COLLISION COURSE – THE OTHER OPTION
Midnight, A Temple, Tokyo
Kozato Enma accelerates from a walk to a run, he's late. Earlier that day he was informed by his glacier guardian, Adelheid Suzuki that he had been invited to a meeting here. This meeting must be important, few people knew about the existence of the Shimon family and all who did were of great importance in the mafia world.
Enma reached the top of the steps to see two familiar figures waiting for him.
"Byakuran, Xanxus, what are you two doing here?" asks the Shimon boss.
"You invited me Enma" responds Byakuran.
"I did nothing of the sort" replies Enma, indicating to all present that something was wrong.
"Meaning this was a trap, we were all set up so that we arrived here simultaneously" notes Xanxus.
Suddenly a medium sized man walks out of a nearby shadow. "Good to meet you all, my name is Vongola Bana" says the newcomer.
Silence descends around the temple as the three look at Bana in shock, even I couldn't sense him, what sort of man is he, Enma thinks to himself. Xanxus, Byakuran and Enma are all people who have fought evenly against Sawada Tsunayoshi on previous occasions, not being able to detect someone a few meters away is unthinkable for them.
"Vongola…" the word slips from Xanxus tongue as if he has never heard it before.
Byakuran recalls something Yuni described to him, "Is it any coincidence that you look identical to Vongola the 1st".
Bana shows a smug smile to the trio, "I am his true successor, chosen by the heavens themselves" he proclaims.
Enma smiles at that "You're Tsuna's successor?".
"No, Sawada Tsunayoshi causes destruction everywhere he goes, he is a liability to the Vongola family" says Bana with a frown on his face, "I have come to ask that you don't interfere in our ring contest".
Xanxus starts to put the pieces together and doesn't like where this is going, "The rings were disbanded, there are no more ring contests" he says to Bana.
"The rings are merely ceremonious now, they are still used for deciding a successor though" retorts the boss candidate. "Please bear witness to our fair contest" Bana requests with a smile.
Enma is young and naïve, compared to Xanxus and Byakuran who have witnessed true darkness in this world, Enma is still relatively sheltered.
Enma approaches Bana and shakes his hand with a smile of his own, "I think you have the wrong idea about Tsuna but you seem like a good guy".
"Good luck, I'm sure you and I will meet again regardless of the result" says Enma.
"I hope so Kozato Enma" sighs Bana as Enma disappears back down the steps.
Bana turns to Xanxus and Byakuran with a smile, "So are you two also…".
The one to interrupt him is Xanxus, "We are not as naïve as that kid, this string of murders are your responsibility aren't they, only you could have done it".
"So that's how you became so strong so quickly" says Byakuran with a lowered head, he then raises his gaze to look Bana in the eyes, "Did you actually… dare to steal people's dying will".
The dying will flame is as the name suggests, a flame which allows you to use your dying will, amplifying your mental and physical prowess to their limit. This dying will is only felt by most people as they are dying, however mafioso are able to manipulate it freely, stealing it from people as they die is a great sin.
Xanxus continues to remember information that Squalo recovered for him, "So Rokudo Mukuro, he was working for you all along, typical mist guardian".
Bana gets angry at that statement, "Rokudo Mukuro is a great mist guardian, he helped me during a dark part of my life".
"You haven't come very far then have you" Byakuran remarks snidely as he looks at something out of the corner of his eye.
"I don't care about the trash's fate, just leave the Varia alone" demands Xanxus.
Bana smiles at him "Rest assured, you will command the Varia as long as you live while I am boss".
Xanxus steps back, almost out of fear, something very uncharacteristic for him, 'that's an interesting way of putting it… well if he doesn't make a move on me, I won't make one on him'.
Byakuran is not as held back as Xanxus in this situation, "Regardless of whether you are an evil person or not, Tsunayoshi is a good man who forgave me for my future sins" he explains.
"The Millefiore family is privileged and proud to be allied with a man such as him, we don't share that same pride for murder".
Bana frowns for a moment then smiles out of the side of his mouth, he lowers his head so that he looks out of the top of his eyes and he asks Byakuran, "Then are you going to do something about it… Lord Byakuran".
"It's just Byakuran these days" says Byakuran as a huge aura flares around him, "And yes, I'm going to put you in your place".
Xanxus stands to the side of Byakuran, this is not the same Xanxus nor the same Byakuran that encountered the present day Sawada Tsunayoshi in the future however they both know about what happened, they both understand each other.
