A/N:

@michiko-chan27: Hahaha. Sorry for making you wait this early morning. I was waiting for the time to update while watching something on the TV, and before I knew it, time slipped away. I didn't want to bash Luce, but I thought she'll be all guilty for leaving the Arcobaleno like how they were when Tsuna arrived? Somewhere along that line. And yes, the space and time dimension of the real world and in 'that' dimension is different. About Hibari and Fon (Hahaha!), they were staring at each other because they look alike and probably because Kyouya is a descendant from the clan he was supposed to be protecting. And yes. After this arc, after ten chapters, an epilogue and three omakes, the book is complete. Still contemplating what to post. Hahaha.The satisfaction of posting chapter after chapter every week is pretty much yearning.

@acertainpasserby: No prob. I'm glad you liked it! Hahaha!

Thank you for the reviews! I'll just drop this second chapter of the week here.

Anyway, go on.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Verde rolled out of the way as Envy's aura crept towards him like growing vines. His jaw clenched when he saw his lab gown get deteriorated to nothing. It was Envy's night aura ability. Instead of teleportation and linking like how Bermuda does, Envy has this fast acting deteriorating effect that can almost kill the whole world if she wants to. They call it 'death vines'. His inventions didn't even withstand a chance regardless of how he created them with the strongest element he discovered.

Although such power was expected for the Sin who holds the title of the second strongest. It's just that Wrath was far insane and mentally unstable that Envy can't defeat him. If she can kill the world, Wrath can destroy it to its core. Another reason why she tries so hard. Being compared to the strongest makes her so mad that she wants to prove herself. If he heard it right from years ago, Wrath was always summoned by the superior demons as an invitation to join their ranks. If it was Envy, she'll gladly take the throne, but Wrath didn't want it. Another reason for the second strongest to resent the most powerful among them.

He can't even remember how they defeated her five millennia ago, since she never wanted to go to sleep. She's also as high as Pride for she hates defeat and holds a long time grudge. He won't even be surprised if she expresses her want to slowly erode his body. He just wished some long range fighter accompanied him. He knew disadvantage when he sees one.

"Havoc."

Verde's mouth went agape when Envy's right shoulder suddenly got blasted off. Spray of black blood colored the Sin and the ground, accompanied with a loud scream of pain. Slowly, his eyes went to Reborn who was walking towards them, gun in hand. The cocky bastard only bypassed the woman as if she didn't matter and smirked at him. The fucking showoff.

"You could've called for help." The Sun teased.

Verde rolled his eyes whilst standing up. Nope. He's not giving this bastard the satisfaction of accepting his help. "No mental connection, remember? Or are you going senile?"

"Who's older between us anyway?" Onyx eyes questioned with curiosity.

"You, according to my calculation."

"Then maybe."

The Lightning stared at him akin to a fish. What happened to the demon who never makes such jokes? "You have got to be fucking kidding me, Reborn."

The hitman only chuckled. "What? I'm already agreeing with you. And you're dirty. What happened to your inventions and lab gown?"

"Devoured." He clipped, glaring at the only remnants of his machines. "Such a waste. Tsunayoshi helped me construct them too. He was generous enough to give good ideas."

"I thought you made a lot? He was talking about it for three days straight."

Verde's lips quirked up. "Now now, Reborn. Don't be-" A shield barrier made up of lightning aura engulfed the two of them just as death vines surrounded them. "-jealous. The child was only helping me."

"Jealous? Why would I? I'm his favorite." Reborn cocked his gun with a glow of his hand.

"You fools." They looked at Envy who has regenerated and looked angry. "How dare you destroy my dress."

"It's going to get destroyed more actually." The Sun informed lightly as three bullets went zooming for the Sin.

Verde was about to say something when he suddenly felt pain on his hand. When he looked at it, he blanched at the sight of his skin slowly melting like a plastic. He winced. Not that it's not painful, but seeing the skin and muscled tissues of your hand deteriorating to the point that his bones were visible is not pretty.

