"What... what is going on!?"
The strange scene unfolding around him caused Tsuna's expression to shift drastically, his mouth trembling in shock.
Meanwhile, Reborn, who had been passively observing from the sidelines, suddenly had a spark in his eyes. He asked curiously:
"Possession bullet!?"
"Wasn't this special bullet last seen with the Estraneo family? Didn't it vanish with their destruction?"
"How did it end up in your hands?"
Upon hearing Reborn's question, Takeshi—who was now possessed by the spirit of Mukuro—smirked and replied:
"As expected of the Arcobaleno, you sure know your stuff."
"As for how I got my hands on a possession bullet..."
Takeshi's smirk widened into a sinister grin.
"Naturally, it's because..."
"This possession bullet was specially made for me by the Estraneo family!!!"
"Huh?" Reborn's brows furrowed instantly.
From what he knew, the possession bullet allowed the one who was shot to take over another's body through a certain medium. It was an overwhelmingly powerful and domineering weapon.
But such power came with heavy restrictions.
The user needed an extraordinary level of mental fortitude, or it would have catastrophic consequences for both parties involved.
When the Estraneo family first introduced the concept of the possession bullet, it caused a massive stir in the mafia underworld, attracting investments and interest from many influential figures.
But this sudden rise to power led to the downfall of the Estraneo family.
To prevent their leaders and members from being taken over without warning, the mafia world condemned this bullet as a violation of humanity and...
Carried out a brutal extermination of every member of the Estraneo family!
The event sent shockwaves through the entire underworld at the time.
Even so, Reborn hadn't expected...
That this forbidden weapon, long erased from the mafia world, would resurface—custom-made for a single person!
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Reborn's mind.
His gaze locked onto the trident in Takeshi's hand, which was just slightly longer than a regular trident.
"That trident... seems to be your medium for the possession bullet."
"Kufufu..." Takeshi let out a dark chuckle.
"What sharp insight."
He lifted the trident in his hand, speaking with the exaggerated arrogance of a villain about to succeed:
"That's right."
"This weapon is embedded with a special material. Any creature struck by it becomes my possession!!!"
"So..."
Takeshi, along with the five others he had possessed, grinned wickedly in unison:
"Come out, Murkrow!!!"
Whoosh!
A red light suddenly flashed.
A Pokéball opened next to the unconscious Mukuro body, and in the next moment...
A black crow with feathers shaped like a top hat on its head appeared before them all.
"Caaw... Caaw..."
Murkrow cawed as it slowly floated toward Tsuna.
Its left eye glowed with a scarlet pupil, etched with the character for "six."
In other words, the soul controlling Murkrow at this moment belonged to Mukuro.
On the other side, seeing the familiar appearance of Murkrow, Tsuna froze, a sense of recognition striking him.
"Pokémon... a Pokémon!?"
Though Tsuna didn't fully grasp what a Pokémon was, his nights spent with Ace's companion, the dog Growlithe, made one thing clear to him...
His strict, sometimes twisted tutor Ace had summoned Growlithe in a similar manner.
Could it be...
This guy knows Ace-sensei!?
Filled with confusion, Tsuna, who had already confirmed through Reborn that Ace wasn't part of the Vongola family, found his mind racing with thoughts.
However...
Mukuro, through Murkrow, clearly didn't intend to give Tsuna much time to think.
The scarlet numbers in the crow's eye shifted rapidly.
The second of the Six Paths of Reincarnation—The Path of the Hungry Ghost!
In this state, Mukuro could fully harness the powers of the creature he had possessed, wielding all of its abilities as if they were his own!
This meant...
In the Hungry Ghost state, Murkrow could utilize Pokémon abilities, just like a real Pokémo!!
Flying-type move—Rising Wind!
Whoosh~
Murkrow flapped its wings, unleashing a violent gust that swept toward Tsuna and Reborn.
Although Murkrow's level wasn't particularly high, for Tsuna, who still relied on the Dying Will bullet, it was an overwhelming force!
As the fierce wind tore through the air, Reborn casually took off his jacket, using it like a parachute as he floated gracefully in the wind.
