Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

Within the now crystal-clear lake, a lone figure waded toward the center, his movements slow but deliberate. Lacua did not bother to hold his breath; instead, he let the water envelop him, his body sinking deeper as he strode across the lake bed.

It took only seconds to reach his destination, a gaping hole where a platform had once stood, the remnants of an old magic circle barely visible on the disturbed sediment.

"This time, I'll have to rush my plans," he muttered, frustration lacing his tone. Raising both hands, a purple magic circle flared to life beneath his palms, its eerie glow illuminating the depths. As he carefully lowered his hands toward the lake bed, he continued, "With the surrounding nations closing in, those fools will have no choice but to call upon the Tiara's power once again."

The water trembled.

Boom!

Lacua's focus shattered in an instant. A violent force sent shockwaves through the lake, warping his sense of direction. The world around him spun wildly, the murky depths turning into a chaotic blur.

Blam!

An instant later, his body was violently expelled from the water, crashing onto the shore with bone-jarring force. A towering pillar of water shot skyward in his wake before collapsing in a heavy downpour, drenching the surrounding area.

"Urgh…" Lacua groaned, his limbs trembling as he pushed himself upright. His vision swam, his chest ached, and his clothes were soaked through.

His fingers curled into the wet sand as his frustration mounted.

"What the hell hit me…?" he rasped, his teeth gritted in anger.

Lacua staggered to his feet, his body still aching from the impact. His soft cap was nowhere to be found, lost somewhere in the lake's depths. As he steadied himself, a sudden, oppressive gaze settled on him, sending a chill down his spine.

His pupils dilated, his irises darkening to a deep purple as his demonic instincts flared to life. A low growl rumbled from his throat.

"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice sharp and laced with irritation.

No response.

Lacua's patience thinned. His fingers twitched, itching for action. Gritting his teeth, he let out a low chuckle.

"Not coming out?" His lips curled into a sharp grin. "Heh… Then I'll just have to force you out."

Summoning the vast reserves of magicules within him, he extended both hands outward. A dozen orbs of pure destructive energy materialized, their glow an ominous shade of violet.

Just as he prepared to unleash them, a face materialized beside his own, illuminated by the purple glow of his {nuclear bullets}

A woman's face.

"Eep!"

Lacua let out an undignified yelp, stumbling backward in pure shock. His concentration shattered, and the orbs of 'absolute destruction', once so carefully controlled, veered wildly into the sky.

BOOM!

A chain of violent explosions illuminated the night sky, briefly turning darkness into day.

As the brilliant glow of destruction faded, Lacua's wide, startled eyes locked onto the figure standing before him.

Kaori.

She hovered slightly above the ground, arms crossed, her cold, golden eyes staring down at him with nothing but disgust.

Lacua scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't waste a second, his hands were already forming a new batch of {Nuclear Bullets}.

'Shit! I've been had! Who the hell is she? And how did she get past my [Magic Sense]!?'

His mind raced, but before he could act, the woman, Kaori, spoke.

"Now, what exactly were you planning to do back there?"

Her voice was smooth, gentle even, carrying an unmistakable warmth, as if she were merely making casual conversation.

But her eyes…

Cold.

Unforgiving.

Like the heart of a tundra, frozen and merciless.

Lacua felt a shiver creep up his spine. For the first time, doubt wormed its way into his thoughts.

Lacua forced a grin onto his face, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I-It appears there's been a misunderstanding. Surely, we can sort this out!" His voice was loud, filled with feigned cheerfulness.

"Oh?"

Kaori's voice carried an amused lilt, but her words dripped with condescension. She lifted a delicate metal fan, partially concealing her smirk.

"This is supposed to be an Arch Demon?" she mused. "Demons must have really let themselves go over the years. You're already begging for your life?"

Lacua's grin faltered for just a moment before wings burst out of his back, his eyes flashing with righteous fury.

With a sharp flap of his wings, he launched himself into the air. "I don't give a damn who you are!" he snarled, swinging his arms in rapid succession.

