Year 1047 A.N.
January 1st
A whole year vanished like a sigh. The seasons passed without pause, and the year flew by before we even realized it, marking the growth of our skills and the deepening of our bonds. And with the arrival of the new year, a new cycle began... along with a special date: January 1st, my birthday.
—Eight years old! —I exclaimed excitedly as I looked at myself in the mirror—.
—Happy birthday, Giotto! —everyone shouted in unison, accompanied by a burst of streamers.
That day, the old mansion was almost collapsing under the weight of the celebration. It was an unparalleled party, so overwhelming that even the country's feudal lord, a stern man who was not easily impressed, left stumbling in a drunken state no one had ever seen before. His drunkenness was so intense that, according to rumors, a new heir could be born within nine months.
We, being minors, did not drink alcohol, but that didn't stop us from having the best time of our lives. We celebrated with an energy that not even a tavern full of samurais could match. We danced, played, and partied until our voices were lost in the night wind.
Something was changing in me, and not just physically.
Two months later...
I received a rather unexpected invitation. A fantasy scroll came into my hands, sealed with gold and written in handwriting so impeccable it was clearly from someone important. It was from the young feudal lord of the Land of Sō (Sō no Kuni), also known as the Land of the Moon.
—Why would he invite me? —I murmured confused—.
—Why would a noble I have never met call me? —I asked aloud.
Still, my instincts urged me to accept. Since I became the Primo Vongola, I had learned to trust them. Although it seemed suspicious, my instincts, the same ones that had saved my life more than once, told me I had to go. And when my instincts speak, I obey without question, even if they tell me to jump into an icy river.
Tenji's birthday was in a month. According to the map, the Land of the Moon bordered the mysterious and ancient Land of Ka (Ka no Kuni) to the west. To the south was the Land of Fire (Hi no Kuni), a territory that never stopped expanding. Rumors said they would soon try to conquer the Land of Lomo, a flat nation to the east with no mountains to defend it.
—Difficult times are coming... —I murmured—.
This world was clearly changing. Political tensions grew like storms on the horizon. But what really changed me arrived two weeks later.
Two weeks later...
That day, my training was intense. I was completely focused when suddenly the Template System activated with a metallic sound:
—Congratulations, Giotto! You have unlocked a new mode:
Dying Will Mode: Temporarily removes the physical limiters of the body. Increases strength, speed, and perception to superhuman levels. Can trigger a fierce personality change.
Warning: This mode destroys clothing due to muscle expansion.
I felt a burning energy rise from the depths of my soul. A new power demanding control... but, of course, I couldn't resist trying it.
I headed to the forest, looking for a worthy opponent, something to push me to my physical limits. I quickly found it: a three-meter tall bear, owner of that forest, with dark fur and threatening eyes, growling fiercely at my intrusion.
—Perfect —I whispered with a crooked smile—.
I focused. A sky flame sprouted from my forehead and, in an instant, the Dying Will Mode activated. My muscles violently swelled. My clothes, as warned, didn't survive. I was left in my underwear, but the power running through my veins made me feel invincible, my senses sharpened, and a wild confidence flooded me.
—RIPPING! —My shirt and pants were shredded to pieces.
"I, Giotto Sawada, will defeat you, forest bear!" I shouted, arms wide, dodging its first swipe and bracing for its charge. When it came, it pushed me back just a few inches. I smiled with pride—I felt no pain. My whole body burned with willpower.
"I've been reborn…"
I countered with a shoulder strike, pushing back. The bear recoiled for the first time.
Meanwhile…
Sana and Takeshi were patrolling the forest as part of their routine when they heard the bear's roar. Curiosity got the better of them, and they ran toward the source.
—What was that? —asked Sana.
—A bear… but that roar sounded different, —Takeshi replied.
They arrived just in time to see their leader, Giotto, fighting hand-to-hand with a massive bear. But what shocked them the most was his transformation: their leader with a wild, almost savage expression… and in his underwear.
—What the hell?! —shouted Takeshi, stumbling in shock.
—His clothes…! —Sana blushed bright red.
I had no idea they were watching. I was entirely focused, dodging and blocking the bear's attacks with instinctive precision—as if my body knew what to do before I did. My punches were strong, accurate, fueled by the Sky Flame burning on my forehead.
Three hours passed. Three long hours of pure combat.
Takeshi, bored by the length of the fight, went to fetch the others. When he returned, there were no longer just two spectators, but seven: G, Reijirō, Daiki, Ugetsu, Sana, Takeshi, and Haru. They all watched with a mix of boredom. All except Haru, who clapped with shining eyes.
—This has gone on long enough, hasn't it? —sighed G.
