"Imagination turned into real power… but that also means I've become its biggest weakness."
Annihilation Maker—a downgraded version of "wish made reality." A power with near-limitless potential. And naturally, the greatest weakness of that power… was the one doing the imagining. Tsuna was well aware of that.
To gain an ability that could rival the multiverse itself, only to realize he was its Achilles' heel—yeah, that left him with some complicated feelings.
But Tsuna didn't dwell on it for long.
"Guess I just need to train my body alongside Annihilation Maker. Even if I overdo it, I can just make a creature to heal me. Perfect. Invincible."
The boy could feel how much this Sacred Gear was helping him.
No need for manpower, no elaborate equipment—just imagination. As long as he could picture it, he could gradually make himself stronger.
Then, an idea flashed through his mind.
"Wait. Even if I'm not that strong yet, what if I make Annihilation Maker do the heavy lifting?"
After all, the ability didn't just let him summon autonomous beasts. He could technically create something like armor—a creature that functioned as one.
There were plenty of precedents for that.
Like in live-action hero shows.
Or even the famous Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing from High School DxD.
If those could be considered "demon beasts," then with the right imagination, he should be able to recreate them perfectly.
"—!?"
A strange sensation prickled across his left hand. Tsuna looked down to see a slime-like substance wrapping around it, shifting and hardening as it changed form.
A crimson gauntlet with a metallic sheen emerged, piece by piece. A green jewel formed on the back of his hand, glowing faintly, while golden spikes jutted out near his elbow.
"So… the ability—"
"Boost!"
His body surged with strength—his power doubled in an instant.
The amplification was so raw and direct that Tsuna could feel it in every muscle fiber.
Ten seconds later, the voice echoed again.
"Boost!"
"Ex-Promotion!"
The emerald jewel pulsed with light, and the doubled power compounded again, reinforcing his entire body.
Tsuna's eyes widened. He knew this feeling. No doubt about it—this was the Boosted Gear's power.
"So my guess was right. Annihilation Maker can even recreate the abilities of other Sacred Gears—as long as my imagination is strong enough."
But he quickly shook his head.
"No… something's off. The Annihilation Maker user in DxD should've thought of this too. That team isn't full of idiots. If they didn't do it, it's not because they didn't want to. It's because they couldn't."
That was the real issue—they couldn't.
So why could he do it? Tsuna stared at his left hand, still wrapped in the crimson gauntlet.
He didn't think he was all that different from anyone else. The only real distinction was his cheat—the mysterious system he'd had after being reborn.
But somehow, his results were completely different.
"There's something unusual about me... whatever it is, I'll deal with it later."
It was worth investigating, sure, but right now? He was still just a first-year middle schooler who hadn't even awakened his Dying Will Flame yet. No way he could figure out the deeper secrets behind his own body.
First things first—he had to fully understand Annihilation Maker. Then, maybe through that, he could start uncovering the truth about himself.
Tsuna looked once more at the gauntlet on his hand.
Disappear.
The armor and the strengthening effect vanished instantly.
"So the boost disappears along with the creation itself, huh? I'll have to keep that in mind."
"The power of Annihilation Maker is insanely convenient. And if I pair it with the secrets I'm hiding… its potential might be even greater."
Then, a sudden thought struck him.
"If my secret can make Annihilation Maker create DxD's Sacred Gears… then could I use it to make a gateway back to my old world?"
The idea burst in his mind before he could stop it.
I mean, who wouldn't think about that?
Traveling between worlds—everyone would be curious.
He'd been dragged into this world without control. But now, if he could actively choose to cross over… who wouldn't be tempted?
There wasn't anything wrong with the thought itself. But Tsuna had forgotten one important detail—he still hadn't mastered his Sacred Gear.
"—!?"
A wave of weightlessness hit him hard. His body froze as the world tilted, and suddenly, a swirl of seven-colored light opened beneath him—a spiraling tunnel stretching downward.
For an instant, his life flashed before his eyes, his thoughts racing faster than ever.
I'm screwed!
He knew exactly what had happened.
Just like the Sky Lion earlier, Annihilation Maker had once again responded to his imagination—literally creating the "gateway back."
It had manifested his thought. For real.
But… what was he even going back to?
Thirteen years had passed since he'd been reborn. Who knew how much time had flowed over there? And now, he had a new family here. His mom, his life—could he just abandon all that?
He'd end up with nothing either way.
Guess there's only one thing to do now.
The falling sensation didn't stop. Tsuna clenched his teeth—he had to act. Whether this portal led "back" or somewhere else, survival came first.
Leave a marker.
"Coordinate! Fix a coordinate for this world!"
He stared desperately at the still-open rift above him, shouting the command in his mind.
A Sacred Gear always responded to its user's deepest will—and so did his.
As the fall sped up, Tsuna felt it—his anchor locked onto the world behind him.
Just as he sensed the connection take hold—
He was thrown downward with brutal force.
"Splash!"