Losing both legs and a right hand during the Dungeon expedition had been something the dwarf could only accept as fate—a consequence of his own lack of power. He knew it. He'd accepted it. But that didn't stop the frustration from pounding in his chest like a drum that refused to go silent.
His former comrades had all moved on, climbing to greater heights, while he wasted away in a quiet corner of the Familia's manor.
If there was even a single chance—even the faintest spark of hope—he wasn't going to let it slip by. That was why, when Loki asked for volunteers, he was the first to step forward.
"Tsuna."
The mood was already set; now it was his cue to take the stage. Loki turned her eyes toward Tsuna.
"Leave it to me," Tsuna replied with a calm, confident look. He'd never once doubted his Annihilation Maker. Regrowing limbs was well within its reach.
He raised both hands. A small, snow-white rabbit appeared in his palms—soft fur gleaming faintly under the light. Unlike the pure white Space Rabbit, this one had a red cross marked on each ear.
Its crimson eyes blinked once before locking onto the dwarf sitting in the wheelchair. Tsuna clapped his hands lightly. A transparent barrier unfolded around the dwarf, shimmering faintly.
Already starting? The dwarf's eyes widened with a hint of nervousness. But before he could say anything, a sudden, sharp pain erupted from the stumps of his missing limbs.
It wasn't an illusion. The pain grew stronger—raw, tearing, real.
"Pffft—!"
A burst of blood spurted violently from the stump. The dwarf's breath caught in his throat, and the next second—
"AAAAAHHH!"
He screamed, both from shock and sheer intensity. The pain was overwhelming, his vision blurring as he saw blood gushing from the place where his arm should have been… and then—
Something began to grow.
From the empty space where his right hand had been, a white shape pushed forward—bone.
It extended rapidly, so fast he could see it pierce through the torn sleeve. Blood still ran freely, but the skeletal shape beneath it was unmistakable—a hand.
And it wasn't just his arm. The same transformation started in both legs. The sight was gruesome, visceral—and yet, for the dwarf, it was the most exhilarating moment of his life.
"It's there! I can feel it—! I can feel it again!"
For two long years, he'd been haunted by phantom limb pain—a cruel reminder of what he'd lost. But this… this sensation was different. It wasn't the ache of absence. It was the real feeling of having his limbs again. It hurt like hell, but the pain only made his heart race with joy.
Before the stunned eyes of everyone present, the sleeve that once hung empty began to swell and fill out. Flesh grew rapidly over the exposed bones, knitting together in mere seconds until a fully formed arm emerged—covered in blood, but alive.
The process was brutal, primal even—but the dwarf was trembling with excitement, not fear. His new right hand still throbbed with pain, but that agony was proof that he was whole again.
Not a cripple. Not anymore.
The same fierce pain spread through his legs, and tears streamed down his face.
"My hand… my legs… I can feel them again…"
Even someone as tough as him couldn't hold back the tears. No matter how strong his heart had been, years of being broken had eroded his spirit. And now, as sensation and strength returned to his body, it felt like his lost will had been restored too.
"Well done."
Loki clapped Tsuna firmly on the shoulder, grinning. Watching the tears of joy streaming down the dwarf's face filled her chest with warmth.
"Barde," she said gently, turning back to him, "don't overdo it. Your new limbs need time to adjust before you start walking or moving around. Rest, understand?"
"Yes, Lady Loki!"
The dwarf's face was streaked with tears and blood, but he looked more alive than ever. His right hand still lacked strength, his legs trembled beneath him—but none of that mattered. To him, simply being whole again was everything.
Loki let him be; there would be plenty of time for celebration later. Her eyes turned back to Tsuna, who was still deep in thought.
"Tsuna, that healing process was… pretty violent, wasn't it?"
"I think so too," he admitted with a wry smile. "When I designed it, I imagined healing fresh wounds where the limbs hadn't fully healed over yet. In this case, the old scar tissue had to be broken apart first, so the Healing Rabbit followed the base procedure as-is. That's why it looked so… extreme."
"Yeah, that tracks," Loki said, recalling the vivid sight of flesh tearing open and reforming. "Pretty brutal, but damn effective."
"Still," she added with a smirk, "for adventurers, pain's no big deal. Especially not when it means getting their future back."
Her gaze swept across the room. Every one of the disabled children stared at Barde in awe—not frightened, not disgusted. Their eyes burned with a rekindled hunger, the desperate hope of reclaiming what they'd lost. Loki couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Looks like they agree with me," she said. "Tsuna, I'm counting on you."
"It's no trouble," he replied.
Tsuna directed the Healing Rabbit to begin its work again. There were quite a few people here, but there was no rush—the rabbit could take its time, one by one. While it worked, Loki and Tsuna continued their quiet conversation.
"So," Loki asked, "what do you think of your Healing Rabbit so far? The treatment's a little rough around the edges, but it works. Could you make it gentler?"
"I could," Tsuna said. "That's just a temporary configuration meant for emergency field treatment. I can redesign it for a softer approach if you want."
"No need," Loki said immediately, shaking her head. "For frontliners and for these kids, this is perfect. Adventurers who've lost their limbs have already lost their future. A bit of pain to take that future back? They don't need gentle."
She didn't see anything wrong with the method. Too violent? Maybe. But in this world, pain was part of living.
Then her tone shifted slightly, thoughtful but firm.
"But as for you—this creature's too powerful, Tsuna. Healing wounds, curing poisons and curses, regenerating limbs... If word of this spreads, it'll cause a mess. So from here on out, this is it. No public demonstrations. Unless it's an emergency, keep that rabbit off the front lines. Understand?"
She had to keep him hidden now. If other gods learned what Tsuna could do, the trouble it would bring would be immeasurable.
And Loki wasn't about to let anyone lay a finger on her kid.