Greetings, readers:
Thank you for reading this fan-made work...
...
After that emotional meeting by the river, young Tsunayoshi Sawada returned to Vongola Headquarters with his spirit completely transformed. The spark of a shared purpose had ignited a flame within him, one that no longer depended on fear, but on conviction. Seeking to delve deeper into the roots of his lineage and understand the weight of the dynasty he was destined to inherit, Tsuna headed straight for the Famiglia's sanctuary of knowledge: the vast central library.
That place was more than just a reading room; it represented the intellectual heart and living archive that housed the vast majority of the knowledge passed down by Giotto, the First Vongola. It was the cultural epicenter of the Famiglia's domain, a place frequented by clan scholars and strategists seeking wisdom. Its facilities housed extensive collections on history, combat tactics, alchemy treatises, and advanced studies on elemental jutsu, ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and fuinjutsu.
The library's architectural design transported anyone who crossed its threshold straight into the Renaissance elegance of the Old Continent. Upon entering, the intoxicating aroma of aged oak, the tanned leather of bookbindings, and the faint scent of antique paper enveloped the atmosphere. Imposing shelves of dark mahogany and polished walnut stretched upward toward vaulted ceilings adorned with subtle Italian-style moldings. Long, hand-carved worktables and burgundy velvet armchairs rested upon gleaming parquet floors, dimly illuminated by bronze lamps that cast a warm, tranquil golden light over the endless aisles of books.
Usually, the Guardian who wandered through and watched over this sanctuary of silence was the Cloud Guardian, a distant yet constant presence who kept an eye on the order of the place. However, on this occasion, the solemn atmosphere was presided over by another prominent figure within the hierarchy of the Ninth Generation.
There stood Schnitten Brabanters, the Ninth Generation's Rain Guardian. Schnitten was a deeply intellectual individual, considered the wisest and most cultured of all the Guardians; a man of calm temperament, always surrounded by thick historical volumes and ancient scrolls.
Tsuna timidly approached one of the large oak desks where Schnitten was reading intently. The soles of his shoes barely made a faint sound against the wooden floor as he held his breath, feeling the weight of the imposing atmosphere surrounding him.
Despite his somewhat sinister appearance, his clothes were heavily worn and rather disheveled due to his lack of concern for his own appearance. His face was disfigured by an X-shaped scar on the left side of his lip and another small scar on his nose.
"Mr. Schnitten..." Tsuna murmured softly, stopping a couple of steps away from the desk and giving a slight, respectful bow.
The Rain Guardian slowly raised his gaze from the worn pages he had been examining. His eyes, calm and penetrating like the surface of a perfectly still lake, settled on the young heir. A faint smile, almost imperceptible yet filled with genuine warmth, appeared on his lips.
"Well, well, little Tsuna... It's a surprise to see you here, and not exactly training in the practice fields with Visconti," Schnitten greeted him in his measured, melodic tone, gently closing the book to give the boy his full attention. "The central archive tends to intimidate those your age. What brings you here today? If I remember correctly, you're not one for reading books, but rather for playing ninja all by yourself, as usual."
Embarrassment showed on Tsuna's face, but he quickly composed himself. He was no longer the boy who played alone, yet the shame of those old days still made him feel self-conscious.
Tsuna clenched his fists slightly against the sides of his trousers, searching for the right words as he glanced at the endless rows of volumes guarding centuries of Vongola history.
"I... I've been thinking a lot about what the Famiglia means, about our past... and about what I want to build in the future," Tsuna confessed, swallowing nervously before gathering his courage. "I want to learn, Mr. Schnitten. I need to know where we come from so I can understand where I should lead everyone."
Schnitten watched him in complete silence for a few seconds, assessing the spark of maturity beginning to shine in the boy's eyes, so different from the hesitant child he had been just weeks earlier. The Guardian nodded approvingly, leaning back leisurely in his chair.
"I see... The Rain soothes, young master, but rainwater is what must nourish the roots for the tree to grow strong. As the future Vongola Boss, you don't need to build something new, but rather continue building upon what your predecessors created, and so on," Schnitten reflected calmly, gesturing with an open hand toward the surrounding bookshelves. "You've come to the right place, Tenth. Books don't merely preserve ink and paper; they preserve the battles, mistakes, and achievements of those who came before us. Sit down... Today, we'll begin showing you what it truly means to bear the Vongola legacy."
"Tell me, what would you like to learn about today?"
"I need to learn more about the First Vongola," Tsuna replied, with an unusual determination in his eyes. "About Giotto... What do you think I can learn from him? Many people say that no other Vongola Boss can compare to him, and I want to know how I can become as incredible as he was."
Schnitten fell silent for a few moments, resting his chin on his knuckles as he reflected deeply. His intelligent eyes examined the young heir from head to toe.
