After the incident at the park, Tsuna and Rekka’s friendship deepened further now that neither of them had secrets left to hide.
Rekka no longer picked random fights.
He no longer had any reason to search for a “worthy master” after deciding Tsuna was already someone worthy of his loyalty.
Though occasionally, delinquents from Ishiyama High still came looking for trouble with him.
Unfortunately, Tsuna often got dragged into those situations too with him fighting back in self-defense.
Rekka also decided to join the Body Improvement Club.
Their fight made him realize how lacking his physical body still was.
If he truly wanted to become stronger, he couldn’t rely entirely on his flame and ninja arsenals.
After all—
“The human body is the foundation of everything—the greatest weapon!”
Reborn declared calmly while flexing his synthetic muscles.
“WHOOO!
I feel enlightened by Mister Armstrong’s wisdom!”
“Very manly!”
Goda and the other club members applauded passionately.
Rekka stood slightly apart from the chaos, unusually focused.
“So this is where you train?”
“Yeah…”
Tsuna nodded.
“They’re a bit intense, but they’re good people.
Just don’t say anything weird and you’ll be fine.”
Rekka placed a hand over his chest confidently.
“I understand.
I’ll present myself properly as a ninja.”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh!
So you’re Tsuna’s new friend!
Welcome!”
Goda’s booming voice cut through the room as he immediately closed the distance like personal boundaries didn’t exist.
The other members leaned closer with curiosity.
“Tsuna, you made such a handsome friend!
A shame he’s lacking some exercises here and there…”
Tsuna smiled awkwardly.
“Don’t worry.
That’s why he’s here.”
That answer activated something in their eyes.
“…Don’t tell us!”
Rekka stepped forward brightly.
“Yup, I’m here to join!”
“Another newbie!”
“What a wonderful day!”
Goda coughed to silence them.
“So, what made you decide to join?”
“To become stronger as a ninja!”
He said it with complete sincerity but the room went silent for half a second.
“What a unique fellow!
But I love your spirit!
We’ll support you fully!”
Rekka blinked.
He expected laughter, or rejection, or at least confusion.
Instead, they accepted him like he had said the most ordinary thing in the world.
This place was strange, but strangely accepting.
“However, now that you join, you must remember the spirit of our club!”
Goda suddenly spoke seriously after hearing Rekka’s goal.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
“We do not use our muscles irresponsibly to hurt others.”
Goda flexed his biceps.
“We fight only to protect our family, our club members, and those who truly need help!”
Rekka listened quietly, expression steady.
He had no intention of picking meaningless fights anymore anyway.
“You see, true strength isn’t measured by how powerful we become.
It’s measured by discipline, self-control, and the determination to keep improving no matter what!
We must always remember that!”
Goda declared proudly, causing the other club members to shout loudly.
“I learned much.
Thank you!”
Rekka’s eyes practically sparkled.
Tsuna watched quietly from the side.
For a brief moment, something familiar settled in his chest.
Somehow… that philosophy reminded him of something he had heard before.
The excerpt of Vongola Primo.
“Now then!
Let’s begin your first exercise!
Treat this as your orientation.”
Goda announced excitedly.
“Since it’s your first day, I’ll make it… light.”
“No, bro!
A ninja only grows stronger with the harshest training.”
“Haha, is that so!
Then I’ll accept your spirit!”
A few minutes later, Rekka’s own words would bite him back.
“Why are there so many push-ups…!?”
Rekka’s scream soon echoed throughout the gym as he trembled on the floor, arms shaking violently.
“PAIN IS THE PROOF YOUR MUSCLES ARE ALIVE!
NO PAIN, NO GAIN!
BODY IMPROVEMENT CLUB!
FIGHT ON!”
Goda shouted with absolute conviction.
Tsuna smiled.
That dude… he just dug his own grave.
Meanwhile, after seeing Rekka join because of Tsuna, Goda suddenly developed an idea.
He pulled Tsuna aside.
“Tsuna.”
“Yes?”
“You should recruit more of your future friends here.”
“…?”
“The gym is the perfect place to build bonds!”
He declared proudly.
“Nothing strengthens friendship more than suffering together!”
Tsuna stared at him.
“…That sounds slightly wrong.”
“Nay!
We, your brothers, are living proof!
True friendship is born from shared suffering!”
Goda spread his arms dramatically.
“Not only will everyone gain muscles, but your bonds will deepen too!
Killing two birds with one stone!”
“I see… Wait, you don’t just want to increase your gym revenue, right?”
Goda placed a hand on Tsuna’s shoulder.
“Tsuna… living is difficult these days.”
“…Okay.”
So it was actually killing three birds with one stone.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Tsuna, Reborn was already preparing another problem for him.
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“Listen up!
We have a new transfer student who studied overseas in Italy—Gokudera Hayato!”
As Hirukawa-sensei introduced him, a silver-haired boy stepped forward.
