Il Cielo dei Tre Regni
by Lunar Wave

Disclaimer: This story borrows the setting and characters of the Koihime†Musou series and borrows multiple elements from Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I own neither series as they both belong to their respective owners. Also, considering Koihime†Musou could be considered a fanfic of the Three Kingdoms, I'd like to say I don't own anything related to the stories of the Three Kingdoms.

-()-

The Burden of the Sky

-()-

"Father… There are times that you send out your men, but they end up… dead… right?"

"Where did this come from?" His father asked incredulously, before scratching his head in thought. "Yeah, of course, there have been cases like that… It's not something you can just avoid either, not in my line of work."

"… And?"

"… They died doing what they wanted. Maybe not all of them, and maybe they had many regrets as they died, but… I…"

"…"

"I regret sending every single one of them on those missions." His father finally said with a sad look on his face. "And I don't know if I did the right thing or not either. But…" he stopped himself there, unsure what to say. He looked at his son, "Hey, Kazuto, do you really want to become the heir of the Vongola?"

"Of course, I want to. Why?"

"… If you want to inherit my mantle, you should learn to shoulder the responsibility of the deaths, and also be able to look past them."

"Eh?"

"People die. That's a fact. Science hasn't and likely never will become advanced enough that death is no longer as certain as taxes." His father tried his hand at a joke, but the somber tone damped it down. Not like it had been a good joke either. He had a wistful, almost sad smile on his face. "My predecessor, Vongola Nono, died peacefully. His sons who were supposed to be the heirs to the seat of Vongola Decimo all died horrible deaths. In our line of work, death is closer to us than any other. After all, we're criminals. Even with all the things I've done to improve the mafia, the mafia still remains criminals at the core and only time can erode that away, no matter how many reforms I do." His father put those warm hands on Kazuto's shoulders.

"That is what I'll probably end up passing to you. And I've sent many men to their deaths. Never willingly, but I've done it." Sawada Tsunayoshi maintained that almost sad smile, "You won't know if the one who died was happy with his or her life. You'll be lucky if you even see the people die with smiles on their faces. Most of the time, their killers will just send you back their fingers, or worse, their bones."

Yeah, Kazuto knew that. But every single time an enemy Famiglia did that to an agent of Vongola, one or more of the Guardians would disappear for a while and when they return, there will be reports of the total annihilation of the Famiglia all over the underworld, as well as the reveal of many damning crimes the Famiglia has done onto the news. It's worse if it was Uncle Xanxus that got the message. Then, it won't just be utter annihilation (which usually leaves them alive but ruined for life); they would all be dead in a matter of days.

But… that doesn't change the fact that an agent of Vongola died. And they died upon his father's orders, indirectly or not.

"Kazuto… when you inherit this burden of mine… how you would deal with the death of a friend or foe is up to you. People have a few options on how they deal with it. They could either mourn for a long period and never look forward ever again, or accept the death and move on with life. Some people choose to just numb themselves from death completely, but I don't want nor like that option."

"Then what about you? You talk as if you didn't choose any of those…"

"Hmm… I think I'll let you make your own decision this time around, Kazuto." The man laughed before ruffling his hair. "You can't just keep taking my answers and making them your own." The man just looked him in the eye and smiled. "But… if it's you… I'm sure you'll find an answer that you'll be satisfied with. You just have to look for it."

Kazuto had never been able to answer the unasked questions. How would he deal with death? How would he deal with the pain of the death of a famiglia member? And worse… how would he deal with the death of someone because of a command he's given? He thought that he has plenty of time to think about it. He's just a high school student after all; he doesn't need to think that far yet. But these questions remained at the back of his mind, as he goes on with his life.

-()-

"Yellow Turbans. They've finally come."

Kazuto always knew that they would. They were all expecting it. In fact, it was rather surprising that they had been so quiet for the past few days, that they didn't do some petty revenge and attacked other villages in the county before they could set up a base. Something is stirring here, and he doesn't like it. Not for the last time did he wish that he had some sort of binoculars for this situation.

Touka looked at him in worry. "They're… they're here?" Touka asked, almost afraid as she looked at the same place he was. "I can't tell though…" Makes sense. Kazuto wasn't basing his observation on some sort of visual basis, rather based it on his intuition. But he knew that they were here, and he could only look at them at the same time.

Meanwhile, the patrol themselves were trying to understand what was the matter and turned to where Kazuto was looking. The bowman squinted in the same direction and grew alarmed. "It's small, but there seems to be a dust cloud in the distance!" The bowman yelped. "What do we do?"

"Touka, we're going back to the city," Kazuto mentioned, and Touka quickly put her helmet on, and moved to mount the bike. Kazuto turned to the patrol group, "Your group will scatter and around and tell as many people. Also, be on the lookout for any detached force. We don't want them doing a sneak attack. Give the same orders to any patrol you may find. You" Pointing to the bowman, "and your partner will keep a safe distance from the dust cloud, and once you've figured out an estimate of how many bandits there are in that group, come back as soon as you can. We'll get the army mobilized soon."

"What if they were non-hostile?" One asked.

"We'll just say we've been expecting a bandit attack and thought that they were the ones. Just make sure to alert us if that is the case, but I don't think that they're friendlies. Now move it!" He strapped his helmet on.

The men bowed quickly and left, the bowman and the spearman staying behind and searching for a good vantage point. Kazuto quickly jumped on the bike and jammed his lit ring into the charge, hoping that it would be enough to get him back to town. "Let's go!"

