N/A: Still rushing but we're getting there.
IMPORTANT: I've gone over the entire story (including the previous chapter) and changed a few details since some of the plotline wasn't matching up to the current plot (with small wording/grammar edits while I'm at it). No huge changes, just minor ones here and there, but it will make a difference in future chapters. If you have time, please reread. It was updated on 10/18
Some examples of the changes:
1. In Older!Lambo's first appearance, he no longer has a ring.
2. Older!Reborn's rings have been changed.
3. Since Tsuna is an immortal, he can be considered a demon, but his kind are technically called Sorcerers/Wizards/Mages.
4. Tsuna will not make it to eighteen. He only has 1-2 years left in that form.
5. Older!Reborn has a tattoo on his neck that Older!Tsuna hides from his past self.
These are just some that were switched around, there are many more. Thanks and enjoy!
Chapter 36
"You enjoy messing up timelines, don't you?"
"Of course, it gives me something to do. Even after living for so long, there are so many opportunities for entertainment. I am a patient individual, I can wait for a person to be born and grow old to die. During that time, I like to see what changes would happen if I interfered, if I inserted or took away an individual or event, how it might affect the future. There are infinite possibilities, even considering the fate that is held over a certain individuals."
"You sound like a mad scientist."
"Well, I'm not exactly sane. You start dabbling in things to keep yourself occupied. Why do you think Reborn has so many achievements? He didn't get that many just because he wanted to. He was bored, time froze for him and killing people was no longer a challenge. He lost that high he got after a kill, that pleasure, and so he searched for something else."
"Sometimes your insights into people are scary. But whatever, keep going about your story. You haven't finished just yet."
Tsuna knew that the time for Varia's remarkable appearance was nearing and he knew that when they came, only destruction would be left behind. From the histories of other dimensions, a small war would be declared between his group and theirs for the claim of the Vongola rings and if things were to go exactly as many timelines had, he would be victorious. But at what cost? Tsuna was already identifying the paths he could take, but he knew his future had been determined the moment he had taken a glance into said future. And so, he left it alone, allowing fates to do what it always did, create trouble.
As expected, they appeared four days after Basil and Dino's arrival with an earsplitting announcement for the war that would determine the owners of the rings in one week (well, Squalo did). They revealed themselves on the way to school, standing on top of a hill to look down on the teenagers with their backs against the rising sun. Their shadows stretched long across the cement, appearing imposing and ready for battle from the way they stood. Tsuna didn't even bat an eyelash at the declaration and continued to walk to school as if he hadn't heard anything. He kept some distance between them in case they decided to retaliate, not wanting to be made late by some inconveniences, and continued to disregard them without a care. His guardians peered curiously between the two groups before they shrugged and followed their beloved boss. Reborn, in his usual spot in Tsuna's arms, raised an eyebrow at the brunet's blunt rejection but kept quiet, knowing better than to speak up in such a heavy atmosphere. It was clear that the Varia had been annoyed by the frank denial but resisted in attacking outright, not when Reborn was still with the Vongola heir. They would get their chance in one week's time, so they left to stew in their current base of operations.
However, that wasn't the end of the surprises for the day. Tsuna and Reborn came home after school to find Iemitsu in the kitchen with the largest grin on his face, already buttering up Nana with sugarcoated words and gestures. The couple's actions almost made Tsuna twitch in disgust, Reborn soon to follow, and they momentarily peered at each other, keeping in the sigh that both wanted to release in irritation.
The brunet eventually huffed as he glanced away from the situation, observing in hidden annoyance as his supposed-father laughed merrily as he drank his booze and eat Nana's cooking like there was no tomorrow. Lambo and I-pin were in the other room, watching a movie that was more violent and gory than any PG-rated movie he can remember, and enjoying some snacks Nana had brought out for them only to keep their attention elsewhere. Neither Reborn nor he said a word to announce their arrival until Nana noticed them at the edges of the entryway from the corner of her eyes.
"Oh, welcome back Tsuna! Reborn! Look who came home today!" The brunette smiled brilliantly, dancing around the room in joy. She spun around to stir something in the pan before turning back, her happiness never once leaving her expression as she loudly hummed. There were grease stains and smudges of sauces on her apron and the entire house smelled deliciously, easily telling the two that she had been at the stove for hours.
