With the addition of Gokudera, Tsuna’s life turned even more chaotic.
They started getting into more fights outside school, almost like an endless cycle.
It was the classic pattern; beat a few thugs today, and tomorrow those same idiots would come back with someone stronger from their school to take revenge and recover their pride.
As such, delinquents from Ishiyama High School kept showing up one after another, unable to accept the humiliation that one of their own got beaten by a bunch of students from Namimori High.
And unfortunately for Tsuna’s group, the delinquents usually attacked first.
Every time, they were basically forced to defend themselves.
“Why are there so many of them again…?
I’m getting tired of this.”
Tsuna sighed as another group blocked the alley on their way home.
“One beating wasn’t enough for you idiots?
Bro, I’m trying to carry the spirit of my club, but you keep forcing my hands.”
Rekka cracked his knuckles.
“Hmph.
They keep picking fights only to end up beaten up and crying pathetically for backup.”
Gokudera scoffed coldly.
Fortunately, Gokudera’s addition eased some of the burden as the troublemakers kept increasing in number.
At this rate, Tsuna had briefly considered rooting out the source of the problem entirely.
But he quickly gave up on the idea.
That would mean fighting the entirety of Ishiyama High School with only the three of them.
Way too dangerous…
He didn’t want his friends to get hurt.
Meanwhile, Reborn somehow managed to frame the entire situation positively.
“Maintaining public peace is an honorable duty.”
Reborn said while standing atop a rooftop.
“Just like how Vongola Primo protected his town from danger.”
“…I don’t think he did it by getting into fights after school every other day.”
“Regardless, this is a valuable experience.”
Reborn replied calmly.
“Nowadays, becoming a mafia boss requires at least two years of experience.”
Tsuna stared at him blankly.
“That requirement alone already sounds absurd.”
Surprisingly, Gokudera disagreed.
“That’s already lenient, Judaime.”
“…What?”
“Companies nowadays expect fresh graduates to already have five years of experience.”
There was a brief silence.
“…Life is really harsh these days.”
Tsuna was starting to understand Goda’s words back then.
Gokudera also ended up joining the Body Improvement Club.
Mainly because—
“Well, Judaime trains here.”
Gokudera answered seriously when asked.
“That alone is enough reason.”
Tsuna rubbed his cheek awkwardly.
The seniors warmly accepted his answer.
Still, there was another reason too.
After his fight with Rekka, Gokudera realized his close combat skills were still lacking.
Explosives alone would not solve everything once opponents got too close.
Thus, the Body Improvement Club gained another unusual member.
“Excellent!”
Goda gave Tsuna a proud thumbs-up.
“You have successfully guided another brother onto the path of muscles!”
“…I didn’t really do much.”
But Goda still smiled happily.
Thanks to you, Tsuna, life’s been easier these days.
Meanwhile, Gokudera adapted to the gym strangely fast.
Despite how logical he appeared, he wore his school gym uniform without complaint.
“Fourty-nine…!”
“BODY IMPROVEMENT!
FIGHT ON!”
“Fifty….!”
Even Rekka looked impressed while watching Gokudera perform chin-ups.
Woah, both of them started much stronger than I did…
Tsuna couldn’t help but remember his own rough start.
However, things soon got worse after Rekka and Gokudera discovered the gym had a sparring ring.
“Hah!?
Say that again, Dynamite Hair!”
“You heard me, Ninja Idiot!”
And now, almost every disagreement between them started getting settled through sparring matches.
The senior members merely watched proudly from the side as the two daredevils fought with their fists.
“Good.”
“They are bonding well.”
“They remind me of us back then.”
Tsuna wasn’t sure that was the correct definition of bonding, but the seniors insisted this counted as healthy communication.
I did remember Rekka telling me that men understood each other better through fist back in the day….
Still—
Their close combat skills improved rapidly because of it.
The results were real, even if the reason behind them was stupid.
Tsuna also slowly learned more things about Gokudera.
Like how he came to admire explosives.
One afternoon after training, Tsuna casually asked about it while they rested.
“Gokudera-kun… why do you like to use dynamites?”
Gokudera paused for a moment.
Then, surprisingly, his expression softened slightly.
