Chapter Text
Gokudera, the right-hand man of the Head of the Vongola family, couldn’t hide his troubled face in response to his boss’s abnormal behavior.
The Tenth had changed significantly over the last six months, ever since that accident. He had never been the same since. Yet, despite these changes, Gokudera held steadfast in his belief in him. This morning, however, the Tenth felt different. A strange yet familiar light flickered in his eyes, one Gokudera hadn’t seen in a long time. Even in his frantic state, bombarding Gokudera with bewildering questions like, “Who am I? Where am I? What’s my name?” he found a glimmer of hope. The Tenth had even thanked a servant this morning, a gesture that shook Gokudera to his core. Could it be? Had the Tsuna he knew finally returned?
“So, I am the next head of the Vongola Famiglia?”
“Yes, Tenth. You are Japanese. You were born in a town called Namimori, and you were trained to become the next boss of our Famiglia,” Gokudera repeated again.
It was weird.
Tsuna hadn’t always been called stupid, but this was absurd. He woke up this morning in a stranger’s body, a face that looked exactly like his, and shared his name, but wasn’t his because there was no way, in a million years, that he had a beautifully well-built physique with chiseled abs, well-styled hair and living in a million dollars estate.
He knew he came from Japan, but there was no such town named Namimori. Most importantly, he would never have involved himself in the Mafia’s business.
Was he dreaming? He didn’t know. He had even asked Gokudera to give him a hard slap, but Gokudera flatly refused.
The Vongola Famiglia, once the most powerful Mafia syndicate, reigned supreme at the top of the food chain. Or should he say ‘ had been’?
For the past five years, they had been locked in a brutal war with rival families. Nearly all of their major headquarters had fallen, their forces had dwindled to a fraction of their former strength, and their top personnel were scattered. Communication between them was nearly nonexistent.
In other words, they were losing…
The current head of Vongola, Vongola the Ninth, had suffered a grave injury and was now in a coma. With no one to lead, they placed the soon-to-be successor in charge of the war who happened to be the 'him' of this world. Everything was going as well until ‘he’ lost his mother in an assassination and snapped.
They called him mad. They thought he went crazy. The Vongola’s tyrant.
"Tenth, tomorrow is the day of the meeting with the Milfiore Famiglia, who has promised to negotiate with us. As you already know, the Milfiore have gained immense power, enough to rival ours. This meeting is extremely important and could tip the scales back in our favor. It might be best if you prepare beforehand—"
“Gokudera, stop,” he ordered.
Gokudera immediately shut his mouth.
'Milfiore has gained immense power, enough to rival us?' Aren’t you downplaying them a little too much? They are crushing the hell out of us!
Tsuna pressed a finger to his temple, pretending to soothe a nonexistent headache in an attempt to cover the growing dread on his face. He didn’t need anyone to tell him he was losing it; he felt like he really was losing his mind. His eyes stopped at Gokudera, who stood there, watching him with quiet patience. Gokudera had assured him he didn’t believe a word of what anyone said about him, and that he would serve no one but him. It could be just a word of mouth to make him feel better but looking at the perplexed expression on his face made Tsuna wonder if, deep down, even he thought Tsuna was going mad.
The situation was terrible and it clearly evident on Gokudera's face. He looked utterly exhausted. With the current state of the Vongola, it was no surprise. Gokudera had probably been doing everything he could to hold things together, tirelessly trying to fill in the gaps, and shouldering responsibilities far beyond his limits.
And here Tsuna was, barely holding himself together, fighting the urge to scream.
He pinched his cheek again, harder this time.
This can’t be real. This has to be a nightmare, right?
He couldn’t have been mistaken. This setting. These people. The predicament he had fallen into. When he first opened his eyes in this world, the first person he saw was Gokudera, and he recognized him immediately. How could he not? Gokudera was the protagonist in the game he had been playing just a little while ago. His very first five-star character!
But this… this was impossible. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours.