Tsuna nodded and gave a small greeting in response while Reborn hopped out of his grasp, landing beside Iemitsu on the table. Basil was sitting in the chair beside the CEDEF boss, happily gorging himself on Nana's cooking and all the while complimenting it with each bite. The cuts and bruises on the strawberry-blond had healed over, looking like the incident had never happened in the first place. Everything was cheerful and bright...until the second Iemitsu turned around to glance at his son. The glare in his eyes, hidden from Nana's point of view, was clear and could be felt even though it was only directed at a certain individual.
"Ah, aren't you supposed to be at school?" The tone in the blond male's voice deliberately stated his displeasure but only those that recognized the small difference caught it. Reborn narrowed his eyes instantly, flicking his fedora upward to get a better look, while Basil paused his fork midway as it reached forward, pursing his lips in confusion. The hitman kept quiet, taking in the clear dislike in Iemitsu's eyes, finding truth in Tsuna's past statements of his father hating him.
Tsuna shrugged his shoulders, unfazed by the change. "Don't you know? School ends around this time every day."
Iemitsu broke out into a gleaming smile like nothing had happened just as Nana came around, placing another plate onto the counter to add to the growing collection. "Oh! I didn't know. School is different in other countries, some get out earlier or later than others. I must have gotten it all mixed up, my bad." He peered up at his wife momentarily than back to Tsuna. "Well, come on, son. Let's head out back and have a long overdue father-son talk. That should be fine, right dear?" Iemitsu just flashed another grin towards his wife, who simply nodded her head cheerfully. If no one had been really listening in, it was clear as day that the blond's voice was being strained, pushed the longer he spoke in Tsuna's presence.
"Just take your time, I'm still working on a few more things. Oh, you haven't seen Tsuna for so long! He's grown up so much while you've been away!" With a cheerful hum, Nana rotated back around for the stove. "He's such a wonderful boy! So mature!"
With that behind them, the two family members slipped out towards the back with Reborn and Basil following along. No one said anything until they were in the yard, the glass doors closing behind to prevent anyone inside from listening in. The two children had their eyes glued to the TV, never looking away even when their hands were reaching for the bowl of snacks. Iemitsu stopped near the back fence, his arms folded against his chest, and stared at the brunet with a fierce scowl. The aura surrounding the family members had changed into something very dark between the two individuals. Reborn hopped back into Tsuna's arms, observing the blond carefully for any extra movements from his advantageous position. Basil was off to the side, glancing between them with uncertainty. It was clear he was the only one that didn't know exactly what was happening.
"I heard you refused the Vongola rings." And there it was, the start of the end.
Tsuna huffed, "I don't want to be Vongola Decimo. You can either keep them or give them over to Xanxus. It makes little difference to me."
"Tsuna, you don't understand." The blond started, "You are the only heir right now that can take over. Xanxus cannot be Vongola Decimo. He'll lead it to ruin with his rage and ambitions and Vongola doesn't need more violence to add to its dark history."
The brunet's eyes snapped upward, narrowing slightly in annoyance. "And you think I'm the better option? Oh, please." He huffed once more, glancing away and took a step towards the side. "Why don't you just say the truth already? You don't honestly want me to be Vongola Decimo but apparently I'm the better choice over Xanxus."
The external Advisor twitched, narrowing his sky blue eyes. He took a deep breath, exhaling out like it was all the frustration he had built up over the years being released. He pinched at the bridge of his nose, eyes closed momentarily before staring back at the teenager. No one said anything while the blond gathered himself, not wanting to interrupt this so-called family reunion.
Finally, Iemitsu admitted it. "That's right. I don't want you to be Decimo but I don't have a choice. I need time to work out my other plans but time is not on our side. If everything happens the way I want it to, you can have your regular life back and live peacefully, the way you did before the Mafia stepped in." Iemitsu grinned like he was proud of something, something neither of the three other individuals were quite clear about. "Isn't that great? You're a normal person, you don't need to get involved with the dangerous world of the mafia. You can live like none of it ever happened."
The brunet almost rolled his eyes but settled with shaking his head. Everyone knew that once in the mafia, one didn't leave it so easily, not unless one wanted bloodshed and loss. There was also the fact that he was related to Iemitsu, the External Advisor of Vongola and boss of CEDEF. People would come after him for that reason alone. "You're a horrible liar... and ridiculous as well. You must really think I'm some sort of fool if I was to believe that completely. I'm not some child you can string along and follow you blindly like an idiot."