Reborn, the observant as ever, saw his reaction and checked him. Seeing the hitman make a frowning face means he's in a lot trouble. Not only was he getting affected by the death vines while they touch his barrier, Tsuna will scold them for being stupid. Speaking of Tsuna-

"What happened to Tsunayoshi?" He asked. "Who's looking after him?"

"Bermuda and Skull." Reborn replied.

Verde bit his lower lip in pain as the hitman grasped his arm and pulled him far from Envy. "We aren't going to be safe just because we're far from her."

"As long as those vines don't touch anything tracing to you, you will be fine." Sun aura coated his hand and slowly, tissues started to form. "I can't leave that unattended. Tsuna will kill the two of us."

"Right." He nodded, remembering those brutal tales featuring the brunet. "Do you remember how we defeated Envy? My mind is foggy about it."

"Of course you don't. Lal was the one who put her to sleep." Reborn answered with brows almost touching. "She said close combat fighters cannot match with Envy because one touch can cause-"

"Suffer!" Envy howled in the sky as her vines covered her body and formed a dress. She looked like a crazy woman with her white eyes looking like they'll budge off their sockets. "I will make you suffer! All of you! Especially that human! That filthy human who tamed Wrath! How dare you! How dare you!"

'Tamed Wrath?' Verde thought with turmoil. "Do you think..."

"They're here for Tsuna." Reborn conformed grimly.

Just then, death vines exploded on them.

"Where is he?" Greed questioned with unmasked glee. "Where is my prize?" Then his body suddenly lit up and many yellow orbs surrounded the Sin.

"Lal!" Viper shouted as those orbs advanced to them at break necking speed.

Viper used his aura to teleport himself in a safe zone in the area and linked his mind to the only female of Arcobaleno. He frantically searched for any signs of life. Greed's ability isn't for them. Heck, Greed as he is, is not a good match for the both of them. For one, he wanted Lal's goggles which are irreplaceable. Those are Luce's gift. Two, the Sin wants to take his cloak. For fuck's sake, the only one who he gave his cloak to was Tsuna. That kid just really makes him so soft that he draped his cloak for the kid virtual or not (that one time Tsuna was in pain because of Lal's, Fon's and Verde's blocks was the moment he needs to put extra layer on the Sky. Even though he stopped groaning in pain, he was still shivering at the lack of three auras in him. Good thing he didn't question anything though.).

'I'm fine.' Lal assured as her figure suddenly went out of the smoke created by the sun bombs. 'This is nothing for an army trained soldier.'

Viper sighed in relief.

"Besides, Tsuna will be disappointed if I do kick the bucket." The lady said as she landed next to him. "I don't want to hear him crying."

"He'll still cry." The Mist reminded just as Greed suddenly came dashing towards them. "Crap."

"Oh. Viper cursing is gold." Lal kidded as they dodged a sun enforced punch that made a big crater on their previous position.

"Where is he?!" Greed snarled, thundering the whole vicinity. "Where is that human sky?!"

"He's looking for Tsuna." The esper gritted his teeth at what Lal said. "And he said prize."

"It means he wants to take Tsuna because of something?" She deduced.

"I want him! Give him to me! No!"

Viper cursed again as Greed did a tantrum and suddenly glowed brightly. Big yellow orbs went out of the Sin's body. He and Lal glanced at each other. Shit. This is one of the reasons why he never liked dealing with Greed. Other than they have the same wants, he's a pain in the neck because he's a spoiled brat. He and Lal never liked spoiled brats.

His jaw clenched when those orbs advanced towards them.

'Damn it.'

Saying Fon is angry was really a... Lie.

Colonnello winced as he watched how the Storm destroyed all the remnants of Gluttony's carnage. There are eight students that had fallen in the Sin's hands. It can't be helped since Gluttony dropped from the sky (literally), electrified the students and went to attack them.

It was fortunate that they were able to warn Kyouya and save as many students as they could. Hana has a good sense of self-preservation and took Enma with her to the gym while Kensuke helped out with the disciplinary committee. He had warned all of them to not do anything stupid because Tsuna will really not gonna take it well. He doesn't know if it was fondness (Hana and Kyouya), determination (Enma), or fear (Kensuke) that made them attentive about what he said.

