you feeling, Queen Towa?"

Towa shakily pushed herself to her feet, a bit of color returning to her face. "You shouldn’t have done that, Lady Kaede." Her voice was thick with concern. "How will I protect my people now? That tiara was the only way."

She reached out toward the lifeless tiara, desperation in her eyes.

CRUNCH!

A dark boot came down, shattering the tiara into useless fragments.

Towa gasped, her expression turning to devastation. Hiiro trembled, tears threatening to form as he realized he had failed to protect the person who had saved his life.

Slowly, Towa looked up at the one responsible.

Her eyes met Ari’s.

"That is no way for a queen to act, Queen Towa," Ari said coldly. "Especially since my mother has acknowledged you." She shot a glance at Kaede, who frowned slightly. 'For some reason,' she thought, before turning back to Towa. "And yet, you didn't even realize your kingdom was being sabotaged. Mother figured it out instantly."

Towa visibly tensed. "Sabotaged?"

Kaede raised an eyebrow. 'I did what now?'

---

Deep within the lower levels of the castle, a lone figure dashed through the dimly lit corridors, panting heavily.

"That bitch! How could someone like that be here!?" he hissed, clutching his chest as he ran. "It burns... damn it all!"

The fleeing man was Chikowan, the demi-human doctor responsible for tending to the Queen of Raja.

Or rather, Chikowan, the Arch Devil secretly ensuring the queen never truly recovered.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he stumbled forward, his body weakening with every step. The very air in the castle felt suffocating, thick with Kaede’s lingering aura.

'I... have to... escape...!' he thought desperately, gritting his teeth against the overwhelming pressure.

"Now, that won’t do, will it?"

A voice echoed through the corridor, halting him in his tracks.

Chikowan spun around, eyes darting frantically. "Show yourself!"

From the shadows of the dimly lit hall, Delta stepped forward, a predatory grin stretching across her face. Her fangs glinted ominously as the torchlight reflected off them.

"Did you really think you could escape?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Your fate was sealed the moment my master set foot in this land."

Chikowan snarled, raising a trembling hand. "I won’t just stand here and let you mock me, you little shit!" He thrust his palm forward, eyes flashing with rage. "Die!!!"

.

.

.

Nothing happened.

Chikowan’s breath hitched. His fingers twitched uselessly.

"What!?" he gasped, panic setting in. "My magic! What happened!?"

Of course, as a devil, being within range of Kaede’s Ultimate Skill meant his powers had been completely sealed.

Which, naturally, meant...

Delta’s grin widened into something feral.

"I haven’t had a chew toy in a while." Her claws extended, sharp and gleaming as she took a slow, deliberate step forward.

Chikowan yelped as a wave of pure killing intent crashed over him. His legs nearly gave out as fear rooted him in place.

The hallway darkened, shadows stretching unnaturally as Delta’s voice rang in his ears.

"Want to play with me?"