Chapter Twenty-Six

Tsuna looked around to scan his classmates. Most are already out of breath. Even him is out of breath, but with his runs, he can go for more. Looking up, it's already past lunch. No wonder most of them are already dead. Activating his quirk, he put a hand on the ground and turned their perimeter to crystal ice. Some of them yelped in surprise, but no one froze.

"W-Woah." Kaminari interjected, patting the ground. "It's not cold."

"Yeah!" Mina nodded.

"How many are we?" He asked.

"Twenty." Iida answered.

He produced some candies from his secret pockets and handed it to Jirou and Kouda. "Distribute it to everyone. It's the least I can do to keep our stomachs at bay."

The two brightened up before distributing it around.

Tsuna brushed a hand to his hair as a creature appeared and got turned to crystal ice when it stepped in their perimeter. It's a good defense for earth beasts. It's something he learned after remembering that one time Byakuran trapped the three of them in a sky dome. He practiced it a lot. It works with continuous supply of flames and as long as he's in the perimeter. Even Reborn commended it.

He looked at the sky again before pulling out his phone. It has been three minutes since they stopped. Pocketing it, he eyed everyone for any injuries. They're remarkable. No one had lagged behind and kept on keeping an eye for each other's six.

"Shouto." He called as he pulled his necktie off.

"Yes?" The red-white head responded.

Tsuna walked for Katsuki and took the trembling arm. "Help me with your ice quirk."

"It's nothing." The blond snapped, but didn't pull his arm away.

"It will be fine after a small cool down." He mumbled as he wrapped the tie on the arm and made a knot. "Shouto, give it a thin layer of ice, can you do that?"

Red brow was raised at him, obviously up for the challenge. "What do you think of me?"

He chuckled. "Someone he hates?"

"Perhaps." The teen remarked while hovering his left hand above the covered arm. Ice carefully formed. "Thanks for the candies and the cookies."

"You gave out cookies?" Katsuki accused.

"I have more in my bag." He quickly offered. "I'll give you some. They're just normal cookies and scones I made."

Red eyes glared. "I'm stealing them."

"Yes yes." He nodded before standing up. "Okay, guys. We need to move if we want to arrive there before sundown."

"Okay!"

With that, he retracted the crystal ice and let the others lead.

Like any other, it took time for them to reach the base. The earth beasts keeps on popping out here and there. He doesn't remember using his original quirk a lot. Even with his flames, he has to keep it minimum to keep himself upright. If things get nasty, he has to use it for any further output.

It was almost five-thirty when they saw the building, but they're still surrounded. Licking his lips, he activated his flames for the first time that afternoon and put his left hand to his back then the right ready by his chest. Slowly, waves of soft flames started to get out of his left hand.

"Shit! Get out of there, Iida! Midoriya! Todoroki! Bakugou!" Ojirou shouted for the four, who are struggling to fight of a lot of the earth beasts.

"Get out of there! He's gonna use X-burner!" Mina yelled.

Tsuna smiled appreciatively as most of them went to the side and the four went away. He stretched his closed hand at the front and opened it. "X-burner."

Rough flames shot off and obliterated all of the earth creatures in their path. It was a small version of X-burner since he doesn't want the trees to burn. The moment he closed it, Iida yelled for them to run. He followed suit, snuffing out his flames. By the time they were in the clearing, he was huffing like anyone else.

He sat on the ground and looked to the sky. He's exhausted and hungry and out of breath, and he just wanna lay down on the bed and sleep away. He looked over to the building to see Mandalay, Pixie-bob, Shouta and the kid. They must been waiting.

"Looks like there wasn't much point in threatening to deprive you of lunch." Mandalay stated, smiling.

"A little over two hours my ass." Sero panted.

"I'm going to starve to death!" Kirishima wailed.

"My bad." Mandalay chuckled. "I mean by our standards."

"So it was just to boast, huh?" Satou drawled, already used up.

