Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

"Hahahahahaha!" Guy Crimson’s laughter echoed through the grand, icy chamber, his body nearly doubling over in amusement. "I can't believe you just did that!"

Beside him, a striking white-haired woman chuckled, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "That's what you get for letting your guard down," she teased.

Guy continued laughing for a few more moments before finally composing himself. He leaned back, exhaling, before fixing his gaze on the figure standing across from him. "But still, to think that I was defeated by such a trick. You're really something, aren't you, Kaede?"

Kaede stood across the room, the frost-covered floor shimmering beneath her feet. She offered a nervous smile, shifting slightly. "...I guess? It was the best I could come up with on short notice. Anything else, you would’ve easily countered, especially after seeing it once."

Guy smirked, his crimson eyes gleaming with intrigue. "And with that little ‘special attack’ of yours, it wouldn't even matter if I could counter it the second time, because if I can’t escape it the first time, it's over. I’d need an Ultimate Skill to undo what you’ve done. Well done, Kaede. I am, quite literally, at your mercy."

Beside Kaede, Tomokashi puffed out her chest with pride. Kaede, however, winced at the thought. "I wouldn’t really say that..."

Guy simply chuckled. "No need to downplay your achievement. Right now, you could kill me if you wanted to. Of course, Velzard here wouldn’t allow it," he tilted his head towards the white-haired woman, who merely smirked, "...but the fact that right now, you can defeat me nine times out of ten makes you strong. In fact, thanks to what you did, I’m not even sure if I can kill you right now."

He leaned forward slightly, resting an elbow on the armrest of his chair. "How long has it been since I’ve felt this? This sensation… the feeling of death hanging over my head."

Kaede hesitated for a moment before raising a hand. "I could undo it if you want."

Guy waved her off, laughing softly. "No need. I want to figure it out myself. And here I thought nothing in this world could ever make me actually put in effort."

As if responding to his amusement, the icy palace around them shifted, the towering frost pillars subtly adjusting as a round table appeared in the center of the chamber. Two elegant chairs materialized on opposite sides, the cold air around them swirling with a faint, magical energy.

Guy moved effortlessly to one of the seats, dropping into it with casual ease. Velzard, instead of taking her own seat, perched gracefully on the armrest of his chair, leaning lightly against the strongest Primordial Demon.

Kaede hesitated only briefly before stepping forward, taking the seat across from him. Behind her, Tomokashi stood firm, her presence unwavering as she silently observed the unfolding moment.

Guy’s smirk widened. "Well then, Kaede. You won our little altercation. Now then, for your reward."

Kaede raised an eyebrow. “Reward?”

“Yes,” Guy replied with a smirk. “I told you, if you could amuse me with your attack, I’d reward you, remember?”

Kaede blinked, recalling his words. “Oh yeah…” She waved a hand dismissively. “You don’t have to...”

“Nonsense,” Guy chuckled, leaning forward with an amused glint in his crimson eyes. “I always keep my word.”

His gaze sharpened as he studied her. “Now, I can’t help but notice that you possess a Demon Lord Seed. And yet, you’re not a True Demon Lord… not yet, at least.”

Kaede tensed slightly at his words, but Guy continued, unbothered. “You could easily proclaim yourself one, and I’d acknowledge it without question. You’re more than strong enough.”

Raising his hand, a large sphere materialized in his palm. It was dark and translucent, yet within it, countless smaller orbs pulsed with an eerie glow. They shimmered faintly, almost like they were… alive.

Kaede frowned. “What… are those?”

Guy’s smirk widened. “Souls.” His tone was casual, as if discussing the weather. “Human souls, to be exact.”

Kaede’s eyes widened. “W-Why do you have those?”

Guy chuckled, his laughter a mix of amusement and something far more unsettling. “Oh, you know… Over countless years, a few human kingdoms tend to grow a little too confident. They start thinking they can destroy and take whatever they want from whomever they please.”

His crimson eyes gleamed as he twirled the orb of souls between his fingers. “And, of course, they always end up destabilizing the world when they do. So, all I have to do is erase a few kingdoms, wipe them off the map, and suddenly, everyone else has a common enemy.” He smirked. “Balance.”

Kaede studied him carefully as he spoke, noting the way his expression held an unmistakable air of pride. It was as if he expected praise for his actions, despite the sheer genocide he had just admitted to.

‘Is… is he expecting me to commend him?’ she wondered, then frowned slightly. ‘And why am I not more disturbed by this?’ It was a terrifying revelation, one she wasn't liking the repercussions. Was it because she had seen too much? Had she grown numb to the horrors of this world? Or… was it because, deep down, she knew he wasn’t wrong?

