Chapter 151
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
.
In a dense and dark forest, a man who was hiking with only the moon as his source of light. He carried with him a number of objects that have been strapped to his body. This was to ensure that the heavy objects would be secure whenever he moved through the rough terrain.
*Riiing*
He suddenly heard the sound of the device that he hardly used. After setting side the heavy objects strapped to his body, he took out his bag and got the small device to see that from the limited number of people that was stored in his contact list, the most unlikely to contact him was displayed on the screen.
[Kouzuki Kazuya]
The person traveling through the forest was was none other than Nagato Tsuna. Though he was on his way back to the Kouzuki residence, he went his usual way and travelled by foot. The items he carried were specifically requested by the boy since they were the only ones who knew how to get them, Tsuna was the only person who could go.
"(Did he get impatient?)" Tsuna wondered as he tried to answer the call by fiddling with his device. He had lived as a hermit in the mountains for as long as he could remember so he couldn't get himself to get used to the future like devices that were commonly used nowadays.
"Hello? Tsuna-san?" Kazuya's voice was immediately heard as soon as he successfully accepted the call.
"What's the matter?" the boy was usually calm but Tsuna immediately felt that something was off. This boy never took the initiative to ask him for something that hadn't involved the similarity they both shared so he was expecting some bad news.
"We have a situation. You should be close to the H prefecture by now right?" Kazuya didn't beat around the bush.
"I should be there with the materials you asked for in a day or so. What happened?" Tsuna was starting to get concerned. The boy would usually involuntarily distance himself from Tsuna so it was indeed strange for him to be asking where he was. No one was clearer about what Kouzuki Kazuya was capable of more than Tsuna did so what could he be needed for?
He believed that after suffering through the ordeal he did at such a young age, it was understandable that he was weary towards people that were outside his family. Though Tsuna did not know what the boy went through when he went to Edea, he could more or less imagine how it went from Kazuya's behavior.
Tsuna just decided to wait for the right opportunity for the boy to open up and tell him. He felt that it might have been fated for them to meet since the boy's grandfather was someone he had met prior to the boy's birth. This former hero believed that as long as he showed his sincerity and good will, Kazuya would eventually get over the bad experiences he went through and learn to trust people again.
"I'll get people to pick up the materials you are carrying. You just need to tell me the place you will be keeping them before you set out." They immediately discussed where Tsuna would be dumping the things he was carrying so that he could set off immediately.
"Alright. Can you tell me what exactly happened now?" Tsuna was very concerned since his involvement in particular was something that the boy had been counting on.
With both their capabilities, there would be very few things that they would need each other's help. Tsuna didn't doubt that given some time to grow, Kazuya's talents would sooner or later come close to making him reveal his true prowess.
"Shiroyuki Tomoyo is currently in critical condition at the hospital. I need Tsuna-san to go there to 'make sure' that she is alright." With Yuriko listening in on his conversation, he could only hint at Tsuna about specific things.
"Who did it?" Tsuna's voice immediately got stern. He was very familiar with Shiroyuki Tomoyo because he also helped with the girl's growth after seeing what she could do under Kazuya's tutelage. Though he was quite impressed that the indifferent boy showed concern over the girl he would mercilessly defeat in matches, Tsuna immediately understood the consequences if Tomoyo's life ended even after Kazuya had asked for his help.
Nagato Tsuna left his residence in the mountains and decided to live with the Kouzukis after he met with Kazuya. He didn't imagine that he would meet another person that had a similar experience as him in his lifetime. Tsuna silently cursed those people to have summoned and made use of a young boy who wasn't even able to enjoy his youth. He wondered if his efforts to saved that world had been in vain because of how the next generation could have considered using a boy that young.
Tsuna saw Kazuya as somewhat like a grandson to him. He could imagine that if he indeed had a grandson, it would most likely be someone strong and smart as the boy was. This was why he let Kazuya do as he pleased even though he could see the darkness that was in him.
There was no one else that he could put the blame on for what Kazuya had experienced. Though he wanted to help him, all Tsuna could do was slowly guide him towards a better path. Kouzuki Kazuya indeed has darkness inside his heart but the reason Tsuna let him do as he pleased was because though he can be ruthless, the boy was seldom wrong and did everything for a reason.
The boy had strong attachments to his family and would not hesitate to get rid of the people that threatened them. This was why Tsuna had chosen to keep a close eye on the relationship between Kazuya and the Kurogane clan.
