Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)-Chapter 108 - One Hundred And Eight

"Kanade, this is Kirara. She's also an Otherworlder, Falmuth summoned her before me." Kaede gestured toward Kirara, who stepped forward and extended her hand with a hesitant smile.

"Hi, um, it's nice to, like, meet one of Kaede's friends. I'm Kirara Iwatani, like, Just... Kirara, really."

Kanade chuckled as he shook her hand. "I've already heard about you from the sorcerers in Falmuth. Let's just say, they weren't your biggest fans."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Kirara said with a smirk. "I can only imagine the insane restrictions they slapped on you after Kaede and I made our little escape."

Kanade let out a soft laugh. "Oh, they tried. Not that it worked. Let's just say... Razen isn't half the sorcerer he thinks he is."

Kirara laughed more genuinely now. "That makes me happy in more ways than one."

A surprised voice suddenly called out, "Kirara...?"

The trio turned as Shogo approached, his eyes widening as he spotted both girls. "And Kaede..."

"Hey, Shogo," Kaede greeted warmly. "You look... well."

Shogo looked worn down, his clothes rumpled, his eyes sunken with fatigue, but he managed to speak through the confusion. "How? Razen said you died. Both of you, when you turned traitor."

Kaede shrugged. "Teleportation's a wonderful thing."

"Turned traitor?" Kirara echoed, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously, Shogo? After everything, that's the word you're going with? Did you forget we were basically prisoners? You used to talk about breaking out yourself."

Shogo exhaled heavily, glancing between the three of them and then up at the night sky, unsure whether to sit or remain standing. "I'm sorry. It's just... a lot. So much has happened. There's been a lot to take in so quickly, and seeing you two alive and... okay... it's overwhelming."

"I get it. Today's been a rollercoaster for me too," Kaede said with a sigh.

"Speak for yourself," Kirara muttered. "I just got slapped in the face with three years' worth of information I apparently slept through." She clenched her fist at her side, out of view. "Where's Kyoya? Probably lurking somewhere, trying, and failing, to look all cool and composed."

Shogo's expression twisted with pain as he looked down. "Kyoya's dead."

Kirara's breath hitched, and Kaede's fingers stopped their idle tapping on a nearby roadblock.

"What...?" Kirara's voice came out small, uncertain. "How? When?"

Shogo's eyes darkened. "Some woman named Glenda got him."

Kirara froze mid-motion, and Kaede's gaze dropped to the ground, suddenly the road blocks Incredibly Interesting.

Kanade tilted his head, watching their reactions with quiet understanding.

"She had a gun," Shogo continued flatly. "Kyoya didn't even realize he was dead before his brain painted the pavement. At least it was quick. No pain." He looked up at them, still unaware of their unreadable expressions. "We were so stupid..."

Kirara rose slowly, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "Shogo..."

"This world..." Shogo's voice broke as he clenched his jaw. "I hate it here."

Kirara gently placed a hand on his shoulder, only to be pulled into a sudden hug. Shogo clung to her, silent sobs shaking his frame.

"Come on, big guy," Kirara said softly, guiding him away. "Let's get you something to eat."

"Just... avoid Shion, okay?" Shogo mumbled between sobs. "She's a terrible cook."

The two slowly disappeared down the path, leaving Kanade and Kaede alone beneath the moonlight, surrounded by a growing party.

Kanade turned toward Kaede, who was still watching Kirara and Shogo walk off. He leaned slightly closer with a teasing grin.

"So... you and Kirara, huh?"

Kaede jumped, startled. "It's not, we're not a thing! I mean, there's nothing going on, or there wasn't... there isn't! We're not dating!" she blurted out, her voice rising an octave by the end.

Kanade raised an eyebrow and nodded solemnly. "You'd better not be. I'd like to think you're not the kind of person to move on after only a year. Not after everything you and Sally had."

Kaede's chest tightened, and she could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. Sweat gathered on her brow as the weight of his words settled in.

"Y-Yeah, Kanade..."

Kanade burst into laughter and gently flicked her forehead. "I'm kidding, Maple. Relax. I know it's been more than three years for you here."

"Even so..." Kaede's voice grew quiet. She looked down, her expression shadowed by guilt. "I've betrayed her. Sally was my everything, and I betrayed her."

Kanade rolled his eyes. "Maple, come on. Sally wouldn't want you punishing yourself for three years. If there's anything she wanted more than anything else, it was your happiness. She'd be the first to say that."