"Do you know something, young master? Believe it or not, you look remarkably like the First Vongola," Schnitten said quite naturally.
Tsuna blinked, feeling that this sounded more like a kind compliment than an objective truth. He let out a nervous laugh and shrugged.
"I don't think so, Schnitten... I'm far too cowardly. My temperament is nothing like that of a legendary hero."
"I'm not referring to your cowardly and unnecessary temperament, young master," the Rain Guardian clarified with a serene smile.
However, his words still left Tsunayoshi embarrassed.
"Ah... So he really does think I'm a coward deep down," Tsuna thought, feeling a knot of embarrassed frustration.
"I'm referring to your features," Schnitten continued, standing up and pointing toward an old oil painting of the First Vongola hanging on the wall. "Your face. If you look closely at the old portraits and the Foundation's records, you'll notice that you have exactly the same features in the shape of your chin, your bone structure, and the natural way your hair falls. Although your eye color and certain nuances differ, such as your cousin's calm, serious gaze.
This is a trait that will probably develop over time, young master."
Tsuna was left speechless, gazing at the painting with a mixture of astonishment and reverence.
"Wow... So... I really do look like the First Vongola?"
"That's right. You share many latent qualities with him that are simply waiting for the right moment to blossom," Schnitten nodded proudly. "He was the one who established the foundations of our way of life and designed the basis of the fighting style that is now part of our legacy, as well as the Italian language that you and I speak so naturally among ourselves. However, teaching this language to outsiders or speaking it in their presence is forbidden."
Those words echoed through the boy's mind like a thunderclap of inspiration. Leaving the library with that revelation marked a definitive turning point: I want to be like the First Vongola. I want to be strong, relentless, and do incredible things to protect my friends.
…
The silence of the vast central library, interrupted only by the rustling of pages and the warm glow of the bronze lamps, had transformed into an intimate space for mentorship. Schnitten Brabanters, the Rain Guardian, leisurely arranged a couple of historical volumes on the sturdy oak desk and directed his calm gaze toward young Tsunayoshi.
"Well, young master..." Schnitten began in his measured tone, carefully choosing each word to make the weight of knowledge easier to digest. "Here, in the Land of Fire, lies the heart of our organization: Vongola Headquarters, where the current Boss, Timoteo, your father, rules."
Tsuna nodded attentively, resting his hands on the edge of the desk as the wise Guardian continued the Famiglia's genealogical lesson.
"From the glorious era of the First Vongola, Giotto, to that of your own father, the line of succession among Vongola Bosses has been marked by an absolute genetic peculiarity: every patriarch has had only one male heir per generation," Schnitten explained, folding his hands on the desk.
Tsuna blinked, processing the information with surprise.
"So... even though I'm my dad's only son, none of the previous Bosses had any other male siblings either?" the boy asked.
"No, they did not," the Rain Guardian replied with absolute certainty. "Of course, there have been daughters throughout the generations, but since they are female, according to the general rule of our lineage, they cannot inherit their father's mantle of leadership. To channel and inherit the absolute power of the Vongola Dynasty, one needs a primordial affinity with a specific element... Yang."
"An element of Yang?" Tsuna repeated, raising his eyebrows, intrigued by a concept that went beyond ordinary ninja teachings.
"That's right," Schnitten affirmed. "This Yang element manifests overwhelmingly in the men of our bloodline. Therefore, it is practically impossible, or at least historically unheard of, for a woman to possess it and bear the weight of leadership."
Tsuna fell silent for a moment, furrowing his brow as he searched through the old stories he had casually overheard in the headquarters' corridors. His eyes widened as he recalled a forbidden and legendary name.
"Wait... Have we ever had a woman as a Vongola Boss?" Tsuna asked, a sudden doubt lighting up his mind.
Schnitten watched him in complete silence. A subtle, enigmatic smile appeared on his usually impassive face.
"Yes," the Rain Guardian replied without hesitation. "That Vongola woman was named Daniela."
The air seemed to freeze in Tsuna's lungs. The boy took half a step back, completely astonished.
"Are you telling me that my grandmother was a Vongola Boss?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief. "And how did she do it? Women are supposed to have the Yin element, not Yang! At least, that's what I know."
Schnitten let out a soft, tranquil laugh, leaning back in his chair.
"You would have to ask your grandmother directly how she accomplished such a feat, defying the laws of nature to become a Vongola Boss. But you're right, boy: she was the only woman, the first and last in the history of our Famiglia, to bear that title. A truly anomalous case."
"I see... That's incredible," Tsuna murmured, absorbing the magnitude of his family's legacy. "Well... please, let's continue."
Schnitten nodded, picking up the thread of his geopolitical and institutional lesson.
