Disclaimer: I do not claim any ownership for these respective Anime. This is strictly fanfiction and therefore made to please any readers that are willing to give this a read. I generally do this to satisfy the ideas—including the notorious plot bunnies—and anything else that come to mind.

A/N: Yes, I'm quite sure there is a fair crowd of you that are awaiting my NarutoxZNT X-over to be updated since I've got like 50+ reviews for that (holy shit…) But it'll need to wait since I'm planning to resurrect a certain fic that's been in the very bottom of my stories list. That and I'm trying to alter my writing a bit to fit a more fast-paced story. This fic, along with several upcoming ones, will be my testing ground. Hopefully, I'll be successful. And, well, I haven't gotten around to reading/watching the ZNT anime yet, haha. I'd need to go over the materials for that in order to make things appealing.

Anyways, we'll see whether this writing style will fit the bill or not. Feedback is much appreciated (like all the authors who posts stories here) and will be looked over. Laters!

Uh, P.S. If any Italian that I used here is incorrect (particularly Erica's speech, which I got from watching the anime) please don't hesitate to correct me.

Campione di Mafia

Prologue

Tsuna let out a mild yawn as he stretched his arms into the air, back arching slightly to loosen the taut muscles he unknowingly abused during his long journey from the local hotel he was lodging in. The weather outside was great so far with clear blue skies, a cheerfully warm sun, and a gentle afternoon breeze coming from the coast nearby. It was to be expected, really, considering how close he was to the beach.

And what nice beaches they sure have here in this country.

Today would be so much enjoyable if he wasn't stuck doing a certain task for his grandfather; one that excused him from his high school life back in Japan for a short trip out of the country. And yet, at the same time, there was this sense of foreboding feeling he got from this mission that proved rather difficult to dismiss entirely. He actually wondered why the Vongola Nono would want him to personally return an old looking stone tablet he had borrowed from some woman many years ago.

Seriously, why couldn't he have someone else do it? Sighing, Tsuna waded through an energetic group of children as he carefully inspected the bundled object he carried with him.

The tablet was ancient in appearance with a size unfit for the sling-bag he brought along with him today. It weighed just about what one would expect from something made of stone and was a bit bothersome to carry around by hand. The only selling point it had was the carved portrait of some supposedly symbolic hero from ancient times.

Timoteo, his oh so kind and aging grandfather; who also just happens to be the godfather of the entire mafia world, kindly imparted a bit of history behind the tablet before Tsuna left for his little quest. Unfortunately, despite his good intentions, all those good wisdom went down the drain when Tsuna arrived in the country of Italy and was briefed on the task at hand and the reward that followed its completion. Needless to say the young Sawada was hooked the moment he was promised with a week of prepaid vacation in the very same city he was presently walking around in, including a generous some of money to spend on anything he desired; souvenirs, clothes and the like.

Ancient history versus luxury vacation… it's obvious as to what any self-respecting teenager would choose, right?

Tsuna's no exception!

The only thing frustrating thing he belatedly realized was the language barrier he had forgotten to take into account. Reborn had, unfortunately, neglected to include such a subject in his curriculum and thus left Tsuna wishing he had at least taken his English classes more seriously. Sure, he's improved quite a bit thanks to the help of his Storm Guardian's wonderful tutoring but he was still not at the level that would qualify for a passing in beginners. Hell, just asking the locals here for directions turned out to be a nightmarish endeavor—'Hyper Intuition' notwithstanding!

"Uh, right…" He glanced around uneasily. "Where in Kami's name am I now?"

Even with an advance technology at his disposal, and a written direction he received from a helpful local, Sawada Tsunayoshi still ended up getting lost.

Well, in a foreign country he had visited only a handful of times in his entire life, who wouldn't be?

"I passed the market and the church… here and here, so… I need to turn here? Wait, that old couple did say 'library'… right?"

Frowning, Tsuna consulted his smart phone for help, taking care to compare his notes and what little knowledge he had gathered with those of the information provided by the digital map, while absently stepping to the side to allow travelers to pass him. He resumed walking only a little later once he committed his position to memory and the route he decided upon.

"Okay, so I need to turn right here and down the road to the shopping district. Then from there I make a right onto another market. Got it." The young Sawada nodded to himself resolutely, pocketing his phone as he briskly turned a corner and into a street shadowed by the tall buildings beside him. I wish they'd give me a guide though. Would've made things a lot easier on me…

Tsuna hadn't travelled more than several yards down the street when a girl dressed in red suddenly dropped from the sky, landing gracefully in front of him and effectively blocking his way.

