r/whowouldwin • u/Proletlariet ​ • May 22 '23

Event Character Scramble Season 17 Round 1A: Crimson Butterfly

Round 1A is finished and the thread is locked! Please use this form to vote. Voting ends 48 hours after it began. You MUST vote if you are competing!

Round 1A includes Matches 1 through 8 on the bracket. Check to see if you're in before you write.

The Character Scramble is a long-running writing prompt tournament in which participants submit characters from fiction to a specified tier and guideline. After the submission period ends, the submitted characters are "scrambled" and randomly distributed to each writer, forming their team for the season. Writers will then be entered into a single-elimination bracket, where they write a story that features their team fighting against their opponent's team. Victors are decided based on reader votes; in other words, if you want people to vote for you, write some good content. The winner by votes of each match-up moves on to the next round. The pattern continues until only one participant remains: the new Character Scramble champion, who gets to choose the theme, tier, and rules of the next Scramble!

The theme of Character Scramble 17 is Silent Hill. Round prompts will be based on scenarios and setpieces from classic survival horror games, which participants’ characters will be forced to endure all the while avoiding the terrifying Slasher characters also submitted this season.

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Round 1A: Crimson Butterfly

Fleeing from their encounter with their Slasher in R0, your team find themselves in the oldest part of Scramble Hill where the roots of its curse run deepest.

Their presence disturbs more than just the rotting timbers of the old fashioned buildings. The dead of Scramble Hill begin to stir. Their baleful spirits have been consigned to linger there for all eternity by the town’s curse, and over their long years stuck in this purgatory they have grown more and more desperate for an escape.

One of the oldest and most powerful of their number--your opponent’s Slasher--has whipped the restless bunch into a fervour with the promise of a solution; they believe the only way to bring their souls to rest is to reenact a ritual of sacrifice that once kept the curse at bay. Unfortunately for you, they require a living vessel to complete it. And they won’t take no for an answer.

Your team’s Slasher has other ideas. Whether the ritual works or not, they’re not taking any chances. They will stop at nothing to interrupt it before it can be completed. They might even go as far as to protect your Survivors from the restless spirits. Or just as easily decide to preemptively kill the would-be sacrifice themselves.

Round Rules:

  • Key Points: Your team is being haunted by the ghosts of people who’ve died in Scramble Hill, including your Opponent’s Slasher. They want to force your team to complete a sacrificial ritual to end the town’s curse and put their spirits to rest. Your Slasher doesn’t want the curse to be broken, so they’re dead set on interrupting the ritual. For more details about the setting and circumstances, keep reading.

  • Beyond the Spirit Gate: The barrier between the human and spirit worlds is blurred in Scramble Hill, but it is still not easily breached. Ghosts are out of step with mortals---you can’t fend them off with fists and bullets. Normal people need a tool just to see and interact with them; a special flashlight lens, an occult symbol, a camera obscura. Ghosts, on the other hand, can touch you just fine. Your team will need to find something to ward them off if they hope to survive.

  • Crimson Sacrifice: The rite the spirits wish to perform requires two living participants, one of whom is forced to ritually sacrifice the other. The ghosts will possess the living bodies of Survivors (yours, your opponent’s, up to you!) and use them as their pawns to carry out the ritual.

  • Master of Ceremonies: Your opponent's slasher is the one officiating the Crimson Sacrifice. Who are they? A priest? A cultist? A former victim of the ritual? Are they a ghost themselves, or merely being possessed to do the bidding of one?

  • Over YOUR Dead Body!: Regardless of if it could truly break the curse, your team’s Slasher won’t allow the ritual to be completed. They’ll do whatever it takes to interrupt it. Whether that means protecting your team members from the restless spirits, or preemptively killing the would-be sacrifice themselves.

Normal Rules:

  • There was a hole here. It’s gone now: The environment of Scramble Hill is disorientating and hostile: creeping industrial rust, out of place landmarks, stairs and corridors to nowhere. As much as Slashers might pose a threat to your characters, the town itself should feel like an antagonist.

  • Fear of Blood creates Fear for the Flesh: This is a horror themed Scramble. You don’t have to try to scare the reader with your stories, but they should include spooky elements. Scramble Hill is full of things that would make a normal person shudder. How do your characters react when they encounter them?

  • We're safe... for now: This is the story of your characters’ survival against terrifying forces. This means that however scarred and broken they emerge, they’re going to make it out alive. Even if your characters have only a small chance of victory, write that small chance happening!

  • If I kept it, I'm not sure what I might do…: Survival Horror is all about scavenging for something, anything you can use to stave off the monsters in the dark. You are absolutely encouraged to write your characters gaining or losing equipment/abilities/injuries/sanity. However, your opponents are not expected to keep track of these in-story changes and vice versa.

  • The only me is me. Are you sure the only you is you?: Give a brief summary to introduce your characters at the start of your post. Be sure to mention things like powers, personality, history, just stuff that the average reader should know before reading.

R1A Dread Pool

This round, you may draw your opponent's Slasher from either the character they adopted in R0 or one of the following Dread Pool picks:

Round 1A will run from Monday May 22nd to Friday June 9th Thursday June 15th and end at 11:59 PM Central Daylight Time on the dot.

In recognition of confusion over previous deadlines, we're switching to a compromise time zone that works better for most Scramblers. For reference, that is 12:59 AM on the 16th EST or 5:59 AM BST.

To make things even easier, check out this site to convert the deadline to your timezone.

The universal code is - 1686286740

Copy this and paste it into the "Epoch to human time" slot.

Character limit is 5 full length Reddit comments, or 50k characters.

While it is fine to go a little bit over, anything that far surpasses this limit will be disqualified. This limit does not include intro posts, or analysis of the matchup.

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u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

BOOM! SHATTER! BOOM! SHATTER!

The hail of gunfire chased me. Each shot destroyed a framed picture of a happy family. Forever gone, just like I'll be if I can't get out of here.

BOOM!

Death just burst its way through the wall behind me. I have to get out!

It was not freedom that greeted me, but my terrified face, alight with passion. A large mirror stood in the center of the bathroom. Nowhere to go. I reached a dead end.

I saw its silhouetted form approaching. Slowly, methodically, menacingly. It knew I was alone and trapped.

I ripped the sink off its stand but before I could do anything with it, a single blast tore my right hand apart. The pain was excruciating. My grip on consciousness grew weaker and weaker, the light dimmer and dimmer. I desperately crawled away, as if the mirror blocking my path was merely an illusion.