"Besides our main headquarters in the Land of Fire, there is a second fundamental base: the Entertainment City, a commercial and industrial stronghold originally overseen by the First Generation's Cloud Guardian. The Entertainment City is one of the oldest and most prosperous urban centers in the entire territory. It houses the CEDEF, Consulenza Esterna Della Famiglia (External Family Advisors), and is strategically located very close to the capital, where the Daimyō resides. Giotto conceived it not only as a center for leisure and gambling, but also as a massive source of resources and financial assets to sustain our family's operations."
Schnitten's tone suddenly grew more severe, and his eyes fixed intently on Tsuna's as he recalled Timoteo's latest reports.
"Young master... or rather, young master, understand this clearly: our clan has never prospered by seeking unnecessary conflicts. We must not meddle in other people's wars or territorial disputes that have nothing to do with us. The Vongola exist to look after ourselves, our sovereignty, our businesses, and our people. Is that clear?"
Tsuna felt the weight of that gaze and swallowed nervously.
"Y-Yes... Yes, I understand, Mr. Schnitten," he replied hastily.
Schnitten's expression softened slightly as he continued:
"Good. You must also understand our internal structure. The Entertainment City generates not only our greatest economic capital, but also the largest number of recruits. These include commercial allies, vassal families, and allied clans bound to us through marriage, all of whom serve under the Vongola hierarchy. As you already know, at the top stands the Vongola Boss. Second in the chain of command are we, the Guardians. In third place are the Consiglieri, who are trusted administrators of the family. The first people to hold this position under the Vongola Boss were our illustrious former comrades: the warrior Daiki, the beautiful Sana, Lord Daijiro, the merchant Takeshi, and young Haru, who accompanied the First Vongola, Giotto. Nowadays, they are responsible for managing our Famiglia's core businesses, operational bases, and logistics."
Tsuna nodded vigorously at every sentence, trying to burn every detail into his memory. However, as the economic, dynastic, and geopolitical concepts piled up, the young heir's face began to turn pale. His eyelids grew heavy, and the overwhelming amount of information began taking its toll on his mind.
Schnitten, with his keen perception, immediately noticed the physical change in the boy. It practically looked as though smoke were coming out of Tsuna's ears from the tremendous effort his brain was making to process so much knowledge all at once.
"Young master... I think that's enough for today. Your mind has reached its limit," the Rain Guardian declared, a note of compassion in his voice.
Tsuna, visibly dizzy and swaying slightly on his feet, let out a sigh of relief mixed with exhaustion.
"Yes... that's true. I think... I think I should go get some rest," he stammered weakly.
The boy clumsily rose from his seat, feeling the surroundings spin around him. Holding his head tightly with both hands to ease the throbbing pain caused by mental overload, he turned around and staggered toward the library's heavy oak door.
As he crossed the threshold and disappeared down the corridor, an unusual phenomenon occurred inside the sanctuary. The Rain Guardian, a man who never openly displayed affection and whose seriousness was legendary throughout the headquarters, formed a warm, genuine smile.
Looking toward the empty doorway through which the heir had departed, Schnitten murmured to himself with quiet pride:
"Young master... I can see how eager you are to grow and succeed this time. I sincerely hope you mature and blossom as you should, future Tenth..."
…
65 B.N. February 26
The following day, Tsunayoshi's training routine changed radically. He sought out Nie Brown, the imposing Sun Guardian, and demanded a much more technical and merciless physical training regimen.
"I want an extreme routine, Nie! No holding back!" Tsuna demanded, his eyes blazing with a determination he had never shown before.
Nie let out a thunderous laugh of approval at the heir's new attitude and imposed a brutal physical conditioning plan, worthy of the purest standards of Fury and youth pushed to their limits under the guidance of the blazing sun.
"That's exactly what I've always wanted to hear from you, young master!" Nie roared, displaying his characteristic pale blond and white hair, the iconic lizard tattoo on his cheek, and his youthful personality. "Let's begin training immediately!"
The training grounds became a hell of sweat and sheer effort. The scenes unfolded in an endless spiral of relentless exertion: Tsunayoshi was seen performing endless sets of push-ups with weights strapped to his back, sprinting around the perimeter until the air burned his lungs, and unleashing a furious barrage of punches and kicks aimed directly at his master's body.
Nie, on the other hand, moved with insulting grace. With absolute calm, he smiled as he stopped every blow with his fingertips or forearms.
"Too slow, Tsuna. Your enemies won't warn you before they attack," Nie reprimanded him sternly before spinning on his axis and throwing the boy to the ground with a sharp, decisive throw.
Bam!
"Gah...!" Tsunayoshi groaned as he slammed into the dirt, every muscle in his body screaming in pain.
Lying on the ground, groaning in pain, the young heir felt as though his body were falling apart. Indeed, this method brought to mind Visconti's training routines: absolute physical exertion in which the body was pushed beyond its muscular endurance.