"…"

Correction, make that a very attractive blonde girl garbed in a crimson red dress with dark, thin-ribbons keeping her long hair fashionably kempt. She obviously wasn't afraid to show off her figure either considering the way her dress was designed to leave her shoulders and the better part of her ample bosom bare for everyone to see and admire. It certainly accentuated the azure opal gemstone decorating the white collar that framed her neck well enough yet, at the same time, allow a bit of natural modesty to her appearance. Tsuna would have complimented her beauty if he wasn't completely enthralled by the strange aura permeating around her. It made her look and feel awfully familiar to him…

…like I've seen her from somewhere before… he mused silently.

"Tu sei li!" (You, over there!)

Tsuna blinked rapidly, dumbfounded at the foreign words he was greeted with. "Huh?"

Not exactly the first thing he had wanted to say to a bishoujo like her, but he felt rather stupid and incompetent to give a suitable response. The girl in turn didn't seem to catch this, however, and instead withdrew an elegantly crafted knife from the pocket of her dress and promptly threatened him with it; sharp, stainless steel glinting from a light source he could not make out.

"Passami subito quella guida diabolica!"(Hand over that grimoire immediately!)

Again, Tsuna was lost on what to say. Usually, he'd simply deal with these sorts of threats in the most quick and appropriate manner he could; knock the person out before they could blink and leave the rest to the local authorities, all the awhile returning to his task like nothing happened. It was an option that he tried to avoid as much he could but unfortunately seemed to be prone to employing regardless.

Fortunately for the blonde beauty, the young Sawada opted to raise a hand up in a placating gesture while trying to figure whether he unknowingly triggered a death flag of some sort sometime ago. He couldn't have possibly done something to warrant such hostility from this girl, right?—they've just met!

"I come in peace!" He blurted out frantically before realizing his choice of words. "I-I mean I don't speak good English!" She can understand English, right?

The blonde beauty fell into a momentary silence as her lips curbed into a small, near imperceptible frown. "…You don't speak Italian?"

Tsuna shook his head dumbly in response, too caught up by the way her melodic voice spoke his language.

"Alright then, I'll tell you in Japanese." The blonde clenched her knife more firmly and jabbed it forwards as if making a literal point. "Hand over that grimoire immediately!"

"Grimoire? What… this thing?" He gestured to the tablet with some uncertainty. "W-wait, why do you want this? Who are you?"

"I am a Knight of the Copper Black Cross." She answered as her eyes narrowed accusingly. "Did you think I wouldn't know?"

Know what?! Tsuna mentally exclaimed in confusion as he forced himself to remain still less she react violently. "Listen, uh, miss? I-if this is what you want I'm afraid I can't give it. You see, I'm supposed to deliver this to…"

In the end, his attempt to reason with her was unnecessary as impatience won against perseverance. Apparently the blonde beauty decided to force her demand by threatening him from behind.

It would've probably worked had she tried so at the very beginning.

Like an overplayed film one would eventually grow tired of seeing, Tsuna stifled a sigh and watched as she somersaulted over him, appearing fully confident of the outcome and thus unaware of the fact that he had already anticipated her intentions, setting his body into motion way before her feet left the ground.

In the time that it took the self-proclaimed Knight to position herself behind him, Tsuna had already taken the necessary measures to accommodate his situation, closing into her personal space before she could center her weapon and then barring her chances to react by seizing the offending hand by the wrist, forcing the knife's sharp tip to face the ground. Without missing a beat he slid his right leg around the back of her own in case she decided upon a low-blow before finally stilling in place, wholly unmindful of the proximity he drew from that action alone.

The attractive blonde gasped in stunned surprise as calm brown eyes leveled with her azure ones, instilling a silence between them.

It lasted for only briefly as she reclaimed her wits and attempted to break free from his grasp. Tsuna never intended to do her harm and so allowed her to withdraw a few steps away from him. In return, her eyes gained a reproachful look, warily tracking his movements as she rubbed her wrist gingerly.

"So… you're skilled after all." She noted aloud, clearly reassessing the situation. "No matter, this just means I won't have to hold back. Prepare yourself!"

"Wait! Can't you listen to me for sec?" Tsuna held both his hand and tablet up pleadingly in an attempt to avert full blown violence. "I'm not looking for a fight, miss! I'm just a tourist here on an errand for my grandfather."

"…Is that so? Care to show me some proof?" The girl asked politely, although with her weapon still poised to stab him, the question seemed more demanding than polite.

Nevertheless, the young Sawada complied and pulled out his wallet containing his ID and passport with deliberate slowness, hoping to show his honest cooperation. If this was the only way to prevent this… whatever this is—a mugging perhaps?—then so be it.

"Here."