Judging from the past events that he heard about, there was no way that Kazuya was just going to let that clan off. Though Tsuna did not know what the boy was planning, he did agree that it would be a better move to make the influential clan collapse from the inside rather than making then suddenly disappear from the face of the earth.
Kazuya was already warned about that option several times. There were too many risks involved in wiping them out and a sudden collapse will warrant the intervention of many troublesome individuals.
"It was a person who claimed to have killed her parents. The police who are at the hospital along with grandpa Jirou should be able to give more details. I don't know the details about her current state but your presence would definitely put me at ease." Kazuya's answer gave the old man a little relief.
Though the boy may have appeared to be indifferent, or at least tried his best not to get too close to people, Tsuna knew that at this moment, the boy should have realized how he truly saw Shiroyuki Tomoyo. The call Kazuya made right now was clear evidence of this. Hearing that it had nothing to do with the Kurogane clan was a relief because if those fools made another move to piss off the boy, even Tsuna would consider just getting rid of these idiots. They might cause him to plunge deeper into the darkness and this was what worried Tsuna the most. What Tsuna wanted the most was to let Kazuya get over his traumas so he can enjoy his youth like he should.
Right now, Kazuya looked like he had been running after or away from something. He focused on nothing else but getting stronger. In Tsuna's mind, this was normal because of how chaotic the situation of the Kouzuki clan had been for the past few years. He admired the boy for wanting to protect his family on his own but Tsuna failed to recognize that Kazuya had not been training only for that purpose.
"Then I will head there right away." Tsuna replied. "Don't worry about the girl. I will contact you once I've confirmed the situation." The call ended and Tsuna turned towards the several heavy materials he was carrying.
"I guess the training would end here for now…"
-
Kazuya breathed a sigh of relief after talking with Tsuna. The man was very hard to contact and since no one has contacted him about Tomoyo, he was unsure of how the robot girl was faring. Kazuya still had some reservations towards Tsuna but there was still no person more reliable than him.
There was a saying that one should never meet their heroes. Kazuya remembered this phrase because he found that he could sympathize with whoever came up with it. Tsuna was not at all like his reputation! Though it was undeniable that Tsuna was indeed summoned to Edea to serve as a hero, Kazuya felt like that the stories about him that were preached and written were all very exaggerated.
It wasn't that he was not strong. It was just that his personality was too straightforward! Kazuya couldn't tell how Tsuna could have gotten past the scheming nobles nor the devious church, but the old man was like a blinding light of positivity. This somewhat repelled Kazuya who couldn't even compare experiences with Tsuna because he would have needed to share his own experiences.
"Who was that?" Yuriko woke Kazuya from his daze after the call had ended. She knew that he was worried about Tomoyo so she didn't call him out for it.
"A friend of both my and the robot girl's grandfathers. He should be able to help." He replied.
"Huh? Help?" Yuriko was confused. The police had pretty much locked down the hospital floor that Tomoyo was in because of Shiroyuki Jirou's influence. How exactly was a friend of them going to help with anything?
"Is he a doctor?" she couldn't help but ask.
"No" Kazuya slowly shook his head. "He's just an old hermit that used to live in the mountains."
"Then why did you call him? What can that man do to help?" Yuriko was beginning to get agitated. Though she knew that Kazuya was worried about his friend, he called an old man for help which seems to her like he had been looking down on the police.
"He can keep her alive if the situation is worse than I imagine." Kazuya didn't have the luxury of explaining to her how. "His name is Nagato Tsuna. You probably haven't heard of him but—"
"NAGATO TSUNA!!!??" Yuriko instantly reacted with shock.
"That reaction…" Kazuya was taken aback by her surprise as well. "You actually know him?"
"How can I not know him!? Everyone in the force should have at least heard his name! The man is a living legend!" It was now Kazuya's turn to be confused. He once tried asking Ika to look Tsuna's history up but aside from the face that didn't match the age, nothing else was wrong.
"living legend?" The admiration in Yuriko's face was apparent when she was talking about Tsuna. "(That hermit actually had a title like this?)" Kazuya thought.
"I can't believe you! You can actually contact someone like Nagato-sama and ask him to do things while not being aware of who he is!?" She glared at him. She remembered how it sounded like Kazuya had been giving orders towards someone she had admired.
Kazuya got pulled towards their destination. Yuriko felt that it was not something they should talk about out in the open and both of them were already getting hungry as well.