—It's impressive… but how much longer? —commented Reijirō.
—You're incredible, boss! —cheered Haru.
Half an hour later, the bear began to tire. I noticed and increased the pressure. My punches became faster, more aggressive, aiming at the bear's weak points.
Finally, I gathered strength and launched a spinning kick that landed on its snout. The beast fell, panting.
I could have ended it there. But I approached, looked into its eyes with respect, and said fiercely, full of flames:
—From now on, you will be my rival and training partner. I will return —stronger.
Turning my back, I walked away. The bear, stunned, didn't move.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves as I leaned against a tree. It was a moment worthy of a movie. The flame on my forehead faded and exhaustion hit me like a hammer.
—That was a great fight… —I murmured, satisfied.
But then...
—"From now on, you will be my rival and training partner!" —a mocking voice echoed.
I spun sharply. It was G. My face instantly turned red.
—What are you doing here, damn it, G? Don't mock me!
—Ha ha ha! You're too funny, boss —laughed Daiki.
The rest of the group burst out laughing, pointing at me.
They all laughed, except Haru, who looked at me with shining eyes, and Sana, who, blushing, shouted:
—C-Cover yourself! You're in your underwear!
I covered myself as best as I could with my hands, red as a tomato.
—I will never use Dying Will Mode without spare clothes! —I shouted, humiliated.
That day… was one of the most embarrassing in my life.
But also one of the most important. The fire of my will burned stronger than ever. And I knew —this story was just beginning.
With my face burning with shame, I made a vow never to expose myself like that again.
Although, deep down… it had been totally worth it.
The midday sun burned fiercely as its rays pierced the forest canopy. Despite the cold winter air, sweat dripped down my forehead. My body still ached from the battle with the bear, and my dignity was still in intensive care.
Haru had made me an improvised cloak with leaves and emergency fabric. Every time she looked at me, she laughed nervously and blushed. Sana, on the other hand, avoided all eye contact.
And G... well, G didn't stop teasing me.
—We should put a mannequin at the mansion entrance posing like Giotto in his underwear —he said laughing.
—If you do that, you'll be sleeping with the bear tonight —I replied seriously.
—You called it "the bear" again? You still haven't named it? —interjected Daiki.
—It's not a pet. It's a warrior. It earned its place with strength. I will call it... Shōgan, like the title of the ancient samurai commanders.
—Shōgan! —repeated Sana, excited.
—Perfect. Now you own a samurai bear —laughed G.
That day, as the jokes continued, I knew I wasn't alone. My team, my friends, my comrades, formed a united family.
And the journey to master my powers was just beginning.
---
1047 A.N.March 3
The first rays of the sun illuminated the hills as a small party prepared to depart towards the Land of the Moon, a kingdom that would soon change the fate of our family... and my own.
We were gathered outside the mansion. I, Giotto, only eight years old, but bearing the weight of two previous lives and a system that was just beginning to reveal its secrets. Accompanying me were G, my Storm Guardian, always serious and reserved; Ugetsu, the calm Rain Guardian, whose presence provided reassurance; Reijirō, a strong and loyal young man; Haru, brave and kind; and Takeshi, who always kept calm even in the midst of danger.
—We will return soon —I promised firmly while Sana and Daiki nodded with worried looks, their small faces reflecting the mixture of hope and fear that we all felt.
Raijirō handed me a new kimono, this time with an emblem engraved on the back: a stylized flame, symbol of our burning will.
—So you don't end up naked again, boss! —he joked with a smile that broke the tension.
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere lightened as we prepared for the long journey.
We traveled for days, crossing forests and little-traveled paths, until we reached a giant tree called Shinjuu, the sacred tree born from a meteorite that fell centuries ago and which was now the greatest natural protection west of the capital of the Land of So, also called the Land of the Moon.
There awaited us a city full of life and ancient traditions.
The tree fascinated me from a distance, so much that I wanted to pass close to it to appreciate it on the way to the capital. It was a place surrounded by giant rocks that protected the entrance, and right at the center rose the millenary trunk of the Shinjuu, covered with silver leaves that shone with the sunlight.
And suddenly, my intuition gave me a great feeling, the greatest I had had so far in this new world. That meant the tree was the most important thing I had witnessed in this new world and that I should keep an eye on it or investigate it thoroughly.
"Interesting," I smiled as I watched the gigantic tree while riding towards the big town.
Arriving at the town entrance
Emperor Tenji received us with a warm smile but with a look that reflected the responsibility he carried on his shoulders. At his side were his two advisors: one robust, with arms as wide as tree trunks, and another middle-aged with a neatly trimmed mustache who seemed to miss nothing.