Upon seeing the boy writhing in pain, Nie's strict side immediately vanished, revealing the protective and tender heart of a true mentor who cared for those under his charge. His expression softened, and as he knelt beside him, he placed his palms over the areas of greatest fatigue.
A warm, radiant golden light—the pure embodiment of the Sun element—flooded Tsuna's body. Within seconds, its regenerative warmth erased the cramps, healed the micro-tears, and dispelled the accumulated exhaustion, leaving him as good as new.
"Rest for a second, young master... I know it hurts, but you're forging a body of steel," Nie murmured with genuine paternal affection, gently helping him to his feet.
But the respite lasted no longer than a blink. The moment Tsuna regained his footing, Nie's gaze hardened once more, a challenging spark returning to his eyes.
"All right, that's enough rest! Weakness won't eliminate itself! Back to the attack, young master!" the Guardian ordered firmly.
And so the cycle repeated itself over and over: furious training, absolute muscular exhaustion, pain pushed to the limit, and the Sun's miraculous healing before starting all over again. Tsuna suffered, but with every blow he endured and every muscle that was rebuilt, his will became unbreakable.
Immediately afterward, Tsuna presented himself before Shadow, the fearsome Cloud Guardian. Shadow's sessions were not simply about taking hits; they were meticulous lessons in survival that pushed his body to its limits without Nie's healing during the process.
The second most powerful Guardian of the Famiglia subjected him to constant reflex tests, teaching him to anticipate his opponent's movements, minimize damage while defending himself, and sharpen his tactical ingenuity whenever he found himself backed into a corner. Each day ended with Tsuna's body covered in bruises and an exhaustion so profound that it made his bones feel numb. Yet the boy no longer shed tears of self-pity, because the greatest benefit of Visconti's training lay in his mind and in how that mental sanctuary was created. Through blows and sweat, he was discovering the awakening of his true talent for combat.
When the appointed day and time arrived to meet his friends again, Tsunayoshi returned to the river clearing to join Hashirama and Madara.
At this stage of their lives, their meetings were no longer simple childhood games or sparring matches. The mutual influence of the great dream of peace they shared had given them a definitive compass: a clear goal with which to forge their destiny. Tsuna had abandoned his hesitant attitude; every second of his day was focused on becoming stronger, not out of obligation, but out of the pressing need to measure up to his friends and honorably assume the responsibility of becoming the next Vongola Boss.
From a distance, hidden behind the windows of the main office, Timoteo watched his son's movements through the information network maintained by his Guardians. Noticing the radical change in energy, iron discipline, and sudden commitment radiating from little Tsuna, the Nono wore a nostalgic and deeply relieved smile. His paternal intuition had not been wrong: the path the boy had chosen alongside the young heirs of the Senju and Uchiha was, without a doubt, the right motivation and the right destiny for shaping the true heir to the Vongola throne.
As the Vongola Nono watched his son's progress with a genuine smile, a figure slowly emerged from the deepest shadows of the office. It was Bica Crujiente, Timoteo's Mist Guardian. He was a dark-skinned man with red hair, braided and tied back.
Bica observed the leader with a subtle expression of curious amusement.
"You seem to be in a very good mood today, Vongola Ninth," Bica remarked in his deep, calm voice.
"Yes, I'm happy, Muk. It's obvious, isn't it?" Timoteo replied, making no effort to hide the pride in his eyes.
"Indeed. I've known you since childhood, and I know very well that you're a man of stone. Seeing you smile like this is extremely rare."
"There's nothing that makes a father happier than watching his children grow and find their own path," the Nono replied serenely.
Bica crossed his arms over his chest, a knowing smile lingering on his face.
And from the opposite corner, another shadow stepped into view. This was Turrón de Coyote, Timoteo's right-hand man. He had long hair that seemed to change its appearance and age, much like Timoteo's.
"If you wish, Ninth... I can also take a hand in your son's education."
Timoteo's eyes widened in genuine surprise as he weighed the sudden appearance of his childhood friend.
"Well... Now that is interesting. Direct mentorship from both you and Bica would be essential in shaping his character. I think it's time we took advantage of Tsunayoshi's initiative."
…
65 B.N. MARCH 25
Days later, at the end of one of his exhausting physical training sessions, Tsunayoshi was walking through the headquarters' corridors when he came face-to-face with Coyote's imposing figure. The boy immediately stopped, instinctively giving a slight bow.
"Oh... Hello, Mr. Coyote," Tsuna greeted him somewhat shyly. "Is everything all right? How's my dad?"
"He's fine, boy. Why do you ask?" Coyote replied seriously, looking down at him from his considerable height.
"Well... it's just that you're always by his side, or otherwise Bica is, watching over him from the shadows. I almost never see you in the common corridors. Tell me the truth... Do you sometimes watch me secretly in my father's office, just like Mr. Bica does?"
Turrón wore a slight, enigmatic smile.