Breathe, Tsuna. Think!
Mafia Inheritance was a strategy, action, RPG game. It revolved around raids, castle defense, and a blend of in-house operations with detective elements. The tutorial stage started when he entered the meeting room with Milfiore Famiglia. Vongola Decimo was going to be assassinated on the spot. His best friend, Gokudera Hayato, unable to save his boss, spiraled into madness. Consumed by grief and regret, he vowed vengeance, swearing to tear down those responsible for Decimo's death.
This was the very first narrative of the game…
It was notoriously difficult. Unlike most games, where you could respawn, this one reset entirely when you died. That’s why it was considered to be extremely difficult. And to make things worse, the game's scenario and characters would change depending on your actions, meaning no two runs were ever the same.
It took him five grueling years to reach the end, and he vividly recalled the final message that flashed across his screen:
[Congratulations! You are the first player to come closest to the true ending!]
He remembered a blinding light enveloping him before he found himself lying in a bed in this brand-new world.
Judging by everything that Gokudera had explained to him. He was about to enter the tutorial stage. The meeting with Milfiore Famiglia and the character he’s embodied, Vongola Decimo, was a character that was doomed to die in the tutorial.
Out of all the characters. Why does it have to be you?
Could it be fate? He didn’t know if this was a blessing or a curse.
“Gokudera, I have a very important question I need you to answer me in as much detail as possible.”
Gokudera, caught off guard by his boss’s sudden seriousness, froze for a moment. Then, with a respectful nod, he sat down beside him.
“I want to know everything about the Vongola,” Tsuna said, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “What kind of Famiglia is this? What history does it hold? Tell me about my closest personnel, our past. Everything. I know it’s going to be a long story, probably taking all night, so let’s take our time. We can talk slowly while enjoying this bottle of wine I brought.”
With a practiced motion, he revealed a bottle of wine from behind him, as if he had anticipated this moment all along.
Gokudera’s eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth falling open slightly. “T-Tenth... but...” he stammered, “you’ve never drunk before!”
Never drunk before? He almost scoffed at the absurdity. Sure, the body he inhabited was twenty years old, but in reality, he was twenty-five. Of course, he drank.
“That’s not important right now,” he said, brushing off the remark. “I want to get to the bottom of this.” He poured a glass of wine, the deep red liquid swirling in the cup, and placed it gently in front of Gokudera.
Gokudera hesitated for a moment, then sighed, taking the glass in his hand. “Alright, Tenth,” he muttered, resigned to the conversation. He took a small sip before beginning.
“The Vongola was originally a vigilante group. The First Boss, Vongola Primo, Giotto, was the founder of Vongola. He’s the progenitor of the Vongola bloodline and, of course, your direct ancestor. Giotto was a righteous man, a true protector. He never sought to rule over anyone. He only wanted to safeguard the weak. He believed in justice above power, and he stayed true to that conviction until the very end. But… his ideals didn’t survive when the mantle of Vongola passed to the Second Boss, Vongola Secondo. From then on, the Vongola changed. It went from protecting the weak to bloodshed and power struggles…”
The talk was extremely long.
It wasn’t easy to summarize the twenty years of a person’s life, let alone the centuries-long history of an organization. Its legacies are built on power, betrayal, and sacrifice. Each Boss had left their mark, shaping the Vongola into what it had become, for better or for worse.
He had always viewed the life and history of the Vongola, along with the people within it, through the lens of the game. It had felt distant, like playing a complex story unfolding on a screen, where choices led to predetermined outcomes. But hearing it directly from Gokudera, seeing the weight of the stories in his eyes, felt different. It didn’t feel like a game anymore.
This was real. The Vongola’s history, the struggles, and the people weren’t just part of a scripted narrative.
They were living, breathing realities
They talked until the sun rose above the horizon, and he barely got three hours of sleep before he was called awake again.
Tsuna opened his eyes, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling for the second time. It hadn’t changed, not since yesterday when he first arrived in this world.
