'Thoughts'
"Talking"
Spells/Other's thoughts/Skills
[Captions]
{Korin's Voice}
Inner Voice
Chapter 26 Metal meets Fire, Overseas' job and Terrifying Future
Korin sighed as tries his best to keep his attention to the lesson in front of him, 'As much as I want to pay attention, I couldn't really, can I?'
Last night, the third Vessel of the Joteijuu appeared, the Vessel of Metal, and somehow declared that she is their senior all of the sudden. After that, she got a phone call all of the sudden and starts to request a job for Korin again. This time, she has a request from an old friend requesting help overseas, the details will be explained once they reached the country, which is also a mystery as well.
Normally, according to Nerio, they usually don't try to take request that needs them overseas, but Dray, the manager, gave them the green light for it since they paid almost in billions in cash for that request.
The reason for why he is chosen? Well, apparently, Nurari wanted to see if Korin is able to use any of the Hiryuu's abilities and this request is perfect for that.
Also, Korin is the only person in the school that has no real problem academically and not in any clubs so his reasons for not attending school for the next week are much easier to come up with and accepted.
Well, considering that he get to get a cut from the payment, which is roughly ranging from hundred thousands of yen notes to almost a million, he couldn't say no. What he really is worried is that during that time, he heard that Tsunahime and Gokudera disappeared few days ago. He has been busy with his own work, filling the small forms that include insurance for himself; that he has failed to notice that not only those two, even Yamamoto and Kyoko are missing as well.
'Even if Reborn is involving them all in some torturous training, he has no reason to include Sasagawa Kyoko…' Korin wonders, 'I sure wish there is some way to know what is going on…'
The lesson went on, Korin oblivious of the current events that has unfold during his time away from the group.
Tsuna was still finds it hard to comprehend what is happening to her life right now. At first she just trying to get home after barely passing her maths test which then she and Reborn encountered to Lambo who in a series of events ended up bringing out the purple Ten-Years-Bazooka while crying his heart out. Reborn of course knocks the living crap out of him, but was surprising hit by the rocket from the bazooka.
However, instead of leaving his older version, the infant instead vanishes.
Even though surprised, she still wonders what happened to her tutor if the effect of the bazooka is unaffected at all. After much pondering, she decided to leave it until tomorrow hopefully that Reborn will reappear as he always did.
But this time, he didn't.
Reborn has gone missing.
This worries her as the first thing she did the next morning was search frantically for him all over town. After running into Gokduera and Haru, she explained the situation and they decided to help search for him as well although Haru seems to have no idea what's really going on.
After searching all over with no results, she decided to ask the Future Lambo for answers since Reborn is supposedly to have been sent ten years into the future. Struggling with the cow kid to get him shot by the purple time rocket launcher, despite how wrong that sounded to her, she herself was shot by the bazooka instead and landed somewhere ten years after.
Shockingly, she landed in a coffin of all places. After almost getting the answers from the Future Gokudera who in turn starts to talk about eliminating some guy named Irie Shouichi, the present Gokudera ended up in his place being shot in the same way as she did.
Sulking at first, the pair then realized something. They have been there for past five minutes, but they have not returned back to their time.
At first, Tsuna panicked before Gokudera decided to search through his future counterpart's briefcase to find some clues which sadly has no clear answer for their problem as well.
They then run into an mysterious figure who attacked them without warning and nearly decimated them one sided, only to find out that the assailant is there to test and pick them up. After setting up camp a few miles from their previous location, the fighter, named Lal Mirch, explained to them the events of the era they are currently in.
The Vongola Mafia has been completely destroyed, a new mafia family ruling over the dark underworld with its superior weapons, tactics and technology which goes by the name Millefiore lead by the man named Byakuran. She also explained about the power of the mafia rings that was passed down in each generation and that they hold a special power.
Before she can explained more on the new type of weapons developed, they are nearly attacked by what seems to be the advanced version of the Gola Mosca. They were saved when the Future Yamamoto arrived and managed to stun it long enough for them to make their escape. From that on, they made it into an underground base which was built by none other than the Future Tsunahime, where they are reunited with the infant hitman Reborn once again.
