The Japanese WBBA facility was a marvelous place, full of training equipment, stadiums, and all manner of amenities for bladers to enjoy. Valt and Bell were sitting up in the executive suite, and Bell looked mighty impatient.
"Dangit, when's Ranzo gonna be here with his cousin?! I've been waiting here for ten minutes!" Bell complained.
"They'll be here in a moment. Honcho said he'd be a little later than planned because he had to pick up his brother too." Valt reassured Bell that the Kiyama dynasty would be there soon. Sure enough, they all showed up. Ranzo stood on the right side. On the left was a tall young man with bright blond hair that stuck straight up like a field of wheat. He wore a white jacket with a red and yellow flame pattern on the bottom, going with his blue jeans and orange shirt. In the middle was a slightly shorter man with a blond pompadour paired with golden eyes, matching those of his brother. He wore a black coat over a yellowish-orange shirt and brown pants, with a belt that held a manga collection.
"Hey, Valt! We made it!" The middle man spoke proudly. Valt's eyes practically lit up when he saw him.
"Glad you could make it, Honcho! And you brought Ranjiro too!" Valt exclaimed. Ranjiro, the tall one, smiled proudly.
"Hey, I wouldn't dare miss out on a chance like this! When cousin talked to me about this Tyler kid, he seemed real excited. That means I gotta meet him and the new beyclub!" Ranjiro spoke with pride.
"I know a great blader when I see one!" Ranzo began. "The kid held his own in a battle with Bell of all people!" Ranzo spoke confidently. Bell smirked and folded his arms when Ranzo praised him. He liked being praised.
"I will be among the first to endorse Tyler's skills! Few can keep up with the Demon King like he could!" Bell praised Tyler, with hints of his ego showing.
"Riiight, you haven't met my cousins yet!" Ranzo suddenly remembered. "Bell, meet my cousins! Ranjiro's the big one, and Rantaro's the oldest!" Ranzo happily introduced Ranjiro and Rantaro. Bell looked up towards the brothers and smiled.
"Greetings! The Demon King welcomes you!" Bell greeted the brothers.
"Nice to meet you too, Demon King! What's your real name?" Rantaro chuckled. He seemed to like Bell right away.
"If you must know, my name is Bell Daikokuten!" Bell formally introduced himself.
"So, back on topic… where'd you find the beyclub, Valt? Tyler's gotta be training there!" Ranjiro tried to redirect the conversation.
"They met on the school roof! Like we always did!" Valt spoke glowingly. This made Rantaro smile.
"Man, I'm so happy the club is still a thing! Our efforts haven't gone to waste after all!" Rantaro replied.
"So what are we waiting for, then? Let's go!" Ranjiro rallied the group to follow him towards Beigoma Academy. At the academy, Tyler and friends were training long and hard, as usual. Tyler and Sakura were battling each other as Xarvin casually lifted a 500 pound duffel bag over his head. Klarissa was stretching her legs as Nora carefully calculated the results of Klarissa's exercise.
"You've greatly improved since you came back from Phantom's Gate." Sakura pointed out as Talthea rushed the center, battering Shikomi at blazing speeds.
"I've got one goal in mind, Sakura! That's to return to Phantom's Gate and beat Bell! In order to reach Bell's level, I gotta keep training every day!" Tyler proclaimed as Talthea landed a crucial strike on Shikomi, bursting it. He picked up Talthea and noticed the door swing open. The Kiyama dynasty was waiting at the door.
"Hey, guys! We've got visitors!" Tyler called out to the group, which turned their attention to the Kiyama dynasty.
"Who would have guessed that all three Kiyama siblings would appear today?" Sakura asked, surprised. Rantaro smiled.
"You see, Ranzo here told me about a blader named Tyler. Which one of you would that be?" Rantaro asked. Tyler smirked and made a peace sign.
"That's me! Welcome to the beyclub, Rantaro Kiyama!" Tyler greeted Rantaro with his usual confidence. This made Rantaro excited.
"Y'know… my original plan was to just battle you, one on one today." Rantaro began. "But seeing my old beyclub in action like this… I wanna see what all of you can do!" Rantaro challenged the whole beyclub. He seemed very confident in the club's abilities.
"We'd like to challenge you to a three on three team battle!" Ranjiro added to the challenge.
"Whichever team wins twice, wins the battle!" Ranzo concluded. Tyler and friends talked it over for a minute before Tyler, Klarissa, and Sakura all stepped up.