"Right!" Touka nodded. "… Aisha-chan is going to scold us, isn't she?"

"… Since it turns out she was right and something did happen while we were out…" Kazuto sighed, "Let's just hope that she can prioritize properly."

-()-

As expected, upon returning and telling Aisha of the situation… she scolded them.

"What would've happened if they had been even slightly closer?" Aisha glared at them. Touka recoiled, but Kazuto remained firm.

"Now's not the time for this. We need to mobilize our army."

"I know, I know." Aisha nodded, trying to calm herself down. She can't afford to be this tense now, not with the coming of the bandits. And it wasn't like she was actually angry at them; more frustrated and worried than angry. "But we can't just suddenly mobilize. Fortunately, from what you said, they're still a ways away." Aisha sighed. "Let's prepare ourselves for their coming."

"I'm just saying that you can scold us after you do that."

Touka then spoke up, finally regaining the courage to speak from the tyranny that is Aisha, "Nightfall is coming soon. Do you think that they'd camp out, or are they going to go straight at us?"

"… They're bandits seeking revenge." Kazuto responded. "They'll do their utmost to come here, through hell or high water. They might stop to light a few torches though."

"But, Kazuto-kun, we rushed all the way here on your eiyabaiku! They might have horses with them but not all of them should have horses." Touka pointed out. "They were really far away; it shouldn't even be possible for them all to arrive that quickly. They'd only tire themselves out."

Kazuto nodded, "A fair point. But then, what should we do?" They just might rest before they even arrive as well.

"Well, at the very least, we just need to be prepared, right?" Aisha nodded. "If they try to attack after nightfall, at least we'll be fighting a tired-out mob."

Kazuto nodded and inwardly sighed. He never fought in a war before. There had been people who tried to attack the Vongola HQ before but those small-scale attacks were never a good example. For the most part, his father didn't participate in any of them and Kazuto knew that the boss isn't really supposed to be fighting on the frontlines in the first place. After all, their main goal is to kill the boss; why dangle their prize in front of them and make it easier? The Guardians don't need his help mopping up those who stand on their level, and any that could match up to the power of the Guardians, for the most part, doesn't hate Sawada Tsunayoshi and even stand as steadfast allies of the Vongola Boss.

The closest thing to war he's ever participated in is in video games, but he has always been more into his training and never did manage to last playing any of them. His training as the heir of the greatest Mafia Famiglia took precedence. Straight up commanding an army is not part of his training. Commanding others, yes. But forming a battalion of soldiers, WITHOUT guns? He's definitely out of his league.

The fact that he was still Guardian-less also contributes to his lack of knowledge on command. After all, if there's anyone he should be giving commands to fight for him, it should be them. Of course, Reborn still tried to make him command the Kendo Club by making Fuyurugi-senpai sick for the day (He sent her a fruit basket in apology). Unfortunately, that's a school club, not a real-life war. At the very least, this meant that he was less experienced than he'd like.

"Does anyone have a suggestion?" Kazuto finally asked, giving up. He can't think of anything. Guns were way too integral to the wars he had been familiar with. He can't give commands if he's only partially aware of the stakes.

Aisha frowned, "Hmm… I say we march out there now and wipe them out ourselves."

Touka looked suitably confused, "Won't that just get us just as tired out as they are?"

Aisha grimaced as well, knowing this to be true.

"… I say we just keep a defensive perimeter around the city." Kazuto offered. "We don't know if the enemy is going to have any detached forces that would back them up, but I think keeping a strong defense is important too."

"But then they might just attack another town," Aisha argued. "Bandits are too unpredictable. We aren't even certain if they're headed for us or not." Kazuto nodded, understanding her point.

"There's also the option of setting up an ambush somewhere between the enemy and us." Kazuto again offered. "But then we'll be prey to any detached forces that happen to be coming from another direction."

Touka sighed as well, "Then… what should we do?"

Aisha looked between her two elder sworn siblings, "There's only one option that we have if they really are headed for another town under our protection. We can't let them do so, so we have to march and intercept them."

"But then…" Touka grimaced. "Didn't I just say we'll just get as tired as they would?"

"We'll have to risk it." Aisha sighed. "And we'll be marching at a leisure pace, not in a hurry. We'll have scouts ahead that would tell us information about the enemy."

"We should also leave a portion of our troops to the aid of the Guard Captain," Kazuto said. "In case of an emergency," he added.

Aisha nodded. A tense atmosphere enveloped the three. None of them said anything, unsure of what to say.

Kazuto gulped and decided to break the silence at the very least, "… This will be our first war."

"Yes." Touka quietly said.

"Are you worried, master?" Aisha asked.

"Yes." Kazuto sighed, "I… people are going to die…"

"They'll die with honor," Aisha responded.

"But they'll still be dead." Kazuto shot back. "I… And it will be my fault that they will."

"… It'll be OUR fault." Touka smiled sadly, as she walked over to hug the boy. "I… don't want them to die either. Their families will most certainly be saddened if they were lost. But more people will be sad if we let the Yellow Turbans do as they want." Yeah… he knew that.

"It won't just be Kazuto-sama and Touka-sama who will bear the burden of those who will die in this war." Aisha spoke up, "Rinrin and I will definitely help you bear it as well. So… please, don't be disheartened, master. We need you full of courage as you usually are. We need you to be strong for the sake of everyone." Kazuto looked at the two and nodded.

