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"Props related to the Law of Time and Space!?"
Ace was momentarily stunned as he processed the special notification from the system.
From what he knew, law-based props were exceptionally rare, even within the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce. Such items were practically unattainable unless one had reached VIP level 6 or higher. They were the sort of prized objects that only senior members could even dream of acquiring.
With that in mind, Ace's lips curled into a grin, and a spark of excitement lit up in his eyes.
"I didn't expect to encounter a law prop so easily..."
"No wonder Sir Leo assigned me to investigate this world."
"Still, law props are categorized into different tiers. I wonder which tier this one falls under..."
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Ace shifted his gaze to Lambo, who was wielding the law prop. His curiosity grew as he eagerly anticipated its effects.
Suddenly, the sobbing Lambo jumped up and plunged headfirst into the rocket launcher he'd just pulled out.
The next moment—
'BOOM!'
The massive purple rocket launcher erupted, spewing thick clouds of smoke.
Emerging from the haze was a boy who looked slightly older than Tsuna, his appearance more mature and confident.
"Ah... Did I just get sent back in time ten years ago again?"
"Ten years?" Tsuna and the others stared blankly at the young man who had materialized out of nowhere.
Just then, Reborn, who had been perched on Ace's shoulder moments ago, suddenly appeared behind Tsuna, grinning as he explained:
"That's the Ten-Year Bazooka, a secret weapon passed down through the Bovino family for generations."
"Whoever gets hit by it will switch places with their future self from ten years later for exactly five minutes."
"What? The mafia has something that can do that!?"
Tsuna and Hayato exchanged looks of disbelief. Time travel was something they could hardly comprehend.
Even Tsuna—who barely managed to maintain a passing grade of 17.5 in his classes—understood just how impossible this was from a scientific standpoint.
Meanwhile, the Lambo from ten years later appeared completely unphased by the time swap. He nonchalantly waved at Tsuna and greeted him:
"Hey there, Young Vongola Tenth!"
"Huh? Uh..." Tsuna was momentarily taken aback but quickly offered a hesitant smile. "Uh... h-hello..."
Just then, Ace vaulted over the rooftop railing and landed smoothly beside the group, a playful smile on his face.
"Hayato, Takeshi... everyone's here, huh? Looks like Tsuna really does have some serious charisma as a mafia boss."
"H-Hey! What are you talking about, Ace-sensei!?" Tsuna sputtered, quickly shaking his head in protest. "I never agreed to become a mafia boss!"
Despite being put through daily training sessions by Ace and enduring Reborn's relentless scolding, Tsuna remained firm in his stance.
Ace merely smiled in response, not bothering to argue.
Lambo from ten years later, however, stared at Ace with growing confusion. He turned to Tsuna and asked curiously:
"Young Vongola Tenth, who's this guy?"
"Hey! Show some respect!" Hayato snapped, glaring at Lambo. "This is Master Ace! He's the tutor of our Vongola Tenth! You should address him with the proper respect!"
Hayato's newfound respect for Ace had developed after undergoing special training the day before. He could already feel changes in his body—though he didn't yet realize this was due to the power of Dying Will Flames. Regardless, Ace had proven himself worthy of Hayato's admiration.
"Master Ace? The Vongola Tenth's... tutor?"
Lambo from ten years later looked even more perplexed after hearing Hayato's explanation.
He was certain of one thing: this "Ace" didn't exist in his childhood memories.
So who exactly was this guy standing before him?
Could it be that I was too young and playful at the time to remember someone so important? Lambo pondered. But this... this was the first time I've used the Ten-Year Bazooka in front of Tsuna and the others!
Unless... does this guy somehow disappear in the future within the five-minute window of the bazooka's effect?
Countless questions swirled in Lambo's mind.
Meanwhile, Ace casually approached Lambo's Ten-Year Bazooka and gave it a light tap.
Inwardly, he commanded: "Collect."
Suddenly—
Two streams of information flashed across Ace's mind like lightning.
[Item Name: Ten-Year Bazooka]
[Origin: Not yet collected]
[Effect: When used with its specialized shells, it allows the target to switch places with their future self from ten years later for five minutes.]
