Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

The corridor stretched on, dimly lit by flickering torches mounted unevenly on the walls. Kirara couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the musty stench of the prison, a mix of damp stone, unwashed bodies, and the faint metallic tang of blood. Her footsteps were light, barely audible against the rough stone floor, but her senses remained on high alert.

The cells came into view as she rounded the corner, a series of over thirty iron-barred doors lined up on either side of the hallway. The prisoners inside were huddled in the shadows, their faces pale and gaunt. Some glanced up as Kirara approached, their expressions flickering between hope and mistrust.

"Shh," Kirara whispered, raising a finger to her lips. "We're getting you out of here. Stay quiet, and follow my lead."

She moved to the first cell, her hand hovering over the lock. Kaede's devices hummed faintly with energy as she activated one, the runes etched into its surface glowing a soft blue. With a faint click, the lock disintegrated, the iron crumbling into harmless shards that dissolved into the air.

"Come on," Kirara urged, stepping back to let the prisoners out. They hesitated for a moment before stumbling forward, their movements sluggish and cautious.

"What's going on?" one of them, a wiry man with sunken eyes, asked in a hoarse whisper.

"No time to explain," Kirara said, already moving to the next cell. "Just stay close and don't make a sound."

The process repeated, each lock succumbing to the carefully designed MMPs. Kirara worked quickly but methodically, her focus unwavering as she freed more and more prisoners.

When she reached the ninth cell, the occupants screamed in terror, shuffling back to the walls behind them. "Go away, you witch." One of them screamed.

Kirara raised an eyebrow. "Ah." A look of realization dawned on her face. The man who had screamed looked awfully familiar.

It was the bandit leader of the first camp falmuth had raided. Back then, he was also given a first row seat to the horrors that was her unique skill [Bewilder] almost swallowing the special he had personally concocted.

Once the door to his cell opened, he curled into himself, lying in the floor, trembling. "Please don't make me kill myself." He whispered with tears in his eyes. Around him, in the same cell, some of the prisoners were doing the same thing.

"Ah yeah." Kirara had on an awkward smile. "That did happen. Hehehe." Kirara sighed, glancing back toward the dimly lit corridor. The prisoners in the other cells were waiting anxiously, their wide eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight. Time was slipping away, but she knew Kaede wouldn't want her to leave anyone behind, even if some of them were terrified of her.

The bandit leader remained on the floor, his hands covering his face as if shielding himself from a blow that wouldn't come. His trembling companions huddled against the far wall, their faces pale and drenched with sweat.

"Hey, listen," Kirara said softly, crouching down so she wasn't looming over them. She rested her arms on her knees, her tone calm and reassuring. "I'm not here to hurt you, okay? That… thing I did last time? I had no choice. But right now, I need you to stand up. You want out of here, don't you?"

The man peeked through his fingers, his bloodshot eyes locking onto hers. His lips moved, but no sound came out at first. Finally, he croaked, "You… you're lying. You'll just—just make us your puppets again…"

Kirara frowned, annoyance flashing across her face. "Look, I know I scared you. I'm sorry about that. But we don't have time for this. Either you come with me now, or you stay here and explain to Falmuth why you're still breathing."

Her words seemed to cut through his fear, at least a little. The man lowered his hands, his chest still heaving with shallow breaths. His companions exchanged uncertain glances, their desperation warring with their distrust.

Kirara straightened and stepped back, gesturing toward the open cell door. "The choice is yours. But if you stay here, you're not getting another chance."

For a moment, no one moved. Then, one of the prisoners—a woman with matted hair and a jagged scar across her cheek—pushed herself to her feet. She staggered toward the door, her steps unsteady but determined.

"I'll go," she said hoarsely. "Better than rotting in here."

Her courage seemed to spark something in the others. One by one, they followed her lead, shuffling out of the cell with wary glances at Kirara. The bandit leader was the last to move, his knees wobbling as he stumbled to his feet.

Kirara nodded once, satisfied, before turning back to the remaining cells. "Stay in line, and like, don't slow me down," she said over her shoulder.

The process continued, each freed prisoner adding to the growing group behind her. Some were silent, their eyes hollow with exhaustion, while others whispered nervously among themselves. A few even offered quiet thanks, though Kirara waved them off, her focus on the task at hand.

When she reached the final cell, she hesitated. The figure inside was different from the others—tall and broad-shouldered, with an air of calm authority that set him apart. He was seated on the floor, his back resting against the wall, and his piercing eyes watched her every move.

"You're not a guard," he said, his voice deep and steady.

"And you're not a bandit," Kirara replied, activating the final MMP. The lock disintegrated with a faint hum, and she stepped back. "Come on. We're leaving."

The man didn't move right away. He tilted his head, studying her with a curious expression. "Why are you doing this?"

Kirara exhaled sharply. "Because someone I trust asked me to. That's all you need to know."

He considered her for another moment before standing, his movements fluid despite the chains that had clearly weighed on him for days. As he stepped out of the cell, he offered her a small nod. "Thank you."

Kirara waved him toward the others, her voice brisk. "Save it for later. We're not out of this yet."

She turned back toward the corridor, her eyes scanning the map on her wristband. A faint beep alerted her to movement, a patrol heading toward the lower levels. Her jaw tightened.

"Like, everyone," she said, her voice low but firm. "Listen up. We've got guards closing in. Stick together and move fast. If anyone falls behind, I'm not coming back for you."

The prisoners murmured nervously, but they obeyed, shuffling after her as she led them back toward the staircase. The tension in the air was palpable, every creak of the floor and flicker of torchlight setting Kirara's nerves on edge.

As they ascended the stairs, she caught sight of a faint glow ahead—the telltale shimmer of a magical barrier. Her fingers brushed over the last EMP device on her belt, and she felt a flicker of satisfaction. "One more, and we're clear," she muttered.

But before she could move, the entire prison trembled as multiple explosions echoed in the distance. "Guess that's the signal."