The blonde beauty approached him cautiously, eying for hidden motives that wasn't there, before bending slightly forward to inspect his ID, lowering her knife as she did so. Tsuna's eyes inevitably dropped to admire the tantalizing view he was suddenly presented with, silently noting the shine they seem to acquire from the sun's vibrant rays, only to realize several moments later that he was gawking like a perverted fool.

Scolding himself inwardly, he swiftly averted his attention elsewhere and tried to hide the embarrassment coloring his cheeks a reddish hue.

Why did some foreigners he came across have to be so damn sexy?

"Sawada… Tsunayoshi." His name rolled off her tongue rather musically to his ears as she blinked several times. Evidence of some recognition flashed across her face, turning the once scrutinizing eyes into those of shock and an underlying fear. She even hid her knife from view like a child would do to the cookie she stole from the cookie jar. "Oooh dear…"

With some hesitation, the young Sawada spoke up, albeit mildly fumbling at the beginning. "I-is there something wrong… Miss?"

Whatever words that could depart from her lush lips were immediately drowned out by a deafening roar that suddenly filled the air, sending mild tremors across the ground and stunning them both into silence.

ROOOOOOAAAR!

Tsuna cringed at first, bringing his hands up reflexively to protect his ears, before finding his voice amidst the monstrous cry. "W-What's going on?"

His present company didn't share his confusion nor did she dignify him an answer as she shifted about restlessly; anxiously swiveling from one direction to another as if seeking out the source of the disturbance, only to gain a look of alarm from what she found. "It can't be…"

The young Sawada instinctively followed her gaze and abruptly took an involuntary step back. "What… what is that thing?!"

A humongous boar, set far into the distance and towering over the tallest of buildings, emerged from seemingly nothing. Its great mane of brown fur, marred by a wavy light brown line on either of its sides, was coated in an eerie aura of orange and red, flickering with an intense energy that can be felt from miles around. It's equally mighty tusks that protruded from its jaw and arced into the heavens above were nothing in comparison to the blood red eyes that seem to convey an endless fury that knew no rest.

Tsuna had seen a lot of crazy things in the past couple years since his involvement in the mafia world, but this behemoth would count as one of the very few that made him feel like a curious child witnessing his first fireworks in the Hanabi Festival. Granted, those colorful and seemingly majestic explosions were far more pleasant to watch as opposed to this massive beast of rage that makes Godzilla look like a tamed pet lizard.

"A god…" The blonde beauty uttered grimly from beside him. "A heretic god."

"Heretic god?" Tsuna echoed, tearing his gaze away from the behemoth to address her incredulously. "What do you mean by that?"

"No time to explain, just run." She told him, ignoring his startled cry of "H-hey, hold on!" as she hastily crossed the street and towards the giant entity, her long strides denoting a profound urgency the situation required.

"Arianna!" She barked not a second later, calling the attention of a red car parked nearby. It immediately hummed to life and violently took off after her, drifting haphazardly at a curb before regaining its balance to surge forward in a speed that clearly broke the city's speed limits, leaving behind a noticeable stench of smoke and burnt rubber in its wake.

Tsuna looked on worriedly and more than a little anxious over the grim expression the girl wore just before she left, effectively rooting him in place as his thoughts became clouded with indecision. Simply trying to make sense of the situation while that giant boar continued its reckless rampage across the city—having destroyed a few buildings already—was not an option he had the time to spare…

Should he heed her words and seek safety somewhere or disregarded them and follow her to that dangerous manifestation in the distance?

Logic and common sense agreed in having him forget the bizarre occurrence altogether and listen to the voice of self-preservation, while another other part of him, the one upholding his self-appointed principles developed during his adventurous middle school days, wanted to jump into the action and provide whatever aid he could to the unnamed girl. He would admit that the latter of the two appealed to him quite strongly, but really…

What was he to do? What about his grandfather's task—his vacation?

Glancing down at a certain ring encircling his right middle-finger, Tsuna affectionately ran a thumb over it. "What do you think I should do, Natsu?"

ROOOOOOAAAR!

The deafening howl tore through the air once more, its strength and ferocity easily shaking her body involuntary with anxiety as she rapidly drew closer.

Another Heretic god has appeared in her country, and Erica Blandelli; a proudly decorated and highly respected knight of her Order, prepared herself for a fierce confrontation. The red car serving as her transport swiveled erratically through the streets and yet she remained diligently focused on her quarry ahead, only planting a hand down onto the metallic roof to steady herself as she knelt down on one leg, her dress and hair bellowing wildly against the rushing winds. It was this dedication to keep track of her target's movement that she was able to foresee and predict the swirling danger heading their way in the form of a sailboat.

"Arianna, dodge!" She barked out.