"I honestly thought you'd thought longer." Pixie-bob giggled, making Tsuna snort. If he was the war-torn Tsunayoshi Sawada with all the stamina of a twenty years old slave-driven by one sadistic hitman, he won't be this tired. "To have figure out my awakened earth beast so quickly and easily, you guys are good. Especially, you five."

The brunet looked down when he felt eyes on him. It was Pixie-bob.

"Your lack of hesitation and indecisiveness. I take it that comes from the experiences you all have acquired." Pixie-bob stated before smiling widely. "I'm anxious to see what'll become of you guys three years from now! I call dibs right now!"

Tsuna chuckled before standing up. He patted his pockets for his phone. When he got it, he pulled it out and turned it on. The first thing he noticed is he's low on battery before Hitoshi's message. The purple head sent a picture of his shoes in a cobblestone with a caption: We have arrived safely. He chuckled before sending: Thanks God.

He hid his phone and pulled out grape and orange candies from his pocket. He walked for the kid who punched Izuku's crotch. The boy eyed him warily. He flashed the candies in return. The kid glared, but held out his hand. He dropped them on the open palm. He waved at the kid before walking for the bus to get his things.

Settling in the dormitory, Tsuna took off his white polo shirt and left his white t-shirt on. They were ushered to the dining room. He stared when he can't see his Dad around the dining room, and only his classmates who started to settle in front of the tables. He licked his lips and about to turn around when he saw the kid.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" He queried.

"What?" The kid snapped.

"Have you seen that Mister with long hair? Mandalay-san calls him Eraser." He asked, looking around.

"He went out." The kid answered, looking away.

"Kouta! Bring those vegetables for me!" Mandalay ordered before going for the tables.

Tsuna waved off the kid, he now knew as Kouta. "Let me."

"I can do it myself." The child grumbled.

"Then let me help you." He offered instead before he took the box in his arms. "You go under and carry it overhead."

"Hmp." He chuckled as the kid did what he instructed. "Watch your steps."

"But I can't see where am I going." He whined childishly.

"Fine. I'll lead you the way." The child grunted.

He chuckled as he felt a hand gripping his shirt and started to guide him where to put the box of vegetables. He asked about things to Kouta after he brought it down. Like where's the comfort room, where's the bath, and whatnots about the house. He noticed how Izuku kept on glancing at them, and Mandalay watching them. He didn't mind. He knows Izuku will have the child's apology and respect with his own heroic drive.

"Aren't you hungry?" Kouta asked after noticing that they had been talking for awhile.

He hummed, looking around from his crouch. "Why? Wanna eat with me?"

"No." The kid answered instinctively before looking away. "I have to look after the baths later. Your classmates might have a pervert in them."

He laughed nervously, thinking of Mineta and Kaminari. "Then that's good. You have one pervert not to worry about. I'm only going for a quick shower."

"You're not gonna soak?"

"I rather go to bed early." He answered, eyeing Izuku and Shouto who are gesturing him to come. "Maybe after I take a bath, I'll eat. Dad isn't here. We usually eat together."

"You have a Dad?"

His intuition hummed. "Well, not really. My parents are in the hospital right now, in coma due to a villain attack." He glanced at the kid who sported an astonished look. "My Dad is like your Aunt Mandalay, although we're not blood related. He took care of me when I was four, up until now. Since then, I call him Dad."

"Isn't that awkward?" Kouta questioned.

"At first. I had to call him Aizawa-san for three years. Since I was four. Then Shouta for two. Then Dad after a year." He grinned, remembering how Shouta gets flustered at every two weeks of being called by those last two names. "He's more awkward than me."

"With how you talk, even I will get awkward." The child huffed. "Maybe that's your quirk? Being friendly and chummy?"

Tsuna held out his hand and let out his flames. "I have flames."

"I'm water." The kid answered, staring at his hand in fascination.

