It's been sometimes hasn't it?
About Tsuna's pactio...
I already thought about how and what he is going to get but the Artifact most likely would not appear till the magic world arc.
So yeah, chapter 13!
School Trip Day Three
"Fui~ So many things happened today that I worked up a sweat. Taking a nice long bath is so refreshing." Said Asuna as she cleaned herself.
The feast had ended and most of the girls that had gone to the Kansai Magic Association (KMA) HQ had already taken their bath leaving only Setsuna and Asuna who had not done so. After Eishun had spoken to Tsuna, Setsuna had been feeling something around her chest like there was something grabbing her heart; it did not feel good at all. She knew what the reason most likely was but was trying her best to ignore it.
"Fufu…You must be exhausted so please take your time bathing." Interjected Setsunaas she tried to get her mind off the subject.
Truly, the events in the afternoon had taken quite a toll on both girls. Asuna had fought Kotarou alongside Negi and Nodoka while Setsuna was busy protecting Konoka with Tsuna, not that the orange haired girl needed to know of her PE teacher's involvement or anything.
"But really, this is a huge bath, huh? Although I was really surprised by the whole mansion's size….Ah! More importantly, I heard from Paru and Yue that in cinema town there was a guy called Byakuran that protected Konoka. Do you know the guy?"
"Um….Not really but he said that he knew Sawada-sensei and they had tried to kill each other before." Though whether that was true or not, the Hanyo still did not know.
"EH!? They tried to kill each other?! Are you sure?" pressed on Asuna, cornering the Shinmeiryuu Swordswoman in the bath.
"At least that's what the guy said." Setsuna said as she held her hands up in surrender at the sudden "attack"
"What kind of person is Tsuna-sensei to have someone that wants to kill him? And why would Tsuna-sensei want to kill this Byakuran guy? You sure we can trust this guy?"
"Trust or not, he said he was called by Sawada-sensei so I guess they must have got together in the end and if Sawada-sensei trusts him, I don't why not."
"Sawada-sensei, ne?" said Asuna, skeptical.
"I-is there a problem, Kagurazaki-san?"
"It just sounds like you want to be more than teacher and student with Tsuna-sensei. I mean you two already kissed today at the arcade and you also share "Tsuna" in your names. How did kissing feel like by the way?"
"T-t-that was an accident! I-i-it's not like that! I just respect him a lot."T-talking about that, what about you Kagurazaki-san?" And now the feeling was back again.
"Me?"
"The way you tried your hardest to help Negi-sensei seems a little odd!"
"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you talking about!"
A simple conversation had turned into a flailing match between the two girls in the bath with neither wanting to give up in their attempt to correct the "misunderstanding" in the other's mind. By the end of the match with no apparent victor and two very tired and breathless competitors.
"Um…Kagurazake-san, the truth is…"
"Uuuuuum…Somehow…Just call me Asuna. My name is quite long too."
"Ah…Is that right? Well then for me, Setsuna is fine."
"Um…Asu-?!"
In enters the guys. With Eishun, Tsuna, Negi and Chamo, all with only a small towel around their waist. Eishun and Tsuna in particular were displaying all the scars that they had gotten over the years.
"But really. To be a teacher at your age is amazing, especially Negi-sensei who is only ten."
"You flatter us, Konoe-san. But what Konoe-san said was true; to become a teacher at ten is not something anybody can do."
"Please stop teasing me."
"In any case, I leave Konoka to the both of you, Tsunayoshi-sensei and Negi-sensei."
"Yes, I'm sure we understand that, is that right, Negi?"
"Yes!"
"Sorry that some of our people were a nuisance on your journey." Eishun said as he looked at the two teachers beside him.
"I am just thankful that things hadn't gotten too out of hand Konoe-san. Sometimes being the boss is really troublesome, isn't it?"
"Hahaha… I understand what you mean, Tsunayoshi-kun."
"Boss? What do you mean, Sawada-san? Does it have anything to do with all the scars on your body?"
Hearing this Asuna and Setsuna slowly peeked out of their hiding place to see what these scars that Negi was talking about were. Riddled all over the young Decimo's body were slash marks and burn marks not to mention the big X on his back that were from his shoulders to his waist.
