Yusuke was much like an attack dog on the leash, ready to be set loose and do damage. Sure, he'd have to restrict his attacks to Flame-only since this was a bunch of humans they were dealing with, but Genkai had pounded (literally, in most cases) a lot of real fighting skills which Fon had cheerfully added to with some martial arts that suited Yusuke's build and temperament. Add into to the more active style of meditation which had the side effect of putting said moves into muscle memory rather than make him sit around doing nothing, and he was a far more dangerous fighter than when he first met Tsunami.
The fact the skill set he learned was perfect for bodyguarding work and wouldn't exactly require a high school degree helped. Not that he wouldn't at least try to get one, if only to make Nana and his mother happy...and to keep his sister safe, since Tsunami did want to at least graduate high school.
In short, Yusuke's future as a petty thug and thief had at least been diverted to something close to respectable and he was less likely to end up dead in a ditch for pissing the wrong person off when he was too old to receive a mere slap on the wrist.
Kurama was making himself useful by dosing anyone who came close to them with random concoctions that would slowly drive the victim into experiencing some rather amusing hallucinations for several hours, but he had dosed everyone with the antidote beforehand. As the experienced thief, he was doing most of the leading and keeping an eye out for trouble while keeping Hiei updated via some plants he had left the fire demon.
It was far less likely to be noticed compared to technology or Flame use.
Finding the appropriate door, he swiftly picked the lock and they went in.
"Wow... when they said he was an ice cube I didn't think they meant this," said Yusuke.
"What do you think? Can we get him out without being noticed, or should we just wait until we're almost caught and have Hiei cause a distraction?" asked Tsunami.
Kurama was the expert here... she was just the team leader if things went sour.
Kurama inspected the ice, which felt more like a spirit trap than anything.
"We might have a much easier time if the ice was a bit less bulky...but considering how bad security the security was getting in, we might have enough time to melt some of it."
"And we left the only fire demon outside," sighed Tsunami.
"Considering this was likely done with Flames, you might have an easier time of it," said Kurama dryly.
"We'll keep watch outside for people," said Takeshi, taking point near the door with Kyouya. Yusuke joined them...if worst came to worse, then Takeshi, Yusuke and Tsunami would try lifting the damn thing while Kyouya and Kurama cleared the way in the front and back.
Tsunami concentrated with her Sky Flames, keeping it at a low burn to avoid detection. She carefully put her hand on the ice, and tried channeling her Flames into it to try and melt the thing.
Either the ice was unusually susceptible to Sky Flames, or it was weakened by Xanxus's Wrath Flames over the years...the ice began not to melt, but started to crack.
A massive crack formed from the top and went straight down the center of the ice block. The thing began to hiss with a vengeance and they could feel the rage and pissed off aura of the man trapped inside.
With a semi-loud boom, the two halves split apart and started to disintegrate once on the floor, rather than melt.
Xanxus, freed from his frozen prison, collapsed on the ground...or would have had Yusuke not caught him.
Kyouya and the others cautiously opened the door.
So far no one was running around yelling about the racket... then again this corridor had been relatively ignored by the patrols save as an afterthought.
They waited a few minutes, and still nothing.
"Kurama, can you shield us from being seen?"
"Possibly, but it won't hold for long. And not at all if anyone bumps into us," said Kurama.
He pulled out several useful Makai plants that caused mild hallucinations to anyone caught on the wrong side of them, and once again dosed everyone with the counter agent beforehand. Including Xanxus, as a precaution.
The group quietly made their way down the halls and were close to being outside before they were almost spotted.
Being so close to freedom and success, Kurama gave Hiei the go-ahead to cause a big ruckus using some human explosives they had liberated from Tarukane's mansion. Why he had them was anyone's guess, but considering they were planning to liberate someone else from imprisonment they had taken them regardless.
They were coming in very useful now, sending the Vongola panicking everywhere but the area they were in and would leave no sign of demonic involvement whatsoever.
In other words, Hiei's parole (which had finally ended when he didn't kill Tarukane for his involvement with Yukina's imprisonment) was never in danger of being broken.
"Voi! What took you... how the hell did you get the Boss out of that ice?" demanded Squalo. Lussuria had easily liberated the still out-cold Xanxus from the arms of Tsunami and Yusuke who had carried him out.
"Apparently the ice he was in really didn't like Sky Flames," said Tsunami. She felt utterly drained and exhausted... but was grinning like a mad woman.
