The car stopped in front of a building Jeen knew all too well at that point of her life. With a sigh, she got out of the car and walked inside, her pace calm but her palms sweaty. She was biting her lower lip without realizing, because she knew exactly what was waiting for her.

As she reached two big doors, one of the maids opened the door for her and she stepped into the place where she was needed: a big, quiet Japanese-styled garden located right in the heart of the mansion, complete with a pond where she had often come when younger to feed the koi fish. "Jeen, come over," she heard a feminine voice call out for her from the other side of the place, and she begrudgingly drags her feet towards the woman with her sight fixed on the ground. "Here," she was told as a small cup of green tea entered her field of vision, something she grabbed with hesitation. "Look at me."

"I… I can't," the girl finally admitted, the burden of defeat slowly taking its toll on her. "I didn't make it. I couldn't retrieve the key-blades yet."

"You know he's not going to like that, right?" the woman asked, and Jeen only nodded in response. As she took a sip of her tea, the woman added, "It'll be your responsibility to explain what happened, and since you only had one thing to do…"

Her pause was accompanied by the sound of a door opening behind them, strong steps quickly approaching them which made every hair on the girl's body stand up. No, she thought with fear now crawling up her stomach, why now?! But before she could do anything, a hand placed on her shoulder, turning her around slowly until she came face to face with her father.

"You're back at last," he said with an imposing voice that resonated through the surroundings. Everything else seemed to come to a halt, but Jeen couldn't look away if she wanted things to be somewhat good. "Where are they?"

"Surely you did not waste the resources used… To track them down"

"We have little time as it is"

The breath hitched in her throat and she clenched her teeth, but there would be no getting out of the situation. "I don't have them, father."

Silence. Then, a grunt. "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it," he told her, obvious disappointment tainting his voice. "I should have never agreed to you taking the mission. Now, we'll have to take extra steps thanks to you being careless; the business deal was counting on it, and you knew it." Her eyes opened wide and her lips parted as she was about to retort, but his stare made her close them again. "You'll wait until the tournaments for a second chance, though with whats coming we have to leave this location … Until then, you'll have to think about what you did wrong, but you'll do it away from here as punishment."

He clapped his hands once before walking away from the two, and two suited men came into the garden and right towards Jeen. "N-no, no, not there!" she muttered as they gently yet firmly grabbed her by the arms. "Father, you can't!"

"You'll go into solitary confinement until the tournaments, to ensure you learn your lesson," was the last thing he said before he disappeared down the hall. The girl kept trying to free herself but the men's grasp wasn't relenting, and she eventually gave in as they walked her back outside.

As she heard the woman silently laughing behind her, she looked to the sky and promised to get revenge on Seita and the rest for causing her so much trouble.

"Hey, will you stop that?"

Sitting next to her sister in her room, Ares couldn't seem to stop scratching her left ear, as if it was being constantly tickled with a feather. "Sorry sis," she whispered, trying her best to ignore the sensation. "You know what they say, right? If your left ear itches, it means you're being bad mouthed by someone!"

"You'd do better not to believe those myths," Mimi told her with a soft tone as she scrolled down her phone. She glanced at the plants Seita had dug up with her. A faint sigh left Mimi followed by a smile.

They had come home earlier that day due to all that had happened at the center, and as they were relaxing in Mimi's room at night Ares couldn't help but feel something bugging her at the back of her mind. "You know, I don't really understand it," she started, and when her sister hummed in response she added, "Why you hang out with Seita so much – he's not even that great."

A chuckle escaped from Mimi's lips as she pointed her finger at Ares, a big smile on her face. "Oh please, you know you're lying," she replied, but all her sister could give her was a look of confusion. "You should give him more credit. He's to be my partner, like we've always been, and you should recognize his potential soon. He could, I don't know, become the very best blader in the world at this pace – maybe the best ever. He's just still a bit green."

