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Chapter 169 - Chapter 169 – The Record Book and the Night Visit

Tsuna's room.

He sat at his desk, the soft yellow glow of a Magic Stone Lamp spilling across the wooden surface.

A sheet of paper lay before him, covered in handwritten words:

"Memory Worm," "Silent Beast," "Parasitic Beast"…

All were functional-type monsters Tsuna had once created.

"Annihilation Maker."

At his quiet invocation, a thick tome appeared in his hands.

Its cover was bound in black hard leather, the surface shimmering faintly with a metallic sheen—heavy and solid, exuding an undeniable sense of weight.

"Success."

A faint smile curved his lips.

"I kept thinking I needed my Sacred Gear to respond to my expectations, but it turns out I didn't need a response at all. I just needed to add that 'function' myself."

He shook his head lightly. "How dangerous fixed thinking can be."

He began examining the book he had just created.

Its exterior seemed forged from some special material—completely black, free of any unnecessary engravings, smooth and clean.

Tsuna preferred that sort of simplicity.

Opening the tome, the first page was a table of contents, listing four categories: Biological, Functional, Armed, and Puppet.

He touched Biological with his fingertip. The pages fluttered on their own, stopping precisely at that section.

The first entry depicted the very first monster he had ever created—the Sky Lion.

Beside the illustration were several notes:

"Capable of using Sky Flame attacks, capable of flight, can transform into cloak and gauntlets."

"Sky Flame, through the Trait: Harmony, can forcibly alter the structure of matter, allowing for Petrification."

Reading the annotations, Tsuna nodded slightly. It matched perfectly with how he had envisioned the Sky Lion back then.

He tapped the page lightly.

The Sky Lion appeared on his desk.

What was drawn in the book as a two-dimensional image now stood before him in full three-dimensional form—exactly as he had imagined it.

Then, with a simple thought, he dismissed it. The creature vanished as if erased by an invisible hand.

The smile on his face deepened.

"As expected, with a detailed record of my monster creations, I can reproduce the beasts I've already designed much faster."

"And this record book…"

Though the book disappeared from his hands, Tsuna could feel it residing deep within his soul.

"This must be the Sacred Gear's response to my expectations."

"It's not merely a product of Annihilation Maker—it's the Gear reshaped by my will, taking a form better suited to me."

"Not bad at all. It'll save me from having to imagine my previous creations from scratch. Now I can focus on using this power effectively in battle."

Until now, Tsuna had always known the greatest weakness of Annihilation Maker: every creation required his imagination.

In combat, even the slightest distraction could prove fatal, which was why he always prepared his monsters in advance rather than creating them on the spot.

But this record book changed everything.

It gave him the ability to utilize Annihilation Maker more freely during actual combat.

Even if he still needed some preparation, the convenience it offered was more than triple what he had before.

With the record book, Tsuna could now produce far more battle-ready monsters than ever.

He was well aware he wasn't a pure warrior—he was, first and foremost, a summoner.

For now, his combat prowess was still incomplete; summoning remained his main source of strength.

"So the two initial questions have been answered," he murmured.

"One: how long my creations can last. Two: the record of every monster I've ever made."

"Now, what I need to do is strengthen myself—find a way to return to my original world, and discover a method to travel freely between the two."

Tsuna wasn't content with simply returning home. He wanted to establish a stable passage between the two worlds.

He had left too many marks in this one—made too many friends.

And this world, too, was his contingency plan should the other one fall into ruin. It wasn't something he could abandon easily.

"I have to take care of things on both sides. Otherwise, one world's collapse will drag the other down as well."

"Just like what Finn and I discussed regarding the Dark Faction…"

"In the end, the one who decides everything is always the one who holds power."

In the end, only absolute strength could break the chains of rules and conventions.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sudden knocking interrupted his thoughts.

Perhaps it was a good thing—he could use the distraction.

He had achieved so much already, and the future no longer seemed so distant. But continuing to dwell on complex matters right now might only weigh him down.

Yes, maybe being interrupted was for the best.

He stood and opened the door.

Outside stood a red-haired girl with a somewhat awkward expression—Alise—and beside her, her calm and ever-collected companion, Kaguya.

"Good evening, Tsuna. Sorry for dropping by so suddenly. Did we interrupt you?"

"Not at all. In fact, your timing's perfect."

Kaguya gave a small nod, not questioning his words further.

"Come in," Tsuna said, stepping aside. "I can guess why you're here."

He wasn't an idiot—Loki had just announced Tiona and Tione's successful Level Up, and now Alise and Kaguya were paying him a visit. It didn't take a genius to see what they wanted.

Of course, he had no intention of hiding anything.

He didn't mind spreading the power of the Dying Will Flame—but it needed to be shared responsibly, in a controlled direction.

Alise and Kaguya exchanged glances, then followed him into the room.

It was simple but spotless—unexpectedly neat for a young man's quarters.

The bed, the floor, even the air itself felt clean, free of dust or the faintest trace of sweat.

From the Alternate Dimension, Tsuna took out two melon-sized fruits and a wooden spoon, offering them to the girls.

"You're here to talk about the power Tiona and Tione gained, right?"

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You can read up to chapter 210 on patreon.com/NiaXD.

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