I am the protagonist

"Huh? So you didn't know? Mr. Tsuna woke up this morning."

"What!?"

Chapter 53 Yamamoto's Choice

"The Tenth... the Tenth Boss has already woken up!?"

"Otherwise, who do you think made those plates that Kyoko and I dealt with this morning?"

Thinking about what happened this morning, Xiaochun felt a tightness in her chest.

Why were Chrome and Tsuna so close ten years ago?

If things continue like this, won't my opportunities dwindle?

Kyoko also feels a tightness in her chest.

What exactly happened between Tsuna and Chrome ten years ago?

Even though she really wanted to think that Chrome was her friend, which was a bad idea, the thought of Chrome's positive attitude that morning kept popping into her mind, and the feeling of her heart being completely blocked was really terrible.

"Kyoko, what happened to Sawada after breakfast?"

Sasagawa believed that his sister must know.

"Kyoko!"

"Hey? Is something wrong, brother?"

"...Are you alright? It's rare to see you so absent-minded."

Sasagawa rarely saw his younger sister so distracted.

"It's ok."

Kyoko glanced at her brother and simply shook her head, because she knew that these words would have been too difficult for her brother ten years ago, and even if she had said them, he wouldn't have understood.

"???"

Sasagawa still couldn't figure out whether his younger sister was in a good mood or a bad mood.

"Ha~"

Bianchi couldn't help but laugh.

Judging from Kyoko and Haru's reactions, they seem to be jealous.

Bianchi knew that Chrome had been with Tsuna for two of the days he was unconscious. Since arriving in this era, Chrome had been so proactive in her treatment of Tsuna. What did that mean?

[Tsuna woke up, but Chrome didn't come to the kitchen, which means Chrome is with Tsuna now... Kyoko and Haru's thoughts are still so easy to guess.]

"Kyoko, Koharu, you two better watch out."

"Don't let someone overtake you so easily."

"!?"

The two of them shuddered, their unease growing stronger.

"What are you talking about?"

Tsuna brought Chrome to the kitchen.

"The Tenth Generation!"

Gokudera was probably the most excited of all.

"Calm down. I told you before not to get so agitated when things happen. Don't forget what I said as soon as you turn your back."

Gokudera shuddered and quickly began to compose himself.

"Ten years later, you have made some progress, but sometimes you still can't change your fiery temper."

"Tenth Generation, the me of ten years from now is different from the me of now. The me of now has already started to work hard!"

"The person you're aiming for must have a calm personality. I don't need to repeat myself. Remember to start controlling your temper from small things and don't always be on the verge of exploding."

"Yes!"

These things need to be made clear when dealing with Gokudera. Tsuna doesn't want Gokudera to have such a fiery personality in the future, because someone with that kind of personality can't accomplish anything great.

"You've all seen the things left behind by people from this era, haven't you?"

"The Tenth Generation has already watched it once."

Yamamoto was still quite concerned about what his future self would say, especially regarding his family situation.

"...Tsuna, a lot has really happened in the future ten years from now."

Has a lot happened on the mountain itself?

When an optimist says something like that in such a low voice, Tsuna knows without a doubt that something bad has happened.

"Yamamoto, the future can be changed. If we do nothing, this future may really come to pass. But what if we completely change the situation of this era?"

"Will it...change the future?"

Isn't that a possibility?

"Don't you yourself also have to consider this possibility?"

"……yes."

Yamamoto could not accept this future. Since he could not accept it, he would now use his own hands to change it.

"But what's needed to change this damn future isn't some ideal, but something as simple as it gets—power."

"If there is no power, then this era will not change. To change this era, one needs to master great power."

"Power...?"

At that moment, a strong desire suddenly arose in Yamamoto's heart—a desire to gain power to change this future.

Even if it's stained with blood and filth, there's still something you want to protect.

"Power is like that. There is no such thing as justice or evil. When you need it, it will always be there to support you. Only with its support can you do what you want to do."

"In this era, you only have one thing in mind, and you can only make a single choice."

"Should we choose power, or something else?"

Yamamoto understood the meaning behind Tsuna's words in a flash.

Is this a true microcosm of our times?

You can only choose one: baseball or sword.

If it were peacetime, I would definitely continue playing baseball.

[...But now it seems I can no longer afford to have such willful thoughts.]

Having made his decision, Yamamoto's face once again blossomed with an innocent smile.

"I guess I'll choose power after all."

"There are many things I want to change, and this era doesn't require me to choose my own interests."

Yamamoto's heart has completely changed.

Reborn keenly observed that some of Yamamoto's convictions had been altered.

