With a single roar from Natsu, the monster horde was blown away without a trace.
"I won't ask why you attacked us," Tsuna said, his voice deadly calm. "But if you intend to keep fighting, I assume you're prepared for the consequences."
Faced with Tsuna's ultimatum, the attackers slowly began to back away. Though their faces were hidden beneath their robes, their terror was palpable. They had just witnessed a massive horde of monsters reduced to cinders in the blink of an eye. The image of suffering that exact same fate flashed through their minds, and Tsuna could easily read the sheer panic radiating from them.
"However, if you back down now, I'll let you go. So, what will it be?"
Tsuna intentionally offered them a way out. Presented with the option to retreat unscathed, the enemy's resolve began to waver.
"Don't you dare lose your nerve, you idiots!!"
A sharp, commanding woman's voice echoed through the Dungeon.
"If he really wanted to kill us, we would have been reduced to ashes by that first attack."
…She's calm, Tsuna thought.
She had perfectly seen through Tsuna's reluctance to kill another human. Her words acted as an anchor, completely scattering her subordinates' fear. The fact that she could remain so analytical after witnessing that display of power immediately tipped Tsuna off: she was the most dangerous person here, and undeniably their leader.
"Natsu."
"GURURU… GAOOOOOO!!"
Tsuna instantly switched his flames from Storm to Mist. Natsu roared once more, unleashing a thick torrent of Mist Flames that blanketed the area.
"What is this…!?"
"The Dense Forest of Seoro!?"
The barren stone walls of the Dungeon transformed in an instant, replaced by a sprawling, dense jungle. Welf and Lili stared in utter shock at the hyper-realistic illusion.
"I'll throw them into chaos," Tsuna commanded quickly. "Stick together and focus entirely on any enemies that charge you. Mikoto, keep your skill active so we don't get ambushed by straggling monsters. I'm counting on you."
"Wait!? Tsuna!?"
Ignoring Bell's frantic protests, Tsuna gave his brief orders and dove headfirst into the enemy formation.
"We must trust Master Tsuna…" Lili decided, choosing to place her faith in the boy who had freed her from the Soma Familia. "Lady Mikoto, please use your skill."
"R-Right!!"
"[Yata no Kurogarasu]!"
Mikoto activated one of her specialized skills, Yata no Kurogarasu. It was a monster-detection skill capable of locating any monster species the user had previously encountered. Concealment against it was impossible, ensuring they wouldn't fall victim to a surprise attack in the chaotic environment. Since the illusory jungle severely limited their visibility, Tsuna had ordered Mikoto to activate it as a safety net.
The moment Mikoto's skill activated, Tsuna's body was engulfed in Mist Flames. He manipulated the illusion, perfectly replicating the black robes the enemy wore, and began his assault.
"W-What the hell are you—Gah!?"
"Guh!?"
Disguised as one of their own, Tsuna struck with ruthless efficiency. The enemy forces fell one after another, completely incapable of mounting a defense against the sudden betrayal.
"Watch out!! He's using an illusion to disguise himself as one of us!!"
One of the attackers finally realized Tsuna's tactic and screamed a warning. But that only made things worse. Terrified of attacking their own comrades, the enemy froze. Visibility was already near zero; if they moved recklessly, paranoia would consume them, and they might end up killing their actual allies. Their only option was to hold their ground and prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
To think he could cast an illusion over such a massive area!! The enemy leader gritted her teeth in frustration, sweating profusely at Tsuna's overwhelming mastery of illusions. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her. She readied her massive greatsword and spun around.
Zetsuei!!
Looking up, she saw Mikoto descending from the sky, katana drawn, aiming for a plunging strike. The leader bent her knees, coiling to jump and intercept the attack mid-air.
"What!?"
But Mikoto violently accelerated mid-fall, closing the distance instantly. The leader hadn't anticipated such blinding speed and reacted a fraction of a second too late. In that brief window, 'Mikoto' snatched the heavy black robe right off her shoulders.
Beneath the robe, a tall woman with dark skin and long black hair was revealed, her body enveloped in a mysterious light. This was Aisha Belka—an Amazoness, a Level 3 adventurer, a Berbera of the Ishtar Familia, and the warrior known as Antianeira.
The instant the robe was stolen, the Mikoto imposter erupted in flames, shifting her appearance to perfectly match Aisha. Before Aisha could even process what had happened, the imposter vanished back into the thick foliage.
"He stole my robe!! And now he's disguised as me!! Be careful, all of you!!"
