Year 1048 B.N. – July 30th
The rain wouldn't stop.
We had been under a gray sky for five days, wrapped in a continuous and unsettling calm. It was as if the world had frozen in a damp sigh, a silent prayer repeating over and over across the land.
We stood gathered in a clearing just outside our mansion. At the center: the seed. It had begun to glow faintly on the third day of uninterrupted rain.
—This kind of rain... usually falls once a year —murmured Reijiro, arms crossed beneath his cloak—. But this time, it doesn't seem like it'll stop. It feels like a sign.
—It is —I replied quietly, stepping forward.
The seed hovered just above the muddy ground, wrapped in a faint blue glow. It didn't burn. It didn't pulse. It simply... breathed. As if listening to something we couldn't yet understand.
G stepped forward beside me, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on the sky.
—I feel it on my skin —he said without looking at me—. This humidity... it's not normal. It's like something else is surrounding us.
Takeshi, Reijiro, Sana, Daiki, and Haru stood behind us. Haru, who had returned that very morning after leaving the daimyō in the care of one of our most trusted subordinates, watched with sharp eyes—eyes that trembled slightly from the moisture.
—Is it another Guardian? —Daiki asked curiously—. Like G?
—Not like G —I replied—. This one represents something else.
—The Rain? —Sana asked.
I nodded.
—Rain represents tranquility. It falls without hatred, without pride. Only with passion... and everything stops. But it also symbolizes acceptance. The Rain Guardian fights for connection. His flame doesn't push—it harmonizes.
Silence took hold of us. At that moment, a gust of wind swept through the clearing, and the seed rose slightly. The rain didn't stop, but each drop seemed to slow down.
—It's time —I said.
I gave the signal, and the six formed a wide circle around the seed. I extended both hands and closed my eyes.
[System: Condition fulfilled — "The Longest Rain of the Year." Initiating summoning sequence.][Rain Seed — Ready.]
A soft blue glow emerged from the earth itself, spreading like a pool of liquid energy beneath us.
G looked up with a solemn expression.
—This feels... different from my summoning. Softer. Deeper.
—Silence —I whispered.
Like before, the seed floated between sky and earth, absorbing the lazy clouds and gentle rain.It began to grow, soon reaching the size of a child.Then it burst—softly, like a giant drop falling to the ground.
The light wasn't blinding. It didn't dazzle. It was a pale blue mist that slowly took shape… first an outline, then a figure, and finally, a presence.
A man with long, sky-blue hair tied in a loose ponytail stood atop the seed. His yukata was simple but elegant, dyed in shades of blue like a river at dawn. His eyes, a deep bluish gray, studied us silently.
His presence was like the rain: calm... inevitable... infinite.
—You… —he spoke softly, yet clearly through the rain—. You have called me... after so long.
—Welcome, Ugetsu Asari. Guardian of the Rain —I said with reverence.
Ugetsu nodded.
—I have slept for a long time. But the rain... whispered your name, Giotto Sawada Vongola. Or rather… Luciano Gravina.
Sana swallowed, overwhelmed by the serene beauty of Ugetsu, wrapped in a calm that eased her heart.
Ugetsu looked down at the seed, which slowly dissolved in his hand.
—The seed has matured. You've created something… a root. It wasn't power that brought me here, but the bond between you all.
His gaze passed over each of them.
—And you, Giotto. The one who bears the Sky… and holds it in his hands.
The rain intensified—not violently, but softly. As if nature itself wept with joy.
—Will you accept your role fully this time, Ugetsu? —I asked—. Will you walk with us as the Guardian of the Rain?
Ugetsu raised a hand, letting the rain fall onto his open palm.
—I won't follow the Sky out of duty. I will follow it… because you are the river still seeking its course.
He closed his fist. The Rain Flame ignited, surrounding him in a gentle blue light that didn't burn but moistened the air like a sigh.
—From this day forward —he said solemnly—, I will walk with you. And with my flame... I will calm any storm that threatens your cause.
The aura of the Rain Flame slowly faded, as if it had never been there. Only its traces remained: the trembling damp earth, the thick peaceful air, and the respectful silence of all present.
Ugetsu Asari stepped forward, gliding like a leaf carried by the wind. He approached Giotto, who stood tall, as if holding everyone's will on his shoulders.
—I'm sorry —Ugetsu said quietly, yet clearly—. This land is marked. By fire, by storm… and now, by rain.
—Rain will be the bridge —Giotto replied—. Between G's fury and the stability I wish to build.
Ugetsu offered a faint smile.
—Typical of the Sky. Always seeking balance between extremes.
Daiki stepped forward eagerly.
—Will you live with us too, like G?
—If you accept me —the swordsman said, bowing his head slightly—. I won't impose.