It stood before me, close enough for my dim flames to expose. An inhumane metallic monster drenched in so much blood that I could only catch a glimpse of its original dull blue armor.

It stepped on my stomach. Blood and guts raced up my throat. I felt my spine snap. Every nerve in my body was on fire. Death was mere moments away. I finally knew where Kyoko's soul was. It couldn't end now! A blinding flash-

Tsuna shot up, hands clutching his aching head. He was back in his bed, in one piece.

Reborn stood over him, bouncing a green baseball bat on his hands. “I suppose it's a start.”

Tsuna looked at him in confusion.

“You sensed my attack and tried to get away,” Reborn said, “but just crawled in place. It would have been beyond easy to kill you. The Boss has to be better.”

What was that dream?

It was already slipping from his mind. All he could remember was the feeling of extreme helplessness and failure. He should have been used to it, but something about that dream made those feelings seem new, worse.

Tsuna shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“And why did you tell me they sold their souls?” Anderson shouted, talking to another priest on a laptop. “The lads and lasses I saw weren't bowing down before the bloody demon!”

It took a moment for Tsuna to remember that Reborn insisted both Anderson and Vasher stayed at his house. 'Keep your Family close,' he said. Still, something about this whole deal felt off to him.

Tsuna's mom walked in and put a cup of coffee beside Anderson, then departed without a word. Ever since her soul was stolen three years ago, she'd been cold and distant, a hollow shell. It hurt him to see her like that.

“Our apologies, Anderson,” the priest said. “We got our intel from a Swedish spy. They said 'stjäla själar,' we heard 'sälja själar.' It was a simple translation mistake-”

Tsuna closed his eyes, braced himself, and plugged his ears.

YOU CALL THIS A BLOODY TRANSLATION MISTAKE?!? THANKS TO THAT TRANSLATION MISTAKE, I-”

The force of his fist broke the table in half, launching the hot cup of coffee right into Tsuna's face. After a moment of shock, Anderson rushed over to him, held Tsuna down, and used his robes to wipe off his face. “Sorry lad.”

“The Holy Father has personally exonerated you from any sin arising from this regrettable incident. If you wish for some time off-”

“No!” Anderson yelled. “I've got a job to do here, and I'll bloody well finish it. I'll cleanse this Sodom or reduce it to ashes.”

“Excellent. We have intel on another cult plaguing Silent Hill. Led by a Mr. Temple Fugate, they're attempting to summon a powerful entity known as Dialga and steal its power.”

“I'll mop them up before noon mass.”

“It's not that simple,” the priest explained. “They operate out of a mansion in Pleasant River which we believe they share with Heisenberg.”

Anderson sighed. “So don't blow up the building.”

“Take those other two with you. Vasher and Tsuna you said? They could come in handy.”

“No way,” Anderson said. “Vasher I could get, but you want me to put the lad in danger? He's been through enough.”

“Trust in the will of God that brought you together. Vatican out.”

Tsuna felt like something was off about that call, but he couldn't quite place it. “I-”

“Bringing Tsuna is a good idea,” Reborn said. His gaze sent shivers down Tsuna's spine. “He needs experience if he's to become the boss.”

Tsuna turned away from Reborn's gaze. “I don't know the first thing about fighting.”

“We'll get you some practice while they scout. I know the perfect partner.”

Before Tsuna could object further, Vasher emerged.

“You're a sword,” Vasher groaned, “you don't quite understand time. Those armored Lifeless were centuries ago. They can't show up here when no one knows where they're hidden or their command phrases.”

“You keep that demonic sword out of my head!” Anderson said.

It was hard to believe that Vasher's sword Nightblood was alive. He wondered what a sword sounded like, but only someone who touched it could hear its voice. Something he couldn't explain drew him towards it. Before he could do anything though, Reborn quickly pushed him out the door.

“We'll be back by sundown,” Reborn said.

“Tsuna!” Tommy Oliver, an exchange student with a green shirt and slicked-back hair, ran up to him. One look at Tsuna's faded skin revealed what happened to him. “Oh no, they got you too. I'm sorry man. Are you hurt?”

Tommy put a comforting hand on Tsuna's shoulder. He was one of the few people who ever showed him any kindness.

“No-no,” Tsuna stuttered, “I'm alright.”

“You should have come to karate class when I offered. A few lessons and you could have defended yourself.”

He demonstrated with a backflip followed by a spinning jump kick.

Tommy was always kind to him, but Tsuna was afraid it was bait for a trap. A chance for him and all his karate friends to laugh at the loser failing at even the most basic of techniques. He thought it was better not to risk it.

But with his soul lost forever, the punchline had hit. Yet, Tommy showed no signs of laughing or mocking him. He was genuinely concerned. All this time, his fear was unfounded. Would things have been different if he just trusted that someone wanted to be his friend?

He turned away in shame.

“Well, no time like the present. I'm on my way to the dojo now. Join me.”

Tsuna looked back at Tommy with hope in his eyes. Tommy didn't hold anything against him.

He didn't know why but it felt right. Maybe this was what he needed after all. Reborn said he was to be the next boss. If that were true, he should stand up and start taking risks. "I-"

“No thanks,” Reborn said. “Karate is simply too weak for the future boss. He needs a fighting style he can easily kill with.”

“Really? Well, good luck with that I guess.”

Reborn pushed him away before he could say another word. Tsuna was too shocked by Reborn's words to even struggle. It took him a few seconds to fully absorb what he said.

“I don't think I could bring myself to kill. Even the worst people deserve another chance.”

“That's naive thinking,” Reborn said. “Your biggest enemies won't change if you give them a candy bar. They'll stab you in the back. It's better to take them out the first chance you get. But for now, learning how to fight will suffice. You can learn how to kill later.”

Tsuna's further objections went unheard.

3

u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

A grocery store?

After a moment of confusion and disbelief, it hit him. A shady warehouse or an Italian restaurant was too obvious. The mafia had to operate in plain sight, like that oddly expensive gas station off Virginia Ave. Inside they'd meet some menacing, musclebound monster.

“He's my instructor?” Tsuna asked, looking at the plump, middle-aged man sitting at the register, eating a bowl of instant ramen. “He doesn't look like he could take a cat. What could he teach me?”

Immediately Tsuna felt like he made a great mistake. Not just for his unintentional rudeness, but for something else that he couldn't explain.

“This is Taro Sakamoto,” Reborn continued, “a former colleague. He may be out of shape, but don't let that fool you. If he wanted to, you'd be dead before you could blink. How's the wife and kid?”

