Monkeys and Rain: The Siege of the Vongola Escort

Hello author

Good, first of all...I think I stood out with this chapter. I thought it would turn out badly, but in my opinion, it came out well. xd

A piece of bad news is that I won't be doing a chapter tomorrow.

As for the next chapter, maybe I'll skip a few months.

Haha.I feel like this is going at a turtle's pace... and I haven't even reached the Naruto era yet. xd!

Many haven't watched the series Katekyo Hitman Reborn, personally, I find the first 30 chapters or so excruciating to watch. xd

.That's why I feel that not many are interested, but you don't know what you're missing... it's a really good shonen, better than many that currently lack creativity.Well...

I, Wissumi Wizaki, wish you happy reading. Bye, bye...

...

Year 1047 B.N. – August 24

Forest Between the Border Mountains of the Land of Fire

The trees whispered a grim omen.The leaves trembled, not from wind, but from the tension that slithered like an invisible beast among the roots.The shrubs quivered under the firm steps of Prince Yaskar's escort, moving along a narrow path of red earth, flanked by cliffs and wild thorns.

A disciplined formation of young warriors, clad in black and bearing the symbols of the Vongola Clan, was crossing one of the most perilous mountain passes in the Land of the Back.

At the front marched Ugetsu, a nobleman of calm voice and iron spirit, his robe fluttering like a banner of peace in the midst of war. On his back, a bamboo sword, light yet firm, rested as if part of his body.To his right walked Haru, her short hair tied back, holding in her hands a wooden sword as refined as it was lethal.On his left, Knuckle, fists wrapped in bandages, moved with steps as heavy as bronze bells, setting the pace for the escort.

Behind them, a dozen teenage boys —former orphans now serving the Vongola— and a group of armed guards from Yaskar's retinue.All in formation. Attentive to the slightest sound.

—Maintain diamond formation —ordered Ugetsu without raising his voice—. No one strays. The path is treacherous.

Knuckle looked up at the heavy clouds.—The weather's changing. The air is thick.

Haru tightened her grip on the sword.—It's not just the weather… something hides behind it.

A murmur in the undergrowth.A crack.A sudden, damp sound:

Crack!An arrow struck a tree —just inches from Knuckle.

—Ambush! —Knuckle roared.

From the forest, hooded bandits emerged —in threes, fives, eights…More than twenty grown men in total. Each dressed in tattered clothes, wielding improvised weapons and wearing faces scarred by sin and violence.They were underlings of the four bandit chiefs and some of Kaien's men, led by Saruo.

—Protect the prince! —Ugetsu shouted to Yaskar's guards, spinning his wooden sword with fluid ease.

Chaos erupted.Swords clashed with knives.Fists collided with spears.Youth against grown men.It was tough —but if you were trained by the Vongola, teamwork became second nature, even against adults.

Knuckle struck first.With an explosion of power and experience, he threw a hook that dislocated his attacker's knee. He rolled to the side and drove a sharp elbow into another's gut, knocking the wind from him.His style blended boxing with Muay Thai: brutal and precise.

Another bandit came from behind with an axe, aiming to cleave Knuckle in two with a downward swing —but as if he had eyes in the back of his head, the young fighter dodged with a swift leap and spun, slamming his elbow into the attacker's face with ruthless precision.

The result: a scream of pain and a twisted arm.

—Don't let any through! —he bellowed, holding off three foes at once.

Haru, meanwhile, moved as if dancing. Her wooden sword was light, but her training with Ugetsu had sharpened her reflexes. She blocked two blades with a graceful spin and countered, striking one aggressor's temple and another's knee.

—Squad captain, cover my back! —she commanded.

—Yes! —replied the teen in charge of her unit.

The battle spread across the hillside. Arrows rained down from the treeline. The sounds of fighting rose like hot steam.

Ugetsu held the center position, close to the carriage, unwavering.His gaze was fixed on Prince Yaskar, still inside, guarded by four loyal men.

—You do not move —the Guardian of the Rain ordered the prince's escorts—.This isn't a battle —it's a message.And that message must not be fulfilled.

A gust of wind.A sharp shriek.A leap between trees.

Ugetsu looked up just in time to see a figure drop from a low branch. It spun midair like a whirlwind, landing with staff raised high.It struck the ground before him with a crooked smile.

—Well, well! What a well-organized guard —said the newcomer, sarcasm crackling as he twirled the staff between his fingers—. But relax, I only came to talk… strange boy.

