'What makes a person strong?'

'Hn?'

Fourteen-year-old Lambo stood next to the resting figure, his eyes hidden in the shadows casted by the long bangs of his unruly hair.

'It's been several years, why ask now?'

The teen's body tensed, his hand's clenched into fists, and his body began to shake from how tightly wound up it is. The stared at Lambo before deciding not to comment about his unanswered question.

'Being strong comes in many ways.', the man said thoughtfully.

The man sighed, thinking over his next words carefully, knowing that, one day, now or later, this kid will remember every single one. If he would look back to them or follow them in the future depends on him.

"KAYAAA!"

Lambo's eye's snapped open, green lightning already flaring around his body instinctually, he moved without barely even comprehending the scene before him.

The butler with gloves that had sword blades attached at the end of the fingers, was preparing to strike.

Kaya, the sickly girl, rushing behind him.

And Usopp, rushing forward to take the blow meant for the frail girl.

Not on his watch.

'Being strong means to have the will to fight for others, wither it's those close to you or some stranger you have never met in your life.'

The sound of a thunderclap echoed across the slope.

Usopp was in front of Kaya, but the both ended up flying to the side, Lambo standing there in their place.

The lightning flared causing Kuro to lean back and pull away from his strike in order to avoid the wild electricity, Lambo had his arm raised. He received four painful diagonal slashes on his arm, two on his bicep and two on his fore arm, but it wasn't deep enough to cut through the muscle, much less the arm itself. Funny enough, for someone revered for how strong he was, there were as deep as when he would get a playful/accidental scratch when playing with a dog, usually strays.

If Kuro didn't try to dodge Lambo's lightning, his strike would have had more length and strength behind it, and Lambo would have lost an arm.

That didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell, unlike with a dog, these scratches burned.

Lambo's breath hitched as he clutched tightly to his arm, quietly grunting and gritting his teeth through the pain.

He looked behind him to see Usopp and Kaya laying a few feet away, Usopp laying on top of her, acting like a human shield. Both were unharmed. Kuro stared at the pair in shock as well, not even acknowledging Lambo's presence.

Which Lambo will forever be grateful for, because it was most likely the reason why he was still alive at the moment.

Kuro stared, a bewildered look on his face, before it hardened and he straightened to his full height. Kaya managed to crawl out from underneath Usopp, who must have aggravated his own injuries in order to help save her.

Kuro took a step forward towards the pair, but Lambo stepped in his way, eyes hard, shaking his head defiantly. The butler's eye narrowed, but he made no other move towards the two friends.

"Usopp, are you okay?", Kaya asked worriedly before turning to Lambo, "What about you?"

Lambo just stared at her, unsure on how to feel about her, but remembered her when he went after Usopp yesterday, she seemed to have recognized him too.

Her eyes widened as she muttered, "It's you, from yesterday... you went after him..."

"I'll live.", was all Lambo said, ignoring the comment she made.

"Kaya, what are you doing here?", Usopp grunted weakly.

"Oh Usopp, I'm so sorry.", the girl apologized, "I don't know how you'll ever forgive me. I just couldn't believe it. That Khlahador is a scheming murdering pirate."

"Never mind that! Why are you here?", Usopp grunts, a small grin appeared on Lambo's features.

'Being strong means to be able to do whatever it takes to protect those close to you, no matter their wrongs towards you in the past.'

Usopp is so cool.

Kaya's eyes grew wide and welled up with tears, she bit her lip in order to try and keep herself from crying.

"Kaya, your life is in danger.", Usopp pleaded to the girl, "I told you to run to somewhere safe."

"I won't!", she shouted desperately, "Your still here fighting! I won't run!"

The sniper stared up at the girl, someone he cares deeply for, with surprise.

"You fought for me after I treated you so badly.", Kaya said quietly, "Look at you, your barely alive but your still so bright. I just..."

"This is no place for a lady.", Kuro said from behind Lambo.

Who scowled and took a pivoting step to the side, still in Kuro's way, but allowing Kaya to get the full view of her 'butler'.

"Madam, please leave."

Kaya froze, a blank look on her features, then it turned into a weird mix of a scowl and a grimace.

"Please stop. Don't do this.", she said quietly.

Lambo tilted his head curiously, wondering what she was doing.

"Stop! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! KHLAHADOR!"

Kuro got a scary look on his face, an angry one.