Not a second too soon, the car immediately veered sharply to the side as the falling carnage crashed onto the pavement in a shower of wood and metal, narrowly knocking Erica off her perch when some stray debris large enough to pose serious harm splintered across their path. It was fortunate that her honed reflexes saved her from such a dangerous encounter, enabling her to leap into the air without further thought as she glanced back to check on her maid. The red car screeched to a halt seconds later as a dark haired girl in a maid uniform popped her head out the window in frantic worry, undoubtedly seeking her safety or possible injury.

"Erica-sama!" She cried out.

"This is far enough. Get out of here, quickly!" The blonde knight instructed before turning to face the thrashing behemoth in full view, a spell already rolling off her lips. "Fly, Boots of Hermes!"

A bright red magic circle appeared beneath her for only briefly as it propelled her into the air towards a nearby by building, further closing the distance between her and the gigantic beast. She performed several more giants before finally landing on the roof a couple buildings away from her quarry. It was safe enough to observe yet close enough to engage as she prepared herself.

The familiar feeling of magic flooded her in instant, coating her entire form a bright crimson that shattered as quickly as it appeared, revealing to the world a new set of clothes appropriate for the situation. Black fitting jeans, kept secured by a dark brown belt, hugged her shapely legs, matching the equally dark, long sleeved shirt and brownish boots that she wore. A red and black striped shawl overlapped her shirt and encompassed a part of her arms, leaving her shoulders bare to the world once more.

Unperturbed when the beast rested its piercing gaze on her, Erica held a hand up, palm facing front, as she chanted the one spell she employed the most in her line of work. "Lion of steel… and he who begets you, lion heart!"

Yet another magic circle appeared before her and from its crimson structure emerged a shining head of a steel lion.

"Heed the oath made by Knight Erica Blandelli!"

The lion opened its jaw with a noticeable growl allowing the blonde to rush forward and thrust her hand deep inside, grasping onto the weapon hidden within. She pulled free a second later and unleashed her weapon in an elegant wide arc that prompted her to spin along before stopping to flick away the remains of magical energy, revealing a finely crafted rapier of royal silver.

Posing her weapon in a customary stance for fencers, Erica smiled confidently at her opponent, casually commenting "It appears it's time for a dual" before thrusting the rapier in the air and proudly declaring its name, "Cuore di Leone!"

Magical power gathered in an instant and was swiftly unleashed upon her enemy in a downwards slash, sending an arc of destructive energy to collide fiercely with the giant entity's magical barrier, exploding thereafter in a chaotic color of red, orange and yellow of all degrees.

"I knew it." Erica muttered, having expected the attack to fail seeing as how the beast remained standing albeit more angry looking then before. She was at least able to confirm something she had suspected from the beginning and thus make a very accurate conclusion of what she was facing, "This is a divine beast… so the gods wish to fight here."

Yes, Gods; the ancient entities that governed many beliefs and religions alike around the globe, very much existed in reality; brought to life by the legends, myths and tales preserved in the long history of humanities existence. Their mere presence in the world brought about conflict, deaths, and destruction in forms ranging from world wars to famine and raging storms. It's made much worse when the gods clash with one another. They can end up annihilating an entire city—a whole country even.

The very thought of such a catastrophic battle happening in the city further solidified Erica's resolve to prevent it, prompting her to take a stance and meet her opponent head on with a thrust of her blade, crimson energy charging forwards with the ferocity of a vicious lion. Her mighty foe roared defiantly in return as the spell struck its form, pushing it back some feet and denying it further ground to advance upon. Erica knew that her weapon won't be able to kill such a powerful creature, but she was determined to fight it nonetheless, hoping that her defiance alone will prevail –or at the very least stall its rampage.

"I know not of the God that summoned you to this plain, but I assure you I will not let you wreak havoc upon this city any further!"

Crimson red energy intensified alongside golden orange as the monochrome world was plunged into a blinding light.

Tsuna was no stranger to the supernatural happenings that seemed to plague humanity around the world, telling them that reality was pretty much filled with fantasy, mysteries and bizarreness that modern day science unsuccessfully tries to comprehend. After all, how can he deny the fact that the world around him was a picture perfect imitation of those very old, colorless films first developed in the US; or how he was simply flying across the city in magical flames emanating from his gloved hands like some jet fighter? Adding further to the fact that the only remotely living thing he's seen since his pursuit of the blonde girl was that humongous boar, Tsuna pretty much knew that he had stepped into yet another strange, and most certainly, dangerous world.

Passing yet another empty street, he finally ascended to the sky in hopes of capturing a better view of the battle occurring not too far away, easily noticeable by the flashy colors, loud explosions and the general destruction of public property. He would have joined them much sooner but evaluating the situation beforehand and seeing whether or not human casualties would be involved became his top priority. He didn't want any guilt weighing his conscience if he could help it, and seeing as how saving people discreetly had become somewhat of a habit the past year, forcing his heroic aspect to lay low for this instance was very, very hard.

