The battlefield I joined was brutal. Lussuria had gone in first and sadly, all he did was even the odds. We were losing THAT badly.

I was ashamed to use "WE" as the pronoun there. This was the family I had chosen to side with. I gritted my teeth.

"I'll even the odds." I growled, gauntlets gleaming in the moonlight as I struck the nearest assailant. In one blow, he went down and I shouted in pure frustration, "How are we so weak that these men give us a hard time?!"

As if he were showing me the path, Squalo stood in front of me as three men approached us. He wasn't protecting me. He was showing off his own strength. He took one swing and that's all it took. All three of them were down. He turned, looking over his shoulder in a leisurely manner as the blood rained down in front of him.

"They're here." He grinned, "I can feel them."

"The fighters you were talking about? The reason this famiglia is the third strongest family in the Vongola Alliance?" I mused, "How many?"

"Enough for you and me and Lussuria. We can take them." He was counting me as one of his teammates and for that, I am forever grateful, "There's six of them. Their boss and his two guards-Matteo Gagliano and the Lessandro twins. Their vanguard squadron's leader, Lorenzo, and then their two hitmen-Luca and Elio."

I paused, "Your math sucks."

"Two each." He turned, leading the way towards the center of the battlefield. He was sure we would find some of them there, "Unless you can't take it?"

"Shut your mouth." I huffed, vaulting over him. My heel slammed into an approaching mafioso, effectively KO-ing him, "I'm saying if your team is en route and they're bringing Alpha and Volore, we won't have enough to go around."

"Then we'll just have to kill them before those guys get here."

I didn't like how confident he sounded because despite my bravado, I was worried I couldn't keep my end of the bargain. Now that we were standing on the battlefield together, I wasn't sure that our strength was on the same level.

In the middle of the battlefield, Dino was squaring off with the very group that Squalo was trying to find.

"That's them!" He was on them before I even knew which person he was talking about, "Matteo Gagliano, on the order of Vongola Nono, we've come for your head!"

I gestured at the guard who stepped up to block the blow, "I thought you said there were two guards."

Dino grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him, "Kira, they took off after Romario and Baro."

"And?" I huffed, "There's two of them and one guy chasing. Romario can take them."

"You know that's not true." He growled, "Go after him! Squalo and I will-!"

Squalo had thrown Matteo between us, knocking Dino aside as I took a step back in amusement. He totally did that on purpose.

"Why don't you go after him?" I gestured, stepping up as Matteo pulled a sword on us. The metal of his blade clanged against my gauntlet. I grinned, meeting the don's gaze at the other end of the blade, "That's it? Dino, go after Romario. Squalo and I will be right behind you."

"Heh." A smug vote of confidence from Squalo was all he needed. Dino took off running.

I took firm hold of the blade and pulled. Simultaneously, I was taking a chop at his face with my left hand. Surprised, he dropped his blade and pulled back. I dropped the blade and went for his throat. He narrowly dodged the killing blow, spinning on me in a roundhouse kick. Naturally, I crouched down and the minute he landed, I swung my leg out and knocked his feet out from under him.

I looked up and Squalo's blade was at his throat. I blinked up at him, mouth slightly parted in surprise. His eyes were watching me and I quickly realized what he was expecting from me in turn. I regained my bearings and spun on Squalo's opponent, Don Gagliano's guard, who was coming for Squalo's now-open backside.

I grasped the heavy spiked ball as it swung forward. I felt the weight behind it and gritted my teeth as my gauntlets rang from the sheer force of the blow.

"You-?" I gasped as the ball was yanked away.

He did it on purpose. The giant mace was naturally slow but one blow would put me down for the count. Squalo was testing me but it was an easy test.

"W-Wait!" He demanded as I moved forwards into the path of the second swing.

My eyes remained unblinking. My target was just as surprised as Squalo had been when my fist smashed into his face, sending him and his massive weapon flying across the battlefield. It had been a huge gamble but I would rather die than be slower than a hundred pound spiked ball so it was a willingly taken risk.

When I turned, Squalo had already pierced Don Gagliano's throat and was holding up his hands in surrender, "Fine. You got him but are you faster than Lussuria?"