"Thank you… Aisha, Touka-chan" He then pulled out a box he kept in his pocket. This was the box containing his formal suit. Considering its functionality as armor, Kazuto pressed his ignited ring into the slot, and he felt the feeling of flames enveloping his body. The function of the box is to switch his current clothes with the contents of the box, with the box dangling on a chain hanging from his belt. And in all honesty, considering the situation, wearing black seemed very appropriate.

"… ready?" Kazuto asked the two, who were shocked at the sudden wardrobe change. Kazuto smiled at their expressions, "I suppose you can call these my battle clothes."

"Understood." Aisha nodded. "I suppose we have our basic policy?"

"It's really basic." Kazuto nodded, "March and intercept the army before they could do any form of damage. We'll just bring torches for when night falls."

"Rinrin is back from alerting the troops!" Rinrin's voice called from another area, "They should all be headed to the front of the city, ready and all! Have you guys figured out the plan? Oh and are those new clothes, Oniichan?"

The three looked at the girl and nodded. "We'll tell you on the way," Kazuto replied. "Let's go."

-()-

Their forces, who are comprised of mostly farmers and villagers who only started to hold a spear just a few days ago, all stood at attention, although many others were still running to get into place. Anxiousness was on their faces, mixed with anticipation and combat readiness. Four people stood above them, from the ramparts looking down. Touka watched patiently as the group started to form ranks, with Kazuto on her right side and Aisha on her left. Rinrin stood on Kazuto's other side, looking decisively less eager and more professional than usual.

"… Friends." Touka called, "The time has come. We have found the bandits and they are headed straight for us. They are coming here for revenge on what has befallen them when they tried to take this city's possessions. But we will have to deny them that chance and take it upon ourselves to protect our city!" Despite how she normally acts, Touka does make some very impressive speeches, Kazuto smiled.

"We will not even let them arrive first." Kazuto continued, "Instead, we'll strike them when they are tired, and slay them as the animals that they are. After all, why should we treat them as humans, when they continue to act like savage beasts, living by the rule of survival of the fittest? Let us march, knowing that we are in the right!" This still left a sour taste on his tongue, to speak of killing others, but in this case, it was necessary. This time they can't afford to hold back. If they keep allowing any Yellow Turban to escape, they'll simply come back again and again.

"Not all of you will come back alive." Aisha took over. "But even if you live or die, know that you will fight to protect the county! Know that you will be regarded as heroes of your own right! And so we ask of you to entrust your lives to us! Let us win today, so that we may live tomorrow!"

"Attention!" Rinrin called, and the fact that they all stood at attention showed quite well that it was Rinrin who had been in charge for a while. "A bunch of you will remain here in case we were attacked by another group. The guard captain is in charge!" Rinrin pointed to said person, who bowed. "The rest will march with Rinrin and set up camp ahead. It'll be nighttime soon so bring torches! Now, we'll leave soon, so prepare and come back. Let's go!"

""""Let's help bring peace to these lands once more!"""" All four of them roared, and the entire crowd cheered. The four looked at each other with determined looks on their faces and they headed off to do what needed to be done.

-()-

"That's a lot of bandits," Rinrin remarked, as the Yellow Turbans finally came into view. Even in the dark of the night, they could see the steady rush of torches headed their way. Of course, she wasn't worried though. They had plenty of things that they can do. The moonlit night lit up quite a bit. No one lit a torch as they don't want to alert the enemy quite yet.

"Are we certain that there is no detached force that will do a sneak attack while we deal with the main army?" Kazuto asked Aisha. Aisha shook her head with a fierce smile.

"There is no report of such, master. And while we should be wary still of stragglers, there should be more than enough soldiers left at home that should be capable of defending until we are notified."

"… Is it really alright to just kill them all?" Touka asked, troubled.

"Even if we leave them alive upon defeat, they'll only retreat and cause misfortune to others," Aisha responded, as she then turned to other groups. "Rinrin, are you ready?"

"As soon as I see the arrows stop, Rinrin will rush in and make as much trouble among them!" Rinrin nodded, "Chouhi Squad, follow me!" Rinrin walked towards the front of the army.

"Touka-sama, Kazuto-sama, you could still return to the city and just prepare for us there," Aisha told them. Ah, did she see them slightly grimacing?

"That's all well and good, but I'm staying," Kazuto replied, even though he felt his stomach churn. "I'm the one who ordered this fight, which means everyone who dies here will be lost because of my command. The least I could do is to watch their end." He would've rather walked into battle himself, but he knew that no one would accept that.

"Master…"

"We don't want them to die." Touka smiled sincerely, "But I know that not everyone will survive. So…"

"The best we can do is to devise a way that fewer people on our side die," Kazuto replied hardily. "So let's get ready." Aisha looked back and nodded with a soft smile.

The tense stalemate was there. The enemies were still rushing forward, their own just waiting in anticipation. Kazuto himself was thumbing his Shigure Kintoki with a worried glance. Touka did the same with her own ancestral sword.

"… Kazuto-sama, Touka-sama, the enemy is about close enough. Please say something to boost our morale." Aisha said as she readied her own commands, cycling through the information she did have as much as she could.

"… Very well." Touka nodded, turning to everyone, "Everyone! This is our first stand against the Yellow Turbans! And we will defeat them! So, please entrust your lives to us and pray for victory!"

Kazuto quickly followed, "This is our chance to defeat them! If we don't stop the Yellow Turbans here, then the families that we left behind will be in peril! So this is our role!"