The teachers have evacuated with the students while he accompanied them for safety measures since Sloth was still on the lose and Fon held off Gluttony. The three heads ushered all of the people of the acad to the gym and instructed all barrier teachers to construct a strong barrier to the place. Nezu-sensei was the last one to enter the place and asked them how was Tsuna. Colonnello assured the teacher that the brunet is fine and under watch. To finish off their convo, he praised the man for teaching his students well with the knowledge of the Sins since if he didn't, the students won't be able to get away in time if they didn't identify that, yes, it was Gluttony who fell from the sky and was about to eat them in his skinny hungry form. The man only smiled as a thanks and went for the safety of the barrier.

Colonnello jumped in the air when the floor got drawn with 'crack'-like lines. Just then, high voltage of lightning aura lit up from those lines and things that were on top of those became charred black then ashes. He could've winced. Really, if it wasn't for Fon who's creating a circle around Gluttony and started to disintegrate the Sin. But still untouchable. There must have been something that made his usually calm fellow arcobaleno tick. He's already sporting his horns and scales that wasn't there awhile ago! Colonnello dared bet his favorite rifle that Fon will transform in one more push.

"I'm gonna eat him! The sky! Your sky! I'm gonna eat him!" Gluttony sang while fighting off the storm aura with his lightning ones.

"Viper." Colonnello called as Fon's aura overtook his whole body. Hoo. He can feel the anger in there. A big hurricane is coming.

'Yes?'

"Fon is going demon form."

'Don't let me start with Lal.'

His stomach dropped. "What?!"

'She couldn't take Greed wanting to make Tsuna a wax figure to become his trophy. Now, she's on her half form.'

"Shit."

Skull put the blanket around Tsuna and took him out of the bed just as Sloth attacked Bermuda. He shuddered as a gust of miasma went to their way. Bermuda transformed to his demon form after the Sin expressed his wants to take the brunet in his arms. It was really a surprise for him since he knew the Night's patience. Heck. He's more patient than Reborn.

The Cloud yelped in surprise when chains slapped the floor. He hurriedly went out of the room using the window when Sloth tried to flood the whole room with his rain aura and got mixed with Bermuda's oozing miasma. He landed on the ground and looked up to see what happened. Yup. Black and blue are kinda have this nice combination, if they're on the same side.

"Skull!" He looked at his right to see Hana and Enma with his summon Adelheid waving at him. "Here!"

"What are you guys doing here?" Skull asked s he neared them.

"We thought you needed help." Enma answered as they ran. "Gluttony is fighting Colonnello and Fon in the garden. Envy is against Verde and Reborn while Greed is being teamed up by Lal and Viper. Since you and Bermuda were the only ones left, Hana thought of ways of how to help you focus on your fight. We didn't know you'll run with him."

"No choice." The Cloud winced while remembering Bermuda's eyes going black in anger. "Bermuda got really angry that he went demon form."

"What do they want anyway?" Hana questioned as they turned to a corner.

"Tsuna." Skull growled, unable to stop himself from getting angry. "They already tried with Pride. Belial even took him two months ago, and now four of them."

"What?!" Adelheid shouted. Her eyes widened at what she heard. "This is not a good joke!"

"It's not." Skull assured. "You're already seeing four supposed to be sleeping Sins. Pride attacked Namimori and Belial- Heck. I don't even know how did he find Tsuna or what made Tsuna so vulnerable that Belial managed to snatch him under our noses. Inside the very school too. They're after him for being the strongest sky and earning all of us Arcobaleno. He didn't even asked us for contracts. We were the ones who expressed our wants to have one with him. They should be hunting us, not him."

"You're missing something there, Skull." Hana said as they ran for the stairs. "If you think like that, Tsuna will think the same thing. You're all protective of each other. It's almost like you're challenging the Sins to get all of you instead of just Tsuna or just the Arcobaleno alone."