Purple, orbs of {Nuclear Bullets} blitzed toward Kaori, each one brimming with energy.

"But now you die!"

BOOM!

The world erupted in a blinding explosion. Flames and shockwaves tore into the lake, sending a towering wave of water crashing outward. Steam hissed into the night air, momentarily obscuring everything in a swirling veil of mist.

Steadying himself midair, Lacua unfurled his demonic wings, his gaze locked onto the dissipating smoke.

His breath hitched.

'Did that actually work?'

"That's it?" Kaori's voice rang through the settling chaos, crisp and unimpressed. As the dust cleared, her form became visible once more, untouched. Her pristine robes fluttered gently in the lingering heat, not a single scorch mark upon them.

"How disappointing," she murmured. The only evidence of the attack lay in the edges of her metal fan, now glowing a molten orange.

One by one, she had parried every {Nuclear Bullet} with nothing but the precise flick of her fan, even as they exploded.

Lacua's breath hitched. His hands trembled for a moment before his frustration boiled over. "Damn you!" he snarled. With a sharp motion, he reached into his cloak and retrieved a purple crystal, its surface pulsating with ominous energy. The moment his fingers curled around it, the crystal flared with dark light.

A blade materialized in his grip, a sword of pure, condensed energy.

Kaori scoffed, her expression unreadable as she flicked her wrist. The movement sent a ripple through the fabric of her robes, parting them just enough to reveal the twin swords resting at her hip. With practiced ease, she placed a hand on one.

Shing!

A whisper of steel cut through the air as she drew her pure white blade.

Lacua clenched his teeth, his jaw tightening. He had faced strong opponents before, but this Majin was something else, powerful, impossibly so. Every instinct screamed at him, warning that her strength was on par with a Demon Lord, if not greater.

Yet, despite that suffocating pressure, a smirk slowly crept onto his face.

"It doesn't matter how strong you are," he sneered, gripping his blade tighter. "Your meddling has ruined everything, but know this, you have incurred the wrath of My Lady. And as her faithful servant, I will dispose of you and prepare the vessel for her glorious return."

He let the words sink in, watching her carefully for any sign of hesitation.

"As for this measly nation, let the surrounding countries have the scraps when I'm through."

Lacua's eyes gleamed as he gauged her reaction.

'Good. That should be enough to make her hesitate. She can't kill me now. She needs information. Which means she can't go all out. Which means… I win.'

His confidence solidified as she fully unsheathed her sword, a blade so immaculate that it sang as it left its scabbard.

Lacua tightened his grip, focusing all his senses on her movements. The moment she slipped up, even for a second, he'd strike.

Then...

His blood ran cold.

A sound, a whisper of death.

Behind him.

The unmistakable hum of air being sliced apart.

'But how…?'

His thoughts barely had time to register the impossibility before he instinctively turned...

And his world was swallowed by white.

The gleaming edge of Kaori's blade filled his vision.

---

Within a grand, cathedral-like hall with a high ceiling and intricate geometric patterns etched into the floor, two figures enjoyed a serene moment.

On a beautifully designed chair, a young girl sat, holding a cup of steaming tea. She had short, vibrant pink hair tied into a side ponytail. Wearing a dark, elegant outfit with fur-trimmed shoulders, giving her a noble or high-ranking appearance.

The demon seated in the ornate chair was no ordinary being. She was one of the Primordial Demons, ancient entities that had existed since the world's creation. This particular one was known as the Primordial Purple.

To her right stood her butler, a young-looking Arch Demon, who moved with practiced grace as he carefully poured tea into her cup before returning the pot to its place.

Violet took a sip, savoring the flavor, and exhaled in satisfaction. The moment of peace was short-lived, however.

A flicker of black smoke appeared behind her, so brief it vanished in an instant.

"Please excuse my intrusion… Viole."

Violet flinched at the sudden sensation of a hand resting on her shoulder, nearly spilling her tea.

