After completing their treatment in the Alternate Dimension, Tiona and Tione remained nestled in Tsuna's arms, each resting their head against one of his shoulders.
Neither of the sisters seemed inclined to move away.
Tsuna didn't stop them either. They had just finished their battle against the Floor Boss—though their bodies were healed, the exhaustion that weighed on their hearts and minds couldn't be washed away so easily.
Since neither of them showed any sign of letting go, Tsuna decided not to move either.
Still, there were matters outside that required attention.
Through the eyes of a Puppet, Tsuna observed the current state of the Great Fall beyond the Alternate Dimension.
The surge of cascading water had nearly filled the waterfall's lowest basin.
"Looks like the blast gave it too much of a shock."
Tsuna felt no real guilt over the situation. After all, few people ever ventured to the Great Fall during the Floor Boss's spawning period.
Especially after the Dark Faction had swept through and cleared out the twenties.
Aside from monsters, the only people likely to be found here were those same Dark Faction Adventurers—and since Tiona and Tione had already wiped them out before challenging the Floor Boss, their fates weren't worth worrying about.
In truth, the flooding caused by the explosion hadn't resulted in any serious loss.
Tsuna looked upward toward the waterfall.
"The water's already calming. It won't be long before the flow above returns to normal."
"The part that was blasted open seems to be repairing itself—probably the Dungeon's doing."
"The remaining water pooling at the bottom will drain down to the lower floors soon enough. This place will be back to normal before long."
Having confirmed that, Tsuna stopped thinking about it.
His gaze locked onto the massive Magic Stone that hadn't been swept away by the torrent. Everything else had vanished without a trace.
"What a waste."
Materials from a Floor Boss were incredibly valuable—even a few of its scales could fetch a high price.
Considering how much it cost to maintain Tiona's Urga, saving up some extra valis certainly wouldn't hurt.
But since everything else had been washed away, there was nothing more to do.
He collected the remaining Magic Stone into the Alternate Dimension.
Once he confirmed that the Great Fall was stable, Tsuna commanded his Puppet to head home.
The objectives of this Dungeon expedition were all accomplished—he had successfully eliminated one of the Dark Faction's main leaders hiding in the shadows and even captured Arachnia, Valletta Grede. That alone was a major achievement.
However, handing her over would be troublesome.
Especially since revealing the ambush that took place in the Dungeon would expose too much information.
That would be a serious problem for maintaining the Loki Familia's secrecy about their true strength.
Retrieving his consciousness from the Puppet, Tsuna refocused on himself. Tiona and Tione were still resting quietly against him.
Taking the chance, he couldn't help asking the question that had been lingering in his mind.
"Tione, do you… like me?"
The question froze Tione in place.
Beside her, Tiona's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her sister.
"Eh? Tione—you do too?"
That single line stunned Tione all over again. She blinked at Tiona, dazed.
"W–why did you react so fast?"
"Huh? What do you mean, 'so fast'? Oh—you mean me admitting I like Tsuna?"
Tiona tilted her head, looking genuinely confused at Tione's astonishment.
"We're Amazons, aren't we? Liking someone isn't something we hide. Pursuing what we want boldly—that's the Amazon way."
"That's what Lady Kali always said."
"Kali… said that?"
Tione couldn't recall that infuriating goddess ever saying such a thing. Back then, all she remembered was the daily struggle just to stay alive—romance wasn't even a luxury she could imagine.
Tiona, on the other hand, had always been close to Kali, spending time listening to her stories and lessons. She'd probably heard those words directly from the goddess herself.
Tiona looked back at her sister, her voice tinged with surprise.
"But you, Tione—you used to like the Captain, didn't you?"
"That was before!" Tione said quickly, emphasizing the point.
"Amazons always follow their instincts—we naturally submit to the strongest man."
"The one we like has to be stronger than us."
Her feelings for Finn Deimne had been just that—an instinctive attraction born from an Amazon's nature. He had defeated her when they first met, and for Amazons, submission to the victor easily became the seed of affection.
"That's true," Tiona agreed from the side. Amazons really were that straightforward.
Unlike other races, they had no concept of shyness in love. Amazon girls were bold, passionate, and utterly fearless when it came to chasing what they wanted.
Conquering an Amazon through strength was the simplest way to win her heart—though that was easier said than done. Few could best an Amazon in combat.
"Tione liking me… I only realized it recently," Tsuna said quietly.
"Unless I'm completely imagining things, when a girl asks a guy for a hug on her own, it usually means something."
He trusted his instincts. That gesture from Tione hadn't been casual—it had carried the weight of her feelings.
"And I already knew you used to like Finn," he continued.
"So when you reacted that way, I figured it out. Just to be sure, I even went to Miss Loki to confirm it."
"Eh?"
Tione's face flushed hot. Hearing him say that made her realize just how direct her own actions had been.
But when he mentioned asking Loki, she froze again, eyes wide.
"You went to Loki to confirm it?"
"Yeah. She said my reaction was kind of slow. Apparently, a lot of people in the Familia already know you like me."
"!?"
Tione's face turned bright red.