Thankfully there wasn't any need to fear the loss of life for whatever illusion or spell that was cast on the city seemed to have isolated living beings from the present plain, allowing only the lone knight to duke it out with her much larger adversary. Tsuna himself briefly pondered why he was included in this monochrome world, but chucked it off as part of his troublesome ability to draw himself into supernatural trouble.

The life of a mafia man was anything but normal, after all.

ROOOOOOOAAAR!

Tsuna frowned as he made for the streets once more to avoid the wide spread debris that the giant beast kept flinging around the air, apparently aggravated by his opponents nimble evasions of its direct assaults. The relic he carried abruptly fell from his grasp not soon after he jerked back to prevent himself from flying head first into the chunk of concrete falling from the damaged building he was passing by. The clouds of dust that followed only impeded his efforts in retrieving it.

Damnit... Cursing inwardly, the young Sawada proceeded to search through the rubble for signs of the tablet while hoping for the continued safety of the blonde girl.

It didn't take much to find the aforementioned object, roughly a few seconds of glancing around the area did the trick, but it was in possession of a strange, blue haired boy who had literally appeared out of nowhere undetected. The fact that he seemed so out of place with the grey and white clothes he wore only made Tsuna reluctant to approach him. Who dresses up like this nowadays? Cosplay he could understand, but this?

"Uh… hey," He started out, gaining the boy's attention. "That tablet… can I have it back? I accidentally dropped it."

To Tsuna's surprise, the boy responded with an amused smirk playing across his lips as eyes darted between the tablet and him. The young Sawada had seen that type of look before. Quite a few people he knew from the mafia, his mist guardian Mukuro in particular, wore it often than he would like to admit. It was a sure sign for ominous things to come.

"This?" The unnamed boy asked rhetorically before chuckling. "This belongs to you? How funny."

"Funny?" Tsuna repeated, his face contorting in thought. "…You know, now that I think about it, your way of speaking Japanese is rather funny. Who are you?"

"I am the victor," The boy answered casually. "I am the strongest and that which will defeat every enemy. Though I don't think it's necessarily bad to have a taste of defeat."

What is this kid spouting about? Tsuna couldn't help but feel a little bewildered by his statement. And what's with the strange marking on his forehead?

"I tried to revive a king of the ancient gods, in order to fight them," the explanation continued as if to answer the unspoken question. "But I have yet to be defeated."

"Geez, it feels like I'm talking to Ojii-san again," The young Sawada noted with a slight sweat drop appearing at the side of his head. "Is this kid for real…?"

The teen never got the chance to ask that question properly as movement from above caught his attention. Tsuna saw his quarry leap from roof to roof in large intervals, crossing distance faster than he had expected of her, as she made her way north of what he presumed was where her foe had gone. This, of course, reminded him of the current situation and he hurriedly tried to call out to her before she got too far away.

"Wait!" He shouted out, throwing a hand out as if hoping to stop her.

"Did you come here to chase after that Witch?"

The question abruptly drew Tsuna's eyes towards the inquiring boy. "Witch?"

Now that opened up a whole lot of questions; ones that the young Sawada wouldn't be able to voice any time soon. Instead, he decided to give the boy an answer and ask for the tablet back. This was taking way too long for his liking.

"Look, I'm not entirely here for her, but I am supposed to deliver that tablet you're holding to a friend of my grandfathers." He explained slowly and held out a hand towards him. "So, if it's alright with you, can I have it back? I really, really need to be somewhere right now."

When the boy fell silent, blue bangs covering his eyes from view, Tsuna wondered if he was a little forceful in his demand. The chilling laughter that broke free a moment later caused him to dismiss that thought entirely. The way the boy trembled uncontrollably gave Tsuna the urge to quiver nervously in place. It was honestly unnerving to hear such a thing coming from someone so young.

"HAHAHAHAHA! How nice, how nice… It seems you're a good kid, a good warrior. This thief has told me so!"

The pained cry from a damsel in distress some distance away closed further thoughts of conversation between them. Tsuna was out of time, that girl was in danger.

Disappearing soundlessly from view, Tsuna reappeared behind the boy, resting one hand upon his blue hair while the other secured the tablet, moving it out of reach in case it was taken again. Tsuna didn't know what type of expression the kid wore, but he was nonetheless firm in keeping him in place as he spoke.

"I don't know who you are how you got here, but this place isn't safe right now." He whispered urgently. "Run and find shelter, quickly."

