KHR: Decimo Primo

{Mafia School Auditorium}

The academy's grand auditorium buzzed with restless energy as students from all grades filled the seats. The tension in the air was almost palpable as everyone awaited the announcement of the results from the recent exams.

Tsuna sat near the middle row, flanked by Naito and Pantera. His body still ached from the grueling fight against Dino, and the memory of the battle lingered in his mind. Despite his exhaustion, he felt a flicker of hope—maybe he hadn't done as poorly as he feared.

Naito leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head. "Man, I hate waiting. Just tell us already if we passed or failed!"

Pantera gave him a sidelong glance, her arms crossed. "Patience. They'll get to it soon enough. Besides, it's not just about passing—it's about how well you performed."

Tsuna shifted nervously in his seat. "What if I barely made it? Or worse… what if I didn't make it at all?"

Naito clapped him on the shoulder, almost knocking him over. "Relax, Tsuna! You did fine. Dino wouldn't have congratulated you if you totally bombed, right?"

Before Tsuna could respond, the lights dimmed, and the principal stepped onto the stage. An imposing figure with an air of authority, his presence immediately silenced the murmurs in the auditorium.

"Good evening, students," the principal began, his deep voice resonating through the hall. "The recent exams were designed to test your growth, skill, and ability to adapt under pressure. Each of you faced challenges tailored to push you to your limits, and I am pleased to say that the majority of you rose to the occasion."

A wave of relieved sighs and whispers rippled through the crowd.

"However," the principal continued, his gaze sweeping across the room, "these results are not just about passing or failing. They are a reflection of your potential and the areas in which you must improve. Now, without further delay, we will announce the rankings for this exam."

The students leaned forward in anticipation as a massive screen descended behind the principal, displaying names and scores in bright, bold text.

"First," the principal said, "we will recognize the top performers in each category."

The screen shifted to display winners in specific categories, with each category recognizing excellence in particular areas of the exam.

1st Year Elementary Top Performers Awards

Flames of Willpower Mastery:

Top Performer: Basil.

Applause erupted as Basil calmly accepted his victory, a faint smile gracing his lips.

Combat Efficiency:

Top Performer: Raul.

Raul stood, puffing out his chest and shooting a challenging grin to the room.

Tactical Execution:

Top Performer: Pantera.

Pantera's name appeared on the screen, and she nodded in quiet acknowledgment. Her calculated strategies during the team battle and exams had clearly impressed the evaluators.

Creativity in Problem Solving:

Top Performer: Naito Longchamp.

Naito jumped out of his seat with an exaggerated bow. "Thank you, thank you! It was my pleasure to be so creative." The students chuckled, appreciating his humor.

Teamwork:

Top Performer: Tsunayoshi Sawada.

Gasps of surprise echoed through the auditorium, and Tsuna's face turned beet red. Despite his nerves, his role in coordinating with Naito and Pantera during the team battle had earned him this honor.

Most Adaptable:

Top Performer: Lunga.

Lunga's unpredictable yet effective tactics had earned him this title. He shouted, "I knew it!" with a grin as his classmates applauded. Best Performers in Each Exam

The screen shifted again to showcase the highest scorers in the individual exams.

Day 1: Intelligence Gathering

Best Performer: Basil.

His calm demeanor and sharp mind had allowed him to outpace all others in gathering and interpreting intel.

Day 2: Mafia Gang Battle

Best Performer: Raul.

His precision and dominance during the battle simulation had secured his place at the top.

Day 2: Intelligence Test

Best Performer: Naito Longchamp.

Naito's out-of-the-box thinking helped him breeze through even the trickiest scenarios.

Day 3: Flames of Willpower Control

Best Performer: Tsunayoshi Sawada.

Tsuna's exceptional control of his flames during the exam had impressed everyone, especially Dino, who had noted his potential.

Day 3: Team Fight

Best Performer: Pantera.

Her leadership and ability to predict the opposing team's strategies had been the deciding factors in their victory.

Final Exam: One-on-One Duel with a Senior

Best Performer: Basil.

Once again, Basil's methodical approach and precision had made him stand out.

When the screen displayed the overall rankings for the first-year class, Tsuna held his breath. His heart pounded as he searched for his name.

10th Place – Tsunayoshi Sawada.

Relief and disbelief washed over him. Tenth place was far better than he had expected.

Naito leaned over with a grin. "I told you, you're awesome, Tsuna!"

Pantera offered him a small nod of approval. "You've come a long way."