"Then you can put me out when I'm being too much for you." He put out his flames then stood up and offered his hand. "Come on, Commander. You have some ladies to guard."

Tsuna thought the kid was going to slap his hand away, but he didn't and took it to heave himself up. The brunet let go of the hand before going with the boys. They exclaimed in surprise when he greeted them and asked him if he ate. He only smiled in response.

Stripping off his sweaty clothes in the clothing area, Tsuna sighed at the cold breeze hitting his warmed body. He was the first in and took his time to clean himself. When he was about to go out, Iida called him.

"You're not going to soak, Sawada?" Iida questioned.

"Nope. I'm gonna eat dinner then sleep." He rolled his sore shoulders. "Have fun in there, yeah?"

"We will!" Most of the boys responded.

He waved at them before closing the door. He gathered his clothes to put them on his bag and went out. He went for the boys' dormitory and slipped on some comfortable clothes. After arranging his clothes, he went out to see his Dad. He found him with the four pussycats by the lobby.

He hesitated to go in and was about to step out when black met caramel. Shouta beckoned him to come closer. He did.

"I heard you didn't eat." Shouta stated when he got nearer. The brunet already got the hint.

He shrugged as he stopped beside the hero. "I thought I wanted to eat with you in our first summer lodge together. Just a change of pace."

"You're done with bath?" His Dad asked in surprise. "That's fast."

He offered his dump hair. "Yup. I wanted to catch up to you before I go to sleep."

A big rough hand patted his hair. "You're too considerate."

"That's part of my job." He answered before gazing at the four who appeared shock with their interaction. "Hello. I'm Tsunayoshi Sawada, Shouta Aizawa's son. A pleasure to finally meet you."

"Oh!" Ragdoll awed before she bounced. "You're that kid I noticed in the cafe seven years ago!"

He smiled. "Thanks for remembering me."

"He was there?" Mandalay questioned, shocked.

"He was! Just a table apart! He didn't look like someone who was listening because he was writing homework! He even smiled at me!" Ragdoll bounced before she jumped on him. He caught his fellow brunette. "You're so cute!"

He glared at Shouta, who coughed his laughter, before smiling charmingly. "You are too."

"Anyway, both of you should eat." Tiger guided them to the tables. "Especially you, kid. You look exhausted."

Ragdoll cupped his face and inspected it closely. "Tiger is right! You're exhausted!"

"I'm fine." He assured as the pussycat let him go. Shouta took his shoulders and guided him to the bench. "I've done more tiring things than this."

"Like the day before the first day of school?" His Dad suggested, making him grimace in automatic response. "The officers told me."

"I should polish my bribing skills then." He joked as he put his hands together after Shouta sat across from him.

"Itadakimasu!" Both said in unison before they took their first bites.

"I saw your flame burst again." Shouta hummed.

Tsuna blinked from putting food in his mouth as his intuition tickled him. "Oh. You mean the X-burner?"

"X-burner?"

He nodded. "It's a technique I came up with when I got my hard flames. My flames has two types." He brought down his chopsticks and opened both of his palms. "First is my soft flames, which is the 'support' of the X-burner from behind." He let the soft orange manifest in his left hand before he made the rough flames appear on his right. "Then the rough flames, that attacks." He let them snuff out before taking his sticks again. "Usually it's far destructive than what you saw in the practical exam and this afternoon."

"Really?"

Tsuna smiled ruefully, remembering how he killed Byakuran with it back then and the other people he obliterated. "It can kill millions when I'm overly emotional."

"That's too hypothetical." Shouta admonished.

"You'll never know." He shrugged before sitting back. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

Shouta told him the basic and who will join them. After eating and getting shooed away by Ragdoll and Tiger to rest, he walked for their dormitory. He was about to pass by an open door when he heard Mandalay, Izuku and Pixie-bob talking. He leaned by the wall hidden by the door as he listened to them talk about Kouta's late parents.