Lambo took a few more steps back, silently trusting Kaya to say what she needed to say, maybe to even stop this whole thing before anyone can get even more hurt or killed.

But he tensed his muscles, ready to jump in if needed.

The two stood at a standstill.

"I know what you want, Merry already told me about everything.", Kaya told the scheming pirate captain.

Lambo could faintly hear the pirates hope rising at Kaya's presence, the girl they are supposed to kill is there, they just have to get to her.

"Khlahador, please. If you want my fortune, you can have it. Take it all and leave this village right now! I'm begging you.", the sickly girl pleaded.

Everyone held their breath, unsure and what may happen next, what Khlahador planned to do.

"I will gladly accept your fortune miss Kaya, thank you.", Kuro stated calmly, remaining totally unaffected by the girl's heartfelt pleads, "But I want more."

Lambo sneered, what more does this bastard want? Isn't he taking enough!?

He adjusted his glasses with the palm of his hand, "You see, money isn't enough. More than anything else, what I want is peace."

'What kind of bullshit is this nutjob spewing?', Lambo wondered with narrowed eyes, his mouth set in a firm frown. Feeling more and more like Kaya is in danger and that her words won't reach the crazy butler. His muscles were so tense, they were starting to ache.

"You want peace.", the girl repeated, confused at what he meant.

"Yes, just peace. Peace of mind.", Kuro clarified, "It's simple really. I have spent the last three years earning the trust of the entire village. And to be honest, I find this new sense of peace and tranquility quite comforting. When my plan comes to fruition, I will live with this sublime peace of mind."

Kaya took several steps back, Lambo was about to burst forward between the two.

"Yes.", Kuro agreed to himself, spreading his arms and blades out wide beside him, "The glorious comfort of a peaceful life will be mine forever and ever."

This guy is matto (crazy) as hell.

"In short, these pirates are coming!", Kuro pointed his blades at his pirate crew before turning to Kaya again, "And you, will leave your fortune to me and die."

A dark look appeared on the Black Cat Pirate Captain's face.

"Miss Kaya, these things will happen."

"No. You can't.", the girl mutters, "It just can't be."

She slowly, her hands shaking, began to pull something from within the large trench coat she wore.

Usopp grabbed on to Kaya's ankle in hopes to gain her attention.

"There's no use talking to him Kaya!", Usopp shouts at the trembling girl, "Please get out of here."

Lambo agreed, but the girl was not done yet.

"You're not Khlahador.", she whimpers, revealing a pistol that was inside her coat, "No! You're not!"

She aimed the pistol right at Captain Kuro's chest, hands and body, no longer shaking, the pistol aimed steadily and true to its target.

Lambo just stared in shock at this girl's boldness.

'Face your opponent head on, it doesn't matter how either of you fight. You fight your opponent even if you fear them, or even once cared for them.'

"Leave here, right now!", Kaya demanded, "Never come back!"

"Oh?", Kuro said curiously, "You'd point a gun at me?"

"Stop it!", Kaya yelled, beginning to tremble and shake now, "Just leave! Go!"

"Yes, I see. You're all grown up now. So much has happened in the last three years."

Kaya just stared at Kuro, the gun slightly lowering in surprise at his words. Lambo was unsure on what to do, was this butler going to leave? Did he care for the girl that he watched over the past three years? His body and muscles relaxed in hope for a change and a peaceful end to this violent situation.

"Miss Kaya, do you remember the things we went through? We spent so much time together. Even before your dear parents passed away.", Kuro carefully removed one of his weaponized gloves from his hand, "You were more than just my master, you were my best friend. So much time..."

Lambo could see that Kaya was starting to lose her will and anger against Kuro or, to her, Khlahador. Lambo felt a bad feeling in his gut, immediately tensing his muscles once more, prepared to intervein at a moment's notice.

"So many memories, together we suffered and together we rejoiced. Like family.", Kuro smiled up at Kaya, but alarm bells were ringing loudly in Lambo's head.

"K-Khlahadore...", Kaya whispered, tears welled up in her eyes once more.

"I took you on shopping trips to the city. I looked after you so diligently when you were ill. And we used to talk for hours and hours."

By this point, the tears were flowing in rivers down her cheeks, as she wept over the happy memories she had made with the pirate.

"Kaya, listen to me, I was devoted to you for so long.", Kuro slowly reached his hand out.

