Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

The first thing Kaede noticed upon stepping through the portal was the weight of the air.

<Notice: The magicule density of this plane is 1500% higher than normal.>

"Seriously? Damn, where the hell are we?" she muttered, taking stock of her surroundings.

The chamber she had entered was vast and pristine, resembling a cathedral but without the rows of benches typically found in one. Its high, vaulted ceiling and polished white stone gave it an air of grandeur, yet it felt oddly empty.

With no other notable features in the room, Kaede turned her attention to the two figures before her. One sat on an ornate chair, clearly the one in charge, while the other stood behind her in a poised, almost protective stance, likely a servant.

"Welcome," Tomokashi announced beside her, executing a dramatic bow. "My Lady."

Kaede rolled her eyes at the display as Tomokashi gestured toward an empty chair across from the pink-haired girl, a chair that, until recently, had belonged to Tomokashi, and before that, to Violet.

When Violet saw the figure step out of the portal, the first thought that crossed her mind was, 'A human?'

Then, Tomokashi introduced her, confirming that the human was indeed her master. The second thought that followed was, 'How boring.'

She could sense the human’s strength, it was certainly formidable, but nothing particularly impressive. For all the magicules the human was absorbing every second, the actual amount she could sense within her was only at the level of an A-rank Majin.

'Wait. That’s not right.'

Violet narrowed her eyes as the human moved toward her seat. The influx of magicules into the human’s body was undeniable, yet her presence didn’t grow stronger. It was as if all that energy was vanishing into thin air.

Where is all that magicule energy going?

"Ello? … Hello? Is your master alright?"

"Huh?" Violet snapped out of her thoughts, realizing she had been staring.

The human, had been trying to get her attention. Feeling a little embarrassed for getting lost in thought, she quickly masked it with indifference. She couldn't afford to let the human realize she hadn't been listening.

With a dismissive snort, she leaned back in her chair. "What is it you truly want, human?" she asked, her tone dripping with condescension.

Kaede frowned. "I already told you what I want. I want you to leave the Kingdom of Raja alone. What did they even do to deserve this?"

Violet smirked internally as she caught up with the conversation. Though, despite herself, one lingering thought nagged at the back of her mind.

'How did a human like this get a Chaos Demon to serve her?'

Violet leaned against the table, her tea all but forgotten, though its scent still lingered pleasantly in the air. "Raja's royal family happens to be my favorite among all humans. You see, I made a deal with the royal family of Raja many generations ago."

And so, Violet began her tale.

Centuries ago, she had sensed particularly delectable emotions emanating from the material world. Curious, she descended for a brief visit, eager to see what had stirred such strong feelings.

Upon her arrival, the human had noticed her, an amusing little thing, really. That human, as it turned out, was a queen, and she had mistaken Violet for a goddess. The queen’s kingdom was on the brink of destruction, and she desperately sought power to save it.

Intrigued, Violet decided to indulge in a little game. "Show me the extent of your resolve," she had told the queen.

To that end, she created a tiara infused with a vast reserve of magicules. She explained its immense power and how to wield it. When the queen inquired about the meaning of resolve, Violet merely smiled and told her it was the resolve to play a game with her.

The rules of the game were simple: the queen could use the tiara to protect and even strengthen her kingdom. However, with every use, she would be cursed. Moreover, the curse would not die with her, it would be passed down through her bloodline, afflicting every heir to the throne.

It was a fair exchange in Violet’s eyes. To gain the greatest of merits, one must pay the most terrible price. The grander the wish made upon the tiara, the deeper the curse would sink into the queen’s soul.

Yet, the queen had not hesitated.

"If it will help me protect my country, if it will save my people, if it means they can live prosperous lives, my own life is a mere trifle. As for my successors, I am certain they will feel the same way."

With those words, she accepted the game.

Should the queen and her descendants continue using the tiara, their bodies would eventually adapt to Violet’s magic. If they endured long enough, they would be able to withstand the color of her magic entirely, allowing Violet to incarnate in the material world. That would be her victory. However, if the royal bloodline managed to resist her influence consistently, they would win instead.

The queen had readily agreed to the terms.

"And that’s the end of the story." Violet smiled, twirling a lock of pink hair around her finger as she finished.

Across from her, the human stared with an expression so cold it would have made a lesser demon shudder.

"So, in other words," The human said slowly, "you’ve spent generations sitting back and watching as every ruler of Raja suffered under your curse. Correct me if I’m wrong."

Violet scoffed. "Did you expect me to help them for free? I’m not exactly the charitable type." She waved a hand dismissively. "Anyway, the current queen’s name is Towa, isn’t it? She seems like a nice girl. My magic has taken to her perfectly. At this rate, my host body should be perfected soon, probably Towa’s heir, or at the latest, the one after that."

