After shaking off Arisawa Tatsuki, Sawada Tsunayoshi didn't head home. His mother was already used to Tsuna participating in extracurricular activities and coming back late.
Under normal circumstances, Tsuna would be patrolling all over Karakura Town, searching for traces of Hollows. But today he had no intention of wandering around aimlessly. His destination was clear:
Urahara Shop.
Pushing open the store door, he once again saw Ururu and Jinta standing guard. The moment Jinta saw Tsuna, he shouted loudly,
"Long time no see, hedgehog head! What do you want to buy?"
"With that attitude, can you even sell anything?" Tsuna asked while rubbing his forehead.
"What may we help you with?" Ururu asked softly, bowing politely.
"Ururu is much more polite," Tsuna said. "I'm looking for Shopkeeper Urahara."
"Please wait a moment."
Ururu went inside to find Urahara Kisuke. At that moment, Tsukabishi Tessai came out carrying hot tea. He invited Tsuna to sit down and casually asked about the purpose of his visit.
"Is there something we can help you with, Mr. Tsunayoshi?"
"Didn't Shopkeeper Urahara invite me to try obtaining Shinigami power? That's exactly why I came," Tsuna replied.
As if summoned by the mention of his name, Urahara walked in while holding a black cat.
"Oh ho ho. Does that mean, Mr. Tsunayoshi, your training as a Quincy hasn't gone very smoothly?"
"Uncle Ryūken said I have no talent for the Quincy path."
Embarrassed, Tsuna produced a palm-sized Reishi Spirit Bow.
"Being able to form a Spirit Bow already means your Reishi control far surpasses ordinary people," Tessai commented.
As a former Captain of the Kidō Corps, he knew very well how crucial Reishi control was when performing Kidō. Many Shinigami who caused Kidō explosions did so simply because their Reishi control was insufficient.
"Urahara, is this the kid you were talking about?"
The black cat leapt from Urahara's arms and landed squarely on Tsuna's head. Tsuna tried grabbing it, but no matter how he swung his hands, the cat easily dodged him. In the end, he gave up and let it sit there.
"Kid, you don't seem surprised at all," the cat asked with some dissatisfaction.
"I've killed more Hollows than I can count. A talking cat isn't that impressive," Tsuna replied dismissively.
"Mr. Tsunayoshi," Urahara said kindly, "are you sure you want to become a Shinigami? The process can be quite dangerous."
"That's not the attitude you had when you invited me," Tsuna replied with a faint smile.
"If I were afraid of danger, I would have taken my family and left Karakura Town long ago. Even if we're just barely surviving, one more day alive is still a day."
Urahara stared at him silently for a while before speaking again.
"Yoruichi, come down from Mr. Tsunayoshi's head. I'd like to have a proper talk with him after he becomes a Shinigami."
"You two are weird," the black cat muttered as she jumped down, finally freeing Tsuna.
Beneath Urahara Shop lay a vast underground space.
No one knew how Urahara had managed it, but he had created a massive underground training ground beneath the store—an endless expanse of earth and stone perfectly suited for combat training.
Since meeting Tsuna, Urahara had been observing his expressions carefully.
Whether it was the talking black cat or the enormous underground space, Tsuna hadn't shown the slightest hint of surprise.
"Since Mr. Tsunayoshi is prepared," Urahara said, "you must already understand the process?"
The moment Tsuna nodded, Urahara tapped his forehead with his cane.
Instantly, Tsunayoshi—now dressed in a white robe—was ejected from his body, a long Chain of Fate hanging from his chest.
Tsuna moved his limbs slightly, adjusting to his state.
This was his spirit body.
Meanwhile, his physical body collapsed in front of him. Ururu and Jinta carefully dragged the body away.
"Since Mr. Tsunayoshi is both a Fullbringer and a Quincy, you already possess considerable spiritual power," Urahara explained.
"Even after leaving your body, your soul can still move freely. So we'll move directly to the next stage."
Before the words had even finished—
Clang!
Tessai swung an axe and severed Tsuna's Chain of Fate.
"You know what happens when the Chain of Fate is completely devoured," Urahara said calmly.
"So before you become a Hollow, please find the power within your heart."
At the same moment, Tessai immediately cast:
Bakudō #99 — Kin
Leather straps and nail-like restraints locked Tsuna's arms tightly behind his back.
Then Urahara pointed his cane downward.
A massive pit opened beneath Tsuna's feet, and he fell straight to the bottom. Tessai sat cross-legged beside him, maintaining the Bakudō restraint.
"Good luck, Mr. Tsunayoshi!" Urahara called dramatically from the edge above.
"If you turn into a Hollow, we'll have no choice but to kill you."
Tsuna remained extremely calm.
After thinking for a moment, he said to Tessai beside him,
"Mr. Tessai… if I really lose control, please don't hold back."
"You, the shopkeeper, and that cat named Yoruichi—use everything you have."
Tessai suddenly felt uneasy.