Tsuna, however, was far less composed.
The strong gust knocked him off balance, sending him stumbling backward.
And at that very moment...
A glint of silver sliced through the air!
Using the dust stirred by the wind as cover, Mukuro, controlling Takeshi's body, launched a sudden attack toward Tsuna's side.
The trident, embedded with that special material, flashed forward, aiming for Tsuna's abdomen with lightning speed.
At the same time, Takeshi's mouth curled into a smile as he taunted:
"Don't worry."
"When I take over your body, I'll lead the Vongola to become the greatest mafia family, and then..."
"In the name of Vongola, I'll declare war and wipe out every last mafia group!!!"
"What!?"
Tsuna's pupils widened in shock as Takeshi's demonic words echoed in his ears.
The trident drew closer and closer to his body, but just as it was about to strike, Tsuna's instincts, honed from relentless training, kicked in!
A sudden twist at Tsuna's waist sent his body falling to the side, carried by the force of inertia.
At the same time, his one grounded leg pressed with all its strength!
Screech!
The trident shot forward along its trajectory, but it pierced only empty air.
By then, Tsuna had already moved far beyond Takeshi's reach.
"Oh?"
A look of surprise flashed across Takeshi's face, still under the control of Mukuro.
He hadn't expected Tsuna to dodge his attack so swiftly.
Tsuna, who had narrowly avoided being possessed, stumbled backward and patted his chest, heart still racing.
"Whew, that was close…"
Thanks to all the times he'd been chased and scorched by Growlithe's fire, he had developed a decent ability to dodge.
Who would have thought that the training he'd grumbled about endlessly would actually save his life when it counted?
But this wasn't the time to relax.
Raising his head, Tsuna cast a cautious glance toward Takeshi, then turned to Hayato.
These were the people he trusted most, yet now their bodies had been taken over, controlled by the sinister Mukuro.
If he couldn't save them, they would remain tools of Mukuro for the rest of their lives.
And he would be next.
No!
He had to find a way to free Hayato and Takeshi!
An intense resolve suddenly surged within Tsuna's heart.
What he didn't notice was that at this moment, Leon—who had transformed into a small ball behind Reborn—suddenly glowed with a mysterious light.
Reborn, who had been silently observing, smiled slightly at the sight.
"It seems like Tsuna's about to get a serious wake-up call!"
As a tutor, Reborn immediately sensed that this was his moment to step in.
"Tsuna!" Reborn suddenly shouted.
"Huh?"
Tsuna, who had been intently watching Takeshi and the others, flinched, turning to Reborn behind him.
"What is it, Reborn?"
Reborn's expression turned serious as he pointed toward Takeshi.
"Look at Takeshi's body!"
"His body?"
Tsuna followed Reborn's direction, unsure of what to expect.
But as soon as his eyes landed on Takeshi, his face turned pale with shock.
At Reborn's prompting, Tsuna noticed a trickle of blood flowing from a wound on Takeshi's body, where he had been struck by Ken's finger gun.
Reborn continued, his tone speculative but certain:
"If my hunch is right, Mukuro ignores the pain of the bodies he possesses."
"Even if the host body is critically injured, he forces it to move."
"In other words, Mukuro is burning through Takeshi's life force right now!"
"What!?"
Tsuna stared at Takeshi in horror, but all he saw was that sinister smile—one that belonged to Mukuro.
Despite his serious injuries and the bleeding, Takeshi's body wore that twisted grin.
At that moment, Tsuna fully grasped what Reborn was saying.
"No! If this goes on, Takeshi will die!"
Panic surged through Tsuna as he looked desperately at Reborn, hoping for a solution.
But Reborn only said:
"Although their bodies are under Mukuro's control, he's only manipulating their brains from a biological standpoint."
"If we can use external force to cause a temporary shutdown of their brains, we might be able to sever Mukuro's connection."
"Force the brain to shut down?"
Tsuna echoed Reborn's suggestion, unsure.
As he looked at Takeshi, who was preparing to strike again, a thought flashed through his mind—something Ace had taught him during self-defense lessons.