"We accept your challenge! When and where?" Tyler asked.
"Funny you mention that." Rantaro stated. "I booked a trip to the official wbba stadium of Tokyo! Our team battle will be an official exhibition match!" Rantaro announced. The entire beyclub gasped.
"So you're telling me…" Sakura began.
"Our match is going to be on national television?!" Tyler finished. Klarissa's eyes lit up.
"I'M GONNA BE FAMOUS!" Klarissa leapt into the air.
"Uh huh. This match is gonna be seen all over Japan! And it'll take place tomorrow afternoon!" Rantaro shared the key details. Tyler and Klarissa were practically shaking with excitement.
"GOD, I CAN'T WAIT!" Tyler shouted with glee. Rantaro looked down, closed his eyes, and smirked to himself.
"I can't either, man. It's gonna be great! Until then, train as hard as you can!" Rantaro and his siblings took their leave. Tyler and Klarissa were bursting with energy.
"Y'all heard the man, right? The three of us are gonna train harder than ever before! We'll work our butts off to beat the Kiyama dynasty!" Tyler made a vow and raised his hand. Sakura and Klarissa did the same. As the Kiyama dynasty proceeded through the school halls, Ranzo noticed something in the distance. It was Brandon. He noticed the siblings too and confronted them.
"So… Ranzo came here with his siblings." Brandon instigated a conversation, turning the siblings attention towards him.
"And you are…?" Ranjiro asked nonchalantly. Brandon scoffed.
"My name is Brandon Kinsler. I won against that weak link over there." Brandon introduced himself, taking a nasty jab at Ranzo.
"COME AGAIN?!" Ranzo shouted before Rantaro stopped him.
"I know you. Valt told me about you, too." Rantaro directly addressed Brandon. He didn't seem very pleased. "He told me you're a skilled blader with an attitude problem. I can see it with how you talked to my cousin." Rantaro spoke sternly. Brandon folded his arms.
"It's Ranzo's fault that he failed to beat me. I expected better from a blader with the Kiyama name." Brandon retorted, showing no remorse. "I trust you or Ranjiro would likely put up a better fight." Brandon showed his bey to the siblings. Beelzebub gave off a sharp maroon glare.
"I'd teach you a lesson, but not now. We have preparations to make. Maybe I'll battle you later." Rantaro rejected Brandon's challenge and turned to leave, with Ranjiro and Ranzo following him. Brandon went his own way, feeling a little insulted. The siblings arrived back at the facility, where they saw Valt, Bell, and another blader, who wore a red coat over a gold shirt, along with blue pants. He had dark brown hair tied up behind him, along with blue eyes and a red "A" tattoo on his cheek.
"So, how'd it go?" Valt asked. Rantaro smiled.
"The battle's on! It's happening tomorrow afternoon. Tyler and the beyclub promised to train their hardest for this match." Rantaro spoke with confidence.
"Awesome! I can't wait to watch 'em battle! Meeting a new generation of bladers is always exciting!" The kid in the red jacket spoke loudly with a big smile. Ranjiro smirked.
"You could use some new competition, World Champion Aiga!" Ranjiro replied. Aiga, the kid in the red jacket, folded his arms and smiled.
"You know me well, Cap'n! There's no challenge that we can't overcome!" Aiga pulled out his bey, a beautiful red bey with a golden knight design and a pair of sweeping silver swords. "Say hello to Warrior Achilles!" Aiga introduced his bey, which gave off a beautiful red shine. Valt smiled when he saw it.
"Wow, the new Achilles looks great!" Valt complimented his friend's bey.
"Of course! Achilles and I will always find ways to get stronger together! We'll show them all that we're still the best team in the world!" Aiga made a bold proclamation, one he was very capable of backing up. Meanwhile, back at the beyclub, Tyler, Sakura, and Klarissa were training their absolute hardest. A three way battle was raging within the club stadium, where Shikomi took the center, Khystros orbited the middle, and Talthea raced around the edge. All three bladers were visibly sweating, having trained all day. The setting sun made the stadium a bit darker, but still visible.
"Get 'em Talthea! Hit 'em hard!" Tyler rallied his bey. Talthea raced down the slope towards Khystros, where it struck at an angle to tilt Khystros downwards. Khystros scraped against the stadium floor before rebalancing itself.