He was undeniably handsome, but his sharp green eyes and gothic silver accessories gave off the aura of a dangerous delinquent.
Tsuna felt a chill crawl down his spine.
“That’s Reborn’s homeland…”
Could it be…?
The classroom reacted immediately.
Mostly the girls.
“Wow, he’s hot…”
“He totally looks like trouble…”
“He’s like a bad boy from a foreign movie…”
Tsuna blinked.
…So girls like that type?
Foreign bad boy, silver hair, accessories…
Maybe Mutsumi, too…
He nervously glanced toward her.
She was smiling politely like usual.
Before Tsuna could think further, his attention snapped back.
Because the new transfer student was glaring directly at him.
What the hell…?
Why does he look like he wants to kill me?
“Gokudera, your seat is—”
Ignoring the teacher entirely, Gokudera walked straight toward Tsuna and slammed a hand onto his desk hard enough to shake it.
“…”
After that show, he silently moved toward the backmost seat.
Tsuna was speechless.
What a crazy weirdo…
Hirukawa-sensei narrowed his already narrow eyes.
…Wonderful.
Another troublemaker added to my long list.
The fly that keeps buzzing around my Mutsumi sure loves to attract them.
Rekka crossed his arms.
“That guy’s a prick.
He clearly has a problem with you.”
“Since he’s from Italy… this is definitely Reborn’s doing…”
Tsuna sighed deeply.
“Want me to beat him up if he causes you trouble?”
Rekka asked casually.
After all, I cannot tolerate my friend being bullied.
I’m merely following our club’s creed.
Tsuna stared at him blankly.
Why is violence everyone’s first solution around here?
Class soon began.
While Tsuna listened attentively, a small paper suddenly flew toward him from behind.
His sixth sense tingled after reacting to the malice behind it.
Without even looking back, he caught it.
Tsuna unfolded the note.
Meet me behind the abandoned building behind the school — Human Bomb Hayato.
Tsuna immediately crumpled it.
“Yeah… nope.
Not dealing with that nonsense.”
He fully intended to ignore it.
Until Reborn blocked his path after school.
“Are you certain about avoiding him?”
“So you were involved!”
Tsuna exclaimed before sighing heavily.
“Yes, because I value my life.
His name Human Bomb Hayato literally screams danger already!”
Reborn remained expressionless.
“Your hesitation now may create greater danger later.
What if they target the people around you?
Problems grow when ignored.”
Tsuna froze as various familiar faces flashed across his mind.
“…So you’re saying facing problems directly prevents worse trouble later?”
Reborn nodded.
“That’s today’s lesson.
You must learn to eliminate the roots before they can grow.”
Tsuna clenched his fists.
“…Fine.”
He slowly turned around.
“I’ll do it.”
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At an abandoned building behind Namimori High…
“You came.”
Gokudera sneered as soon as he saw Tsuna arriving.
“I thought you’d run away.”
“Why did you make me come here?”
“I heard about you from Reborn-san.
That’s why I’ve been observing you for days.”
“You were what…!?”
Tsuna recoiled in horror.
No wonder I kept getting chills!
Why do weird people keep appearing around me!?
Gokudera ignored him.
“From what I observed, you’re the type I hate most—a coward.”
He snorted indifferently.
“You’re a loser terrified of becoming the boss.
Your only follower is a weird fool whose entire brain is filled with ninja nonsense.
You also like the school’s prettiest girl, yet you’re still stuck as just a friend.
You train hard.
You study hard.
But that’s all.”
Each sentence stabbed directly into Tsuna.
Did I seriously came here just to get a counseling talk?
But Tsuna was unfazed.
He was too brainwashed by the Body Improvement Club.
Gokudera continued mercilessly.
“You’re also too soft!
Even the neighborhood dog bullies you and you don’t even fight back!”
Tsuna didn’t know whether to cry or laugh anymore.
Yes, at the beginning… But now those dogs help me.
Thanks to them, my cardio record keeps being pushed to the limits.
“You’re the wussiest guy I’ve ever seen!
If someone like you becomes the boss, the Vongola Family is finished!”
Gokudera suddenly pulled out lit dynamites from his pocket.
“So I’ll end this quickly.”
He threw them casually at Tsuna.
“Bye!”
“Real dynamites!?”
Tsuna instantly dove aside.
BOOM!
BOOM!!
Explosions tore through the abandoned building behind him.
When Tsuna looked back, all he saw was destruction.
Even my body cultivated by the Body Improvement Club can’t help against that!
“Gokudera Hayato.
Also known in the mafia world as Human Bomb Hayato.
An explosion specialist who carries dynamite all over his body.”
“Reborn!”
Tsuna recognized that flat voice. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Reborn appeared nearby while calmly placing a strange device onto the ground.
“This is a noise-canceling speaker.
It sends out its own silent sound waves to suppress explosive sounds so we do not attract attention.”
“Isn’t that just an assassin tool…?”
“Yes.