Her butler reacted instantly, his body tensing, ready to strike at the intruder.

Now composed, Violet turned her gaze toward the newcomer. "Who the hell are you? Are you one of Guy's?" she asked, scrutinizing the woman before her.

The uninvited guest, unbothered by the hostile reception, simply smiled. "Is it the hair?" She twirled a few strands between her fingers, smirking as she met Violet's gaze. "Can't you take a guess?"

Violet narrowed her eyes, sensing something amiss. Then, a realization struck her. "Wait." She stood, scanning the room. "Where's my second butler? He should have been guarding this space, at the very least, keeping watch."

"Oh, that one?" The woman tilted her head in amusement. "He's sleeping right now. Though, do demons in this realm even sleep? Either way, don't worry, he's not dead, if that's what you're wondering."

Violet raised a hand, signaling her butler to stand down. She studied the intruder carefully before speaking again. "You're an unusual demon. If you're not one of Guy's, then… Are you a Chaos Demon? You have no color."

At that, the woman's smirk deepened. "Oh? So you know of us?" She casually propped her feet onto the table.

Violet scoffed. "Hmph. Guy already wiped out all the Chaos Demons." Then, her expression shifted to one of mischievous delight. "Ne, ne, why don't you become my subordinate? Guy would never see it coming, his reaction would be priceless!"

The woman paused before bursting into laughter.

Violet frowned, pouting. "What's so funny?"

The stranger's golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "To answer your first question," she began, "I was a Chaos Demon. But I have a color now, you're just too weak to see it."

Violet's eyes darkened, but she held back from taking the bait. Instead, she considered the implications. "Chaos Demons don't have colors… unless..." She halted, shaking her head. "No, that's impossible."

"Oh, but it is possible," the woman sang playfully. "There's a new Primordial in town. Primordial Chaos. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Violet's expression turned serious. "And why are you here?"

Tomokashi leaned back in the chair, stretching lazily. "I've been sent on an errand by my master," she said, her voice lighthearted yet deliberate. "It involves the small nation of Raja."

"We recently discovered a magic circle at the bottom of a lake. Was that your doing?"

"Hah?" Violet scoffed, setting down her teacup. "You think I have nothing better to do than scribbling magic circles in some random lake?"

She leaned forward slightly, a smirk playing on her lips as she studied the red-haired demon. "A better question is why someone like you is so interested in that tiny kingdom."

Tomokashi, still lounging comfortably in Violet's chair, met her gaze without hesitation. "Oh, I'd be happy to answer that," she said, her tone light. Then, her expression shifted, and with slow deliberation, she added, "As long as you. Leave. Raja. Alone."

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.

The air grew dense, the weight of Tomokashi's presence pressing down like an unseen force. She locked eyes with the Primordial Purple, daring her to respond.

For a few seconds, silence reigned.

Then, Violet chuckled, unfazed. "No deal." She leaned back, resting an elbow on the armrest. "I have a better offer, you and your master serve me, and maybe I'll leave Raja alone." Her lips curled into an amused grin. "Primordial Chaos? Hah! Lying doesn't suit that pretty face of yours."

Tomokashi didn't react with anger. Instead, she simply… pouted.

"Aww, so it's a no-go?" She sighed dramatically. "Well, there goes my perfect plan to win Maple's favor. All you had to do was accept. Now though… Well, it's not all bad, I suppose." Her smile turned sharp. "Hearing a Primordial scream, now that sounds like an exhilarating experience."

Violet's smirk faltered ever so slightly. "Hah?"

Tomokashi stood up in a single, fluid motion, her fur-lined cape billowing as she moved.

"You wanted to meet my master, yes?" She raised a hand, gripping the edge of her cape. The inner fabric began to shift, the dark material swirling like liquid before bleeding into a deep crimson hue.

A portal rippled into existence within the folds of her cloak.

Tomokashi's eyes gleamed. "Your funeral."

The portal flashed.

And then, from its depths, a figure stepped forward.