Fuck. He was screwed. Completely and utterly screwed.
The thought looped in his mind like a haunting refrain as he fought to suppress a scream. It wasn’t a dream. He’d actually been transmigrated into the world of Mafia Inheritance.
Yesterday, he hadn’t fully grasped the reality of the situation. It had felt surreal like he was stuck in a daze. But today, it hit him—hard—like a truck slamming into him at full speed. This wasn’t just some elaborate illusion or glitch in the game. It was real, and he was living it.
To make matters worse, hovering right before his eyes was a floating black window. Its cold presence was impossible to ignore.
It was counting down.
[TUTORIAL STAGE]
Counting down: 02:58:37
Mission: Meet with Milfiore and try to negotiate an alliance.
Reward: ???
Note: Failure to participate will result in death
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out but a high-pitched whine.
Holy shit. This was happening.
The tutorial stage. The same death trap where Tsuna, the original Tsuna, was destined to die. And what did it even mean by "Failure to participate will result in death"?
“Negotiate?” he muttered bitterly. “What’s the point of negotiating if they’re planning to kill me from the start?”
Desperate, he whispered into the void, “System?” His voice cracked with a faint, foolish hope.
Nothing happened.
No response. No menu. No pop-up windows.
He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, followed by a deep sense of dread. He felt incredibly stupid for even trying that.
Of course, there wouldn’t be some magical game system to save him now.
“Tenth!”
The door slammed open, and Gokudera stumbled in, looking even worse than Tsuna felt. Bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair, and jittery, frantic energy told the story. He probably hadn’t slept a wink.
“Thank God you’re awake. Let’s get you ready for the meeting, Tenth!” Gokudera said, already pulling at Tsuna’s clothes.
“Wait, Gokudera! What are you—”
But Gokudera was a man on a mission, deftly dressing him up in an expensive suit and tie with the precision of someone who had done this a hundred times before.
Tsuna froze mid-protest. His gaze had locked onto something strange hovering above Gokudera’s head.
[Gokudera Hayato LV.20]
“Character?” Tsuna whispered in disbelief.
In response, another pop-up menu appeared, displaying a character screen with only one member in his party.
[Vongola Member: 2]
LV.30 Sawada Tsunayoshi (EX)
LV.20 Gokudera Hayato ☆☆☆☆☆
“Pardon?” Gokudera paused, frowning. “Did you say something, Tenth?”
Tsuna swallowed hard, his pulse hammering in his ears. It was the character screen. The character screen. He’d seen it countless times in the game, but seeing it now, tied to reality, made his stomach twist.
“Gokudera…” he began, voice shaky. “I think I’m screwed.”
Gokudera’s face darkened instantly. He grabbed Tsuna by the shoulders, his expression a mix of worry and fury. “What happened? Did someone threaten you? Tell me! I’ll kill them right now!”
“It’s not someone.” Tsuna shook his head, his voice lowering. “It’s the meeting with the Milfiore Famiglia. It’s… a trap.”
“What?!” Gokudera’s grip tightened. “Who told you? How do you know this?!”
“It doesn’t matter how I know!” Tsuna snapped. He forced himself to calm down, his gaze darting to the timer.
[02:51:12]
“I just… I just know, Gokudera. If I don’t go, I’ll die. If I go, I might still die, but it’s my only chance.”
Gokudera’s eyes widened, emotions warring on his face. “If it’s a trap, we’ll cancel the meeting. Screw them. We’ll fight if we have to—”
“No!” Tsuna’s voice was firm, surprising even himself. “We can’t cancel. We don’t have a choice. I don’t have a choice.”
The desperation in his tone must have reached Gokudera, who froze. “Tenth…”
Tsuna clenched his fists. He wished he could explain everything, but how could he tell Gokudera about the system? The game mechanics that had suddenly become his reality? How could he explain that his fate was sealed, not by mafia politics, but by a literal countdown on a floating window only he could see?