No wonder Kurama loved stealing so much. It was a total rush!
Kurama chuckled at his girlfriend's expression.
Hiei made it to the truck that the Varia had brought (assuming that they would be taking the ice with them, not simply liberate Xanxus and then carry him out) and the group pulled out.
The first thing Xanxus saw when he properly woke up... was the ceiling of the Varia's Sun division. Which also doubled as their medical wing, since Suns were generally healers.
"Boss! You're awake!" said Luss, puttering about.
"How long?"
"Seven and a half years. We got lucky... Mammon found someone who could not only break into the basement you were in, but had a Sky Flame strong enough to dissolve the ice holding you," said Luss.
"What?"
"Fon sent a recommendation to his nephew's Sky, who needed someone to deal with the 'human' element since most of their team would be too busy acting as distraction and the other two who could were on 'parole' and thus ineligible. And they didn't want her doing it... Anyway at some point during that mission Mammon struck a deal to provide lessons for the girl's Mist in exchange for getting you out of the basement...we never thought they'd be able to get you out of the ice and out of there without being noticed!" explained Luss.
"...What sort of mafia woman has people banned from killing simply because they're on parole?"
"The kind with demons already on watch from the afterlife in their group," said a cultured, young voice with a chuckle. Xanxus turned... only to find a very recognizable face.
He might not deal with demons, since they generally stuck to Japan, but he recognized some of the bigger movers and players. And Youko Kurama was among those.
He handed Luss some more salves and remedies made from Makai plants...apparently Xanxus had some demon in his ancestry, because he had yet to have a bad reaction to some of the more volatile remedies.
"My Sky wisely left most of the thievery to me. Her only job was liberating you from the ice itself," said Kurama with a chuckle.
Xanxus looked at the fox thief, then at his Sun.
"You're telling me that miser baby went and found a Sky who has actual demons on their payroll that are actually competent?" he said incredulous. Though there was definite respect in his tone...anyone Youko Kurama, who was notorious for being a solo thief, calling them his Sky had to be worthy of some real respect.
"Oh it gets even better," said Luss darkly. "This Sky is Iemitsu's daughter. And her first reaction when you bring him up is to immediately and pointedly claim no relation to her genetic donor. Part of the reason she agreed to help get you out was to piss him off for not being around."
Xanxus stared at his Sun... then a slow rumble that turned into a deep laugh erupted from him.
The trash's daughter was a Sky and not only had demons on her side, but openly denied any relationship with that braying jackass? She might actually be worth knowing.
"I've also heard Mammon making several comparisons to someone called 'Daniela' repeatedly. They were most impressed with the fact Tsunami has been making waves on her own via money, rather than the usual methods. Though she might end up being one of the bigger players after what we just pulled on that idiot who had Hiei's sister hostage," said Kurama.
"I want to fucking meet this girl," said Xanxus with appreciation.
Within an hour, a girl who could have passed for the Vongola Primo (as a girl) with large amber-eyes and streaked caramel and black colored hair (giving her something of a tiger-look, which he liked even more) and an outfit that had all the hallmarks of Luss having a go at her wardrobe (he knew the Sun's general fashion tastes by this point) walked in with a calm gaze. It made the comparison to his Nonna (Timoteo would never be his father, but he had been genuinely fond of Daniela) quite strong, for all that she looked like the Primo as a girl.
Even without speaking, he liked her immediately.
"So you're the one who got me out of that basement."
"I had every reason to help Mammon, and no real love for either Iemitsu or Vongola Nono. Besides, Kurama has been itching for a real heist since he finally managed to get his original form back," said Tsunami evenly. "Not to mention I'm starting to see why my dear boyfriend loves to steal things so much, even if he refrains from pickpocketing because he finds it a bit too 'easy' and 'low-class' for his skills."
Xanxus eyed the fox, who shifted into a much more human-looking male with long red hair and vibrant leaf-green eyes about her age.
"At least you have good taste," he commented. While it was unusual to marry a demon, it wasn't unheard of and the mafia wasn't likely to get picky so long as the progeny still looked human enough to pass initial inspection.
And Kurama was high-class enough that she might avoid being married off by that idiot Iemitsu to better the family and insure that their kids would be sufficiently dangerous enough to survive the cutthroat world of the Cosa Nostra.
Tsunami sat down and made it easier for Xanxus to look her in the face. It didn't take much to coax her into talking about how she initially got involved with the underworld and later demons, and he definitely approved of her growing set of Guardians.