Although Tsuna hadn't exactly mastered Ace's teachings, he remembered one crucial detail:
A swift chop to the side of the enemy's neck could render them unconscious.
Tsuna didn't have much confidence in his abilities...
But now?
This was a matter of life and death!
Tsuna's mind raced, but within an instant, he made up his mind.
Taking a deep breath, he focused, bringing his hands together into the shape of a knife.
This was the first time Tsuna was facing an enemy voluntarily, without being forced into action by the Dying Will Flame.
But now...
He had a reason to fight!
Even if he died...
He was determined to save Takeshi!
"Ahhh!!!"
With a loud roar, Tsuna gave himself the courage to face Takeshi, who was charging at him again, trident in hand.
At that moment, he embraced the possibility of death.
And yet...
Strangely, the more he prepared himself for death, the calmer his mind became.
Suddenly!
Time seemed to freeze.
In Tsuna's eyes, everything slowed down into a surreal state.
Takeshi's attack with the trident appeared to move in slow motion.
Then, as if in a vision, multiple images of Takeshi extended outward from his current position.
These figures were...
Predictions of what Takeshi would do next!?
An extraordinary thought surged through Tsuna's mind.
The next second, his body moved instinctively.
A spark of flame ignited on his forehead, sharpening his reflexes and enhancing his strength.
The world returns to normal.
"I did it!"
Mukuro, who was controlling Takeshi, strode forward in excitement, thrusting the trident toward Tsuna's abdomen.
After his deal with Ace, Mukuro had made a wager with him: if Mukuro could replace Tsuna, then Ace would shift his alliance from Tsuna to him.
When Mukuro asked Ace this, Ace had agreed without hesitation.
This was for two reasons.
First, Ace's main goal was to nurture powerful combatants. Who that power came from didn't matter to him.
Second, Ace believed firmly that there was no way Tsuna would lose to Mukuro.
Smack!
Just as Mukuro's excitement began to surge, Tsuna's precise hand chop struck Takeshi's neck, instantly shattering Mukuro's illusions.
In an instant, it felt as though the world had stopped.
Tsuna's look of surprise, Takeshi's shock, the subtle smile hidden under Reborn's hat, and the blank expressions on the other four, all possessed by Mukuro...
For a moment, it was like a perfect snapshot, frozen in time.
Then time resumed.
Thud.
Takeshi's unconscious body collapsed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
His trident slid forward, unexpectedly landing at Tsuna's feet.
"Takeshi-kun!"
Seeing Takeshi fall, Tsuna exhaled in relief. He quickly helped Takeshi up and carried him to a large tree, away from the heat of battle.
He then rushed back to the fight.
Tsuna had moved so quickly and decisively that those still controlled by Mukuro had barely processed what had happened before they snapped back to reality.
Clap, clap, clap...
A slow, deliberate applause echoed through the battlefield.
"Bravo! Truly spectacular!"
Mukuro, now speaking through Hayato, stepped forward to face Tsuna, taking Takeshi's place.
"I never imagined the Vongola Tenth would possess such hidden potential..."
"It seems my plan will unfold perfectly once I take over your body."
"..."
"...You'd better stop dreaming!"
Tsuna suddenly picked up the trident from the ground. His voice remained calm, but there was a newfound resolve in his eyes.
The successful battle had completely transformed Tsuna's heart.
Whoosh!
Thud!
With a swift and forceful motion, Tsuna hurled the trident. It flew straight into a nearby tree, embedding deep into its roots.
"With that, your greatest weapon against me is gone."
Tsuna slowly raised his head.
But now, he seemed like a different person.
His eyes were no longer filled with the timid hesitation of before. Instead, they were steadfast and full of compassion—like the sky, vast and all-embracing.
His voice, once shaky and unsure, now had a calm, soothing strength.
Having spoken, Tsuna became acutely aware of the changes in himself.
He looked down at his hands, slowly spreading his fingers before clenching them into fists.
"I don't know why, but suddenly..."
"My body feels so light."
Tsuna's voice was low and steady.