“You have to trust me,” Tsuna said, his tone more gentle now. “I’m not going to let them kill me. But I need time. Time to figure out a plan. That’s why I need you to help me prepare. We can’t call off the meeting, but maybe we can turn the situation around.”
Gokudera’s jaw tightened, conflict flashing across his face. He looked like he wanted to protest, to insist that they run, that Tsuna stay as far away from the Milfiore as possible. But he stopped himself, his loyalty to the Tenth overriding his instincts.
“Alright,” Gokudera said, his voice firming up. “But I’m not letting you go in there alone.”
Tsuna felt a small sense of relief wash over him. He wasn’t out of the woods yet, but at least Gokudera was on board.
“Thank you,” Tsuna murmured.
“Always, Tenth.”
As Gokudera turned to leave, Tsuna glanced up at the countdown again and breathed out a heavy, heavy breath.
The tutorial… The more he thought about it, the more impossible it seemed to pass. The enemies were overwhelmingly powerful. From their stats to their weapons, they outnumbered him at every turn.
Everything was far beyond what the game provided at the start.
The reason was simple: the tutorial was designed to ensure that players would lose, no matter what.
In the game, only Gokudera had survived the tutorial. After Vongola Decimo was shot down, chaos erupted. It became a one-sided massacre. Yet amidst the turmoil, Gokudera managed to escape with his boss’s body.
First and foremost, he needed to see the status of the Members.
Let see. If it's similar to the game he played, then all he needed to do was click on the name of the character.
[Gokudera Hayato ☆☆☆☆☆]
Title: Smokin’ Bomb
Level: 20
Rank: ☆☆☆☆☆
Type: Mid-Range Attacker
Attribute: Storm
Affiliation: Vongola
Stats: Strength: 25, Agility: 20, HP: 1100, Stamina: 90
What a splendid starter stats. There’s a reason why he was Tsuna chosen first five-star character. His stats were a little below other starter five stars, but the thing was he’s a build-up-damage type of character. That means the longer the battle, the more advantages he has.
[Skills]
Passive: For The Very Best
Skill 1: Master of Dynamite
Skill 2: Dead-Eye Aim
Skill 3: ???
His passive ‘For The Very Best’ was a powerful buffer passive. It raised the stats of all allies by 20%, making it one of the most useful passives early in the game. The effect grew even stronger if his teammate, Vongola Decimo, who was him, was nearby. That was why it was called ‘For The Very Best’. That was the real beauty of Gokudera’s kit. He wasn’t just a mid-range attacker; he was a strategist, able to turn the tide of battle with his sharp mind. The game had described him as a brilliant tactician with a fiery temper, but despite his short fuse, his strategies never failed. Gokudera’s ability to read the battlefield and make quick decisions was invaluable, that was why his buff was so massive.
He was the best stand-in commander when his boss died in the tutorial stage.
Skill 1, Master of Dynamite, was simple: Gokudera was a master of explosives, and his entire combat style revolved around bombs. His real edge, though, came from Dead-Eye Aim. This skill allowed him to hit any target with pinpoint accuracy, ensuring his bombs landed exactly where they were needed
Now that he saw Gokudera’s stats. He needed to see his own. He swiped the screen up.
Not to boast about anything, but he was excited. Why? Because Sawada Tsunayoshi was an overpowered starter character.
[Sawada Tsunayosi (EX)]
Title: Mad Heir of Vongola
Level: 30
Rank: EX
Type: Attacker
Attribute: Sky
Affiliation: Vongola
Stats: Strength: 50, Agility: 70, HP: 1350, Stamina: 110
[Skills]
Passive: Vongola Hyper Intuition
Skill 1: Zero-Point Breakthrough
Skill 2: Iron Fist
Skill 3: ???