"You won't knock us down like that, Tyler!" Klarissa retorted as her breaths became somewhat heavy. Sakura smiled gently as she just watched Shikomi spin. Klarissa caught the look in Sakura's eyes and made a move.
"Go, Khystros! Dance like the prima donna you are!" Klarissa cheered on her bey. Khystros gracefully smacked into Shikomi. The defense type proudly took the hit and kept on spinning, while Talthea and Khystros began to lose spin. Soon, both beys stopped, leaving Shikomi as the last bey spinning. Nora tapped her tablet to update the win records of this training session.
"Over the course of forty-four battles, Sakura has won twelve. Tyler won twenty-six. Klarissa only won six." Nora read over the results.
"Let's have one more go!" Tyler replied, putting Talthea back on his launcher. He was definitely a bit tired. Klarissa and Sakura were sweating bullets and breathing heavily.
"S-sureeee… one moreee…" Sakura added. She seemed eager, despite her dwindling energy. But Klarissa couldn't go anymore today. She fell to her knees and tried her best to catch her breath. Recognizing this, Tyler put down his launcher.
"Never mind, then. Klarissa can't keep going, so we'll call it here." Tyler called off the final battle. Then he pulled out Talthea and smiled.
"Hey! Great work today, partner. Keep it up!" Tyler encouraged his bey, which gave off a gorgeous red shine. But this time, Talthea's resonance surrounded Tyler and sent him to a world of pure red. There, the red dragon avatar appeared before him. It towered over the golden haired blader.
"W-Whoa… Talthea? Is that you?" Tyler asked.
"Yes, of course it's me!" Talthea roared, with its deep, booming voice. "I've been waiting for this moment!"
"Well… I'm gonna make it worth the wait! Truth be told, I've been waiting to meet you too!" Tyler replied with a genuine smile on his face and fire in his scarlet eyes.
"Good! Now that you've proven yourself worthy of my presence, I want you to make me a promise." Talthea proposed.
"Sure! What's the promise?" Tyler asked.
"Promise me you'll never give up! Never hold back in battle, and give it all you've got! When you do that, my true power will be yours!" Talthea spoke with authority and price. Tyler looked his partner in the eye and smiled.
"You've got yourself a deal, partner! I wouldn't have given up or held back anyway!" Tyler spoke with pride as he smiled brightly. Talthea returned with a smile of its own.
"That's what I like to hear! Now, Tyler! Let's go show the world what we're made of!" Talthea reached out to Tyler with its large hand. Tyler touched Talthea's hand and smiled at his partner.
"Hell yeah, partner! Let's make some magic together!" Tyler vowed as the red world faded, and Tyler was sent back to reality. Tyler put Talthea in his pocket and smiled at his clubmates.
"Let's have a great battle tomorrow, guys! We'll give the fans a great show!" Tyler rallied his club as the meeting finally ended. The club went their separate ways for the night. The next morning, Tyler woke up in his room. It was a medium sized bedroom with red painted walls, a nice, soft bed, and a television. Tyler's alarm clock woke him up bright and early with the sound of a train horn. He went to shut off his alarm before stretching and turning on the television. On the television was a taller man with spiky gold hair styled like an spark of electricity. He wore a purple coat with pink dragons on it, complimenting his sharp blue eyes.
"Greetings, bey fans! It is I, Commissioner Wakiya Murasaki. I have a special announcement today, courtesy of my good friend Rantaro Kiyama!" Wakiya spoke with a prideful tone. Tyler paid attention to the tv, knowing exactly what Wakiya was going to talk about.
"We have a match coming up! The three Kiyama siblings, Rantaro, Ranjiro, and Razo, have agreed to challenge the Beigoma Academy Beyclub's new top bladers to an exhibition battle. It will be held today at 2:30 this afternoon, in the newly renovated National Arena!" Wakiya explained the important details of the match. "Now, let's meet our challengers! The representatives of the Beigoma Academy Beyclub!" Wakiya smiled as the photos of Tyler, Sakura, and Klarissa appeared on screen. This caught Tyler's eye.
"Ooooh, he's talking about us! Maybe Rantaro told him more about the club!" Tyler jumped out of bed and texted his friends.
