Namimori, Japan

"TSUNA! LISTEN!"

Reborn screamed, after finally losing his patience.

"THIS IS INSANELY IMPORTANT! IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RULES YOU'LL DIE! WAKE UP AND LISTEN!" Tsuna Sawada jerked his head off of his palm, leaving a red welt across his cheek.

"Huh? What's going on?" He swung his sleep-encumbered head side to side until finally meeting the glower of his angry tutor.

"R-R-Re-Reborn? What's-gawk!" Tsuna stuttered his way through the arcobaleno's name until his feeble attempts at a sentence were met with a hit across the head.

"HIEEEE!" Tsuna squealed while trying to protect himself. "I'm sorry!"

Reborn adjusted his head lower onto his eyes and resumed speaking.

"As I was saying, from August until New Years the Vongola Family will host the Mafia Battle Royale."

"B-Battle Royale? For 3 months?" Tsuna coughed out.

"HAHAHAHA! Lambo's better at math than Tsuna is!" The baby hit man exclaimed from the windowsill.

"August to Shogatsu* is. . .is . . ." Lambo broke off and started counting on his fingers while singing.

"Summer is June, July, August. Autumn is. . .is. . . September, October and and and , then November. Winter is December, January, and February! August to January is 5 months in all!" Lambo screamed, jumping up and down.

"I'm smarter! I'm smarter! I'm smarter! I'm smarter! I'm smarter! I'm smarter! I'm smarter!" Tsuna started to get a look on his face.

"I'm sure that there isn't one person in the world who doesn't know that, Lambo." Casually holding the door open to let Takeshi Yamamoto and Hayato Gokudera in, Bianchi spoke.

"Tenth! We're ready!" Gokudera happily exclaimed.

"Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto-kun! What are you guys doing here?" Tsuna asked. "What are you ready for?"

"They're ready for what I've been trying to explain to you for the past 6 HOURS!" Reborn, already annoyed with Tsuna sharply spoke. "Now listen, and I'll begin again."

Tsuna, sensing that this Vongola Family Mafia Battle was something very important, shut up as Reborn started again. While Reborn spoke, the other members of Tsuna's family; even Rokudo Mukuro, slipped into the room. The air was tense, as if what was being explained was something evil.

*I've been told Shogatsu, also known as Oshogatsu is the Japanese word for New Year. It's the most important holiday and businesses are shut down from January first to January third. To my knowledge days before are very busy, and the day right before the New Year is known as Omisoka.

"All the families, including the elite independent assassination squad, the VARIA, will participate with all their 7 core members. Only the family Boss and the allied arcobaleno will know all the members. Members can be requested to be on different teams, but the allied arcobaleno will have the final say."

Mukuro interrupted. "So the arcobaleno's will have the final say? Now, that doesn't seem very fair now does it?"

Reborn sent the teen a look that could freeze fire. Sensing a fight, everyone grew uneasy. Mukuro shut up, but didn't look content. Reborn continued:

"This Battle Royale will operate just as the Representative Battle of the Rainbow did, except the team will only be considered 'out' once all the members are defeated. A defeat means that a fight is lost, and the Ring is taken. The battle is not over until one team remains. Anything goes, so be careful. Use the days we have to get stronger."

Everyone in the room nodded, afraid to break the tension with words. Slowly, as everyone left to go train, Reborn approached Tsuna. Speaking with a low voice, he began.

"I have received reports, that the Varia has recalled one of their strongest core members, you have most definitely met her, however not like this."

Tsuna gulped, as Reborn's words echoed creepily in his heart.

"She will stop at nothing to completely destroy you, if you engage her in a fight, so whatever you do, DON'T fight her."

"Wh-wh-who is she?" Tsuna spluttered out. Reborn looked Tsuna right in the eyes and spoke:

"The student I had before you, and after Dino. Out of all the people I have ever taught, she is probably the strongest."

"That doesn't answer my question!" Tsuna shouted.