The infant proceeds to explain the situation to the two, the Future Tsuna was killed and now all the people that are related to her and her guardians, her allies, friends and family are now getting wiped out one by one. With that in mind, Reborn decided to place a new order, gather all the guardians and Knight and face against the Millefiore.
After a day's rest, they went back to the surface to meet up with the Future I-pin and Lambo, who were supposed to escort the future Haru and Kyoko to the underground base, before they were attack by the Millefiore group. The two assailants nearly defeated them, especially with most of them all switched with their past selves including Yamamoto, if weren't for Gokudera who managed to opened up the Box Weapon that his future self has left behind and Tsuna managing to lit up her Vongola Sky Ring in a bright orange flame.
Even though they won, they are badly injured, more so with Tsuna who has taken a spike to her shoulder blade, and they retreated back down into the base where Reborn explained to the others what is going on.
With Reborn's advice, they decided to ask Lal to teach them the ways to fight in the future era, the lady unwillingly accepted with the condition that they opened up the Box she possessed with their ring.
The lady soon explained the powers that the rings has for them, the wavelength in each person and the classification of each dying will flames created them the wavelength that are split into seven like the Vongola Rings: Sun, Lightning, Storm, Rain, Mist, Cloud and Sky.
There is an eighth rare flame that is the Knight that only one in each generation possessed, and that being the Tenth Knight in their generation, Motoyama Yan Korin.
Although just barely scratching the surface of the fighting style of the future, they discovered a distress signal from above ground coming from Hibari's bird, Hibird. They were about to leave to find that bird when Haru tells them that Kyoko has left for her home, worried about her brother's safety.
That ended up in their forces splitting into two: One group search for Kyoko while the other search for the distress signal. The brunette went with Lal to go find Kyoko while Gokudera and Yamamoto head for Namimori Shrine to look for Hibari. They eventually found Kyoko who ended up in the Future Kurokawa Hana's home, before heading towards the shrine to meet up with the two boys.
The two boys, on the other hand, has run into major trouble as they encountered the one person that Lal warned them not to fight against, Electric Gamma of the Millefiore's Black Spells. Even though managing to pair up barely, both of them are completely out matched and were completely destroyed. They were saved in the end by Future Hibari, who battled against Gamma and winning against him.
But as he is about to inflict the final blow, someone interfered.
Hibari leaped towards Gamma, the man trapped in the spikes of his Cloud Hedgehog along with his two electric foxes. His tonfa licked with the purple Cloud Flames and was swung to the final strike. At that moment, flaming swords of golden hue flew right at the Cloud Guardian, forcing him to move back as he deflects one of the many blades of fire.
Tens and dozens more rain down and destroyed the Cloud Hedgehog, Gamma dropping on the floor hard on his knees as a figure landed in front of him.
The man is tall and slim, a white hoodie under his black millefiore uniform that extended into a coat and black pants with the same knee protects as Gamma, the hood over his head as black bangs cover some of his eyes with a white mask that has a yellow cross at the bridge of its nose and a silver ring with a topaz gem in the middle on his right middle finger while a gold plated one on his left index finger of his black fingerless gloves.
"*Cough* What are you doing here, Rin?" Gamma asked.
"Saving your ass, Gamma." The man tells him.
"Who is that?" Tsuna whispered to Lal.
"The worst person we can ever meet upon." Lal muttered worriedly, "That man is An Rin, one of the elite members in the Millefiore. He towers over Gamma in power and rank, making him the strongest fighter within the Black Spells."
Rin turned to face his opponent, Hibari glared at the man that interfered in his fight. His eyes narrowed at him, the new combatant decided to pick up Gamma and slump him on his shoulder like a sack of rice, before turning around and walking away. "Oi, Rin! What in heaven's name are you doing?-!"
"Retreating." Rin tells him, "We have lost this fight the moment Hibari Kyouya arrived. And besides, you need to answer for not reporting this to Irie when he ordered specifically to do that."
"Bastard… Irie Shouichi sent you, didn't he?"