[Estimated Value: 10,000 Points]
——
[Name: Ten-Year Bazooka Shells]
[Source: Not yet collected]
[Effect: ....]
[Reference Value: 1,000 Points]
---
"Ten-Year Bazookas and their corresponding shells..."
Even though Ace hailed from the world of pirates and was an investigator for the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, a look of melancholy flickered across his face as he read the descriptions of the two peculiar items.
"Such incredible power..."
After letting out a quiet sigh, Ace abruptly stood up and approached the older Lambo. With a smile, he said:
"It's not surprising that you don't recognize me. After all, we're not from the same timeline."
"This is impossible!" Lambo from ten years later suddenly interjected, his expression serious.
"The Ten-Year Bazooka's effect only swaps a person with their future self from a parallel timeline—ten years ahead in their own world. So, if you're really from this time and space, then I would certainly remember you."
Ace chuckled softly.
"Young man, don't be so sure about everything."
As he spoke, his eyes gleamed momentarily, filled with starlight. His voice took on a confident tone, rich with authority:
"Actually, ever since I arrived in this world…"
"This timeline became the primary one. Whether it's the parallel worlds that branch off from this timeline, or even the future timelines beyond, they all lose their original significance."
As Ace concluded, a subtle smile crept across his face. But within that smile, Lambo saw something far more formidable—a presence like a god or demon standing above all.
Lambo wanted to use his years of experience with the Ten-Year Bazooka to argue...
But something about Ace's smile made him believe his words.
Subconsciously, Lambo asked:
"Who are you, really?"
"Me?" Ace grinned mysteriously, shrouding himself in enigma.
"Perhaps Reborn will tell you the answer in the future."
Snap...
As Ace finished speaking, the effects of the Ten-Year Bazooka expired.
The 5-year-old Lambo, clad in his familiar cow-print outfit, reappeared—clearly not having enjoyed his trip to the future. He immediately burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Seeing the little Lambo cry, the kind-hearted Tsuna, the stern but soft-hearted Hayato, and the ever-gentle Takeshi rushed over to comfort him.
Meanwhile, Reborn, who had been standing atop the rooftop fence, cast a solemn glance at Ace.
Noticing Reborn's gaze, Ace responded with a casual grin.
The truth was...
Before Ace had ever ventured into this world, Leo had already briefed him.
This world was different from the One Piece world, which only had a single, linear timeline.
In this world, there were countless parallel dimensions, each stitched together to form a complex whole existing within the void.
To put it simply...
In the pirate world, there was also a mysterious power that dealt with the laws of time and space—an ability tied to the Time-Time Fruit.
Its user, Toki, came from over 800 years in the past, from an era predating the World Government. She had traveled through time, eventually arriving in the age of Pirate King Roger.
For 800 years, this Devil Fruit never resurfaced in the pirate world.
Yet, despite possessing such a terrifying power, Toki proved to be a hopeless romantic, fixated solely on marrying Kozuki Oden.
This led to some interesting speculation: that repeated time travel might have detrimental side effects—perhaps even a decrease in intelligence.
How else could a woman shrouded in so much mystery end up raising a fool like Momonosuke?
Momonosuke, who had the audacity to proclaim that with the help of the Straw Hats, the "Nine Red Scabbards" would overthrow the tyrant Orochi and avenge Oden.
If Leo hadn't traveled through the pirate world at a different point in time, and if he hadn't encountered Momonosuke—who had also leapt forward in time—he might have missed the chance to see what this infamous "pillar of shame," despised by billions of fans, looked like in person.
But back to the point.
From the power of the Time-Time Fruit, it was clear that the pirate world was bound to a singular timeline, one where all events unfolded.
Even after 800 years of time travel, Toki's actions only impacted this one timeline.
However...
This Hitman Reborn world operated on a completely different principle, with its myriad parallel timelines.
Take, for example, the Lambo who had just returned from the future without the Vongola Ring or any weapons.
The Lambo that appeared now was a version from a parallel timeline that diverged from the current one. He was not the Lambo tied to Vongola's legacy.