"Of course I do. Though your burden is more like a premonition... I feel that the foreboding of the ancient leaders is already awakening within you; the premonition of the legendary Vongola Hyper Intuition is beginning to manifest."
Tsuna blinked, bewildered by the unfamiliar term used by the Guardian.
"Come with me," Coyote ordered authoritatively, turning around and gesturing for him to follow. "Each of the Guardians has taught you how to strike, defend yourself, or imparted knowledge to you. But the young master must also learn the essence encompassed by the great sky."
"W-Where are we going?" Tsuna asked nervously.
"To a private room. I'll teach you about politics, strategy, and what truly sustains our empire. After that, we'll begin working on your instincts."
Minutes later, they were both seated in a quiet, austere room. Coyote rested his elbows on a mahogany table and stared intently at the young heir.
"Let me make one thing clear once and for all, boy... We, the Vongola Famiglia, are an organization that operates through what we have created: the Underworld."
"The Underworld?" Tsuna repeated, turning his face in astonishment and disbelief. "What does that mean?"
"It's a clandestine empire originally conceived and consolidated by the First Vongola," Coyote explained coldly. "It's a world that operates in the deepest layers of society, a system that ordinary people are completely unaware of. We pull the strings behind the scenes; we are the ones who operate under the table when ordinary laws are not enough."
"I think... I think I'm beginning to understand a little," Tsuna murmured, trying to grasp the extent of his family's power.
"That is the Vongola's primary function," Coyote continued. "We control the economy and commercial flows that no one else dares to touch. We manage a massive network of legitimate and illegitimate businesses: from prestigious bars, hotels, and betting houses to casinos, bingo halls, and entertainment establishments throughout the continent."
Coyote paused deliberately, observing the boy's reaction before drawing a very clear moral line:
"But let one thing be etched into your mind: within our empire, there are strict limits that must never be crossed. For example, exploitation and forced prostitution are strictly forbidden and punishable by imprisonment or death within our domains. They are only tolerated when the women who choose to work in such establishments do so of their own absolute free will and consent, under our strict protection rules. The Vongola rules the Underworld through power, but also through codes of honor."
Tsunayoshi Sawada fell silent, processing every one of Turrón de Coyote's words. He furrowed his brow uneasily and looked at the imposing Guardian with silver hair and an unyielding gaze.
"But... listening to all this, it sounds like we do a lot of bad things," Tsuna murmured, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I feel like, deep down, the Vongola are the bad guys in this story."
Turrón de Coyote regarded him seriously before offering a understanding, paternal smile.
Instilling a moral foundation in Vongola Bosses from an early age was important. They had to be taught what was right and wrong first, so that when they grew older and were told that their family did bad things, they would be prepared to accept it. This was a rather forced form of conditioning, but it was a fundamental part of preparing someone to become a Vongola Boss. It was a requirement that had to be fulfilled by order of Vongola Primo.
"Yes, let's not fool ourselves, young master: we do bad things," the Guardian admitted without a trace of cynicism. "The Underworld is not governed by the morality of saints."
"Then... the Vongola aren't good? I thought we were the good guys, making the world a better place, where we have a lot of power but don't prey on the weak," Tsuna replied, feeling confused.
"We are good in the deepest sense of the word, even if that is difficult to understand," Turrón de Coyote answered calmly, appreciating the boy's growing critical awareness. "You see, this stems from the original philosophy of the First Vongola, my young lord. Giotto firmly believed that good and evil inevitably coexist in the world. There will always be pure evil willing to hurt and kill innocent and vulnerable people."
Turrón de Coyote paused, resting his hands on the desk before continuing solemnly:
"Giotto believed that, in order to protect the defenseless, someone had to bear the weight of darkness. He decided that the Vongola would become evil, but an evil with limits, an impenetrable barrier that would hold back the other evils of the Underworld so that ordinary people would not suffer. We are the shadow that controls the shadows, young master. A necessary evil so that the rest of the world can live better."
Tsuna fell deep into thought, absorbing each concept as he silently reflected on them.
"The First Vongola... was truly an incredible person," the boy whispered with renewed admiration.
"I have been your father's right-hand man and best friend for years, young master. Your father was born to be a Boss, trained to become a Boss, and always wanted to be one. He had a hunger to become the Vongola Boss even before he was old enough to understand what it meant. I would rank your father among the three greatest Vongola Bosses this family has ever had," Turrón de Coyote concluded with a proud smile. "But what the First Vongola accomplished in his time is something that defies the limits of the impossible. That is why you must understand what your position truly means: being the Vongola Boss means being the Sky."
"The Sky?" Tsuna blinked.
"Yes. The Sky encompasses everything, sustains everything, and embraces everyone, my young master. And I, as your Storm, will always be by your side to sweep away any obstacles that stand in your path. Do you understand my role?"
