Vongola's Trial

Days passed, and Tsuna had fully mastered his Shikai. On his way home from school, he casually eliminated a Hollow, then headed to the Urahara Shop as usual.

Becoming a Soul Reaper came with visible benefits. For the lost souls wandering Karakura Town, Tsuna simply pressed the hilt of his blade against their foreheads, performing a Konso to send them to the Soul Society. No more exhausting efforts to persuade them to ascend on their own, no more fear of these souls turning into Hollows.

On a side note, to let Tsuna use his Soul Reaper powers anytime, Urahara Kisuke had crafted him a portable Reishi converter. It allowed Tsuna to convert his own Kishi into Reishi, transforming into a Soul Reaper.

This conversion device was something Tsuna had traded for with information. He wasn't comfortable leaving his body in someone else's care. Since it was portable, it only worked for one person, but that was enough for Tsuna.

"Hello." Tsuna once again deftly shook off the tail following him, then pulled open the door to the Urahara Shop. "Mr. Kukaku, you're here? The shopkeeper called me over."

"I know. Please follow me, Sawada-sensei." Kukaku Shiba opened the hidden door to the underground space as usual.

"Yo, Tsuna-san's here."

As soon as he entered the space, Tsuna saw Urahara waving at him with a folding fan. Beside him were Koume and Jinta, working together to carry a large box.

"Shopkeeper, is Yoruichi-san not here?"

Having been beaten by Yoruichi for so long, Tsuna had actually developed some feelings for her. They were both teacher and friend. Not seeing that cocky figure for once left Tsuna a bit unsettled.

"Kid, you can just say you miss me."

Tsuna felt a weight on his head. An annoying black cat had appeared on top of him, grooming its fur without a care.

"Have you improved your Flash Step again?" Tsuna asked tentatively. After all this training, he had fully adapted to Yoruichi's Reiatsu. For her to bypass his Hyper Intuition and ambush him was impossible now, yet here she was, suddenly on his head.

"Hmph, making a fuss over a little progress." The black cat raised its head proudly. It had been worth hiding just to surprise Tsuna.

"Alright, alright. Let's start today's training." Urahara pulled a human-shaped stand from the large box and said, "Tsuna-san, today's lesson is Bankai!"

Hearing the word Bankai, Tsuna immediately recognized what Urahara had brought out—the Zanpakuto Manifestation Device, a tool to forcibly materialize a Zanpakuto.

As expected, Urahara explained the tool and training content: "After observation, I've found that your Reiatsu has reached the level to learn Bankai. This device is called the Zanpakuto Manifestation Device. It materializes your Zanpakuto, forcing you to subdue it and master your Bankai."

Urahara didn't go into the detailed principles. Tsuna already knew plenty of information; he just needed to understand how the training worked.

Just as Urahara guessed, Tsuna had no questions. He nodded and said, "I get it. I just stick the Zanpakuto in, right?"

"Kid, if you fail, you'll never learn Bankai again." Yoruichi couldn't help but warn him.

"It's fine. Yoruichi-san, you can step back."

Tsuna grabbed the black cat and tossed her back into Urahara Kisuke's arms. Then he transformed into a Soul Reaper, reversed his grip, and plunged his Black Blade into the Zanpakuto Manifestation Device.

A surge of Reiatsu erupted from the device. Its appearance shifted—a pure black suit, Hyper Dying Will Mode, X Gloves. It was a fully grown version of Tsuna.

"Oh... a blade spirit so identical to the wielder. This is a first for me." Urahara Kisuke commented.

The adult Tsuna opened his eyes, saw the Tsuna before him, and immediately understood the situation.

"Zanpakuto Manifestation Device? Another me, are you ready to learn Bankai?"

"That's right, Decimo. I'll be counting on you from here. What's our trial?" Tsuna patted Decimo's thigh and asked.

But Decimo just smiled faintly and shook his head gently, his tone warm. "There's no need for a trial between us. If you want Bankai, I can just give it to you directly."

"What?!" Decimo's words shocked Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi, both of them crying out in surprise.

"What kind of Zanpakuto is this? Learning Bankai that easily?" Yoruichi couldn't help but complain. She remembered her own days training for Bankai, with a Zanpakuto that never listened to her and didn't suit her at all. She gritted her teeth again.

"It really is a bit too easy." Urahara also couldn't help but grumble. When he learned Bankai, Red Princess had given him no shortage of trouble.

"Hmm, if you put it that way, maybe a bit of ceremony wouldn't hurt." Decimo overheard Urahara and Yoruichi's complaints and seriously started considering giving Tsuna a proper ritual.

"Actually, there's no need, Decimo. We're all part of the Vongola. Friendly cooperation is enough." Tsuna quickly tried to persuade him.

