Tsuna grabbed her face. It was deathly pale, devoid of its normal green colour, with several cracks on it. Her eyes were now a golden, with her hair being white. She was clothed in her torn-up rags with a big hole in the stomach area.
“H-How are you?”
Oki asked, offering her so leaves to chew on. She signaled for him to drop the leaves; for so reason she didn’t feel any hunger anymore.
The hob-goblin dropped the leaves and stood up.
“B-But. Is what you said true?”
He asked, still unsure as to whether to take her words at face value.
“Yes. Every single bit of it.”
She confird it once again and the hob-goblin found tears streaking down his face. His sniffs filled the air and he wiped them away, since it would be embarrassing to be seen crying.
“And Hinotori-sama will be here soon?”
Nuke asked, licking his poisoned laced dagger. Tsuna nodded her head then put her hands to her head.
“She told she would co as soon as possible.”
Nuke pouted after hearing that. Hinotori had told him that she would co later, but it would seem that she gave precedence to Tsuna’s cry. He didn’t know whether to be happy that she was coming back or to be jealous. Both seed like a normal reaction, so he wasn’t sure which would make Hinotori give him more attention.
“Tch. Why are you reporting that to her? She doesn’t care about us.”
Oki snorted. Tsuna raised her eyebrow at that statent and tilted her head in confusion.
“What do you an she doesn’t care about us?”
“She didn’t co when we needed her. And after finding out about those who died, all she could think about was where the Mad Witch was.”
He huffed and folded his arms in anger. He felt it was an irrational move on Hinotori’s part. However, Tsuna still failed to see what his problem was.
“I gave her a stern talking. I feel like leaving this group she controls even. Soone else should be in charge for to remain.”
“Are you stupid?”
She asked him, surprising all those present. Tsuna would never ever say sothing like that, but it would seem that death had changed her in a bit. She felt a bit free, although the restraints around her soul were now very obvious to her eyes – even if others couldn’t see it.
“Wasn’t Hinotori-sama busy with an issue in the South? Or you preferred she sent us with her to face whatever it was she was facing? Did she not refuse to take us with her out of consideration for our safety? I know you felt it as well. That split second where she was close to Death. It should have struck you like it did . You aren’t being fair here.”
“Ah-“
“And so what if in tis of crisis where people died she was searching for Minerva first? Normally I would be angry as well, but if you find soone you love, do others matter to you? For instance, did you for once consider the others who died? The other goblins, or even Kuro?”
“Bu-But-“
“But nothing, Oki. You want to lead this group? I’d like to see you take on all the goblins, timber wolves, rat n and creepers. Could you even beat a [Flaming Deer] by yourself? Let’s not even talk about the wolves. You need to apologise to her.”
Tsuna scolded him upon hearing what he said. She felt really irritated having to hear what he said. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she understood Hinotori a bit and wouldn’t let anyone disrespect her without good reason. To her, Oki’s actions were unforgivable.
Yuuna couldn’t help but laugh, breaking the tense atmosphere.
“I never thought the day would co where our dearest Od- erhm, Tsuna would fight for soone other than Go-erhm, Shitsuke.”
“Shut it, old hag.”
Tsuna barked.
“Kekeke. The wench is right. You’ve really changed. Now I want to die too.”
“I wouldn’t say die, Nuke. You might not co back after that.”
Taiku comnted in a light-hearted tone.
“Always being the logical one, eh? I think Nuke is right.”
Yuuna pointed out that she agreed with him. Nuke grinned and prepared his dagger to stab the old one. Clearly not amused, she blasted him away with a bit of fire magic.
“Not literally death, you fool. I an, we should let go of our pasts. Hinotori-sama gave us new nas and as such, we should do away with our previous selves, before getting our nas. We will be reborn as Hinotori-sama’s true captains.”
She explained what she ant. Taiku and Tsuna nodded their heads, being in complete agreent with her. Oki on the other hand only just growled at all of them.
