Smirking to the brunette who thanked him, he merely replied his appreciation by "You know that I can't have other people running wild in my territory, Sawada Tsunayoshi-kun." He then averts his eyes to Daemon Spade with a glare. "So, you are the one who's been torturing Chrome these past few days."
"Oh..? What are you going to do about it?"
"Not only that, you are still planning to defeat Sawada Tsunayoshi and everyone, so that you get the chance to get Riekka in your hands."
"Huh??" Everyone gasped in unison to Mukuro's statement. "Get.. Riekka? What do you mean, Mukuro?"
"Hmm.. nothing important.. maybe just.. examining your special right hand woman?"
Tsuna clench his fists tightly from the way Daemon describes you. "Examining.. Riekka?" He grind his teeth. "I don't know what you are planning now, but one thing for sure, Riekka is not a tool for her ability, but just a normal human for her gifted power..!"
"That is right!" Gokudera too, trying to hold back his anger from attacking Daemon. "Stop implying as if she is an object for your selfishness!"
"Y-yeah!! Don't bully my precious Riekka..! Eeep!!" Despite Skull's cowardness, he still back you up.
"Hoooh.. I can see that she is very important to all of you." He turns to Tsuna. "Especially you. Who is she to you for you to protect her at this point? Obviously it's not because she is your right hand woman, isn't it?"
"....!"
'Who is Riekka.. to me...?'
His heart beats fast to the question.
'Riekka is..'
"Hmh..!"
Daemon took this chance and surrounds Tsuna with another illusion.
"Wha-"
"I wont let that happen." Mukuro undo the illusion by simply knocking his trident onto the floor.
"..! The mist-..!"
'Thank you again, Mukuro..!' Tsuna aims his glowing hands directly to the mist guardian. "X-burner..!"
Before Daemon could make his escape, Tsuna unleashes his power and burns his lifeless body.
"T-This is.. the tenth-generation of Vongola family..!"
Then, in a split second, he vanishes out of sight.
------------------------------
"Heh. Not bad." G turns to Giotto once again.
"Looks like they are done."
"Then, how about your trial with the Decimo?"
Giotto smiled as a reply. "I have seen his and each of the guardians' resolve throughout their trials. There is no need for me to give the test; he had passed it since the time I met him.."
-------------------------------
"Ssss.."
Everyone gathers around Tsuna as his dying will flame dimmed out.
"Tsuna-kun..!"
"Tsuna-san! Are you alright?"
"You did it, Juudaime."
Yamamoto looks at every corner in the theater's room. "The first generation guardian of the mist ring disappeared."
"..No." Tsuna lift up his eyes. "He is still nearby."
"What's that??"
"Tsuna's right, Ryohei. He didn't have a body to begin with."
"I know you are there. Show yourself Daemon."
A smirk forms on the mist guardian's lips before he reveal himself from one of the corners in the room.
"Good grief.. what a bunch of noisy children.." He sighs before continue again, "I no longer intend to fight.. since whatever that I said wont be able to reach and change all of your determination."
"Huh?"
"And besides.. I want to ask the mist guardian of Vongola Decimo."
"Oh, I prefer not to be called like that." Mukuro chuckled.
"Even though the girl that you reside within is not around Decimo's right hand woman, how did you know I was planning to get her in my hands?"
"Kufufu. That is just a mere assumption, since I, too, wanted Riekka all to myself." He glances at Tsuna. "But too bad I can't do that, since she is important to someone, and it will be a rude for me to think Riekka is a girl with special abilities only."
"Uh.." A small blush appears on Tsuna's cheeks.
"Well, since you are not intend to fight some more, I shall take my leave now." He turn to Tsuna this time with his usual cunning smile. "Sawada Tsunayoshi. I entrust Chrome to you."
"Eh- Aahhh!" Tsuna quickly rush to him and catches Chrome after she had exchanged her body with Mukuro.
"Hmm.. so he's gone.. hmh, a very fascinating man indeed-"
Daemon froze himself from continuing further as an orange flame lights in front of him; revealing Giotto.
"...Primo!"
"Daemon, I appreciate your help in evaluating the guardian of the mist ring."
"There's no reason for you to thank me. I simply acted for the sake of my ideal Vongola family that I wanted."
"However, you tested them to make them stronger. You have fulfilled your duty completely."
Taken aback, Daemon could just sigh to Giotto's words.
"I see that you haven't changed at all."
