KHR: Decimo Primo

Timoteo exhaled deeply, his body slumping slightly as the effects of the battle caught up with him. His Sky Flames dimmed, flickering faintly before dissipating completely. His chest rose and fell heavily, and his face bore the weariness of both age and emotional strain.

Gazing at the ice-encased form of Xanxus, Timoteo's expression softened, tinged with regret. He murmured softly to himself, the words barely audible in the stillness of the room.

"Xanxus... I had hoped..." He paused, his voice trembling as he forced himself to continue. "I had hoped you'd find your own path to redemption. That even with your anger and hatred, you'd prove me wrong and show the strength of your heart, not just your flames."

His gaze lingered on Xanxus, frozen in time, his fierce expression still locked in place.

"I knew, even a year ago, that this day might come," Timoteo admitted aloud, his tone heavy with resignation. "Ever since I met Iemitsu's boy..." He sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "That child, Tsunayoshi, with those pure Sky Flames... I saw in him something rare—a potential so great it felt like the skies themselves were calling out to him. A potential Xanxus has, too, if only he could see beyond his rage."

Timoteo glanced down at his own trembling hands. "I always believed Xanxus could rise above his demons, even if it meant breaking tradition. My blooded sons... they're good men, but not suited for this life. But Xanxus..." His voice faltered for a moment. "I would have given you the Vongola if you'd only shown me you could bear its weight with honor."

His shoulders slumped, and he turned away from the frozen battlefield, speaking to the stillness. "Now, because of your actions—your betrayal—this family is fractured. If not for Ottavio's warning, this night could have been catastrophic. And even now, I can't help but wish you'd chosen differently."

Timoteo took a step toward the doorway, intending to leave and rest before assessing the damage to the branch headquarters. But just as he crossed the threshold, he froze.

"Timoteo."

The voice was cold, detached, and familiar. Timoteo turned slowly, his heart sinking as his eyes confirmed what he already knew. Floating a few meters away was Mammon, her Mist Flames coiling ominously around her.

Behind her, bound tightly with shimmering tendrils of Mist Flames, were six children. Their terrified expressions cut through Timoteo like a dagger. His breath hitched as his gaze landed on one child in particular—a boy with messy brown hair and wide, trembling eyes.

"Tsunayoshi," Timoteo whispered, his voice laced with a mix of shock and despair.

Mammon's lips curled into a faint smirk. "You seem surprised, Ninth. Did you think I'd simply vanish after that little scuffle?" She gestured lazily to the children behind her. "I found these wandering around. Quite bold for a group of little ones, don't you think? Imagine my surprise when I realized who one of them was."

Timoteo's fists clenched, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as his Sky Flames reignited, though dimmer than before. "Mammon. Release them. Now."

Her smile didn't falter. "Oh, I think not. You see, I may have chosen not to intervene further with Xanxus's foolish little coup, but I'm not leaving empty-handed. These children are leverage, Timoteo. Valuable leverage. And unless you'd like to see them hurt, I suggest you stand down."

Timoteo's eyes narrowed, his flames growing slightly brighter. "You know who that boy is, don't you?"

Mammon chuckled, her tone mocking. "Oh, I do. The Vongola's precious little backup candidate. A backup you clearly favor, judging by your reaction." Her gaze flickered over the trembling children. "You have a choice to make, Ninth. Risk their lives, or let me walk away with them."

Timoteo remained silent for a moment, his mind racing. He was acutely aware of his weakened state, and the toll the battle had taken on him. But his resolve hardened as his gaze met Tsuna's. The boy's wide eyes held fear, yes, but also an undeniable glimmer of courage.

"You won't hurt them," Timoteo said finally, his voice steady. "Because if you do, you'll lose far more than you gain. And you know that as well as I do, Mammon."

Mammon's smirk faltered slightly, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. She floated closer, her Mist Flames shifting uneasily.

"Perhaps," she admitted, her tone cooler. "But I could still leave with them. And you wouldn't stop me."

Timoteo's eyes burned with quiet defiance. "Try me."

Timoteo's voice was steady, his Sky Flames flickering weakly but resolutely. "Try me."

Mammon's smirk widened, but her eyes glimmered with sharp calculation. She hovered closer, her Mist Flames swirling as if testing his resolve.

"Oh, Ninth," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "You're a wise man. Surely you know that brute force isn't always the solution."

Timoteo remained silent, his gaze unwavering.

Mammon sighed, feigning disappointment. "Very well. Let's talk terms. I'll release your precious little Sky candidate and his friends—" she gestured lazily toward the trembling group of children behind her—"in exchange for something only you can provide."

Timoteo's fists clenched. "What do you want, Mammon?"