Sakamoto's glasses glinted in the light but he gave no response, simply continuing to munch on his snack.

“Glad to hear it. This is Tsuna. He's the future Vongola boss. I need you to whip him into shape.”

Sakamoto lowered his head slightly.

“I know you're retired. I'm not asking you to kill again, just teach. You owe the Big Boss for keeping you on the 'Do-Not-Touch' list. Think of it as a little exercise.”

Tsuna was amazed that the two were carrying on a conversation. It was like they knew each other's thoughts. The kind of bond that took years to form. Strangely, it gave him hope.

Sakamoto slurped up the rest of his noodles.

“I'll watch the store,” Reborn said.

Sakamoto walked away without a word. After a few seconds of confusion, Tsuna followed him into the alley outside.

He just stood there, eating out of a new box of ramen, eyebrow raised.

“I don't speak... silence,” Tsuna said.

Sakamoto sighed. “Attack me.”

“I don't want to hurt you.”

“What makes you think you can? Now, show me what I'm working with.”

Tsuna gulped. It struck him just how crazy his life had become. Two days ago, he was a normal kid. Now he was about to fistfight a grocery store owner. For the briefest moment, he considered just running away while Reborn wasn't looking, only to remember Kyoko. Her light ripped away until all that remained was an empty husk. If this is what it took to save her, then he had to stop second-guessing everything.

He rushed like a madman. His fist sailed closer and closer toward Sakamoto's glasses. A mere inch before it could make contact, Sakamoto slapped it away. The next thing Tsuna knew, he was flat on the ground, leg on his back and arm pulled so hard Tsuna was surprised it hadn't popped out of its socket.

“Oh boy,” Sakamoto groaned over Tsuna's painful cries. “Don't make your attack so painfully obvious. Well, try it again.”

Tsuna rubbed his shoulder but got back to his feet. If his punch was too obvious, maybe he could try to knock him over. He charged again, feinting a punch to hide his true goal. Sakamoto kicked a trash can lid into his hands, dumped the juice from his ramen into it, and punched it right under Tsuna's feet. He fell face-first into the pavement.

Sakamoto sighed. “Damn it Reborn, what did you get me into?”

Tsuna rubbed his head in pain. He got up for another try but Sakamoto waved him off.

“No, that's good for now. Let's see if you're any better at defending. Can't be any worse.”

He took half a step back and prepared a punch. In that instant, Tsuna saw the shadow of Death standing behind him. Muscles turned to stone, blood froze in his veins. His life flashed before his eyes.

Something deep inside him stirred to break the block on his thoughts. Unable to move his feet, Tsuna simply fell on his back and watched Sakamoto's fist sail above.

"Not the worst I've seen," Sakamoto said. "At least you did something there. We'll work on that later. Now get up."

Tsuna wiped the sweat off his brow. Sakamoto wasn't showing any obvious signs of attack like before. There was no doubt that this time would be a faster attack with no warning. But how would he strike?

Tsuna couldn't explain why, but he knew Sakamoto would kick his stomach. He jumped to the side a mere moment before that could happen. The disbelief of successfully dodging that attack energized every fiber of his being and gave him a new sense of worth. He felt like for once, he could do this.

But what next? Jump further to avoid any follow-up attacks? Should he try to counterattack while Sakamoto was off balance? But what if that didn't work?

His debate took too much time. Sakamoto spun around and kicked Tsuna into a pile of trash.

“Again.”

Training had barely begun and already Tsuna's body groaned. He could only pray this training wouldn't kill him.

The day flew by. Every fall, every blow blurred together, like a hazy dream. Before Tsuna even realized it, the sun was setting. Sakamoto'd shed virtually all his extra weight over the long day. Basking in the twilight was the exact kind of man Tsuna had pictured when this began, a well-toned man with a dead-eyed expression.

Bubble gum splattered across Tsuna's eyes. Blinded, but not beaten. Tsuna instinctively rolled under Sakamoto's kick and tried to strike back, but overextended. Sakamoto easily tripped him.

“I think that's enough for today,” Reborn said. “What's the verdict?”

Without a word, Sakamoto grabbed a bowl of rice out of Reborn's hands and walked back into the store.

Tsuna collapsed. He hadn't landed a single hit.

“That's a first,” Reborn said. “I've never seen him impressed by a recruit.”

Impressed? That made no sense. “But I failed at everything.”

“It's been one day. No one becomes a master that fast. He said that you've got the right instincts, you just have to trust them.”

Trust his instincts? Tsuna never heard anyone suggest trusting his instincts before.

“Now come on,” Reborn said, “your Family should be done prepping for the attack.”

Reborn pushed him out of the alley. Before they made it three steps, Tsuna broke free and ran into the store. The briefest smile flashed over Reborn's face.

“Thank you for everything,” Tsuna bowed in respect to Sakamoto. He was truly grateful. Not just for combat training, but for something more valuable. A giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Sakamoto never once laughed or mocked him, despite the numerous times he made a fool of himself. He just might be able to make this whole mafia thing work.

As he lifted his head, he noticed that the lean and ferocious Sakamoto had returned to the plump store owner. Tsuna was about to ask him how but thought better of it. Sakamoto's glasses shined for a brief moment, and Tsuna felt like he finally heard the unspoken message.

3

u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

“What happened to you two?” Tsuna asked.

Anderson and Vasher groaned in response. They were covered in bruises and burns. One of Anderson's lenses was broken and barely able to conceal the black eye beneath. Charred skin surrounded his other eye. Vasher carefully removed a makeshift sprint from his arm, testing his grip.

“Some devil worshipper in a silly costume,” Anderson said. He peeled a layer of burnt skin off his face. “Don't ask.”

“How'd the scouting go?”

From their groans, not much better. Tsuna quickly took two steps to the left.

“Bloody waste of time it was!” Anderson yelled. He punched a simple folding table in anger. Its thin legs snapped under the assault and nearly creamed Tsuna. “There are no drugs in that house! I'm going to have a long chat with the Vatican's intelligence units after this.”

Vasher tossed a few blueprints onto the wall, each gripping it like a painting.

“It's built around a central garden. Fortified underground vault, several escape passages we've already rigged to prevent any escape. You still sure you want to come?”

By asking him, they gave him autonomy. The right to refuse, but this was something he had to do, for Kyoko, for himself.

“I-”

“He's going,” Reborn interrupted.

“Then head straight to the vault,” Vasher said. He handed Tsuna a simple lockpick. “We'll handle the cultists, but they could always try to destroy evidence. It'd be nice to have some reliable intel for a change.”

Anderson threw his arms up in annoyance. Tsuna wanted to object to the plan. It didn't feel right to sideline him, but he deferred to Vasher's experience.

Tsuna looked at the new gloves Reborn gave him. A bright white concealed some dangerous secrets. Reinforced plating, a quick triggering blade, even a compartment for poison. Every time he looked at the gloves he saw them stained deep red with blood and shuddered in fear. Hopefully, it wasn't an omen.

With a nod, Anderson burst through the front door. Gunfire from three strangely dressed guards greeted him. Their bullets proved no match for his bayonets. By the time Tsuna got there, the cultists lie bleeding on the ground.

Vasher and Anderson went on ahead, towards the courtyard. Tsuna had his mission. Left, right, left, button concealed inside a bust, ladder. He rushed through the manor without taking even one wrong turn, like it was engrained inside him.

There it was, a massive, steel door that belonged in a bank. Vasher's lockpick slipped inside and made short work of its pin. No mountains of gold to be found, just well-organized file cabinets and a small desk. Tsuna found himself drawn to a nondescript box on the far wall.

“April 4th, 8:00 PM arrived at Seacrest. No one else was present. 8:03 PM Minister arrived late.”

Some kind of itinerary?

“8:16 PM confirmed the authenticity of the staff of Expeditus. 8:17 PM Knight arrived late. 8:18 PM transferred 256 Breaths to Minister.”

That last line sent shivers down his spine. Fugate was casually selling his stolen souls. It was so invasive, so degrading! The kind of torture he'd never wish on his greatest enemy. How dare he treat souls like cheap money!

A revelation dawned on him. He shuffled through files until he found the notes from when Kyoko's soul was stolen.

“9:12 PM Finished reviewing the list of artifacts. 9:13 PM Hidan arrived late. 9:20 PM Hidan finally shuts up. 9:23 PM Hidan transferred an unknown quantity of Breaths to Minister.”

Vasher was right. Kyoko's soul wasn't lost. He could get it back from this Minister.

CLICK!

Tsuna dove behind the desk before the bullets tore into the vault. The reflections on the cabinets painted a grim tale. Four armed cultists with clear sight lines and full magazines. No way to approach or escape. Tsuna realized this vault was about to become his tomb.

The killing bullet came not from the cultists outside, but from a locked box inside. Regrets filled his final thoughts.

Damn it, I was so close. If I had tried a bit harder, I know I could have gotten this intel out. No, I would have done whatever it took to stop all these cults.

Those regrets ignited a fire within him. With a newfound power, he rose to face the world.

“I'll get out of this and stop these cults if it kills me!”

From inside the locked box, Reborn smiled.

Tsuna rushed out from the dwindling safety. Adrenaline coursed through his body. The bullets seemed to hang in the air. He resisted the urge to poke one and weaved his way through the onslaught.

His fist struck the first cultist with a satisfying crunch. Before the man could hit the ground, Tsuna took hold of his legs. When Sakamoto showed him this technique earlier, Tsuna didn't even try because he knew he lacked the muscles required. But now, he felt like he could arm wrestle world champions. It was easy to spin this chopstick around like he was playing hammer throw.

He rushed out to the chaotic mess in the courtyard. Dozens of cultists lie bleeding on the ground. Fugate stood by an altar, holding up an ornate staff. Dialga was imprisoned by a strange energy. Anderson, Vasher, and a new person wearing a costume that resembled a bat were fighting shadow monsters.

Anderson's opponent was closest. It was elegant, firing dual pistols from beneath a flowing cloak and large hat, shooting Anderson's bayonets out of the air and never letting him close the gap. Tsuna never reached it. A warrior dressed in black, spandex-like armor jumped in front of him and kicked out his legs. He rolled when he hit the ground.

If this guy was determined to get in his way, then he'd be the first to fall. His punch only found air as the Black Ranger backflipped over it. A follow-up spinning kick sent Tsuna crashing into a nearby window.

Impossible. Tsuna knew that move. What in the world was Tommy doing here?

His instincts told him that even with his Dying Will mode, Tommy was simply too skilled to defeat. He needed to fight smarter, not harder.

The shards of glass became decent throwing knives. One by one, Tommy knocked them aside as he pressed his approach. He must have considered them a feeble last-ditch attempt, but the bigger picture eluded him. A lone wild shot found its mark in Anderson's foe's wrist. The distraction lasted just long enough for Anderson to decapitate it. After another moment, Vasher's shadow's head joined it.

Before they could capitalize on those victories, some kind of robot jumped clear over the mansion walls, its dull blue plating all but concealing it against the night sky. Caught completely by surprise, Anderson fell to his knees from a storm of gunfire.

“What the hell is that?!?” everyone yelled.

V1 fired a wire from its wrist, impaling Anderson through his shoulder and drawing him towards it. He tried to cut it off, but couldn't get any leverage in midair. They collided. Anderson's bayonet shattered and V1 tore out his heart.

Vasher unsheathed Nightblood and struck V1 right across its chest. A few sparks briefly flashed before dying. Vasher followed suit, courtesy of a well-placed shotgun blast.

V1 turned its attention to Tsuna. The faint hope that it was after Tommy dissipated when Tsuna realized Tommy had already run away. Time seemed to crawl to a standstill. The barrel of its gun drew closer and closer.

Without thinking, Tsuna threw a nearby winged dog statue. Fugate ducked behind his staff when he found himself the new target.

Tsuna took off into the manor. He stood no chance against it. All he could do was escape. He sprinted down the hallways, mere inches ahead of the gunfire.

CRASH!

V1 burst through the wall in front of him. His path now blocked, Tsuna attacked, hoping to cause enough damage to escape. V1's fist met his hidden blade. It pushed through the blade, the gloves, his hand, and his forearm.

The pain was overwhelming, but he refused to give up. He slipped between V1's legs and bolted for the door. If he could just get out, maybe he'd find a way to outrun it.

Tsuna knocked the ornate door off its hinges. If he got a little further away, he could escape Death. V1 had other plans. A single shotgun blast tore off Tsuna's leg. His body grew cold.

No, he couldn't let it end like this. Somehow, he had to survive.

He threw a nearby rock at V1. It bounced off without leaving a scratch. He threw a foot wiper to less effect, then tried a nearby stuffed Teddy bear. V1 paused a moment as if to ask what that was supposed to accomplish, then aimed its gun at Tsuna's eyes. A bright light flashed.

3

u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

CHING! CHING! CHING!

Anderson is losing his weapons left and right. He can barely defend himself. That robot is too powerful. I've got to help him! But how?

Vasher slammed into the robot. The impact spared Anderson from a single assault, making Fugate its target instead. Vasher quickly jumped back before V1 could take his head.

The shell around Dialga cracked. I could only look in fear as it broke free. A sinister orange energy coursed over its body. Its primal roar sent shivers down my spine.

The energy attack came so fast. It took everything I had to jump away. I can't feel my right hand anymore. My flesh fell off it like autumn leaves, my bones blew away like dust. I'm going to die.

I cried out in pain. Blood poured out of my wrist. My hand, free from the rest of my flesh, fell to the ground and disintegrated. Anderson's bayonet, covered in my blood, embedded itself into a wall.

Saving me cost him his life. The robot blew a hole in his head.

Dialga attacked me again. Too weak, all I could do was throw my arms up to try to protect my head. A bright light flashed-

Tsuna shot up, hands clutching his aching head. He was back in his bed, in one piece.

Reborn sighed, resting his green baseball bat on his shoulder. “I suppose it's a start.”

Tsuna simply stared at him in confusion.

“You sensed my attack and sacrificed your arms to block it. It would have been beyond easy to kill you on a follow-up. The Boss has to be better.”

Tsuna couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. What was that dream trying to tell him? The details were already slipping from his mind.

“They said 'stjäla själar,' we heard 'sälja själar.' It was a simple translation mistake-”

Tsuna plugged his ears.

“YOU CALL THIS A BLOODY TRANSLATION MISTAKE?!? THANKS TO THAT TRANSLATION MISTAKE, I-”

The priest's description ticked off Anderson so much that he slammed his fist into the table. Tsuna quickly ducked before a coffee mug could hit him.

He stared at the coffee seeping down the wall. The rest of the world faded into obscurity. How did he do that? How could he have known? The bubbling shapes failed to give him an answer.

Vasher emerged from his room.

“You're a sword,” Tsuna whispered. He wasn't even sure why he said it.

“You're a sword,” Vasher sighed. “Your days are spent in a sheath, asking me to kill people, and occasionally smacking people. Of course they all feel the same.”

“You keep that demonic sword out of my head!” Anderson said.

Vasher's sword. Somehow it was alive and could speak. What would it be like? Anderson hated it, but he also seemed to respect it. Something strange was drawing him towards it. If he touched it, maybe he could figure out what was wrong.

Before he could do anything, Reborn pushed him out the door.

“What are we..?”

“You've got to pay attention if you're to become the next Vongola boss,” Reborn said. “Your Family will recon the next target while you get some much-needed combat training.”

Combat training? Tsuna freely admitted he needed it, but who could provide it?

“Tsuna!” Tommy Oliver shouted. “Oh no, they got you too. I'm sorry man. Are you hurt?”

“I'm alright.”

“You should have come to karate class when I offered. A few lessons and you could have defended yourself.” He showed off his skills with a backflip and spinning jump kick.

The fear of a trap had prevented Tsuna from accepting Tommy's offer before. Now, he saw how foolish he'd been.

“Well, no time like the present. I'm on my way to the dojo now. Join me.”

“That sounds-”

“No thanks,” Reborn said. “Karate is simply too weak for the future boss. He needs a fighting style he can easily kill with.”

“Really? Well, good luck with that I guess.”

Reborn pushed him away. It felt wrong. Tsuna wanted to object, to try to forge the friendship Tommy always offered, but he also felt that Reborn wouldn't hear any objections.

Reborn brought him to a grocery store. More specifically, the plump shopkeeper eating a bowl of instant ramen. Tsuna was about to question his credentials, but something told him this man was more dangerous than he seemed. That he would be an incredible teacher.

“How's the wife and kid?” Reborn asked.

Sakamoto spoke no words but told an incredible story of pride.

“Glad to hear it,” Reborn said. “This is Tsuna. He's the future Vongola boss. I need you to whip him into shape.”

His unspoken response called many things into question. Mostly about whether he was the right man for the job.

“I know you're retired. I'm not asking you to kill again, just teach. You owe the Big Boss for keeping you on the 'Do-Not-Touch' list. Think of it as a little exercise.”

Sakamoto downed his noodles in a gulp and walked away with Tsuna close by. The alley felt like an odd place for them to train, but Tsuna quickly realized that there wasn't anything valuable there. Sakamoto stood idly by, snacking on yet more ramen.

“Umm, thank you for teaching me,” Tsuna bowed.

He accepted Sakamoto's unspoken offer and attacked. Amid his strike, he sensed that it would end in complete failure. So he changed tactics, jumping back. Sakamoto's slap hit nothing but air.

The storekeeper raised an eyebrow. He silently praised Tsuna for not overcommitting but told him that a simple retreat would not win a battle. Tsuna nodded and prepared for his next strike.

It dawned on him just how bizarre this situation was. How was he understanding Sakamoto? The man hadn't spoken a single word.

Sunset came before he knew it.

Tsuna rolled around to avoid bubble gum bullets. Sakamoto's goal wasn't to hit but simply to prevent Tsuna from getting close enough to attack. He'd already gone through an entire bag of peanuts without leaving an opening.

Tsuna spotted a few pieces of trash that could help him turn this around: a badly frayed bungee cord, an empty wine bottle, and a broken broom handle. Of the many things Tsuna learned today, one lesson stood out. Anything could be a weapon. Sakamoto's gum wads became a passable cork, the broom a passable handle. Trash became an improvised flail.

Sakamoto proved too skilled. He caught the bottle mid-strike and held it too tightly for Tsuna to pull back. Tsuna's efforts blew up in his face when a single bottlecap sliced the bungee cord.

“I think that's enough for today,” Reborn said.”What's the verdict?”

With a single look, Sakamoto told them that Tsuna's instincts were on par with the Boss' but he needed more training to polish his skills. Tsuna thanked him and headed off.

3

u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

“Umm…” Tsuna started to ask.

“Some devil worshipper in a silly costume,” Anderson said. He and Vasher looked like they'd been through a horror show gauntlet. “Don't ask.”

Tsuna felt like he should but kept his tongue.

Vasher brought a few blueprints to life so they could hang themselves on a wall.

“It's built around a central garden. Fortified underground vault, several escape passages we've already rigged to prevent any escape. You still sure you want to come?”

“Yes,” Tsuna replied without hesitation. “I have to do this.”

“Head straight to the vault-”

“I'm not going to run and hide away. I've been doing that my entire life.”

Vasher and Anderson shot each other a look of concern, but the look on Tsuna's face made them relent. He was more serious about this than he'd ever been.

In no time, they tore their way through the feeble defenses at the entrance. Anderson was a beast. All Tsuna could contribute was smashing a vase over one cultist's head.

Inside the courtyard, a dozen cultists guarded an altar. Fugate stood next to a bubble with Dialga trapped inside. He turned to face them, eyes hidden beneath a pair of glasses with clock hands on them.

“You're not who I was expecting.”

Anderson drew his bayonets, Vasher his sword, but before any of them could fight, a large bat-shaped shadow draped over the courtyard.

“Not you again!” Vasher and Anderson cried.

“Clock King, you corrupt chronographer, your twisted game has just run out of time!”

“Batman, right on time. Shame you and your friends arrived too late to stop me.”

The cultist guards fired at everyone. Tsuna dove behind a tree. Something was off. Anderson and Vasher said that they were attacked by this Batman, but they were all enemies of the cult. What went wrong with their earlier meeting?

His allies had already made quick work of the guards. As the last one fell, a barrage of weapons flew towards Fugate, only to fall short to an invisible barrier. They didn't let that deter them, opting instead to hit it until it fell.

“I did not account for these new allies,” Fugate said. “Perhaps I need some of my own. Luckily, history repeats itself!”

Dark energy tendrils swirled around his staff and lashed out. Tsuna avoided the first two attempts to catch him. The third slithered around his brain. When he opened his eyes, he saw a shadow copy of Sakamoto standing before him. In fact, there were shadow foes in front of everyone.

Sakamoto struck immediately. It quickly became apparent that he was not holding back. Each strike carried unbelievable force, shaking Tsuna's very bones. All that training proved worthless. In four short moves, Sakamoto had Tsuna pinned to the ground with a chopstick heading toward his neck.

BANG!

“I can't let even a fake Sakamoto kill someone,” Reborn said. “The missus might divorce him.”

The bullet tore into Tsuna's head. Everything went dark.

Damn it. I know I could have won.

That thought grew stronger and stronger as everything else faded away until it burst out as a raging fire.

“I'm going to win if it kills me!”

Everything seemed to click into place. His moves seemed faster, Sakamoto's slower. He knew Sakamoto would punch before his arm even started to move, knew the kick was a feint. It was like he was living a fight he'd seen a hundred times before.

Or more accurately, half a fight. Tsuna was still hitting a brick wall when trying to attack. His training focused far more on defending than attacking, with Sakamoto on offense for most of the day.

Sakamoto's attacks. Tsuna realized that he did know how to fight.

He dove beneath a kick and threw a nearby trowel. Sakamoto easily jumped over it, but it found its true target. It slammed into a winged dog statue, knocking it off its pedestal. Tsuna waited until it rolled just close enough, then struck. Sakamoto jumped back to avoid it, landing right on the statue. His loss of balance gave Tsuna just enough time for a stab. The shadow evaporated.

Before Tsuna could attack anyone else, a new foe entered, wearing some kind of black armor, and tried to kick out his legs. Tsuna avoided that but fell to a spinning jump kick.

“Tommy? What happened to you?” Tsuna asked, recognizing the style.

He answered with a flurry of strikes. Tsuna slapped each away, amazed that Sakamoto's training had sunk in that much. He struck back, matching Tommy blow for blow, kick for kick.

Just as he was getting comfortable, a new challenger arrived. A robot jumped over the mansion walls and fired upon Anderson, claiming a shadow vampire as collateral damage.

“What the hell is that?!?”

Anderson and Vasher tried to attack it, but V1 killed them with a single move. Tsuna was so shocked he didn't even notice Tommy take off. Tsuna threw the dog statue, deflecting V1's aim to Fugate's staff instead.

He wanted to run, but something told him he'd never escape alive. It'd be better to try and fight this thing. He leaped across the walls, narrowly avoiding a hailstorm of bullets and responding with whatever random object happened to be nearby. None of them amounted to anything that wouldn't buff out. V1's accuracy improved, blasting off Tsuna's leg.

Before the next shot could come, Batman jumped on V1's back. It thrashed around trying to get him off.

Cracks formed on Fugate's staff. Suddenly, Tommy jumped in front of it and blasted the staff with even more energy. The cracks spread further and further.

“Fugate!” Batman yelled. “Drop the staff! Run! The temporal energy is about to blow!”

“I can't! Not while the ritual is ongoing!”

It now made sense. The weird feelings Tsuna had all day, his surprising competency during training, and the way he knew what was about to happen. Every time he felt like something was wrong, it was. It seemed crazy but what other option could it be? There wasn't much time left. He desperately crawled toward the unsheathed Nightblood.

Just before he could touch it, V1 shot his right hand off. The pain was unbearable. It became harder and harder to focus. His vision failed him. The darkness seemed so inviting, but Tsuna kept crawling. Had to reach it, no matter what. It was the only way to win.

“Nightblood!” he yelled when he finally took hold of the sword. He could feel it drain what little remained of his life. “Next time you see me, tell me to trust my instincts!”

A bright light flashed.

3

u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

So weak, so cold. I can't see anymore. Must grab it. I have to grab it!

Tsuna shot up. What was that dream? It was so vivid, so real. He looked at his right hand, afraid he no longer had one, only to find it clutching a green baseball bat.

“I suppose it's a start,” Reborn said. “You caught my attack, but you would have lost your hand if that was a sword. It would have been beyond easy to kill you. The Boss has to be better.”

“R-right,” Tsuna stuttered. The dream was already fading from his memory, despite his best attempts at preserving it.

“They said 'stjäla själar,' we heard 'sälja själar.' It was a simple translation mistake-”

Tsuna plugged his ears.

“YOU CALL THIS A BLOODY TRANSLATION MISTAKE?!? THANKS TO THAT TRANSLATION MISTAKE, I-”

The poor table felt Anderson's wrath. A coffee mug flew towards Tsuna. Tsuna snatched it out of the air, arcing it around so no drop stained the wall or rug.

“Good catch lad,” Anderson said.

Tsuna just blinked in surprise. He kept an ear towards Anderson's conversation, but most of his attention was on the cup in his hands. How did he just do that? He was never that good.

As Anderson's conversation wrapped up, Vasher joined them.

“You're a sword,” Tsuna whispered.

“You're a sword,” Vasher sighed. “I'm sorry if it ever feels like I'm ignoring or disregarding your advice, but there are just some things you don't understand well.”

Before Tsuna could process that, Vasher looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “Tsuna, Nightblood is saying that you need to trust your instincts.”

That statement broke Tsuna's brain. Why was Vasher's sword talking to him?

Reborn's firm grip pushed him towards the door, out towards the world. Nightblood's message echoed across his mind.

“Hold on a minute!” Tsuna yelled. “Something's wrong. I feel like if I walk out that door now, we're all going to die.”

His Family stopped crouching over a city map to look worriedly at Tsuna. "What's on your mind lad?"

“Everything! Like, what are we going to do if that Jashin monster shows up again?”

Anderson chuckled and tossed a piece of paper to Tsuna. “The beastie caught me unprepared last time. I've got a bunch of these ready in case any demon tries to rear its ugly head.”

Nehemiah 13:19? Tsuna shook away the confusion. “Ok, but shouldn't we deal with this cult now instead of giving them more time to hurt people?”

“Not that easy,” Vasher said. “Drug cooks like Heisenberg use dangerous chemicals, which if mixed accidentally could wind up nuking the town. We've got to prep before we attack.”

“Meaning?”

“Get blueprints from city hall, seal any escape routes, spy on it until we locate the drugs, stuff like that.”

“Meanwhile we get you some combat training,” Reborn added.

“Ok,” Tsuna nodded, “but I wa-need to do more. Maybe I could find the drugs? Get into the mansion as a kid who lost his frisbee and get a quick look around. I'm used to being disregarded, so maybe they wouldn't suspect anything?”

“Risky and stupid,” everyone commented.

“Plus that'd mean you'd get only a couple hours of training,” Reborn added. "That won't be much help.”

“A single day won't make a spectacular difference either.”

Reborn scratched his head as if trying to decide how to gently deny his request, but all of Tsuna's instincts told him this was the right move.

“Reborn, am I to be the boss or not?”

“You are.”

“Then this is what I wa-will do.”

“Ok.”

Vasher and Anderson looked at each other. “Alright lad, we'll figure out some use for you.”

That newfound confidence shook him. He'd never been bold enough to stand up for his feelings like that. Where did it come from? It couldn't all have been Nightblood's encouragement.

“Tsuna!”

Tommy Oliver's voice broke through his confusion.

“Oh no, they got you too. I'm sorry man. Are you hurt?”

As he looked at the genuine concern on Tommy's face, Tsuna realized how foolish he'd been. Years wasted alone when he could have had a true friend. No more.

“Tommy! I'm sorry I pushed you away!”

“Woah, raise your head. No need to apologize, I get it. The popular kid takes an interest in …” Tommy trailed off. “You probably felt like it was an elaborate prank or something. I'm not upset, just sad. If not for that, maybe I could have helped you defend your soul.”

“Is that offer still open?” Tsuna asked.

Tommy smiled. “Of course man. I'm on my way to the dojo right now. Join me.”

“No thanks,” Reborn said. “Karate is simply too weak for the future boss. He needs a fighting style he can easily kill with.”

“Really? Well, good luck with that.”

As Tommy turned around, Tsuna's hope turned into despair. Like he was about to lose a friend again.

“No, I want to go with Tommy.”

Reborn sighed. “Building proper technique off nothing is easier than expanding a poor foundation. This is for the best.”

“Am I to be the boss or not?”

“You are.”

“Is there some rule that says I'm not permitted to choose my teachers?”

“Everything is permitted,” Reborn admitted.

“Then I'm going with Tommy,” Tsuna declared.

Tsuna was expecting a classic dojo with wooden floors, some wall scrolls with flowers, and maybe a koi fish pond, but such a pristine location would be out of place with Silent Hill's gloomy atmosphere. Instead, he got a run-down YMCA with a fungus forest in the pool.

“It's a dump,” Tommy said, “but don't let looks fool you.”

A lesson Tsuna should have learned by now.

“LOSER ALERT!”

Tsuna shivered, recognizing Johnny Lawrence, one of the biggest assholes in his school. “Come to watch some real men in action or are you so deluded as to think you've got a future in karate?”

“Back off,” Tommy intervened. “At least he has a future. Guys like him end up running a successful car dealership, while guys like you peak in high school and drink away their lives working as shitty home contractors.”

“It is on. Been waiting to knock that smirk off your face.”

The two traded blows in a dazzling display of martial arts. Punch, kick, spin. Tommy's grace against Johnny's power. Each move met and countered, like a well-choreographed dance. The dance ended with a crane kick that knocked Johnny through a bench.

Suddenly, a black energy field surrounded Tommy. Tsuna and a few others tried to get him out but the field repelled them.

“GRRRR-OOOOOOO!”

That mysterious roar sent shivers down Tsuna's spine. Tommy pounded uselessly against the walls of his cell. A new wave of energy flowed into Tommy, infusing him with its primal essence. A black, spandex-like suit of armor began to form around him.

“Lo-Lord Di-Dialga,” Tommy groaned.

Tsuna continued to pound against the field even as his hand started to burn. He refused to let his new friend be taken away. A few others tried to bash the barrier down, while the rest fled in terror.

An energy rupture blasted everyone away. Tears ran down Tsuna's face as he realized just how powerless he was against this monster. He couldn't stop it alone.

Reborn's words flashed through his mind, saying to rely on his Family. He wasn't in this alone. Anderson was here with him. Tsuna threw his gift and hoped one Family member could save another.

A brilliant white light erupted when they collided. It warmed Tsuna's cold body, almost like he had his soul back. So bright, yet not blinding. A massive golden cross formed upon the field.

“GRRRRRRRRR-OOOO!”

The energy field struggled to hold together under the cross. Tommy's suit flashed between black and white like a disco party. The sheer stress of the opposing forces blew up. When the dust settled, the cross stood victorious over a white armored Tommy.

Tsuna hugged him with tears of joy, quickly joined by everyone who remained in the dojo. Everyone save Johnny, who scoffed at the notion of men hugging each other.

“GRRR-OOOOOOOOO!”

The energy field reappeared, this time around Johnny. Tsuna searched in vain for another bible verse. With Tommy drained from his ordeal, there was no way they could prevent Johnny's abduction.

“Johnny,” Tommy moaned before he fell unconscious.

2

u/Kyraryc Jun 16 '23

“The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.”

Anderson offered this prayer over Tommy. “The lad just needs some rest, then he'll be fit as a fiddle.”

Tsuna let out a sigh of relief. “Are we ready for the attack?”

Vasher laid out the blueprints. “First thing we've got to do is seal off some sewer escape routes.”

“Great, a few charges, and then we go.”