"Just call me Tsuna, Negi. Being called Sawada all the time is too stuffy for my likings and you could say that it has everything to do with my scars."
"Can you tell me?"
"I will if you are willing to share your secret with me. Are you willing to do that, Negi?"
"Th-that…"
A moment of silence in the big bath as Negi contemplated his answer. He was thinking that Tsuna must have experienced something big to have received those scars and might be able to help them in a fight no matter how little help it was but on the other hand, Negi did not really want to involve his colleague in his world.
After thinking it through…
"Yes! T-tsuna-san!"
"Yes, Negi?"
"I am a mage."
"Is that so?" A single brown eyebrow was raised, a skill that Tsuna had develop after reading an English book by the name of Ranger's Apprentice. Tsuna had found it quite amusing and liked to use it when questioning others and it had Reborn's stamp of approval as a way to annoy people. Eishun however just smiled and looked upon the scene.
'Why is he not surprised?' this thought ran through the minds of three, well two people and one ermine.
"You are not surprised?"
"Should I be?" Raising that eyebrow even higher
"B-but I just told you something that might change your life."
"It would seem that Eva kept it a secret from you, huh?"
"E-evangeline-san?! She is keeping a secret from me."
"Why are you so surprised, Negi? Everyone has their secret, especially if it is someone like the Maga Nosferatu." Casually shrugging his shoulders at the young child's naivety, Tsuna smirked. Everyone except Eishun and Setsuna looked shock at this implied revelation.
"I knew it, Aniki! He's working for the enemy!" Chamo could take it no longer and shouted out not caring whether there was anyone that did not know of magic in the area.
"Now look here rodent, I think I just had about enough of your antics on this trip!" Pointing at the white talking thing, Tsuna shouted.
"Actually I'm an ermine." Argued Chamo.
"Do I look like I care? If I say you are a rodent then you are a rodent even you are actually a Martian. As if the crap you pulled yesterday with the girls trying to get a Pactio from Negi wasn't enough, now you try to frame me for working with the enemy?" Chamo was already sweating profusely and it had nothing to do with the temperature of the bath.
"Listen and listen well rodent cause I'm going to only say this once, you play with fire, you're going to get burn and it's only a matter of when. Mess with my charge or my students again and when I'm through with you, not even ashes would be left behind. Capiche, rodent?" Tsuna did not raise his voice but the frown on his face and the killing intent behind his threat got the younger children choking on air.
"G-got it." Hearing this Tsuna released his hold on the his killing intent and reined it back before smiling like there was nothing wrong and that he had not just threatened an ermine.
"Your charge?" this was Negi's curiosity as a child speaking again.
"I'm getting to that, just let me introduce myself again. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi and I was hired to protect Konoka alongside Setsuna by the Dean."
"You forgot to say that you are also the tenth boss of a Mafia, Tsunayoshi-kun."
"I really doubt that the kids needed to know that, Konoe-san."
"Hahaha…It would have been known sooner or later and it's not really right to keep such secrets from your colleague when they might need to know it to help, now is it?"
"Sigh…I guess so, though I seriously doubt it. By the way, that Monkey Lady is targeting Konoka because of her latent magic skills. Is that right, Konoe-san?"
"Yes and by Monkey Lady I think you mean Amagasaki Chigusa. She probably wants a trump card and seeing as how Konoka has potential that is greater than that of the Thousand Master I can see why she is targeting my daughter." Grimaced Eishun at the thought of Konoka being targeted because of something she had no control of.
"Greater than the Thousand Master?! Do you know the Thousand Master, Konoe-san?" Negi cried out in shock and hope.
"You mean about your father? Fufu…I know him quite well. At any rate, I was that idiot, Nagi Springfield's inseparable friend after all." Eishun said with a big thumbs-up and smile.
"One of the greatest Mages is an idiot? You mind explaining that, Konoe-san? ….Wait I think I hear the girls coming, what are they doing here now?" Tsuna then began to move towards the shoji doors separating the bath and the changing area.
"What should I do? He is coming closer!" whispered a panicked Asuna.
"Just try your best to hide for now." Replied Setsuna also panicking a little that her Sawada-sensei might find her in her state of undress.