Decimo shook his head firmly, rejecting Tsuna's suggestion. "Like you said, we Vongola should have our own sense of ceremony. Since that's the case, let's use this chance to give you a Vongola trial!"

A resentful glare coldly fixed on Urahara and Yoruichi, the two who had stirred up trouble. It made them shrink their necks. Decimo had already agreed to tell Tsuna the power of Bankai, but these two had to meddle, creating a Vongola trial out of thin air.

Urahara immediately dragged Yoruichi behind a large rock, peeking at Tsuna's side. Tsuna withdrew his gaze and asked Decimo, "Decimo, what's the trial?"

"Simple. Let me see how you've grown since gaining your power."

Without another word, Decimo threw a punch straight at Tsuna's face. Tsuna immediately blocked, using Decimo's force to create distance. The power of the Sky enveloped him, and Tsuna entered Hyper Dying Will Mode.

Hyper-speed glide. Sky Flame erupted from the X Gloves as Tsuna flew around Decimo at super-high speed.

Tsuna knew that any ability he had, Decimo also possessed—and likely used it even better. Charging Decimo head-on would be unwise.

Switching modes, Tsuna flew behind Decimo and quickly shifted to Storm Attribute. A barrage of Rocket Bombs shot straight at Decimo's back.

"How nostalgic."

Decimo muttered as he turned around unhurriedly, igniting Sky Flame in his hand and casually waving it before him. A wall of fire blocked all the Rocket Bombs.

A series of explosions kicked up dust. A blade gleamed through the haze—Shigure Soen Ryu, Offensive Form One: Axle Rain!

A longsword wrapped in Rain Attribute stabbed toward Decimo. Decimo didn't dodge at all. He simply raised two fingers and clamped down firmly on Tsuna's attack. The flames on the longsword instantly vanished, having no effect on Decimo.

Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised—Barehanded Blade Catch!

But Tsuna hadn't expected Decimo to use Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised without even forming hand seals, catching the blade with just two fingers.

The moment the blade was caught, Tsuna instantly switched attributes—still Storm. The Skull Sprayer aimed directly at Decimo, and a point-blank Crimson Flame Arrow shot toward him. Driven by maximum Reiatsu, the red flame completely engulfed Decimo.

The red flame gradually faded, revealing Decimo's figure. He still wore that calm, carefree expression, smiling at Tsuna. "Don't forget, I can use the power of other attributes too."

On Decimo's body surface, a layer of green lightning was clearly visible—the power of Lightning Attribute Flame. Decimo had used the hardness of Lightning Attribute to defend against the Crimson Flame Arrow's attack.

Tsunayoshi switched equipment without a second word, a pair of Floating Cloud Tonfas blazing with purple flames launching an attack on the Decimo. The tonfas danced fiercely in his hands, and through his training with Yoruichi, his Hakuda skill had been rising rapidly as well.

"Attacks like that aren't enough to be impressive," the Decimo commented lightly. He hadn't expected Tsunayoshi to fight him with the Cloud Attribute. Hibari's strength lay in his individual prowess, and for now, Tsunayoshi would find it difficult to even touch the Decimo with those tonfas.

After dodging three consecutive strikes, the Decimo's eyes suddenly lit up. "I see!"

The Decimo stopped moving, letting Tsunayoshi attack, but the Floating Cloud Tonfas passed straight through his body. At the same time, a bright light appeared beside the Decimo.

Three identical Tsunayoshis materialized at the Decimo's side, all throwing punches at him simultaneously—Sun Attribute, Maximum Machine Gun!

The Decimo smiled faintly and split into two figures as well, each catching Tsunayoshi's attacks one-on-one.

"Not bad," the Decimo praised.

It turned out that Sawada Tsunayoshi hadn't switched from the Rain Attribute to the Cloud Attribute at all. He knew he couldn't gain an advantage in close combat, so he'd switched to the Mist Attribute instead. The Tsunayoshi wielding the Floating Cloud Tonfas had been a Mist-created illusion the entire time.

Tsunayoshi had also feared the Decimo's Hyper Intuition would react, so he'd stayed hidden right beside the Decimo until the moment the Decimo sensed something was off, then launched a multi-point Maximum Machine Gun attack. The Decimo had almost fallen for it.

The moment the Decimo caught Tsunayoshi's fist, he switched again to the Sky Attribute. Yet Sawada Tsunayoshi, wearing the X Gloves, showed no trace of Dying Will Flame on his head.

Zero Point Breakthrough!

To catch Tsunayoshi's attack, the Decimo's hands were also wrapped in flames—that was enough to meet the activation condition for Zero Point Breakthrough.

The flames on the Decimo's hands transformed into freezing air, and a flower of ice bloomed on his palm, sealing one of his hands. Tsunayoshi's chain of moves hadn't been for nothing.