—Of course you can! —Takeshi exclaimed with a bright smile—. You'll be like our rainy sensei!
From a corner, G grunted lazily, arms crossed as usual.
—Hmph. As long as he doesn't talk too much.
—Don't worry —Ugetsu replied serenely—. I say only what's necessary. Useless words are like excessive rain… they flood the soul.
Sana and Reijiro exchanged glances. The tension, the mysticism—everything felt softer now with the presence of the new Guardian.
Giotto raised a hand, signaling for them to return to the mansion. The summoning was over.But the bond… was just beginning.
—Of course you can! —Takeshi exclaimed with a bright smile—. You'll be like our Rain Sensei!
From a corner, G let out a grunt, arms crossed as usual.
—Hmph. As long as he doesn't talk too much.
—Don't worry —Ugetsu replied serenely, unfazed—. I only say what's necessary. Useless words are like excessive rain… they flood the soul.
A humid breeze danced around them. The rain still fell, but it was no longer a storm — it was a soft dance, in harmony with the spirit of the newly summoned Guardian.
Sana and Reijiro exchanged glances. The tension, the mysticism, the pressure… everything felt gentler now. The presence of the new Guardian had calmed even the most anxious hearts.
Giotto raised a hand calmly, signaling the group to return to the mansion. The summoning had ended. But the bond... was just beginning.
POV: Haru
Watching the Guardian of the Rain being summoned into this world… it was magical. Incredible. Beyond words. It felt like the rain itself had taken human form to protect us.
Being the youngest on the team, I often felt like I had to work twice as hard. I didn't have Sana's intelligence, or Reijiro's leadership. I wasn't good at everything like Daiki or Takeshi.
When G arrived, I thought he'd be the final big surprise. A cold, intense kid — a little scary — but also... special. His gaze could silence a room. He and the boss seemed more like adults than boys.
Back then, when Giotto summoned G, we couldn't really see what happened. The storm was so strong I thought the wind would carry me away.
But this time, with Ugetsu… it was different.
The boss pulled out a glowing seed, and it floated in the air. The rain gathered around it—until from that single seed, a man formed.
That was the moment I realized something.
Our boss… he's not normal. He's special.
—He is… —I whispered, without even noticing, as Ugetsu's form materialized in front of us.
The new Guardian opened his eyes slowly, as if awakening from a timeless dream. He said nothing at first. Just walked a few steps toward the boss and bowed lightly.
—You called the rain… and the rain answered —he said softly, like a whisper between raindrops.
My heart was pounding.
As we walked back toward the old, creaking mansion in the forest, I couldn't stop watching him.
Ugetsu walked beside Giotto, speaking to him quietly. But what caught my attention wasn't just his words — it was the way he moved.
His steps made no sound. None. Unlike G's heavy steps or Takeshi's bouncy energy… Ugetsu floated.
His very presence soothed the atmosphere, like carrying a piece of gray sky with him.
Then suddenly —he looked at me.
Just from the corner of his eye. Not directly. But I felt it.
A cold shiver ran down my back. My whole body tensed.
But it wasn't fear. Not intimidation.
It was something else —as if he was silently asking: "Why are you staring at me so intently?"
Embarrassed, I quickly looked away.
—What disrespect have I shown to the boss's friend...? I have to be careful —I mumbled to myself.
—Did you say something, Haru? —Daiki asked, turning his head slightly.
—Ah! No, no… just thinking out loud.
Daiki looked at me for a few seconds more and then smiled gently. He always seemed to understand what others felt — even without words.
Ugetsu continued walking. He didn't look at me again. But his silence... said plenty.
—So? —Reijiro asked, catching up to Giotto—. How did you find him?
—I didn't —Giotto replied calmly—. He came because I called. Each Guardian appears when it's time.
—Why now? —Sana asked, walking on his other side—. Why after G?
—Because the storm must be followed by calm —Ugetsu answered, even though no one had asked him directly.
—Interesting way to put it —Sana murmured.
—It's not just poetic —the boss added—. It's essential to keep balance. Each of them represents something. Not just power, but harmony.
—So… —Takeshi chimed in excitedly—, does that mean we'll be summoned too?
Giotto chuckled softly —for the first time in days.
—You don't need to be summoned. You're already here. You were chosen… by me. That's different.
A smile spread across my face as I heard those words. It made me feel like I mattered too.
As we walked, I remembered what the boss had said about Ugetsu:
His flame —the Rain Flame— had unique properties. Calm… slowing things down… gentleness.
But that wasn't me.
I was more like G. Like his Storm Flame —a flame that disintegrates everything it touches.
Part of me feared that was my true nature. Was it wrong to feel that way?
To want to erase those who threaten my family?
I didn't know.