Her smirk turned razor-sharp. "Xanxus."

Timoteo's heart sank, though his expression betrayed nothing. "What are you playing at?"

"Release him," Mammon said simply, her tone casual yet deliberate. "Break the Zero Point Breakthrough ice. You're the only one who can—either with your pure Sky Flames or by surpassing the power of the technique that bound him."

Timoteo's flames flared faintly, his fatigue momentarily forgotten as anger surged through him. "Absolutely not. Xanxus's rage hasn't subsided. If I release him now, he'll stop at nothing to take over the Vongola by force. Do you have any idea what chaos that would unleash?"

Mammon chuckled softly, her Mist Flames thickening around her. "Oh, I do. But you underestimate me, Timoteo." She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial tone. "I'll make you a deal. I'll swear on my status as an Arcobaleno to prevent Xanxus from attacking the Vongola directly. I'll ensure he's restrained—for a time."

Timoteo's brow furrowed in suspicion. "And what's your price for this... assurance?"

Mammon's smirk faltered slightly, replaced by a rare flicker of sincerity. "I'll work for free."

Timoteo's eyes narrowed. "You expect me to believe that? You'd never give up your fee unless you had something to gain."

Mammon's expression darkened, but her tone remained calm. "Think what you will, but this isn't just about money. Xanxus has promised me something far greater than any payment you could offer. Let's just say... his ambitions align with my interests."

Timoteo's voice hardened. "And why should I believe you?"

Mammon sighed, her tone growing more serious. "We can establish a Dying Will Contract—binding and absolute. The terms will be simple. For ten years, the Varia will separate from the Vongola in name and control. Xanxus and his faction will face due punishment under Mafia law, and I will personally ensure they do not move against you during this time. If either party breaks the agreement, their flames will be extinguished entirely."

Timoteo's breath hitched at her words. "You mean..."

"Exactly," Mammon said, her smile returning. "Should Xanxus or I break the truce, our flames—and our lives—will be forfeit. The same applies to you, of course."

Timoteo's mind raced. A Dying Will Contract was absolute, its terms enforced by the very essence of a person's life force. If Xanxus signed, he would have no choice but to honor the agreement—or die. Yet the prospect of releasing him now, even under such a contract, filled Timoteo with unease.

Mammon tilted her head, observing him with mild amusement. "You're hesitating. I don't blame you. But think carefully, Ninth. Can you afford to let this opportunity slip away? If you refuse, I take the boy and his friends. If you agree, you gain a decade of peace and the chance to rebuild your family's foundation."

Timoteo glanced at Tsuna, who was staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. His Sky Flames flickered faintly as he considered his options.

"How can I trust that Xanxus will abide by the terms?" Timoteo asked, at last, his voice low.

Mammon's smirk turned grim. "You can't. Knowing him, he'll only tolerate this arrangement for a few years before his pride demands action. But even he wouldn't risk outright death to defy it—not until he believes he has a chance to take what he wants."

The Ninth closed his eyes, weighing the risks. Releasing Xanxus meant unleashing a storm that had been contained for so long. Yet Mammon's offer of peace, however temporary, could buy the Vongola the time it desperately needed.

Finally, he opened his eyes and nodded. "Fine. I'll agree to your terms."

Mammon's smile widened triumphantly. "Wise choice, Timoteo."

She produced a glowing scroll from thin air, the Mist Flames radiating an otherworldly energy. "Sign it with your Dying Will Flames, and I'll handle the rest."

Timoteo hesitated only briefly before summoning his flames. He pressed his hand against the scroll, watching as his signature burned into its surface.

Mammon turned to the unconscious Xanxus, her Mist Flames coiling around his frozen form. With an unknown method, she guided his hand to the scroll, forcing his signature to appear alongside Timoteo's.

The contract flared with brilliant light before disintegrating into embers.

"It's done," Mammon said, her voice almost reverent. Then after a bit of reluctance following the deal Timoteo manifested his Sky Flames as it melted the Ice surrounding Xanxus until the ice encasing Xanxus began to crack and shatter.

As the flames dimmed, Xanxus collapsed to the ground, unconscious but free. Mammon glanced back at Timoteo. "Enjoy your decade of peace, Ninth. You'll need it."

As Mammon said these words with her life-like illusions she then proceeded to collect all the unconscious members of Varia and with her mist flames she managed to disappear in the area with Xanxus and others like a mere puff of smoke. 

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Tsuna's Pov

Mammon had appeared suddenly, her small frame floating effortlessly above the ground. Her piercing gaze swept over the group of children, a smirk playing on her lips as she observed their startled expressions.

"Well, well," she said, her voice carrying a chilling amusement. "What do we have here? Little lambs wandering where they shouldn't."

