KHR: Decimo Primo

The days following Reborn's abrupt arrival were anything but ordinary for Tsuna. It had taken less than a full day for the fedora-wearing baby to flip his world upside down, and by now, Tsuna had come to one undeniable conclusion: Reborn was terrifying.

The training had begun almost immediately. By "training," Reborn meant a seemingly endless string of physical, mental, and emotional challenges that pushed Tsuna to his absolute limits. Morning runs through the sprawling estate—and often beyond—were accompanied by absurd obstacles like dodging swinging sandbags or balancing precariously on narrow beams. Even in the mansion's study, Reborn found ways to test him. One afternoon, Reborn had "accidentally" set a quiz on fire to see how Tsuna would react under pressure. Spoiler alert: it wasn't well.

By the end of the first week, Tsuna was utterly drained. Every muscle in his body ached, and he felt as if his brain were working overtime just to keep up with Reborn's constant challenges. Yet, somewhere deep down, a small part of him couldn't help but notice a faint glimmer of something he hadn't felt in a long time: potential. It scared him as much as it intrigued him.

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On the morning of his sixth day in Italy, Tsuna woke up to the sound of someone knocking on his door. Or rather, it was more like someone kicking it repeatedly.

"Get up, Dame Tsuna!" Reborn's sharp voice called from the other side.

Tsuna groaned, pulling the blanket over his head. "Just five more minutes…"

The door flew open, and a small but forceful weight landed on his stomach, making him gasp. Reborn stood triumphantly atop him, arms crossed. "No time to waste. Today's an important day."

Tsuna blinked blearily at the baby. "Important? What do you mean?"

Before Reborn could answer, a much more familiar figure appeared in the doorway. Iemitsu, his usual cheerful self, strolled in with a grin plastered across his face. "Morning, Tsuna! Big news, kiddo. Today's the day you start school!"

"S-School?" Tsuna sat up abruptly, nearly knocking Reborn off in the process. "Already? But… I'm not ready! I haven't even studied Italian for more than a week yet!"

Iemitsu waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, you'll pick it up quickly! Besides, this isn't just any school. It's a private academy for kids with… let's say unique potential."

"Unique potential?" Tsuna repeated, feeling a sense of dread creeping over him.

Reborn hopped down from the bed, straightening his suit. "He's right. This school was chosen specifically to prepare you for your future role as Vongola Decimo. Consider it part of your training."

"Why does everything have to be training?" Tsuna muttered under his breath, but neither Iemitsu nor Reborn seemed to hear him.

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After a rushed breakfast, Tsuna found himself seated in the backseat of a sleek black car, heading toward the academy. The estate's gates loomed behind him, and for a brief moment, he felt a pang of homesickness. He thought of Namimori, his friends, and his mother. He wondered what they were doing right now and if they missed him as much as he missed them.

Reborn, sitting beside him, broke the silence. "Stop sulking. If you go in with that attitude, you'll make an even worse impression than usual."

"I'm not sulking," Tsuna grumbled, though he knew Reborn wasn't entirely wrong. "I just… I don't know what to expect."

"Good." Reborn's voice was firm. "Expect the unexpected. And remember: this is a chance to grow. Don't waste it."

Tsuna sighed, leaning his head against the window as the car turned onto a narrow road lined with tall trees. In the distance, he could see the academy: a grand, sprawling building that looked more like a castle than a school. Its stone walls were covered in ivy, and its tall, arched windows glinted in the morning sun.

As the car pulled up to the entrance, Tsuna's heart pounded in his chest. Students dressed in sharp uniforms milled about the courtyard, their chatter filling the air. They all looked so confident, so sure of themselves. Tsuna felt smaller than ever.

"You'll be fine," Iemitsu said, clapping a hand on Tsuna's shoulder as the car came to a stop. "Just be yourself. And listen to Reborn. He'll make sure you stay on track."

Tsuna nodded hesitantly, clutching his bag tightly as he stepped out of the car. Reborn followed, leaping gracefully onto Tsuna's shoulder.

"Alright, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn said with a smirk. "Let's see how you handle your first day."

Tsuna swallowed hard, his steps faltering as he approached the massive double doors of the academy. He could feel the weight of countless eyes on him, the murmurs of curiosity as students noticed the newcomer with the baby on his shoulder.