In any case Murphy's Law would not make an exception for our young protagonist as when the shoji doors were slammed open, revealing the other five girls, they were introduced to a sight of Tsuna, Asuna and Setsuna all tangled up in an easily misunderstood position with Tsuna lying on top of Asuna with his hand squashed between her cleavage and Setsuna straddling Tsuna's back.
Good Job Murphy.
Cue the cat calls of excitement from the girls who have just seen something scandalous or in the case of a very, very jealous Konoka, her screams of rage.
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Sitting under the moonlight at the stone garden, Tsuna sighed as he swirled the sake in his sakazuki (A.N: I don't usually do this but the might be a misunderstanding or lack of understanding of what Sakazuki is. Explanation at the bottom) and nursed the bright red palm mark on his left cheek. Who knew that Konoka was so strong? That slap came like one of Ryohei's Maximum Cannon without the flames and boy did it hurt. The sake was doing quite a fine job of numbing his sense of pain but the sting was still there. Only now would Tsuna have been glad for Reborn forcing him to up his alcohol tolerance, allowing him to drown himself in liver wreaking liquid without much trouble.
Tsuna knows that it was partly his fault for not noticing Asuna and Setsuna but Dame Tsuna likes to pop out from time to time and he had learnt to accept things as it is when he comes out, it results in less problems that way. He would really need to go find the girls and clear up the misunderstanding before he lose any more respect or even worst, before he loses his job and failed the mission. Feeling the shiver that went down his back, Tsuna gulped down the remainder of the sake still in his sakazuki, letting the warm drink do its job, but what was happening forced him to keep on his toes.
"Tsu-tsunayoshi-kun."
"Am I too late, Konoe-san?" Tsuna said, staring at the now empty saucer and trying his best not to look at petrifying man. With or without the Vongola Hyper Intuition, Tsuna had been too far away from the enemy when he/she had invaded into the KMA HQ grounds to do anything even if he had used his flames to jet around the place.
"Perhaps for me but there is still hope for the other kids. Contact the Dean and please take….care of….Konoka…." It was most likely the last words that the man will ever say and Tsuna had every intention to follow it to the last letter.
"This Decimo had already sworn to do so Konoe-san. P-please don't make me swear a second time." The man was completely petrified and tears fell down the Don's face as he choked on his words. He cried at his weakness, he cried at his failure to save anyone and he cried because he could do nothing to help the man standing behind him.
Flipping open his phone, he followed the wishes of the leader of the KMA and contacted the Dean.
"Hello, this is Tsunayoshi speaking. Mind sending backup?... Yeah, they even got your son-in-law. Most likely petrified the rest of the people here too…. Ok, I am here for her after all so no need to worry…..See you then…."
"Sa-sawada sensei! Are you alright?"
"Setsuna….I'm fine but they got Konoe-san." Turning his head, he saw Negi and Setsuna coming towards him.
"Are you sure you are fine, Sawada-san? You don't sound too good." Negi, the ever helpful kid, asked.
"It's nothing….Just….planning on what to do. Have you seen Konoka-chan?"
"We were on our way to find her, Sawada sensei."
"There's no time to waste then. The enemy is getting closer to her even at this moment. Let's go!" Wiping away the already drying tears, Tsuna sprinted off to go and find his charge wherever she was in the ridiculously large compound.
"Hai!" the two voices resounded and followed him.
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There lay a naked Asuna Kagurazaki on the floor of the bath. May she rest in peace in the world to come.
"Hey don't kill me off so easily!"
And she is now breaking the fourth wall. What a fearsome child!
"Asuna-san!? Are you alright Asuna-san? What happened?" asked Setsuna as she laid Asuna upright.
"Get your priorities straight, Setsuna! There is a naked girl and two boys, what do you do?" Tsuna chastised as he snapped his fingers, though he was looking in another direction.
"A-ask what happened to Konoka Ojou-sama?" She replied unsure of herself.
"Wrong! Tsuna Flick! Is your head filled with only Konoka-chan? Even if Asuna is not embarrassed, I am! Now cover her first before we talk!" All while he was looking in another direction, away from Asuna.