Lambo's mind screamed at him to move, to not let the pirate butler get any closer to the girl.

Kuro gripped the gun tightly, "For so very long..."

His voice made a turn to a darker tone.

"... I've endured it."

Kaya quietly gasped, Lambo clicked his tongue in disgust towards the man his gut was right.

"I quietly suffered so that today I could end your life, and take everything that I deserve.", Kuro practically snarled, his face became twisted and cruel as he stared down the sick girl.

With that said, Kuro pulled the gun from Kaya's frozen hands, while Kaya's face twisted in heartbreak and betrayal at the one that she trusted most.

"I am the feared and respected Captain Kuro.", Kuro declares viciously, "And to bow and humble myself before some snot nosed little girl. It went against every fiber of my being."

Kaya began crying and sobbing, Usopp struggled to get back to his feet in anger, and Lambo...?

"Damn you...", Usopp said angrily shaking from his injuries and anger.

"Do you understand the rage of these daily occurrences?", Kuro asks deadly, "Do you understand the insult upon my pride!"

…. Well, Lambo had enough of this revolting pirate captain.

'Fight for what you think is right, unjust or not in the eyes of the law, fight by your own law.'

Suddenly Kuro was thrown several steps to the side as an electric force slammed into his side.

"You deserve nothing.", Lambo hissed, landing in a crouch in front of Kaya and Usopp once more.

His jade eyes glowing brightly, framed with several sparks and a ring of electricity.

A glare on Kuro's glasses, hide his eyes, and expression, from sight. Until he lifted his head, revealing several veins popping out and a glare filled with pure anger that screamed DEATH.

Lambo shakily steadied his breathing, doing his best to not let fear cloud his judgment, nor guide his actions.

Wordlessly, Lambo's form was covered in his Dying Will Flames, concentrating around his hands the most, willing the green lighting to reside in those areas the most.

"Elettrico Diga!", he shouted.

Multiple streaks of lightning shot at Captain Kuro, some coming from his hands, most appeared from around him (think like Vergil with his blue energy swords from Devil May Cry 3, 4, and 5).

The green lightning streaked towards the enraged butler, but in the last moment, just when the attack was about to hit, Kuro disappeared.

"Watch out for his pussyfoot technique!", Ussop screamed.

But it's too late.

"For a young kid you're turning out to be quit annoying.", Kuro hissed in Lambo's ear from behind, the poor boy frozen in fear and shock, "But I am quite curious, I've never seen that technique you used before. Have you eaten a Devil Fruit?"

Lambo resisted the urge to roll his eyes, it's starting to get a little annoying how everyone he meets thinks his Dying Will Flames is the cause of a Devil Fruit. But Lambo answered anyway, not sure what else to do.

"No."

Kuro raised a brow, "Intriguing, would you be so kind to explain?"

Like hell he will, he may have left, but this is still his famiglia's legacy. There's no way in hell that he will tell a scumbag like Kuro about his Flames. The reason why he told his nakama was because he trusted them.

"Go to hell.", Lambo growled

"Hm... like I said before, you're an annoying brat.", Kuro hissed darkly, causing Lambo's body to involuntarily shiver from fear.

"For that, I'll grant you a slow and painful death."

Managing to snap himself out of his stupor, Lambor whirled around, trying to aim an electric punch, only feel himself run in to something.

No, something ran him through.

"No!"

"Kid!"

"LAMBO!"

"You Monster!"

Lambo choked on something, his gag reflex kicked in, and a metallic-tasting liquid dribbled down his lips, his mouth was filled with the taste of copper, and he could feel his shirt become drenched with a sticky substance.

With wide eyes, pupil's shrunken and irises shaking, figure stiff, Lambo slowly shifted his head downwards to see four blades plunged deep in his stomach, jerkily turning his head, he noted how they exited from his back in the exact same spot.

Kuro had run him through with his claw-like blades, entering through his stomach, just beneath the rib cage. He was too slow, too weak, to be any match, for the Black Cat Captain.

'Your nothing but a weak herbivore.'

'Shrikt'

The teen coughed out more blood when Kuro roughly, mercilessly, pulled out the blades from his abdomen, causing Lambo to stumble forward from the motion, but still managed to stay on his feet. He's pretty sure he's in shock, which explains the lack of pain at the moment and why his body feels so numb, not to mention, his body must be pumping a lot of adrenaline, probably the reason why he's still standing.