"First is Klarissa Kunimitsu! She claims to be a blading idol who serves to inspire millions with her graceful moves and brilliant battles. Her bey is Chiller Khystros, a stamina type." Wakiya talked about Klarissa and revealed an image of her bey before the visuals shifted. "Second is Sakura Miyamoto! She is the so-called mother figure of the beyclub, who keeps the team focused at all times. Her bey is a defense type called Stalk Shikomi!" Wakiya spoke highly of Sakura. Then she screen revealed Tyler. "Last but not least, is Tyler Inouye, the de-facto team captain. He is a rising star in the beyblade world, having gone toe to toe with legends like Bell Daikokuten, Lui Shirosagi, and even Valt Aoi! His skills are almost as expansive as his ego, which rivals even mine! His bey is an attack type, known as Crimson Talthea!" Wakiya praised Tyler, which only fed his ego further.
"The sweet sound of praise. I like it!" Tyler smirked as he watched the screen fade back to the newsroom.
"That's all from me! We'll see you at the stadium soon!" Wakiya waved goodbye as Tyler shut off the television and raced towards his dresser.
"This is our big moment! We're gonna rock this house!" Tyler got himself dressed, picked up Talthea, then raced out the door towards the school, where Klarissa and Sakura waited, along with Principal Shinoda.
"Hey, guys! Sorry if I'm late…" Tyler feared that he arrived too late, seeing Klarissa and Sakura were there already. Sakura shook her head.
"No, Tyler. You're not late. The match isn't for another three hours." Sakura stated.
"We came early because Principal Shinoda gave us extra practice time. He has a stadium set up in the Dance Studio, where the lights will get us used to the big stage!" Klarissa explained with a great big smile.
"Really, now? That sounds handy! I'm so on board!" Tyler mimicked Klarissa's excitement. He was eager to get some last bits of training done.
"Thank you greatly, Principal Shinoda, sir." Sakura politely bowed her head before following Tyler and Klarissa to the dance studio. The studio had dark walls, with some neon lights behind the stage, mimicking the ones in the National Arena. The studio spotlights were shining down upon the stadium, which had lights of its own, mimicking an official WBBA Beystadium.
"Man, this looks awesome!" Tyler's eyes widened as he looked around at the visuals.
"Is this where you spent your time before joining the Beyclub? This is a marvellous setting." Sakura complimented the studio, while looking towards Klarissa, who had a very confident smirk on her face.
"Why yes, that is true! I would dance the night away in front of roaring crowds who loved everything I did on this very stage!" Klarissa began to brag a little bit before leaning up against the stage wall.
"I miss those days a little bit… Even if my clubmates got on my nerves, I still loved dancing with them, with thousands of adoring fans in the stands who watched us night in and night out…" Klarissa mused, happy to have been on this stage so often. Though deep down, she knew that she made the right choice, leaving the club when it got toxic. Tyler smiled, knowing what Klarissa went through.
"Hey… I know how it feels to split off from someone you once loved. It's hard to let go of those good memories, even if leaving was the right choice." Tyler began. "But now you're back here again… ready to make a new memory with us! Wouldn't that be fun?" Tyler asked. Klarissa smiled and nodded.
"Oh I love how understanding you are. I'd be all too happy to make memories with you guys." Klarissa responded with pride as she pulled out Khystros and attached it to her launcher.
"That's the spirit! Let's have a good time!" Tyler smirked as he attached Talthea to his launcher.
"It is truly an honour to make these kinds of memories with people like you… now let us make it a good one." Sakura spoke softly as she attached Shikomi to her launcher. Soon, the bladers launched into another long string of battles, where they gave it their all. The lights only intimidated them for a short moment before they got used to the brightness and atmosphere, courtesy of Principal Shinoda pumping in crowd noise through the speakers. About an hour later, the bladers finished their last battle, with Klarissa coming out on top.
"Man, that dancing experience must have done wonders for your nerves! It's like you're not even winded!" Tyler exclaimed. Klarissa put her hands on her hips and smiled.
"Years of dancing on this stage have prepared me to perform for crowds. It almost feels the same as a typical training match anymore." Klarissa bragged about her abilities. Sakura could only quietly giggle to herself, politely covering her mouth.
"Well now, let's hit the road and perform! The crowds will be waiting for us!" Klarissa rallied the club to take off. They did so, but suddenly Tyler turned to notice someone in the back of the bleachers.
"Umm… I'll catch up in a moment." Tyler informed his friends before venturing up the bleachers to see Brandon causally sitting in the back row. "H-Hey, Brandon. What are you doing here…?" Tyler asked. Brandon looked at Tyler with his signature scowl.