For some reasons, he realized why his intuition urged him to tell the truth to the kid, and how surprised the latter of what he heard. No wonder he didn't slap his hand away. He might have got some kinship with him. Although, Tsuna only approached the kid because he remembered Lambo and Ipin on him. Also his guardians' children. Having kids in the family made him a walking candy store. So whenever one of the children made a good or bad accomplishment, depends how bad it is, he gives out a candy.

He suddenly remembered Reborn opening his palm to him too after finishing a hit, wanting a reward from him. He can't help laughing during the first time. Even his guardians went with that trend. So since then, even in this new world, he got used to having candies in his pocket. At least one to keep himself from being bored, hungry or low on sugar. He usually put one on his Dad's pocket too, when the other is not looking. It'll be gone by the time he checked it, then put one again.

He moved when he felt his intuition telling him that Izuku is about to go out. He wandered to the kitchen. He went for the racks to get himself a glass of water. He was leaning by the table when Mandalay came in.

"You aren't resting yet?" The lady asked.

He smiled politely. "Not yet. Still have the energy."

Mandalay nodded before smiling shyly. "I hope Kouta wasn't much to you earlier."

"Oh no." Tsuna waved off as he went for the benches. "I was the one who insisted to help him. He even tried to shoo me away, but I was pretty persistent. It was a good thing he didn't kick me or something."

"You were able to talk to him." The hero hummed.

"Maybe because he thinks we're the same?" He guessed. "Although my parents are still in the hospital, alive but asleep."

Silence.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright." He assured. "I was lucky that I'm more mature than any children at my age that time. Ah. Sorry, I overheard you talking about Kouta-kun's parents."

"It can't be helped." The pussycat remarked.

'If only my range and movements weren't that limited back then, I could've saved them at least.' He sighed mentally.

"Eraser gave me a shock though, when he said you're his son." Tsuna blinked before chuckling. "What is it?"

"Dad isn't really the type to share info about his life, considering his work too. We don't want to repeat what happened to me, so we kinda agreed that we should keep it within ourselves. That's why people had to ask first before we say our relationship. Sometimes, those who could already get the gist don't have to ask." He explained, mind remembering those times they had heated arguments about it before the hero understand what he wanted to convey. "Dad didn't want to do it though, but I suggested it myself. I don't want to trouble him of saving me when a villain suddenly takes me hostage with that knowledge. As much as possible, I want him to be load free of me."

"But sometimes, that's also the thing we worry." Mandalay sighed. "It felt like having no loads to worry about you kids make us feel like we're neglecting you."

"That can be practiced." He assured. "If Kouta-kun can manage to ask things from you, you won't be worried." Then he grinned cheekily. "Should I teach him how to be a little needy? It's a little trick of mine."

Mandalay laughed. "No wonder Shouta is so assured that you'll be fine."

"Oh. Dad knows all the tricks under my sleeves." He winked playfully. "He just loves to indulge me on my whims most of the time." He recalled all the parties he throws. "I'm not the type to ask for things I wanted too. So when I ask for things, he'll give his best to give it to me."

"You're a good kid."

"I try to be." He sighed as he cupped his chin, elbow on the table with his eyes staring at the glass of water in front of him. "For me, Dad deserves the world. As much as my parents deserve it. Sometimes, I question myself if I'm a good kid to him. I mean, I keep secrets too that I can't tell him yet. It makes me feel like I'm betraying him or something."

"But I heard you saved him from the villain attack that happened in Yuuei."

Tsuna nodded. "I did. But if only I was earlier, his arms won't be broken for a month and a week. And that's just me wishfully thinking of reversing the time. But if it comes to it, even if he won't need me anymore, or he doesn't want to be my guardian anymore, I'll still come and save him if he's in danger." Caramel eyes turned orange in determination. "If he wishes me to rip the world apart, I'll do it."

"Woah. That's some villain thoughts there." Mandalay interjected, breaking his thoughts.