For some reason, something so crazy could be true… right? Ares burst out in laughter as she imagined Seita becoming a legendary blader, but it died down slowly as she noticed the plain stare Mimi was giving her. Mimi was serious. Clearing her throat as awkwardness started to fall over them, she looked to the side and into her sister's notebook. "So," she continued, "what're ya writing there?

"Oh, it's just a little list," Mimi answered as another smile appeared. "For Seita's birthday. You do remember that, right?"

"Of course, silly!" Ares was almost offended by the question. "It's in a month – I wouldn't remember it or give it any thought if it wasn't for your birthday falling on the same day." Taking a closer look at the sheet, she could see her sister had planned out a whole schedule for what they'd do that day and what Seita was to get her. "W-wow, you have all of that thought out?"

Mimi nodded. "Yup, that's right; I'm just editing things a bit, I'm thinking about what I should get him but…" she was interrupted by her own yawning, and as she carefully tied her hair she looked back at Ares. "I think I'm just going to continue with all of this tomorrow. I really need sleep, and you should get some too." Climbing under the covers, she didn't say anything else as she turned with her back facing her sister, who just looked at her before getting herself into a more comfortable position as well. "What the…" Mimi whispered, but as she heard the quick, soft snoring coming from beside her she decided that they both had had enough for the day. Mimi leaned in, snuggling with her sister.

The small TV Ares left on continued to play. "In other news… the military branch is-" Rain continued to patter outside of the third floor apartment.

"So nice to be back."

A young, tall man drove through the streets as he took in as much as he could from everything he had missed so much. Saito, a well-known older friend of Seita's and Mimi's, had finally gotten a chance to return to the city, much like all other Bit-Masters that had been deployed back to their respective towns by the military branch. He breathed in and for the first time in what felt like forever, the sensation of being at home hit him like an anchor. "But for them to send us back so suddenly…"

He was about to reach his house when he spotted two familiar faces right in front of the Tachibana residence, the house his was across of; he quickly yet carefully parked his car and made sure he looked presentable enough before getting out of the car and shouting for the two of them. Mimi finished pulling the shovel she was using out of the ground, when she noticed.

"Wh… Saito?!" Mimi exclaimed as her eyes opened wide, and she waited until he crossed the street to run up to him and engulf him in a tight hug. "Oh my, I can't believe you're back! How have you been?"

"It's been forever, dude!" Seita approached and waited until Mimi moved aside to give him a quicker hug. "You should've called to let us know you'd be back – I could've asked my sister to prepare a special meal. Why are you here, anyways?"

Saito was about to reply when the main door opened again, yet another familiar face peeking from the inside. "Now, what's this ruckus about?" Hilary asked in reprimand until her gaze fell onto the newly-arrived man. "Saito? Is that you?"

"In the flesh, who else could be this handsome?" he replied, feeling his cheeks turn a bit pink as he smiled. "I just passed by to say hello, I don't mean to bother."

"Bother? You? pfft- phaah, No not-" Hilary slipped behind the door, closing it for a moment.

"Give me a break… why now?" Hilary sighed as the three continued to stare at the door, a faint thunder strike being heard in the background until Hilary opened the door. Hilary let out an awkward chuckle as she gestured for everyone to come inside. "No way, you could never. Come in, Hiyori and me were just finishing the last touches for lunch; I hope you're okay with hake, that's all I could get at the grocery store today."

"Hake or cake?" Seita wondered as Mimi went on ahead. "They both sound good to me!"

Among laughter and old memories, the six spent two full hours talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Saito told them all about his time with the military, though he avoided mentioning certain details that he was sure he could get in trouble for. When asked by Mimi if he could teach some techniques to Seita, he only replied with, "If the chance ever comes up, I'll be more than glad." He asked them to join his family for dinner, but Mimi's mother came to pick her up shortly after much to her dismay.

That night, the Tachibana's with the exception of Mari disappearing, went to the house across the street to join Saito and his parents in what was a long-needed reunion. Somewhere along the line, Hilary was helping Saito's mother with the dishes when he came into the dining room and offered to help instead, something that was welcomed. His mother winked at him quickly, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Hilary. "It's good to see that you're well," she started, avoiding his gaze.

