Chapter 46 (Bug Hunting) Battle for the Ring

Chapter 46

Kurokawa Kaoru's plan to return to school did not succeed.

The reason is that Tsunayoshi Sawada worries every day that his guardians will be injured in the battle for the ring, especially Rambo - unlike Reborn, the cursed baby, Rambo is a real child. If something happens, none of them can bear the consequences.

The result that Sawada Tsunayoshi worried about was that Kurokawa Kaoru would have to listen to him repeating the same thing every day. After all, as an allied family, he had followed the Vongola for so many generations and couldn't stand the other party's entanglement. Without Reborn saying anything, Kurokawa Kaoru took the initiative to extend his vacation.

There was nothing to worry about at school. After all, the Kurokawa family sponsored a teaching building for the school, and Kurokawa Kaoru's grades had always been in the top ten in the grade. Knowing that he was taking leave to accompany his sick father in the hospital, they approved his leave without even thinking about it.

Mr. Kurokawa was inexplicably “hospitalized”:?

"Seriously, are you sure you want Rambo to compete in the Battle for the Ring?"

"What's the problem?"

What's the problem? Kurokawa Kaoru was a little helpless. It's a big problem, okay?

"After all, Rambo is just a child, and the other guy is Varian. To put it nicely, it's just a bump. What if he's really injured?"

"This is Rambo's own choice."

Reborn said, "Before he accepted the ring, he already knew the consequences of doing so, and... he was also the Thunder Guardian chosen by Tsuna."

Kaoru Kurokawa: Didn’t you “help” Sawada make the choice?

Reborn's words meant that the ending was already determined.

Come to think of it, whether there is a person named "Kurokawa Kaoru" or not, the battle for the ring is inevitable, and it can't be changed by just a few words.

The first round of the Ring Battle was the battle of the Guardians of the Sun. Except for Kirimori, everyone else on Sawada Tsunayoshi's side had arrived at the designated location for the Ring Battle on time.

"Come to think of it... I still don't know who the guardian of the half ring with the mist attribute is."

Sawada Tsunayoshi had asked Reborn about the ring's whereabouts. He had said that he would appear when necessary, but now that the first round was about to begin, the legendary "Mist Guardian" had yet to show up.

"Is there really such a person?"

"Since Lord Reborn has said so, then it must be true."

"Kurokawa?"

Hearing Kurokawa Kaoru's voice out of the blue, Sawada Tsunayoshi was stunned for a moment, then he reacted and quickly turned around: "You're finally here!"

"If I hadn't come, you would have been so worried that you wouldn't have been able to speak, and everyone would have been nervous in the end."

As a former mafia member who already knew the future timeline, Kurokawa Kaoru certainly knew who the Vongola's Mist Lord was. However, his identity was somewhat ambiguous, and since Reborn hadn't revealed it, he didn't want to spoil it in advance, as it would have aroused Reborn's suspicions.

Thinking of this, Kurokawa Kaoru smiled and shook his head, turning to look at the women with pink hair, bronze skin, and strange masks on their faces not far away: "Cosplay? Or performance art?"

"Xanxus said they all share the same name, 'Cherbero'. Their expressions, gestures, voices, and even their appearances are identical. Currently, they're probably part of the Cherbero Organization within the Vongola family."

"should?"

Kurokawa Kaoru frowned: "Why use 'should'?"

Hearing the confusion in the other party's words, Reborn was silent for a moment, then said, "Because even the leader of the Outer Advisors, Sawada Iemitsu, didn't know there was such a mechanism in the Vongola. He only knew that these people appeared suddenly. To a certain extent, they were also the ones who instigated the war for the ring."

A mechanism no one had ever heard of, yet no one doubted its authenticity? Kurokawa Kaoru expressed his incomprehension at the Vongola's actions, even though they knew Cerbero was suspicious, and yet they chose to accept it and proceed with the Ring War. He couldn't help but doubt his past efforts to maintain a good relationship with the Vongola, even believing that clinging to the Vongola was the best decision he had ever made.

The reason is simple - it's simply too unreliable.

And this Cerberus. Kurokawa Kaoru lowered his eyes.

There was a building between him and Cerbero. Having been in the mafia for so long, Kurokawa Kaoru certainly knew how to avoid being spotted. But the moment he looked at them, one of them suddenly turned around, meeting his gaze as if by coincidence.

coincide.

“…”

The thing he least believed in in this world was coincidence.

He didn't know if it was just his imagination, but he felt a strong sense of disharmony about these Cerberos. If current technology hadn't been able to create robots with such realistic blood vessels and skin, Kurokawa would have suspected they weren't real people.

"Are you nervous, Kurokawa?"

At this moment, Kurokawa Kaoru's hand was grabbed by Sawada Tsunayoshi. After a few seconds of hesitation, he looked at the other person. Seeing the cold sweat on his face, Kurokawa Kaoru was silent for a moment, and resignedly comforted him, "For the upcoming ring battle, you have done your best to complete your training. From now on, you just have to leave it to fate."