Naito's name appeared slightly below Tsuna's, at 14th place, while Pantera's was much higher: 4th place.

"You're in the top ten!" Tsuna exclaimed to Pantera.

She shrugged, though the corner of her mouth quirked upward. "It's just a number. Focus on your progress."

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Afterwards, the Screen in the Auditorium shifted to the awards of other student years present for the exams starting from Tsuna's 1st-year batch to 12th-year students. 

The principal returned to the podium as the screen faded after each student excelled in the exams was announced.

"To those who performed well, congratulations. To those who struggled, take this as an opportunity to reflect and improve. This was merely the beginning of your journey. Growth comes not only from triumph but from adversity."

With that, the results were finalized, and the students were dismissed.

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As the trio left the auditorium, Naito stretched dramatically, yawning for effect. "I can't believe I didn't crack the top ten! Twelfth place? So close, yet so far!"

"Considering how often you wing it, 12th is impressive," Pantera replied, her tone dry but not unkind.

Tsuna chuckled nervously, still reeling from his unexpected success. "I just can't believe I got tenth. I thought for sure I'd barely pass."

"You're selling yourself short," Naito said, slinging an arm around Tsuna's shoulders. "We've been saying it all along—when it counts, you come through."

Pantera gave him a brief glance, her expression neutral but her words pointed. "Don't let it go to your head. There's still a long way to go."

Tsuna smiled, feeling both proud and humbled.

"Tsuna!" Basil called, walking over with his usual calm, polite demeanor. "Congratulations on making the top ten. That's no small feat."

Tsuna rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Thanks, Basil. I wasn't expecting it at all."

Lunga approached next, his expression sharp but not unfriendly. "Tenth place, huh? Decent effort, but you'll need to push harder next time." He crossed his arms, his tone bordering on critical. "You can't afford to be satisfied with just scraping into the top ten."

Tsuna hesitated, unsure how to respond, but Naito stepped in, smirking. "Lunga, do you ever take it easy? The guy just got a big win. Let him breathe."

Lunga shot him a stern look. "Taking it easy is how you fall behind. Improvement requires constant effort."

Raul, standing slightly apart, crossed his arms and regarded Tsuna with a critical eye. "Tenth place, huh? Not bad for someone who looked like they were going to pass out during the team battle. But don't think this means you're catching up to me."

Tsuna felt a bead of sweat form on his temple but managed a polite nod. "I'll do my best."

Pantera's gaze flicked to Raul. "And how did you fare, Raul? Second place as expected?"

A smirk spread across Raul's face. "Of course. First place was a fluke. Basil just got lucky this time."

Basil gave a small, patient smile. "If you say so."

As the group settled into a loose circle, the conversation turned to their experiences during the exams.

"How was your final battle?" Pantera asked Basil.

"It was challenging but rewarding," Basil replied. "My opponent was a senior specializing in illusion techniques. It forced me to think on my feet and trust my instincts."

"That sounds intense," Tsuna said, wide-eyed.

"It was," Basil admitted, "but it was also an excellent learning experience."

"What about you, Lunga?" Naito asked, grinning.

Lunga's expression darkened slightly, his impatience surfacing. "My senior opponent was irritatingly slow. It felt like he was deliberately dragging the match out to test my patience. I dealt with him quickly once I stopped holding back."

Pantera raised an eyebrow. "Meaning you lost your temper."

Lunga's gaze narrowed. "If they want a proper fight, they shouldn't waste my time. Efficiency matters."

"And you, Raul?" Tsuna asked cautiously.

Raul's smirk widened. "My match was a cakewalk. I overwhelmed my opponent in five minutes."

"Of course you did," Naito said, rolling his eyes.

Raul ignored him and turned back to Tsuna. "What about you, Sawada? Heard you went up against Dino Cavallone the second top student for 9th-year students second only to the best swordsman in the whole school Superbia Squalo. How'd that go?"

The group fell silent, their attention on Tsuna. He hesitated, replaying the fight in his mind.

"It was… tough," he admitted. "He was way out of my league. I barely managed to land a few hits, and even then, I think he was holding back. But he gave me a lot of advice afterward, so I think I learned a lot."

Basil nodded approvingly. "A valuable experience, then. Dino is a skilled fighter, and any feedback from him is worth remembering."

"Yeah," Tsuna said, his resolve hardening. "I'll get stronger."