"Wasn't Tsuna-san just a regular civilian?" Kazuya couldn't help but ask after they got seated at the restaurant.
"He is still considered a civilian. A special civilian that is." Feeling stressed all day, Yuriko didn't hesitate and ordered herself a couple of beers. She started tell Kazuya about what she knew about Tsuna so that he would understand how she felt about what he just did.
Tsuna was indeed considered a civilian but many people with similar occupations like Yuriko were made known about Tsuna's special identity. The man was a living legend who had survived through the war when he was very young. It was the war that devastated prefecture H which was their current hometown.
From that time, it wasn't known what the cause was exactly, but Nagato Tsuna had displayed prowess that was unlike what his records showed. His service in the military involved a lot of secrets but while most of his missions were strictly confidential, he had a reputation of never having failed before.
Nagato Tsuna retired early and was given a special identity while being a civilian. Due to his distinguished accomplishments and unparalleled loyalty to the country, he had been given a certain authority towards any government body. He can basically call upon the police or military and give them orders if he found the need for their help. Tsuna was also exempt from certain laws which was a way of showing how much he was trusted.
The strangest yet what Yuriko admired most about Tsuna was aside from taking advantage of such a special privilege, Tsuna had chosen to seclude himself in the mountains for training. His special identity was told to all students so that they would be aware of this living legend's authority and make him the ideal that they should strive for.
"(A hero through and through…)" Kazuya couldn't help but smile bitterly. The life that Tsuna led was truly leagues above his own. Hearing this story made Kazuya think that his decision about not telling Tsuna about how he planned to return to Edea with revenge in mind.
"Say…" Yuriko's face was growing more and more flushed as she drank more alcohol. She enjoyed talking to Kazuya because he seemed like a good listener. "Are you also one of those people that are attracted to me because of how I look?" she suddenly asked.
Kazuya was a little surprised. He used to only barely hold a conversation over her in his past life so seeing her a little vulnerable like this was a new experience. She just confirmed that she now believed his sincerity towards her so he was glad to find that he had gained her trust.
"I won't deny that I do notice how beautiful you are." Kazuya smiled. "That is not why I took an interest in you though. The fact that you are a detective at this age as well as your personality when we first met convinced me that you are unlike the women I've met." he looked straight at her eyes and ignored her surprise. "I can feel that you are someone trustworthy and that is very rare. I think these qualities are what I like about you the most."
"Pfft!" Yuriko snorted. "Among the women you've met? How could a middle schooler have met so many women already?" the tipsy detective didn't believe him.
"You'd be surprised how many people have tried to approach me because of my status. It is not limited to people that are close to my age. All of them act like they are interested in me but their interests only lie in benefits." Kazuya retorted. Though this wasn't necessarily the whole truth in this life, he had no shortage of suitors as a hero.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound like someone who's experienced for your age." Yuriko grinned as she moved to sit beside him. She put her arms around his neck and moved her face closer.
"What are you doing?" though Kazuya had appeared calm, his heart was starting to race as her scent tickled his nose.
"Can't you tell? I'm giving you a chance"
.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
.
In a dense and dark forest, a man who was hiking with only the moon as his source of light. He carried with him a number of objects that have been strapped to his body. This was to ensure that the heavy objects would be secure whenever he moved through the rough terrain.
*Riiing*
He suddenly heard the sound of the device that he hardly used. After setting side the heavy objects strapped to his body, he took out his bag and got the small device to see that from the limited number of people that was stored in his contact list, the most unlikely to contact him was displayed on the screen.
[Kouzuki Kazuya]
The person traveling through the forest was was none other than Nagato Tsuna. Though he was on his way back to the Kouzuki residence, he went his usual way and travelled by foot. The items he carried were specifically requested by the boy since they were the only ones who knew how to get them, Tsuna was the only person who could go.
"(Did he get impatient?)" Tsuna wondered as he tried to answer the call by fiddling with his device. He had lived as a hermit in the mountains for as long as he could remember so he couldn't get himself to get used to the future like devices that were commonly used nowadays.
"Hello? Tsuna-san?" Kazuya's voice was immediately heard as soon as he successfully accepted the call.
"What's the matter?" the boy was usually calm but Tsuna immediately felt that something was off. This boy never took the initiative to ask him for something that hadn't involved the similarity they both shared so he was expecting some bad news.
"We have a situation. You should be close to the H prefecture by now right?" Kazuya didn't beat around the bush.