"We all know how protective Tsuna is." Enma stated as they climbed the stairs further. "He might have the best self-preservation skills in the world, but he will never abandon those people precious to him."

"Example was when Bermuda suddenly came flying in our classroom." Hana provided as Enma opened a door and they went in while running. Adelheid closed the door behind her and caught up with them. "Instead of skipping the class like he usually does, he stayed closed to me." The lady sighed and grumbled something under her breath. "That monkey will never seize to save anyone."

"Just like that one time he did his first exorcism." Enma chuckled as they ran for the stairs again. "Your teamwork is so dynamic, Hana."

"Yours too, idiot." The lady praised with a roll of her eyes. "You're like his spy or something and he's the attacker. Don't start me with Hibari. They go bat shit crazy when they team up. Far worse than them fighting each other."

"I haven't seen Tsuna and Mochida's team strategy." Enma voiced as Hana opened a door and they made out in an open area. The rooftop. "But I bet they're good too. The way Mochida looks out like he knew what was Tsuna thinking makes him kind of a cold reader."

"Cold reader?" Hana queried.

"It's a kind of body language reading." Adelheid explained. "You get to know what Enma is thinking by just observing his body language, facial expression and words. You also say things in general after picking something from a million guesses and make a connection."

"Oh. Well, Mochida and Tsuna have been enemies in Namimori." Hana provided as she snooped around the rooftop. Skull sat by the barrier, cradling Tsuna to his chest. "So they'll get along even if they haven't worked together. They knew how each other works and they're in the same hunter classes so they must know what their weaknesses and strengths."

"True." Enma took Adelheid's hand and pulled her towards the Cloud and his Sky. "How's Tsuna?"

"Undisturbed." Skull chuckled.

"I hope he wakes up soon."

"Not for long." Slick-y voice piped in.

Hana's pained shout caused them to be alert. The sight of Envy in her black vine dress made the three of them tense, more so when they saw Hana being pulled with her hair. Skull tightened his arms around Tsuna while standing up, torn between helping the lady or fleeing for the safety of his human. If he ran, Tsuna will hate him for leaving his friends. If he doesn't, the others will hate him for not keeping Tsuna safe. He growled in desperation.

Adelheid was quick though. She made some spears with her ice and tried to launch an attack to the Sin. Hana ducked away a little to help. But the death vines intervened and melted the spear. Instead of getting disheartened, Adelheid summoned more and started to attack. Enma warned his summon about Hana but kept watched.

Skull almost yowled in cheer when he spied an arrow going past Envy's defenses. Only to stiffen when Sloth appeared and took the spear in mid-air and crushed it with his rain aura. His shoulders squared when an excited smile appeared in Sloth's face. An excited Sloth is a bad situation.

"Stay back, Enma." Adelheid warned as she pushed her summoner back. "Sloth isn't someone to be engaged when he's like this. It's dangerous."

"Wa-What do you mean?" The redhead questioned, worry dripping from his tone as he eyed Hana who looked perfectly calm.

"Oi! I see my trophy!"

Skull immediately ran to the other side when he heard that. Enma stayed close while his summon who trained her eyes on the Sin that came out of nowhere and stood on their previous spot. The Cloud remained calm as he eyed Hana who remained still, gazing at them with hidden message that says 'leave me here'. Even Enma saw it and shook his head before nodding at Tsuna who was still sleeping.

Purple eyes surveyed the area. Three Sins, no other Arcobaleno in sight, three humans and one semi-demon. He's confident that he can fair with them with Adelheid on his back. But he doesn't know if Enma could protect Tsuna if he does attack, or will Envy let go of Hana. He can't risk a life. He values life more than anything.

There was silence among them, eyes darting between the Sins and his companions. All he knew, he won't be able to move. He wished his friends find them immediately so they could save them. Just then, Sloth moved. Skull stepped back and took Enma's hand to push him to his back as Adelheid intercepted the attack. He cursed when death vines surrounded them while Greed's small sun bombs advanced. Enma shouted when Adelheid crippled with Sloth's rain overdose.

