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200 stones = +1 Chapter----
"Clang!"
The arm-coated with armament haki and steel blade collided in midair, sending sparks flying.
Just as Ken was about to press the attack...
Hayato, clutching several bombs, swiftly stepped between him and Takeshi, glaring fiercely.
"Tch, they've already surrounding me..."
Ken bared his sharp fangs in frustration, casting a glance at Tsuna and the others closing in. Despite his annoyance, he cautiously retreated, keeping a safe distance from Hayato.
After all, Chikusa's recent defeat was a harsh reminder—underestimating these guys would be a grave mistake.
Especially after his bout with Takeshi...
Even if Ken hated to admit it, Takeshi, despite being weaker and slower, managed to exploit openings repeatedly, defending against his strikes while launching effective counterattacks.
That level of battle instinct made Ken, a veteran of the underground world, uneasy. A guy like this could easily become a nightmare for other mafia families if left unchecked.
He'd thought his mastery of Armament Haki and the Marine's Six Styles would make him unbeatable. But it seemed he had underestimated them.
"Is this really the end?"
Unwilling to accept it, Ken's eyes darted around, searching for an opportunity to turn the tide.
At that moment, a calm voice whispered in his ear.
"Relax, Ken."
A gust of wind swept by, and a slender figure suddenly appeared beside him.
"Mukuro-sama!"
Seeing the newcomer, Ken's tense shoulders relaxed. Sighing with relief, he cautiously stepped aside, allowing the figure of Mukuro to take center stage.
"Kufufu..."
Mukuro chuckled, surveying Tsuna and his companions with a calm, almost amused gaze. Finally, his eyes settled on Tsuna. Spreading his arms, he smiled and said:
"Vongola's Jūdaime."
"Welcome to my paradise."
"!!!"
Despite Mukuro's seemingly friendly demeanor, Tsuna felt a cold shiver run down his spine, as if a venomous snake was eyeing him.
"You… you're Mukuro Rokudo…" Tsuna stammered, clearly shaken.
Under the influence of his heightened intuition, Tsuna wasn't fooled by Mukuro's gentle exterior and remained on guard.
Mukuro, with a light nod, acknowledged him.
"Indeed, I am Mukuro Rokudo."
Tsuna immediately demanded, "Why did you attack the students of Kokuyo Junior High School!?"
"Why?" Mukuro's smile darkened, his expression shifting ominously.
"All of this is to capture you, the Vongola Jūdaime!"
"What!?" Tsuna's face went pale as he stumbled back, startled by Mukuro's sudden revelation.
"So, your real target was me all along!?"
Tsuna clutched his head, overwhelmed by panic. He had only wanted to live a simple life, but fate seemed determined to drag him into the chaos of the mafia world. Now, to be targeted by someone as terrifying as Mukuro—how could this be fair?
"Jūdaime-sama!"
Sensing the threat Mukuro posed, Hayato quickly positioned himself in front of Tsuna. Grabbing a handful of bombs, he glared at Mukuro with deadly intent.
"I don't care whether you're Mukuro Rokudo or some other villain…"
"If you threaten Jūdaime, I'll make sure you repent in hell!!!"
'Fssh!'
The fuses on Hayato's bombs ignited in a flash. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled them all toward Mukuro.
But…
Even with the explosives capable of decimating an elephant, Mukuro didn't flinch.
"You've got a personality as fiery as your bombs," Mukuro chuckled, casually twirling his trident. The number in his eye shifted from six to three.
"The Third Path of the Six Realms of Reincarnation—Animal Path, activate!"
'Ssss~'
In an instant, a swarm of venomous snakes materialized, each perfectly intercepting a bomb. With a flick of their heads, the serpents hurled the bombs back in the direction of Tsuna and his friends.
"Not good!!!"
Tsuna's heart raced as he saw the bombs returning. With no time or space to dodge, panic flooded his mind.
"Watch out!!!"
Suddenly, Takeshi, who had been standing behind Tsuna, surged forward like a swift current, moving to shield him.
Suddenly, a tremendous force struck Tsuna's back.