"Same goes for you," he replied as he put the plates on their respective places. "And… I just wanted to say I'm sorry, I guess. I wasn't there when, uh, it happened. Wasn't able to get any free days back in the dayyyy."

"Don't worry about it, it's fine," she said slowly, trying her best to control the various thoughts that were starting to pile up in her mind. "I wasn't alone anyways."

He smiled at her and took a step closer to her, something that made her gasp silently. "I'll pay respects to Tyson's memory, Hil. But you should know that I'm here… for anything you may need." He whispered close by, patting his orange short hair, with thoughts of coiling his arms around her as she stared at the running water.

"Oh… Thats ah, so nice… of you Saito" She felt the awkwardness. Swiftly turning over to go for the dishwasher as he leaned only to realize she moved.

Seita, in the adjacent room, couldn't help but listen in on the conversation, hoping to get some more insight on the situation but finding himself back at square one. Feeling like something was about to go terribly wrong, he stared out of the window as the rain continued to pour.

"Nmmww- Jenny!" A small pink pixie drifted out of the black beyblade Jeen had at her feet. "Nwwm- Jenny? Are you okay? Sorry I took a long nap! After eating so much of what you got me, I ah- slept on the others" Admitted the little pixie, floating about until sitting on top of Jeen's head. The pixie looked around, noting the faint trickles that dripped at the corner of the dark room.

"It's been 5 years... but say, you're not alone okay?" The pixie moved down onto her shoulder as Jeen moved her hand and grazed the pixie's cheek with her finger.

"I'll make you stronger and get you stronger bit-beasts..." Jeen said, with her own plans in mind.

The pixie tilted it's head, recalling the same space Jeen found herself in again and again. "Ever since I met you... there've been others trying to take advantage of you. Like there was for me... When I came to this world, can you remember it? It was the day I met you." Said the pixie with a brimming smile.

"You gave me a lot of friends in that dark lonely place... yet, I haven't returned the favor" Prasila reflected sadly, remembering faintest memories of how dark and lonesome it was in the beyblade, until she heard crying. She couldn't remember how or when she found herself in it, but only remembers a single thing. That cry, of a child. The voice that brought her into the light. The world she entered into. Investigating where the crying came from, lead her to encounter Jeen as a small girl. Jeen's older brother had struck his sister and forced the black beyblade out of her hand, throwing it over his shoulder.

"You don't deserve that beyblade! If I can't unlock it's power there's no way you can make use of it you-" The shouting only continued as the guy kicked the girl aside and left in frustration.

"Product of a wh*re!" Grabbing her small arm, she'd been tossed aside again.

"This things supposed to attract powerful bit-beasts and have the power to control and use many bit-beast however it wants, is what the bit-beast does but isn't even coming out!"

"How the hell am I supposed to make it respond to me?! Father said it's the strongest blade in existence- what a joke" More shouting continued as the small girl shook in place, keeping her head low, curled on the grass.

Jeen could hear the rambling disappearing. Eventually she was left alone in the garden, where she stared up at the sun, teary eyed. She hiccupped, continuing to cry.

"Prasila..." A maid that'd been fired for showing Jeen family movies. Movies that her father thought would rot her mind when the young girl had told him of what she saw. The small girl felt lost, spacing out with the sun beaming down.

Cautiously moving about the grass, the Pixie made it's way to her, unsure of where she found herself. She reached the small girl and floated into Jeen's field of vision. Jeen could see her reflection in the pitch black eyes of the Pixie, only to freak out along with the Pixie.

Jeen stumbled back several times until she was up against the shadows of a tree. Slowly the Pixie floated out of it's hiding spot, prompting Jeen to lean up as the two stared at eachother moving to then talk. "Where did you come from... It's really dangerous... here" Said Jeen.

"Sor-ry..." uttered the Pixie quietly.

"How are... you able to talk?"

"Do you have a name?"

