Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

"Dragon? No one said anything about dragons," Kaede said, shifting uneasily.

Ari scoffed. "That annoying lizard should feel lucky I even consider him a dragon."

Aurina, overhearing the conversation, stepped forward. "Master, I believe she's referring to Lord Veldora."

Kaede paused, her expression thoughtful. "So, the lizard you were talking about was Veldora. He's quite different from what I imagined."

Ari nodded, and Kaede placed a hand on her chin, her mind racing. 'We'll have to deal with Veldora eventually.'

Shaking the thought aside, Kaede refocused. "Alright, we'll handle that later. For now, let's concentrate on getting the looms and threads sorted out."

She turned her attention back to the queens. "Weaving spiders will be a good start for the threads. Their silk is strong, flexible, and perfect for clothing. Once we secure the silk, we'll begin making the looms. You three can return to your colonies for now, but be back at dawn tomorrow with a tally of your numbers."

The three queens nodded, their towering forms vanishing in a flash of black light.

Kaede paused, blinking in surprise before turning to Ari. "Since when can they do that?"

Ari sighed. "They used a skill called [Shadow Movement]. It allows them to travel through shadows. However, they also have a more advanced skill called [Spatial Placement] that lets them instantly appear next to any member of their colony."

Kaede tilted her head, frowning slightly. "Then why didn't they just use that?"

Ari hesitated, her tone dry when she finally answered. "Because Shadow Movement looks cooler."

Kaede blinked, staring at her. "Oh."

Ari nodded solemnly. "Yes."

Kaede let out a small sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose as she mulled over Ari's explanation. "So, they'd rather waste energy to show off. Typical," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

Ari gave a slight shrug, her sharp eyes gleaming with amusement. "I'll contact Pito right now."

"Hmmmm?" Kaede blinked, snapping out of her mind and nodding to Ari. "Y-Yes I'll start drawing up the blueprints for the houses and the looms."

////

Kaede sat cross-legged in her designated chambers, the soft hum of her black box resonating faintly in the still air. Holographic blueprints hovered above it, shifting and rotating in response to her gestures.

Acer lay sprawled across her lap, her head resting comfortably on her thigh. Her hand absentmindedly stroked the soft leaves on her hair as she worked, her eyes fixed on the intricate designs before her.

The holograms displayed three distinct projects: a weaving loom, modular housing for the ant colonies, and a centralized processing station. Kaede's fingers moved deftly, pulling at the edges of the blueprints to enlarge sections or swiping to adjust components.

"Alright," she muttered, focusing on the loom first. "If I anchor the silk tensioners here and add an adjustable frame, it should work for multiple thread types. But what about..." She paused, her fingers twisting in the air to rotate the model. "The gear alignment? Why would it need...? Oh, to avoid it seizing under stress."

Acer let out a soft hum, purring at her mother's movements. (Overthinking again, Mother?)

Kaede glanced down at her, smiling faintly. (I call it thorough planning.)

(You call it that. I call it unnecessary stress.)

She chuckled softly, giving her head a gentle pat. "Maybe you're right. But, without Artificia online, I have to think through the details."

Her attention shifted to the housing blueprint. With a swipe, the hologram expanded, showing a series of modular frames that could interlock like puzzle pieces. Kaede pinched the image, pulling it closer to examine the material composition. "The resin from Hachi's colony should work well here. Lightweight, durable... but we'll need a way to reinforce it without compromising flexibility."

Her gaze shifted to the first image of the weaving loom, her fingers hovering mid-gesture. "I wonder..." She murmured, pulling a strand of light from the loom blueprint and integrating it into the housing design. The hologram adjusted instantly, the frames now lined with spider silk threads for added support. "I can't believe that worked!" She pumped a fist in excitement.

Acer jerked from the sudden movement, before noticing her mother's smile and the hologram. (You can do anything mother.)

Satisfied, Kaede saved the designs and let them fade, leaving only the processing station's hologram behind. She hesitated, staring at the intricate mechanisms and pulleys. It was a long-term project, far more complex than the others, but it was necessary.

She gestured to expand the power core section, replacing the resin gears with alloyed metal. Resin might have been sufficient for the smaller projects, but this one needed durability and precision. A lightweight alloy refined from the ores created by Ari's passive skill would suffice. With precise movements, she recalibrated the torque distribution, shifting the gear placement to reduce wear over time.

Despite her focus, Kaede kept her pace steady. The station wasn't an urgent need, it was a foundation for the future. Artificia's absence had forced her to think more critically, to plan for a world where not everything could be created with a snap of her fingers. This station would allow others to work and create without her constant involvement.

Kaede leaned back slightly, her hand still idly stroking Acer's head. She saved the updates, the black box glowing softly as it stored the data. For now, the station would remain theoretical, a blueprint waiting for the right moment to come to life.

The room grew quieter as the hologram dimmed. Kaede exhaled softly, her gaze shifting to the ceiling and its blue themed ambiance. "I should check up on Shifu." She murmured. Creating a link to Ari, she called. (Hey Ari, I'm gonna go check on Shifu for a while, be back in a few hours.)

Acer, already hearing the mental conversation, chimed in. (Mother?)

Kaede pinched her cheeks. "I'll be back soon. You don't need to follow me everywhere. Stay and have a nap or something okay."

Acer reluctantly nodded. (Yes mother.)