Kaede tilted her head back, gazing up at the stars. The flicker of the bonfire reflected in her eyes like distant memories. "We had a date... just before it all happened."

Kanade smiled gently. "Then you'll still have it. Maybe that's when you'll finally realize, Sally never stopped wanting you to be happy."

Kaede turned to him, her voice confused. "Kanade..."

He shrugged with a mischievous grin. "I wonder if Sally would be cool with a harem. I mean, we all joked about it that one time, but I'm not sure how seriously anyone took it. You do give off that 'main character harem energy' though. Naturally, Sally would be the main wife, and Miss Kirara could be second in command."

"Kanade!!" Kaede shouted, her face flushing crimson. The sudden outburst startled him into silence.

"What are you even talking about?! How are Sally and I supposed to have our date? She's not even here!"

Kanade blinked like she'd asked the most obvious question in the world. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to perform the Otherworlder Summoning Ritual... and bring the rest of Maple Tree here."

Kaede stared at him, speechless. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Her brain scrambled to process what he'd just said.

"What are you... Are you insane?" she finally hissed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Kanade glanced around the gathering before subtly waving his hand. A faint shimmer pulsed through the air, and Kaede instantly recognized the magic, he'd cast a soundproof barrier around them.

Kaede raised an eyebrow. "Why the secrecy?"

Kanade met her gaze, his tone shifting from casual to serious. "Kaede, we're not kids anymore. Look at where we are. This world... it might be the greatest thing that's ever happened to us. No offense to Shogo. There's so much possibility here, and you and I both know the others would want to be part of that."

Kaede frowned as Kanade continued, his words taking on an unsettling clarity.

"I've already started figuring out how the Voice of the World works, its laws, its systems. And with the rest of Maple Tree here? There wouldn't be many who could stop us."

She took a small step back, unease prickling down her spine. "Why are you talking like this?"

Kanade didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned slightly, watching the flicker of firelight beyond the barrier before turning back to her.

"What is it you really want, Maple?" he asked suddenly.

The directness of the question caught Kaede off-guard. She hesitated, leaning back slightly as she considered her answer.

"I just want... everyone around me to be happy," she admitted softly. "I want to see Risa again. I want the best for my friends... both Maple Trees. That's all."

Kanade stepped closer and gently took her hand.

"Then this is the right path," he said. "I don't want to live in this world without our friends. I want all of us to explore this place together, just like we did in New World Online. Our guild may have been small, but it meant everything."

He smiled faintly, nostalgia in his voice.

"Mai, Yui, Iz, Kasumi, Chrome... and me. We were all just trying to find a place to belong, and you and Sally brought us together. New World Online gave us that second home."

Kaede's expression turned troubled. "But summoning them? Taking them from their world without warning... without choice..."

"You underestimate your friends, Maple," Kanade interrupted with a chuckle. "Do you really think they wouldn't leap at the chance to come here? To live in a world like the one we pretended to be in?"

Her lips parted to reply, but he spoke again, softly this time, and with something darker beneath his words.

"I can bring Iz back, Kaede," Kanade said. "I've studied the ritual twelve times. If I summon her at the moment of her death, I could undo it. She'd live again, here, with us."

Kaede froze, staring at him. Her mouth opened, words ready to refute him, but none came. 'I'd see Sally again. The twins. I'd see my girlfriend, and maybe... maybe we'd finally get married.'

But the lingering doubt pulled at her. Would she be happy? Would any of them be?

She narrowed her eyes at Kanade. "How did you study the ritual twelve times?"

Kanade gave a casual shrug. "Falmuth performed it twelve times."

Kaede gasped. "What? So they summoned twelve more Otherworlders!?"

He shook his head. "No. I sabotaged it each time. Learned a few things each time."

"Oh." Kaede blinked, a little relieved. "Okay. That's... better."

Kanade stepped a little closer. "Well? What do you say? Let's bring the whole gang back. Maple Tree should be with its guild master."

"I don't know, Kanade." Kaede's tone was uncertain. "This is... a big thing. Not something we can undo."

"Then let me start small. Just Iz," he said gently. "We bring her back, and we'll decide from there."

Kaede hesitated, then gave him a soft smile. "I think I can work with that."

Kanade chuckled. "Alright then. Let's get back to the party. Rimuru's been trying to pierce the soundproofing barrier for the last few minutes. He's oddly perceptive."

