Watching through the high definition screen as the two candidates made their way to their respective spot, Natalia smiled in satisfaction.

"Now, resuming the instructions," she began as she turned to face the rest of the assembly, her voice gently reverberating in the school building with the help of multiple speakers.

She pressed her remote control and a green hologram, representing the whole school building, was projected. "Each candidate has been given a target, which was chosen based on their Boss' current aptitude," she began, showing two humanoid dolls to the two groups.

"Be it physical aptitude and endurance or their looks, we were careful to make them as close to the original as possible," her voice trailed off, and she pursed her red-tinted lips. "I hope neither of the party will take offense in those representations of their Leader," she asked, lightly bowing to the groups.

"Now, displayed on the side is the level of endurance each doll has. The gauge will fall as the model receives damages, once it reaches zero, the battle will end, and we will have our winner. Simple, isn't it?" She asked a light smile painted on her lips as she tilted her head to the side.

Seeing the groups before her more or less nod in understanding, her smile deepened, she chuckled. "Great. Now, of course, rules do not stop there," clearing her throat, she gestured at the led screen and hologram.

"First, it is forbidden to, completely destroy the school building," she stressed. "Second, every type of attack is allowed so long as it doesn't breach the first rule," her eyes seemed to glint, and she laughed to herself as if she had remembered something funny.

"And last, but not least, as an advantage for winning the first round, Sir Tsunayoshi's team will receive an advantage," she paused, humming to herself. "Well, I suppose considering the puppet on their side, an advantage wouldn't hurt."

Her brown eyes flickered to the Varia, and her eyes narrowed in a cat-like manner. "Of course, that is, only if the opposing party approves of these terms," she added, waiting for the assassins to speak up.

Squalo pursed his lips, and his brow twitched. "Voii, of course, we won't accept your shi—"

"It doesn't matter."

Natalia nodded, ignoring the silver head's foul mouth, she pressed her earbud. "Copy that. Since Sir Xanxus' Lightning Guardian has accepted the terms, an advantage will be given to Sir Tsunayoshi's Guardian."

She faced the teen, gently smiling at him as she waited for his request.

Tsunayoshi stuttered, wiping his head to, pleadingly look at Reborn for directions. His gaze displayed his lost state, as his eyes kept darting to the led screen, which showed Lambo's peacefully sleeping figure.

Reborn tilted his fedora, deep in thoughts before raising his head. "The communication between them and us, once the battle starts, will it be cut off?" He calmly inquired.

Tsunayoshi starred at his tutor mouth agape, not understanding the utility of such an obvious question. Though he refrained from asking, if Reborn asked, he probably had an idea. Hopefully.

Natalia hummed, tucking a stray strand of brown hair behind her ear, she nodded. A respectful air around herself as she addressed the Sun Arcobaleno.

"Lord Reborn is right, once the duel starts, the candidates won't be able to hear us anymore. That is to say, Lord Reborn and the others will be able to know and listen to everything inside the school," she confirmed.

"Does it mean the electromagnetic waves aren't blocked, but only the speakers are?"

Natalia's red lips stretched into a grin, her honey-brown eyes coursed with an electric shade of green and she nodded. "As expected of Lord Reborn," she praised.

Reborn nodded before turning his head to face his pupil. "Ask for a cellphone, Dame-Tsuna," he paused. "No, a computer is better. One connected to the internet and with its battery full," he added.

Tsunayoshi dumbly nodded, he asked for the computer and only did he come back to himself when he heard Natalia's voice to express she understood his request.

"Wait, why a computer?"

Reborn looked at his student with a deadpan before shaking his head. "To keep that Dumb Cow awake of course," he said factually. "Cartoons are the best medicine for kids his age," he instructed.

Tsunayoshi looked at his tutor in disbelief, despair gradually taking hold of his being as his eyes filled themselves with worry. How was he supposed to take him seriously when he was himself a baby in a suit?

Natalia pressed on her earbud and cleared her throat. "The battle of the Lightning will now begin!"