—Welcome, young friends —Tenji said firmly—. The Land of the Moon opens its doors to those who come with good intentions. I hope this is the first of many visits.
My first impression of Tenji was somewhat surprising. He was very young, I'd say about 25 years old, but very mature for his age. I saw much love for the citizens; I would think he is a saint if I had not read the report that three months ago he personally executed some thieves.
I wondered why he invited me…
Tenji's point of viewSometime in the year 1048 A.N.
The twilight dyed the sky red and orange behind the enormous Shinjuu, the ancestral tree that was the heart of the capital of the Land of the Moon. From the window of the imperial mansion, King Tenji watched the landscape with his mind elsewhere, his fingers tapping softly on the desk.
My eyes scanned the report again, as if hoping to find a lie among its lines, but the truth did not change: an eight-year-old boy. His name, the longest and strangest I had ever seen, Giotto Luciano Sawada Gravina —although he preferred to be called Vongola— was a figure who had begun shaping the politics and security of several countries with the strength of his presence. The report had been brought by his personal merchant, and although I tried to remain calm, I could not avoid a mix of surprise and skepticism settling in my mind.
A child of only eight years, and not a noble or a prince, but a leader —a boss, they called him— of the most famous escort company among the region's merchants.
A child, yes, but with power and influence that defied any traditional logic. How could such a little one command the respect and loyalty of so many? Especially all the conquered bandits in the Land of Lomo, who according to reports, were forced to follow him.
But Tenji was not a man to be carried away only by rumors. That was why he summoned his two closest advisors to discuss the matter and other delicate topics affecting the kingdom's stability.
His two advisors arrived in the meeting room, observing me with piercing gazes.
—Your Majesty —said the robust one first, Kai—, this is not the first time I've heard of that boy. There are stories in the markets and taverns; some even say he has powers beyond the ordinary, although I cannot confirm anything.
Kai, a corpulent man over forty years old, with a deep voice that seemed to resonate in the walls, had always been a pillar of strength in my military decisions. His presence was imposing, but I knew that behind his rough appearance there was an analytical and loyal mind.
—I'm not surprised —interjected the other advisor, Masanobu—. The world is changing, and the old rules no longer apply with the same force. That boy, if what they say is true, could be the key to securing our kingdom's stability.
Masanobu was thinner, with a carefully groomed mustache and a smile he rarely showed, but when he spoke, his words carried the weight of a wise man.
I nodded, without taking my eyes off the document.
—I have to see him with my own eyes. For my twenty-fifth birthday, I plan a great celebration. I want to invite this Giotto. Let him come, observe, and talk.
Both advisors exchanged looks and nodded in unison.
—A sensible idea, Your Majesty —said Kai—. If this boy is a real force, better to have him as an ally than an enemy.
Almost a quarter of a century had passed since I took my father's crown, a man I lost five years ago to a cruel illness. My only legacy, my only blood. And since then, responsibility had hardened me, taught me not to show weakness, but not to lose hope either.
My people trusted me, and I loved this country with a fervor many might misinterpret as holiness. But I was not a saint. Only three months ago, I had executed with my own hands a group of thieves who threatened the capital's security. Not for pleasure, but for duty.
Now, this boy —so young that he should barely be learning to hold a sword— appeared in the reports with a reputation that preceded him. A boss who had founded an escort company, rumors said he had gathered fifty orphaned children under his protection, and wielded a power system that seemed straight out of fairy tales.
Was this real? A threat? A possible ally?
My decision was made. For my twenty-fifth birthday, a celebration meant to show strength and unity, I will invite this boy named Giotto. Not only to get closer to him but to observe, learn his methods, and verify if all they said was true.
I had to know if this boy was a key piece for my country's future or just an exaggerated rumor.
—Sir, there was a tragedy yesterday outside the town —Kai announced.
—Don't tell me, I guess... bandits —Tenji responded.
—Exactly, Tenji-sama. The bandits killed a noble family outside the town and only a girl named Aino escaped —Kai reported.
While the words floated in the room...
Aino was the only survivor of a noble family murdered under dark circumstances. She was only nine years old, and her gaze reflected as much fear as unexpected strength. The tragedy moved me more than I expected, and in an act some might consider weak, I took her under my protection and made her a servant in the palace. Not because I saw her as a mere servant, but because I wanted to keep her close, protect her, and perhaps give her a family she had lost.
—Your Majesty —Kai began—, what do you intend to do with that girl, Aino? Is it safe to keep her here, in the palace?
I looked at him intently.
—Yes. I will protect her, whatever comes. We will not let anything happen to her.
Thus, while planning to invite Giotto for my birthday, I also began a new stage of responsibility with Aino and the city beneath the enormous Shinjuu.