Used for stealth operations.”
Tsuna desperately dodged explosion after explosion, his sharp eyes and sixth sense keeping him alive…
Until his back slammed against a wall.
“Dead end.”
Gokudera approached slowly, dynamite between his fingers.
“This is your end.
Double Bomb!”
He threw bombs from both hands simultaneously.
“I’m not dying here!!”
Only Dying Will Mode can let me survive against literal dynamites!
“Reborn!”
Tsuna charged forward while Reborn calmly assembled his sniper rifle.
“Fight with dying will, Tsuna.”
BANG.
The red bullet pierced Tsuna’s forehead as intense regret flooded his entire system.
Orange flames erupted violently as his clothes burned away, revealing his broad, muscular physique.
“EVEN IF IT KILLS ME, I’LL DEFEAT YOU AND YOUR DYNAMITES!”
“Not enough.”
Reborn reloaded.
BANG.
BANG.
Two more bullets struck Tsuna’s arms.
“Iron Arms.”
Reborn explained.
“Dying Will Mode occurs when the Dying Will Bullet strikes the brain.
But depending on where the bullet hits and what type of flame it contains, different effects emerge.”
Tsuna’s muscles instantly swelled with explosive force.
“The bullets I fired into your arms contains Sun Flames.”
Tsuna swung his arms.
The resulting gust blew incoming dynamites away before they exploded.
Gokudera’s eyes widened.
“What—!?
Impossible!”
“USELESS!
YOUR DYNAMITES WON’T BEAT ME!”
“Then take this!
Consecutive Bombs!”
Gokudera hurled explosives nonstop, but Tsuna kept charging forward, roaring while batting explosions aside with sheer force.
“In that case…!”
Gokudera attempted to combine his experimental Triple Bomb with Consecutive Bombs…
…and ended up accidentally dropping every single dynamite directly at his feet.
“…Ah.”
Gokudera stared downward.
“The end of me.”
Tsuna’s eyes widened.
Without hesitation, he blew away the first wave of explosives and sprinted forward.
One by one, he grabbed each falling stick of dynamite and extinguished the fuses with his iron hands before they could explode.
Gokudera froze.
When the final fuse died out, Tsuna collapsed to one knee as the flame on his forehead faded.
“…I’m glad.”
He exhaled a sigh of relief.
“I made it in time.”
Gokudera stared at him silently.
Like he was witnessing something unbelievable.
THUD.
He then suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed so hard his forehead slammed into the ground.
“I-I was gravely mistaken!”
“!?”
“To show mercy… and to risk your life for me… your enemy…!”
Gokudera raised his head with tears brimming in his eyes.
“You’re the only person worthy of succeeding the Vongola Family!”
“!?”
“Judaime!
I gladly offer you my life and swear loyalty from this day onward!”
He declared passionately.
“Command me and I shall obey!
I’ll even take my own life for insulting you!”
Gokudera immediately lit a dynamite stick.
“Wait, stop!
That’s the exact opposite of what I want!”
Tsuna shouted in horror.
“The loser serves the winner.
That is Mafia Rule.”
Reborn approached them and explained casually.
“REBORN-SAN!”
Gokudera immediately straightened respectfully.
“Ciaosu!”
Reborn nodded calmly.
“Reborn-san contacted my Family to test you.”
Gokudera scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“I wasn’t actually trying to kill you… I just had to act like the villain to test your strength.”
Reborn nodded with a subtle smirk.
“It took considerable effort to forge his paperwork and enroll him successfully into this school.
Especially since that man is here…”
Tsuna barely even processed the last sentence.
He already felt mentally exhausted.
“Then what about all those insults!?”
Tsuna sourly demanded an explanation.
Yes, he was unfazed, but it still slightly stings to hear them.
Gokudera immediately looked away and whistled.
“But…”
He smiled awkwardly.
“Judaime… you really surprised me.
You definitely have flaws, but you possess true strength.”
Tsuna softened slightly.
“Gokudera…”
Reborn nodded approvingly.
“Gokudera acknowledged your strength and became your subordinate.
Good work, Tsuna.”
Tsuna blinked.
Another praise?
From Reborn?
But realization soon struck him.
“Wait, subordinate…?”
He immediately turned to Gokudera.
“Can’t we just be normal friends?”
Gokudera instantly lit up.
“That would be an honor, Judaime!”
Reborn looked toward Tsuna.
“You faced your problem instead of running away.”
He smiled leisurely.
“Because of that, the outcome changed for the better.
You gained another friend.”
Tsuna slowly realized it.
By confronting the situation instead of avoiding it, he prevented a worse future.
…and gained a loyal friend.
Tsuna smiled faintly.
He had gained his second male friend.
And another person he would someday call a family.
…
1/4 Of Weekly Chapters.
Никита Апаткин
Bro, my phone sucks.
It rans out of battery too quickly and lags too much when I write
Extra chapters when we reach 500 pw!