Chapter 6: Ancestor (Giotto)
Hearing the name "Giotto" fall from Ouranos's lips struck Tsuna like a physical blow.
"W-Why do you know that name...!?"
Giotto. The true name of Vongola Primo, the founder of the Vongola Familia—and Tsuna's direct ancestor. Though he was Italian, Giotto had stepped down from his position as Boss and retired to Japan. After naturalizing into Japanese society, he had taken the name Sawada Ieyasu.
"It seems my suspicions were correct. Is this the work of fate as well?" Ouranos muttered, seemingly satisfied.
"W-What are you talking about!? Explain it so I can understand too!" Hestia cried out, the only one completely lost in the conversation.
"Giotto... is the name of my ancestor..."
"Eh!? Are you saying your ancestor has been to this world!?"
"That is exactly what I am saying," Ouranos confirmed, nodding at the Goddess's bewildered expression. "Several centuries ago, Giotto arrived in the land of Orario. At the time, the city was economically exhausted. Likely as a result of that poverty, violent conflicts between citizens and Familias were a daily occurrence. Amidst that chaos, Giotto suddenly appeared and fought to put an end to the strife."
Primo was fighting in another world too...
Ouranos's words brought back the history Tsuna had learned about the founding of his Familia. The Vongola Familia hadn't started out as a mafia syndicate. They had originally been a vigilante group.
Giotto's town had been poor, but he had loved the place where he grew up. However, the town was constantly ravaged by outlaws and thugs. The police had capitulated to the criminals, leaving the citizens entirely helpless. In the midst of that despair, a fellow resident—and the future boss of the Simon Familia—Simon Cozzato, suggested they form a vigilante group to protect the town themselves. Taking Cozzato's proposal to heart, Giotto, along with his childhood friend G and Cozzato, founded the Vongola Familia. That was their origin.
From there, the Vongola rapidly expanded. Under the grand banner of protecting the people, they systematically purged corrupt nobles, outlaws, politicians, and police. But everything changed with the second generation. Vongola Secondo devoted himself entirely to war and conquest, transforming the organization created to protect their loved ones into a terrifying mafia syndicate that silenced even crying children.
"When rumors of Giotto reached my ears, I investigated the man," Ouranos continued. "And what I found astounded me. Despite lacking Falna, he was fighting on equal footing against those who had received the grace of the Gods."
"He didn't have Falna!? Then how on earth was he fighting!?" Hestia gasped.
"Giotto already possessed a special power before he arrived in this world. He used that power to fight and quell the conflicts."
"A special power?"
"He called it the Dying Will Flame. He described it as life energy where the flames themselves possessed destructive power."
"The Dying Will Flame...?"
"Sawada Tsunayoshi. Do you, by chance, possess the same power as Giotto?"
"T-That's..."
"It seems you do."
Ouranos effortlessly deduced that Tsuna wielded the Dying Will Flame. Tsuna hesitated to admit it, but he quickly realized it was impossible to deceive the piercing eyes of a God.
"Could you show me that power here and now?"
"Eh...!?"
"Rest easy. This is merely an appraisal. I wish to witness your power with my own eyes to determine how you shall be treated moving forward. I have no intention of telling another soul, much less exploiting your strength. I promise you this upon the name of the God Ouranos."
"I... understood..."
Knowing his very survival hinged on this moment, Tsuna reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of woolen mittens with the number '27' stitched onto them. He slipped them onto his hands, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"...!?" x2
In an instant, the woolen mittens transformed into sleek, red gauntlets. A vibrant orange flame ignited upon his forehead, and his eyes shifted to a matching, intense orange hue. Hestia and Ouranos widened their eyes in sheer shock.
This was Hyper Dying Will Mode. By drawing out his quiet fighting spirit, this state completely removed the internal limiters placed on his physical body.
Normally, entering Hyper Dying Will Mode required being shot with a special Rebuke Bullet or swallowing two Dying Will Pills. However, following his grueling training after the Representative Battle of the Rainbow, Tsuna had learned to enter the state entirely under his own willpower. Furthermore, the gauntlets he wore were the Vongola Gear, an upgraded form of the X-Gloves originally used by Giotto. They were born from the same foundation, but had been evolved to combat overwhelming enemies.
"Ohhh..."
"This isn't the time to be impressed, Ouranos!! H-He's on fire!! His head is literally on fire!!"