"S-sorry…"
After getting a towel to cover up Asuna
"Sorry everyone, Konoka…was kidnapped…Be careful…Th-that guy is still around…"
"Did you mean this guy?"
"Wha?"
In the corner of the bath, Fate and Tsuna were trading blows silently for some reason. The shockwaves rippled the air and Tsuna's Dying Will Flame could barely be seen at the speed he was going, flickering through the air as it is.
"Turning people into statues, attacking girls while in the bath and kidnapping Konoka-chan. I think you already had enough fun for one day. Don't you think so, little boy?" Tsuna spat out as he kicked away the white haired boy and jumped back to where the others were.
"I say nay to that. But what would you do? Negi Springfield and unknown. Defeat me? For Negi it is impossible and I would make sure to drag you to death's doors along with me if you decide to entertain me. Either way, my objective has already been reached." Water then swirled around the boy, enveloping him before the whole thing collapsed into a puddle, leaving no trace of the boy that had been at that spot a moment ago.
"Teleportation using water as a gate?! Aniki….He's a pretty high class mage…" explained Chamo as he examined the puddle.
"Yare yare, Magic really is out of this world." Deadpanned Tsuna. "Ma, I guess we can't just mope around here." Gently ruffling Asuna's hair. "Asuna, are you good enough for battle? We might need your strength."
"But we can't just rush in! That white haired brat isn't normal. Ah!"
"What is it, rodent?"
"I have an idea that can get us more power."
"Hoho? Do explain." Why was Tsuna imitating Kikyo, we shall never know.
"We just need to have Setsuna nee-san kiss Aniki."
"REJECTED!" And thus Chamo was stomped into the ground by Tsuna. "I can see where you are going with this and a Pactio will certainly give Setsuna a boost but I would be the one to fight that brat. No offense to any of you but even if Setsuna does get a Pactio with Negi I would still be the only one that can fight him at the moment."
"That…." Clearly the thought of being weak did not sit well with Negi.
"I will distract him while you guys go get Konoka-chan. Think you can do that?"
"Hai!" called out three voices.
"Good. Asuna, go get dressed, we are leaving in five minutes."
"Hai!"
As Asuna left and Negi went along to help, Tsuna and Setsuna were left in the bath.
"Sa-sawada sensei…"
"Setsuna?"
"Am I really that weak?"
"Tsuna Flick! I am seriously thinking that you like getting flicked in the forehead. Don't worry, you will get to our level, no problems there. It's just….not today….."
"I see…."
"Get Konoka-chan back first, we can talk about how you can get stronger later, okay?"
"Hai!"
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"Woah! You actually did it newbie!" Chigusa exclaimed, surprised to see Konoka before. "Maybe we should have leaved it up to you from the beginning. Now that we have Ojou-sama, we just have to take her there and we won!"
"MNNN!" Konoka struggled on her binding as her mouth seal by a charm.
"Don't worry Ojou-sama, we won't hurt you." She pretended to reassure the young girl before her. "Now, to the alter!"
"That's as far as you go! Return Konoka-chan now and I might just let you off with a light internal toasting." Tsuna cried out as he ignited his raised, right gauntlet with flames.
"Hmph, you brats again." The glasses woman said idly.
"Amagasaki Chigusa! Reinforcements will arrive tomorrow to apprehend you. Surrender now and give back Konoka-ojou-sama back to us!" shouted Setsuna.
"Surrender?" The Woman questioned before starting to laugh. "No matter how many reinforcement you bring, as long as I get to that place it is all over!"
Chigusa leap for the large bolder that she stand and land on top of the shallow water before spreading her arms open.
"Now let me show you a portion of Ojou-sama's powers. You'll wish you were still back at the headquarters cowering in fear."
The woman snap her finger as the charm that been on the young brunette's chest active causing Konoka muffling scream as something being force to coming out from within her.
"Om" with that single word, innumerable circles of light with Sanskrit characters in them appeared on the water surface, lighting up the dark forest around them.
It was time for the finale to start.
Sakazuki: that small saucer like cup used to drink sake. The exchange of sakazuki between two people then drinking of the contents is a ritual and pledge for loyalty. Usually done between yakuza boss and subordinate or during traditional Japanese weddings
And we're done!
See you guys soon