The Lightning was a brash, but very loyal and strong kid who wouldn't hesitate to fight dirty to protect her. Her Rain was a natural assassin of good lineage and an aptitude for swords (he had been playing with a very happy Squalo when the shark found out Xanxus was awake and the two stopped for a bit). Her Cloud was already damn impressive and if he hadn't already been snagged by her he might have made a play for the kid himself...the kid was fucking Quality already with an appropriate vicious streak and a very impressive blood tie to the Storm Arcobaleno.
The Sun was still guarding the civilians and the potential Mist Tsunami had found. Chrome was very loyal and according to Mammon would make a fine Guardian once she was trained up a bit.
In short Xanxus could openly claim he liked Tsunami a hell of a lot more than he did Iemitsu, because the girl had common sense and a vicious streak he could appreciate. As such the two agreed to keep in touch.
Specifically, Xanxus agreed to give her a head's up in case Iemitsu suddenly remembered his progeny and tried to marry her off to an allied Family simply because she was a girl and therefor expendable. Just as she would give him immediate warning if Nono decided to skip Xanxus entirely despite the fact he had her sealed as a child and tried to make her heir.
Depending on how things went, Tsunami would be more than happy to formally abdicate her status in favor of Xanxus since she really didn't want to deal with the headaches and nonsense that the Ninth Generation had almost certainly left behind.
And if that wasn't possible, then at least they could come to an agreement without having to fight over the rings like squabbling children with the Varia getting a much better deal than they had currently because the Ninth was an idiot of the highest order.
Though not before Hiei gleefully dragged Squalo into a sparring match with swords before they toured Italy for a bit, since they had far less trouble than anticipated and thus had a few days to kill before their plane ride home.
The shark was grinning in a very bloodthirsty way having someone as fast and skilled as Hiei to play with, and the two decided to make their fights a regular thing with Takeshi thrown in the midst.
It kept their skills sharp and it meant that they had someone who was actually worth fighting to play with, which made all three of them happy.
And if Tsunami happened to give Xanxus the tentative position of "big brother", rather than cousin because she genuinely liked him and was furious that the Ninth hadn't had the balls to explain to him that he wasn't actually his bastard son... well, the Varia Sky didn't mind calling her little sister in private. Tsunami was very likable and open-minded about people's past.
After all, she had practically adopted Yusuke as family despite the fact his mother was less than reputable and his own reputation had declared him a complete delinquent with no redeeming qualities!
In Japan...
"So let me get this straight... because Tora-Hime was the one to lead the Spirit Detective's group in a raid on Tarukane's mansion, she's being 'invited' as a potential new member of the Black Book Club and we're being forced to fight in the Dark Tournament?" said Yusuke a week after they got back from Italy. He had some new weapons courtesy of the Varia and most of them quite illegal to own...like the small push daggers and brass knuckles. Some were even restricted in the pit fights he used to favor so much!
Considering he was Tsunami's Lightning Guardian until proven otherwise, the Varia was more than happy to make him a much more dirty fighter since it meant keeping the girl that their Sky favored alive.
There was no such thing as honor in a real life-or-death fight, and sometimes even dirty tricks meant the difference between life and death.
"So you were invited as well," said Kurama with distaste.
"All in favor of going and then robbing these bastards blind when they underestimate us?" asked Tsunami.
Yusuke and the others grinned. Tsunami rather enjoyed gambling, if she thought it was worth the effort. She wasn't a compulsive gambler, but if she was betting anything of her fortune then she damn well planned to win. She knew when to cut her loses.
"Who are you calling?" asked Yusuke, seeing Tsunami already on the phone.
"Mammon. I bet you anything they'd be more than happy to help place large bets to clean house on these idiots for a good cut," said Tsunami. "And it would give Xanxus-nii a chance to cut loose and shake the rust off without being bored by human opponents."
Yusuke snickered.
The second Mammon heard they were invited to the Dark Tournament and that Tsunami was offering to let them join in on her group to clean house, the Mist had jumped at the chance. Large sums of cash were the norm in these betting rings and these idiots would be underestimating the guest team severely because they were unknowns. A dark horse with a good shot of making a large sum of money, as it were.
It also meant they could discreetly reveal that Xanxus was back and still as dangerous as ever, while making it clear he was a firm ally of the mysterious newcomer.
The Varia were quite feared and very well known in the underworld, so having their backing was a major deal.