All I knew was that watching Ugetsu walk made me realize we were opposites.
And maybe… that's okay.
—Hey, Haru —Takeshi called again—, what are you thinking about so much?
—Nothing… Just trying to figure out how someone can walk without making any sound —I replied with a shy laugh.
—Hahaha! That intrigues me too! —he laughed—. Though, when you're scared, you run like lightning!
—Takeshi! —I protested, but couldn't help laughing too.
Even G let out a faint nasal chuckle. Barely noticeable.
The vegetation was thickening. The sound of branches underfoot mixed with the constant murmur of rain.
The ancient mansion stood ahead, nestled between trees that had seen far too many seasons.
—We're almost there —Reijiro said, pointing to a mossy slope.
—Yes... —Giotto murmured, eyes fixed ahead—. This will be our base. Here, Ugetsu will forge the Vongola bond anew.
Ugetsu, feeling the warmth of the young ones around him, thought to himself:
"These new children… they will give the organization a new flavor. Better than the last group, which had its flaws."
He whispered something only I could hear.
He looked at the boss with a mix of respect and recognition.
—It seems this rain won't last. But the bonds... will.
We paused before the mansion's rusted gates.
Old. Forgotten. Covered in ivy. But still imposing, even in decay.
The boss stepped forward and placed his hand on the gate.
—Welcome —he said firmly, igniting a soft orange flame in his palm. The locks crumbled to dust—. To our new home.
And so, under gentle rain, we took our first steps toward our true destiny.
I, Haru, the youngest… still didn't know what role I'd play in this story.
But as I walked behind the boss, surrounded by Guardians, I felt like I was where I belonged.
Maybe my flame is destructive.
But if that means protecting the ones I love…
Then let it burn bright.
Narrator POV
The next day...
The dampness of the basement clung to the stone walls, where pale lichens grew in the cracks like a slow infection. A single oil lamp hung above the table, casting long, angular shadows over the weary faces of those gathered.
The man with the scar on his forehead, whose voice was as rough as dry paper, ran a finger along the edge of the map. Hand-painted wooden markers represented areas of the mansion, patrol routes, and the children. A new symbol—blue and hazy—had just been added.
"We didn't expect a second Guardian so soon," he murmured as the lamp's wick crackled. "And with such strange powers. Ugetsu is another problem. He's not like G."
A woman with her hair tied back and piercing eyes, cloaked in dark robes, leaned forward, fingers interlaced over the table.
"Ugetsu doesn't talk much. That makes him more dangerous. Never underestimate the quiet ones."
"We also didn't expect the children to keep growing like thorns," added a third member, his deep voice sounding like it rose from a well. "That boy Haru is starting to show potential. And little Daiki… he listens more than he lets on."
"You think the boss doesn't know we're watching?" the woman asked bitterly.
"He knows," replied the scarred man. "But he hasn't acted yet. Which means he doesn't know who we are. Not yet."
Silence fell over the basement for a few seconds. Only the distant dripping of water marked the passage of time.
"We need to act before another one appears," the woman said firmly. "We already serve a childish family. Do they expect us to kneel before ghosts, too?"
"We'll wait for the harvest festival," the leader concluded with certainty. "That night, all eyes will be on the village. The garden will be more vulnerable. We strike then."
One of those present—the youngest—gulped nervously.
"What if we're discovered?"
"We won't be," said the scarred man. "The boy may have eyes… but he still doesn't know what betrayal from within looks like."
But they were wrong.
Outside, hidden in the hallway shadows, a child trembled.
Daiki had slipped through loose floorboards, crouched down, holding his breath. His dark hair clung to his forehead with sweat, and his small fingers clutched a splintered beam.
When he heard the word betrayal, a chill ran through him—not the cold of the basement, but a different cold. A warning.
Later… Giotto's room.
The room was bathed in the soft glow of candles. The wooden walls creaked from the forest's trapped humidity. Giotto sat at his desk, writing in a thick-covered notebook when Daiki knocked with two soft taps.
"Are you sure?" Giotto asked after the boy finished recounting what he'd heard.
"Yes! They used that word… betrayal. And they said something about doing it during the harvest festival!" Daiki insisted, eyes wide.
Giotto closed the notebook firmly, his fingers still resting on the cover. The flame of the candleholder flickered in the breeze coming through the half-open window.
"You did well, Daiki," he said calmly. "From now on, only you and I will know this. Alright?"
Daiki nodded, though he was still trembling.
"What are we going to do?"
Giotto didn't answer right away. He stood, walked to the window, and watched the rain that hadn't stopped. Ugetsu was in the garden below, practicing with a wooden sword under the downpour.
"What we always do," Giotto finally said, his voice low. "First we prepare… then we strike."