"Yosh!" Kaede jumped to her feet. (Hey Shifu, I'm dropping by.)

(Huh? What are you talking abou...?)

[Cover Move]

////

Kaede's arrival was as sudden as it was silent. One moment, the dense forest echoed with the sound of rustling leaves and distant chatter; the next, she stood there, a faint ripple of magic dispersing around her. The air crackled faintly, drawing the attention of Shifu and his hunting party.

Shifu, standing over the corpse of a recently felled beast, turned with a sharp look. His skin was stained with blood, his body tense, but the annoyance in his expression softened upon seeing Kaede. "You could warn me next time, Master," he muttered, his voice low but carrying a hint of exasperation.

Kaede smirked faintly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you're the one leading people out of the forest. I thought I'd check in." Her eyes swept over the scene, the freshly slain monster, the small group of hunters nearby, and the distant outlines of villagers moving cautiously through the trees.

An Antari stepped forward, his head bowing as he dropped to a knee. "Lady Kaede... You're finally awake."

Kaede raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yes, and I decided to stretch my legs. What is your name?"

The Antari answered. "This one is Eran." Kaede nodded before turning to the other two Antari.

The two Antari, their chitin glistening faintly in the dappled sunlight, immediately dropped to their knees. "This one is called Degg." "This one was given the name Pegg."

Shifu sighed, sheathing his blade as he stepped closer to Kaede. "We're making good progress. Five days, give or take, and we'll be clear of the forest. The monsters haven't been too much trouble, but feeding this many people..." He gestured to the carcass behind him. "Hunting is taking up most of our time."

Kaede nodded, her gaze lingering on the villagers in the distance. "I see. You're doing well, Shifu. Leading this many people isn't easy, but you're keeping them together."

His ears twitched at the compliment, though he tried to mask the hint of pride that flickered across his face. "It's not without challenges. Eran's been a big help, and the Antari..." He glanced at the two silent figures. "They're efficient, I'll give them that. They'll need weapons though. Thoughts for later I guess."

Kaede straightened, turning back to the group. "I'll stick around for a bit. Help you out with the hunt. It'll be faster if we work together."

Eran immediately protested. "My lady , you shouldn't need to get your hands dirty! Not for our sake."

Kaede smirked, rolling her shoulders as a faint ripple of energy pulsed around her. "Consider it fieldwork. Besides, I need the exercise."

Without waiting for a response, she stepped into the underbrush, Shifu exchanged a look with Eran before sighing and motioning for the group to follow.

For the next few hours, Kaede moved with the hunting party, her presence a mix of silent observation and precise action. When a pack of wolves ambushed from the shadows, she stepped in, a flick of her shield stunning the creatures long enough for Shifu and the others to finish them off.

By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, the group had gathered enough food to sustain the villagers for several days. Kaede stood on the edge of the clearing, her gaze thoughtful as she watched Shifu and the others prepare the meat for transport.

"You've got this under control," she said, her voice quiet but certain.

Shifu glanced up, his expression tired but determined. "We'll manage."

Kaede nodded, a faint smile on her lips. "Good. I'll check in again soon. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need me."

With that, she vanished as quickly as she had appeared, the forest once again settling into its natural rhythm.

////

Kaede reappeared in her chambers with a faint shimmer. The room's serene blue ambiance washed over her, soothing the tension from the day. Acer stirred slightly from her corner, half-buried in a mound of pillows. She blinked sleepily, her leafy hair rustling as she stretched.

(You're back, Mother,) Acer murmured, her voice carrying a warm, contented tone.

Kaede smiled faintly, running a hand through her hair as she moved to the low table in the center of the room. "I didn't want to be gone too long. Shifu's group is holding up well, though they've got their hands full."

(And you?) Acer's eyes followed her as she sat, a steaming cup of tea waiting on the table.

Kaede exhaled softly, the aroma of the tea calming her nerves. "I'm fine, just mentally exhausted. A lot of work ahead, as always." She sipped slowly, savoring the warmth as it spread through her. Her fingers traced the edge of the cup absently, her mind already drifting to the next steps, housing plans, resources, logistics. She really needed Artificia right about now, but the AI was unresponsive.

The tea gave her just enough of a moment to pause. Setting the cup down, she leaned back, her gaze lifting to the ceiling. "It's funny," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "Everything still feels so surreal. Unnatural. Coming from me that's saying something, I mean, I led Maple Tree. And yet."

Acer tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her soft, glowing eyes. (Nothing is too unnatural for you, Mother.)

Kaede chuckled, the sound low and warm. "You see I know that's a compliment, but I can't help but hear my friends saying that to tease me."

Before Acer could respond, a soft knock echoed at the chamber door, followed by the familiar weight of Ari's presence pressing gently against Kaede's awareness.

(You have a visitor,) Acer noted, a teasing lilt to her voice.

"Come in, Ari." Kaede called, setting her cup aside.

Ari entered with her usual measured grace, her sharp eyes immediately locking onto Kaede. "Mother," she began, her tone formal but with an undercurrent of satisfaction, "Pito has returned."

Kaede arched an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Already? That was quicker than I expected."

Kaede rose smoothly, her fatigue momentarily forgotten. She turned to Acer, who had already perked up with interest. "Want to come?"

Acer nodded eagerly, leaping to her feet. (Always.)

"Good." Kaede glanced back at Ari. "Let's go meet our new recruits."