"I was watching you train. You've been busy as of late." Brandon began. "Look, I just need to tell you something. Listen closely." Brandon spoke in his usual sharp tone, but it sounded more intense than usual.
"Ummm… sure! What's up?" Tyler asked.
"I heard about your battle with the Kiyama Dynasty. It was all over the news. You've trained harder than I've ever seen you train before. You put a lot of time into honing your skills… so I'm going to warn you now. Don't you dare lose. Even if your clubmates falter, don't you dare lose to your opponent. Whether that's Rantaro, Ranjiro, or Ranzo, you can't afford to lose. If you do, all that time spent training would have been wasted. Do you want that?" Brandon's tone was sharper than usual, but he spoke with conviction. Tyler recognized this and smiled at his former friend.
"Of course not. I won't lose. Not with all the time I put into preparing for this battle. Not with the pressure of battling on national television. There's too much riding on this battle for me to lose." Tyler matched Brandon's conviction, with a dash of his pride. "You can count on it, Brandon." Tyler reached out to Brandon, who refused his handshake.
"I'm not saying this because you're my friend, because you aren't. I'm saying this because winning is your only option." Brandon got up and left the dance studio. Tyler felt a little hurt that Brandon said they weren't friends. But he understood Brandon's message. Just win. Tyler left the studio, going from the other entrance to meet Sakura and Klarissa at the school entrance, where a small bus waited.
"What kept you, Tyler? Was it an extra launch?" Sakura asked.
"Nope. Brandon wanted to wish me luck on the match." Tyler embellished his story slightly, to not worry his friends. Klarissa smirked.
"So get on the bus with us! Unless you can keep up on foot, that is." Klarissa teased. Tyler knew he could, but he wanted to ride with hi friends. So he got on the bus and sat next to Sakura. He took a deep breath and smiled. The beyclub was on its way to a nationally televised match. The bus rolled down the road before hanging a right towards the dock. The street led the bus down a straightaway towards the stadium, which dominated its block with its pretty glass exterior and wide shape. The bus stopped at the main entrance of the stadium, where the club got off.
"Well… here we are. The National Arena." Sakura spoke calmly.
"At least in Japan, this is the biggest stage you can find. I cannot wait!" Klairssa practically jumped for joy. Tyler folded his arms and smirked.
"This is it… the biggest battle of our lives. Y'all ready?" Tyler turned towards his clubmates and reached out his hand.
"We're ready!" The clubmates took his hand and they raised their connected hands to the sky.
"Yeah, that's how we roll! LET'S MAKE SOME HISTORY!" Tyler rallied his club as they entered the arena together. The lobby was packed with people coming to see the match. There were people of all shapes and sizes, ranging from little kids, to big people like Xarvin. A stadium official spotted the three bladers and waved to get their attention.
"Greetings! You must be the representatives of the Beigoma Academy Beyclub. Right this way, please." The official directed the bladers towards a set of stairs, which went downwards towards a wide, expansive room. The official led the group to the second door on the left, which had a camera in front of a green screen.
"Since you have yet to take your ID pictures, please take them here." The official gave the bladers instructions.
"Sounds good to me!" Tyler nodded as he went first. He folded his arms and looked into the camera with a confident smirk on his face. The camera snapped his photo.
"Good. Now while your friend gets her picture done, scan your bey on that machine over there." The official directed Tyler towards a bey scanning machine, which scanned Talthea's parts and produced a graphic of the bey, complete with an Attack Type label. Sakura stood with her hands at her sides and a serious expression as the camera took her photo. Then Klarissa stood on one foot and did a t-pose, smiling brilliantly for the camera. Once everyone and their beys were registered, the official guided them towards the waiting room, where they sat on the benches together. Waiting for them was Valt, Bell, and Aiga.
"Hey, Beyclub! Welcome to the biggest stadium in the country! Isn't it exciting to battle on a stage like this?" Valt greeted the club.
"Of course! We don't get a chance like this very often!" Tyler responded to Valt's greeting. Klarissa's eyes were locked on the world champion himself, Aiga Akaba.
"My goodness… I'm standing face to face with the world champion of Beyblade!" Klarissa was very excited, and her cheeks were pink.
"Nice to meet you! Can't wait to watch how you battle!" Aiga greeted Klarissa, who went into a fangirly dancing fit. Sakura looked down at Bell, very confused.
"So… you are the Demon King who defeated both Tyler and Brandon?" Sakura asked.