Using the momentum from the impact, Takeshi shoved Tsuna far out of harm's way, but he remained behind in the blast zone.
"Jūdaime!!!"
Hayato, a split second too late due to his restricted vision, watched in horror as the scene unfolded. His pupils tightened in panic.
And then—
'Boom! Boom! Boom!'
A series of explosions engulfed Takeshi. Already injured from his earlier fight with Ken, Takeshi could no longer withstand the physical toll. After enduring the onslaught, he winced, his face twisting in pain, before collapsing to the ground with a dull thud.
"Takeshi-kun!!!"
Seeing Takeshi severely injured while trying to protect him, Tsuna's eyes reddened with emotion. He scrambled to his feet, rushing to check on his friend's injuries.
But before he could reach him—
'Whoosh!'
A silver trident suddenly zipped past, grazing Takeshi's cheek and leaving a thin line of blood in its wake, before embedding itself in the ground.
"Kufufu..."
Mukuro's dark laughter echoed through the air.
"You dare to let your guard down in the middle of battle?" Mukuro sneered. "Vongola's Jūdaime, do you really think this is just a game?"
"You...!"
Tsuna spun around, his gaze weak but smoldering with anger.
"What? You're angry? But what can you do?" Mukuro taunted, a provocative smile on his lips.
Hayato quickly positioned himself in front of Tsuna, but his earlier fire had dimmed. Though Takeshi's injury wasn't directly his fault, it was undeniable that the enemy had used his weapons against Takeshi.
Frustration and guilt churned inside him.
This was the second time!
For the second time, he had failed in front of Jūdaime!
Not only had his bombs nearly harmed Tsuna, but he had also been a step behind Takeshi! He, the self-proclaimed right-hand man of Vongola's Jūdaime!
Rage flared within Hayato, and he steeled himself, even willing to die to take down Mukuro.
"Hayato-kun..."
As Tsuna glanced at him, Takeshi's selfless act flashed through his mind again. An unfamiliar feeling surged deep inside—one he had never experienced before.
Unwillingness.
The people around him kept getting hurt because of him, and that feeling ignited a new kind of determination in Tsuna.
He subconsciously looks back toward Reborn.
But Reborn only shook his head.
Before they had arrived at Kokuyo Junior High School, Reborn had informed Tsuna that his Leon had mysteriously turned into a ball for unknown reason. Without his shapeshifting weapon, Leon, he couldn't use the Dying Will bullet to help Tsuna in battle.
Realizing the situation, Tsuna clenched his fists but knew he was powerless. Bitterly, he stepped aside and said softly:
"I'm counting on you, Hayato-kun..."
Lowering his head, Tsuna retreated toward a safe zone with Takeshi.
"Kufufu..."
Mukuro, who had been watching everything, smirked mockingly.
"As a leader, you need your subordinates to protect you? How do you expect to inherit the Vongola name?"
"But..."
'Whoosh!'
Mukuro suddenly swung his trident, slicing through the air. The sharp tip traced an elegant arc like a crescent moon.
"Before you can even think about that, I'll defeat your subordinates first—then I'll deal with you!"
"The Fourth Path of the Six Realms of Reincarnation—Asura Path!"
The number in Mukuro's left eye shifted. A mysterious energy surged through him.
The Asura Path granted Mukuro the combat experience and skills of a fierce warrior.
His body blurred into a dark silhouette, launching a sudden assault on Hayato.
Seeing that Tsuna was now safe, Hayato unleashed his strength.
"You'll be the one to fall! You bastard!!!"
'Whoosh whoosh whoosh!'
Several bombs shot out like arrows, streaking toward Mukuro.
But in his Asura state, Mukuro was like an unstoppable war machine. He twirled his trident, summoning a powerful gust of wind that diverted the bombs to either side.
The explosions erupted, but Mukuro remained unfazed, standing like a god of war, unmoved by the chaos around him.
With a leap, Mukuro aimed his trident straight at Hayato's face!
'Swish!'
A gleaming cold light streaked through the air.
At the last moment, Hayato twisted his body to the side. The tip of Mukuro's trident barely missed him, grazing the tip of his nose as it passed.