::

A loud beeping sound echoed in the school, announcing the beginning of the battle. Leviathan's eyes snapped open, Lambo tossed in his sleep before resuming his nap.

Not a second later, the whole floor burst with electricity, making all the people who touched it feel a violent wave in their entire body.

Leviathan, who had felt the shift in the atmosphere moments before had precisely retreated, jumping on one of the many desks in the room. Tables which strangely enough were immune to the current. He deduced it had been done to give the candidate places to "rest."

Calmly, he deployed the many umbrellas on his back, throwing them around the room, they opened and began to gather the electricity, leaving only a web of electric current with the umbrellas as its knots.

He breathed, watched, observed how the bright current flowed. His sharp eyes were narrowed as he elaborated a strategy to 'kill' the enemy target.

For instance, his gaze flickered to the replica of his Boss, and he grunted, it didn't honor his beloved Boss one bit. He needed to keep this doll safe.

With these thoughts, he gathered three of his umbrellas before neatly displaying them around the model as a mean of protection. Though he doubted the snotty brat would get close it, it was his role as Guardian to keep his Boss safe.

Even if it was a doll.

::

Lambo peacefully slept, the low sound of a cartoon went on in the background, lulling him further to sleep. That was until he felt a splitting force in his whole body.

His body jolted, and he began to squirm, running in circles to find a way to stop the pain. But it was no use, wherever he ran to the electric current followed him, steadily flowing in and out of his body.

Lambo's strong constitution, in this unusual circumstance, displayed its durability. He ran and ran, tears beginning to form at the edge of his eyes and he sniffled. He was so immersed in his pain, he didn't even notice the computer, neatly seated on the teacher desk at the other side of the room.

"K-keep it in," he muttered, endlessly sniffling. It was as if the current as time went on only got stronger and stronger, concentrating on his figure more and more.

He didn't look where he was going and tripped. He burst into tears. Loud wails escaped his lips, easily giving away his location as fat tears flowed down his face. He hadn't been beaten up by anyone, but the force of the current was enough to send him to the hospital for severe treatment already.

"K-kee—" he wailed, his hand reached for his afro, and he pulled a massive bazooka out of it. "Hurts—"

He erupted into a cloud of pink, and in his place stood the ten-years-later Lambo.

Lambo's behind had only grazed the floor, and he jumped, put off by the strong current. He grabbed his hurt body, now sprawled over a student's desk as his eyes roamed the place he was in.

"This— the battle of the ring?" he muttered questioningly. He noticed the doll, which supposedly looked like Tsuna and the turned-on computer on the other side of the room.

"Okay," he whispered, mentally psyching himself. "How did this battle go already?" He wondered aloud, attitude laidback, unlike his teammates who worriedly stared at the screen.

His eyes flickered, and he paused on the computer, perking up. "Oh my, isn't that this cartoon I was really into ten years ago?" He asked himself with interest.

He effortlessly jumped from desk to desk to grab the computer, and take a closer look. His face brightened. "It is!" He excitedly whisper-shouted.

He was about to settle down and silently look at the cartoon when he remembered where he was. He glanced at the clock wall, three minutes left.

He pursed his lips, tilting his head to the side in deep thoughts. "Clearly, if I stay I'll have to fight that scary uncle," he said in a thoughtful manner, his head slightly tilted to the side as he closed his eyes.

He clicked his tongue, looking down at the electrified ground. "And if I do, I probably won't make it in less than two minutes. Finding him and everything," he muttered.

His eyes flickered to the computer, and he clasped his fist in his hand. "Of course! My, Lambo-san you're so clever," he praised, pulling out a violet firearm, similar to the one the younger him had previously shoot.

Not missing a beat, he unhesitantly pulled the trigger, and in a cloud of pink smoke, another Lambo appeared.

This time, Lambo seemed much calmer. With one look at his surrounding, he immediately grasped the situation he was in. His ear twitched, he could hear the sound of Leviathan getting closer.

His eyes fell on the motionless doll, then the computer, and he blinked.