"Well well! You did your research! Yes, I am the great Demon King! It is a pleasure to meet you!" Bell responded in his usual flashy way.
"You… look a little short to be a Demon King." Sakura pointed out Bell's height. He was barely at her shoulders.
"Fool, I'm much stronger than I look!" Bell snapped, feeling belittled. Valt and the other could only giggle.
"Well then… the match starts very soon. Hope you're ready for a great battle!" Valt waved goodbye and left the room, with Bell and Aiga sticking close.
"Aaaahaha OHMYGOSHIMETAIGA!" Klarissa was talking so fast that she could barely be understood.
"Whoo… settle down, Klarissa. You do not want to lose focus on your match." Sakura warned. Klarissa sat on the bench to cool herself off.
"Right… yes. Thank you, dear Sakura…" Klarissa sighed as another official came into the room.
"Your battle is set to begin. Please make your way to the tunnel. When your names are called, then you may emerge from the tunnel." The official gave the group solid instructions.
"Will do, sir! Let's rock and roll!" Tyler nodded as he led the group down the tunnel, which was lit with pink and green lights shaped like stars. There was a hole at the end, peering into the stadium itself. The lights were dimmed, so only the ribbon boards in the stands were visible from this angle. Then, a voice came in through the stadium speakers.
"Good afternoon, beyfans! I'm Gunta Hanami, and I'm here to bring you this official WBBA Exhibition Match! It's set to be a truly exciting battle between two teams of three excellent bladers!" Hanami began to speak. A spotlight shone upon the opposite tunnel, revealing the three Kiyama siblings.
"Introducing the Kiyama Dynasty! Rantaro, Ranjiro, and Ranzo Kiyama!" Hanami introduced the Kiyama's as they took their place on the team patio, which had a nice metal fence with a gate on the right side. Then, a spotlight shone on the Beyclub's tunnel. The three bladers emerged into the spotlight.
"Meet our challengers, the newest generation of the Beigoma Academy Beyclub! Their names are Klarissa Kunimitsu, Sakura Miyamoto, and Tyler Inouye!" Hanami introduced the beyclub as the crowds roared. Deep within the crowds, Xarvin and Nora were there, cheering for the beyclub. Brandon stood off to the side, watching from afar. A blader with purple hair and purple eyes stood in the distance, smiling with a set of sharp teeth.
"Now then! This exhibition match is a team battle! Each team consists of three bladers! There are up to three battles, where each team selects a blader to go up and represent them. Each battle follows the first to three points rule! The first blader to win three points wins a point for their team, and the first team to get two team points, wins the match! Is everyone ready?!" Hanami explained the rules before hyping up the crowd of over 60,000 spectators, divided into three tiers of seating.
"Alright then! Let's see who is going first from each team!" Hanami announced. The Kiyama dynasty talked it over before sending Ranzo out to battle. He scanned his bey on the bey scanner and ran to the stadium floor.
"HOLA, AMIGOS!" Ranzo shouted to the massive crowd. The beyclub talked over their choice too.
"So.. who wants to battle Ranzo?" Sakura asked. Klarissa stepped up.
"I would like to battle Ranzo. I am certain that I can beat him in a battle of raw stamina." Klarissa spoke with clarity and confidence.
"If you think you can, go for it! Tyler encouraged Klarissa to go to battle. She scanned her bey on the bey scanner and danced her way to the stadium floor.
"Here we go! Our first battle is between the Brazilian cyclone, Ranzo Kiyama! And the icy idol, Klarissa Kunimitsu!" Hanami announced the first match.
"Well well, Ranzo… the weak link of the Kiyama family." Klarissa began. "I will show you the true beauty of bey battles! The flash, the excitement, the joy of performing for a crowd that loves me!" Klarissa taunted her opponent as she showed him her bey.
"Chiller Khystros will put on a beautiful display, for all of my adoring fans!" Klarissa spoke with pride and confidence. She was ready to win this battle.
"Weak link, huh? We'll see about that Get ready for a showdown with me and Typhoon Ragnaruk!" Ranzo replied to Klarissa's jabs, showing off his bey.
"First Battle." The official referee called. Ranzo and Klarissa attached their beys to their launchers.
"Ready, set!" The referee raised his hand.
"Three!" Klarissa moved her left leg behind her. Ranzo lifted his right foot to his head.