Before Tsuna or any of his friends could react, a wave of Mist Flames erupted around her, expanding outward like an ominous fog. The air grew heavy, and a strange, disorienting sensation took hold.

"Run!" Basil shouted, drawing his tonfas, but it was too late.

The mist enveloped them in an instant, its effects immediate and overwhelming. Tsuna watched in horror as one by one, his friends fell. Lunga's movements grew sluggish before he collapsed to the ground. Pantera tried to summon her flames, but the mist smothered her efforts, and she crumpled next. Naito, Raul, and even Basil followed, their bodies hitting the floor with dull thuds.

"No!" Tsuna's voice cracked as he reached out instinctively, his Sky Flames flickering to life in his desperation.

But Mammon's flames surged again, their power suffocating and absolute. Tsuna staggered, his vision blurring as the mist closed in around him. He struggled to stay on his feet, the weight of the illusion pressing down on him like an unbearable burden.

Then, just as he thought he might succumb, the pressure lifted. The mist receded slightly, and Mammon floated closer, her smirk widening as she observed him.

"Interesting," she mused, her sharp eyes narrowing. "You're still standing."

Tsuna's knees buckled, but he remained upright, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He glanced at his fallen friends, panic clawing at his chest.

"Let them go," he managed to say, his voice trembling but resolute.

Mammon chuckled softly, the sound both amused and mocking. "Oh, I don't think so. You're a special case, aren't you?" Her gaze lingered on him, her smirk taking on a calculating edge. "A Sky candidate… how delightful."

Tsuna froze, her words cutting through him like a blade. She knows who I am.

With a wave of her hand, Mammon's Mist Flames flared once more, binding Tsuna and his unconscious friends in shimmering, ethereal tendrils. Tsuna struggled against the restraints, but the more he fought, the tighter they became.

"Relax, little Sky," Mammon said, her tone almost soothing but laced with menace. "You're not going anywhere. Not yet."

She turned her attention elsewhere, her Mist Flames expanding again as she prepared to transport them. The last thing Tsuna saw before the world blurred around him was Mammon's cold, triumphant smile.

When his senses returned, they were in the middle of the battleground earlier where Tsuna watched Vongola Nono fight the six members of Varia by himself. The faint flicker of Sky Flames illuminated the space, and Tsuna's eyes widened as he recognized the figure standing at the center.

Vongola Nono.

Mammon hovered a few feet away from the Ninth, her Mist Flames coiling around her like a living entity. Tsuna's heart sank as he realized what was happening.

She's using us… as leverage.

Bound and helpless, Tsuna could only watch as the two powerful figures faced each other. The Ninth's expression was heavy, a mixture of exhaustion and determination. Mammon's smirk remained firmly in place, her confidence unshaken.

Though the mist distorted sound, Tsuna's instincts filled in the gaps. The Ninth's solemn demeanor, Mammon's sharp gestures—it was clear that the negotiation centered on their release.

And it was his fault.

If only I'd been stronger… Tsuna thought bitterly, his fists clenching against his restraints. If I could've protected everyone, this wouldn't be happening.

His mind replayed the events that led to this moment: the ambush, his friends falling one by one, and his own inability to do anything but watch. The weight of his failure pressed down on him, sharper and more suffocating than Mammon's illusions.

Tsuna's gaze flickered to the Ninth, whose Sky Flames burned faintly as he stood his ground. Despite his age and fatigue, the Vongola boss exuded an unshakable resolve.

He's fighting for us, Tsuna realized, his chest tightening. Even now, he's doing everything he can to save us.

The mist around them thickened as Mammon and the Ninth continued their exchange, but Tsuna's attention remained fixed on the Vongola boss. Though the details of the negotiation eluded him, he understood one thing: sacrifices were being made for their sake.

As the mist began to clear, Mammon's triumphant smirk returned. With a final flourish, her flames flared brightly, encasing the unconscious Varia members and Xanxus in shimmering tendrils. She turned to the Ninth, her tone sharp and mocking.

"Enjoy your peace while it lasts," she said before vanishing in a puff of smoke, taking the Varia with her.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Tsuna slumped against the wall, his body trembling from a mixture of relief and lingering fear. Moments later, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber, and his head turned as the Ninth's Guardians arrived, their expressions grim but determined.

As the bindings around him dissolved, Tsuna's knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground. He looked up at the Ninth, whose weary eyes met his with a mixture of relief and sorrow.

"Rest, Tsunayoshi," the Ninth said softly. "You're safe now."

But as the Ninth's Guardians moved to assist them, Tsuna's thoughts remained clouded with guilt and resolve.

Safe… but for how long?