"Yes... I understand perfectly, Coyote," Tsuna nodded firmly.
"Good. It's time to call it a day," the Guardian instructed. "By the way, before you leave the corridor... Bica Crujiente, our Mist Guardian, is waiting for you. He has been instructed to teach you practical things that you should already have begun mastering at your age."
"Understood..." Tsuna murmured, bidding him farewell with a respectful greeting before leaving the private room.
As he walked through the endless, silent corridors of the Vongola mansion, the boy muttered to himself:
"Bica... To be honest, that man has always scared me a little..."
"Did you call for me, young master?" a gloomy, chilling voice echoed right beside him.
"AAAAHHH!"
Tsuna jumped an exaggerated distance, letting out a shrill scream of sheer fright as he leaned against the corridor wall, his heart pounding at a thousand miles an hour. From the deepest shadow cast by the wall, the tall, slender figure with Bica Crujiente's unmistakable extravagant hairstyle—the enigmatic Mist Guardian of Timoteo—had just materialized out of nowhere.
Since when...? Tsuna wondered at Bica's sudden appearance.
"My apologies, young master! It was not my intention to give you a heart attack," the Guardian apologized with an enigmatic smile that did absolutely nothing to calm the boy's nerves.
"Ah! I almost died, Bica!" Tsuna complained, breathing heavily as he placed a hand over his chest. "Although... I suppose you did appear at a very convenient time..."
"Hahaha, I suppose so," the redhead replied with a subtle laugh. "It's time to begin our training."
"What exactly are we going to practice with you, Bica...?" Tsuna asked timidly.
"Please, young master... call me Muk. Bica sounds a little too formal for someone of my standing," the Guardian requested with feigned modesty.
Although Muk's unusual physical appearance and gloomy aura often intimidated Tsunayoshi deeply, the boy knew perfectly well that he had to adapt. All the Ninth Generation Guardians were there solely and exclusively to protect him and shape him into the future leader of the Famiglia, and the Mist Guardian was no exception.
"All right, Muk... What are we going to practice today?" Tsuna asked, swallowing nervously.
Muk stared at him with his heterochromatic eyes and a smile of absolute confidence.
"We're going to strengthen your intuition."
"My... what? Intuition?" Tsuna asked in utter confusion.
"To be more precise, it's called Hyper Intuition. It is the supreme ability that all Bosses of the Vongola direct bloodline possess innately," Muk explained in a didactic tone. "It is an absolute sixth sense, a paranormal sensitivity, and a hereditary perception etched into the blood of Vongola leaders."
"I... I have it too?" Tsuna asked, pointing at himself in disbelief.
"Of course you do. Every Boss has it," Muk stated naturally. "It's just that it manifests more powerfully as you mature and face extreme situations. Today, we'll begin awakening it."
"And how are we going to accomplish something like that?"
"We'll use this..." Muk replied.
In the blink of an eye, the air in front of Tsuna began to distort strangely. Suddenly, Muk's figure multiplied, splitting into half a dozen exact copies that completely surrounded the boy.
"Huh...?" Tsuna exclaimed, taking a step backward, tripping over his own feet, and falling flat on his back in utter astonishment.
"We'll use illusions," all of Muk's copies whispered in unison, closing in around him with a Machiavellian smile. "Show us what you're made of, young master."
Upon seeing the Machiavellian smile simultaneously reflected on all of Muk's faces, a shiver of sheer terror ran down Tsunayoshi Sawada's spine.
"Your training is simple, young master," Muk explained as the shadows danced around him. "You must distinguish which of these bodies is the real one through pure instinct."
"H-Huh? And how am I supposed to know that?" Tsuna asked in a panic, clumsily getting up from the floor.
"Your heart will tell you. Or rather, your instinct. Let's begin!"
The illusions lunged at him from multiple angles. The first clone threw a punch straight at Tsuna's face. The boy raised his arms to block the blow purely out of reflex, but the fist passed through his body as though it were made of dense smoke. Before he could understand what had happened, a sharp, solid impact struck his ribs from the opposite side, knocking him down onto the corridor floor.
BAM!
"Oww!" Tsuna groaned, writhing on the floor.
"What happened, young master?" Muk asked with a smile from a few meters away. "You must sense which one is real. Let's continue the lesson."
Several exhausting rounds passed. The boy accumulated bruises as he tried, unsuccessfully, to decipher the illusion. However, after hours of sensory overload and with physical exhaustion setting in, something inside Tsunayoshi changed.
A faint, persistent ringing began to vibrate deep within his ears, accompanied by a slight rise in the temperature of his forehead. Suddenly, Tsuna became completely motionless in the middle of the corridor. The surrounding noise seemed to fade away, leaving him suspended in a state of absolute calm, where he could perceive the density of the air, the vibrations of the floor, and the very intent behind the attacks.