Damn it!! To think I'd be played like a fiddle!! The Tsuna disguised as Aisha yelled the warning to the troops, while the real Aisha cursed herself internally for falling for the trap.
Tsuna had masterfully manipulated their psychology. First, he made them believe he was only attacking as one of their own. Then, he disguised himself as Mikoto, baiting Aisha into thinking it was a genuine attack from his ally. By using his flames to accelerate mid-air, he caught her off guard and stole her robe. Finally, by memorizing her appearance, transforming into her, and using her voice to announce the new threat, he had intentionally created a scenario where her troops could no longer trust their own commander's orders.
That bastard… He's a terrifyingly seasoned fighter. Witnessing how flawlessly he exploited human psychology, Aisha was forced to admit that Tsuna was an absolute monster in combat.
"Eat this!!"
"""""Gyaaaaaah!!"""""
This time, Tsuna appeared disguised as Welf. He swung an illusory magic sword, unleashing a massive torrent of flames upon the enemy. Already pushed to the brink of paranoia, the attackers firmly believed the roaring fire was real. The sheer shock of 'burning alive' caused them to faint on the spot.
Tsuna relentlessly shifted between allied and enemy appearances, effortlessly dismantling the group's cohesion. Aisha desperately wracked her brain for a way to break the stalemate, fully aware that issuing orders now would only deepen the chaos and play right into Tsuna's hands.
—That's it!!
After a frantic moment of thought, Aisha raised her greatsword toward the sky.
"Come, champion of reckless valor, heroic warrior, sturdy master of arms, greedy and cruel hero. If you desire the sash of the empress, prove it. Fill my body, pierce my body, kill my body, and prove it. My starving blade is Hippolyte."
Aisha began chanting her magic. She completed the incantation without interruption, and her greatsword was instantly enveloped in a deep crimson aura.
No matter how perfectly Tsuna could mimic a person's appearance and voice, it was impossible to replicate their unique magic. By casting her spell, Aisha indirectly proved her identity to her comrades. Realizing her intent, the remaining attackers quickly rallied around the real Aisha.
"All of you!! Take off your robes!!"
As her comrades gathered, Aisha issued her next command. Every single one of them tore off their black cloaks, revealing that the entire squad consisted solely of Amazonesses. Exposing their identities was a massive risk, but keeping the robes on meant Tsuna could easily slip into their ranks again.
However—
"I figured you'd do that."
The illusory jungle of Seoro vanished in an instant. Tsuna crouched before them, both hands planted firmly on the ground. The flames roaring on his ring had shifted from Mist to Lightning.
"X-Spark!!"
"""""Gyaaaaaah!!"""""
A highly concentrated burst of Lightning Flames surged across the ground, expanding over a massive area. The clustered Amazonesses were electrocuted simultaneously, completely helpless against the high-voltage shock.
You actually believed I was real…!?
Aisha had reacted instantly, leaping high into the air to avoid the current. As she hung suspended, she stared down at Tsuna in absolute horror.
Tsuna had anticipated that a fighter of Aisha's caliber would figure out a way to break his illusion. He knew she would successfully gather her allies into one tight group to confirm their identities. And he had waited for that exact moment to wipe them all out at once.
"Hell Kaios!!"
Aisha swung her greatsword downward in desperation. The crimson magical energy solidified into a massive, deadly blade and rocketed straight toward Tsuna. This was Aisha's magic, Hell Kaios—an offensive spell capable of firing a gigantic red shockwave.
The magical slash scored a direct hit, engulfing Tsuna in a massive explosion of smoke and debris.
""Tsuna!!""
"Master Sawada!!"
"Master Tsuna!!"
Bell, Welf, Mikoto, and Lili screamed as the attack connected.
But—
"Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised."
As the smoke cleared, Tsuna stood completely unharmed, surrounded by the swirling crimson energy. The magic rapidly condensed, shrinking down until it was entirely absorbed into his gloves. In the next instant, the Sky Flames on his forehead and gloves flared up with blinding intensity.
"Gah!?"
Tsuna switched his flames from Lightning back to Sky. With a massive burst of propulsion, he rocketed upward, instantly appearing high above Aisha in mid-air. He spun vertically, bringing his heel down in a devastating axe kick that smashed directly into her right shoulder, driving her violently into the dungeon floor below.
----
Support this fanfict by leaving Positive Review, Comments, and Power Stones.
For Advance Chapters:
> Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations