The sky was an inky black, with the moon hanging above, casting its glow over the landscape.
The atmosphere seemed peaceful with the gentle breeze breezing through the remnants of a once-vibrant grassland that was now scorched.
The students gathered around Kaede with their eyes filled with concern.
"..."
Korosensei stood in silence, his gaze fixed on Kaede. Her complexion was slowly improving, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
He had made a promise to her sister—to protect everyone in Class E, Kaede included.
Korosensei felt a wave of relief wash over him, not just because he had managed to keep his promise to Kaede's elder sister, Aguri Yukimura, but because he had done so without sacrificing his own heart.
The thought of having his heart destroyed to protect the students would have accelerated the countdown within his body, something he was grateful to have avoided.
"It's all thanks to him..."
Korosensei's gaze shifted to Tsuna, who was surrounded by concerned students, with Rio and Hinano seemingly kept on bickering on the side.
His thoughts raced back to the strange phenomenon from earlier when the gravity had inexplicably doubled.
Gravity Bender!
The term echoed in his mind, resonating with the bizarre event he had witnessed.
Korosensei realized that none of the other students seemed to grasp what had truly happened a while ago. Making him realized the change in gravity didn't affect them as he silently pondered Tsuna's abilities, "Does that mean he can control the range?"
Such power was certainly something unheard of, and Korosensei understood why Tsuna would minimize the range—to keep it hidden!
If knowledge of this ability went public, it would undoubtedly put Tsuna in grave danger.
But the fact that Tsuna had revealed it to him and Kaede brought a sly smile to Korosensei's lips, "Kekeke... I have something on him now..."
Perhaps...
He could even leverage this for a discount on Tsuna's restaurant.
"What the hell is with that smirk..."
Tsuna shuddered slightly, catching sight of Korosensei's mischievous grin directed at him.
He shook his head, trying to refocus on the pain coursing through his body—pain that was, without a doubt, the worst he had ever felt in this life.
Was it because this body was still young, with pain receptors fresh and sensitive?
Or was it simply the result of the brutal crash he had endured?
The ground where he crashed was grazed and looked as if it was being drilled with sharp indentations.
It was clear evidence of the violent crash that had just occurred.
Despite the chaotic landing, Tsuna had managed to adjust his position at the last moment, absorbing some of the impact, which allowed him to keep his mobility intact.
"Even with that, it still hurt this much?" he muttered, wincing at the persistent pain.
The thought made him uneasy, and a resolve began to form within him.
He needed to train even harder!
"Kaede-chan!"
A relieved exclamation snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Kaede stirring, her eyelashes fluttering as she slowly regained consciousness.
The dried foamy drool on her lips made her look pitiful.
She blinked, her eyes unfocused and confused as she looked around.
"T-this... whe-where am I?" she mumbled, her voice weak and disoriented.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances before turning their collective blame toward Tsuna.
It was clear what they meant.
They thought it was his fault that Kaede seemed a bit lost in her thoughts!
Tsuna scratched his head awkwardly and mumbled, "Fine, it might be my fault..."
"Hmm... I see..."
Karma was scribbling notes on the side, his voice dripping with enlightenment as he muttered, "Just ignore the blame, act like you did nothing wrong..."
"..."
Overhearing Karma's remark, Tsuna shot him a sidelong glance and wondered, "Should I smack this kid in the head?"
"Kaede, you were consumed by the tentacles, remember?" Nagisa gently reminded her.
Kaede's eyes, which had been unfocused, slowly regained their clarity as the memories started coming back to her.
She looked down, a wave of shame washing over her as she recalled the events.
But then, as Kaede remembered how she had been defeated, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, and she lowered her gaze even further.
"..."
Irina watched Kaede with a look of empathy, fully understanding the embarrassment and humiliation she must have felt.
"Hmph!"
Then, her gaze shifted to Tsuna, sharp and accusing.
The rest of the students followed suit, casting side-eyed glances in his direction.
But this time, Tsuna didn't shy away. His expression was as cold as stone, clearly conveying the message: I did nothing wrong!
The unwavering defiance on his face left everyone slightly speechless.
Karma's eyes widened at this and couldn't resist his chuckles that echoed. He immediately jotted down in his notebook, "Be a pervert..."
Tsuna almost broke character at that absurd comment. His frown deepened as he shot Karma a look, thinking, "This kid... I should probably guide him thoroughly..."
How dare he make fun of a man of culture by comparing him to a pervert!
A man of culture wasn't a pervert, but a man full of worldly wisdom!
However, Tsuna knew it wasn't time to educate this ignorant little lamb as he stood still as Kaede slowly opened up her mouth.
"It was pure bloodlust at first..."
Kaede's voice was barely a whisper, yet it made everyone fall silent. Her eyes held a mix of regret and confusion as memories of her time in Class E flashed through her mind, "But as I spent time with Korosensei... and with all of you..."
Her voice wavered, and she clenched her fists, feeling the tightness in her chest as she continued, "I started to lose my conviction."
"I began to wonder if there was another side to the story I never knew..."
Kaede's vulnerability was laid bare, her expression a twisted mess of emotions as she admitted.
These thoughts had haunted her, gnawing at her resolve, creating an internal conflict that now showed in her every word and expression.
Everyone listened in silence, their hearts heavy.
They could only imagine the turmoil she had endured and the depth of the emotions that had led her to this moment.
"I truly wanted to kill him, but maybe... just maybe... I should have listened to his side of the story first?"
Kaede's voice trembled, and she placed a hand on the back of her neck, her fingers trembling as she muttered softly, "But it seems like I slowly lost control of these tentacles I stole when I found my sister... I don't even remember when it started, but my bloodlust slowly resurfaced... even stronger than before."
She let out a heavy sigh, her smile tinged with self-deprecation as she continued, "Sigh... I'm truly dumb, aren't I? While everyone else was enjoying the thrill of the assassination, I was consumed by my old revenge..."
Her voice carried the weight of regret as she reflected on her actions, feeling like the most foolish person for acting on selfish impulses and hurting others in the process.
"Kayano..."
Nagisa's cheerful voice broke through the suffocating tension, drawing everyone's attention to him.
He smiled warmly, showcasing his hair tied with a rubber band, "You know, once you taught me this hairstyle, I stopped fretting over my long hair."
Seeing Nagisa's "talk no jutsu" in action, Tsuna couldn't help but feel a hint of amusement.
"He's got Naruto's spirit in him," he thought, shaking his head with a small smile.
Deciding to stay out of the emotional moment, he quietly made his way over to the massive rock where his weight buckle lay. He picked it up and strapped it on again, feeling the familiar pressure settle over him.
The rest of the class was too absorbed in Nagisa's heartfelt words to notice Tsuna's movements.
Nagisa's speech seemed to resonate deeply, with every word adding more weight and power to his message. Kaede, who had been lost in her own turmoil, slowly began to regain her composure, her eyes clearing as she listened.
Tsuna chuckled softly, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction. "Finally..."
[Mission Completed!]
[Congratulations! Your assistance has given Korosensei the perfect opportunity to remove Kaede's tentacles!]
[Claim your reward? Y/N]
"Now, I'm curious about what clue you will give me..."