"Because you're not a child?"
Tsuna blinked momentarily, caught off by those words. He snapped his eyes towards the blond, observing Iemitsu carefully, before finally twitching his nose as he realize what exactly was happening. 'Ah, there it is. At long last.' The immortal almost chuckled but his expression remained blank, as he could tell Iemitsu was nowhere close to being done.
The External Advisor's expression had morphed dramatically, teeth grinding against each other as he stared at the brunet accusingly. His fists were tightly bounded, almost enough to turn white and draw blood. "Because you're not my son?"
The brunet remained quiet, continuing to wait for the other to finish first.
"I don't know who you are exactly but I know you're not the child I remembered. Nana may be oblivious but I'm not. My son is gone, I know that for a fact, and something took his place. I would be an idiot to not realize that. My hyper intuition doesn't lie, it keeps telling me you're not who you say or appear to be."
This time Tsuna couldn't help the little smirk that began spread onto his lips. He wanted to laugh, knowing Iemitsu had been right in his feelings all along, and it had been that intuition that drove a wedge between the two family members. "You really are an idiot." He spun his heels back at the man as he stepped towards the house, knowing this conversation wouldn't be lasting any longer. "You always have been and always will. You never realized that there are more things at work then what you can physically see and sense. Though I will give you this, you are correct in your assumption in that your son is gone, dead, but I did not kill him, his cancer did. If you had really paid attention to your wife more often than burying yourself in your work or even just exchanged a simple phone call more often than once a year, then perhaps you would have realized it sooner."
Tsuna paused for a moment to allow his words to settle into everyone's minds. He smirked at the sensations that were beginning to sprout around them.
"But it's too late and there's nothing you can do now to fix your mistakes in the past but I will say this: Grow up, Iemitsu." The brunet sneered, a flash of anger slipping into his voice."You're too far behind to catch up and whatever you're planning will fail simply because you are a fool."
With those final words, Tsuna went back into the house but not before placing Reborn onto the ground. He knew the three would have a long talk with each other once they had processed his words and he had no plans on getting involved. He didn't even want to be in the vicinity when they started looking to him for answers. In all honesty, Tsuna was tired of his so-called father even after such a short meeting between them and with him in town, things were finally going to start moving forward. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, and quickly left the house without a saying word to anyone. The door barely made a noise behind him. He only had a limited amount of time to move and couldn't afford to be stopped or followed.
It was time to see Xanxus personally and have a little chat about their futures. He wasn't going to be the plaything for Vongola to mess around with any longer. It was time to set things into place as they should be: with him at the very top.
The moment Tsuna decided to set things into motion and speak to Xanxus in person, he knew it wouldn't be easy. Vongola was a couple of steps ahead of him, something Tsuna had allowed since he had known about it from the very beginning. Then there was the Varia leader's explosive personality to take into consideration but it had to be done to get things set up for future complications. He couldn't allow things to progress any further. It was time to start spinning.
The timeline of this dimension was already thrown off with one additional individual that hadn't existed before and this person was already making a drastically shift from typical storyline just after surfacing recently. The core of Vongola was in chaos, the ploy between Tsuna and Xanxus wan effort to calm it down while giving the Vongola famiglia something to focus on. It didn't help that this person was already making plans in the background with Iemitsu and Vongola Nono. He knew neither of the two would admit anything, especially Iemitsu (so much so that he gave no hints of it during their little talk) and so it was finally time for him to make his way forward and tip the balance in his favor. Though Tsuna had changed things around when he first arrived, the timeline had progressed smoothly in the same direction with the outcome clear in the setting...until now.
He made his way to one of the most expensive hotels in Namimori, knowing very well that Xanxus' tastes and preferences would not allow otherwise. It made tracking the obvious group of assassins simple despite the town of Namimori being moderate in size. It's not often that a large group of high-class men appeared in such a place with fancy black cars driving around without whispers and gossip spreading about rapidly. As the word spread, people started looking, being the nosey creatures they are.
Tsuna stepped towards the glowing building, hands pocketed and dressed plainly compared to the rest of the visitors and workers of the building that were coming and going from a single spinning doorway. However, no one bothered him, though a few glances were tossed in curiosity and disgust, not believing that a child would be dressed so casually in this classy place. Others ignored him, believing him to be a rebellious child of one of the customers that was staying at the hotel. He was tempted to roll his eyes at the stares but simply peered ahead as he focused on his destination.