"Uhhm," The Pixie frowned in thought, only to take a step to shake it's head. "No-" The pixie glanced away, then drifted beside Jeen to sit on the grass. "Then do you want a name?" Asked Jeen to which Prasila was given to the Pixie. That was the start of the relationship that eventually blossomed into two friends ... until Jeen was once more placed in a tough situation. Her brother discovering the Pixie.

Jeen slowly woke up only to realize Prasila had went back into the beyblade. While the night advanced, Jeen lay against a corner of her new room, feeling the tension growing within with every passing second until someone opened the door and made her jolt.

A man appeared on the other side to tell her that her father summoned her back to the gardens, and for the first time in a while she was grateful she got to see him as that meant there was a chance she didn't have to stay in that confined space anymore, she wouldn't have to hear those being tortured. Walking quickly and with visible energy, she reached the place in less than five minutes.

"You're quick when you want to," the man sitting on one of the benches while holding a cup of tea told her as soon as she walked outside. If there was any spite in his tone, she didn't feel it. "It would seem as if you're not so useless after all. I'm giving you this chance. Thanks to you, now at least we know more of the two Key-Blade holders. There's a fast approaching event and we cannot prevent it, but we must prepare to enter the ARG; it'll be there where we take the artefacts. You'll be the one to infiltrate with backup. If everything goes according to plan, it'll mean good business with the desperate continents." He made no pause until he was finished, and then he glanced at her to make sure everything had been understood. "This unavoidable cataclysm… is fast approaching."

"Take what you must from where you were posted. Hanayama will handle the rest."

That last sentence made her wonder if there was any subtext to his words, but he looked away from her and it was her sign that the conversation was already over. Giving him a small bow, she turned and made her way back to the building, an evil smile forming on her lips.

The clouds were taking the entire town and the citizens were scurrying off to their destinations that morning, and even with some hesitation the kids returned to school with their families trying their best to ignore the fears that the recent events had instilled in them.

It was Ares who saw her first.

As she approached her school's building, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her sister borderline dedicating her whole existence to Seita; she thought it was ridiculous she had chosen to go to another school just because of him, and silently wondered just what could be the real reason for her to be so over him. What's so special about him, huh? They just share a birthday and that's it, she told herself, and she was so caught up in her own ideas that she almost didn't notice the person staring from afar.

Jeen was lying against one of the building's walls and looking straight at her, ignoring the girls chatting around her that missed her being at school. "Excuse" She said, leaving the crowd of classmates that missed Jeen or at least what she had to offer. "Took you long enough," she said as the girl approached her with her arms crossed. Raising an eyebrow as she stepped right in her way, she watched Ares' expression turn into a distressed one. "I did some research on you… little girl … so you're in my school. the so-called champ, aren't you? Your skills speak for themselves. I didn't think someone with your skill could hide so well here. Why are you running off to those other idiots when you could be with my team? Is that not why you joined this school?"

"And betray my own kin?" Ares spat out, her words cutting and full of anger. "I won't leave my sister alone at the hands of that… that… sea monkey." Jeen had thought of her as nothing more than just talk, but when the girl took a step forward and seemed to be unfazed by the situation, she had second thoughts. "I'll be joining ARG and you can be damn sure I'll watch your ass fail once more, princess. If you choose to get in my sister's business, I'll have absolutely zero problems with putting you back in your place."

Letting out a scoff, Jeen moved backwards but her gaze was still locked on Ares', the feeling that she had made a mistake taking hold of her mind but she made her best effort to not let it show. Instead, she chose to go another route, something that felt more peaceful even with all the circumstances around them. "If you know what's good for you and your family, you'll leave this town as soon as you can," she said, but Ares only raised a confused brow.

"Make me," the girl replied defiantly. There's no point in trying anymore, Jeen thought in defeat. She'd tried to warn her but she only realized it had sounded like a threat when Ares walked away, pushing her on the shoulder in the process.

"You have no one with you though," she exclaimed desperately, as if trying to make her stay and listen to her. "That sister of yours has the boy, but who'll come to protect you? You're only a 12 year old!"