However, if young Lambo were to gain possession of the Vongola Ring, the future Lambo he summoned would be equipped with it as well.
These were two distinct future timelines.
Of course...
Although the Hitman Reborn was filled with countless parallel timelines, most of them existed merely as background settings, lacking any true significance. They weren't recognized by the world's will and therefore didn't possess any inherent power.
Only the "primary" timeline—the one Ace now inhabited—served as the central axis of this world.
More than 90% of the world's power was concentrated within this main timeline.
Ace had confirmed this before his journey began.
Only a few remaining timelines retained fragments of world power, though these timelines were relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.
...
...
"It's certainly the main timeline..."
Linking Ace's remarks from the previous night with his words just now, the astute Reborn immediately deduced the deeper meaning behind Ace's statements.
A knowing smile formed on Reborn's lips as he quietly murmured to himself:
"It seems luck is still on my side."
Ace and Reborn exchanged glances and smiled. Between people of their intellect, words were unnecessary; understanding flowed silently between them.
However, just at that moment, Tsuna and Lambo stirred up another commotion.
Despite his aching body, Tsuna endured the pain as he opened the lunchbox his mother had lovingly prepared, hoping to calm the crying Lambo with it.
But as soon as the lunchbox was opened, a terrifying aura spread across the rooftop.
The enticing aroma of the food wafted into the air.
A crow, an omen of misfortune, happened to fly by and caught a whiff of the lunch's fragrance.
A moment later—
'Thud!'
The crow dropped from the sky, foaming at the beak, and collapsed right in front of Tsuna.
Realizing something was terribly wrong, Hayato clutched his stomach, his face turning pale as he stammered in disbelief:
"N-No way... It can't be her..."
With a single leap, Reborn landed on Tsuna's head. He glanced at the lunchbox in Tsuna's hands and warned:
"It's better not to eat this, unless you have a death wish. One bite of this could send you straight to heaven!"
"Wh-What!?"
Hearing Reborn's chilling words, Tsuna's hands began to tremble violently. The once perfectly intact lunchbox slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground and scorching the marble floor with a deep, blackened mark.
At that moment, Reborn turned his attention to a shadowy corner of the rooftop and called out:
"Bianchi, are you there? Come out."
Though it was posed as a question, Reborn's tone left no room for doubt.
Sure enough...
The next moment, a graceful yet dangerously seductive figure emerged from the corner of the rooftop.
"As expected, Reborn, you found me," Bianchi said, her face flushed with an unsettling obsession as she gazed intently at him.
Reborn smiled knowingly. "After all, you're the only person capable of turning Tsuna's lunchbox into something like 'that'."
Bianchi's smile deepened, her infatuation evident.
"As expected from you, Reborn."
Bianchi, also known as the "Poison Scorpion" of the Italian underworld, was a deadly assassin with a talent for preparing exquisite meals—meals laced with lethal poisons, rendering her incapable of cooking anything safe to eat.
She had traveled all the way from Italy to Japan with a singular goal: to kill Tsuna and liberate Reborn from his duties as Tsuna's tutor. Then, they could reunite as a killer duo and dominate the underground world once more.
In addition to being a top-tier assassin, Bianchi was also the older sister of Hayato.
And because Hayato had been repeatedly poisoned by her cooking throughout his childhood, he had developed a severe physiological reaction—just seeing her caused him unbearable stomach pain.
By the time Bianchi made her appearance, Hayato was already lying on the ground, writhing like a dying dog.
Fortunately for Tsuna, Reborn's presence kept Bianchi from finishing him off with her poisonous cuisine right then and there.
After delivering a parting threat—"I've already targeted Vongola the Tenth"—Bianchi gracefully left the rooftop.
"..."
Watching her elegant departure, Tsuna could only feel a deep sense of unease, unable to muster any relief.
Meanwhile, the ever-clueless Takeshi scratched the back of his head and chuckled:
"Hahaha, Gokudera's big sister is quite the cool woman."
Ace, who had been silently observing, adjusted his sun hat with a smirk.
"It looks like things are about to get even more interesting."