Ugetsu studied him carefully.He was a humanoid creature, barely one meter thirty in height, wiry, with a wild energy rippling through every muscle.

His skin was covered in sleek brown fur, and his golden eyes gleamed with cunning.His pupils were round, deep, and perfectly centered in that golden sea —black as freshly spilled ink.He had pointed ears, partially hidden beneath a messy mane of dark chestnut hair with shimmering highlights.His teeth were small yet sharp, and when he smiled, a pair of slightly protruding canines showed.

A long, flexible tail —covered in the same brown fur— moved in sync with his emotions or battle strategies.He wore worn, simple clothes adapted for quick movement.His weapon: a black wooden staff engraved with tribal spirals, reinforced at both ends with iron rings.It vibrated with the monkey boy's will, as if alive in his hands.

—What are you? Are you with the bandits? Are you their leader? What's your intent?

Saruo raised an eyebrow.—You're seriously not going to scream or call me a monster?

—I asked first. And not answering... that's bad manners —Ugetsu said, his voice stern and calm.

Saruo clicked his tongue, half amused.—You've got guts. I like that.You answer me, and maybe I'll give you what you want.

Ugetsu didn't lower his guard.

—I've seen men turn into beasts... and monsters act with more honor than any human.I don't care what you look like. I care what you do with your power.So tell me… what do you choose to be?

For a moment, Saruo went quiet. Then he smiled, for real this time, lowering his center of gravity like one who accepts a duel with respect.

—My name is Saruo.Now I respect you.

Ugetsu frowned slightly and calmly drew his bamboo sword.

—My name is Ugetsu.And it seems… we'll have to fight.Which means I won't be getting my answer.

—Oh, but you will! —Saruo replied, hopping playfully—. Know why? Because once I'm done with you… that prince will be mine.And your people? Well, they're already busy. Look.

He pointed forward.

Ugetsu didn't need to look. The screams spoke for themselves.

As he analyzed the words, he realized he didn't have Primo's insight when facing unknown foes.Knuckle was struggling against three attackers.Haru fought hard, holding the flank.Some boys had been pushed toward the cliffs.

—If you want to test me, go ahead. But I'm not moving. I'm here to protect.

Saruo laughed heartily.

—Oh, I love it when I have the upper hand!

He assumed his battle stance: staff forward, knees bent, body in constant motion like a wind dancer.He had a wild grace —a technique shaped by the jungle and cruelty.

Ugetsu took his stance —a blend of traditional kendo and inner martial arts.

Both inhaled deeply.And then—

Clash!

Saruo struck first —a sideways leap, spinning midair, bringing his staff down like a guillotine blade.Ugetsu blocked, firm and unblinking.The impact echoed like wood on bone.

The second strike landed directly on the ribs. Ugetsu deflected it.The third came like a thrust. Ugetsu spun and caught the staff with his free hand, throwing Saruo backward.The monkey halted midair, flipped, and landed on his feet like a cat.

"You're good, talker!Now I understand why the prince keeps you close!"

Ugetsu didn't answer. He took a deep breath and advanced.He swung his bamboo sword.And then...Crash!They collided again.A rapid sequence of attacks, precise blocks, jumps, and feints.The battle was not strength against strength, but ancient technique against natural, prodigious agility.

Behind them, Knuckle roared as he broke a spear with his knee.

"Haru, reinforce the left flank! They're surrounding us!"

Haru, breathing heavily, nodded. He leapt toward an enemy trying to reach the prince and knocked him down with a spinning kick.His eyes turned cold.He pulled a knife from his clothes, hungry for blood, and with a quick thrust, cut the neck of the fallen foe.Haru kills with cold precision. "That was the old Haru before he met the rain..."

When the enemy was finished, calm returned.Cool. Silent.

Amid the chaos...The trees bent as if wanting to witness the fight.Saruo and Ugetsu kept sizing each other up, blow after blow, breath after breath.Saruo's staff, wrapped in a pale aura that pulsed with his energy, struck Ugetsu's bamboo sword, which creaked… but did not yield.

"You don't break that easily, huh!" Saruo mocked, spinning on one arm to attempt a downward strike.

Ugetsu dodged by leaning his torso backward and, with a quick lateral move, seized the opening to slash at Saruo's leg.Saruo spun through the air, dodging with animal agility.He landed with a grunt.His feet dug into the ground.His tail rose.His voice deepened.

"Want me to get serious, protector?"

