{???, ???}

Yucca went full speed, his eyes never leaving Irie Shoichi's shining dot on his wristwatch. It didn't matter if Yamamoto Takeshi had defeated Genkishi, or if Torikabuto fell under Sawada Tsunayoshi's attack. It only meant they were weak. His Ran-chan didn't need weak under him. Only the best were allowed to get close to him.

As for Irie Shoichi, he was an error. A mistake Yucca would take pleasure in erasing from Byakuran's life. How could such an insignificant pest take up so much of his dearest's attention and return it with so much spitefulness?

The pleasure he would take in torturing the young adult was incommensurable.

A low chuckle escaped his lips as he neared his destination, his vision was a bit hazy as he saw a beam aiming straight for him from the Vongola's base.

His sky flame blended even more with Koro's cloud flame as he inputted more firepower into them, protecting himself as he continued to fly in his prey's direction.

He still had time, from what he understood Koro had done, Daisy could last at least two more minutes before the Vongola's rain stabbed her.

A psychotic smile went to his face, Aguri still around his wrist, he drew more of Koro's cloud flame before sending her tentacles in the base's way and uprooting it. His breathing a bit more unregular at the effort he didn't let his grin falter.

Such a tiny base was nothing he wouldn't let it get into his way. It also went for the pests.

Hearing firing in the distance, he let his eyes flicker in the silver-haired teen's direction. Was the puppy back to growl at him?

Not even smiling at the foolish display the teen was making, Yucca took his gun out. He fired a few bullets Gokudera's way, all of them coated in a thin layer of sky flame before he went back to his hunt.

This game of hide and seek was for him to win.

Blocking everything away, Yucca's attention, much to his own displeasure, was entirely focused on the red head's figure.  He'd rather think about Ran, but trapping the little mouse, was so much fun!

Overlooking Irie Shoichi's useless run, a euphoric expression made its way to Yucca's face. Ahhh, how delectable the look on his face would be.

Yucca went straight in front of his prey, standing before him, his grin grew wider and wider, a deranged laugh escaping his lips as he extended his right hand out as if it was a gun.

"How was it already?" he muttered to himself as his purple irises met Shoichi's pitch black ones. Irie didn't hear what he said, but he took a step back. His breathing ragged he turned away and started to run.

Loud laughter erupted from Yucca. "Ah, no I've got it!" He exclaimed further unnerving his prey and the Vongola hearing and watching him. Walking closer to the wobbling ex-sun guardian, Yucca cleared his throat.

"I have been beside you from the moment you were born," He recited, his eyes glinting. "Fear, not the name."

His hands which had gathered as much cloud flame as he could, considering his sky affinity compared to Koro, shot a perfect beam through Shoichi's figure. A loud maniacal laugh came to life.

"'Death.'"

Shoichi's body fell to the ground with a satisfying thump. "You look extremely lovely, Irie-chan," he whispered near his victim's ear as he crouched down. "Laying on the floor in a pool of blood, yours," he defined chuckling, "suits you the best."

Satisfied, Yucca took a few steps back, enjoying his masterpiece. He was sure his dearest would be pleased.

Suddenly, he felt the wind around him shifting. The next moment an enraged Tsunayoshy landed next to him. Muttering a low "How could you," the teen went straight for his friend.

Yucca felt bored. Now that the little mouse was out, what was left to do? Taking a few steps, he stumbled a bit to the side, before rubbing his head tiredly.

Welp, whatever. Spinning around to look at the oh so moving scene in front of him, Yucca's satisfaction soared. Indeed, winning for his Ran-chan was a great feeling. But if he could have fun while doing so what was there to ask?

Leaning against one of the many building, Yucca quietly listened to Irie's tales on the parallel worlds. It was a shame the man wasn't dead, at least they had won he consoled himself.

"You guys lost!" Came Byakuran's voice, pulling Yucca out of his mini recuperating session.

Beaming, the older male glomped his younger brother. "How was I Ran-chan? Did you like it? Do you think I should have tortured them more?" Questions after questions, Yucca ogled his dearest's attention.

Patting his brother's head, Byakuran smiled in acknowledgment before knitting his brows. "Don't push yourself," he whispered, feeling his brother's depleted energy.

Yucca nodded, letting his brother go to let him continue his and the Vongola's conversation.

Retreating a bit, Yucca allowed himself to crouch down. His breathing a bit ragged, he wiped the sweat off his forehead. Maybe, draining Koro's cloud flame and not relying on his sky flame was an error.