His lips stretched into a thin smile, his eyes glinted in a strange blend of both happiness and nostalgia. "This must be Master's ridiculous test again," he whispered to himself.

His eyes flickered to the camera, and he smiled. Though he couldn't hear them, he knew Tsunayoshi and the others were aware of what was happening. He couldn't help but convey his feelings to them. After all, once the time was up, he would go back to this place without them.

"Also master, thank you for your guidance."

He grabbed the computer, turned on the internet, and began his trip in the informatics world. Behind him, the door abruptly slammed opened.

::

Natalia listened to the curly-haired male, perplex. Her features remained unchanged, calm and unbothered, but her mind was in a turmoil.

Clearly, the 'Master' he was referring to, was her. But why would she take a snooty brat as her pupil? She didn't have so much free time. All her efforts were focused on her Lord and the Bratva, and it was perfect this way.

She glanced at the screen and watched as one of the gauges steadily fell down until it reached rock bottom. Well, at least if he really was her student, she had taught him well.

Without noticing it, she found herself smiling more genuinely as she rubbed her green signet ring.

A loud buzzing sound echoed, cutting the electric current of the floor, and indicating the end of the battle.

She cleared her throat, gathering the attention of both parties as some of her underlings went to retrieve the two Guardian candidates.

"Now, the battle of the Lightning ring has officially ended. I declare Lambo Bovino, Sir Tsunayoshi's Lightning Guardian winner of this battle," she paused. "Are there any objections?"

Squalo fumed. "Voii, of course, we object!" He shouted, gesturing at the led screen. "How are we supposed to accept that you shitty woman," he snarled.

Natalia's smile didn't falter as she waited for him to finish. Much like Reborn or Iemitsu who remained unconcerned throughout the silver head's monologue, she listened to his rant.

On the sideline, Tsunayoshi began to quiver, while Mikaël mentally gulped, taking a tentative step back, as if afraid to get involved when he already was.

"—And anyway, how did this shitty cow win? Did you riddle our Boss' doll?" He threateningly asked.

Natalia pursed her lips. "If you could refrain from speaking that way to the proctor, it would be much appreciated," she enunciated, voice sharp as she firmly gazed into Squalo's silver pools.

The man instinctively shut up, only sneering at the woman in defiance. Seemingly satisfied, Natalia's features eased up. "There was no cheating. Sir Tsunayoshi's candidate simply invaded our informatics system, build up especially for this trial, to take out the enemy doll, which oh so happened to be monitored by the main computer," she explained factually.

Seeing her subordinates come back, she took a look at her neatly trimmed nails before gazing back at Squalo's angry figure. "It was your short-sightedness which caused you to lose," she stated before pausing.

Her lips quirked up in a mocking smile for a second before going back to its usual mildness. "Or perhaps is it more accurate to say that you were overconfident. This talk is over, do not be late tomorrow night," she reminded before taking off, her two underlings in tow.

::

Reborn laid in his hammock, deep in thoughts. Natalia's trial today had confirmed his musings. Therefore, from this point, it was better to try and predict each one of the battles to come.

He tossed, listing the Bratva's remaining Guardians. From what he remembered, and the last information he gathered, Aleksey had yet to select a new Mist Guardian.

On the other hand, like every past Boss of the бриз Bratva, Aleksey took up the role of two Guardians. Sky and Storm, not so surprising when one knew their lineage came from Ricardo (the feared Vongola Secondo) and had with time mixed with more and more Storm flame users.

He closed his eyes.

Devdas Volkov, the Rain. Field of expertise, dirty jobs, and marksmanship, though his love of traditional martial art is something widely known in the middle.

Makariy, the Cloud. Field of expertise, poisons. Has poor physical ability but a wide range of drug to compensate. Is probably the worst rat the Vongola could dream of.

Which one would be next?

бриз/briz/: breeze, land breeze, land wind

I only realized, yesterday was Friday. Since updates are planned for Sundays, here's a chapter.

Thanks for reading, until next time^^