"Oh? Me, you've forgotten—we both inherently possess flames of seven attributes," the Decimo said to Tsunayoshi.

In Reborn!, XANXUS, sealed by Zero Point Breakthrough, had broken free using high-energy Dying Will Flames generated by resonating rings of all seven attributes.

Now the Decimo alone could gather all seven attributes. With his free hand, he ignited the Sky Attribute, then lit his fingers in sequence with Storm, Rain, Sun, Lightning, Cloud, and finally cupped his palm to summon Mist Attribute flames. By pressing the energy produced from all seven flames against the ice, the Zero Point Breakthrough seal could be undone.

To the Decimo's question, Tsunayoshi only replied flatly, "I know."

Just as the Decimo dealt with the ice on his hand, an immense surge of Reiatsu swept across the entire field. Tsunayoshi's goal had always been one thing: stall for time—time to unleash his big move.

Tsunayoshi held one hand behind his back as a cylindrical mass of soft, pale orange flame erupted behind him. His other hand clenched into a fist in front, condensing a vast amount of Reiatsu. He decided to bet all his Reiatsu on this one strike, the orange on his fist growing deeper and deeper.

"What technique is that? Is this brat still hiding moves?" Yoruichi questioned. Tsunayoshi had never used anything like this during their training together.

"This move clearly needs time to gather Reiatsu, and ideally the opponent shouldn't be able to move. Using something like this against you would be suicide," Urahara commented.

"I see." The moment the ice on the Decimo's hand melted, Tsunayoshi's fist, packed with the Sky Attribute's rigid flame and massive Reiatsu, swung toward him.

With Tsunayoshi himself as the core pivot, the soft flame behind him as support, and the high-impact rigid flame as the attack end—this was...

XBURNER!

The scorching rigid flame shot straight at the Decimo, tearing through everything in its path and carving a long scar across the ground.

Faced with this level of attack, the Decimo calmly extended a single finger. With his mastery of XBURNER, he no longer needed both hands to release it—one finger was enough to match Tsunayoshi's XBURNER.

Boom!!!

The two immense flames clashed in front of the Decimo, locked in stalemate. Tsunayoshi sighed silently. His proficiency wasn't enough—the Decimo had still reacted in time. He'd have to look for another opening.

Tsunayoshi actively redirected the soft flame's jet downward, pulling back his rigid flame output while stepping into Flash Step, launching himself into the air above the field.

Without Tsunayoshi's resistance, the Decimo's flame surged through the spot Tsunayoshi had just occupied. The Decimo immediately withdrew his attack, waving his left hand to fire several missiles toward Tsunayoshi—Gokudera's High-Speed Homing Missiles.

The missiles were fast. Tsunayoshi inverted midair, forming a rectangular hand seal with his palms facing opposite directions—Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised!

An explosion rang out as Tsunayoshi fell from the smoke. Thanks to Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised absorbing the missiles' flames, his Reiatsu recovered somewhat. Smoke without injury—he dropped from the sky.

Just as Tsunayoshi pondered his next move, his pupils contracted. He suddenly saw the Decimo appear right in front of him.

"It's Illusion," the Decimo explained. Using the same trick as Tsunayoshi, the missiles he'd fired were Illusion constructs, while he himself had already caught up to Tsunayoshi's position.

Was it over?

Tsunayoshi felt a pang of reluctance. He shouldn't have been so arrogant—trying to use XBURNER against its creator. When the Decimo had part of his hand sealed, he should have switched to the Storm Attribute C.A.I. System to attack and prevent him from breaking the ice.

But it was too late to say anything now. At this close range, the Decimo only needed one Flame Fist to defeat him.

The expected attack never came. Instead, Tsunayoshi's right hand was guided by a gentle flame to his chest. The Decimo placed his own hand at his chest as well. The two stood opposite each other in the air, palms facing outward, backs of their hands aligned.

A massive Vongola Family Emblem appeared between them. Tsunayoshi's eyes flickered with emotion—he realized this was the Decimo's inheritance to him.

"I'm glad I got to fight you. Congratulations on earning my recognition. All of Vongola's power is now unlocked for you. Go and grow stronger, Sawada Tsunayoshi!"

The Decimo's hand slowly moved closer to Tsunayoshi's, the emblem between them shrinking to the size of their hands. As the backs of their hands pressed together, the Vongola Family Emblem merged into Tsunayoshi's X Gloves. All Bankai Release Phrases of the Zanpakuto were unlocked for him...

Dye all, embrace all—Sky...

Attack core, unending raging waves—Storm...

Wash blood, requiem song—Rain...

Shatter adversity, illuminate the earth—Sun...

Bear damage, erase threats—Lightning...

Bound by nothing, the solitary walker—Cloud...

Born from nothing, returning to nothing, the false phantom—Mist...