Despite the warning, the blue haired boy remained calm and responded with a single question. "Are you going, warrior?"

Tsuna paused for a moment, unsure of the question at first, before settling with an honest "Yes."

"Very well, I'll let you hold on to it."

The cheerful reply was accompanied by a bright light that sprang from the side, causing Tsuna to whirl around and confront the sudden disturbance. He was utterly stunned to find a stallion near identical to Dino's, shining gloriously out of place amongst the grayish background of the current world. Why it was there he didn't quite understand, and when he whirled around to interrogate the boy of his possible involvement, he found them both gone in a flash and without a single trace.

"What the hell just happened…?"

Erica gritted her teeth as the pressure of the beast's powers continued to push her back. Her valiant efforts to protect the city had been admirable, if not commendable thus far, but even she knew that it wasn't enough. There was so much one mage can do against a deity of overwhelming strength that sooner or later she'll eventually be crushed. She had honestly expected her to be defeated much earlier, though. It was either through lady luck's tampering or her own hard earned skills that she's managed to survive this far…

Unfortunately, whatever factor that may have delayed the inevitable, it clearly ran out as she was driven to the very edge of the roof she stood on. The blonde Knight had only a second to consider the long fall that awaited her before the giant beast gave a mighty roar and shattered her last defense, violently flinging her back with such force that all she could do was clench her eyes tightly and embrace the pain that will no doubt welcome her from below.

So when strong arms found purchase around her back and underneath her knees, Erica found herself blinking up at a handsome face she had seen not long ago.

"You're…"

Calm brown eyes gaze down on her with concern. "Are you alright?"

Erica nodded silently in a slight daze as she was gently placed on her feet with warm hands keeping her steady by the shoulders. She welcomed the support and leaned onto an equally warm and noticeably defined chest, barely having the presence of mind to mumble a soft "Thank you" before she chanced a glance at the enemy still present. Her savoir did the same but with a noticeable fascination showing within his eyes as a harrowing gale engulfed the divine beast.

"A tornado…?" He mumbled.

"That's an avatar of god." Erica stated softly, burying herself further against him. The fight really took a toll on her and with such a cozy offer made available, Erica couldn't resist the temptation to simply indulge herself in a little rest.

Within moments, both the giant deity and the wind surrounding it vanished into thin air, returning color and life into the once empty city. The only evidence of her battle ever taking place here were the remnants of many crumbling buildings that scarred the thriving city. Erica always felt both a measure of relief and mild frustration whenever a battle of this size concluded; relieved to find that her life and the lives of others remained intact and frustration over the lack of power she possessed to protect her world.

Tugging gently at her companions grey jacket, Erica gazed up at him meaningfully. "I believe I have some explaining to do…"

He nodded in return and gestured towards a familiar red car approaching them. "Yea… let's discuss this somewhere more private. This place is about to get really crowded."

Noticing the large number of people beginning to gather nearby, the blonde knight chuckled and flashed him a small smile. "That's a given, Tsuna-sama."

Nearly an hour later the two were situated on a bench in a deserted train station, silently staring at nothing in particular as they awaited their ride. Erica had been true to her words and went about explaining the supernatural things that happened thus far to the browned haired teen. He hadn't asked a single question throughout the process and so allowed the blonde Knight to retreat to her thoughts for a time. She had her own things to think about but, admittedly enough, it wasn't something that her associates would approve of if they ever read her mind.

While the immediate concern would go to the Heretic God roaming somewhere in her country, Erica chose to focus more on the male seated to her left, his silent posture mimicking a certain famous thinker. Now that things were peaceful and less tense between them, her thoughts clear of the exhaustion from the earlier confrontations, the blonde Knight was able to finally take in the teen's appearance as a whole.

Sawada Tsunayoshi, or Tsuna for short, was above average height for someone his age and heritage with wavy brown hair and equally brownish eyes that were presently narrowed in deep contemplation. His stylish fashion consisted of a grayish form fitting jacket that hid his toned physique; faded, dark blue jeans; a white shirt with matching white belt, and a pair of black and white shoes adorning his feet. What little accessories he wore came in the form of a simple black leather necklace in a Hawaiian design and one very eye catching ring that she didn't know where to begin describing.

"So, let me get this straight, that thing you fought was a god?" Tsuna asked slowly, his head tilting slightly to address her. "As in a real god?"

Shaking from her musings, she straightened herself to answer his long awaited questions. "Yes, that's right. A rogue god—or Heretic God by most—that brings disasters to our world."

"Uh huh… and you say that they uh, what was it again? Simply appear to wreak havoc?" He paused to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry if I'm not following too well. This is the first time I'm hearing this and, to be honest, I wouldn't have believed you if not for that giant Boar showing up."