Vongola Decimo, Sawada Tsunayoshi, was the strongest starter character. He can freely manipulate the Deathperation Flame, the most crucial ability in this world. A person’s strength was measured by the density and control of their flame. Not only could Decimo manipulate his Deathperation Flame with ease, but his flame type was the rare and powerful 'Sky' flame—the strongest flame type in the game!
His passive 'Vongola Hyper Intuition’ granted him an exceptionally perceptive mind. This ability allowed him to read enemy movements, grasp the battlefield dynamics instantly, and formulate strategies on the fly. This was the kind of skill only a born leader could have—the ‘eye that sees through everything’.
His first skill allowed him to reverse the state of the Deathperation Flame and freeze everything. His second skill grants him the ability to be a hand-to-hand combat master.
When the game first launched, players were outraged. Decimo was an overpowered starting character, with such immense potential. Yet, despite his skills, he was destined to die in the tutorial, and there was no way to save him.
“Let’s not lose hope, Tsuna. You didn’t spend five years mastering this game for nothing. You’re a master.”
With that thought echoing in his mind, Tsuna shifted his focus to the enemy intel.
[Tutorial Stage - Enemy Intel]
Boss: LV. 160 Byakuran
LV. 50 Elite Soldiers: 80
LV. 35 Normal Soldiers: 330
“...”
He cradled his face in despair.
Oh my god. This was hopeless. The sheer numbers alone were suffocating. Facing a Level 160 boss with his current level felt like pitting a child against a raging storm. Gokudera was strong, but how could they contend with an onslaught of 80 elite soldiers and 330 normal soldiers?
Byakuran alone was a living nightmare. This was a boss that you doesn’t have to fight until stage 40. To defeat him from the get-go was impossible. Even their mobs’ levels were higher than his.
This was a tragedy waiting to unfold. It was no different than challenging a hurricane with a paper umbrella.
“Decimo, you sonofabitch. Why did you propose the negotiation in the first place?!”
Byakuran was no mere human; such cruelty could not belong to one. Decimo, before he lost himself to madness, had been a righteous man, much like Vongola Primo. He had believed he could negotiate with a monster like Byakuran, but that had always been an absurd thought, a desperate grasp at hope.
The image of Gokudera holding Decimo's lifeless body in his arms, tears streaming down his face as he fled the battlefield, haunted him.
He couldn’t allow himself to end up like that.
If defeating them wasn’t an option, his only chance was to survive.
With determination, he scrolled through every available menu the game offered, searching for any sliver of an advantage.
That’s it….
“Gokudera!” He flung the door open, leaning his head out into the hallway.
“Yes, Tenth!” Gokudera appeared instantly, his expression a mix of concern and readiness.
“I’ve found a way.”
☆☆☆☆☆
MISSION:
[TUTORIAL STAGE]
Counting down: 01:38:53
Mission: Meet with Milfiore and try to negotiate an alliance.
Reward: ???
Note: Failure to participate will result in death
[Tutorial Stage - Enemy Intel]
Boss: LV. 160 Byakuran
LV. 50 Elite Soldiers: 80
LV. 35 Normal Soldiers: 330
CHARACTER OVERVIEW:
[Sawada Tsunayosi (EX)]
Title: Mad Heir of Vongola
Level: 30
Rank: EX
Type: Attacker
Attribute: Sky
Affiliation: Vongola
Stats: Strength: 50, Agility: 70, HP: 1350, Stamina: 110
[Skills]
Passive: Vongola Hyper Intuition
Skill 1: Zero-Point Breakthrough
Skill 2: Iron Fist
Skill 3: ???
[Gokudera Hayato ☆☆☆☆☆]
Title: Smokin’ Bomb
Level: 20
Rank: ☆☆☆☆☆
Type: Mid-Range Attacker
Attribute: Storm
Affiliation: Vongola
Stats: Strength: 25, Agility: 20, HP: 1100, Stamina: 90
[Skills]
Passive: For The Very Best
Skill 1: Master of Dynamite
Skill 2: Dead-Eye Aim
Skill 3: ???