Having dodged the strike, Hayato grinned, eyes flashing with fierce resolve. He quickly pulled out more bombs.
"Hehe... Time to die, Mukuro!"
Just like he had against Chikusa back in the shopping district, Hayato thrust the bombs toward Mukuro's collar and then kicked off, swiftly retreating to a safe distance.
Mukuro's eyes widened in surprise as the fuse rapidly burned down.
And then—
'BOOM!'
A powerful explosion rippled outward like a hurricane, with Mukuro at its center.
When the smoke cleared, Mukuro lay on the ground, his once-pristine clothes now in tatters, his formerly elegant appearance reduced to a pitiful state.
"Did we... did we win?"
Tsuna stared in disbelief, his expression frozen as he processed the sight of Mukuro's fallen form. The entire scene felt unreal.
But as Tsuna looked on, everything seemed to confirm it was true.
His face shifted from doubt to joy as he rushed toward Hayato.
However, just as he was about to celebrate—
"Kufufu..."
A chilling laugh pierced the air once more.
"Win?"
"That's why I told you, you're far too naive to understand the mafia world!"
'Click.'
The sharp sound of a gun being cocked echoed behind Tsuna.
Both Tsuna and Hayato froze, their hearts gripped by a sudden chill.
They turned, only to see Mukuro—who had been unconscious just moments ago—now standing with a radiant pistol, its divine glow casting an ominous light, aimed directly at Tsuna.
"Watch out! Jūdaime!!!"
Hayato, desperate to make up for his earlier failure, quickly stepped in front of Tsuna, ready to use his own body as a shield to block the incoming bullet.
But then…
Mukuro's lips curled into a mysterious smile.
Without warning, he withdrew the pistol from its aim at Tsuna and pointed the muzzle at his own temple.
In the shocked gazes of Tsuna, Hayato, and even Reborn—
'Bang!'
The gun fired!
The bullet left a thin streak of scarlet across Mukuro's forehead, its heat trailing blood.
'Thud.'
Mukuro collapsed to the ground once more.
A heavy silence blanketed the battlefield.
Everything had happened too quickly.
From the moment Mukuro raised his gun to the instant he pulled the trigger, it had taken less than five seconds. But to Tsuna, it felt like an eternity—a roller coaster of shock and disbelief.
"What…what just happened?!"
Tsuna and Hayato both turned to look at the last remaining figure, Ken.
But even Ken seemed utterly bewildered by what had just unfolded, his eyes glazed over, unfocused.
"Ahh... it hurts..."
A weak voice suddenly called out from behind Tsuna.
"Takeshi-kun!"
Startled, Tsuna quickly spun around, rushing to Takeshi's side to check his injuries.
But just as he was about to reach him—
An unsettling feeling washed over Tsuna, freezing him in place.
"…"
"No…"
He shook his head in confusion.
"No, no, you're not Takeshi-kun!"
Backing away cautiously, Tsuna's expression shifted into one of suspicion.
"Kufufu..."
The eerie laughter echoed again, this time from right behind Tsuna.
He turned, only to find Hayato standing there alongside Takeshi. The two had somehow maneuvered themselves into a position that boxed him in.
And on Hayato's nose was a small cut, faintly glowing with blood but already starting to heal.
"Impressive. You actually noticed."
Hayato spoke, but his voice was entirely different from before.
Upon hearing that familiar, sinister tone, a chill ran down Tsuna's spine.
His hand trembled as he pointed at Hayato.
"You… you're Mukuro!!?"
"Hehehe, congratulations, you've guessed right!"
Ken, still standing nearby, suddenly stepped forward, grinning widely.
And at that moment—
Chikusa, who had been lying unconscious, and even Kyoya Hibari, who appeared out of nowhere, slowly walked toward Tsuna.
Suddenly—
All five of them lifted their heads in unison, each displaying the same eerie expression!
It was only then that Tsuna noticed the horrifying truth—
In each of their left eyes glowed a scarlet symbol that didn't belong to them.
And above that sinister red eye, a bold number stood out:
[Six]!!!