For a moment, Tsuna considered turning back, running away from this strange, intimidating place. But then Reborn's voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and unwavering.

"Keep moving, Tsuna. You're not the same person you were in Namimori. This is where your journey begins."

Taking a deep breath, Tsuna straightened his shoulders and pushed open the doors. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: his life would never be the same again.

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As they walked through the academy's grand hallways, Reborn glanced at Tsuna, his tone casual yet purposeful. "By the way, Dino wanted me to pass on a message."

"Dino?" Tsuna asked, distracted by the towering stone columns around him.

"Yes, one of my other students," Reborn said with a smirk. "He's on a special assignment right now, but you'll meet him eventually. I've been training him for years. Compared to you, he's much more competent but I'm sure you'll get there someday."

"Another student?" Tsuna felt a mix of relief and apprehension. Relief that he wasn't the only one subjected to Reborn's torturous training, and apprehension about what kind of person this Dino might be.

Reborn chuckled softly. "Dino was once just as hopeless as you. If he can become capable, maybe there's hope for you yet. But don't worry about him for now. Focus on surviving your first day."

Tsuna didn't find that last comment reassuring, but he couldn't shake his curiosity. What kind of person would willingly stick around with Reborn as their tutor? And what kind of assignment was Dino on? Something told Tsuna that his life was only going to get more complicated.

After a while of walking through the enormous academy grounds, Tsuna finally arrived in front of the door in the class he was assigned to according to Reborn. And as Tsuna opened the door he saw the classroom was bustling with energy when he arrived. Rows of students sat chatting animatedly, their varied personalities and appearances creating a kaleidoscope of individuality. Some wore their uniforms pristinely, while others had their shirts untucked or ties undone, resembling street punks more than students. Tsuna gulped as he scanned the room, realizing many of them exuded an intimidating aura.

These kids… are they all like me? he thought, his stomach sinking. The idea that most of them might be mafia kids like him made his timid heart race.

Taking a deep breath, Tsuna quietly stepped inside, clutching his bag like a lifeline. A few students glanced at him, their expressions ranging from indifferent to curious, but most returned to their conversations.

The teacher, a stout man with thinning hair, barely looked up from his desk. "New kid, eh? Introduce yourself."

Tsuna hesitated, his voice caught in his throat. He fidgeted under the weight of the room's attention, feeling smaller than ever. "I-I'm Tsunayoshi Sawada…" he began, his accent thick and his Italian clumsy, "nice to… meet you."

A snicker broke the silence, followed by whispers. Someone muttered, "What's with the nervous wreck?" Another chimed in, "Is this guy serious? He looks like he'd cry if you sneezed at him."

Tsuna's cheeks burned. He stared at the floor, wishing it would swallow him whole. "I-I'll just take a seat…" he stammered, moving toward an empty spot near the back.

But before he could reach it, a student stood in his path—a tall boy with a buzz cut and a permanent scowl. His uniform was unkempt, his tie nowhere to be seen, and his sleeves rolled up to reveal tattoo-like markings on his arms.

"Hey, new kid," the boy sneered, blocking Tsuna's way. "You think you can just waltz in here with that pathetic attitude? This school ain't for wimps."

Tsuna froze, panic gripping him. "I-I don't want any trouble…"

"Too late for that," the boy said, cracking his knuckles. The murmurs in the room grew louder, students watching with interest as the scene unfolded.

"Um… teacher?" Tsuna turned to the front, hoping for intervention. But the teacher didn't even glance up, scribbling something in a notebook as if this was a routine occurrence.

Tsuna's heart sank. He's not going to help me…

Before the situation could escalate further, a voice cut through the tension. "That's enough, Raul."

The buzz-cut boy turned, his scowl deepening as another student approached. This one had dirty blonde hair, slightly messy but somehow giving off a confident charm. His uniform was neat, and his sky-blue eyes glinted with a calm intensity.

"Who do you think you are, Basil?" Raul growled. "This doesn't concern you."

"It concerns me if you're picking on someone without reason," the boy Basil replied smoothly. He stepped between Tsuna and Raul, his posture relaxed but firm. "Leave him alone."

Raul hesitated, glaring at Basil before finally stepping back with a scoff. "Whatever. Not worth my time."

As Raul returned to his seat, the tension in the room eased. Basil turned to Tsuna, offering a friendly smile. "You okay?"

Tsuna nodded shakily, his gratitude evident. "Y-Yeah… thanks. I thought I was done for."

Basil chuckled, extending a hand. "Don't mention it. I'm Basil. Let's just say I've been told to look out for you."

Tsuna blinked in surprise, shaking his hand. "Look out for me? What do you mean?"

Basil's expression turned thoughtful as he whispered to Tsuna. "My dad's part of CEDEF, the Vongola's external advisory group. When he heard you'd be coming here, Boss your father asked me to keep an eye on you."

"My dad?" Tsuna repeated, stunned. Even here, he's pulling strings…

"Don't worry," Basil added, his tone reassuring. "I'm not here to babysit you. I just figured we could watch each other's backs. This school isn't exactly a walk in the park."

Tsuna managed a small smile, feeling a flicker of relief. "Thanks, Basil. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Now come on, let's grab a seat before someone else decides to make a scene."

As they settled into their desks, Tsuna felt a little less alone in this strange, daunting place. For the first time since his arrival in Italy, he felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could handle what lay ahead.

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Tsuna settled into his seat next to Basil, still trying to process the strange turn his life had taken. The room was quiet now, with only a few whispers as students awaited the start of class. Basil sat with an air of calm, seemingly unfazed by everything, but Tsuna's nerves were still on edge. He glanced over at the teacher, who had finally stopped scribbling in his notebook and was preparing to begin. Just as the bell rang, signaling the start of class, a loud bang echoed through the room.

The door to the classroom slammed open, making everyone turn toward the source of the noise. Tsuna's eyes widened in surprise when he saw a boy with light blonde hair styled in a wild, spiky manner stride into the room with the kind of loud energy that could not be ignored. The boy wore the school's uniform, but the tie was loosely hanging around his neck, and his shirt was half tucked, giving him a disheveled look that screamed rebellious.

The boy grinned widely at the room as he entered, completely unaware—or perhaps uncaring—that all eyes were on him. He threw his arms out dramatically and called out, "Oi! I'm Longchamp Naito, the transfer student from Japan! And these two," he gestured to the two figures trailing behind him, "are Lunga and Pantera! Also from Japan, transfer students, just like me!"

Tsuna's eyes widened. Naito's loud, brash introduction was impossible to ignore, and the students around him were clearly accustomed to such antics. The room was filled with a mix of amusement and curiosity as Naito continued to make his grand entrance.

Behind Naito were two other students, standing in stark contrast to his boisterous behavior.

Lunga was short and stout, looking more like a toddler than a student in a mafia school. His small beady eyes and blank expression made him seem disconnected from the world around him. He wore a dark sweater, pale pants with a belt, and a beanie on his head with a pair of headphones resting on top. His most striking feature was the electric guitar he held casually in his hand, which seemed to be of more interest to him than the scene happening in front of him.

And then there was Pantera. Unlike Lunga, Pantera was a girl, and though she was petite, her presence was still striking. She wore a frilly dress, her dark hair cut to shoulder length with bangs that completely obscured her eyes. She didn't speak, nor did she acknowledge Naito's loud introduction. Her expression was unreadable, and she looked almost aloof as she followed behind Lunga. There was something unsettling about her stillness as if she were always in control of her emotions. Pantera didn't seem fazed by Naito's theatrics, instead just standing quietly next to him as if waiting for the noise to die down.

The teacher, clearly used to these kinds of disruptions, cleared his throat. "Alright, now that we've met the new students, let's begin class."

Tsuna turned to Basil, who was watching the trio with a faint smile. He seemed unfazed by the loud entrance, but Tsuna couldn't help muttering, "This place just keeps getting stranger."

Basil nodded slightly. "Yeah, welcome to mafia school," he said in a tone that was both casual and serious. "It's never dull here."

Tsuna sighed, rubbing his temples. "I thought I was just coming here for school…"

Basil gave him a knowing look. "You're here for a lot more than that. This school teaches you everything you need to know about your future—whether you want it or not."

Tsuna's heart sank. He had a feeling that Basil was right. This was no ordinary school, and he was about to be swept into a world much larger and more dangerous than he ever imagined.

As Naito finally took a seat at the front, still talking loudly and laughing, Tsuna felt his nerves tighten. The students here—Lunga, Pantera, and Naito—were far from ordinary. And now, Tsuna had to navigate this unpredictable environment.