"Let's place the fear of heaven once more upon these people!" Touka finished. And with a crowd of roars, they turned back, and, Touka began to draw her sword.

Aisha nodded and gave a brief smile towards them before looking at the distance. "Archers! Draw!" the sound of hundreds of drawn bows was heard. While not as plentiful as the Light Infantry, their Archers were the ones with the most training, being primarily composed of hunters. Aiming their bows at the advancing group of torches… "FIRE!"

The battle began with a rain of arrows and the lighting of all torches on their side. Kazuto prepared his Shigure Kintoki, his eyes glowing with the night vision his contacts gave him. He can't turn away. If he's going to lead an army, he needs to know exactly what he's getting himself into.

-()-

Rinrin watched as the rain of arrows pours down from the sky, as she excitedly, readied her spear. Looking upon the enemies, she didn't falter even slightly as she watched a lot of them fall under that moonlit night, tripping over fallen comrades, as arrows continued to rain. Torches are lit and revealed the locations of her comrades. They continued lighting them until there is a veritable sea of torches and two thousand faces lit by the flames. Soon enough, the rain of arrows stopped.

"This is it!" Rinrin called, "Let's do our job!" Taking a pose, "Chouhi Platoon, follow me! Charge, Smash, and then VICTORY!"

-()-

It was a brutal sight. The enemies that they fought were near twice their amount, but Kazuto and Ryuubi's forces were better rested. But both sides fought as fiercely as they could. The first volley of arrows reduced the Yellow Turbans' numbers and slowed their momentum, as bodies littered the ground they ran. Then they were charged by a single platoon of soldiers, led by a tiger in child form. The child alone took hundreds of their number with her charge, and her own soldiers were making use of the chaos left in her wake to deal with any stragglers. They were also charged by nearly a thousand light infantry soldiers in a formation resembling that of a spear, with the girl's group at its tip. The strike quickly split the enemies in half as they were forcefully wedged apart by the spearhead formation.

Spears met the bodies of their foes, shields blocking attacks. They killed their foes and some get killed in turn. But neither side was willing to back off. One fought for revenge and riches, the other fought for justice and peace.

Aside from the tiger that simply destroyed all those who dared approach her, a dragon soon joined, weaving about the Yellow Turbans and starting her own path of destruction. Their roars invigorated their allies that stood on the frontlines and intimidated the Yellow Turbans. They couldn't be stopped. The best their opponents can hope is to run past them and try to attack the heart of the group, wherever it may be.

-()-

Kazuto watched the chaos with his eyes, his brow furrowed, and his hand clenched his sword so fiercely, that one wonders how the wood didn't break (answer: it's not plain wood). He had sent Aisha down to aid with the battle as he could tell that the girl had been itching to fight the entire time she stood next to them. Kazuto could hardly blame her, as he himself wished to join into the fray.

Some of the archers were forced to switch to spears or swords as the enemy ranks were now completely cluttered up, and there aren't many places where they could be assured that their aim would only hit Turbans. Those converted bowmen were now left in charge of protecting the two of them. And honestly, he didn't like it.

"Are they going to be okay?" Touka asked quietly. "This is taking a while…"

"They'll be fine," Kazuto said, not as convincingly as he'd like. His other hand was in his pocket, clenching his pillbox. Give him a single reason to fight, and he'll join as soon as he could. Just one. He watched people die, people, he had spoken with, even if only briefly. And it hurt. Every time he watched blood fly into the air, he couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of pain in his chest.

It was then when a single squad of Yellow Turbans somehow managed to reach their camp that he finally cracked. As his guards started fighting them off, he pulled out his pillbox and pulled out two pills. Quickly pocketing the box once more, he knocked the two pills into his mouth.

"Kazuto-kun?" Touka asked, tense by the sudden appearance of the enemy. Their archers turned swordsmen were fending them off as best as they could but…

Upon gulping down the pills, he felt the power of Hyper Dying Will Mode washing over him. All his senses were enhanced and focused. His natural Hyper Intuition is honed. With its power, he let his first strike to them be known. Shigure Souen Ryu, Third Form Offensive, Yarazu no Ame. He kicked his sword and a single flaming projectile landed upon the enemies. That was stronger than he expected… But no matter. He can think of that later.

"Wha… what?" Touka said, surprised at the sudden appearance of flames. "Kazuto-kun… Your head!"

"My flames don't burn me, Touka." Kazuto smiled, however briefly, before a frown appeared once more. "I'll be heading out. Ryuubi Squad, Hongou Squad, protect Ryuubi Gentoku with your lives." The men looked confused but nodded. Why did their lord decide to leave them behind?

"… Take care, Kazuto-kun…" This was the last thing Kazuto heard before he rushed in as well. He rushed into battle, knocking out any foes he meets with a swift blow to the neck or a punch in a vital region. Using all his knowledge from Reborn's teachings, he weaved around till he finds his sword once more, planted in the middle of a small crater. Pulling it up fluidly, he stared at them defiantly as he weaved his blade around. Shigure Souen Ryu, Eight Form Offensive, Shinotsuku Ame. The flaming attack slashes around him, burning all who stood in his way.

And with his sword pointed behind him, he felt his flames surge and thrust him forward into the fray of battle. This was the reason why Kazuto didn't bother keeping his squad with him as he was probably going to be moving too fast for them to keep up with. He weaved about, his flaming sword striking fear into those who spot him.