"I should be there with the materials you asked for in a day or so. What happened?" Tsuna was starting to get concerned. The boy would usually involuntarily distance himself from Tsuna so it was indeed strange for him to be asking where he was. No one was clearer about what Kouzuki Kazuya was capable of more than Tsuna did so what could he be needed for?
He believed that after suffering through the ordeal he did at such a young age, it was understandable that he was weary towards people that were outside his family. Though Tsuna did not know what the boy went through when he went to Edea, he could more or less imagine how it went from Kazuya's behavior.
Tsuna just decided to wait for the right opportunity for the boy to open up and tell him. He felt that it might have been fated for them to meet since the boy's grandfather was someone he had met prior to the boy's birth. This former hero believed that as long as he showed his sincerity and good will, Kazuya would eventually get over the bad experiences he went through and learn to trust people again.
"I'll get people to pick up the materials you are carrying. You just need to tell me the place you will be keeping them before you set out." They immediately discussed where Tsuna would be dumping the things he was carrying so that he could set off immediately.
"Alright. Can you tell me what exactly happened now?" Tsuna was very concerned since his involvement in particular was something that the boy had been counting on.
With both their capabilities, there would be very few things that they would need each other's help. Tsuna didn't doubt that given some time to grow, Kazuya's talents would sooner or later come close to making him reveal his true prowess.
"Shiroyuki Tomoyo is currently in critical condition at the hospital. I need Tsuna-san to go there to 'make sure' that she is alright." With Yuriko listening in on his conversation, he could only hint at Tsuna about specific things.
"Who did it?" Tsuna's voice immediately got stern. He was very familiar with Shiroyuki Tomoyo because he also helped with the girl's growth after seeing what she could do under Kazuya's tutelage. Though he was quite impressed that the indifferent boy showed concern over the girl he would mercilessly defeat in matches, Tsuna immediately understood the consequences if Tomoyo's life ended even after Kazuya had asked for his help.
Nagato Tsuna left his residence in the mountains and decided to live with the Kouzukis after he met with Kazuya. He didn't imagine that he would meet another person that had a similar experience as him in his lifetime. Tsuna silently cursed those people to have summoned and made use of a young boy who wasn't even able to enjoy his youth. He wondered if his efforts to saved that world had been in vain because of how the next generation could have considered using a boy that young.
Tsuna saw Kazuya as somewhat like a grandson to him. He could imagine that if he indeed had a grandson, it would most likely be someone strong and smart as the boy was. This was why he let Kazuya do as he pleased even though he could see the darkness that was in him.
There was no one else that he could put the blame on for what Kazuya had experienced. Though he wanted to help him, all Tsuna could do was slowly guide him towards a better path. Kouzuki Kazuya indeed has darkness inside his heart but the reason Tsuna let him do as he pleased was because though he can be ruthless, the boy was seldom wrong and did everything for a reason.
The boy had strong attachments to his family and would not hesitate to get rid of the people that threatened them. This was why Tsuna had chosen to keep a close eye on the relationship between Kazuya and the Kurogane clan.
Judging from the past events that he heard about, there was no way that Kazuya was just going to let that clan off. Though Tsuna did not know what the boy was planning, he did agree that it would be a better move to make the influential clan collapse from the inside rather than making then suddenly disappear from the face of the earth.
Kazuya was already warned about that option several times. There were too many risks involved in wiping them out and a sudden collapse will warrant the intervention of many troublesome individuals.
"It was a person who claimed to have killed her parents. The police who are at the hospital along with grandpa Jirou should be able to give more details. I don't know the details about her current state but your presence would definitely put me at ease." Kazuya's answer gave the old man a little relief.
Though the boy may have appeared to be indifferent, or at least tried his best not to get too close to people, Tsuna knew that at this moment, the boy should have realized how he truly saw Shiroyuki Tomoyo. The call Kazuya made right now was clear evidence of this. Hearing that it had nothing to do with the Kurogane clan was a relief because if those fools made another move to piss off the boy, even Tsuna would consider just getting rid of these idiots. They might cause him to plunge deeper into the darkness and this was what worried Tsuna the most. What Tsuna wanted the most was to let Kazuya get over his traumas so he can enjoy his youth like he should.
Right now, Kazuya looked like he had been running after or away from something. He focused on nothing else but getting stronger. In Tsuna's mind, this was normal because of how chaotic the situation of the Kouzuki clan had been for the past few years. He admired the boy for wanting to protect his family on his own but Tsuna failed to recognize that Kazuya had not been training only for that purpose.
