Prologue

"Where shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain? When the hurlyburly 's done, when the battle 's lost and won"
― William Shakespeare, Macbeth –

"Zero Point Breakthrough, First Edition."

Ice erupted from his gauntlets, encasing the dark-clothed man in its cold confines. The being gazed at glowing amber eyes, then at the pure fire lighting at his head, and laughed.

"You, who holds nothing but hatred towards my kind, shall be brought down by that same hatred you harbor as long as you live!" The man cursed.

Amber eyes narrowed at the man who continues to laugh crazily. A hand clasped at the gem hanging on his neck, his source of power, and held it dangerously inside his knuckles.

"I don't mind being cursed, or being bitten to death." A voice so deep said in a quiet tone. "As long as I am able to wipe out your kinds' existence, then dying doesn't scare me at all."

The man stopped cackling, and looked at the boy who held his gaze steady. He could feel his hands shaking from hidden fury as he grasped the gem that hangs on his neck.

"I will never forgive you," The boy stood up to his full height, casting a cold gaze to the witch before him. "Not now, not ever."

Fire erupted from knuckled hands, breaking the gem in the process. The man screamed, but was cut short as ice fully encased him. The boy finished it off by breaking the ice into pieces along with the man inside it. He wiped off invisible dust on his clothes as he breathed in relief of a job done. He could feel a stinging sensation on his arm and saw a black seal from a curse forming. It joined with the others that have already littered his right arm, forming one big curse. Even with the pain, the boy did not flinch. He just looked at it with unreadable eyes and sighed again.

"To my dear family,"

The boy stretched and made his way out of the scene. He looked at the darkening sky and the lightning that streaks on ashen clouds.

"I killed another one again, and gained a curse…"

"A storm is brewing…." He muttered and continued his way, never looking back up or behind.

"….But even with the many seals that littered my body, I won't stop my vengeance. I'm sorry…"

"Tsu-kun!"

Tsuna turned around and saw his mother standing by the gate of their house, a hand outstretched in front of her. His father stood beside her with an arm draped around her shoulders.

"So my Tuna-fish is growing up, huh?" Iemitsu said with a wide grin on his face. "You're still a hundred years too early to catch up to me, though."

He laughed boisterously while mother chided him for teasing their son. Tsuna could feel the happiness radiating from them it was almost contagious. But he can't bring himself to be happy, not with his heart clouded in darkness. For some reason, he stopped feeling when he grew up. He didn't know why or, he didn't want to acknowledge it.

"Tsu-kun, what's wrong?" His mother asked with a gentle smile on her face.

"Tsuna, you can tell us anything. Tell us what's wrong?" His father asked in concern.

Tsuna looked up at them, a hint of sadness lingering in his eyes.

"You shouldn't be here…." He said softly.

"What do you mean? This is our home, Tsu-kun." An edge of worry could be heard in Nana's voice. She looked at her son in confusion. Iemitsu studied him with a humorless gaze, trying to find something amiss within him.

Tsuna shook his head. "No, you both don't live here anymore."

Suddenly, as if a spell was broken. The entire house went up in flames. Tsuna could hear his mother's agonizing screams echoing in the house. He could hear his father's cries as he tried to fight back the witches that invaded their home. Tsuna took a step forward, about to rush to help. But he stopped short as he saw the house crumble down. He was too late. Too late to save them, too late to protect them. As the last of the fires died down, he could see the corpses of his parents, both huddled together protecting a child not more than 6 years old. His younger self looked up at him with blank eyes.

"It's your fault…." He said, repeating it like a mantra. "Your fault. Your fault. Your fault. Your fault…."

Tsuna just looked at him with the same blank eyes and bowed his head. He clutched his chest, suddenly feeling pain. He could feel his entire body shaking from the sting the curses littering his body are giving. Yes, it's his fault they died. If only he was strong enough back then, then surely, he could save them. If only he wasn't a weakling, a coward who fears dying back then, then he would still have them both by his side right now.

"Jyuu…me…" A deep voice called out.

Tsuna tried to regain his breathing, slowing down to calm his rapidly breathing heart.

"…daime…" The voice called out again, this time in worry.

Tsuna found out he couldn't breathe. What's wrong? What's going on? He gripped by his chest tightly, trying to get air inside of him.

"It's your fault." He could hear his younger self say again. It continued to echo in the darkness where he stood. Huh? Since when did I get here? He turned around, panic surfacing in his eyes. He couldn't see the house. The fire and the witches are gone, too. He couldn't see his mom, his dad, or his younger self.

"Jyuudai…" The voice was screaming at him now. It sounds so muffled as if the person calling him is underwater.

Tsuna could feel something yanking him by the arm, and suddenly, he could hear himself gasp. He coughed as water made its way out of his lungs and took in big gulps of air. He heard someone heaving beside him and saw his self-proclaimed right-hand man and friend, Hayato, drenched with his clothes on. He is still holding Tsuna's arm so hard that Tsuna was sure it would leave a bruise if the bruise could be seen. Hayato turned towards him sharply Tsuna feared his head would fly away.

"What were you trying to do Jyuudaime!?" He screamed, still out of breath.

"What are you talking about, Hayato? I'm just bathing myself in purifying water, hoping to ease these curses." Tsuna said matter of factly while pointing to the black seals on his arm Hayato was still gripping.

Hayato took a second glance at him before encasing him in a hug. Tsuna was shocked at this as Hayato is known to not be the touchy guy. Not knowing what happened or what to do, Tsuna awkwardly patted Hayato's back. He hoped that with this gesture Hayato would calm down and tell him what's wrong.

After a few seconds of staying like that, Hayato spoke. "It was the first time since I saw you this panicked."

Tsuna tried to move to face him but Hayato just hugged him tighter. "And a long while since I saw an emotion on your face."

Tsuna stopped struggling. He looked down to the ground as Hayato moved and draped a towel over him. Tsuna held it tighter towards himself before standing up, Hayato following the same.

"I-If you want, we could talk about it, Jy-Jyuudaime." Hayato said with a blush, clearly embarrassed with what he said but still eager to help his boss.

Tsuna turned to him after he schooled his face to one without feeling. "Don't worry, Hayato. I'm fine."

Hayato looked at him in sadness. He looked like he was about to say something but dropped it. Tsuna turned to him and gestured out.

"Let's get going, Hayato. The others might be waiting for us."

Hayato nodded solemnly and walked to his boss. He couldn't help but wish that Tsuna would open more to them, would talk about it to him. But if the baseball freak can't even do it, then what were the chances that Tsuna would tell him?

With that thought in mind, Hayato continued to walk with his boss to his quarters, praying to the high heavens that Tsuna would come back to them, the real one.