Vongola and Void

Chapter 7: Training and Conflict

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

Tsuna and his guardians were currently in an awkward position. They were currently standing in front of the Royal Guard, the Musketeer Knights, the Dragon Knights, the Manticore Knights, the Griffin Knights, their Captains, and the queen herself. The reason they were in this position was because they were going to teach the armed forces of Tristain how to harness the power of Dying Will Flames and use them against their new enemies.

"I'm not sure I feel comfortable with a group of children teaching me how to fight," said the captain of the Dragon Knights.

"These children are stronger than you think," said Agnés as she thought back to her first meeting with the short-tempered storm guardian.

"Are you saying that these children have more power than the Royal Forces?" said the captain of the Griffin Knights, intrigued at the supposed power these children have.

"These 'children' have apparently faced many powerful foes many times," said Agnés.

"What kind of 'powerful' enemies did these children face?" scoffed the captain of the Dragon Knights, "Schoolyard bullies? Mean teachers?"

"You have no idea," muttered Tsuna as he thought back to Namimori middle and a certain infant tutor.

"Che. Don't underestimate the strength of the Vongola," said Gokudera.

"So you even thought up a name for your schoolyard gang," scoffed the Dragon Knight captain.

"Enough," said Henrietta firmly, "I believe I know a way for them to prove their strength. The Captains of the Griffin, Manticore, and Dragon Knights shall face them in a duel."

"EH? We have to fight?" exclaimed Tsuna.

"Ha ha ha, this really is a fun game," laughed Yamamoto.

"This isn't a game, Baseball-Idiot!" yelled Gokudera.

"We will EXTREMELY win!" yelled Ryohei.

"Shut up, Turf Head!" yelled Gokudera.

"What was that, Octopus Head?"

"I agree to the terms," said the Dragon Knight captain.

"As do I," said the Griffin Knight Captain.

Heads turned to the cloaked and masked figure that was the Captain of the Manticore Knights. It was difficult to determine this captain's gender based on appearance, but said captain had a powerful aura around her that suggested great magical power.

"I believe I would like to see the strength of these children as well," said the mysterious captain, "but I won't hold back."

"Nor will I," said the Dragon Captain.

"Same," said the Griffin Captain.

"HIIII!" exclaimed a terrified Tsuna, "We're really going to fight."

"We can do this, Tenth," said Gokudera, "remember what Reborn would say."

"Fight with your Dying Will," the Vongola said as one.

"Thanks," said Tsuna, turning to the Queen, "we accept."

xXsceneXx

The Captains and the Vongola gathered in the courtyard of the palace. The Vongola had agreed to not use Cambio Forma to ensure that they cause the minimal amount of damage to the palace. The match would be the four Vongola against the three Captains. If the Vongola won, there would be no further disputes about the Vongola's strength, and if the Vongola lost, they would be put under the jurisdiction of the government, like all of the other commoners.

"Are the competitors ready?" asked Henrietta.

The captains pulled out their sword-wands and the Vongola readied their weapons. Yamamoto drew his Shigure Kintoki, Gokudera pulled out some Dynamite, Ryohei tightened the wraps on his hands, and Tsuna swallowed a Dying Will Pill and pulled on his wool mittens, causing the mittens to transform into red metallic gloves and an orange flame to sprout from his head.

"Begin!" said Henrietta.

The Captain of the Dragon Knights began to chant an incantation while the Griffin Captain charged with his sword-wand. The Manticore Captain Opted to watch and wait. The Griffin Captain swung his sword, but Yamamoto covered his katana with Rain Flames and easily parried the blow. He then swung his sword at him, but passed it to the opposite hand at the last second as a feint to finish the strike.

"Shigure Soen Ryuu: Samidare," said Yamamoto.

"Phoenix Barrage!" yelled the Dragon Knight Captain, shooting a barrage of birds made of fire from the tip of his wand.

The Vongola hastily dodged the fiery attack.

"Eat this!" yelled Gokudera, "Rocket Bomb."

Gokudera threw some dynamite sticks at the Griffin and Dragon captains. The Captains tried to cut down the projectiles, but the propulsion powder at the bases ignited, causing the bombs to curve around the swords and into their bodies where they exploded. The Captains staggered back, but Ryohei and Tsuna rushed forward and hit them with a powered down Maximum Cannon and a Flame covered punch, respectively. The two Captain's chest armor shattered and they were sent flying back, landing on the ground and laying still.

"That wasn't so hard," said Gokudera.

"There's still one left," said Tsuna, his voice calmer and slightly deeper due to Hyper Dying Will mode.

"You children are quite strong," said the Manticore Captain, "but as I said, I would not hold back."

"Triple Bombs!" yelled Gokudera, hurling 24 sticks of Dynamite at the remaining captain.

The Manticore Captain simply swung a sword-wand and a powerful blast of wind not only snuffed out the dynamite, but shredded them as well. With another swing of the sword-wand, Gokudera was blasted back with numerous cuts across his front. Yamamoto and Ryohei then rushed forward to attack.

"Beccata di Rondine!" said Yamamoto, rapidly thrusting his Flame covered blade at the remaining captain, creating an attack similar to an attacking flock of swallows.

"MAXIMUM CANNON!" yelled Ryohei, aiming a Sun Flame enhanced punch at the Captain.

The Captain sent another blast of wind at the two fighters. The flame covered attacks collided with a powerful wall of wind that was infused with vacuum blades. The spectators were amazed at the sight of the yellow and blue flames fighting against the powerful wall of wind while the users of the flames received numerous cuts on their bodies due to the wind blades.

Suddenly, the boxer and the swordsman jumped out of the path of the windblast, surprising the Captain and those watching. They soon saw the reason though: Tsuna was in a stance with one gloved hand pointing behind him, emitting soft orange flames in a large blast while his other hand was pointed at the Captain.

"X Burner!" yelled Tsuna, releasing a blast of flames at the Captain. Unlike the flames he was shooting behind him, these were colored a more harsh Orange and had a vaguely crystalline quality to them.

The blast of fire tore through the wind spell and the Captain had barely enough time to create a wind barrier as the flames hit their target with an explosion. When the smoke cleared, the Manticore captain could be seen holding a broken sword-wand with slight burns across her body. Yes, the blast had blown off the Captain's hat and mask to reveal a stern feminine face with flowing pink hair.

"Duchess Vallière!" said a surprised Henrietta, "I had no idea that the legendary Karin of the Heavy Wind was you. Louise Françoise never mentioned it."

"EHH?" exclaimed Tsuna as his Hyper Dying Will mode faded away, "You're Louise's mother? Louise's mother is the Captain of the Manticore Knights."

"Yes," said Karin, "and I believe you have sufficiently proven your strength through this battle. Am I correct to assume that the four of you were not using your full strength?"

"Kind of," said Tsuna, "we didn't want to destroy the palace with our attacks so we avoided using our true strength."

"So what is your true strength?" asked Tiffania from where she was watching.

Gokudera sat up from where Ryohei was using his Sun Flames to heal him, "At his full strength, Tenth could destroy this whole palace with one attack."

"Don't forget that Ryohei could probably do the same with one punch, though it would take you or I a few attacks," said Yamamoto.

'Just how strong are they?' thought Karin.

Henrietta called some water mages to heal the captains and asked the Vongola what the first lesson would be. Tsuna was about to answer when a large explosion shook the ground and an injured guard ran up.

"We're under attack by strange men using some sort of Fire Magic."

To be continued…