“There’s someone I respect.”
“…Someone?”
“He uses explosives.”
Gokudera glanced toward the dynamite inside his bag.
“He’s strong and cool.
Famous too.
Watching him made me start liking bombs.”
Rekka nodded seriously.
“I understand.”
“You do?”
“My pops once accidentally set a festival on fire during a fireworks accident.”
“…That’s not the same thing at all.”
“But everyone in town remembered him.”
It’s because he ruined it for everyone!
Tsuna remarked silently.
“…I guess that part matches.”
Gokudera smirked faintly.
“But our fireworks are way more interesting than bombs.”
Gokudera crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes.
“Fool.
Explosion is art.”
Sparks practically flew between them.
Tsuna sighed tiredly.
“Just settle it in the sparring ring.
Don’t go overboard.”
The two grinned at each other before heading toward the ring.
At this point, that probably counted as mutual respect between them.
Tsuna watched the two fight while smiling faintly.
His life had definitely become noisier.
But compared to before, It no longer felt lonely.
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Mochida was a second-year student at Namimori High School.
Lately, there was a girl he had taken interest in.
A junior.
She was part of the student council too, and they attended the same leadership classes alongside the other officers.
“She’s smart and pretty… A perfect fit for a perfect me.”
Mochida could not help but smirk to himself.
He was handsome, captain of the kendo club, winner of several regional tournaments, and popular with girls.
Naturally, someone like him deserved someone exceptional.
And whenever they talked, she always smiled politely at him.
To Mochida, that could only mean one thing.
She definitely liked him back.
Filled with confidence, he confessed to her.
“I can’t accept your confession, senpai.”
…And got rejected.
For a moment, Mochida froze.
Then his expression twisted slightly.
Playing hard to get, huh?
Still, she had rejected him gently and respectfully.
An easy woman is boring, after all.
He smirked to himself.
The day she finally gave in…
No, the moment she becomes mine…
He almost looked forward to it.
But then, one afternoon, he saw her walking beside another boy.
A classmate, probably.
But the smile she showed that boy, it was different.
It was softer.
And more genuine.
The sight irritated him immediately.
So he started asking around.
The boy’s name was Tsunayoshi Sawada.
Rumors about him were spreading everywhere lately.
People said he was close with delinquents called Rekka and Gokudera.
Some even claimed those two were merely his underlings who handled dirty work for him.
Another rumor claimed the streets of Namimori had become peaceful because no delinquent outside dared cause trouble without Tsuna’s permission.
So they started to secretly call him Delinquent Tsuna.
He also learned Tsuna was friends with Mutsumi, along with her friend Kyoko.
Apparently, they often studied together in a study group.
And recently, Tsuna’s reputation among the girls has exploded.
Not only because of his looks and toned physique, but because he had unexpectedly scored near the top during the recent exams alongside Gokudera.
A smart bad boy.
Girls loved that type.
Even Hirukawa-sensei, the vice principal famous among the students, had been surprised to see their scores unexpected for troublemakers.
Well, they did study with my Mutsumi…
“People really exaggerate these rumors…”
Mochida snorted dismissively.
Still, one thing was certain.
Someone like Tsuna should not be around her.
“A thug like that…”
His eyes narrowed.
“I won’t allow him near Mutsumi.”
His grip tightened.
“Only I can stand beside her.”
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“Hey!
Did you hear!?
Mochida-senpai challenged someone to a duel!”
“Seriously?
Who!?”
“It’s Delinquent Tsuna!”
“Sheesh, really!?”
“Come on, let’s go watch!”
The news spread through the school like wildfire.
Students quickly flooded toward the gymnasium.
Inside, the mats had already been prepared.
A crowd surrounded the sparring area.
Mochida stood proudly in full kendo armor.
Across from him, Tsuna stared at the challenge letter in confusion while Rekka and Gokudera stood behind him with crossed arms.
“So, Mochida-senpai…”
Tsuna scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“What exactly is this challenge for?”
Truthfully, Tsuna did not even know who the guy was.
“A duel…”
Mochida paused dramatically while scanning the crowd.
Then he spotted Mutsumi arriving near the entrance.
“…to make you stay away from Mutsumi!”