"Then I will head there right away." Tsuna replied. "Don't worry about the girl. I will contact you once I've confirmed the situation." The call ended and Tsuna turned towards the several heavy materials he was carrying.
"I guess the training would end here for now…"
-
Kazuya breathed a sigh of relief after talking with Tsuna. The man was very hard to contact and since no one has contacted him about Tomoyo, he was unsure of how the robot girl was faring. Kazuya still had some reservations towards Tsuna but there was still no person more reliable than him.
There was a saying that one should never meet their heroes. Kazuya remembered this phrase because he found that he could sympathize with whoever came up with it. Tsuna was not at all like his reputation! Though it was undeniable that Tsuna was indeed summoned to Edea to serve as a hero, Kazuya felt like that the stories about him that were preached and written were all very exaggerated.
It wasn't that he was not strong. It was just that his personality was too straightforward! Kazuya couldn't tell how Tsuna could have gotten past the scheming nobles nor the devious church, but the old man was like a blinding light of positivity. This somewhat repelled Kazuya who couldn't even compare experiences with Tsuna because he would have needed to share his own experiences.
"Who was that?" Yuriko woke Kazuya from his daze after the call had ended. She knew that he was worried about Tomoyo so she didn't call him out for it.
"A friend of both my and the robot girl's grandfathers. He should be able to help." He replied.
"Huh? Help?" Yuriko was confused. The police had pretty much locked down the hospital floor that Tomoyo was in because of Shiroyuki Jirou's influence. How exactly was a friend of them going to help with anything?
"Is he a doctor?" she couldn't help but ask.
"No" Kazuya slowly shook his head. "He's just an old hermit that used to live in the mountains."
"Then why did you call him? What can that man do to help?" Yuriko was beginning to get agitated. Though she knew that Kazuya was worried about his friend, he called an old man for help which seems to her like he had been looking down on the police.
"He can keep her alive if the situation is worse than I imagine." Kazuya didn't have the luxury of explaining to her how. "His name is Nagato Tsuna. You probably haven't heard of him but—"
"NAGATO TSUNA!!!??" Yuriko instantly reacted with shock.
"That reaction…" Kazuya was taken aback by her surprise as well. "You actually know him?"
"How can I not know him!? Everyone in the force should have at least heard his name! The man is a living legend!" It was now Kazuya's turn to be confused. He once tried asking Ika to look Tsuna's history up but aside from the face that didn't match the age, nothing else was wrong.
"living legend?" The admiration in Yuriko's face was apparent when she was talking about Tsuna. "(That hermit actually had a title like this?)" Kazuya thought.
"I can't believe you! You can actually contact someone like Nagato-sama and ask him to do things while not being aware of who he is!?" She glared at him. She remembered how it sounded like Kazuya had been giving orders towards someone she had admired.
Kazuya got pulled towards their destination. Yuriko felt that it was not something they should talk about out in the open and both of them were already getting hungry as well.
"Wasn't Tsuna-san just a regular civilian?" Kazuya couldn't help but ask after they got seated at the restaurant.
"He is still considered a civilian. A special civilian that is." Feeling stressed all day, Yuriko didn't hesitate and ordered herself a couple of beers. She started tell Kazuya about what she knew about Tsuna so that he would understand how she felt about what he just did.
Tsuna was indeed considered a civilian but many people with similar occupations like Yuriko were made known about Tsuna's special identity. The man was a living legend who had survived through the war when he was very young. It was the war that devastated prefecture H which was their current hometown.
From that time, it wasn't known what the cause was exactly, but Nagato Tsuna had displayed prowess that was unlike what his records showed. His service in the military involved a lot of secrets but while most of his missions were strictly confidential, he had a reputation of never having failed before.
Nagato Tsuna retired early and was given a special identity while being a civilian. Due to his distinguished accomplishments and unparalleled loyalty to the country, he had been given a certain authority towards any government body. He can basically call upon the police or military and give them orders if he found the need for their help. Tsuna was also exempt from certain laws which was a way of showing how much he was trusted.
The strangest yet what Yuriko admired most about Tsuna was aside from taking advantage of such a special privilege, Tsuna had chosen to seclude himself in the mountains for training. His special identity was told to all students so that they would be aware of this living legend's authority and make him the ideal that they should strive for.