[By choosing power without hesitation, rather than his own interests, Yamamoto seems to resemble the first swordsman.]

In these days ten years into the future, Yamamoto has been quite confused.

Upon learning that his father had been killed by Milfiore's men over the past ten years, he felt nothing but anger and disbelief at the outcome.

So, in the few days since arriving in this era, he hasn't done any exercise except for looking at the things in his room ten years in the future.

But now Yamamoto has figured it out; he still can't accept this future ten years from now.

Since he cannot accept such a future, then Yamamoto will not accept such a future!

Just like Tsuna said, what's needed to change this future isn't an ideal, but the power to completely alter the future as it is now!

Yamamoto kept these words in mind.

[Then we should also examine the messages left by my future self from ten years in the future; the power of the ring and the box weapon needs to be strengthened.]

Chapter 54 Gokudera and Yamamoto's Full Awakening

[Since the Tenth Boss has said so, if I don't make any changes, I really don't deserve to be called the Tenth Boss's right-hand man.]

Gokudera had always kept the Tenth Boss's words in mind, and he had been trying to control his emotions these past few days, but the effect wasn't particularly noticeable.

This is a terrible time, but it's also a great opportunity for me.

After seeing what his future self left him, Gokudera had already gained a certain understanding of the situation in this world. He even learned from his future self about some of the actions taken by the Tenth Generation in this era.

[I will make up for the regret that I couldn't participate in the Tenth Generation Project ten years from now.]

Starting today, I need to control my temper every day.

Gokudera knew very well that the Tenth Boss was right to tell him to calm down sometimes.

The Tenth Boss leads the Guardians, but he cannot look after all the Guardians. Therefore, there must be a calm and capable person among the Guardians who can take on important responsibilities.

Gokudera learned from his future self, ten years later, that he had not received such an important task in this era. Instead, Hibari Kyoya, whom he found particularly displeasing, was given important responsibilities by the Tenth Boss.

Of course, Gokudera doesn't think the Tenth Boss did anything wrong.

The tenth generation's actions were correct.

Whether it was ten years ago or ten years later, one can calmly consider any orders given by the Tenth Generation.

[I never imagined that ten years later I would still be unable to control my temper. That kind of plan required a guardian who wouldn't speak carelessly, who was calm-headed and strong enough to participate. The reason I didn't get that qualification ten years later is because I wasn't calm enough.]

Although I'm not the guardian tasked with this mission, I can't let this opportunity slip by!

Gokudera knew why he wasn't given important responsibilities by the Tenth Boss in this era: his personality was his greatest weakness.

So the situation ten years later was a harsh wake-up call for Gokudera, waking him from his previous fantasies.

The tenth generation's right and left hands.

Ultimately, that was just Gokudera's goal and self-proclaimed identity. If he doesn't change his personality, then ten years from now he might really be like he is now, still just self-proclaimed and still unable to gain the Tenth Boss's recognition.

[Tenth Generation Boss, I will definitely become your true right-hand man!]

Gokudera ignited the Dying Will Flame on the ring, opening the box weapon he left behind ten years later.

"Meow!"

With its ears ablaze with red flames, the kitten bared its teeth and jumped in front of Gokudera.

The kitten bared its teeth and meowed for a long time before finally calming down, because it noticed that its owner's expression was a bit off. Normally, the owner would have already jumped up, but today was unusually quiet.

"Gua, I need your help now."

"Meow?"

At that moment, the kitten realized that its owner was definitely not normal, otherwise it would never have said such a thing.

"Now I have a clearer goal than before: I want to become the Tenth Boss's true right-hand man, so now I must obtain the corresponding power."

Through the connection of the Death Flame, the kitten clearly sensed the strong determination in its master's heart.

The kitten sighed, jumped onto its owner's shoulder, and lay down.

If this silly owner had thought of this earlier, it would have already obeyed.

Gaining the kitten's approval was the first step, Gokudera took a deep breath.

"I'll catch up with you soon, Tenth Generation. Please wait for me for a while."

In the deeper underground training room, Yamamoto took out the thing he had left for him ten years later and looked carefully at the black and white photo placed in front of him.

"Dad, I'm going to start moving forward too."

The death of his father was a huge blow to Yamamoto in this era, and he remained silent for several days when he first found out.

“I don’t accept this kind of future, so I believe Tsuna’s words. I hope to create a completely different future with my own hands.”

"This shitty future will be utterly shattered by my sword!"

Yamamoto knew he needed to gain power, just as Tsuna said, only by gaining enough power could he use it to protect the people he cared about.

[You, living in this era, must have cried when your father died, too.]