While Ouranos was deeply moved by the nostalgic sight of a power so identical to Giotto's, Hestia was completely panicking at the sight of flames erupting from Tsuna's skull.
"Calm yourself, Hestia. That is simply the nature of his power. It poses no harm to the human body."
"A-Are you sure...?"
The drastic shift in Tsuna's entire atmosphere left Hestia deeply unnerved.
Is this what they call a split personality...?
The contrast between the timid boy from a moment ago and the calm, imposing figure standing before her was so stark she couldn't help but suspect he had multiple personalities.
He is strong... Exceeding even the elites of the Zeus and Hera Familias... To think he possessed this level of power...
Looking at Tsuna, Ouranos recalled the legendary warriors of the two most powerful Familias that had once ruled Orario.
"I have grasped the extent of your power," Ouranos declared, addressing the Hyper Mode Tsuna. "I shall now pass down my decision regarding your treatment."
"First, Sawada Tsunayoshi's residency in Orario is officially approved. Hestia, I will process the paperwork to officially recognize him as a member of your Familia. You have no objections?"
"None at all. That was the plan from the start."
"For appearances, Sawada Tsunayoshi must be treated as a standard member of your Familia. Therefore, you must engrave your Falna onto him."
"Understood."
"And your faction is an exploration-type Familia, correct?"
"Yeah. But Tsunayoshi-kun has people waiting for his return..."
"I understand. There is no need to force him into the Dungeon. Respect his own will on the matter. However, he will be registered as an Adventurer with the Guild."
"I owe you one, Ouranos."
"However, if he meets the requirements for a Rank Up, do not allow him to level up. You understand why, correct?"
"Yeah. Got it."
Rank Up?
Tsuna mentally noted the unfamiliar term, having no idea what it meant.
"I assume this goes without saying, but speak to no one about his otherworldly origins. And ensure you properly educate him on the workings of this world so he does not arouse suspicion."
"Will do."
"That is all from me. Do you have any questions?" Ouranos asked, concluding his directives.
"Just one," Tsuna said smoothly.
"What is it?"
"Primo... what happened to Giotto after that?"
"Ah, yes. A lapse in memory on my part. I suppose I must pass that tale down to you."
Realizing he had forgotten a crucial detail, Ouranos pressed his right hand against his forehead in mild regret.
"When I first heard the rumors of Giotto, I met with him directly and learned that he hailed from another world. I then granted him permission to stay in Orario. To hide the fact that he was an otherworldly visitor, I bestowed my Falna upon him."
"Wait, you gave him your Falna!?"
"Why are you so surprised? It is hardly unusual for a God to grant Falna."
Hestia was visibly stunned by the revelation, though Tsuna couldn't quite grasp why it was such a big deal.
"Since founding Orario, I have maintained a stance of absolute neutrality," Ouranos explained. "Therefore, I grant my Falna to only a very select few."
"Then why give it to Giotto?"
"Because I granted his request."
"His request?"
"He told me he wished to fight to protect the peace of Orario, and asked for permission to remain in the city to do so. I accepted his plea. But to ensure no one realized he didn't belong to any Familia, I gave him my Falna. Officially, he was treated as an adventurer hailing from a Familia outside of Orario."
"But why fight to protect Orario's peace? From Giotto-kun's perspective, he had absolutely no reason to involve himself in our conflicts."
"He told me that Orario in its current state reminded him of his hometown, and he simply could not ignore it. Thanks to his efforts, the conflicts were suppressed. People joined hands, and the exhausted economy eventually recovered."
"He was an incredible person... this Giotto-kun..."
"Once order was restored to Orario, Giotto vanished without a trace. I searched for him, but I couldn't find a single clue as to where he went. He likely returned to his own world."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Before he vanished, he told me something. He said that if he ever managed to return to his world, he planned to retire to a country called Japan. He had spent his life fighting, and he wished to spend his remaining days living freely. In short, if he had not successfully returned to your world, you would not exist here right now."
Japan... So Primo came to this world right before he stepped down as Boss and retired...
Piecing together Ouranos's story, Tsuna pinpointed the exact timeline of Giotto's arrival.
"Unfortunately, I do not know the method he used to return home," Ouranos said. "However, I will investigate the matter personally. If I learn anything, I will inform you."
"I appreciate it."
"Are there any other questions?"
"No. That's all I needed to know. Thank you."