"(A hero through and through…)" Kazuya couldn't help but smile bitterly. The life that Tsuna led was truly leagues above his own. Hearing this story made Kazuya think that his decision about not telling Tsuna about how he planned to return to Edea with revenge in mind.
"Say…" Yuriko's face was growing more and more flushed as she drank more alcohol. She enjoyed talking to Kazuya because he seemed like a good listener. "Are you also one of those people that are attracted to me because of how I look?" she suddenly asked.
Kazuya was a little surprised. He used to only barely hold a conversation over her in his past life so seeing her a little vulnerable like this was a new experience. She just confirmed that she now believed his sincerity towards her so he was glad to find that he had gained her trust.
"I won't deny that I do notice how beautiful you are." Kazuya smiled. "That is not why I took an interest in you though. The fact that you are a detective at this age as well as your personality when we first met convinced me that you are unlike the women I've met." he looked straight at her eyes and ignored her surprise. "I can feel that you are someone trustworthy and that is very rare. I think these qualities are what I like about you the most."
"Pfft!" Yuriko snorted. "Among the women you've met? How could a middle schooler have met so many women already?" the tipsy detective didn't believe him.
"You'd be surprised how many people have tried to approach me because of my status. It is not limited to people that are close to my age. All of them act like they are interested in me but their interests only lie in benefits." Kazuya retorted. Though this wasn't necessarily the whole truth in this life, he had no shortage of suitors as a hero.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound like someone who's experienced for your age." Yuriko grinned as she moved to sit beside him. She put her arms around his neck and moved her face closer.
"What are you doing?" though Kazuya had appeared calm, his heart was starting to race as her scent tickled his nose.
"Can't you tell? I'm giving you a chance"
.
.In a dense and dark forest, a man who was hiking with only the moon as his source of light. He carried with him a number of objects that have been strapped to his body. This was to ensure that the heavy objects would be secure whenever he moved through the rough terrain.*Riiing*He suddenly heard the sound of the device that he hardly used. After setting side the heavy objects strapped to his body, he took out his bag and got the small device to see that from the limited number of people that was stored in his contact list, the most unlikely to contact him was displayed on the screen.Kouzuki KazuyaThe person traveling through the forest was was none other than Nagato Tsuna. Though he was on his way back to the Kouzuki residence, he went his usual way and travelled by foot. The items he carried were specifically requested by the boy since they were the only ones who knew how to get them, Tsuna was the only person who could go."Did he get impatient?" Tsuna wondered as he tried to answer the call by fiddling with his device. He had lived as a hermit in the mountains for as long as he could remember so he couldn't get himself to get used to the future like devices that were commonly used nowadays."Hello? Tsuna-san?" Kazuya's voice was immediately heard as soon as he successfully accepted the call."What's the matter?" the boy was usually calm but Tsuna immediately felt that something was off. This boy never took the initiative to ask him for something that hadn't involved the similarity they both shared so he was expecting some bad news."We have a situation. You should be close to the H prefecture by now right?" Kazuya didn't beat around the bush."I should be there with the materials you asked for in a day or so. What happened?" Tsuna was starting to get concerned. The boy would usually involuntarily distance himself from Tsuna so it was indeed strange for him to be asking where he was. No one was clearer about what Kouzuki Kazuya was capable of more than Tsuna did so what could he be needed for?He believed that after suffering through the ordeal he did at such a young age, it was understandable that he was weary towards people that were outside his family. Though Tsuna did not know what the boy went through when he went to Edea, he could more or less imagine how it went from Kazuya's behavior.Tsuna just decided to wait for the right opportunity for the boy to open up and tell him. He felt that it might have been fated for them to meet since the boy's grandfather was someone he had met prior to the boy's birth. This former hero believed that as long as he showed his sincerity and good will, Kazuya would eventually get over the bad experiences he went through and learn to trust people again."I'll get people to pick up the materials you are carrying. You just need to tell me the place you will be keeping them before you set out." They immediately discussed where Tsuna would be dumping the things he was carrying so that he could set off immediately."Alright. Can you tell me what exactly happened now?" Tsuna was very concerned since his involvement in particular was something that the boy had been counting on.With both their capabilities, there would be very few things that they would need each other's help. Tsuna didn't doubt that given some time to grow, Kazuya's talents would sooner or later come close to making him reveal his true prowess."Shiroyuki Tomoyo is currently in