"What do you think?" He asked in a cynical tone as he walked away, "Don't bother trying to chase us, Hibari Kyouya." He warned the Cloud Guardian, turning his head to show one of his eyes is glowing in a slight golden hue, "You know full well that you have no chance against me."
Hibari flinched as Rin continued walking into the woods till he and Gamma are out of sight.
The brunette stood rooted, as she felt her knees buckled under her weight, her eyes still looking at where Rin has left. The look in his eyes shows a lot. Anger, Sadness, Joy, Guilt, Annoyance, and most of all, the eyes reflect one of inhuman origins. Another thing is that she feels he is familiar to her, but she can't put her finger at it.
'It was a good thing he chose not to fight us…' Lal thought.
"Stop gawking, Sawada Tsunahime." Hibari said to Tsuna, the brunette returned her attention back into reality, "Yamamoto Takeshi and Gokudera Hayato are in the forest over there."
"Eh?-!" Tsuna ran into the forest without a second thought; there she was shown the bloody unconscious duo that she sent here, both Yamamoto and Gokudera severely wounded with their blood staining their clothes, "Gokudera-kun! Yamamoto!" She cried in fright.
"It's all right, their lives are not in any danger." A man kneeling near them assures her, a distinctive regent hair style on his head and a stem of grass in his mouth.
"Eh? Y-You're…?"
"I'm Kusakabe Tetsuya, Hibari-san's subordinate." He introduced himself.
"Kusakabe Tetsuya…?" She ponders, 'Ah! He's the Vice President of the Disciplinary Committee!'
"Still, we need to get them treated quickly." Kusakabe stated, "Let's take them to the hideout."
"Wait, we have casualties." Lal stated, "Right now, it's too dangerous for us to move them over such a long distance to return to the hatch."
"Don't worry about that, we'll be using our own entrance."
'Their own entrance?' Lal's thoughts were answered as Hibari simply took off his ring and walked to the temple's stone lantern as sounds of a mechanical door opening is heard. Wordlessly, he simply walked into the stone lantern and dropped down a small hatch, 'A hidden door?-! They used a mist ring to create this camouflage?'
"However, there is the problem with us taking our leave from here." The vice president explained, "The Rain and Storm Vongola Rings would have shown up on the enemy's radar by now. We can't let their signal just disappear here."
"I understand." Lal nodded as she took the two rings with her, "Leave this matter to me."
Once descending down the hatch, they walked down a long corridor with Kusakabe taking both Yamamoto and Gokudera on his back, despite Tsuna insistence of carrying one of them for him, "I-If it's alright… I was wondering, where are we?" She asked.
"This is one of our research institutes in japan." He explained.
"Research?"
"Various things are ongoing at the same time." He stated, "Here we are. Look over there."
Right in front of them, there lies a metal frame of a large door, the entrance into their underground base, "Ciaossu." Reborn greeted them.
"Reborn!" Tsuna cried, "Why is Reborn here?"
"Our institute is connected to your hideout, but there was a strict no-trespassing rule so the door had never been opened." Kusakabe explained.
"Because he hate crowding, right?" Reborn stated, "This is typical of him."
After they are brought back, the two were immediately treated for the injuries and sent to the infirmaries to rest up. After a while, Tsuna visited Gokudera's room, the silver bomber still lying on the bed with bandages all over his body and chest, his left arm is worst with it needed to be placed in a cast.
"How's Gokudera-kun?" She asked worriedly.
"He's not awake yet." Reborn stated, "Still, we have a lot to be thankful for."
"Thankful?-! For what?-!" Tsuna cried, "Both Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto are injured so badly!"
"You don't think so?" Reborn asked, "With the Millefiore as our enemies, the only path left for us to survive is to grow up. Furthermore, good things come after a crisis."
"You're crazy!"
"I'm sorry… Hime-sama…"
She turn to Gokudera in joy as the bomber slowly opens up his eyes, "Gokudera-kun!-!" Tsuna cried in happiness.
"I'm really sorry, Hime-sama… It's all my fault…" He muttered, "I… have been really… scared since we came to this world… I threw a temper… took it all out on Yamamoto, and let something like this… I even made you worried…"
"Gokudera-kun…"
"Yamamoto said the same thing." Reborn stated, "And he also said many good things that he said not to tell Gokudera."