In the entryway, there were women dressed elegantly in vibrant dresses, showing off their physical assets and luxurious jewelry, while the men had suits that cost more than a sports car, flaunting their money like it was their pride and joy. Tsuna definitely felt out of place when compared to the glamour but he pressed on, making his way towards the elevators in the back. His right hand thumbed the button for the floor and he was alone in the metal-box as the doors slid shut. He had a limited amount of time before Reborn noticed his disappearance and wandered off to search for him. Well, that is if he could stop arguing with Iemitsu back at the house. He could already tell from Reborn's personality that the hitman wasn't just going to let this go. It was too bad Iemitsu could be incredibly stubborn, nearly as stubborn as Reborn.
As the elevator dinged once he reached the top floor and the doors opened, Tsuna stepped out, heading straight towards the door at the end of the hallway. He could already hear the rowdiness of the Varia team echoing down the corridor and easily made out each individual voice even though the door was closed. Tsuna didn't bother knocking and simply used magic to unlock it, listening to the click on the other side.
The noise exploded outward with a strong gust of wind slamming into his body but he continued onward without a care. His eyes made out five individuals in the main entrance room, the sixth and final teammate, one he was specifically looking for, was missing. No one noticed him at first and Tsuna stepped inside the room, avoiding any thrown items or projectile abilities as he went by. No eye caught sight of nor turned towards him, everyone's attention focused on each other, and it remained that way until he reached the door at the other side that lead to the dining room. Squalo, the second-in-command, was arguing with Lussuria over hair products and his attitude towards their enemies. Leviathan and Belphegor were bickering on the opposite side, something about insulting the latter's "princeliness" and weapons. Mammon was hidden atop a bookcase, away from the craziness, and was sipping on a strawberry milk carton. It was the mist guardian of Varia that finally spotted him, raising his head slightly just as Tsuna grasped the knob and gave it a twist.
The brunet peered at the illusionist momentarily, blinking once, before ignoring the Arcobaleno and pushing open the frame. He knew the other wouldn't bother with him as any member of the Varia fully expected their bad-tempered boss to be able to take care of himself. Closing the door behind him, Tsuna almost huffed considering he had been able to bypass an elite group of assassins so easily but pushed it out of his mind as he turned his attention to the leader in the back, settled at the end of the long mahogany dining table. He took a single step forward to immediately get the other's attention and almost smirked at Xanxus's initial reaction at his sudden appearance.
The Varia leader instantly narrowed his eyes, freezing up for a split second at the shock of having someone suddenly emerge into the room, before growling angrily. He reached for his gun hidden within his coat, fingers wrapping around the weapon. "Trash, how did you get here?"
"Through the front door." Tsuna reached up and pointed behind him, never keeping his eyes off the other. "No one stopped me." Quietly stepping towards the table, he pulled out the chair on the opposite side of Xanxus and sat down. He scooted forward and placed his hands on top of the table to show that he wasn't here for a fight but to talk. Xanxus recognized the signs but didn't let go of his gun. "No one noticed me coming in, they were too busy fighting with each other. Except Mammon, but he probably expected you to be able to take care of yourself."
"Trash, all of them." Xanxus sneered and used his free hand to gulp down his drink in one motion before tossing the empty glass at the side. It shattered against the wall, the broken pieces scattering across the floor, and the noise outside hushed.
Tsuna didn't pay much attention to the near silent movement on the other side of the room, his eyes resting on Xanxus only. "You already know who I am so introductions aren't necessary."
The Varia leader's right eyebrow twitched and this time he clicked the safety off his weapon, continuing to point it straight at the other. The brunet remained unfazed, sitting still like nothing had happened. Xanxus sneered momentarily at the lack of reaction but didn't pay much in mind, the end of his gun glowing in an orange flame. "You must obviously have a death wish if you're willing to come here to your enemies' place."
"Not really." Tsuna countered, blinking once before tilting his head to the side. His bangs slid across his face at the movement and his arms raised up to cross against his chest. "I came here with some information you might want before you decide on anything regarding me."
The brief narrowing of Xanxus' eyes alerted him that he had the other's attention and that was all Tsuna needed.