I turned when he gestured to the assassin behind me who was giving chase to someone I could only assume was another one of the six men Squalo had referenced earlier in the day.

"That's Lorenzo, their vanguard squad's leader. He's an expert in hit and run tactics. He's rumored to be much faster than any of our guys and it seems to be true."

Later, I would discover that this was not a test of my speed. Clearly, the first test had been a test to discover what I would do if I was in a situation that had been disadvantageous to me. My answer was to respond with speed and agility. This second test was to test what I would do in the case that I met an opponent who was faster than me.

Only problem with my very correct answer was that it invalidated the test. I was faster and more agile than this man who was claiming to be the fastest. I gave chase into the nearby trees, took a leap, grasped at a tree branch above me, and proceeded to launch myself from the treetops and into his back at full force. My blow snapped his spine and he was dead before I even hit the ground.

Moments later, Squalo and Lussuria joined me and sighed simultaneously. They discovered my true weakness. I made up for everything with my speed and agility. I had no other answers to give them.

"What will you do if you meet someone faster than you?" Lussuria sighed, "But really, is there anyone faster than you?"

"Not in the Cavallone Family." I rolled my eyes at my own words. There wasn't anyone stronger than me, there wasn't anyone faster than me.

Before Alpha and Volore joined, no one even came close to possessing my combat ability. It was ridiculous but obviously, neither of them added to the Cavallone Family's arsenal of strength. They came with me and left with me as a package deal-they added to my net worth.

He opened his mouth, probably to diss us, but he never got a chance. The earth began to quake. An explosion sounded in the distance. I turned, wide-eyed just like Lussuria and Squalo.

"What the fuck?!" Squalo growled, raising his blade as a limo rolled through the trees. Each window was open and armed with cannons.

In their wake, they left nothing but destruction and devastation. I could see the battlefield they had come off of behind the vehicle as it screeched towards us. There was no one left.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Lussuria breathed out, "Are they all dead?"

"We don't have time to worry about them!" Squalo gestured to the left, "GO!"

I responded without thinking. The note of authority in his voice wasn't directed at me but I obeyed. Lussuria seemed just as surprised that I had chosen to follow the orders meant for him.

"Do you even know what he wants?!" The bespectacled assassin demanded incredulously, "He was asking me to draw fire! They're launching cannonballs at us!"

"Incoming!" I didn't respond to his question. All I could do was lift my armored fist and slam it into the first cannonball.

The explosion made my entire arm go numb from the vibration of impact-my previously damaged arm. A gurgling scream was muffled only by my teeth as the smoke began to clear.

As if to return the favor, the second cannonball was staved off by Lussuria's metal knee, "Squ-chan! Hurry up!"

"VOIII!"

I could only stare with wide eyes as Squalo dropped down on the car from above, his blade cleaved the metal clean in two. The front end of the car went one way and the back end went the opposite way. It was something only he could've pulled off. He had determined that in just one second and given a command. This is why Squalo is the Varia's strategy captain.

Suddenly, reality hit me and logical thoughts could no longer come into my mind. I ripped my scorched gauntlet from my hand and threw it to the floor to nurse my burnt knuckles. The fragile metal of my gauntlet wasn't enough to protect my skin. I took a deep breath, frustrated. I glanced at Lussuria who had discarded his metal knee cover and dusted his pants like it wasn't a big deal. Clearly, money bought him a better weapon than I could obtain at the moment.

I gritted my teeth, "I see."

"And I have two knees so it was totally unnecessary." He said, making a smug face for one moment and no more. He sighed, smiling down at my hand, "Well, I suppose there was no way you would've known that if I didn't tell you. I appreciate the thought, Kira-chan~"

I could only laugh in disbelief, "Don't patronize me."

Squalo clicked his tongue at me, pity clear on his face, "I guess you're done for today."

"I'm not allowed to be done." I snorted at him, picking myself up. I glanced at the remains of my gauntlet and sighed, "That's my third or fourth pair already. Romario's going to make me pay out of pocket for this one if he survives."