critical condition at the hospital. I need Tsuna-san to go there to 'make sure' that she is alright." With Yuriko listening in on his conversation, he could only hint at Tsuna about specific things."Who did it?" Tsuna's voice immediately got stern. He was very familiar with Shiroyuki Tomoyo because he also helped with the girl's growth after seeing what she could do under Kazuya's tutelage. Though he was quite impressed that the indifferent boy showed concern over the girl he would mercilessly defeat in matches, Tsuna immediately understood the consequences if Tomoyo's life ended even after Kazuya had asked for his help.Nagato Tsuna left his residence in the mountains and decided to live with the Kouzukis after he met with Kazuya. He didn't imagine that he would meet another person that had a similar experience as him in his lifetime. Tsuna silently cursed those people to have summoned and made use of a young boy who wasn't even able to enjoy his youth. He wondered if his efforts to saved that world had been in vain because of how the next generation could have considered using a boy that young.Tsuna saw Kazuya as somewhat like a grandson to him. He could imagine that if he indeed had a grandson, it would most likely be someone strong and smart as the boy was. This was why he let Kazuya do as he pleased even though he could see the darkness that was in him.There was no one else that he could put the blame on for what Kazuya had experienced. Though he wanted to help him, all Tsuna could do was slowly guide him towards a better path. Kouzuki Kazuya indeed has darkness inside his heart but the reason Tsuna let him do as he pleased was because though he can be ruthless, the boy was seldom wrong and did everything for a reason.The boy had strong attachments to his family and would not hesitate to get rid of the people that threatened them. This was why Tsuna had chosen to keep a close eye on the relationship between Kazuya and the Kurogane clan.Judging from the past events that he heard about, there was no way that Kazuya was just going to let that clan off. Though Tsuna did not know what the boy was planning, he did agree that it would be a better move to make the influential clan collapse from the inside rather than making then suddenly disappear from the face of the earth.Kazuya was already warned about that option several times. There were too many risks involved in wiping them out and a sudden collapse will warrant the intervention of many troublesome individuals."It was a person who claimed to have killed her parents. The police who are at the hospital along with grandpa Jirou should be able to give more details. I don't know the details about her current state but your presence would definitely put me at ease." Kazuya's answer gave the old man a little relief.Though the boy may have appeared to be indifferent, or at least tried his best not to get too close to people, Tsuna knew that at this moment, the boy should have realized how he truly saw Shiroyuki Tomoyo. The call Kazuya made right now was clear evidence of this. Hearing that it had nothing to do with the Kurogane clan was a relief because if those fools made another move to piss off the boy, even Tsuna would consider just getting rid of these idiots. They might cause him to plunge deeper into the darkness and this was what worried Tsuna the most. What Tsuna wanted the most was to let Kazuya get over his traumas so he can enjoy his youth like he should.Right now, Kazuya looked like he had been running after or away from something. He focused on nothing else but getting stronger. In Tsuna's mind, this was normal because of how chaotic the situation of the Kouzuki clan had been for the past few years. He admired the boy for wanting to protect his family on his own but Tsuna failed to recognize that Kazuya had not been training only for that purpose."Then I will head there right away." Tsuna replied. "Don't worry about the girl. I will contact you once I've confirmed the situation." The call ended and Tsuna turned towards the several heavy materials he was carrying."I guess the training would end here for now"-Kazuya breathed a sigh of relief after talking with Tsuna. The man was very hard to contact and since no one has contacted him about Tomoyo, he was unsure of how the robot girl was faring. Kazuya still had some reservations towards Tsuna but there was still no person more reliable than him.There was a saying that one should never meet their heroes. Kazuya remembered this phrase because he found that he could sympathize with whoever came up with it. Tsuna was not at all like his reputation! Though it was undeniable that Tsuna was indeed summoned to Edea to serve as a hero, Kazuya felt like that the stories about him that were preached and written were all very exaggerated.It wasn't that he was not strong. It was just that his personality was too straightforward! Kazuya couldn't tell how Tsuna could have gotten past the scheming nobles nor the devious church, but the old man was like a blinding light of positivity. This somewhat repelled Kazuya who couldn't even compare experiences with Tsuna because he would have needed to share his own experiences."Who was that?" Yuriko woke Kazuya from his daze after the call had ended. She knew that he was worried about Tomoyo so she didn't call him out for it."A friend of both my and the robot girl's grandfathers. He should be able to help." He replied."Huh? Help?" Yuriko was confused. The police had pretty much locked down the hospital floor that Tomoyo was in because