"What?-! T-Then, Yamamoto is…!"
"He's alive! And he is doing quite well too!" Tsuna assures the bomber, "So don't worry! It's not your fault."
"…" Gokudera the muttered with a growl some curses about the baseball player being alive. Tsuna face-faulted at how he just returned to the way he was, but then realized a lot from hearing from the bomber, 'I've been only thinking about myself… everyone was worried as I am, and yet I…'
"What did you expect?" Reborn stated, "After all, Kyoko, Gokudera and Yamamoto are just babies barely weaned from their mother's milk. You're all inexperience, insecure, leading to one disappointment mistake after another."
"T-That's just harsh!" Tsuna cried.
"But, since you didn't died yet, it's fine." He added, "When you make such mistakes and get through them, you grow steadily. That is your greatest weapon."
"Reborn…" Tsuna muttered.
"Excuse me," They were interrupted when Hibari entered the room, "A word, if I may."
"H-H-Hibari-san?-!"
"Well met, Hibari." Reborn greeted him.
"Same here, baby."
"Erm, may I interrupt for a moment?" Giannini walked in.
"What is it?" Reborn asked.
"It's good news! Bianchi-san and Fuuta-san have returned from their information gathering."
"Fuuta?-!" Tsuna cried. "Aneki?-!" Gokudera cried.
A smirk appeared on Reborn's face, "Didn't I say so? Good things always comes after a crisis."
Korin pulls up his bag of spare clothes and daily essentials, he already telling Sawada Nana about the job and leaving for the train station. As he made his way, his mind wanders off to the situation with Tsuna gone missing along with Yamamoto, Gokudera, Kyoko, Haru and the two kids Lambo and I-pin. He knew something was odd, especially when Reborn was missing as well.
When he first asked about their parents and Ryohei, they too are worried and wanted to know where they are. Even Nana is worried about it, though she doesn't show it.
That has him worried about the brunette, Tsuna's wellbeing and safety in the balance. Being her Knight meaning that he should be there when she needs him to most.
'Where are you, Sawada Tsunahime…?'
"Worried about some lady?"
Korin flinched when he heard the dragon's voice in his mind. This telepathic link was uncovered by Nurari, who told him that every Vessel has a link to their respective Joteijuu, both in mind and spirit. Their powers are shared with each other, the Vessel drawing out power from the Joteijuu and the beast gain information of the current mortal world's happenings.
Of course, that is different among each Vessels. For example, Nerio and Kasumi uses a body of water into to communicate with Leviathan while Nurari uses the same telepathic ability as him.
'What do you want, Hiryuu?'
"Nothing, just want to kill time." Hiryuu said, "Trust me, being pretty much alone in this flaming place does make one bored."
'If that is so, just look for the other Joteijuu to talk to.'
"No can do, there is a reason why the five of us are separated. Each of our powers if resonated with another in full force and destroy an entire continent if we are not careful."
'Then talk to the other gods, time, space, even the small land gods! Just don't bother me right now!'
"What's wrong? Worried about the little lady Vongola?"
'Of course! She is missing! I'm supposed to be her Knight yet I have no clue where she is! My duty here is in jeopardy!'
"Duty? Or is it you care about her?"
'Huh? Of course I care about her! She's-' He stopped ranting, 'Wait… when did I started to care about her? She is not more than the boss that I'm duty-bound to protect… That's all our relationship has been all this time… No, I get it, it's because she like a second sister to me! That's right! She is my sister from another set of parents!'
'Huh… The boy sure is dense when it comes to relationships… But then again, who can blame him? He has lost many loved ones that a kid his age shouldn't lose.'
To be continued…
Sorry for the short chapter, I still planning
out how should I tackle this area before
the Choice battle, since I wanted Korin to
be the last person to arrive in the future
before Ryohei.
And then there is the two different timeline
shift, for two reasons.
One, I plan to show the development of Korin's
power over on the demonic side.
Two, in the Future, Korin would not be with her
at all times so Tsuna's choices and way of thinking
might change slightly. But her decisions will
remain canon.
With that, I thank you for reading this!