"That's no longer your concern, Saruo," said Ugetsu, as one of his sleeves fell, torn by the staff's friction.

The duel was not only physical.Both read the other's will in every move.Both knew the first to hesitate… would be defeated.

Ugetsu took a step back.Then he pulled his first ace from under his sleeve.From his belt, hidden, he drew one of the three kogatana—small black blades he always carried with him.

"Throwing knives?" Saruo said, tilting his head.

Ugetsu did not answer.He flicked his wrist, and the Rain Flame enveloped the kogatana.The blade shot forward, trailing blue light.

Saruo sensed the danger. He dodged the first.The second barely grazed his shoulder.But the third… lodged itself into the ground right before his feet.

"You missed," mocked the monkey boy.

Ugetsu smiled."It wasn't to hit you. It was to mark territory."

Then the ground exploded into a containment seal.Saruo barely had time to react when a spiral net of flames rose, blue lines trying to slow his movements.

"WHAT...?" he shouted.He felt sluggish, trapped by the Rain Flame as if in a prison of energy.

Ugetsu didn't waste time.He ran toward him.Jumped with precision.Bamboo sword raised.Crack!Saruo's tail—unaffected by the flames—grabbed the staff and instinctively blocked.Still, the impact threw him two meters back.At the same time, he used the staff to strike the knife stuck in the ground.He wasn't defeated yet.

"AAAAHHHH!" roared Saruo, shaking off most of the Rain Flame's effects.

Ugetsu stepped back, seeing the enemy grow even faster.Wilder.More dangerous.

Meanwhile, the right flank, defended by Haru and a squad of youths, began to falter.

"They outnumber us!" one young fighter shouted, barely blocking an attack with his training spear.

Haru did not shout.His eyes were sharp.Cold.Too cold.

"Retreat."

"What?!"

"Retreat to the edge of the cliff!"

The squad reluctantly obeyed.One considered calling the prince Yaskar's personal guard, who was under less pressure, but dismissed the idea. Something told him they wouldn't obey.

Haru lined them up straight, with the precipice behind them.

"Now. Frontal attack."

"They'll push us off?!" a boy asked.

"They will... but they won't know I have something special for them."

Then, with a whistle, Haru lit a round powder bomb—given by Giotto for critical moments like this.

An explosion sent enemies flying.Some screamed.Others fell.

"NOW!" Haru shouted.

The squad charged like a stampede.The enemies, trapped between fire and cliff, panicked.Three fell into the void.Four more were knocked out.The rest fled.

Knuckle was covered in sweat and blood.Not all his own.

"One more!" he bellowed, elbowing a bearded bandit.

But something stopped him.A sound.Heavy footsteps.Very heavy.

"...What the hell is that?"

Three huge figures emerged from the forest.As tall as small houses.Forged with muscles and scars.Each wielded a war weapon:A hammer.A mace.And a thick log used as a club.

"The Three Ogres of the North..." one of the boys whispered. "They're living legends!"

Knuckle smiled.His bodyguard grew serious.He removed his bandages.The starred Sun Flame ignited in his hands.

"Good. Time to dance with giants."

And so began a battle where fists and fury composed a brutal symphony.Knuckle charged them.He took a light hit; the flame's activation healed him slowly.He returned it with double the force.He broke an arm.He used it as a weapon.And in the end…Only he remained standing.Breathing.Surrounded by bodies.

Inside the carriage, the prince trembled.Not from fear.From helplessness.

He could hear the screams.See the smoke.Feel the ground vibrate from the ogres' steps.

"...This shouldn't be happening," he whispered.

One of his guards heard him.

"My lord, they will come for you soon. We must move."

"And leave to die those who fight for me?"

"It's for your life!"

"Then I'd rather die among them."

Yaskar opened the carriage door.Jumped into the mud.Removed his cloak.Beneath it, he wore a small ceremonial dagger.

"I don't know how to fight, but I know what it means to look into the eyes of someone who risks their soul for you."

The guard tried to stop him.But Yaskar was already running toward the battlefield.

On the hilltop, Saruo and Ugetsu kept fighting.Both gasping for breath.Both bleeding.

Saruo stepped back."You… you make me doubt.""Then you're already losing."

With the corner of his eye, Saruo caught sight of the prince… and a mischievous smile lit the corner of his mouth.

"Don't count your monkeys before they're born… or the bananas will never reach you. Muhaha, muhaha."

Ugetsu nearly stumbled at what he heard.Saruo laughed.Then he shouted:

"Now, reinforcements!"