"It's understandable," Erica nodded. "I actually expected it, Tsuna-sama."

"Uh, yea…" The frown that curbed his lips immediately told Erica what he would say next. "Erica-san? Can you drop the '-sama' part?"

"Oh? Why ever for, Tsuna-sama?" Smiling innocently, she took great pleasure in seeing him shift about his seat uncomfortably. In a way, his reactions reminded Erica a lot of her childhood friend Liliana. Though not as quick tempered as that particular white haired knight, Tsuna was oddly fun to tease for some reason. Perhaps it's due to the sense of familiarity she seemed to get from him?

Nah…

"I'm…" Tsuna began but decided to sigh resignedly rather than continue. "You know what? Forget I mentioned anything about it. I'll assume you're part of the mafia or somewhat related to it…"

"Whatever do you mean, Tsuna-sama?"

"Erica-san…" He groaned, shaking his head pitifully as she giggled.

"Alright, alright I'll stop." Of course she knew about her companion's heritage. Ever since she confirmed his identity, the blonde Knight had pretty much reviewed every single piece of information she knew about him; from his uneventful childhood life, his lousy academic achievements in middle school, all the way to his admirable deeds done in the past couple years since his tutoring from a certain infamous Hitman. It wasn't hard to acquire the information, after all. The Copper-Black Cross had very close ties with the venerable Vongola family.

Way before she joined the CBC organization, the Vongola had already establish a very strong foundation of support in Italy, providing aid and partnership to any who would help their cause. Erica's memories of the actual events regarding the alliance between CBC and Vongola were hazy at best, but she was fairly certain that their partnership dated back as far as the first generation of Vongola. Apparently the famous family whose members consisted of highly powerful mages helped stave off Heretic gods several times before. And it was this that drew the CBC's attention, eventually cultivating a strong relationship with them, which in turn created a blood pact that lasted even to this day.

Mages who wielded abilities powerful enough to help fend off ancient deities? How could her organization not pass that up? The discovery of another branch of magic completely separate from the current norms was just too good to be true. The blonde knight had heard about mystical flames of varying colors and abilities that were made available to only a certain number of people; in particular those individuals connected with crime families. It was a fascinating subject that Erica continued to research in her spare time. She even considered coaxing the Vongola heir into showing her some of these Dying Will Flames of his.

So lost was she in her own thoughts that Erica completely forgot about Tsuna's earlier question. Only when the young Sawada waved a hand over her eyes did she derail from her musings long enough to focus on the matter at hand, casting an apologetic look over at him as she did so.

"I beg your pardon, Tsuna-sama, I believe I got a little carried away with my own thoughts."

The boy waved her off understandingly. "No worries, it happens to me too. So… about those gods?"

"Right, of course," Clearing her throat, Erica's focus drifted to the skies as she spoke. "A god that has broken out from its mythic plain is a Heretic god that manifests on Earth. They create different types of disasters depending on their nature. For example, the land where a sun god appears might become a scorching inferno; likewise, the presence of a sea god will bring about a great flood; if it's a god of war then it wouldn't be unusual for conflict to break out. The list goes on from there and I'm sure you have a basic idea of what else a god can cause.

Rogue gods have existed way before recorded history but only those who possess magic or any sort of supernatural abilities are capable of perceiving them. Normal humans can only perceive them as natural disasters caused by Mother Nature or by simple scientific reasons such as global warming." She concluded, turning to face the quiet Vongola heir. "You have such a powerful grimoire, but you don't even know that much? I assumed that your grandfather—or at the very least your tutor had already informed you about this."

Her companion let out an exasperated sigh as he buried his face in his hands, apparently unable to disguise his irritation completely. "It's probably because they forgot or they simply wanted me to find out on my own. I'm pretty sure Reborn intentionally left me in the dark about it, and considering how busy I've been for the last year, I can honestly say I could care less if he had casually threw it out there in our tutoring sessions some time ago. I'm perfectly content with my life so far."

Erica hummed in reply. "I'm curious, but do you plan on continuing the family business? Your grandfather's, I mean."

"I'm… I'm actually undecided about that." He admitted, uncovering his eyes to peer at the ground. "If you asked me that a couple years ago I would bluntly say 'No, I don't plan to.' But now, after experiencing so many things, I'm not so sure anymore…"

As he trailed off, the blonde Knight decided not to press any further. She was still very much curious, but she was satisfied for now. Plus it was rather rude of her for prying just like that.

"It's alright, Tsuna-sama. You don't need to continue."

"Thanks." The young Sawada smiled gratefully at her before pulling out the tablet. "Um, anyways, do you think you can help me with something? This tablet we're talking about. I was tasked to return it to an acquaintance of my grandfather's, but I'm having trouble finding my way around here."