"Sor… SORCERER! THESE PEOPLE HAVE A SORCERER! RETREAT, RET-" Shigure Souen Ryu, First Form Offensive, Shajiku no Ame. The man's yells made it seem that he was the leader, so Kazuto quickly struck him down. Not killing him, though. He still wasn't ready to kill right now…, even if it was an enemy leader… Well… no, that was wrong. There is no leader in such a disorganized mob. To each their own, so they say. Well, no matter. Probably the man would be killed by a stampede or by a soldier that happens to spot him lying on the ground.

He growled, his flames burning brightly. Fight, and fight. He needs to end this battle and what better way to do so than to strike fear into their hearts and make them cower away and head home? And what would strike fear into an enemy than a single boy, clothed in black, an orange flame on his forehead that illuminated his face so eerily, carrying a blade of flames?

Granted, the feats of the other two vastly overshadowed his; the tiger taking down tens of enemies with only a single swing, and the dragon dancing under the moonlight as a trail of blood is left in her wake.

The boy, on the other hand, was less dangerous, but more morale damaging. Not only were the flames enough to scare them, but the way he fought was also difficult for them to grasp. He easily dodged tens of enemies charging him at once. And then, given enough time, he devotes just enough hits to anyone who so much as shows him a clear opening. No, he wasn't stronger than the tiger, nor was he as lethal as the dragon, but he sure was efficient about defeating his foes.

His Hyper Intuition, the ability to see through all, allowed him a near intuitive knowledge of everything around him. A man trying to strike him from behind? Might as well be screaming for all the noise he was making. Surrounded? He wasn't even there anymore to surround, having escaped through a hole in their formation before it even began. Someone proclaiming themselves strong enough to beat him? Sheesh, talking is not a free action; how does a flaming wooden sword on your throat feel?

But even he knew… he won't last. Well, dammit. He's getting tired. Well, guess that's a wrap for him… oh, wait… wasn't he a bit too deep into enemy ranks?

'Ahaha… I screwed up.' Kazuto sighed. Well… time to make his way back. Airbike? Nah; he might accidentally run some of his own over, hyper intuition or not. Running it is.

Fortunately, he didn't have to run far before he heard a friendly voice.

"Ah, oniichan!"

He turned to spot a small redhead charge through a bunch of enemies with her enormous spear. "Your head is on fire!" She pointed out.

"Did you forget already? My flames don't burn me, Rinrin." Kazuto replied, "This is how I look like when I'm fighting seriously. Well, not the time to speak, is it? Shall we, together?" His voice was also slightly changed, deeper, also more focused than before.

"Okay, oniichan! But Oniichan should fight with me later like that!" Rinrin grinned.

"Maybe in a month or so." Kazuto replied, "I can't freely use this ability after all."

Rinrin shrugged, "Alright, but I'll hold you to that!" Speaking with Rinrin is significantly easier than with most other people. She's simple to talk to, and she doesn't needlessly worry about the details. Kazuto nodded, and together they sent all their foes flying, not fearing those that came to them.

Rinrin charged with furious strength. Kazuto sent waves of flame across the battlefield, occasionally using his own fire to boost himself across the battlefield. With his flames burning bright and Rinrin's own absurd strength… these two things should be more than enough to ruin any form of morale the enemy even had left. Under the night sky, illuminated by the flames of torches and the light of the moon that appeared beyond the clouds, the two quickly sent their opponents into chaos that they never expected to experience.

-()-

Aisha watched a great flame emerge in her view and soon spotted two of her sworn siblings fighting in a field of chaos. She was very much aware that Kazuto had a form of flame ability, but the sheer amount of flames that was being sent around… It's a wonder why the enemy has yet to retreat. Although, of note was that her sworn brother seemed to be actively avoiding killing his foes, but not doing anything to stop Rinrin from killing those that he left alive regardless.

"… You're too kind, Kazuto-sama." Aisha said softly, before running forward. If her sworn brother won't kill then she supposed she'll have to take the burden. "But I suppose… that's what makes Kazuto-sama Kazuto-sama." She smiled slightly before returning to the neutral expression she wore when fighting. She quickly ran forward and decimated any enemy that happened to be in her way.

Of course, she made a mental note to scold her sworn brother for going into the battlefield unnecessarily and putting himself at risk. Then again it seems he's doing well for himself, at least… Still scolding him though.

-()-

It wasn't long until the Yellow Turbans were forced to retreat. Their morale was shot, and they were slowly finding themselves on the losing side. And as the morning sun's light began to peek in, so too did they realize that they had been fighting for hours on end. And upon that realization, fatigue also appeared on their faces. But even then, even as they tried to run, they were only hunted down by men on horseback. Left with little choice, the Yellow Turbans who failed to retreat either surrendered or resisted arrest as hard as they could, only to be killed. As for those who surrendered…

"Separate them and imprison them in various towns across the county," Kazuto told them. "Only those who appear to be the leaders will be brought back to the city."

"How would we tell who is a leader or not?" One of his soldiers asked.

"Take the ones with better-looking clothing or armor than the rest," Kazuto replied with a shrug as he dusted his suit. His Sky Flame still burned brightly on his forehead, indicating him not letting go of his HDW Mode. "You couldn't go too wrong with that."

"But if they disguise themselves as soldiers…"

"Then they're too smart for a mere Volunteer Army to deal with." Kazuto shook his head. "Just do as I say." The men bowed low at this and started moving around, barking various orders as the soldiers started moving about to fulfill his orders.