One of Muk's clones lunged at him from the front to strike. Tsuna did not even flinch. His body remained still; he stood motionless as the phantom limb passed through him without causing any harm. At that instant, an instinctive pang—a clear hunch screaming from the back of his neck—warned him of a real threat approaching from the left.
Without opening his eyes, Tsuna made a fluid turn to the right, tilting his torso a few centimeters. Muk's real fist brushed past the fabric of his tunic, missing him completely.
The Mist Guardian froze mid-motion, staring at Tsuna with his eyes wide open. A smile of genuine fascination slowly spread across his lips.
"Incredible, young master..." Muk praised, lowering his hand. "This is precisely what I was talking about. It seems your blood is finally beginning to awaken. How did it feel?"
Tsuna opened his eyes, looking at his own hands with astonishment and disbelief, as though he doubted they were really his.
"It's... it's amazing. I don't know how to explain it, Muk... It was as if I knew exactly where you were going to be before you even moved, and my body acted on its own."
"That is the true Vongola Hyper Intuition," Muk declared proudly. "Engrave that sensation into your soul and always heed it. It is the ultimate weapon that will allow you to rule as the Tenth Vongola and transform you into a powerful ninja."
"Really, Muk...? Do you think I can do it?" the boy asked, his eyes shining.
"Absolutely not. But I'm afraid my time with you is over for today," the illusionist said, looking toward the end of the corridor. "It seems Visconti is waiting for you."
A tall, stern figure advanced from the shadows. It was none other than the Ninth Generation's Cloud Guardian.
"Hello, Tsunayoshi," Visconti greeted him in his usual stern tone. "I see you've had a productive training session with Muk. It's time to put your Hyper Intuition into practice in my field... my way."
Tsuna's heart sank. He knew Visconti's training methods all too well: they consisted of nothing but extreme physical endurance exercises, where mistakes were punished with excruciating pain.
"W-What are we going to do...?" Tsuna asked in a trembling voice.
Visconti pulled a black blindfold and a thick wooden stick from behind his back.
"Put on the blindfold. I will try to hit you with this stick, and you will have to dodge every one of my attacks using only your Hyper Intuition, without relying on your sight."
"WHAT?! How am I supposed to dodge when I'm blind?!" Tsuna shouted, taking a step backward. "I can't even dodge your blows when my eyes are open!"
"Don't worry," Visconti replied with an icy calm that did not bode well. "I will reduce my speed so you can sense the trajectory of the more forceful strikes. Stop complaining and get ready."
Tsuna swallowed nervously and put on the blindfold, plunging himself into total darkness.
The result was torture. During the following hour, he failed to dodge the wooden club even once. Visconti unleashed blow after blow at a thunderous speed that was anything but "slow," proving that the Cloud Guardian's standards were completely detached from reality.
THUMP! BAM! CRACK!
"Aaaah! You said you would go slowly!" Tsuna screamed as he rolled across the floor, feeling as though every muscle in his body hurt.
Covered in bumps and bruises, the miserable heir had to drag himself as best he could to the mansion's medical clinic.
As he crossed the doors of the medical wing, he was greeted by Nie Brown Jr. The experienced young doctor sighed resignedly at the sight of the boy's deplorable condition, immediately igniting the warm healing jutsu in his hands to begin treating the bruises caused by Visconti's inflexibility.
After weeks of an unrelenting training regimen within the Vongola, during which Visconti's endurance lessons and Muk's development of his Hyper Intuition had tested whether Tsunayoshi Sawada could surpass his own mental and physical limits, the boy was finally granted a day off to reunite with his friends at the river.
However, something in the atmosphere felt strangely tense. Upon arriving at their usual meeting place, Tsuna noticed that Hashirama and Madara were taking longer than usual. As he sat calmly on a large rock in the middle of the current, something in the atmosphere changed. His newly awakened Hyper Intuition suddenly paralyzed him.
Moments later, Hashirama appeared on the left bank of the river, while Madara emerged from the right.
From his elevated position, Tsuna tried to smile and greet them, but the heavy air and the stiffness in both their faces stopped him in his tracks. The two young shinobi greeted each other with an awkward formality that struck Tsuna as strange. Deep down, both Hashirama and Madara were mentally praying that Tsuna's usual clumsiness and absentmindedness would keep him safe and unaware that day. However, upon seeing the Vongola heir unusually quiet, still, and solemn, a feeling of terrifying concern crossed their minds.
As they prepared to perform their usual ritual of exchanging glances over the stones they threw, they both suddenly sensed a dangerous change in the atmosphere. In unison, Hashirama and Madara leaped away, shouting warnings to each other to flee.
"It's an ambush, Madara! Get away!"
"You too, Hashirama! Get out of there!"