“Are you stupid? Just like that?! You all have been brainwashed.”
He argued. However, they all just stared at him with blatant confusion.
“Is that hard for you to accept that there was soone nearly as admirable as Shitsuke?”
“Eh? Are you saying that Hinotori is as admirable as Gorm?”
He questioned, grabbing Nuke by the neck. The shred goblin cackled after being lifted up into the air. He grabbed his dagger and was about to stab it into Oki’s arm.
“Stop. Both of you.”
Taiku ordered and both of them froze in their steps. His eyes glowed a faint blue after delivering the command which they followed. Everyone, shocked by the developnt only stared at him.
“W-What?”
“It’s a skill I received. [Hypnosis]. I can make anyone do what I want given the right the conditions have been set.”
“When?”
“It’s a skill I got since we received Hinotori-sama’s blessings. The screen that floats up and shows us our information and how to grow stronger. I followed its orders and got so gifts for doing so. And I’m not the only one. So of the goblins who evolved into Hob-goblins have also reported suddenly receiving skills post evolution.”
He sighed, then snapped his fingers.
Oki then dropped Nuke on the ground.
“I’m not one to talk a lot, but I don’t like how you two are fighting like idiots, so I will try to keep the peace here. Hinotori-sama is not as admirable as Shitsuke. That is a fact that can’t be denied. But I believe she has the potential to beco just as admirable or even more so, but we need to help her to do that.”
“Ah… you-“
“My na is Taiku. Just as Shitsuke is Shitsuke and you are Oki. Hinotori-sama gave us these nas, not Shitsuke. Rember to whom you swore your loyalty on that day.”
Taiku was releasing an oppressive aura on Oki, who was normally the overbearing one in such situations. Had Taiku really grown to this level in such a short amount of ti? And what about he, who was blessed by the [Demi-god of Fighting]. How was he losing to a random nobody?
“Next ti Hinotori-sama, cos, you shall apologise. Is that clear?”
Taiku delivered his order and Oki couldn’t help but to submit. Deep down, he knew what all of them were saying was right, but for so reason he couldn’t bring himself to accept that.
‘U-Um… is now a bad ti?’
A voice entered all their heads. They all lifted their heads upon recognizing the voice.
“No. Now is a fine ti.”
Tsuna responded, looking towards the west. There, standing soaking wet with her body looking like a deflated ball, was Hinotori. She fell on the floor, breathing heavily; exhausted from her endeavor underwater.
Oki’s face instinctively fell down to the floor. His hands trembled angrily with rage.
“Hinotori-sama! I have missed you!”
Nuke jumped at her, but was t with a fire ball from Yuuna. She sighed then approached her mistress.
“Hinotori-sama, it has been a while.”
‘Um, yes. It has. Sorry about my current form. I was dealing with sothing.’
“You still look splendid.”
‘You said you wanted to talk about an issue?’
She directed her question towards the one who called her.
“Oh, yes.”
Taiku kicked Oki in the legs for him to get on with it. The hunk scoffed then got up.
“Sorry, Tsuna. But may I speak first?”
He cut her off, but she didn’t mind.
“Hinotori… um, I need to apologise to you.”
He said concededly.
‘Um… I think I rather need to apologise for what happened.’
Hinotori said sothing Oki didn’t expect to hear.
‘You’re right. I didn’t pay any attention to the others who were dead and I wasn’t able to help you out in your situation when you guys were in trouble.’
She apologized sincerely, then looked back at Tsuna, as if the entire issue had been resolved. However, Oki did not feel alright with this. He was obviously in the wrong here. Hinotori was supposed to be expecting an apology from Oki instead.
Oki couldn’t help but just stare at Hinotori, confused by her nonchalance with the issue.
‘Gorm would never let this matter go. She’s a pushover.’
Oki found himself thinking.
He could never see soone like her as admirable as Gorm. Oki would keep quiet for now. He needed to use the gifts she had blessed him with to grow stronger. Once he grew strong enough, he would dethrone her.
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