"Two!" Klarissa moved her left hand high into the air. Ranzo held his launcher behind him at head hight.
"One!" Klarissa began spinning like a ballerina. Ranzo stomped his foot and held his launcher straight.
"LET IT RIP!" Klarissa stopped spinning as she and Ranzo launched at full power. Khystros and Rangaruk landed and both went for center stage.
"The center is ours! Let's make the stage our own!" Klarissa boldly proclaimed as Khystros took the center for itself, guarding against Ragnaruk's initial attack with its rounded shape.
"Khystros is the first to claim center stage! Klarissa's bey spins gracefully in the middle like a ballerina!" Hanami exclaimed. Klarissa was loving the attention she was getting. She waved to the crowd as she watched Ragnaruk circle around, wasting precious time.
"You can do it, Ragnaruk! Get 'em outta there!" Ranzo called out to his bey. He knew he was in a bad spot. Without center stage, Ragnaruk couldn't do much, other than try to attack. So Ragnaruk came out swinging, trying to force Khystros out of the center. Klarissa could only laugh at Ranzo's desperation.
"Ohohoho~ Keep trying all you want, but this stage is mine, and mine alone! The spotlight is all mine!" Klarissa bragged to Ranzo as the crowd around her cheered.
"Ragnaruk can't even touch Khystros when it's lodged in the center! Has Ranzo doomed himself or does he have a plan?" Hanami commented on Ranzo's situation. Ragnaruk began to wobble, losing its spin and balance before tipping over next to Khystros, which had barely lost spin.
"Chiller Khystros wins round 1 with a Survivor Finish. Point Standings 0-1!" The referee raised his right hand, pointing towards Klarissa. The crowd erupted as Tyler did a fist bump with Sakura.
"Great start, Klarissa! Keep it up!" Tyler called out to his teammate. Klarissa flipped her hair for the crowd.
"How did you like my brilliant performance?" Klarissa turned to the crowd and waved her arms to hype the place up. The crowd roared loudly for her.
"Klarissa can certainly hype up a crowd! Now the whole building is on her side! Can she excite the crowd even more with another win? Or does Ranzo turn the tables and tie this game?" Hanami set the stage for an exciting second round.
"Second battle!" The referee announced as Klarissa and Ranzo took their launching stances.
"Ready, set!" The referee raised his hand.
"Three!" Klarissa moved her left leg behind her. Ranzo lifted his right foot to his head.
"Two!" Klarissa moved her left hand high into the air. Ranzo held his launcher behind him at head hight.
"One!" Klarissa began spinning like a ballerina. Ranzo stomped his foot and held his launcher straight.
"LET IT RIP!" Klarissa stopped spinning as she and Ranzo launched at full power. Khystros went for the center, but Ragnaruk moved around the outer ring.
"Khystros effortlessly claims the center, but can they hold it? Ragnaruk looks to swoop in for an attack!" Hanami announced. Ranzo smiled and cracked his knuckles.
"Get 'em Ragnaruk! Take the middle for yourself!" Ranzo called out to his bey. Ragnaruk raced towards the middle, using the stadium slope to build up momentum for a big attack. Ragnaruk smacked into Khystros with its stamina wing, but it barely moved the blue bey.
"Again! Go, Ragnaruk!" Ranzo yelled again. Ragnaruk tried the same attack, andit got the same result. Khystros stayed lodged in the center where it started. Klarissa laughed to herself, putting her hand at the bottom of her mouth and showing off her sparkly blue fingernails.
"I love watching you try to knock me away, little guy! Unfortunately for you, I'm too perfect to knock out like that!" Klarissa's ego was starting to come out. This visibly annoyed Ranzo.
"Hey, not cool to toot your own horn so much!" Ranzo shouted as Ragnaruk went in for another attack, but it failled to move Khystros, taking a click in the process. Klarissa noticed this.
"Oh, my dear… your battle is about to end anyway… Now rise, Khystros! Take the stage by storm!" Klarissa called out to her bey as her light blue and silver resonance emerged. Khystros's blue resonance burst forth as a feminine blue knight emerged, with silver swords for legs and two golden twintails. The knight reached behind her and unsheathed her ice sword as her golden eyes glowed. Khystros itself began glowing a brilliant blue as it stayed spinning in the center.
"Oh yeah? Well let's see about that! Go, Ragnaruk!" Ranzo called out to Ragnaruk as it charged directly at Khystros from a high angle. Klarissa clapped her hands together and smiled.