Closing his eyes, Yucca decided to take a small nap. Nothing significant would happen, surely.

::

The sound of a gunshot snapped their purple eyes open, a flash of light violet going through them as he blinked them a few times.

Groggily standing up, Koro met with the sight of Kikyo's attack on the Vongola, Squalo appearing the second after. What happened while they were out of it? He didn't know. But from what he saw, he managed to have a gist of it.

Aguri had long since gone back to her box. Wrist free of the cute creature, he gently rubbed it.

Seems like, Squalo and Kyoya are causing trouble. He thought eyes narrowed. Well, so are the Millefiore members.

Koro's purple orbs flickered from right to left, scanning the whole battleground. The situation was under control. Although not perfect, the Millefiore had the upper hand.

A smile, a strange blend of nostalgia and pity, etched itself on his face as he stared at the Vongola. Maybe, the Don's plan wouldn't work.

It was, a shame? Koro didn't know. All these years had made him permeable to all of these political matters. So long as he could survive, it was okay. As he could, everything was alright.

After so many years, Koro thought he knew the reason behind his appearance. At least he liked to think so. To him, he was there to keep the reckless man known as his vessel alive. After all, the second he arrived, he saved him from a heart attack and a group of thugs. His past competences too had protected his "host" more than once.

Perhaps he was Yucca's guardian angel. The cloud he was had been destined to vagabond within the endless sky this lonely teen was. It was strange, the combination they made. A single cloud within a boundless sky. The type of weather people found themselves questioning.

Koro shook his head, dismissing the semblance of philosophical thoughts he was having. Now was not the time.

He could feel it, the wind shifting as an entity close to himself grew closer. The next instant, within the tumultuous battlefield, Rokudo Mukuro appeared on the battlefield.

Koro remained mute, his eyes staring intently at the guardian he had lost contact with a few years ago already. His signature laugh escaped his lips in a low whisper full of anticipation.

As Mukuro attacked Byakuran, Koro walked closer to the illusionist in neither friendly nor aggressive manner. It was strangely neutral as a tint of worry veiled his tone.

"Nyurufufu, Mukuro," he called out. "It's been a long time."

The illusionist, whose eyes met Koro's, smirked. "Kufufufu, Koro-kun. That is true. Do you still, go by that stupid name?"

"Nyrufufu, that hurts," Koro whined falsely.

"Kufufu."

"Fufufu."

Their strange conversation went on in front of the two perplexed groups before the somewhat harmonious atmosphere between the two of them shattered.

The pineapple head adult sent an illusion in the raven head's direction. To which Koro answered by a flick of his wrist as he took his dagger and lit his cloud flame.

Eyes slightly narrowed, Koro defended against Mukuro's illusions. They were, strangely weak compared to the one he used on Byakuran as if he wanted to test something.

As Koro destroyed the illusions, the Vongola escaped. Not a second later, Byakuran broke free from Rokudo's illusion. The smile on the white head's face never faltered. It was as if having his preys escape him right under his noes didn't faze him one bit.

Although looking into his light purple irises, those who knew him could discern the annoyance cleverly hidden behind his usual smugness.

"It is pointless," he stated, his purples eyes clashing with Mukuro's heterochromatic ones. "Even if you managed to let them escape, in the end, you only prolonged their lives just a little bit," he mocked.

"I didn't do it to help the Vongola Famiglia."

::

Standing next to the two leaders, Koro observed their conversation. Interrupting neither of them, he made himself unnoticeable until, at last, Byakuran dispersed the form his opponent had taken.

His purple orbs went up to the teleportation device the Vongola had used for their escape seconds before. His mind, strangely clear and undisturbed as he stared at the place his "enemies" previously were.

"We apologize!"

The Funeral wreathes' leader's statement brought Koro's attention back to his associates. The four of them, Kikyo, Bluebell, Daisy, and Zakuro, knelt in front of him, an apologetic look on their faces as they waited for their Boss to acknowledge them.

From the sidelines, Koro didn't meet either of their eyes, he too, stared at the floor, waiting for their next order. Waiting to see how it would proceed from now on.

Now that Byakuran met his first unexpected situation and that the Decimo's plan started to unravel. Who would come out on top?

"Ran-chan will of course!" A voice shouted from the distant part of his mind.