From the forest, three new enemies emerged.Three burly bandits, loyal to Kaien.

Saruo thought, "No way they'll beat little speechmaker here, but… well, good for entertaining him."

The monkey leapt backward."Distract him, boys. I'm going after the prey that crawled out of the den. The real hunter… is me."

Yaskar will die today.

They charged at Ugetsu, and he held them off.Ugetsu tightened his grip."…Not while I still breathe."

He knew he couldn't finish off all three quickly.He had to choose between the distraction and Saruo.

The prince, now out of the carriage, ran toward the battle.The distraction had already spotted him.Saruo laughed.

"One option only."

Ugetsu closed his eyes.With a sigh, he threw the third and final kogatana.Not at Saruo's reinforcements.Not at Saruo himself.But toward the sky.

The blade, wrapped in the full energy of Ugetsu's Rain Flame, sliced through the air.Then… the flame exploded and spread across the field.

"New style: Rain Zone," Ugetsu declared.

Blue droplets covered the area around him…"They've called the rain," he whispered calmly.

Saruo stepped back.

"You and your friend?! You're dead."

"We never die. We only rain… when necessary."

Ugetsu had poured all his strength into this technique.The moment the rain touched the enemy's body, they would fall into the calm rain's grasp.But Saruo, knowing the flame's effect firsthand, understood he couldn't touch that strange descending energy.

A smile gleamed on him… and he ran toward the prince.

"It's useless. The moment you touch the rain, I'll end you," Ugetsu said, beginning to follow him; the mark pursued him in return.

Seeing Ugetsu chasing him, Saruo leapt and, from the highest point of his spin, swung his staff with all his might, tracing ellipses that gave him a brief suspension in midair.He intercepted the drops of the Rain Flame.Thus, his speed held firm.But it wasn't the same for Ugetsu's pursuers, whose speed faltered.

Saruo hadn't taken more than three steps when a shadow fell over him.

"Too noble… for such a filthy field," Saruo whispered.

He landed beside Yaskar like a twisted lightning bolt.In a single motion, he mounted the prince and pressed the knife's edge against his throat.

The young noble froze, breath caught.

"Not a step further," Saruo said, "or the kingdom's brother bleeds beneath the rain."

Ugetsu halted.The blue drops fell, heavy, whistling with restrained energy.

"Let him go!" he shouted, his voice hardened.

Saruo barely turned his face, blade unmoving.

"You think I came here to fight you for advice? Thanks, but… my real intention… is this."He pressed the knife, drawing a thin line of blood on the prince's neck.

"Coward!" Ugetsu roared, moving to act.

"Coward, me? I'm not the one who uses strange magic," Saruo laughed."I'd say… strategist. Muhaha, muhaha, muhaha."

Yaskar felt the monkey distracted and tried to attack him with his ceremonial dagger.Bam.Saruo's tail struck the prince's wrist, forcing him to drop the dagger.

"Stupid prince, you think the tail is just for show? Kekekeke."

Then Saruo whispered in the prince's ear:"Yaskar… we share the same goal against the Vongola. Cooperate to weaken them… and you'll get what you want from them."

Ugetsu glanced sideways, observing.He sensed something strange: Saruo was whispering to the prince.The prince lowered his shoulder.Subtle… but Ugetsu noticed.

"Little Rain… our sparring was good while it lasted, but I don't want to cross paths with you or that other fist-fighting freak again," Saruo put on a mock sad face."But I won't forget your advice."

"EVERYONE, LISTEN! RETREAT! ANYONE LEFT BEHIND IS A DEAD MONKEY!"

With a free hand, Saruo threw a small black sphere to the ground.

Bang!

A dense cloud of smoke exploded.

Ugetsu sprinted into the fog, leaping through it.Nothing.

Only the echo of a distant laugh as the bandits escaped, killing those who couldn't flee to leave no witnesses.The Vongola couldn't pursue them due to their small numbers and injuries.

"Prince!" he shouted.

The smoke dispersed.

Above, a figure disappeared, leaping between branches, rooftops, and cables.It was Saruo, carrying the prince, wrapped in a gray cloth, riding a horse so fast it became almost invisible in the shadows.

"Ugetsu!" the young man yelled. "Don't let them take him!"

But only the rain answered.

"I will find you," Ugetsu whispered, clenching his fists."Even if I have to make it rain in hell."

Ugetsu clenched his jaw. He felt like a wall that had just cracked—not from lack of strength, but from too much faith…