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The group continued chatting as they made their way to a nearby cafe, ready to unwind after the intense exams. The sun had begun to set, casting a warm glow over the campus, and Tsuna, Naito, Pantera, Basil, Lunga, and even Raul found themselves in a lighter mood—an unusual but welcome shift after the pressure of the past few days.

"I know a great place nearby that serves cake," Naito said with a grin. "We can have a little celebration, just like we're six years old again! Cake, juice, the whole deal. Who's with me?"

Pantera raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of Naito's enthusiasm. "Cake and juice? You're talking about a children's party, not a celebration."

"It's the best kind of party, though!" Naito grinned, fully embracing the childish energy. "Who doesn't love cake?"

Basil chuckled softly, his usually composed demeanor softening. "Honestly, I could go for some cake. Sounds like a good way to relax."

Lunga gave a slight, knowing smirk. "Fine. I suppose I could indulge in a little break. It's not like we can train nonstop, after all."

Raul, however, was not as easily convinced. His usual smug expression twisted into something more serious as he folded his arms. "Cake? Juice? You all are ridiculous. Why would I waste time on something so childish? I'm not some little kid."

"Aw, come on, Raul! You can't be serious about turning down cake!" Naito teased, nudging him playfully. "What's wrong? You scared you might like it?"

"I'm not scared," Raul shot back, a bit flustered. "I just don't have time to mess around like you guys. I've got better things to do than eat cake and act like a toddler."

But his flushed cheeks betrayed him as he glanced away, clearly irritated at the teasing.

Pantera gave him a knowing look but didn't press the issue. "If you want to skip the celebration, that's your choice. But don't expect us to let you sulk in peace."

Raul glared but stayed quiet, clearly torn between his pride and the enticing thought of cake.

"Well, I'm in!" Tsuna said enthusiastically, his mood lifted by the idea of a small celebration. "It'll be nice to relax and have fun for once. I think we all deserve it."

Just as they were about to head to the cafe, a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Is this what you call a celebration?"

Tsuna froze. The voice belonged to none other than Reborn. Tsuna turned, startled, only to see Reborn walking toward them, hands in his pockets, and Dino right beside him, looking as confident as ever.

Dino flashed a charming smile. "We couldn't let you all have fun without us, could we?"

Tsuna blinked, unsure what to make of their sudden appearance. "Reborn? Dino? What are you doing here?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Celebration? Sure, go ahead and eat your cake. But don't get too comfortable. Tomorrow, Tsuna, you'll be going on your first mission."

A collective gasp swept through the group, and Tsuna's face immediately paled. "A mission? But… I thought we'd have more time to rest!"

Reborn smirked. "You've had your rest. Now it's time to work. And don't think I'll go easy on you just because you passed the exams. You're going to be tested in the real world now."

Dino shrugged casually, folding his arms. "It's time to put all that training into action, right? A little party won't hurt, but you'll need to focus tomorrow. Reborn's orders."

"Great," Tsuna muttered, sinking his shoulders. He had been so excited for the celebration, and now it felt like his moment of peace had been shattered.

Raul, who had been standing apart, seemed to relax a bit when he saw that the moment had been interrupted. He scoffed and crossed his arms. "I knew it. You can't get comfortable when you're in this line of work. Mission after mission…"

"Well, looks like your party's over, Tsuna," Naito said with a grin, nudging his friend. "But hey, we can always have a proper one after your first mission, right?"

Tsuna managed a weak smile. "I guess... but I wasn't expecting it so soon."

Dino stepped forward, clapping a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "Don't worry, kid. You'll do fine. Reborn's been preparing you for this. You just have to trust your instincts and do your best. After all, you're already a step above where you were when I first saw you."

Tsuna looked up at Dino, the slight encouragement making him feel a little better. "Thanks, Dino."

"Now, now, don't get too cozy just yet," Reborn interrupted. "Let's get this mission over with, and then you can have your cake."

"Mission or not, I'm still having cake," Naito grinned.

Pantera, who had been silently observing the exchange, let out a small sigh. "So much for relaxation," she muttered, but she didn't seem completely opposed to the idea of cake.

"Fine, fine. Let's go have our little party," Lunga said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But it's just cake and juice. No more nonsense."

As the group made their way toward the cafe, Tsuna's mind raced, both excited and anxious about the mission that lay ahead. Reborn and Dino had completely burst his bubble, but he couldn't ignore the thrill of what was to come. It wasn't just about surviving anymore. It was about putting everything he had learned into practice and proving himself.

With one last glance at the others, he allowed himself to relax just a bit enough to enjoy the moment of celebration before the storm hit.