Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

When they stepped into the chamber, Kaede's eyes immediately fell on Pito, who stood at attention, her diminutive frame radiating pride. After seeing at least five Antari and their massive frame, Pito's smaller frame was a new look for Kaede.

Next to her loomed the "significant" addition, a massive spider, its hulking form dominating the room. Its multiple legs twitched slightly, the faint shimmer of silk visible at the tips. Its carapace gleamed in the light, and its eight eyes reflected an unsettling intelligence. The room was unnervingly quiet, save for the occasional soft hiss of the creature's mandibles.

Kaede stopped mid-step, her brows lifting slightly. "Well, that's... impressive."

Pito beamed, her voice high and confident. "Master, I present to you the Weaver's Titan! This one is perfect for spinning webs strong enough for any purpose. And it's well-behaved," she added, glancing at the spider as if daring it to prove her wrong.

Kaede tilted her head, studying the spider carefully. It was clearly a monster, but not aggressive, at least not at the moment. Its massive size and specialized nature made it ideal for the weaving project, though she couldn't help but wonder how much effort it would take to manage a creature like this.

Acer, standing beside her, tilted her head curiously. (It's huge, Mother. Do you think it's friendly?)

Kaede smirked faintly. (Friendly isn't the word I'd use, but it doesn't seem hostile. That's a good start.)

Stepping closer, Kaede addressed Pito. "You've done well. This will make things much easier for the silk production. Did you encounter any issues during the capture?"

Pito's chest puffed up with pride. "Not at all, Master! It put up a bit of a fight, but nothing I couldn't handle." Her upper arms shot up, her hands spinning two familiar weapons. "A few blasts of these babies, and it accepted its new role."

Kaede blinked at the two plasma guns Pito was twirling on her fingers. "I completely forgot I gave those to Kirara. You seem to be handling them well."

Pito paused, her compound eyes frozen as if caught in a crime. She immediately bowed multiple times in quick succession. "My apologies master the human was unconscious and I just wanted to try out the weapon and then I got carried away and forgot to return it and I'm going to return it right away."

Kaede laughed. "It's alright Pito. The guns were just in case Kirara found herself in a bad situation. You can keep them."

Pito straightened instantly. "Truly?!" Her compound eyes shone as she bounced in place. "Oh thank you master. Oh my babies!"

Kaede nodded thoughtfully, her gaze drifting back to the spider. "Good. You're in charge of the spider. I'll need you to monitor it closely for now. Move it to the Kyusha mountains. Make sure it's kept well-fed and in a controlled environment. We can't afford any accidents."

"Understood, Master," Pito said, her voice brimming with confidence.

Kaede stepped even closer to the spider. The creature's eyes tracked her movements, but it remained still. She studied it for a moment longer before turning to Ari.

"Set up a secure enclosure for it near the weaving station. We'll begin testing its silk in a few days," Kaede instructed. "Also, add a note for me to design a weaving station." She turned back to the smaller Antari. "And Pito, excellent work."

Pito bowed deeply, her antennae twitching with excitement. "Thank you, Master!"

As Pito scurried off to make the necessary arrangements, Kaede turned to Ari. "There's so much work to be done. Get some rest, tomorrow will be a busy day."

Ari nodded. "Of course, Mother."

Kaede's gaze shifted to the spider one last time before she turned toward the exit, Acer following closely at her side. (Hey mom, why didn't you name her?)

Kaede paused mid-step at Acer's question, her mind briefly snagging on the thought. (Name her?)

Acer nodded, her leafy hair swaying softly. (The spider. You usually name important things. She's part of our plans now, right?)

Kaede's lips twitched into a faint smile. (You're right, I suppose it deserves one. But I... We only need its webs right? I'm not sure how, aware it was... I don't know, I'll probably name it at some point. That would make her part of the family. For now though, it's just a monster we happen to need at the moment.)

(You'll probably name her anyway,) Acer added playfully.

Kaede laughed softly, shaking her head. (True.)

////

And so, the next day arrived. The queens returned, making quite an entrance, as Ari had predicted, their arrival as flashy as it was impressive. Kaede decided to learn shadow movement immediately.

With them came the final tally of their colonies' numbers.

Hachi's original colony consisted of 1,420 leafcutter ants, all awaiting names.

Crimara's colony was slightly larger, boasting 2,004 fire ants under her command.

Aurina's colony, however, dwarfed the others, with an impressive 11,230 army ants at her disposal.

Altogether, there were 14,624 ants that Kaede needed to name. With Ari offering a few suggestions, it was decided to split the naming process over six days, with Kaede naming just over 2,000 ants each day. While Kaede argued that she could handle naming more in a day, the queens and Ari immediately vetoed the idea.

While Kaede focused on naming one group of ants, the rest continued working on establishing their new home in the Kyusha Mountains. To assist with coordination, Kaede created multiple projection devices and distributed them among the queens.

The first day of naming began early, with Kaede seated comfortably in the largest chamber of the Antari's growing colony. The queens flanked her on either side, their antennae twitching in anticipation as the first group of ants filed in, orderly and silent. Ari hovered nearby, ready to assist.

Kaede took a deep breath, tapping lightly on her lap. "Alright, let's make this efficient. Hachi, bring them forward in smaller groups. I'll name them in batches, and Ari can record the names."

Hachi nodded, her regal demeanor softening slightly as she gestured for the first group to step forward. Each ant stood tall, their movements a perfect sync. Kaede smiled faintly at their discipline.

"Okay," she began, her tone warm but firm, "let's start simple. Group one, your names will follow a pattern: Amon, Aria, Aya…"

As Kaede continued, the process quickly fell into a rhythm. Ari diligently noted each name, while the newly named Antari filed out, shifting in what Kaede interpreted as excitement.

By mid-morning, Kaede paused, stretching her arms above her head. "This isn't as bad as I thought," she admitted, sipping from a cup of tea Ari had brought.

Acer, perched on a nearby ledge, giggled. (Told you naming them would be fun. Look at their faces when you call their names, it's like they're glowing!)

Kaede chuckled. (That's because they're evolving Acer, but I'm glad they're happy.)

The rest of the day followed much the same pattern, with Kaede naming group after group until she reached her daily limit. As the last batch of names was called, she leaned back, exhaling a satisfied sigh.

"That's it for today," she announced. "Hachi, Crimara, Aurina, great work organizing them. Same time tomorrow."

The queens bowed in unison, their voices overlapping. "Thank you, Master. We will ensure they are ready."

////

Meanwhile, in the Kyusha Mountains, progress on the new colony was steady. Pito, overseeing the spider's enclosure, worked tirelessly to ensure the Weaver's Titan remained secure and comfortable. She had already tested small amounts of its silk, marveling at the strength and flexibility of the threads.

"It's perfect," Pito murmured, watching the spider spin another strand. Her antennae twitched as she turned to one of her newly named assistants. "Double the feeding schedule. If it's happy, it'll produce more silk."

The assistant nodded, scurrying off to carry out her orders.

By nightfall, the queens and their colonies had returned to their temporary quarters, and Kaede sat quietly in her private chamber, reviewing plans for the weaving station. Ari approached, her steps light.

"Mother," she said softly, "will you be able to handle this pace for the next five days? You already look tired."

Kaede glanced up, a small smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry about me, Ari. I've handled worse. My passive regeneration makes this a whole lot easier. Besides, this is important. The sooner we finish naming, the sooner we can focus on the bigger picture."

Ari nodded but didn't look entirely convinced. "If you need rest, please don't push yourself too hard."

Kaede reached out, gently ruffling Ari's antenna. "Thanks, but I've got this. Now, go rest, you've been just as busy as me."