She didn’t miss the way the human's fist clenched as she took a slow, deep breath.

"So… this was a formal contract," The human mused, though her tone suggested she wasn’t convinced. "Though, it didn’t seem that way to me."

Violet’s expression darkened. "Elaborate."

"I believe you recently had your minions create a problem, forcing the queen to use the tiara. And I highly doubt I’m mistaken."

The air grew heavier as the human spoke, thick with something far more oppressive than mere magicule density. Violet noticed, but she paid it no mind.

Her frown deepened. "What is this? Are you insulting me, human?"

"Why would she, Viole? When the truth hurts so much more?" Tomokashi’s voice came from behind Kaede, laced with amusement.

The human leaned in slightly, her gaze unwavering. "Now then, Viole, you will leave the Kingdom of Raja alone."

Violet practically growled. "Who do you think you are to order me, human?"

The human stood up from her seat, her presence pressing down on the room like a tidal wave.

"Because I came to you, politely asking for your cooperation, and yet you’ve been quite rude this entire time," she said coolly. "Addressing me as ‘human’ even after I introduced myself earlier. Very well. Let me remind you. I am Kaede Honjou, ruler of the monster nation of Maple Tree."

Her voice hardened.

"Due to interference caused by one of your minions, your contract with the Kingdom of Raja has been voided. On that account, you will leave the kingdom alone."

Violet’s eyes darkened, a thick purple aura unfurling from her body like a miasma. "You have some nerve," she murmured, her voice laced with a venomous amusement. "Forget about making you my subordinates, I think I’ll just kill you instead. Your souls should make quite the treat."

With a sharp motion, she slammed her hand against the table. The moment her palm met the surface, the table collapsed, sinking into the ground as if it had never existed.

Then, reality itself fractured.

The pristine white chamber shattered like fragile glass, giving way to an endless expanse of ruin. The floor beneath them crumbled away, replaced by broken patches of earth floating in the void, remnants of a civilization long since destroyed. The air was thick with the remnants of forgotten despair, the only illumination coming from the eerie glow of distant cracks in space itself.

Violet and her demon servant now stood across from Kaede and Tomokashi, their silhouettes stark against the desolate backdrop.

Kaede sighed, stretching her shoulders as if preparing for yet another inconvenience. "Looks like I have to resort to brute force again."

Violet let out a chuckle, her grin widening as raw power crackled to life in her palm. "Well, things don’t always go the way we want, do they?"

Between her fingers, a sphere of pure destruction formed, a nuclear bullet, no larger than a fist, yet dense with enough energy to reduce entire cities to ash. The space around it distorted, the very fabric of the ruined world struggling to contain its volatile energy.

"Let’s see how long you last, 'Kaede Honjou'."

With a flick of her wrist, Violet sent the sphere hurtling forward. It shot through the air faster than light itself, colliding with Kaede and her servant in an instant.

Boom!

The nuclear bullet detonated, releasing an explosion powerful enough to erase entire nations. The sheer force shattered the already fragile reality, sending shockwaves rippling through the void. In its wake, Kaede and Tomokashi were instantly obliterated, reduced to nothing.

Or at least, that was what was supposed to happen.

Violet’s brow furrowed as the explosion was suddenly halted, surrounded by a strange wave of purple pixelation. Before the blast could even reach half of its intended size, the strange distortion consumed it entirely. The energy shrank down, spiraling inward until it was drawn into Kaede’s waiting palm.

Violet’s lips curled into a smirk. "That magic... So you're the one who destroyed the tiara."

Kaede frowned slightly, flexing her fingers as the remnants of [Devour] dissipated into her skin. "That’s strange… it was harder to activate than usual."

Tomokashi stepped forward with a knowing smile, her hands moving to massage Kaede’s shoulders. "Oh, that’s because of where we are."

Kaede raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly is that?"@@novelbin@@

"We're in the Gap," Tomokashi answered casually, continuing her ministrations.

"The Gap?" Kaede repeated.

"Yes. The space between the Demon Realm and the material world," Tomokashi explained. "The magic here is far denser than in the material world and heavily saturated with demonic properties. Any ordinary human would disintegrate the moment they stepped foot in this place, their body atomized by the sheer concentration of magicules." She grinned, pressing into Kaede’s shoulders. "But of course, that’s nothing more than a mild inconvenience for the walking fortress, Maple. However, non-demonic skills will be much harder to use here."

Kaede nodded in understanding. "I see… Artificia?"

<Analysing.>

"While you do that," Kaede muttered, stepping forward as Tomokashi released her, "I’ll try something."

She took a breath, a sharp smile playing on her lips as she activated her skill.

"[ATROCITY.]"