The audience waited in tense anticipation for the light to fade.

"What's going on?!"

"Wow, did you SEE that?!?"

"AWESOME!"

DJ blinked, as soon as he saw the arena. He turned SD and had his arms out in a very surprised manner. "WHAAAAATTTT~~~~?!"

The whole audience leaned forward to look, and they all let out a collective gasp.

The 2 Bladers were GONE!

In their place was the very destroyed arena, its edges so worn out from the intense spinning of the Beys that they hollowed it out very smoothly (considering that it was a flat surface before). Smoke curled up from the edges, and as Takao watched, ribbons of light dissipated into nothingness.

"Where are they…" Max whispered, looking from left to right.

"And their Beys…?" Professor says with a gulp.

Lei's eyes became worried, thinking of the worst thing that could probably ever happen, then he sees a lone streak of light pass by in his mind's eye.

"~~~!!!" Lei pointed upwards. "Up THERE~~~!!!"

"H-huh?!" DJ looked upward and his eyes go VERY wide. "Holy CRIPES it is TRUE~~~!!! The 2 Bladers are fighting it out and they're both AIRBORNE~~~!!!"

The whole audience gave out another collective gasp. It was true, Llewelyn and Asaya were both exchanging nitro-infused blows over the jampacked arena, their Beys going about them like a protective shield from anything that might go their way.

Llewelyn smiled as he dealt another swing at Asaya, who parried it with her rapier. Then it came again and again, their respective blows emitting black and cream colored light, respectively. Then this time he smiled tenderly.

*^*You've become extremely GOOD. I'm impressed.*^*

Asaya smiled back at him as well.

*^*You did, too. I was scared I might actually lose to you.*^*

*^*Yeah, those whitecoated freaks sure did their job of making me like 'this'. Damn it, if only I could do something about it…*^*

*^*Hey, don't WORRY! I'm back, right? This time our fight would be finished. And all of us would be free…*^*

*^*I hope to God that would be RIGHT.*^* Llewelyn's eyes narrowed. *^*But I guess this is the time when I let the curtain fall. I won't hold BACK!*^*

*^*Nor would I, Falstaff.*^* Asaya nodded. *^*Let's rip it!*^*

Zerzens and Sigismund emitted their lights again, and the 2 –Holy Beasts- shot out and intertwined about each other and their respective masters.

Llewelyn rushed towards her, double broadswords bared.

"SHADOW GEIST~~~!!!"

Asaya struck with her rapiers.

"HOLY BRAND~~~!!!"

Another light explosion took place, and all of them shielded their eyes from the blinding glare that ensued. DJ wore shades, and he blinked.

Llewelyn took a graceful somersault in the air and landed squarely on his 2 feet. Asaya took a graceful somersault as well, and landed on both her feet. Their backs were against each other, they were on either side of the arena where they started out, and held their swords as correctly as swordsmen would hold them after a match. Their Beys shot down from up above, and both wobbled haphazardly before they both dipped and stopped spinning and became still.

The audience were silent for a couple of seconds. Llewelyn was breathing heavily, and Asaya was breathing heavily as well, but they each retained their pose and didn't fret.

"Ladies and gentlemen…after that fast and furious fight, the honorary judges have come to a conclusion…that the result of this exhibition match…is a DRAW!" DJ raised his arms in the air. "That was one AWESOME MATCH! A truly great opening salvo for the World Bey Blading Championship TOURNAMENT~~~!!! Everybody, let's give a round of applause…to Llewelyn Falstaff AND Asaya Ninomiya!"

The audience roared and cheered wildly. SD Takao looked like he'd already died and had gone to nirvana.

"Wow wow wow…heh heh heh heh…"

"Takao?" Professor asked, blinking.

"He's in a state of euphoric shock. I can't blame him. They were both AWESOME!" Max grinned. "I think I know now why one wouldn't want a pissed-off –Auran- breathing down his neck."

Lei was quiet. Kai was quiet, as well, his eyes still wide.

"Alright Bladers! After that very awesome display of superior Bey Blading, it is time for you to go register on your respective blocks!" DJ held a piece of paper in his hand. "As you all know, there are 36 teams registered to play in this tournament, and as a result, the Championship Tournament Committee has decided to split the teams into 4 distinct blocks! They are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Each block has their own respective assigned Blade Keeper – that's a snazzed-up mini-CEO for you – whose job is to make each battle fought fair and square, and it is in his jurisdiction to award points and deduct points as he sees fit, or even disqualify a team from playing. Each block contains 9 teams, 9 teams to battle for Bey Blading supremacy – so you can be sure that this would be a VERY tough competition. The competition is divided into prelims, semifinals and finals in EACH block – yes, children, you have to go through EACH of these events BEFORE you could even think of stepping outside your respective block. Each block champion will then have to fight each others' block champions through prelims, semis, and the ULTIMATE championship round between the 2 BEST Bladers of the remaining 2 block champions. The winner of course, would be hailed as the 2003 World Bey Blade CHAMPIONS~~~!!!"

"Wow, this is going to be REALLY tough," Max said, blinking.

"Well then. You are listed on the Gamma block." Chairman Daitenji went over to his home team and smiled. "You would need lots of intense practice and sheer determination and concentration on your side to be able to see to the end of this tournament. These teams aren't ordinary Bladers as you first thought they would be."

"Heh heh heh heh heh…" SD Takao's eyes were huge with sparkly highlights. "Chairman Daitenji, you DON'T have to tell me twice. Wow, I'm REALLY excited!"

"So…are we going to Bey here?" Lei asked, blinking.

"Oh no! This stadium is especially built for the majors. The minors would be fought in each satellite stadium located in and around Paris. You guys would be fighting over at the Eiffel Stadium."

"I see…"

"Takao! Max! Kai! Professor! LEI!" SD Asaya was waving at them from the edge of the arena, where she was alone. Her other teammates were swarmed with the foreign media and of course didn't get to greet them. "So how are you all feeling so far?"

"Nervous but excited." SD Takao turned his sparkly eyed visage at Asaya, and he was short of kowtowing before her. "Wow Asaya you were REALLY REALLY AWESOME!"

"Thanks, Takao," Asaya said with a grin. She looked over at Lei. "Lei, did you receive the package I sent you?"

"U-uh…y-yes…!" SD Lei became chibi neko, his face very red. "Thank you."

"It was nothing, Lei. I'm glad I was able to help." Asaya smiled at him, Nadeshiko Kinomoto style. "If you have any more Bey problems, Professor and I are here to help. OK?"

SD chibi neko Lei became even more minute.

"I'll be heading over to the Eiffel Stadium, I'll just tell Llewelyn and the others over there~~~"

"Miss ASAYAAAAA~~~~!!!" A huge mountainload of bouquets, stuffed toys, chocolates, and books were dropped on an unsuspecting SD Asaya and she was drowned by them. Her Asaya Ninomiya Cheering Brigade were suddenly there in full force, and all of them were crying, with their eyes little slits and pouring over with wavy torrents of tears.

"A…aaa…aaaaccckkk…"

"Miss Asaya, you were AWESOME!"

"Can you do that striking pose again?! I have to download it and send it via e-mail to my groupies back at SENDOUJI~~~!!!"

"I have the Arcandia lineup, all complete – I didn't forget the limited edition Iori Yagami plushie you SOO dearly WANTED!"

"Can I hug YOU?! Can I, CAN I?!"

"Let's go Lei, we'll be late for registration…" Max told him.

"…"

"Lei…?"

"Uh…yes! Right away!" Lei took another look at her, then quickly went after Takao, Kai, and Professor. Max blinked.

***Eh…? Did I miss something out AGAIN?!***