RETURN TO THE HOMELAND – OVERDRIVE
Near the Sawada Family's Warship
This is one of the rare battlefields where the mafia have an overwhelming advantage. The presence of Gokudera, Haru and Lambo goes a long way towards this. They may not be the strongest of those fighting on the surface of the water but they are the best co-ordinated. Haru and Gokudera were once engaged and Lambo has been like a little brother to Gokudera for many years.
Gokudera continues to press forward, trying to drive home the advantage, he considers that it is possible he could bomb one of the enemy's battleships should he be allowed to get close enough.
The storm guardian's thoughts are interrupted as his boss lands on the water next to him. Tsuna is gasping for air, the effects of the battle present in the form of scars all over his body. While he may be in this state Tsuna is only at a slight disadvantage, he is far from giving up.
"It's time" Gokudera smiles as he turns to his boss, "Use what you have learnt, your hyper intuition has surely helped you out".
Tsuna smiles, "You know me far too well Gokudera ".
The 10th Vongola boss waits for a moment as he catches his breath before he flies back up into the sky. Stood there are the world's greatest darkness and the world's greatest light, staring each other down.
Honda makes a wry smile. "Hyper intuition is it? You know, I gave it that name when I faced Primo originally. I wonder what you discovered".
Tsuna coils his fist tightly, those who have seen this before recognise this as the pose he makes before his 'rage edition breakthrough'. In keeping with the pose orange 'rage' flame gathers on the elder Sawada brothers fist. Sweat forms on his brow as the flame continues to grow to a far greater size than it ever has before.
"He really has an even stronger version of rage edition" Haru remarks with wide eyes. "I wonder what will happen".
The flame continues to grow on Tsuna's hands for a short while before it changes. Instead of growing outwards the flames condense and form a very tight layer around his fist.
Tsuna looks at his enflamed hands, and recalls how Honda told him that he is no different to Primo.
"Now" says the chestnut haired boss, "Let's see if I'm any different to Primo".
Honda frowns and looks down his nose at his younger counterpart, "A slight increase in strength won't make a difference".
Ignoring Honda's taunts Tsuna closes the distance between the duo in very quick time. Before the Yakuza boss can react the mafia boss has pushed his enlightened fist hard into the old man's face.
As Honda finds himself hurtling backwards through the air he reflects on the first surprise Tsuna has given him.
'WHAT'S THIS' the grey haired boss asks himself.
Tsuna doesn't allow Honda to steady himself. The former no-good punches the air three times causing fist-shaped flame projectiles to launch at Honda.
Honda punches the fist-shaped projectiles as they reach him, he successfully avoids all damage as he punches the last fist away but is quickly shocked back into action. Sawada Tsunayoshi was hiding in the wake of that last fist.
Honda only his time for his eyes to widen as Tsuna's palm strikes him across the face, driving the former down into the sea. For the first time since the fight begun, Tsuna has the upper-hand.
"Look at him go" shouts Iemitsu, filled with pride as he watches his son fight this evil force.
"Tsuna's so cool" I-pin says.
"See" Lambo shrugs, "Brother won't lose, no matter what".
"Yeah" nods Gokudera. "Way to go 10th".
Tsuna lands and looks down at the water, there is no movement. He decides to land next to Gokudera and hesitates for a moment before smiling to his storm guardian.
"You did it" Gokudera chuckles.
"We did it" replies Tsuna.
The water beneath them starts to bubble causing all the mafioso to look at it questioningly with the exception of their boss. Tsuna adopts a defensive pose as Honda emerges from the water and punches his opponent up into the air. As the elderly man joins him they are left standing off once again.
"I'm getting rather fed up of all this" declares Honda as a translucent white aura appears around him.
'"His strength is multiplying' Tsuna notes as he lowers his head, 'So he has an ability like this as well'.
The aura around Honda suddenly intensifies by several levels causing Tsuna to step back slightly. As the intensity increases the Vongola Boss hears one-word slip out of Honda's mouth.
"Overdrive".
Honda looks at his opponent with tired-looking eyes, "Nobody has ever made me use this form before" he declares.
Tsuna analyses the statement, 'Never used it before, so that's why you look fatigued, in that case I can…'.
"Now it's all over" Honda interrupts Tsuna's thoughts, "Sawada Tsunayoshi".
Before Tsuna has the chance to react Honda takes revenge for the slap from earlier. He slaps Tsuna into the sea. The Yakuza leader's attack is far more devastating than his Mafia counterparts. With one attack, Tsuna is out cold.
"TSUNA" Iemitsu yells.
"I'll get him" Gokudera shouts as he stops walking on the water and falls into it.
"I'll come too" adds Haru as she copies the engineer by falling into the water.
If Tsuna is simply unconscious, then it is important for them to save him. He is the greatest hope the world has and if he is to survive this ordeal he can fight Honda again at a later date. That is however, if he is alive.
Near the Varia Warship
A terrifying black aura stems from Kara's sword.
The blonde Yakuza smiles slightly, "Oh, Clarent is eager but I'm afraid the fight won't last long now".
Yamamoto snickers, "Really, then let me show you what Excalibur can do".
The baseball star swings her sword downwards, light gathers on the end and when the slashing motion is complete, travels towards Kara.
The Yakuza doesn't rush herself and her counter-attack is performed in a slow and leisurely manner. She lowers her sword much like Yamamoto and sends her own flying attack, the meeting of Excalibur and Clarent.