Letting out a quiet sigh, she refocused on the subject at hand. “Okay, I guess. What are the souls for?”

Guy grinned, his tone lighthearted as he answered. “Why, they’re for you, dear Kaede.”

Beside him, Velzard rolled her eyes as if this entire conversation was beneath her interest.

“How would you like to become a Demon Lord?” Guy asked, his smirk widening.

---

Within her largest chamber, Kaede stared at the massive sphere before her, its dark, translucent surface swirling with an eerie glow. The longer she gazed at it, the more she swore she could hear something, faint, distant whispers echoing at the edge of her perception.

She frowned, her fingers twitching slightly as unease settled in her chest.

"Souls… Human souls." Guy’s words echoed in her mind. She had seen plenty of strange and powerful things since arriving in this world, but this? This was different. It was the essence of countless lives, compressed into something tangible.

Kaede inhaled slowly before shifting her focus inward.

"Artificia, what are the chances of success if I undergo the Harvest Festival?" she asked.

A brief silence followed before Artificia’s voice resonated in her mind.

<Based on current parameters, probability of successful evolution into a True Demon Lord: 99.87%.>

Kaede exhaled sharply, processing the response. So, in theory, she’d survive, but did she want this?

"Maybe I should discuss this with Ari and the others. There could be more people like Guy out there, but he said he was the strongest too. I definitely need to discuss this with the others."

Spark!

Kaede's eyes widened as she looked up. "What the hell just flew over us? That felt like a fucking meteor made entirely out of magicules! A demon lord?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "It's headed for Rimuru's town."

---

_Earlier_

It had been three months since the defeat of the Orc Lord, and in that time, Kaede wasn’t the only one who had been busy.

Rimuru had received a visit from a certain Hero King, who had come out of curiosity, seeking to learn more about the individual responsible for the Orc Lord’s downfall. After all, the battle had taken place deep within the Western Jura Forest, beyond Kaede’s jurisdiction.

During these months, Rimuru’s growing nation had finally been given an official name: The Tempest Federation, with its capital city bearing the name Tempest.

But elsewhere, far from the bustling advancements of the new nation, four figures sat gathered around a table.

At the center of the table, a crystal ball floated above an intricate pedestal. Within its depths, images flickered, scenes from the fateful battle.

The moment of the Orc Lord’s defeat played out before them, but their attention wasn’t on the fallen monster.

It was on the one who had slain him.

A silver-haired Majin.

The Gathering of Demon Lords

"Interesting! Very interesting!" A pink-haired girl with twin tails grinned, her bright blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'd like to go investigate this new toy personally!"

Seated at the edge of the grand table, Demon Lord Clayman let out a theatrical sigh. "Now, now, Milim. Don’t forget about our pact with the Jura Forest."

Milim pouted, crossing her arms. "What?! But that’s so dumb! I mean, with Veldora gone, can’t we just ditch the whole non-aggression pact?"

Clayman’s lips curled into a sly smile. "Now there’s an idea. I don’t see why not."

Across from them, two other figures sat in silence, observing the conversation. One was a blond man draped in a sleek black robe, his sharp golden eyes unreadable. The other was a white-haired woman with a striking red gemstone embedded in her forehead, her expression calm and composed.

"Right! Then it’s decided!" Milim declared, slamming a fist onto the table with a wide grin. "But promise me, we won’t interfere with one another. Fair enough?"

Clayman chuckled, resting his chin on his palm. "That seems reasonable."

The blond man, Carrion, gave a small nod of agreement, while the white-haired woman, Frey, simply sighed, as if already expecting this outcome.

"Well, okay! As long as everyone’s in agreement!" Milim cheered, before spinning on her heel. She strode toward the large, open window, practically bouncing with excitement.

Just before she leapt out, she shot one last mischievous grin over her shoulder. "Make sure you stay out of my way, Clayman, Carrion, and Frey!"

Then, with a sudden burst of power, she shot into the sky, leaving a trail of energy in her wake.

The three remaining Demon Lords watched her disappear into the horizon.

Carrion let out a deep sigh. "And there she goes."

Clayman simply smirked, his fingers steepling together. "Let her have her fun. This might be very entertaining to watch."

Frey, however, remained silent, her gaze fixed on the other figure in the image, the dark haired woman that had come to congratulate the silver haired Majin.

Things were about to get interesting.