'But I have the feeling despite what others say, you'll become a worthy omnivore, maybe even a carnivore one day. You have the potential, don't let anyone tell you who you are, no matter how many battles you have lost, just use that as encouragement to fuel your determination to get stronger.'

"Oh? Still standing are we-!"

A large beam of green lightning hit Kuro's chest sending him flying backwards, his back collided hard against the tree as he crashed to the ground in front of the trunk, the rest of the tree falling back behind him.

"Elettrico... Raggio...", Lambo panted heavily, his arm stretched out shakily, a satisfied smirk on his lips, his other hand clutching his middle tightly, allowing blood to flow freely from his arm now.

He chuckled darkly, 'Now this doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being strong. But I like the thought that, even if you lost the fight, you still had the last blow. That you fell on your own terms, more specifically, after giving your enemy a big dose of pain, then be satisfied with your loss. But make them hurt.'

'You're sounding scary again Hibari-san.'

'Hn? You'll understand when you're older and get into more fights stupid cow.'

Using the last of his energy for that one final, and new, attack, his adrenaline dying down. His knees buckled, no longer able to keep him standing.

He was blinking slowly and his breathing was quick, raspy, and shallow, but he remained conscious somehow.

He forced himself to remain conscious. Kuro is unpredictable, Lambo refuses to rest as long as that Captain is still moving.

Kuro slowly got up walking forward, both gloves on, adjusting his glasses.

"At least the whelp will soon be dead.", he spit coldly, purposefully stepping on Lambo's injured arm as he passed him when he walked towards Kaya and Usopp once more.

Usopp's hand reached forward, taking up the dropped pistol, standing up to his feet in front of Kaya, weapon aimed point-blank at the pirate captain.

"KUURROOO!", Usopp shouted, outraged, immediately pulling the trigger with no hesitation.

'I'll always be weak, I'll lose every battle. Everyone says so.'

He looked wistful, but serious, making sure Lambo took note of every word he spoke next, 'Sometimes being strong has nothing to do with strength, it all has to do with your will. Doesn't matter if you're weak or not. If you fight until your black and blue, and still continue to fight. That is true strength. Fighting despite your weaknesses, despite the odds, and... despite your own pain. That is true strength herbivore, remember that.

True strength and courage.'

But Kuro used that damned pussyfoot maneuver again, dodging the bullet and ending up behind the sniper.

"Thank you for reminding me."

Usopp turned in fear only to trapped in place, surrounded by Kuro's blades.

"Usopp. I owe you for hitting me."

"Oh no, Usopp.", Kaya trembled, unsure what to do anymore.

"B... Bastard...", Lambo managed to get out, laying on his side, curled up, as he clutched tightly to his middle.

Black dots spotted his vision, but he held on to the world of consciousness, the blood loss was starting to get to him again.

"If I recall, you hit me as hard as you could. Right?"

Suddenly a familiar fist stretched across the entire slope, slamming hard into Kuro's face with a swift punch, throwing him back several feet.

Lambo smirked tiredly, "You're in trouble now Kuro."

He may not be strong enough to fight against the pirate captain, he has faith, no, he knows, Luffy sure as hell will.

Kuro laid sprawled on his back, making no move to get back up from such a blow. Lambo is positive that the man isn't used to being hit and taking on such strong blows, such as Luffy's.

"If he hates getting hit that much, he's about to have a really bad day!", Luffy declares with a wide confident serious smile.

Hibari pat the top of Lambo's head gently.

"Now, you're weak, and of no use, but you will grow strong and you will become a strong predator. We will spar together when that day comes.'

'Will you help me?'

'Hn, occasionally, but you most likely won't see it as training.'

'Oh, then what makes you so sure I'll be strong? No one else is.'

'. . . I can smell it.'

'Eh?', Lambo sweat dropped at the weird answer given to him by the skylark.

Authors Note: Okay, I tried to keep it as close to the character as possible, but it's a little hard since Hibari hardly shows his care, if ever, towards the Vongola members. Hibari is an extremely hard character to write, I hope I gave him justice, especially when it comes to his soft side, which he rarely, if ever shows. But it's starting to make sense why Hibari was as angry and frustrated as he was with the other Vongola members. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Be Your Best You! Bye!