He chuckled, orange returning to caramel. "Well, love is what makes the world go round. It's what makes us strong, vulnerable, good and bad."

"Maybe that's the reason why Kouta hates heroes." The lady smiled sadly. "He loves his parents so much that he wished they were never heroes to begin with."

"But then," He pointed out. "that profession is also the reason why he's alive now. We just need someone who can make him realize that being a hero is not a thing to be hated."

"Who do you think will do it?"

He grinned, already guessing who. "Secret."

Mandalay pouted at his answer. They talked more before the lady excused herself to do some arrangements. Tsuna stayed by the kitchen, sipping his water as his mind swirled around and thought things thorough.

He walked away from the place when he noticed the time is nearing his bed time soon. Tsuna closed the door behind him and went to his bed, which was near the window. He pulled a container of cookies from his bag and put it on the Katsuki's bed before moving for his again. The moment the boys came in, Tsuna is checking his phone for Hitoshi's message.

"A girl?" Mineta asked from his bed.

Caramel eyes glanced to the little man before shaking his head. "Not interested."

"Are you... You know?" Kaminari asked while fixing his bed.

Tsuna blinked his eyes on his phone before he looked up to see the boys waiting for his answer. He snickered before coughing to compose himself. "I'm not one with sexuality, nor am I against the colorful ones. But to assure you, no. I'm just not interested to that topic."

"Yet?" Kirishima added suggestively.

"Nope." He shook his head as he sent a quick 'Good Night, Dad.' to Shouta. "You can say I'm an asexual who appreciate beautiful women."

"You don't have any plan to settle in the future?" Kaminari asked again as they started to move to their own bed.

"If I don't die early, I'll think about it." It was too late to dodge the pillow that went flying to him. The soft cushion fell to his lap and he rubbed his abused nose. "That was uncalled for, Katsuki."

"You're fucking pessimistic, asshole." The blond spat, opening the pocket of cookies he found on his bed. "Throw me my pillow, bastard."

"Ish." Tsuna harrumphed as he hugged it. "It's mine now. Earn it."

The moment the blond opened his mouth, Tsuna chucked the pillow to the teen's direction. He pumped his fist before raising it as if he got victory after Katsuki spluttered. He squealed when the teen tried to get him. He immediately went for Shouji who shielded him instinctively. He let out his tongue childishly before ducking out when the blond started to curse him. He laughed when Kirishima became his chaser's target.

After thirty minutes or so of chasing around and laughing, they all settled down. Within minutes, everyone is asleep, all except for Tsuna who's watching one dark cloud pass by. Caramel eyes closed, blocking the ominous feeling creeping in his gut.

Shigaraki stepped back when manic orange eyes stared at him through half lids. His heart hammered in his chest as he felt something bad. Something his sensei could not bring forth regardless of how many lives he had taken.

Death.

That's what can he see as Tsunayoshi Sawada stopped all the warmth he wanted to give. He became cold. His smile looks off. And the way his eyes show insanity that can devour those who wanted to know more and wanted to see more. Far jaded, head deep in the ocean of darkness.

"You think you can outmatch me?" The teen questioned calmly, posture relaxing. "You're only a speck of my dirt, All for One-san." Then the chains wrapped around the brunet fell from the chair he was being held and the legs were crossed elegantly. "But I'm warning you."

Shigaraki couldn't find his voice as those orange eyes darkened. Almost murky, turning black.

"Get a scrape on Katsuki and my hitman, and I won't hesitate killing all of you. Not even you can stop me when I hunt you all down to the end of the world." Then in a sec, orange turned caramel and the warmth came back as the smile went sweet again. "And I honestly don't want to do that. That's against my moral code."

"Fuck." He heard Dabi cursed.

The brunet chuckled while sitting back. "As they said it, never touch the family or you'll face the Vongola Decimo."

Shit.

This is madness.

They invited an incarnation of chaos.