"You've been tricked." Those three simple words almost made Xanxus react but before he could, Tsuna continued. "Someone has decided to pit us against each other in hopes of us killing each other or leave the winner weakened enough to go in for the final kill."
Xanxus observed as the brunet reached up to push a bang out of his eyes, Tsuna's voice eerily calm. His fingers twitched momentarily but he remained still, listening intently.
"They also took you out of the loop in Italy, from the main headquarters, so that you wouldn't know what exactly was going on while you were over here playing with me. And so, with the both of us focusing solely on each other, we wouldn't notice those in the background changing things around."
With that explanation, Xanxus seemed to calm down momentarily, the glowing of his gun fading. His eyes remained glued on the other, his mind running over those words carefully. "What exactly do you mean by that, trash?"
Tsuna almost sighed. "I mean that someone in Vongola is currently pulling the strings on the both of us. Take out both of the competitors in one fell swoop. It's a pretty good plan, we would be too distracted with each other to notice what was occurring in the shadows until it was too late."
The Sorcerer King smirked, leaning forward to place his elbow on the table, and used the palm of his hand to cradle his chin. The silence in the room was thick enough to cut it but still no one, not Xanxus nor the Varia members in the other room, spoke up, which left the entire field for Tsuna to manipulate. "The only thing he failed to take into consideration was that I know what happens in the shadows, aware or not. Things like that don't slip pass me."
Tsuna could tell from the lack of noise behind him that the rest of the team was listening in intently, bundled up against the door to hear better. He didn't show it on his expression though and kept going. "I have no intention of fighting you honestly. You can have the rings if you really want them that badly, though we both know you can't use them because of some small in-between the lines of its contract of use." The brunet almost huffed, observing the way Xanxus' eyes momentarily widened at the hidden message before narrowing once more. "If you really want them, go to Dino. He's currently in charge of them but I suggest you think carefully because if you don't, you'll be falling into a hole you won't be able to climb out."
As the brunet stood up, about to head back to the house, Xanxus spoke up. His voice was even and calm. "Why are you telling me this? You could be easily lying about everything, trash."
The Sorcerer King blinked once before smirking. "Because I like to make a mess of things, it's a bad habit of mine, and I have no intention of following Iemitsu or that man's plans. I suspect neither will you once you find out the truth. Iemitsu is currently here to ensure that the fight between us occurs exactly as planned, keeping an eye on me at home while using his men to watch over you. Because of that, I'll need to return soon before my so-called father finds out I'm missing and sends a search party out for me. I'd rather not be found talking to you if you know what I mean." He rotated around to reach for the door to the entry way, twisting the knob just slightly. The frame creaked and he spotted all of the Varia's members waiting on the other side, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation. "If you really want to find out what's really going on, go back to Italy to speak to Nono directly, don't do it over the phone. He'll easily misdirect you otherwise. In person, he'll spill the truth to you because you're his son despite the differences but you're not going to like the results. You'll also no doubt see the person that's been hiding in the shadows, attempting to manipulate us both."
Xanxus snorted, crossing his arms against his chest and leaned back against the chair, raising his legs up onto of the table. "You want me to head back to Italy?" He tched and continued. "I'll repeat, you could be doing all this to simply trick me. And anyway, I can kill you right here, right now, and end all of this nonsense."
Tsuna automatically shrugged his shoulders. "I could be but I'm not exactly going anywhere anytime soon. I'll still be in Namimori when you come back so I'll be easy to find. And anyway, you gave me a week to prepare. You can head back to the Vongola mansion, return before that and still be in time for our so-called battle." Tsuna almost rolled his eyes but reached up instead to tuck some hair behind his right ear."However, I'd like us both to be alive and perhaps allies when the new Vongola heir is crowned and he turns against us both for being in his way of a total victory. It won't be much longer now. Once it's been done, they'll either force you back into your position if you're valuable or eliminate you if you become a headache that they can't control."
Xanxus sneered, his grip tightening around his arms at the thought of being forced to do anything.
"However, for me, I'll be considered an enemy that needs to be eliminated as there can't be two potential heirs and they may even try to send you after me to perhaps show your loyalty towards the new boss. I wouldn't be too surprised, Vongola is a violent group and there are many that won't hesitate to backstab each other in the background. You know exactly who they are." Tsuna paused momentarily to once more let those words settle in. His honey-colored eyes peered straight into Xanxus' red ones, knowing he still had the other's full attention. "I'd like you to not follow those commands completely once they come out. If anything I want you to cause chaos for Vongola because we both know it's much more interesting than being played like good little puppets. However, I'll leave that up to you once you find out the truth, Xanxus."