Kazuto sighed as he surveyed the area with his night vision filter if only to let him see things clearer. So many people died… to protect him, to protect others, to fight for honor… but they died following his orders…

"… Hey, father… when you send your men to do these things… is this how you always feel?" Kazuto asked in Italian. "… It's hard… knowing that people will come and leave, that they'll die on your simple whim. I… I know I can't protect everyone… But… Can I at least hope for the best? Can I…?" Kazuto sighed as he felt his stomach lurch, but he calmed himself down, and it didn't feel as if he had anything in his stomach to lurch out anyway. Maybe one day he'll get used to the sight and thought of death… but he doesn't know if he'll ever be just as used to giving out tasks that you know won't always end favorably. Everyone under his sky is precious to him. And with every loss, he feels a pain that he couldn't describe. But he can't run away. He'll just have to continue living, bearing everyone's death on his shoulders. Even if it destroys him in the end. After all… this was his responsibility as their sky.

"Kazuto-kun?" Kazuto heard Touka's voice beside him and found the girl standing next to him. "Your head's still on fire."

"Yeah. It's fine." Kazuto replied. "It's surprisingly calming when I'm using this…"

"What does it do?"

"Hmm… it releases my internal limiters, allowing me to have heightened senses… well higher than usual." Kazuto shrugged, "For example, normally, I wouldn't be able to dodge Rinrin's attacks if I'm too close, right? I might actually manage to do so if I'm like this."

"Then why didn't you use it for fighting Rinrin?" Touka asked, confused.

"Wanted to see where I stacked up without using it." Kazuto shrugged, "And I have about eleven chances left to use it. Once I'm out, I'll have to find a way to access it some other way." Twenty-two pills… eleven more times. Most would think that's plenty, but Kazuto didn't know how many times he'll need it in the upcoming battles. Conserving the need to use the mode is important. Then he sighed as he felt the flame die out. That was the longest time he spent in HDW Mode… and he's rather worn out…

"I guess I won't need it anymore…" Kazuto murmured as he looked at the distance. The sun has already left the mountain peaks and is in full view for all their men to see. There were no signs of another wave of enemies. But that doesn't mean there won't be more. But then… why was his Hyper Intuition still acting up, even though it seems rather safe… Oh right… he's going to have to try and hide from Aisha for a while. He did enter the battlefield without warning, without his squad even.

"Kazuto-sama!"

"Kazuto-kun!"

Huh, why is the ground suddenly closer?

-()-

The battle cost a lot to the Yellow Turbans in the area, but not all of them were killed. They're likely to try to get revenge again, regardless of any fear.

It wasn't all that good for the Volunteer Army either. More than a quarter of the volunteer army's forces died. With a plan like simply charge the enemy that has twice your numbers in the one formation that they managed to get down properly… There was no way that they would be safe from the destruction. But, in the end, they won. They carried the bodies of the fallen home, where they will be praised as heroes and buried with honor. That was the least they could do for these brave men who fought for their cause.

As for the Heavenly Messenger, he was found being carried on Kan'u's horse. Apparently, the use of the flames had tired the man out and people agreed to let him rest.

That was the end of the volunteer army's first battle against the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

-()-

When Kazuto woke up, he felt his head pulse, as the headache came to him.

"Guh…" It hurts as if his body was somewhat burning somehow, and yet it felt slightly different from fever and more like… the kind of burn a person feels when they exercise too much and forgot to cool down… except this feels more internal…, not part of his muscles but somewhere beneath them…

He breathed slowly… in, out, in, out. There, he was starting to the strain less and he was thinking clearer.

"Ah, I see that you have recovered, Sawada Kazuto." Kazuto whipped his head to the source of the voice. It was only when he saw that he was inside "his" room in the city. The source of the voice… was a man that was standing just in front of the door. Many questions flooded his mind. This man had just said his name. He didn't fear the same taboo of referring to another person by their True Name. And… he could've sworn his true surname, Sawada, is still a closely guarded secret between him and his sworn sisters. But this voice was that of a man's so… who? Wait, not only that… Italian, this man was speaking Italian?

Kazuto felt his vision clear up, and he now was staring at the man as though in he had been standing in broad daylight, although from the looks of the lighting, it was the middle of a moonlit night. An iron-covered hat covered the man's head. An iron mask is covering his eyes. He wore a trench coat and on various parts of his clothing are checkered patterns. His hyper intuition is telling him one thing though: this man is dangerous!

"Who are you?" Kazuto asked, grabbing at his side only to find his belt of boxes not on his side where he expected them to be. However, he dare not look away from what he was currently seeing as a threat.

"Greetings, heir of Vongola. I am Checkerface. It's nice to meet you." The man took off his hat and bowed easily.

"Checkerface?" Kazuto scowled, noting the checkered design that covered various parts of his clothes. "Not even going to dignify me with your real name?"

"I believe this world has a culture of only sharing their True Names to their close friends." The man replied.

"Then you don't have the right to call me Kazuto as well if that's the case." Kazuto snorted.

"Be that as it may." The man said indifferently, "I'm an acquaintance of your father, Sawada Tsunayoshi, and your teacher, Reborn, and they have both helped me out before."

"What do you want?" Kazuto quickly responded. He didn't know who this Checkerface is, but if he knew his father and Reborn… is he really all that bad? He still didn't let his guard down but…

"Now, now, what's the hurry?" Checkerface chuckled, "You've used quite a lot of flames during your last battle and your body is clearly not used to the sudden output. Think of it like a man who has never done an intense workout before. Even if you somehow manage to give that man enough energy to run a hundred kilometers, if you actually force that man to run a hundred kilometers, he's likely to break his legs from the sudden strain his muscle suddenly felt. Fortunately, in your case, you only felt severe exhaustion, and you're right as rain after a whole day's worth of sleep."