Squalo had turned already, reaching for the stunned mafiosos crawling out of the destroyed halves of the limo. He quickly dispatched them, no one was left alive. They didn't even have time to recover from their surprise.

"You shouldn't have to worry about that!" Lussuria huffed, crossing his arms, "That's bullshit! What kind of famiglia makes their members pay for their own weapons? You fight his battles and he supplies the weaponry!"

"Shut up and check on the battlefield. If anyone's alive, administer first aid." Squalo ordered, "Start with Kira. I'll go find Cavallone."

As if the world was against us, a second armed vehicle was screeching into the clearing. Cannonballs exploded from their windows and left gaping holes in the ground where they landed. The dust blew through the now demolished area.

"I don't think the gods want you to find him." Lussuria sighed, "Here we go again."

"No." I heard my headset crackle and I slapped it a couple times. It was such a shitty headset but I heard the crackle. Koge was trying to contact me, "Koge? Koge?! I'm here! Repeat it!"

"Ah! Finally!" His voice was finally transmitting, "I received word from Alpha! He and Volore were dropped off by the Varia."

"Dropped off where?!" I demanded, "This is the battlefield!"

"He's setting up, boss."

"Ah." Realization hit me and I grasped Lussuria's arm as he tried to play decoy once more, "My guys made it."

Lussuria had no idea what that meant but I did. Alpha's a sniper. I honestly didn't even hear the shot go off over the screeching of the tires but the limo that was driving in a straight line was suddenly swerving all over the place.

I grinned, "Alpha shot the driver! Let's go!"

"Your hand-!" Lussuria's warning was lost as Volore, giant shield and all, slapped the head of the limo and knocked it over on its side.

My eyes narrowed on the gleaming metal of the shield that was strong enough to withstand getting hit by a car. That wasn't his normal weapon. "Where did he get that?"

"Ah…" Squalo huffed, "It looks like our guys let him into the armory. That's… Well that used to be one of the weapons Silvio played with from time to time."

"Geh…" I felt my heart sink into my stomach, "We can't afford that…"

"Don't worry about it." He put a hand on my shoulder as he passed by, "I'm sure one of our guys gave it to him."

"Ushishishi. I gave it to him."

I gasped and turned. I don't know how this guy got behind us but he was dead silent. Belphegor, known as Prince the Ripper, was young but multi-talented-stealthy but bold in his approach. It was a common trait in arrogant people. How do I know? Because it's a trait I also possess. I use speed in place of stealth and blows with the intent to kill in place of boldness but it's there.

Except here, I'm humbled. In the Cavallone Family, I'm used to being the top. Amongst these guys, I'm average at best. Oddly enough, I don't want to be the best. I want to be average among these guys. Am I strange? Would anyone else understand my need to stand amongst a crowd that makes me look like a combat novice? I suppose no one could understand me because I couldn't understand myself.

I suddenly felt lost on the battlefield, overwhelmed with my discovery. This has happened a lot in this time period. Thoughts creep into my head one after another and then, suddenly, I'm not so sure I know who I am. I feel like I've lost my sense of identity.

Squalo's voice drew me out of my own thoughts and back into reality, "I highly doubt there's any survivors in this crowd anymore but let's get on that first aid. Bel, take Mammon and search the crowd. Lussuria's on first aid duty. Tell Levi to set up a space where Lussuria can bring the injured and provide treatment."

I reached for my headset, pressing the button, "Koge? Can you hear me?"

"Yes boss!"

"Squalo and I are going after Dino. Help the Varia with their first aid efforts. Alpha and Volore will provide combat support if anyone attacks." I thought it was a waste to use this many people on first aid but Dino would never forgive me if he knew I left his men to die here. They needed as many hands as they could get. Now that there was no more action, I could hear the moans and groans of the dying.

"Combat support? Really, boss? To who? The Varia?" He was teasing me but again, it made me feel lost.

That's right. The Varia doesn't need to be protected during the clean up process. They protect themselves. They are all incredibly capable individuals and they all know their roles extremely well. They don't need help.