Koro closed his eyes, preventing himself from frowning. Having Yucca "speak" to him when he was conscious and his energy a bit low from all the previous strain on his body wasn't exactly the most agreeable.

Silently inhaling and expiring a few times, Koro's headache settled down.

"I want that girl. If you understand then quickly go after them, don't give them a rest."

Opening his eyes, Koro could only observe that the Funeral wreaths had flown away.

"What are you standing there for?" Came Ran's voice. "Go after them!" he ordered, letting the irritation he was restraining take form into his voice.

Koro didn't answer him, hearing his reply would only further anger the young man. Giving, a simple nod, Koro's cloud ring ignited itself. In a cloud of smoke, the raven head flew away to regroup with his current comrades.

::

{Namimori, Japan}

Standing atop of the hill the Vongola once were, Koro took in his surrounding. His eyes scanned for any possible hints as to the Vongola and his teammates' whereabouts before settling on a small cloud of smoke in the far distance, within the forest.

Taking off in its direction, Koro didn't hesitate to step up his game slightly, going a bit faster he couldn't help but get overwhelmed by an unnerving feeling.

In the distance, as he neared his destination, another explosion went off. This time it felt stronger, the pressure of the wind and the sound of the blast were all stronger as he came closer to the Vongola base.

Hurrying as best he could, Koro's heart started to beat faster. From afar he could discern the teens and most of their comrades' figures. All of them running away to who knows where. Not like Koro cared at the moment, his mind only registered the fact that Squalo didn't seem to be part of their small group.

It wasn't strange per se, after all, even if the Varia was the young Don's ally, the goodwill Squalo held toward them was practically non-existent. The people he acknowledged weren't the ten years younger Vongola, but the current.

Hurrying, he landed into the battlefield his old rain counterpart and current storm ally were using. Koro acted on reflex, his instinct as the God of Death kicking in he raised his left armed hand, coated in purple flames.

Sparks emanated from the impact as Zakuro's incoming hit was stopped by the raven head. Koro gritted his teeth, his legs flexing a bit under the pressure the red-haired male's attack was giving off.

Zakuro's brown eyes widened slightly, his stance getting somewhat unsure as he seized the new arrival's figure before he narrowed his eyes in defiance.

"Aster," he growled. "Step aside. I'm, not finished with him. You're wasting my time."

Koro remained unmoved, not sparring his comrade a glance, he ignored Squalo's unmoving body behind him. Not checking whether the male was breathing or the gravity of his injuries, his focus remained solely on Zakuro.

"You are the one wasting time, Zakuro," Koro countered his voice unwavering under the growing pressure of Zakuro's storm flames. "I came to get you. While you were there, playing with this shark the targets got away," he stated.

Zakuro scoffed unimpressed before growling. "I don't like to repeat myself, Aster. If you don't step aside, I'll kill you," he threatened his red flames growing fiercer and more imposing.

Koro didn't bat an eyelid, already used to the others threatening him. Be it a joke or seriously, it didn't faze him anymore. He exhaled, closing his eyes for a second before snapping them open. A purple glint flashed through his usually lackadaisical pools, "Do you want me to report you to Ran for disobeying his orders?" he asked, his gaze sharp as he didn't bother to hide the underlying threat.

Zakuro scrunched his nose before huffing. "You wouldn't, even if you did, Byakuran-sama wouldn't take your words into account," he stated mockingly.

"Do you want to try us, Zakuro-chan?" Koro repeated, his voice somehow going an octave higher by the end of his sentence as a light, a blend of purple and orange, went through his eyes before dimming.

Zakuro clicked his tongue. Ruffling his red locks in a seemingly tired manner, he dispersed his flames. A yawn escaped his lips as the previous tense atmosphere shattered into nothingness.

"This is useless," he sighed. "I don't understand why Yucca-sama sides with you," he muttered before glancing the raven head's way. His gaze traveled down to Squalo's unmoving figure as a small smirk adorned his face. A chuckle. "Well, then I suppose I'll be going," he stretched. "I'll see you later, Aster. Let's keep this between us, yeah?"

Koro's purple orbs never left the male's figure as he flew out of the now destructed base. Finally out of sight, the raven head sighed his left hand passing through his hair as he turned to face Squalo's body.

His nose scrunched up in mild disgust.

I can't count how many times I wrote ZOkuro instead of ZAkuro.

If you guessed, Varia will be a bit more present next chapter. And Future arc is steadily reaching its end.

Thanks for reading, until next time^^