With those final words, Tsuna stepped out of the room, passing the Varia members who had opened up enough space for him to slip through. No one bothered to stop him or say anything in retaliation, waiting for their orders to respond from Xanxus. However, even he remained quiet. They simply watched as Tsuna exited through the front, closing the frame behind him with a gentle tap. The brunet was obviously heading back home, considering how late into the night it was and even when he had gotten far enough, Varia continued to remain quiet.
Xanxus sat there, not moving just yet, as his eyes stared into his wine bottle before him. His team observed him carefully, unsure on how to react just yet, until Squalo broke through, being brave enough to act. "Boss?" His voice was a normal level, nowhere close to its usual tone. It revealed the hesitancy everyone else was sharing.
The leader of Varia reached forward for the bottle of wine that had been left untouched considering he had destroyed his glass cup previously. His fingers tightened around the top end and brought it up to his lips, taking a long swing of the drink. He emptied it and immediately tossed it against the wall to join the cup in pieces on the floor. Leviathan and Belphegor flinched at the sound but all eyes remained on the boss.
Xanxus sneered, sliding his feet off the table and slammed them against the floor. "Call HQ and verify this information! I want to know everything! I will not look a fool to anyone especially to Nono!" As he spoke, he slammed his fist against the table, breaking it under from the force exerted."And make sure to book the first flight back to Italy! I'm heading back to have a little face to face chat with Nono."
Squalo raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden response. "Shitty boss? You don't actually believe our enemy, do you?"
"Doesn't matter, trash! I want that information checked thoroughly! If what he says is true, then we're nothing but pawns in a sick game that won't end well for either for us! I refuse to lay down from our mistakes because we didn't confirm it!" Xanxus growled, his eyes peering at Leviathan and sneered. "And you! Get me another drink!"
"Yes, sir!"
Reborn glanced up when Tsuna opened the front door to the house, peering straight at the brunet with suspicious eyes. The brunet peered at the hitman momentarily before glancing around the rest of the area. He could hear Iemitsu and Nana in the kitchen, laughing about one thing or another, which alerted him that it was just the two of them at this very time. He didn't see the children anywhere either.
Tsuna raised up a finger to his lips and smiled momentarily. "Shhh, later." His eyes drifted towards the kitchen, letting Reborn interpret it that he didn't want Iemitsu to hear anything he said. The hitman narrowed his eyes for a second before huffing, tugged his fedora down, and turned away. They would talk about this later but for now they would remain undiscovered by the enemy of the house. As Tsuna reached over to lift Reborn into his arms, he gave a small reassuring squeeze before entering the kitchen, where the household was settled for dinner.
Reborn smirked for a moment before settling into the warmth of the arms, remaining close to Tsuna even on the table when he had to jump out. He had to admit, this supposed-student of his was quite the interesting one and there was a game to be played in motion.
Bermuda peered down at the purple-haired illusionist from where he was settled on one of the Vindice guard's shoulder. He smirked from underneath his bandages, taking Mukuro in with interest, while his eyes continued to examine the boy curiously. He hadn't honestly thought the deal would go through, that the information on Checker Face had been a lie. However, it wasn't and it was high time he came through with his end of the bargain.
"You're quite blessed." He spoke, earning a pair of enraged multi-colored eyes towards him, ignoring the way the chains rattled from around the teenager's arms and legs. Mukuro sneered from underneath his gaze, his body covered in bruises and dirt. "It appears the heir to Vongola was correct in his information. So lucky for you, the deal will go through as planned and we will release you and your friends."
Mukuro's eyes widened momentarily. "You mean..."
"That's correct, Rokudo Mukuro." Bermuda smirked. "You owe your very freedom to Sawada Tsunayoshi so I suggest you use it wisely. If I were you, I'd do whatever I can to repay the debt." He was taunting the other, enjoying the way the teenager twitched at his words. It wasn't often he got to interact with the criminals but this one along with Sawada Tsunayoshi had caught his attention.
The Vindice guards slipped closer to the cage.
"Don't waste this chance. You won't get another one."