"But I get it." He continued, "This battlefield is a mess. I'll be helping with gathering the survivors too so I'll grab them and get on it."

I breathed a sigh of relief that didn't go unnoticed by Squalo. He watched me for a second and no more. He didn't understand me but now wasn't the time to get to know each other.

"You know I can find him. You should get your hand looked at. Lussuria's extremely well trained in first aid." He said, "If he looks now, you can avoid permanent damage."

"I took permanent damage to this hand already." I admitted, smiling when he looked back at me in surprise, "I took a bullet to this hand for Dino. I'm…"

Handicapped? Lame? An herbivore?

As if he could tell where my mind was wandering, he finished for me, "You're scarred. That's fine. I cut my own hand off. It doesn't make us any weaker."

I never thought of it that way but I agreed. It only makes me weaker if I let it handicap me. It's a hurdle to get over, not a wall blocking my path.

"One day, I want to hear the story from your mouth." I felt grounded in optimism when Squalo spoke to me. It was a bizarre feeling to get from an assassin but somehow, I felt like I had a more positive view of the world and my situation when Squalo was next to me, "I mean, I heard the rumors but did you really just cut off your own hand for the fun of it?"

He chuckled, gesturing to the other side of the trees, "Cavallone's probably over there. I'll give you the story someday but not while I'm working."

"Heh. Okay." I tested my one remaining gauntlet for damage. It was bumped and dirty but it would last me. My feet moved to follow Squalo as he led the way, "When your job here is done, come spar with me."

"I can't tell a story if your fist is in my face." He murmured, "Get lunch with me. You can pay for the story with a meal."

Again, I didn't have time to respond. A body came flying through the trees and landed at our feet. I sighed, automatically kneeling to check for a pulse, "Romario, please tell me Dino's alive."

But of course, he couldn't answer. He was unconscious but his heart was still beating. Moments later, Dino came flying through the same trees and landed right next to him. It was almost funny.

I heaved a second sigh as he groaned and rolled onto his side coughing, "Oh good. You're alive."

"And what took you so long?" Dino grumbled, reaching for his whip that had fallen a short distance away when he hit the ground, "Please tell me the estate is still standing."

"Nope." I said dryly, "When I came out of the basement it was on fire and then it was just hit by a cannonball so… It's definitely not standing."

The crunch of the leaves in the grass as heavy footsteps approached us made Squalo's face twist into an expression of disgust.

"Luca." He said dryly in greeting, "Elio."

"Superbi Squalo?" The first hitman approached us with a twisted smile on his face, "What a surprise. I don't suppose you came to join us, did you?"

"Didn't you hear? Vongola Nono ordered us to fight with the Cavallone." He sneered.

"Convenient. I always wanted to run my sword through you." He turned to his companion, "Elio, finish Cavallone. I'll take care of Squalo."

"Kira, that one's yours!" Squalo was on him before he could get any closer.

I rolled my eyes, shifting to stand between the remaining hitman and Dino.

Elio, I presumed, was extremely stupid. He proceeded to show me his gun and then his switchblade. He looked me up and down and said, "Ah man… Fuck you, Squalo. I don't hit women and you know it."

"Then don't hit me." I growled, "It'll make things faster."

"Kira, he's strong!" Dino warned as I approached the enemy.

My bare fist swung towards his face and he stepped back, eyes widened with the look of crazed amusement in the face of my speed. He began to laugh wildly and he swung his blade towards my eyes. I dropped, immediately looking to sweep his legs out from beneath him but he saw it coming.

I lifted my armored hand and swatted an approaching bullet down. The look on my opponent's face was unsettling. He was not at all intimidated by my ability to divert a bullet. In fact, he dropped his gun entirely and came at me with his knife. I grasped his leg as he swung it towards my side. I pulled him off his foot and proceeded to throw him into a nearby bush.

He let out a shrill, manic laugh. He got to his feet surprisingly quickly, dashing towards me with his knife poised to kill. With my armored hand, I grasped his knife and held tight to the sharp metal. I groaned as he quickly forced his weight on me. He was heavy and I was quick to abandon my grip on his knife in favor of backing away.