As the two flying slashes collide in the air there is no dramatic outward force, no struggle for supremacy. Instead the attack of Clarent instantly overpowers that of Excalibur.
With one attack, Excalibur is destroyed.
Yamamoto can't speak he looks at his sword in terror.
"That's not possible" Byakuran speaks to Yamamoto, "That sword is the strongest in the world, it can't have been destroyed".
In the distance a huge bang can be heard as fireworks coloured yellow and green explode in a dramatic fashion, there is no way they could be missed. Yamamoto knows what this is.
This is the escape signal.
The Mafia have lost.
Yamamoto grits his teeth as he is overcome with an uncharacteristic anger. "I'll be back Yakuza" he yells.
"Count on it".
As Yamamoto turns his back he heads back towards the Millefiore warship. Feeling it is his duty to help his family escape. If nothing else the Millefiore will keep fighting the Yakuza.
Near the Sawada Family's Warship
"You bastard" Iemitsu yells as he prepares himself to attack Honda.
Honda shakes his head as he observes Tsuna's father, "Annoying ones".
The Yakuza boss punches the air creating a few flames which hurtle towards those on the surface. There is no way that any of them can survive an attack from Honda, he is out of their league.
I-Pin grips onto Lambo's shirt subconsciously as the thunder guardian thinks about how to protect his friend and father. To the child's great surprise, the two of them are pushed backwards along the surface of the water.
Lambo looks away from the flames which are now going to miss he and I-pin. He looks to the source of the push, his own father.
Iemitsu smiles meaningfully towards Lambo before disappearing in the sea of flames.
Sawada Iemitsu is dead.
"FATHER" Lambo shouts.
"Lambo" I-Pin tugs her friend's shirt.
The cow-printed child turns around to look at his family's warship, it is in flames, it is sinking. This makes it certain, Sawada Nana is also dead. Lambo has lost both of his parents.
"Damn you… Lambo will…" Lambo gnashes his teeth, "LAMBO WILL BE BACK".
The thunder guardian cloaks his body in his recently acquired blue lightning and runs as quickly as he can. Right now his first thought is to get I-Pin to the nearest allied warship. There they will find the remaining Vongola guardians.
Underwater
Haru begins to drag Tsuna towards the surface before Gokudera pulls the boss down.
The storm policewoman looks at her guardian counterpart in surprise but sees he is pointing towards something. The fireworks, the retreat signal has been sent.
Haru tightly closes her eyes for a moment before she nods to Gokudera. The two drag Tsuna away. This must be settled another day.
Near the Varia Warship
"Xanxus the escape signal has sounded" shouts Squalo.
"Damn you" retorts Xanxus, "I can win this fight".
"We all know that, but you have to retreat".
"Retreat" Xanxus replies mockingly, "GO TO HELL".
"These are the ones who killed my old man, I won't let them live".
Squalo sighs, "You have to let go Xanxus, you must have felt it by now. I felt Basil die and the boss' energy has disappeared… he might be dead".
"SO WHAT" Xanxus yells in reply.
"Don't you understand" Squalo says with wide eyes, "Right now… right now… you could be the Vongola's leader, YOU COULD BE OUR LAST HOPE".
"You can win but for the sake of everyone else, for the sake of Vongola, for the sake of the old man's dream, you have to run" finishes Squalo.
The Varia leader grits his teeth before firing his guns towards Varon. He does it not to attack the insane Yakuza but to get away with the rest of his team.
"I WILL BE BACK YOU BRAIN DEAD MORON".
The Chiavarone Warship
The bridge of the warship is chaotic, so many people are running about carrying messages from all different ships. They ask each other what to do but nobody has the answers, this is the first time they have tasted devastation on such a scale.
"What is happening" asks Dino hurrying to get his words out, "Have we got confirmation on the retreating groups, have we got contact Romario?".
Romario stammers, "I… I can't get through to any of them boss".
What Romario refers to is the radio system he worked hard to setup before the war began. Such a system was created in case of retreat so that the strongest amongst the mafia could reunite and work together.
"What… how… why" Dino stutters.
Hibari calmly explains, "The Yakuza saw this coming and have worked on our communication lines".
"Bucking Bronco, this is our complete defeat".
Dino looks at the table before him, he doesn't blink and his mouth is hung wide open.
Hibari leans on the table and puts his face close to it in an attempt to make eye contact with his former teacher, "We have to run now".
Dino still can't form sentences, "Run… but… retreat… my fault… I".
Hibari lashes out in an action that is distinctly out of character for a cloud guardian, "You're still Mafia" he shouts while he hits the table, "Lives are in your hands so put your responsibilities first".
"OK" Dino whispers while nodding vigorously, "Let's get out of here everyone".
On Dino's orders the Chiavarone Mafia members begin to get into a boat designed for them to escape in. The Captain of the warship wishes Dino good luck and promises to hold off the Yakuza while they escape.
As the escape boat flea's from the battlefield the Chiavarone boss looks at the ships nearby. While the great heroes known as Mafia run away Honda appears and demolishes battleships one after another before finally destroying the warship.
Dino lowers his head, "Let's go Romario, to the shelter".
As the Chiavarone Mafia head towards their escape point, the Mafia have no means of communicating with one another. Several of their strongest members are dead and the two strongest are unconscious. It is inevitable that the world will quickly fall into the hands of the Yakuza, there is nowhere on Earth they will be safe.
There are only two words to describe the outcome of this very brief war.
Total defeat.