'I forgot that this Millefiore guy is unbelievably strong', Xanxus notes to himself.
Byakuran is a man with the ability to travel to parallel worlds, to learn everything there is to be learnt about science, culture, geography, history, combat and now, he is going to fight this murderer.
Xanxus head is then drawn quickly back to Bana as he feels his strength, 'a hyper dying will flame'.
Bana adorns the same flame on his forehead that can be seen on Sawada Tsunayoshi, the hyper dying will flame discovered by Vongola 1st and Shimon 1st.
"Put me in my place, very well, do it if you have the ability".
Byakuran immediately points his finger at Bana, white finger, a beam of pure energy shoots towards Bana.
Bana thinks nothing of the attack and simply punches the beam as it arrives sending it straight back at Byakuran.
Byakuran brings his hands together around the deflected beam attack, 'white applause', Byakuran winces as the beam dissipates, a seemingly meaningless exchange but Byakuran has had the first part of his energy drained.
Byakuran begins to plan for the battle ahead, I need to stay calm, but then he gasps upon finding that Bana arrived right before him in only a moment.
"Is that the limit to your speed?" asks Bana as he swings his fist towards Byakuran.
Byakuran narrows his eyes and leaps backwards as his white dragon appears from behind his back and flies at Bana so as to attack him.
Bana once again unfazed stretches his hand out and touches the white dragon, a large crystalline structure begins to form around the creature, first edition.
Byakuran takes advantage of the momentary distraction and places his palm out before his body, 'TAKE THIS', Byakuran blasts Bana using his full strength, sending residual dust and smoke everywhere.
Xanxus stares at the fight with wide eyes, it has been a long time since he has seen anything like this, 'that was an incredible attack… however'.
Bana emerges from the attack again, not unscathed like last time, a few tears have been made in his clothes.
Byakuran staggers back slightly, 'impossible, that was my full power, is this all the damage it did, it's like his body didn't even get hit'.
"This technique he created, custom, it's very impressive" compliments Bana as the flame on his head grows noticeably. Bana has taken Byakuran's dying will flames and made them his own. Xanxus refocuses his posture and mentally notes that Bana can use the zero-point breakthrough even quicker than Tsuna.
Bana again approaches Byakuran with a speed he cannot react to, chop, that moment was all it took for Bana to lower his flat palm and cut off Byakuran's arm.
Xanxus stares unable to believe what he is seeing as Byakuran clutches at his shoulder to stop the flow of blood.
"Was he able to put up this much of a fight? Were you so strong when the two of you fought? Compared to me that guy is NOTHING".
Byakuran retreats by leaping backwards and into the air looking down at Bana as he backs off, suddenly though Bana disappears from his sights, where.
Bana was behind Byakuran and quickly punched him in the back sending Byakuran flying down into the ground, the vibrations so strong that Xanxus has to readjust his footing to maintain balance.
Byakuran rolls from his front onto his back, turning his head as he spits blood from his mouth. He turns back to look at Bana, 'Sawada Tsunayoshi is like a godsend to everyone, and this guy is… he's the alternative'.
"That was really a pathetic effort" says Bana as he gathers dying will flames on his glove.
Byakuran dares to show a smile for the first time in this fight, "You know, Sawada Tsunayoshi… he will definitely… end you… just like all the others" he says while struggling for breath.
"Are you so sure?" asks Bana as he closes his eyes and the flame expands from his forehead to his entire body.
Byakuran's expression changes again, his mouth opens slightly and his eyes as wide as they have ever been, 'he can do it too, the ultimate dying will flame'.
Xanxus shares Byakuran's shock, 'I've only seen the trash do this once, he's never needed to do it a second time… this guy's power, it's immeasurable'.
Bana has only focus on his face, "An all-out attack is too good for you" he states blandly.
Byakuran does a quick gesture with his hands as if to unleash a technique, 'here I go Yuni, just like you taught me'.
"I will kill you in one blow", Bana casually motions as if he is throwing a ball as flames fly down towards Byakuran.
Byakuran smiles as his last moment approaches him, 'I believe in you, Sawada Tsunayoshi'.
A huge amount of flames engulfs Byakuran, he screams as he disappears into the fire, its destructive power extreme to the point where all that they leave is a pile of ash.
Bana falls down from the sky and the dying will flame from his body disappears. He doesn't bother to look at Xanxus again, he simply begins walking down the steps.
Xanxus exhales deeply, 'I can't let that guy near Vongola, Trash, I hope you are doing something right because none of us can endure the other option'.