Reiji's POV
Reiji stepped onto the stone path that led to the Vongola mansion, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. The air around the mansion felt heavier than before, almost like it was aware of the significance of his return. The towering trees surrounding the estate swayed gently in the wind, their shadows stretching across the overgrown lawn. As he approached the front doors, Reiji felt a strange sense of familiarity wash over him.
Nothing had changed.
The mansion stood as it had when he first stumbled upon it. The grand, worn facade, the ivy crawling up the stone walls, the windows sealed shut with years of dust and grime. Yet, something about the mansion called to him—an invitation to secrets long hidden, waiting to be uncovered.
Pushing the creaky door open, Reiji stepped inside. The interior was just as he remembered: dim, cold, and still. The air inside smelled faintly of old wood and must, but there was an underlying warmth to it. As if the mansion itself was alive, quietly waiting for his return.
Reiji moved through the grand hall with purposeful strides. He knew where he was going. The room with the pedestal, the one that had once held the weight of the Vongola legacy, was just ahead.
Entering the room, Reiji's gaze immediately fell on the pedestal in the center. There, arranged in a perfect circle, were six rings—each representing one of the Vongola Guardians. They shimmered faintly in the dim light, their polished surfaces reflecting the past, present, and future of the Vongola family. The Storm, Rain, Sun, Lightning, Mist, and Cloud Rings. Each one a symbol of power, a symbol of responsibility.
But as his eyes scanned the rings, something strange caught his attention. The Cloud Ring at the far edge of the pedestal began to glow faintly, its purple light flickering like a small flame. Reiji frowned, stepping closer, confusion tightening his chest.
Why was the Cloud Ring glowing?
Shinya's POV
The forest was dense, filled with towering trees and a mist that clung to the ground like smoke. Shinya Kogami made his way deeper into the woods, his senses heightened. The daylight should have still been bright above the canopy, yet the forest here seemed unnaturally dark, as though the sun couldn't penetrate the thick layer of mist and shadows.
He paused, glancing around. Something wasn't right.
Shinya had been in enough battles to recognize when something was off. His hand instinctively hovered near the holster at his side as he scanned the surrounding trees. The air was thick with an unsettling presence, something he couldn't quite place.
As he pressed on, his mind started to drift, memories bubbling to the surface—memories he had long since buried. The faces of his comrades, their bodies broken and lifeless. The aftermath of his fight against the system that had failed them. The searing hatred he carried for the officials who turned a blind eye to the suffering around them.
"Damn it…" Shinya muttered under his breath, shaking his head. The images grew sharper, clearer, as if they were unfolding right in front of him. His comrades...their eyes lifeless, their bodies mutilated. His heart pounded in his chest, a familiar rage boiling up from deep within.
He blinked, and suddenly, he was back there. The battlefield. The place where everything had gone wrong.
"No…" Shinya growled, his breath coming in short bursts. His hand reached for his gun, but his vision blurred, and all he could see were the corpses of the fallen. The weight of his past, the failures, the betrayal—it crushed him, trapping him in a cycle of confusion and hatred.
Shinya fell to his knees, gripping his head in pain. The forest around him seemed to twist and warp, the mist swirling around like a suffocating blanket.
But then, a voice. Sharp, commanding, and distant.
"Do not get lost in your own weaknesses."
Shinya's head snapped up, his eyes wide. The voice echoed through the mist, cutting through the confusion like a blade. It was familiar, but not one he recognized personally. Cold, resolute—like a distant memory.
"Stand and fight, or you will fall."
The mist around Shinya began to thin, the oppressive weight of his memories lifting slightly. He gritted his teeth, pulling himself to his feet, the voice echoing in his mind. Who was it? Who was talking to him?
And then, for a brief moment, he saw something—a figure, dressed in black, standing at the edge of his vision. A man, tall and imposing, with a silver tonfa in his hand and a cold, predatory gaze.
"Clouds don't wait for orders. They shape their own path."
The figure faded as quickly as it appeared, leaving Shinya standing alone in the mist. His heartbeat began to steady, his vision clearing. The dark forest around him returned to its natural state, the twisted memories falling away. It was as if he had been tested—challenged to break free from his past.
"Who…was that?" Shinya muttered, breathing heavily. His hand gripped the gun at his side as he regained his composure. Whatever had happened, it had saved him from being consumed by the darkness.
Shinya looked ahead, and in the distance, through the thinning mist, he saw it.
The mansion.
It stood at the heart of the forest, silent and imposing. He felt something calling him, drawing him toward it. There was no question in his mind now—Reiji was inside, and whatever was happening here, it was tied to the flame Reiji had shown him.
With renewed determination, Shinya made his way toward the mansion. His instincts told him this place held the answers he needed. Whatever he was about to face, it had already begun.
Reiji's POV
The glow of the Cloud Ring intensified, casting a soft purple light across the room. Reiji stared at it, his mind racing. He reached out, hesitant, unsure if he should touch it. Why was it glowing? Was it reacting to something? Someone?
As he took a step closer, the door behind him creaked open.
Reiji spun around, his heart pounding. In the doorway stood Shinya, his gun drawn but lowered, his face calm despite the intensity in his eyes.
"You…" Shinya began, stepping into the room. His eyes flicked toward the pedestal, locking onto the glowing Cloud Ring. "What is that?"
"I—I don't know," Reiji stammered, glancing back at the ring. "It just started glowing when I got here."
Shinya narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to the pedestal. He studied the ring, his thoughts a mix of confusion and curiosity. There was something about that ring, something powerful that seemed to resonate with him. He couldn't explain it, but he could feel its pull.
Reiji watched Shinya carefully. The man had always seemed so composed, so in control. But here, in this room, with the Cloud Ring glowing between them, there was something different in Shinya's eyes. A flicker of recognition, perhaps.
"Shinya," Reiji said softly, breaking the silence. "This ring… it belongs to the Cloud Guardian. One of the Vongola."
Shinya looked at Reiji, his expression unreadable. "And what does that have to do with me?"
Reiji swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. He had thought about this moment for days, but now that it was here, he wasn't sure how to approach it. "I think… I think it's choosing you."
Shinya raised an eyebrow, glancing at the ring again. The glow seemed to intensify as he stared at it. "Me? Why would it choose me?"
"Because," Reiji began slowly, his voice steady, "you've always walked your own path, just like the Cloud Guardian. Independent, strong, but always there when it matters."
The room fell into silence as Shinya stared at the glowing ring, the weight of Reiji's words sinking in.