There was no way I could overpower him. I only had one weapon left-my speed.

He approached me a second time, knife aimed at my throat. I swiftly stepped to the side, returning the attempt with a rapid flurry of punches. He didn't bother blocking. The pain seemed to drive him further into a state of euphoria. He was howling with laughter even now.

Unnerved, I stumbled back as he swung again. I leaped backwards, trying to put some distance between us and in the process, I came back to back with a firm, steady ally. I didn't even have to look to know who it was and for some reason, I felt empowered.

"What's your answer?" Squalo's breath was uneven when he asked me but I knew which answer he was looking for this time.

"Okay. Switch with me." I demanded.

He didn't tell me if it was the right answer or not but he seemed satisfied, "VOII!"

We spun as Elio leaped towards me. Now, I came face to face with Luca. The hitman's blade swung down towards me. My feet shuffled against the grass beneath us as I widened my stance and clapped my hands together just in time to catch his blade above my head. In one swift movement, I twisted my arms to the left and brought my leg up to plant a sweeping kick in the enemy's side.

Squalo's warmth was no longer against my back. I was sure Squalo had already decided before we switched places. His sword was much longer than Elio's. He had the advantage. All he had to do was strike before Elio's knife came within reach.

My briefly dazed opponent had regained his bearings and attempted another slash. The tip of the blade narrowly caught my chest as I stepped back. I was losing stamina quickly. Speed wasn't an ideal skill to rely on in long fights.

I quickly pressed my hand down over the shallow, bleeding cut on my torso. These two were on a totally different level than the previous opponents. The Gagliano family only had six fighters. Matteo, the twins… The twins?! Squalo and I had squared off against Matteo and one of the twins. The other one had come after Romario and Baro.

My blood ran cold. Suddenly, I was hyper aware of an additional presence camping in the trees. Initially, I couldn't feel his suppressed presence over the bloodlust wafting off these two but now that I was specifically looking, I could feel it.

I glanced up, the sunlight peeking through the leaves of the trees above glinted off the barrel of a rifle poised and ready to take advantage of any openings. I turned, following the line of fire straight to its target-Dino.

Growling in frustration, I turned and made a dead sprint for the oblivious king on our chess board. I was prepared but not prepared enough. The bullet ripped straight through my gauntlet and into my hand when I made an attempt to block it.

"Dammit!" I shouted in frustration. I had abandoned Squalo to protect Dino. It was the correct answer but I didn't feel good about it. It wasn't the smart answer. It was just the right answer because I worked for Dino.

He left his back to me and I left it wide open. Elio was Squalo's opponent and Luca had become mine. My actions came with consequences and those consequences happened to cost Squalo his nearly secured victory.

I don't think anyone could ever imagine the amount of guilt I felt when the blade went straight through Squalo's shoulder from behind. The sniper in the tree was loading up a second shot and aiming for my head first now that I was in his way but my vision began to turn red, the pulsing of my own heart in my ears was deafening. Furious, a scream ripped through my lips and I lost it.

Full speed, I ran forward and slammed my already busted gauntlet into the base of the tree. The sniper who was taking aim at Dino's head fell from his place as the tree rattled back and forth from the force of my blow. When he hit the ground, I was on him. I pounded his face in with all my strength and made a mad dash for Squalo.

As if he had never lost faith in me, Squalo grasped the sword that had pierced him and held tight.

"Let go!" Luca howled but it was too late.

I had reached them and I was already spinning a brutal, bone-crushing roundhouse kick onto Luca's neck. He hit the ground dead. I spun on the final opponent but my vision was clearing. I was no longer seeing red. I clutched at my hand. There was a bullet in there and it hurt. I was no longer fueled by adrenaline. I could feel everything.

My legs gave out and my lungs were burning as I gasped for air. I couldn't continue. My body would no longer obey me. I stared helplessly into the eyes of a crazed killer.

Elio's manic laughter had now become a hoarse scream of anger as he attempted to stab me. Finally, Dino had regained his bearings and his whip lashed out. He had full control now, curling his weapon around the enemy and bringing him to his knees.

It was finally over.