"A whole day? You mean I've been asleep since last night?" Kazuto asked, shocked.

"This morning, actually. About 18 hours ago. It's already a bit after midnight. You had collapsed immediately after the battle and your friends had taken you back to the city and let you sleep. You've actually missed the memorial ceremony for the soldiers that died in battle." Checkerface shrugged, "Don't fret; your friends had managed to address the issue quite remarkably. None of the families resent you for not being able to attend. I presume young Ryuubi's influence is at work there."

Kazuto didn't know what to say to that… "So, what did you come here for? I doubt you came here just to give me a briefing of why I passed out and what happened while I was out."

"Very well. I suppose I've delayed long enough. I'm here simply to tell you this. Your flame has grown stronger, stronger than it had been before."

This is the first time Kazuto was told that his flame was strong. Did his flame truly grow stronger? Considering he actually collapsed from using it, it might be so, if what Checkerface was saying could be trusted.

"Your flame has grown so strong that it has startedto pull people towards you and your sky. Capable people. People who would become great one day. As for the reason I'm here though, I'm simply here to tell you this: Start gathering your Guardians."

"So you too will jump into Reborn's bandwagon?" Kazuto snorted, "I'll gather them as they come."

"True. I just thought you might need a reminder." The man chuckled. "Hmm… How about this, as an incentive to make you gather them quickly, how about this? When you have gathered your Guardians, I'll come back and give you a gift."

"I don't need your bribes." Kazuto scowled. "And here I thought you came to take me home."

"Now why would I do that? I'll let your father worry about that for himself. That is if he had already noticed your disappearance."

"Of course, he would. He's him." Kazuto scowled even further.

"Oh no," The man laughed, "don't worry. I'm not insulting your father in any way. I'm just saying that time here is relative. It's perfectly possible for years to have passed here and you'll come back only after a few hours have passed back there." Kazuto nodded in understanding, but he still remains wary. "Of course, it is still possible that you come back after the same amount of time has passed on this side. Now, where was I? Ah yes. I'm not bribing you in any way. It's just a celebratory gift, after all. Now, goodbye, Sawada Kazuto." And suddenly a great deal of mist flame appeared between them.

"Wait!" Kazuto yelled, but the place the man had been was empty. Kazuto gritted his teeth and forced himself up. Was he behind this mess? Kazuto asked within his mind as he ran towards the door. Well, no point worrying about that. He still needs to see if the man was still there. Despite all of his senses screaming, he still needs to check.

Kazuto opened the door and exited quickly… and found himself looking out to the garden. He sighed, calmly looking at the night sky. The moon has waned a bit, but it still was the same sky that he saw as he rushed into battle. The same sky he had ordered his soldiers to die in battle to kill their foes… Death and pain…

"Was it all just a dream?" Kazuto murmured. No, that's unlikely. He'll know the difference… So people actually died…

"Ahaha…" Kazuto laughed softly, unable to figure out what to think, as he leaned on the wall behind him. It still didn't feel real… And, right now, he didn't truly know if it was. He sighed, resting his head on the wall. Sliding downwards, he sat, rather uncomfortably slumped against the wall.

He was so busy thinking about this that he barely heard the footsteps that had begun approaching.

"Kazuto-kun?"

-()-

Touka had been working very late into the night. Having spent most of the morning resting, and the rest of the day handling the funerals of their soldiers, as well as appeasing the people of the nearby cities, she was on the verge of collapse herself. And tomorrow there will certainly be more work to deal with. With that in mind, she left the office in the middle of the night and walked slowly to her room.

A quiet tranquil night. Just as quiet as yesterday's night. However, rather than a sense of foreboding, there is instead a sense of somberness. She had seen many people die and had personally apologized to the many families who lost one of their kin. None of them were angry, and they didn't even question the fact that Kazuto-kun had not been with them. The fact that Kazuto-kun had wielded his flames in battle last night was something everyone in the city was aware of by sundown, even if only through rumors. They had easily agreed to the conclusion that there was a cost to Kazuto-kun's flames. Aisha-chan had managed to even get them to not expect him to use it anymore. The black-haired girl was rather adamant about not letting him fight, which Touka wasn't against.

… Kazuto should only fight if he needs to, not when he wants to…

Touka sighed, looking out towards the garden. This path was so peaceful. The fact that it was close to her room was nice. It's a bit of a shame that Aisha refused to sleep nearby, instead insisting that she and Rinrin be in the servant's quarters. She knew that this was the location for the bedrooms of the magistrate's family… but still. Well, Kazuto and Touka simply chose the best-looking rooms that are on the first floor to avoid having to climb stairs all the time.

*creak* *clatter*

There was the sound of a door opening and someone exiting the room. Touka was surprised to hear it… But the only room with a person close enough to here is… Touka quickly began walking in the direction of the sound.

"Kazuto-kun?"

And there he was, leaning on the wall just next to his room.

"Oh, hi Touka." Kazuto smiled wanly, "You're still awake? Just woke up myse- oof!" Kazuto was immediately tackled down by the girl.

"Thank heavens you're alright!" Touka sobbed, "You just wouldn't wake up and… and…"

"Calm down, Touka. I just used too much flame during that battle. I'm okay now."

"I see…" Touka smiled, "So… do you feel anything wrong?"