Tsuna, watching the scene from his rock, held his breath. The next instant, the undergrowth parted completely. From one side emerged Butsuma Senju, accompanied by the rest of his sons, the young Tobirama and Kawarama. From the other came Tajima Uchiha, flanked by his sons Izuna, Gaku, and Nao. Each side carried with them the harsh truth: they already knew the identities, faces, and true surnames of those who had been meeting in secret.
The tragedy that would shatter their training grounds forever unfolded before their eyes. Days earlier, Tobirama had discovered his older brother's secret outings, forcing Butsuma to order a mission to spy on his own son. Exactly the same revelation had occurred on the Uchiha side.
As the two enemy clans raised their weapons with lethal intent, ready to attack each other on the spot, a silhouette leaped into the middle of the river.
"Stop!" Tsunayoshi exclaimed firmly, placing himself between the two sides.
The warriors of both clans froze in surprise. Butsuma Senju frowned contemptuously, staring at the strange boy as he tried to determine which side he belonged to.
"Who is this brat? Does he belong to the Senju as well?" the Uchiha leader snapped.
Madara, his face darkened by tension, stepped forward and grabbed his father's shoulder.
"Wait, Father... He's not a Senju. He's from the Vongola Clan. He's their heir."
Upon hearing that name, both Butsuma Senju and Tajima Uchiha—who knew all too well the unshakable influence and immense wealth of the organization that dominated the Underworld of the Land of Fire—widened their eyes, completely losing their composure as they stammered in disbelief:
"T-The... the Vongola heir... here? What are you doing here, child? You should leave. The Vongola does not interfere in clan disputes."
Tsuna held his gaze firmly, witnessing the imminent battle that would destroy a friendship he wanted to protect.
"You all need to leave..." Tsuna exclaimed, his voice breaking but resolute. "If you fight here, you'll ruin everything. Our friendship, our dream... You're destroying it!"
Hashirama, his eyes glistening with pain, clenched his teeth and stepped forward, shaking his head.
"I'm truly sorry, Tsuna... You may be the Vongola heir and live in a protected world, but this goes beyond the boundaries of our friendship. This is a war between the Uchiha and my clan. It's a rivalry that has lasted for centuries... One of them killed my younger brother! I can't just pretend nothing happened and move on."
On the other side, Tajima Uchiha reaffirmed his family's stance with restrained fury:
"And they slaughtered our people too! Blood must be paid for with blood, Vongola boy!"
Seeing desperation threatening to bury the future, Tsuna appealed to his friends' hearts, shouting with all his might:
"Madara! Hashirama! What about our promise? What about ending the Cycle of Hatred? You told me that together we would create a place without wars!"
Hashirama opened his mouth to answer, but the severe and imposing presence of his father, along with Tobirama's icy words, paralyzed him, choking back his intentions.
However, Madara could no longer bear it. The weight of the recent deaths, the pressure of his clan, and the harsh reality of their world broke his spirit. As he turned toward Tsuna, his dark eyes flashed with infinite bitterness.
"You always talk about ideals, Tsuna..." Madara murmured, his voice trembling with rage and pain. "You always praise a perfect world that we've never known. We don't live in a peaceful community like yours; we live surrounded by constant death, revenge, and eternal mourning. And I... I will have my revenge, because the blood of my own family weighs heavily on me!"
A scorching heat suddenly erupted within Madara's eye sockets. His dark irises spun violently, turning an absolute crimson red as three rotating black tomoe emerged within them. The Sharingan had awakened abruptly through trauma and despair.
"Well... my son has awakened the third tomoe of the Sharingan..." Tajima whispered, his voice tinged with a mixture of grim pride and sorrow.
Tsunayoshi took a step backward, feeling the air leave his lungs as he gazed at his friend's bloodshot eyes. At that moment, he knew with absolute certainty that the point of no return had been reached. The innocence of their childhood had vanished forever, and the shadows of war had finally devoured the fate they had worked so hard to weave.
...
"Hello everyone, hello my people, or rather, hello my readers. I brought you this chapter for this week. I'll try to fix the editing for the next chapter, which I think I'll publish on another day when I'm free this week. Well, I don't know, I saw a review out there complaining that I made Giotto wear horns [cheated on him]. Well, as I said before, I didn't care much about that Giotto arc literally; Giotto was practically a joke used as a springboard for this Tsunayoshi Sawada arc. Well, maybe at some point in the future I'll improve the Giotto arc because yes, the truth is he deserves to have something better, but hey, right now I want to focus on Tsunayoshi Sawada's arc, it seems more golden, more fun, with broader maneuvers for me, it gives me better motivation, and well, that's what I want to focus on now. I don't know if the story is turning out very good or very bad right now, honestly I don't know. Ah, it's difficult. I hope you have a good read this time. Bye-bye."
...
Happy reading! Bye-bye!
— Wissumi Wizaki
Until the next chapter!