of Shiroyuki Jirou's influence. How exactly was a friend of them going to help with anything?"Is he a doctor?" she couldn't help but ask."No" Kazuya slowly shook his head. "He's just an old hermit that used to live in the mountains.""Then why did you call him? What can that man do to help?" Yuriko was beginning to get agitated. Though she knew that Kazuya was worried about his friend, he called an old man for help which seems to her like he had been looking down on the police."He can keep her alive if the situation is worse than I imagine." Kazuya didn't have the luxury of explaining to her how. "His name is Nagato Tsuna. You probably haven't heard of him but""NAGATO TSUNA!!!??" Yuriko instantly reacted with shock."That reaction" Kazuya was taken aback by her surprise as well. "You actually know him?""How can I not know him!? Everyone in the force should have at least heard his name! The man is a living legend!" It was now Kazuya's turn to be confused. He once tried asking Ika to look Tsuna's history up but aside from the face that didn't match the age, nothing else was wrong."living legend?" The admiration in Yuriko's face was apparent when she was talking about Tsuna. "That hermit actually had a title like this?" Kazuya thought."I can't believe you! You can actually contact someone like Nagato-sama and ask him to do things while not being aware of who he is!?" She glared at him. She remembered how it sounded like Kazuya had been giving orders towards someone she had admired.Kazuya got pulled towards their destination. Yuriko felt that it was not something they should talk about out in the open and both of them were already getting hungry as well."Wasn't Tsuna-san just a regular civilian?" Kazuya couldn't help but ask after they got seated at the restaurant."He is still considered a civilian. A special civilian that is." Feeling stressed all day, Yuriko didn't hesitate and ordered herself a couple of beers. She started tell Kazuya about what she knew about Tsuna so that he would understand how she felt about what he just did.Tsuna was indeed considered a civilian but many people with similar occupations like Yuriko were made known about Tsuna's special identity. The man was a living legend who had survived through the war when he was very young. It was the war that devastated prefecture H which was their current hometown.From that time, it wasn't known what the cause was exactly, but Nagato Tsuna had displayed prowess that was unlike what his records showed. His service in the military involved a lot of secrets but while most of his missions were strictly confidential, he had a reputation of never having failed before.Nagato Tsuna retired early and was given a special identity while being a civilian. Due to his distinguished accomplishments and unparalleled loyalty to the country, he had been given a certain authority towards any government body. He can basically call upon the police or military and give them orders if he found the need for their help. Tsuna was also exempt from certain laws which was a way of showing how much he was trusted.The strangest yet what Yuriko admired most about Tsuna was aside from taking advantage of such a special privilege, Tsuna had chosen to seclude himself in the mountains for training. His special identity was told to all students so that they would be aware of this living legend's authority and make him the ideal that they should strive for."A hero through and through" Kazuya couldn't help but smile bitterly. The life that Tsuna led was truly leagues above his own. Hearing this story made Kazuya think that his decision about not telling Tsuna about how he planned to return to Edea with revenge in mind."Say" Yuriko's face was growing more and more flushed as she drank more alcohol. She enjoyed talking to Kazuya because he seemed like a good listener. "Are you also one of those people that are attracted to me because of how I look?" she suddenly asked.Kazuya was a little surprised. He used to only barely hold a conversation over her in his past life so seeing her a little vulnerable like this was a new experience. She just confirmed that she now believed his sincerity towards her so he was glad to find that he had gained her trust."I won't deny that I do notice how beautiful you are." Kazuya smiled. "That is not why I took an interest in you though. The fact that you are a detective at this age as well as your personality when we first met convinced me that you are unlike the women I've met." he looked straight at her eyes and ignored her surprise. "I can feel that you are someone trustworthy and that is very rare. I think these qualities are what I like about you the most.""Pfft!" Yuriko snorted. "Among the women you've met? How could a middle schooler have met so many women already?" the tipsy detective didn't believe him."You'd be surprised how many people have tried to approach me because of my status. It is not limited to people that are close to my age. All of them act like they are interested in me but their interests only lie in benefits." Kazuya retorted. Though this wasn't necessarily the whole truth in this life, he had no shortage of suitors as a hero."You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound like someone who's experienced for your age." Yuriko grinned as she moved to sit beside him. She put her arms around his neck and moved her face closer."What are you doing?" though Kazuya had appeared calm, his heart was starting to race as her scent tickled his nose."Can't you tell? I'm giving you a chance".