Why did it sound like Tsuna believed that even with the three of them guarding him, the situation might still not be stable?
Tsuna didn't say anything else.
He closed his eyes and focused completely on his inner world.
Tsuna slowly opened his eyes.
He found himself standing in front of a school building.
He immediately recognized it.
Namimori Middle School.
Back when Tsuna still lived in Namimori Town, he had believed he would become the future Tenth Vongola Boss. During one vacation, he had visited Namimori Middle School, half out of curiosity and half as if inspecting his "future territory."
He had also hoped to run into familiar faces and confirm that he really was in the Katekyo Hitman Reborn world.
But in the end, he didn't recognize a single person.
Soon after, he transferred to Karakura Town.
Yet now, unexpectedly, he was seeing Namimori Middle School again—inside his inner world.
Tsuna walked into the building.
The place was completely silent.
No one was around.
BOOM!!!
Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted on the first floor.
A figure rolled out of the smoke.
He wore a Namimori school uniform, had silver hair, and looked somewhat disheveled.
Without hesitation, he tossed several lit bombs back into the smoke before running toward Tsuna.
Gokudera Hayato?
Tsuna stared in shock.
Why was Gokudera in his inner world?
And who was he fighting just now?
Gokudera also spotted Tsuna standing in the corridor. His eyes lit up—then immediately turned anxious.
"Tenth! Why are you standing here? It's dangerous! Run!"
He grabbed Tsuna's hand and started running.
But Tsuna felt confused.
This Gokudera looked like his middle school self, yet he was half a head taller than Tsuna. And Tsuna himself was currently wearing a white Shinigami robe.
Why didn't Gokudera find that strange at all?
Instead, he naturally called him "Tenth."
"Gokudera, what's going on?" Tsuna quickly asked.
"The situation is critical! The True Six Funeral Wreaths have broken in!"
Tsuna's brain nearly froze.
So not only was Gokudera in his inner world—
Even the True Six Funeral Wreaths existed here?!
They were attacking Namimori Middle School?
What kind of plot development was this?!
"Is there anything I can do?" Tsuna asked quickly.
After fighting Hollows for so long, Tsuna was no longer the timid boy he used to be before activating Dying Will Mode.
"Tenth… can you fight right now?" Gokudera asked.
Tsuna looked down at himself.
Inside his inner world, although he could move freely, he couldn't use Fullbring, couldn't form a Quincy Spirit Bow, and had none of his powers.
He was just an ordinary person.
With a bitter smile, he said,
"Sorry… I don't seem to have any fighting ability."
"Then run!"
As he spoke, Gokudera hurled four rocket bombs behind them. The missiles fired twice before launching toward the enemy.
After running a few more steps amid the explosions, a classroom door ahead suddenly opened.
A baby wearing a cow-print suit with two horns walked out.
The moment he saw them, he shouted happily,
"Stupid Tsuna! Octopus head! What are you guys playing?"
"Lambo?!"
Tsuna was stunned again.
Having Gokudera appear was one thing—
But now Lambo had appeared in his inner world too?
Don't tell me the entire Vongola Family was here?
"Idiot! This isn't the time to play!" Gokudera shouted.
He grabbed Lambo with one hand and shoved him into Tsuna's arms.
"Tenth, please take care of this idiot."
"Lucky day… running into the young Vongola."
A deep middle-aged voice sounded from behind them.
Gokudera's face instantly changed.
His bombs hadn't suppressed the enemy.
And judging by the opponent's earlier abilities, they were about to be attacked again.
Without hesitation, Gokudera tackled Tsuna to the ground.
A blazing red beam shot over their heads—
BOOM!
Another massive explosion erupted.
The sudden impact made Tsuna wince in pain. Lambo, who had been in his arms, tumbled to the floor and immediately began crying loudly.
Tsuna turned around.
From the smoke behind them walked out a muscular red-haired man, rubbing the stubble on his chin with an excited expression—as if he had just hit the jackpot.
Zakuro.
One of the True Six Funeral Wreaths, the Storm Guardian of the Millefiore Family.
So Gokudera hadn't been lying.
The True Six Funeral Wreaths really were attacking Namimori Middle School.
Tsuna couldn't understand it.
Why was his inner world so chaotic?
From what he knew, a Shinigami's inner world usually contained only one presence.
So why were there so many people living in his?
Gokudera had no idea what Tsuna was thinking.
He immediately stood up and shielded Tsuna behind him.
"Tenth, I'll hold him off here! Please escape immediately!"
"Gokudera…"
Tsuna was not someone who hesitated in moments like this.
He grabbed Lambo and ran.
"I'm counting on you, Gokudera!"
"Understood, Tenth!"
Gokudera's eyes burned with determination.
Crimson flames ignited around him.
His appearance became more mature and relaxed.
A skull-shaped arm launcher appeared on his arm. Several dark red box weapons hung from his waist, while circular barrier shields formed in front of him.
C.A.I. System — Activated.