"Hmm… Not really… I just need to stretch a bit." Kazuto smiled, standing up. "How about we walk for a bit in the garden and you could tell me what happened while I was asleep." Touka nodded quickly and began animatedly telling the boy… She was so focused on speaking that she didn't even notice that Kazuto barely reacted as if he already knew what actually did happen.

-()-

So Checkerface hadn't lied to him, after all. At least not regarding what happened while he was asleep… Touka had more information of course and it fascinated him to know some of the things they've done… But nonetheless, this at least gave some credibility to that man… But… now that he started thinking about him, it also made him remember that man's words.

Start gathering your Guardians.

Guardians… The ones who were chosen to help the Sky Bearer carry the heavy burden of one of the Three Skies of the Trinisette, specifically the burden of the Vertical Axis of Time. But most people know them for being the most valued and trusted members of the Vongola Famiglia, the greatest mafia famiglia in the world. It is a great honor for anyone to join, but any Vongola Boss knows that their Guardians can't just be picked off the street. They must be both loyal and strong so that the valued treasure of the Vongola Famiglia will remain safe at all times.

This is why, as a general rule, the Sky of the Vongola, the Vongola Boss, should choose as he pleases. With the vaunted Hyper Intuition flowing within the Blood of the Vongola, the Sky generally ends up choosing those that would fit their role near perfectly. And the strength of Vongola is legendary. Strong people will approach them, drawn to them as though moths to a flame. There is never a shortage, and the Vongola Boss can afford to be picky.

But even if the boss could be picky, that does not mean they should be guardianless for a very long time. Kazuto is the heir, thus he should start gathering his Guardians. An heir his age usually at least has one chosen guardian. Hell, his own sister had half of the positions filled before he left. So what about him? Surely…

"Kazuto-kun," A small voice entered his ears, and he turned to its source. A rose-haired girl appeared in front of him, a slight frown on her face. "are you even listening to me anymore?"

"Of course I am… I'm just… enjoying the evening breeze." Kazuto knew that was a lame excuse, but he didn't have anything better to say. Touka sighed as well, before gesturing to the walkway they had started on. Oh, they actually made a full loop, huh…

"What are you worrying about?" Touka asked, quietly as she sat down.

"… I've been thinking…" Kazuto sat down right next to the girl, "… Touka, I wonder if we should start giving the titles of the Guardians to them… To Aisha and Rinrin."

"Eh, titles? Guardians? Weren't they already our guardians?" That seemed to have knocked out some of the sleepiness she had.

Kazuto shrugged, "In my family tradition, there is one leader, and six special guardians who stand at the core of the family. Aisha and Rinrin are both exceptional protectors, but they aren't given the titles yet…"

"Hmm… How special are these special guardians?" Touka asked, confused.

Kazuto shrugged. "They are the ones who you would entrust your life to, who would help bear the burden that the Sky has…"

"And by Sky, you mean…?" Touka quietly said, placing her head on Kazuto's shoulder.

Kazuto chuckled, "The two of us together; we are the skies of this army… no, this family." Kazuto nodded.

"… Oh… not just leaders but skies, huh?" Touka looked at the starlit sky with sleepy eyes.

"That's right… Sky… And the duty of the Sky is this: Rain, Storm, Sun, Cloud, Mist, and Lightning; we influence them all. We understand and accept them all."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, that's just the word-for-word definition. How one interprets it is completely up to the person." Kazuto smiled, "If Touka is going to be a sky alongside me, you're going to need to find the meaning for yourself."

"… I see…?" Touka said, her voice a mixture of sleepiness and confusion.

"What a bold liar." Kazuto chuckled softly, "Anyway, I think I should at least tell you more about the Guardians if you are going to be a proper Sky with me." But he never did get to manage that. Touka had finally conceded to her body's desire and had successfully nodded off on his shoulder. Kazuto smiled at this, moving to position her to lie down on his lap instead. The girl had been working hard the entire time he's been asleep. The fact that she managed to even walk alongside him and tell him about everything that happened was a miracle, to be honest. He pulled off his Sky Ring and placed it upon her right hand's middle finger. A mechanism in the ring quickly shrunk the band to fit the girl. The orange gem shone slightly, indicating that the ring recognized the flame that the girl had was Sky. Well, that simplifies things; he simply contented himself to take his other Sky Ring to wear later.

That's right… he should begin gathering his… no, their Guardians. Not because Checkerface urged him to, but of his own free will.

As he watched the few peaks of daylight appear on the horizon, his eyes drooped slowly, conceding to sleep, and he dreamed of the famiglia he would cherish with his life.

-()-

Dying Will Pills left: 22

-()-

Chapter End

-()-

Chapter Release Date: July 6, 2019
Last Edited: June 12, 2022

-()-

Beta Reader: Genesis SBX

And there we go, the first battle is done. Let's discuss a few things about my Kazuto. I decided not to let Kazuto kill anyone in this battle yet. I'm saving his first kill for another time. How you view my Kazuto's unwillingness to kill, whether it's a plus or a minus, is up to you. It's not going to be forever anyway.

Also, I originally wanted to have a sort of celebration party, but that felt premature, and I wanted to give Kazuto a bit of a backlash for going all out. Remember, he has yet to use that much power before in his life.

The next chapter is probably just going to be another slice of life/reaction chapter, so don't get too hyped.

The cover art is an image from Koihime Musou Kakumei Shoku Official Site, which I cropped and then put text on top of.