Ares didn't reply for a moment as she stopped in her tracks, slowly turning around. If her gaze could've hurt, Jeen was sure she'd be dead by then. "You're free to throw a tantrum if you want, but I have class and don't appreciate getting held back by stupid things… senpai." As she finally turned on a corner and disappeared from her sight, Jeen couldn't help but punch the wall in anger, the words of her father resonating in her mind.

"Take the flight and prepare to infiltrate when the chance arises"

With many reports of suspicious activities being carried on in the city, the police station was bursting with life – though detective Kon wasn't truly convinced that was a good thing yet. Typing on a computer, he was too focused on his work to even notice one of his co-workers approach him until a hand tapped his arm.

"Would you like some coffee, detective?" the young man asked, and Kon nodded with a smile, but before he could walk away he felt a vibration on the floor that quickly evolved until the entire complex was shaking.

"What the…?!" he asked at no one in particular as everybody was instructed to get under their desks, but to Kon it didn't feel like a normal earthquake. His suspicions were confirmed when the lights blinked and sounds like gunshots were heard from the halls, and in that moment everyone in the room pulled their weapons out as well right as the door was torn apart from the wall, a group of officers bursting through with expressions far scarier than anything Kon had seen before.

"Detectivvve" Sang a possessed officer. On top of his head, was the squid bit-beast from his interrogation … It had gotten free.

"Can you tell me how to use this thing?" It laughed, bringing up a gun. They all froze as it tried observing the gun only to then toss it and attack the nearest officer.

He wasn't sure what to do given that those were their co-workers as well, but the way they started attacking everything they could get their hands on seemed to be something out of this world. Some other officers offered a bit of resistance, battling with them but ultimately failing to do anything more than a few scratches to them. With shaky hands, Kon pointed his gun at one of the attackers and watched as he ran towards him, but then another rumble happened and explosions went off across the building. Wild flames quickly engulfed entire floors and smoke made it hard to see, and every alarm in the town started to blare.

It was only after an hour that the BABA spread the word through the towns of the lockdown and what's truly happening, though they left out the gruesome details.

The station was sealed from the public as the firefighters worked to bring everyone who might've survived out, Simon waiting impatiently until he got news of his father. Much to his shock, detective Kon walked out of the building minutes later aided by one of the firemen who took him to a nearby ambulance. "Dad?!" the boy yelled in both joy and fear, and he was careful not to touch him until he was laid on a stretcher by the doctors. "What happened?!"

Signaling for the others to give them a moment, he said with a husky voice, "W-we were attacked, I don't know by whom. They're possessed by something. I cracked a clue and m-managed to save it. Here," he carefully reached into his pocket and took out an USB drive, which Simon grabbed instantly. "Get it to Sakura." And as he finished talking, he passed out with Simon grabbing his shoulder.

Teary-eyed, the boy muttered, "Please wake up and get better, dad," but then a loud noise was heard from inside the building, and Simon turned to see officer Morie stepping out of the flames with burned scars and melted skin; as he wiped the tears, he recognized what was happening almost without a doubt. They had been corrupted by the Bit-Beasts.

Trying to think of a plan quickly, the boy could recall how his father had told him they had to protect the Key-Blades at all costs and was ready to stand and fight against the man as Seita and him had done with Mari before, but then a young woman officer introducing herself as 'Kaoru" stepped in front of the ambulance. "Hey kid, is this guy giving you trouble?" she asked him, half-jokingly. "I'll stay back and buy you time while your father is taken to safety. You should go with him, don't worry about this."

The corrupted officer started stepping towards them and seemed to not feel the many shots that were being fired in his direction as he slowly danced towards them desiring to psychologically mess with them; his appearance was grotesque and Simon was sure it'd stick with him for the rest of his life. Looking back at the woman and fearing the worst, he nodded before getting into the ambulance with his father.

"Find Seita Tachibana," was the last thing he said to the officers before the vehicle drove away from the crime scene.

Should we make an Insta page to upload the Webtoon process and character designs? Let us know!