Besides, didn't this guy say he didn't like the Mafia? That man named XANXUS, while seemingly unappealing, wasn't some mad dog seeking revenge. He was the ninth generation's son, after all. Whether it was for the sake of the Vongola legacy or considering his upbringing, he wouldn't do anything too outrageous.

Kurokawa Kaoru said to Sawada Tsunayoshi exactly what he thought.

What he didn't expect was that after he finished expressing his thoughts, Sawada Tsunayoshi was silent for a moment, and then he said: "I just don't want to be called 'good-for-nothing Tsuna' by others for the rest of my life."

“…”

"I've thought about what my life would be like without Reborn."

Living with his mother every day, staying in bed constantly, being late, and then being chased and bitten by Hibari Kyoya. With Sawada Tsunayoshi's personality, he wouldn't have inexplicably run around the streets of Namimori Town in just boxer briefs, nor would he have experienced so many dangerous things, and he certainly wouldn't have become friends with Hayato Gokudera and others.

Then just live your life in an orderly manner.

This kind of life was undoubtedly commonplace for Tsunayoshi Sawada in the past. If it weren't for Reborn, if he hadn't been chosen to become the tenth generation, his father wouldn't have returned at this time, but would have been home only once every two or three years, just like before. If nothing unexpected happened, by the time he got married and had children, Tsunayoshi Sawada would have never known that this irresponsible man, who he saw as only interested in traveling around the world, was actually closely connected to the Vongola.

No matter how you think about it, this kind of life is more suitable for you.

"But I've made my choice."

"Gokudera, Yamamoto... and everyone else, from the moment we formed our 'family', our destinies have been linked together. Everyone has worked incredibly hard for this ring battle. In order to live up to their expectations, I want to try my best as well."

Kurokawa Kaoru was silent.

Knowing the outcome, Kurokawa Kaoru wasn't really worried about the Ring War. He would have advised people to give up, but it suddenly occurred to him that if Sawada Tsunayoshi wasn't the Tenth Generation of the Vongola, perhaps he wouldn't have died in the future.

But looking at the person in front of him, Kurokawa Kaoru couldn't say a word.

Kurokawa Kaoru couldn't understand.

Even though Tsunayoshi Sawada doesn't like the Mafia and had vowed to himself not long ago that he would not inherit the Vongola, he mustered up the courage to give it a try for the sake of the people around him.

Didn't he hear what Cerberus said, "If you die in the Battle for the Ring, the consequences will be your own responsibility"?

"The Mafia is not the King's House Wine. It can really kill people."

"I've known about this kind of thing for a long time."

Looking at Sasagawa Ryohei who was fighting with Lusilia, Sawada Tsunayoshi's expression was serious and his words were full of determination: "In order to prevent this from happening, I will work hard to make myself stronger, so that I can better protect everyone."

"That sounds like a leader."

Having been following Sawada Tsunayoshi's movements from the very beginning, Reborn chuckled after listening to the conversation between Sawada Tsunayoshi and Kurokawa Kaoru, and then lightly jumped on Sawada Tsunayoshi's head and said, "You want to protect the family members and are willing to work hard for the family, Tsuna. You already have what it takes to become a leader."

"It always feels a bit strange when these words come out of Reborn's mouth."

"Looks like you deserve to be punished, stupid Tsuna."

“…”

"I never thought that Tsuna could say such a thing."

Looking up at the suddenly appearing Sawada Iemitsu, Kurokawa Kaoru sneered, the mockery in his eyes almost overflowing: "Aren't you Sawada's father? It's strange that you're the last one to know about something like this."

"I also have my own difficulties."

Sawada Iemitsu sighed, "If the Ninth Hokage hadn't chosen Tsuna, I would have thought of just lying to him my whole life. Instead of letting Nana and Tsuna worry about my identity, I'd rather let them think I'm a backpacker who's away from home all year round. Besides... the Vongola needs me."

"No family can survive without someone."

That's right, Kurokawa Kaoru thought to himself.

There is no family that cannot survive without someone.

He once considered the Kurokawa family his responsibility, which is why he tried again and again, hoping to get a happy ending through hard work. But reality told him that all his efforts were in vain, so he chose to give up.

Whether it was because of Sawada Tsunayoshi's words, or because he saw a reflection of his former self in him, Kurokawa Kaoru took a deep breath, as if to vent the pain and dissatisfaction accumulated in his chest. He looked at Sawada Iemitsu in front of him and said expressionlessly, "If Mr. Sawada Iemitsu continues to be so self-righteous, one day you will regret everything you have done."

This statement is correct for Sawada Iemitsu.

besides--

And there is "Kurokawa Kaoru" himself.

TBC.