'Even though he betrayed Primo once.. but Primo still treasures him as his guardian..'
"Vongola Decimo."
"Hiii O.O!"
"I hate to say this, but I deem the Guardian of the Mist Ring to accept my inheritance. Are you satisfied with that?"
"Oh, uhm..! T-Thank you."
"...!"
'Even all the battle that we had, he still.. hmph, he is very similar like Primo.'
----------------------------------
'I'm glad that Chrome have received the inheritance..'
"...."
'That leaves..'
He averts to Giotto. "What am I supposed to do?"
There is no respond from the first Vongola boss; which he simply look at Tsuna from the corner of his right eye.
"What should I.. do?" The sky guardian gulped.
"..You have already fulfilled my expectations, Vongola decimo."
"E-eh?"
"I was watching it the whole time; of you and your guardians struggled to overcome their trials, and I could tell from your behavior and actions that you were always putting your friend first, no matter what the circumstances would be."
"The goal of this family may had swayed away from what you had wished, but you just have to believe, believe that one day, someone will appear to fulfill the true purpose of Vongola family.."
"..I witnessed your resolve to protect your family, and I was impressed."
"Giotto-sama."
"Sawada Tsunayoshi."
"I will always pray for you and the family.."
"I deem you worthy as the boss of the tenth generation of Vongola family."
"..That someday, your wish for the family to stand for their love ones will come true."
"Tsuna. Your Vongola box..!"
"Ah, t-that's right!"
Tsuna pulled out his Vongola box, and receive the final inheritance from Giotto completely.
"Then, I shall take my leave now."
"W-wait, Daemon!"
"What is it now, Sawada Tsunayoshi?"
"I wanted to know.. what are you planning with Riekka's power? A-and how did you-"
"..I can sense it, that the girl has something that a normal element user would have. She have something.. rare, that couldn't be find in the world of human with special abilities."
"Tch..! What do you mean by that??"
"..."
Giotto stayed there, listening to the conversation silently. He have to admit, that this girl named as Riekka had pricked his interest too.
Daemon shrugs. "What I can say is she had the power that attracts my desire to my ideal Vongola, that's all. Nonetheless, I bet she would be stubborn like you guys too."
"Ahh, she will! She wont just waste her power for you even if she is the last generation of the Celestial clan..!"
"...!!" Giotto and Daemon's eyes widened together at the same time. Both of them exchange look to each other, and their throat freeze from Gokudera's words.
'..? Why both of them suddenly-'
"She is from.. Celestial.. clan?" Daemon mutters the word slowly.
Reborn narrowed his head to both of Giotto's and Daemon's reaction; especially to Giotto's facial expression.
Glad?
Shocked?
Nervous?
Nothing can be read from it.
'Maybe it's just the last generation.. it doesn't mean that.. she is here..'
"Are you familiar with the name, Primo?"
Giotto smiled to Reborn's question.
"Yes, that is the powerful, yet small clan that exist in our time.."
He clench his fists.
"....We should make our move, Daemon." He smirk to Tsuna before his flames surrounds his whole body. "Decimo, always believe in your heart, and proceed down your chosen path for a better future of Vongola. We will always watch all of you, from the Vongola ring.."
Giotto and Daemon then vanishes in their flames..
------------------------
'The voice that I hear during the trial battle.. it couldn't be..'
"You still carry the pocket watch with you?"
"..The last generation of Celestial clan, huh?" Daemon grip tighter on his watch.
"..Although I find its impossible for the clan to survive for 400 years.. but we can't always wish that she is still around.."
"Hmph." Daemon flip the watch to close it. "You are forever a fool. That is why I can't agree with you until the end.. because you had stopped believing that the clan might exist somewhere."
"I never stop, Daemon. I-"
"Goodbye for now, Primo."
"...."
"Primo..? Like what I've expected.. the right hand woman of that Decimo is.."
"..Good work, everyone. Now let's return back to the ring.." Giotto interrupted, pretending that he didn't listen to G's words.
'..Primo..'
-----------------------------
Tsuna pauses at his tracks.
"What's wrong, Tsuna?"
Reborn jumps and land on his shoulder.
"Is it about Riekka?"
"Yes.. about her memories.."
"Oh yeah, she haven't heal completely yet. Maybe she forced her body too much to the point she fainted again today."
"It's about the key to unlock her memories. Reborn, did Riekka said anything? I mean.. does she already-"
"No, she-"
Reborn stopped himself from keeping this secret further.
"Reborn?"
"Yes, she did woke up."
"S-she did? Why wont you tell me??"
"...I bet the real her will do the same."
"Real her..? Do you mean by.. the 'Riekka' that haven't lost her memories after the kidnapped case last time, kid?"
Reborn nod to Yamamoto. "Yeah."
"B-but why-"
"Didn't the future Riekka did the same? 'Whatever that happened to her is only a small matter, so there is no need to reveal to Tsuna.'"
"...!"
'Why..? She loved me.. to the point that I don't need to worry about her life?'
"...She cherishes you so much, Tsuna."
"I know.. I know!" He clench his fists. "...What did she say when she woke up last time?"
"..She mentioned that she meet with Mukuro in her dream; telling her something which is very important."
"Mukuro did? Why?"
"We have met even before she lost her memories, well, intentionally to forgot it, to be exact."
Tsuna gasped and turn around to where Chrome was standing.
"...! Mukuro! S-since when you-"
"Intentionally..? What do you mean..?"
"I don't like to waste time on explaining, so.. let me show you what had happened."
A gas of mist gathers around in his hands and then it surrounds everyone; showing the images of what is the real story when you first met with Mukuro. (Refer to chapter 21)
----------------------------------
Sweat flow down heavily like a soft breeze of rain on the side of your forehead. The air in the room is humid; it is really hard to breathe from it.
"I.. love you, Juudaime-sama."
You tug on your bed sheet.
"I-I don't know..! B-Because I.. to Kyoko-chan.."
You keep on turning your head side to side, as if you are having a nightmare. Unknown memories came one by one into your brain, and you feel suffocated from the things that you haven't done.. or.. have you?
"I-I understand what are you saying, but.. now.. I like-"
"Stop.."
Tears are forming at the corner of your eyes.
"B-but.. Riekka-san..!"
"Please stop..!"
"Riekka..!"
"STOP IT!!!!"
You abruptly jolt up from your nightmare. With a gasping breath, you tug on your head from the throbbing headache.
"I love you, Juudaime-sama."
"NO!!"
"I-I don't know.."
"NO!! I DIDN'T CONFESS TO HIM! I DIDN'T!"
"B-because I.. to Kyoko-chan.."
"I.. know.. I'm a nobody.. to have this kind of feelings to you.. I.."
You ignored the tears that moisten your cheeks and slowly put down your legs onto the cold carpet, moving your head and search in every corner in the room.
"Ceres..?"
You tug on your chest.
"Ceres..? Help me.."
You drag your ill body to the door and with a trembling hand, you turn the door knob.
----------------------------------
"This is the best.."
The words stab through his chest. No, he didn't deserve to live, he thought. He just realized that he is so selfish to you, he feel like an idiot who just couldn't decide own feelings for someone who always waiting for him; you.
"Reborn! I'm going to Riekka's apartment..!!"
"Wait, Juudaime-"
"Let's go, everyone."
Tsuna swallow his dying will pill and leave everyone behind to fly to your place first. The only words that keep on repeating in his mind is
'Riekka..!'
Despite his tired body, he push more energy in his flame.
'Riekka!!'
Leaning your weak body onto the nearest tree for support with Ceres beside you, you gasp for breath once again before dragging your feet further, to the Namimori Shrine this time.
'Why.. am I.. here?'
Your eyes narrowed into slits to one of the empty space with beautiful, tall trees around it.
"....!!"
It's as if a slight current come across your brain, and the same image in your dream appeared again.
"I love you, Juudaime-sama."
"S-stop!! What is it?? What do you want to tell me?? This is just an empty space..!" You shouted idly at the center of the grass. "Nothing more- uhn..!"
"Riekka, calm down-"
"Ceres.. did you know anything about it? How about your memories..? What have you forgotten, Ceres? Why didn't you tell me?"
You look at Ceres furiously.
"Are you keeping a secret from me too? What had happened before I lost my memory?"
"Riekka, I did not-"
"Then what memories have you forgotten, Ceres?"
"...!"
"Giotto-sama.."
"Riekka.. st-"
"I'm sorry.. I couldn't.."
"Ceres!!"
"Riekka.. I-"
---------------------------
Tsuna flies past the shrine, and pauses for a while.
"...."
'Why did I..'
His body wanted to move, but somehow his heart wont let him. As if it wanted to tell him, that there is something at the shrine...