“Explosives in a methane-filled sewer?” Vasher said. “No, we'll have to be a bit more careful.”

He handed Tsuna a sledgehammer.

It felt surreal, that the most constructive thing Tsuna could do was destruction. Even more that they trusted him to do it right. He was torn, excited over the trust and terrified that he'd betray it. Anderson's comforting hand on his shoulder swept away all that fear.

Before they could enter the sewers, a large bat-shaped shadow draped over them.

“Release the kid you perfidious priest!”

Batman stood on top of a nearby building, weapons in hand.

“Perfidious?” Anderson scathed. He drew his weapons. “A devil worshipper dares to question my faith?”

“Kid,” Batman said, “you need to run. Those two are dangerous.”

“I'll show you dangerous!” Anderson yelled. He stepped forth to challenge the dark knight. “When I'm done even a Protestant whore wouldn't touch you!”

Tsuna just blinked in confusion. Something was wrong here. He had the strangest sense that Batman wasn't an enemy. Without thinking, he threw himself between them.

“Kid, run! His weapons match those used in a massacre a couple of days ago, and his partner's gear is packed full of Breaths stolen from people just like you! They're likely with Clock King or some other crazed cult!”

“Anderson, please stand down. Right hand-” Tsuna shivered as he spoke. The strangest sense of xenomelia washed over him. He half expected his hand to be gone. “Right hand up to God, I don't think he's our enemy. Please, just try.”

Anderson stared at him with a holy fire in his eyes but Tsuna refused to back down.

“Alright lad, we'll see if you owe the Lord a hand.”

Tsuna gulped, then turned to Batman. “These two saved me from Hidan's cult. I trust them with my life.”

Batman joined them on ground level. His eyes narrowed despite being part of a costume.

“I swear before the Lord God Almighty that I serve only the Pope and the Church.”

“Let's just say I stole the Breaths from another thief and I'm trying to make the best of them.”

Tsuna's mind was racing, trying to figure out how to convince the kind of man who runs around in a bat suit that he wasn't crazy. The more Tsuna stared into the mask, the more he felt Batman stare into his lack of soul.

“Have we met before?” Batman asked.

He never saw him before in his life, but then what would explain these weird feelings? “I don't know.”

“I'm here on the trail of a dangerous criminal from Gotham,” Batman said after a few seconds of unnerving silence. “Temple Fugate, alias Clock King. I know he's here in Silent Hill but I'm not sure where.”

Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief. “We're after him too. He's hiding in Pleasant River with Heisenberg.”

“Heisenberg?”Batman asked.

“Yeah, he's a-”

"Meth cook, one of the best. But he operates in New Mexico and ships internationally."

Vasher raised an eyebrow towards Anderson.

“I'm going to have a long chat with the Vatican's intelligence units after this,” Anderson growled.

Without the chemical concerns, Tsuna insisted they attack right away. He felt like disaster would strike if they waited until nightfall.

Batman's plane dropped them right on top of the mansion's walls. He dramatically spread his cape to catch the afternoon's sun and cast a large shadow on the courtyard.

“Clock King, you corrupt chronographer, your twisted game has just run out of time!”

“Batman,” Fugate growled. He stood by the altar with Dialga trapped in a bubble. “You're here about eight hours sooner than I expected.”

A dozen cultists with guns proved little more than a minor inconvenience against so many skilled fighters. Within a minute, they had him surrounded, his barrier struggling to hold them back.

“I did not account for these new allies. Perhaps I need some of my own. Luckily, history repeats itself!”

Dark energy snaked out of his staff and bit everyone. When Tsuna opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a shadowy doppelgänger of Hidan, the monster who stole his soul. Not just him, everyone had a monster in their path. Everyone save Tommy, who walked on unafraid.

“The temporal energy should have summoned your greatest enemy,” Fugate said, shaking in disbelief. “They assured me it would work!”

“I'm a bit new to the superpowered scene,” Tommy said. “Haven’t made enemies. It's morphing time!”

He struck a kung-fu pose and summoned his white armor. His flying kick was thrown off course by the arrival of Johnny Lawrence, wearing a black suit similar to Tommy's.

“You won't stop my master's destiny!” Johnny yelled.

“Snap out of it!” Tommy yelled. They fought with renewed vigor, a more ferocious battle than before.

Tsuna had his own battle to fight. He couldn't afford to worry about others. Hidan's eyes were just as twisted as Tsuna remembered, but Tsuna was no longer afraid. It felt as though he'd stared down a rhino and now wasn't afraid of a buffalo.

Duck, sidestep, slap. Somehow he was avoiding Hidan's strikes like he was a professional dodgeball player, always keeping a respectable distance between them. It wasn't even by conscious thought, just pure instincts. Those same instincts told him to wait for his moment rather than trying to force it.

That moment came when Hidan threw his scythe. The attached wire would come as a nasty surprise to any newcomers, but Tsuna only saw how overconfident it made Hidan. He grabbed the scythe out of the air and in the moment the wire snapped taut, Tsuna's hidden blade cut clean through it, whipping Hidan in his face. By the time Hidan had recovered, Tsuna closed the distance and tackled him to the ground. Stunned, Hidan was helpless to prevent the blade from piercing his heart.

He looked around at each of the fights, paralyzed by indecision. None of them felt like the right move. His attention turned to Fugate, still standing by the altar. The staff was the answer.

He crept around behind Fugate, thankful for once that people tended to ignore him. The barrier sparked beneath his touch. It fended off a dozen attacks, but Fugate wasn't having any trouble breathing. If air could get in, then perhaps...

His hand slipped through the barrier, slowly followed by the rest of his body. Once inside, Tsuna ran up the stairs. Fugate noticed him a moment too late. A single punch knocked him out.

“NO!” Johnny yelled. He struggled against Tommy's headlock. “Lord Dialga must go primal!”

Tsuna wrestled the staff out of Fugate's hand. Energy coursed through his veins like lightning.

“GRRRRRRRR-OOO!”

Dialga spoke to him. It offered power, enough power to turn back the hands of time and prevent any of this from happening. What better way to save Kyoko than to stop Hidan from stealing her soul in the first place?

Power to rule Silent Hill. Reborn did say he was to become the boss. His hometown could become his first domain.

Power to get revenge on all the jerks like Johnny Lawrence.

Revenge? That wasn't Tsuna. It was this staff, it was corrupting him. With all his might, Tsuna snapped the staff in half.

The stolen energy erupted, and his eyes were opened. He could see every timeline, every dream, every death flashing through his mind like a movie on quadruple speed.

“Death is coming.”