When the sun bombs were about to touch them, a flying Gluttony washed the bombs away and Colonnello in his ragged clothes landed in front of them. Skull's breathe hitched as he looked at Hana's form disappearing and appeared beside Enma with Chrome, Kyouya's summon. He looked around to see Kyouya and Mukuro attacking Sloth relentlessly while Fon-

"Fuck. Is that-"

"Yeah." Colonnello replied without him finishing his sentence. "Let's just say that Tsuna as a literal meal is not a good thing."

Kensuke took Adelheid from her spot on the floor and ran towards them. "We should go."

"Nah-uh!" Sloth negated with a smirk.

"Hana!" Chrome shouted when Hana got taken by vines again.

Colonnello tried to take Hana but Envy got to her first. Skull desperately tightened his hold on Tsuna to held himself from attacking. Kensuke brought out his shinai and tried to pry off Greed who tries to advanced to them. Sun bombs appeared from the Sin. He shouted for Tsuna's sempai to get away. A small one nipped Kensuke on the arm, burning him. Enma and Hana shouted for him too. Good thing Lal came barrelling and Viper swept the human to their sides.

Skull backed away more as Gluttony tried to reach them, only to be kicked by Verde with hardened leg and Fon caught the Sin with his bald head and crashed it down on the floor. The Cloud didn't question why the heck the floor didn't crack at Fon's full power when he's practically in his demon form. He, instead, thought it was okay. That they can retrieve Hana now that most of Arcobaleno were there.

Oh how wrong he was.

"Kill Gluttony and this human will die!" Envy shouted, halting every movement. They stared at the calm Hana being surrounded by death vines.

"Shit." Lal cursed in her demon form, moving away from Greed then paused. "She said Gluttony."

"Greed and Sloth can be killed then." Mukuro cackled and readied his trident as Chrome materialized beside him.

"Don't push your luck, insolent." Envy sneered.

"Aw. Really?" Mukuro mocked. "I'm not pushing my luck, Lady Envy. I'm just stating the flaw of your rule. You cannot take back something you already said."

"You know what," They all looked at Kyouya who said that. He nodded at Mukuro. "for once I agree with you."

"Guys." Colonnello tried to mollify, a little nervous at what the semi-demon and his summoner were doing.

"Kyouya-"

"Kurokawa is not a herbivore." The prefect continued. "He has taught us well."

"He-"

"Restrict, restrict. Untouch the weak. Push the tormentor away to relief." Hana breathed.

"Duck!" Enma shouted for them.

Tendrils of strong lightning came out of Hana. Those who bid to Enma's command got lucky of not getting electrocuted. Those who didn't got shocked. Like a trigger, Reborn and Bermuda appeared. Reborn was on his demon form and started to attack Envy with combo attacks. Bermuda helped Lal subdue Greed to his knees. The only problem now was Hana who was still trapped.

Every available Arcobaleno advanced for the human lady when those vines moved. Enma and Chrome shouted Hana's name in desperation. Everything went so slow that he could almost see the despair. He remembered what happened to Ietsuna in Namimori and how devastated Tsuna was. He clung to hope so tight. So tight that he wished it won't be repeated.

"Please. Not again." He uttered.

Then something 'click'-ed inside him.

He felt his arm went empty, his eyes followed a burst of orange, heard everyone's shout and he... He almost slumped down in relief as he watched everything play out.

"I really didn't know that." A orotund, cheery voice started off. "I mean whenever I use it, my enemies just get blast off. Like they fly away. What do you think if Mochida-sempai used that repulsion spell? Will he disintegrate every thing that his aura touches? Or Kyouya? Will cloud aura propogate something that will cause instant death? Like too much oxygen that will cause poisoning perhaps? Enma and I have the same aura so it won't probably have much difference." The brown eyes looked upwards before they went down to Hana and smiled. "Anyway, good job, Hana-chan."

"Damn you!" Hana cursed as she punched Tsuna's chest. "Why do you have to come so late! I could've died!" She complained, voice cracking with overwhelming emotions.

"Like hell I will let you die." Tsuna gave a ghast smile to them. "No one will die again on my watch."