Kaede turned to glance toward Rimuru, already walking with a slight smirk. "Well, he is a friend."

As the barrier dropped, Kaede called out, "Hey Rimuru! Millim wanted me to show you my scar, for some reason. I guess she'll show you hers later or something?"

Rimuru blinked. "Scar!?" he practically yelled. "You got hurt!? Millim has a scar!?"

Benimaru frowned. "But why would Lady Millim ask you to show Lord Rimuru your scar? Didn't she just declare war on you? That doesn't seem like something an enemy would do."

"Dude, it's Millim," Rimuru deadpanned.

Benimaru slowly nodded. "Perhaps you perceive something I cannot. As expected of you, Lord Rimuru."

Rimuru sighed and turned to Kaede, who only gave a small shrug that said, Been there, dealt with it.

"Well, if Millim isn't going completely berserk and is just planning something..." Rimuru muttered, "I guess there's no reason to worry."

Kaede smiled. "It was fun fighting her. I guess."

Just then, Acer came running over, holding a plate of food and beaming. "Mother, look! This food is amazing! And it's not even in the Holy Culinary Grail!"

Kaede raised an eyebrow. "The what?"

Rimuru asked what they were both thinking. "What's a Holy Culinary Grail?"

Kaede echoed, "Yeah, Acer. What's a Holy Culinary Grail?"

Acer tilted her head as if it were obvious. "It's the sacred book where you wrote all our culinary wisdom."

"You mean... a cookbook?" Rimuru asked.

"Is that what chefs call it now?" Kaede muttered.

"It's what all of Maple Tree calls it," Acer explained proudly. "It records all our meals and discoveries. Every time a new recipe is created, it appears in the book."

A few feet away, Shuna was busy explaining a complex recipe to one of Maple Tree's chefs, a female orc who was listening with deep respect and full attention.

---

Far away, deep within the heart of Maple Tree's royal palace, in the center of the grand kitchen, stood a raised pedestal. Upon it rested a thick, ancient tome, its cover engraved with silver vines and golden utensils.

Suddenly, the book glowed softly. Its pages fluttered to a blank one. And as Shuna's voice echoed through the party, her recipe began to transcribe itself onto the parchment, line by glowing line.

The Holy Culinary Grail had accepted a new offering.

---

"That just sounds like crazy talk," Rimuru muttered, shaking his head.

Kaede gave a solemn nod. "I'll have to talk to my chefs about idolizing a book..."

Rimuru suddenly paused, his expression shifting. "Kaede-san... why are you crying?"

Kaede blinked in confusion. "Crying? I'm not, at least, I don't think I am." She lifted a hand to her cheek and froze. Her fingers came away wet. "Huh?"

Before she could process it further, a dull, wrenching pain exploded in her chest, something tearing loose from inside her.

She gasped, stumbling backward as the sensation clawed deep into her soul.

"Kaede-san!"

"Lady Kaede!"

"Kaede!"

"Mother!"

Voices echoed from every direction as people rushed toward her, eyes filled with concern.

Kaede gritted her teeth, doing her best to stay upright. "Artificia... what's happening? Why does it hurt so much?" Her voice trembled. "It's not even physical..."

<...Analyzing.>

"The what?" Kaede winced, her hand pressed over her heart as the pain pulsed again. "Since when did I even have that title? What's it doing?"

Kaede's breath hitched. The weight of what she'd just heard barely registered. She focused only on one thing. "Then... why does it hurt?"

<...Analyzing.>

Kaede stopped breathing. For a moment, the world around her fell silent.

"What... did you just say?"

Her voice was barely audible. But every person around her heard the raw emotion threaded through it, fear, sorrow, and a growing sense of helpless rage.

---

Tomokashi smiled when she felt the slight increase in the wind around her. "So... It has begun."

She raised her hand slightly to her face a small transparent orb shining in her palm. "Forgive me little one, this was the only way."

---

Hinata's breath calmed down as she processed what had just happened. Her blade, Dead End Rainbow, dimmed, its purpose complete for the moment.

Crumpled on the floor before Hinata was the prone form of a pink haired girl, with antennas on her forehead.

There were no visible wounds in the girl's body, but the girl didn't move, didn't breathe. She was without a doubt, dead. After all, she was struck by dead end rainbow. And the culprit...

"What..." Hinata breathed. "What just happened?"

END OF VOLUME TWO