“…Huh?”
Both Tsuna and Mutsumi looked equally confused.
“That bastard…!”
Gokudera’s eye twitched violently.
“He dares challenge Judaime!?”
“Don’t play dumb!”
Mochida shouted furiously.
“A delinquent like you will only stain her pure image!”
His voice echoed through the gym.
Tsuna frowned slightly.
He still did not fully understand how things escalated into this.
But one thing annoyed him.
Mochida acted like he had the right to decide things for Mutsumi.
“I’ll teach you today that only someone like me deserves to stand beside her!”
He even smirked confidently toward Mutsumi.
That finally snapped something inside her.
“That guy is so creepy!”
Kyoko was angry beside Mutsumi whose twisted with disgust.
Not only was he creepy, he was judging Tsuna without even knowing him.
The other girls also was weirded out by Mochida’s actions.
They wanted to smack their past selves for having a crush on such an asshole!
“This guy seriously has loose screws…”
Even Rekka looked disturbed.
“Mochida-senpai, please stop.”
Mutsumi stepped forward angrily.
“Don’t stop me!
I’m doing this for your own good!”
Mochida looked at her with what he probably believed were gentle eyes.
“Why can’t you understand that?”
“Who are you to decide things for me!?”
Mutsumi completely lost her patience.
She stormed forward, ready to slap him.
But Tsuna gently stopped her.
“Words won’t get through to someone this delusional.”
Tsuna sighed softly.
“And even if they do… he’ll probably keep acting like this anyway.”
Then he looked toward Mochida.
“I accept your challenge.”
The crowd immediately erupted.
Gokudera didn’t stop him, knowing this was a fight solely for his boss.
“But if you’re demanding something from me…”
Tsuna’s eyes sharpened slightly.
“Then I’m demanding something too.”
He pointed toward Mochida.
“Never treat Mutsumi like she belongs to you again.”
He then added.
“And apologize to her.”
Mochida scoffed.
“Trying to sound cool?”
He raised his bamboo sword confidently.
“But fine.
Soon enough, Mutsumi will understand why I’m doing this.”
“Yamamoto!
Bring him a shinai!”
“Got it.”
Takeshi Yamamoto casually tossed one toward Tsuna while grinning in amusement.
Tsuna caught it cleanly before putting on the kendo gear.
“Judaime!
Finish him quickly!”
Meanwhile, from a distant rooftop, Reborn watched everything unfold through a sniper scope.
“You’re learning well…”
He then searched inside the gym as if looking for someone.
“Luckily, that creepy spider is not here right now.
Maybe on a job?”
A smirk formed beneath his fedora.
“Now then… time for the next lesson.”
Back inside the gym, Mochida confidently pointed his shinai forward.
“Since you’re a beginner, I’ll make the rules simple.”
He smirked proudly.
“If you land even one valid hit on me, you win.”
“Otherwise, I win.”
Tsuna rolled his shoulders slightly.
“Got it.”
The duel began.
Tsuna immediately lunged forward.
SWOOSH!
The diagonal swing came faster and heavier than Mochida expected.
His eyes widened.
CLANG!
His arms trembled violently, his grip nearly slipping from the impact.
“Fool!”
Gokudera grinned viciously.
“Judaime’s strength is built differently!”
Mochida gritted his teeth.
Then his experience immediately kicked in.
Fast slashes.
Sharp thrusts.
And clean footwork.
As expected from someone who actually competed seriously in kendo.
But Tsuna’s sharp eyes and sixth sense, sharpened from recent street fights and sparring, reacted naturally.
He deflected strikes aside, blocked others, and stepped around openings.
Then, he saw a gap.
Tsuna’s sword moved instantly toward it.
But then—
Whooosh!
A faint sound echoed in his ears.
Two bullets accelerated so fast it seemed to skip through space.
He was the only one who could faintly hear it because he was extremely familiar with it.
Tsuna’s eyes widened.
Suddenly, Mochida’s movements became far faster.
Dangerously fast.
His sixth sense screamed.
Without even thinking, Tsuna’s body moved on its own to block.
CLANG!
The impact forced him several steps backward.
“What power and speed…!”