"Oh? Whom are you looking for?"

"Uh, let's see…" Pulling out a paper from his pocket, Tsuna glanced over it. "Lucrezia Zora."

"Lucrezia?" Erica repeated in surprise, quickly shifting herself closer to him. "You mean the great mage, the Witch of Sardinia? Why would she give a grimoire like that to a Japanese person?"

Her intense gaze must have been very uncomfortable to behold since he leaned away from her. "I guess that's her? I don't know, my grandpa told me he got it from a friend before meeting the woman in question..."

"I see... you're grandfather does like to hold a lot of social parties around Italy."

"Uh, right. I remember those." Shaking his head, Tsuna frowned and checked his watch. "The train sure is late…"

"And it'll remain like that for the next day or so." Erica chirped, all too happy to latch onto some entertainment. "My maid, Arianna, sent me a text earlier stating that our train just broke down at the previous station and won't be going anywhere anytime soon."

As she had come to expect, the teen literally blanched and fell onto the floor, adorning a comical look of shock as he did so. Erica couldn't help but laugh as she stood up from her seat, hands dusting her dress, and offered him a hand. The teen accepted it with a slight pout, which serve to only widen the mirthful grin plastered across her face.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Erica-san? I could have called a taxi sooner."

"Must have slipped my mind." She gave an innocent shrug and helped him up. "Worry not, Tsuna-sama! This Great Knight, Erica Blandelli, will graciously provide you her services for today. I've already acquired a suitable transport so let us depart with haste." Caught in her playful mood, Erica surprised him yet again by handing him her luggage with a winning smile. "Please be a gentleman and carry my belongings until our ride arrives."

Without another word the blonde knight elegantly strolled off. There wasn't really any need to see what response he would give. The indignant shout that followed her retreat was enough for her to imagine his flabbergasted appearance with perfect clarity.

"Oi! Wait a sec here! How this providing service to me?! Why do I have to carry your luggage?"

Oh yes, Tsuna was most certainly fun to play around with, and if all goes well she may just end up working with him in the near future. She couldn't wait to see him and his Dying Will Flames in action; something which she'd have to remember to brag about to Liliana later. Lady Luck certainly favored her today.

Turning to address frowning teen behind her, Erica smiled serenely as a blush adorned her cheeks. "Do you need a reason to carry a lady's luggage?"

Done. I'll see if I can post chapter 1 early, since I've already gotten it started, along with any of the following lists below.

Upcoming fics and updates:

Chrome Shelled Regios/High School DxD crossover. (Already in progress with roughly 1.8k words in.)

Hidan No Aria/High School DxD crossover.

Kore Wa Zombie Desu ka/Overlord crossover. (A very hilarious combination that I've actually started awhile ago. It kinda froze but I'm working on it. 1k words exact thus far O-o)

Naruto/Oda Nobuna no Yabou… or… Katekyo Hitman Reborn/Oda Nobuna no Yabou (To be honest I need the Oda Nobuna no Yabou category up here in so if anyone can do just that, I'll see to making both fics instead. Just PM me, anyone, so that I'll know that's been done, otherwise I might just wait awhile before I actually post it on just their respective category rather than in X-overs. Oh, and go watch the anime before reading them when I do :3. I'd say it'll be pretty fun and will favor the Naruto and KHR the most in the Nobuna universe.)

Fate/Stay Night/Oda Nobuna no Yabou. (I've been meaning to give this a try ever since I've read Gabriel Blessing's works. He's damn good writer! I don't know much about the type-moon stuff but I'll endeavor it to the best I can.)

Katekyo Hitman Reborn/Negima. (For those who've seen my drawings of these two crossovers in my DA account, the story itself is in progress with the rest of my fics. I have a 2k- prologue in the works that I'll post very soon. In fact, I might just post it this coming weekend if I finish my assignments early. Thank god I don't have any test...)

Updates:

Tales of Vongola: Sekirei Effect – roughly 30% complete. Yes, I'm very slow; like snail slow. I know.

Devil Games – 5% literally. Despite starting it I'm stuck lol. There's two ways I'd like to go but I'm undecided about it.

Trouble of a Blonde Ninja – Replacing Life of a Blonde Ninja. Hoping to get a prologue up soon.

Fault of a certain princess – 20% complete, but putting on hiatus.

Naruto: Jutsus and Magic 101 – up for adoption. If anyone wants to continue it, PM for details.

Full IS Panic and Naruto Infinite: Neo Dawn – Haven't started at all. I'll be honest about that. I'm trying AznPuffyHair's suggestion on how to proceed.

That's all for now. Laters.