Tsuna felt sour due to unfairness.
That gunshot—
Reborn…?
Gokudera and Rekka realized it too.
Why’s Reborn helping that guy!?
Tsuna clicked his tongue internally, but he had no time to think.
Mochida suddenly burst forward and his sword increased in speed.
The audience could barely follow the strikes.
“This power…!”
Mochida laughed loudly.
“So this is the power of love!
My body can move exactly how I imagine it now!”
His slashes cracked loudly through the air, causing the spectators to gasp.
“Tsuna’s gonna be okay… right?”
Mutsumi looked worried.
But Gokudera smirked confidently beside her.
“Relax, Mutsumi.
Believe in him.”
Rekka nodded.
“Yup.
This is only the beginning.”
Their confidence eased her worries slightly.
Meanwhile, Tsuna focused entirely.
Guided by his sharp eyes, he weaved between attacks and blocked continuously.
From afar, Reborn smirked as yellow flames drifted from his sniper.
“Without interference, this fight would’ve been easy for you.
But battles are never that convenient.”
“This is a lesson.”
Reborn spoke seriously.
“Never underestimate an enemy.
Never assume they have no hidden tricks.
Even a lion will use all of his strength when hunting a rabbit.”
Tsuna gritted his teeth.
If only I could enter Dying Will Mode—
Then suddenly, his eyes widened.
…When did I start relying on that too much?
At some point, he had unconsciously started depending on it for every setbacks.
No.
Even without Dying Will Mode, I still have my own resolve.
My own will!
And right now, he genuinely wanted this guy to apologize to Mutsumi.
Strength surged through his body.
Mochida swung again—
CLANG!
Tsuna forcefully knocked the strike aside with powerful strength.
“How!?”
Mocha widened his eyes.
An opening line appeared.
His eyes instantly caught it.
THRUST!
Following it, the shinai slammed directly into Mochida’s chest.
The impact launched him backward.
His eyes rolled up as he collapsed unconscious.
Silence.
Then—
“HE WON!?”
“He beat Mochida-senpai!?”
“No wonder he’s the boss behind Rekka and Gokudera…”
The crowd stared at Tsuna with shock and awe.
For the first time, they witnessed his strength clearly.
Gokudera and Rekka immediately approached him.
“Good work, Judaime.”
“You taught him well and painfully!”
Tsuna smiled slightly.
Then Mutsumi walked over while laughing lightly at the unconscious Mochida.
“You really taught him a lesson.”
Tsuna awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
“I just did my best.”
Then he panicked internally.
Wait, did I look too violent just now!?
“I kept hearing rumors about you being a delinquent…”
But instead, Mutsumi smiled warmly.
“But I didn’t know you were this strong.”
She then laughed, remembering how Tsuna looked like an anchovy back then compared to now.
“And don’t worry, I know you’re not a delinquent.
There must be a reason.”
Tsuna smiled in relief.
Meanwhile, Rekka and Gokudera exchanged grins before quietly leaving the two alone.
“But honestly…”
Mutsumi sighed.
“He probably challenged you because he liked me.”
“…Wait, seriously?”
Tsuna blinked.
“Yeah.
He confessed before, but I rejected him, obviously.”
She crossed her arms irritably.
“I just never expected for him to act like I belonged to him.”
Tsuna nodded.
“It must have been hard.”
Mutsumi smiled.
“Not anymore, thanks to you!”
Meanwhile, from the side—
Yamamoto watched Tsuna with an amused smile.
“He’s pretty interesting…”
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The next day, Mochida bowed deeply toward both Tsuna and Mutsumi.
“I’m sorry for my behavior yesterday.”
After getting knocked unconscious and reflecting overnight, his obsession had finally cooled down.
In fact, he now looked at Tsuna with pure admiration.
Then suddenly, he grabbed Tsuna’s shoulders dramatically.
“PLEASE JOIN THE KENDO CLUB!”
His eyes burned passionately.
“With you and our talented freshman, we could even reach nationals!”
“…Huh?”
Tsuna stared blankly.
How did things end up like this?
…
Last chapter guys!
See you next week!
Extra chapters when we reach 500 pw!
(I don’t think we’ll ever reach it)