"Let's put on a show, Khystros! Dazzle the crowds and light up their lives with Endless Freeze!" Klarissa blew a kiss to the crowd before moving her arms outwards as if she were looking for a hug. Khystros took Ragnaruk's attack without moving an inch. Ragnaruk unfortunately could not break through the wall and bursted. Ranzo stood there in absolute shock.
"Chiller Khystros wins with a burst finish! With a score of 0-3, Klarissa Kunimitsu is our winner!" The referee announced.
"What a dazzling display! Klarissa takes her flashy moves from her dancing career and beautifully transferred them to Beyblade, resulting in a truly beautiful battle!" Hanami recapped the battle with his usual excited tone.
"Great job, Klarissa!" Xarvin cheered from the stands.
"That was amazing!" Nora added. Over in an executive suite, Valt was watching the battles with Aiga and Bell. The latter was very disappointed.
"Ranzo, how'd you do that? I could have beaten her no problem!" Bell sternly spoke.
"Settle down, Bell. Klarissa did very well on her own. She had a great battle!" Valt congratulated Klarissa as Bell pouted and folded his arms. Ranzo sullenly returned to his team, while Klarissa danced her way back to her teammates.
"Did you hear what Hanami said? My battle was beautiful!" Klarissa bragged about her battle with a glimmer in her eye.
"Damn right you did! You were a dominant force in your battle! What a first impression!" Tyler congratulated his friend, offering a hi-five for Klarissa. She took the offer, happily giving Tyler a hi-five.
"So… who has the honour of following my act?" Klarissa asked.
"I would like to go next. We will save Tyler for the last battle, just in case." Sakura offered to go next.
"Sounds like a plan! Go kick some butt, or I'll have to do it for you!" Tyler cheered on his friend as she scanned her bey and walked over to the stadium. On the other team patio, Ranjiro quickly scanned his bey and ran towards the stadium.
"Our second battle is confirmed! It's the blazing wild child Ranjiro Kiyama, versus the studious sister figure, Sakura Miyamoto!" Hanami announced the matchup. Ranjiro tilted his head and smiled.
"Yo, Sakura! Think you can beat me?" Ranjiro challenged Sakura with a sense of pride in his voice. Sakura nodded.
"I will give it my very best. Do me a favour and do not hold back." Sakura accepted Ranjiro's challenge, staring him in the eye with an expression of determination. Ranjiro took out his launcher.
"So you're the all business type. Alright then! Me and Typhoon Ragnaruk will have some fun with you!" Ranjiro revealed his bey, a white recolor of Ranzo's bey. Sakura pulled out her own bey.
"Stalk Shikomi will be your opponent. It is the impregnable wall that none can overcome." Sakura made a bold claim, unusual for her. Tyler took notice.
"Huh. Sakura is usually more modest. I guess she really wants to win!" Tyler complimented his friend.
"We'll see about that!" Ranjiro responded. Meanwhile, the purple haired blader in the back of the stands could only chuckle.
"Heh… no wall is truly unbreakable…" The mysterious blader took out his bey, a dark purple bey with eight hammer-like blades. It gave off a menacing aura.
"First battle!" The referee called. Ranjiro attached his bey to his launcher.
"Ready, set!" The referee raised his hand.
"Three!" Ranjiro kneeled down lower to the stadium. Sakura stood perfectly straight with her legs together as she put Shikomi on her launcher.
"Two!" Ranjiro held his launcher right above the stadium at a flat angle. Sakura moved her right arm behind her.
"One!" Ranjiro gripped the string handle on his launcher. Sakura moved her right hand to the string handle on her launcher.
"LET IT RIP!" Ranjiro and Sakura pulled on the strings of their launchers as hard as they could. Shikomi immediately took the center as Ragnaruk raced around the stadium.
"Could this be a repeat of the first battle? Sakura has adopted her teammate's center hanging strategy!" Hanami called out. Sakura shook her head.
"Shikomi is a much different bey from Khystros. Just watch us battle." Sakura proclaimed as she kept her hands at her sides.
"Let's see what your bey can handle! Go, Ragnaruk!" Ranjiro commanded Ragnaruk into battle. Ragnaruk leaned over a bit to ram into Shikomi with its wing. Then it came back in to smack Shikomi again. Shikomi budged slightly from the center, but it did not go far.
"Attacks like those will hardly graze Shikomi." Sakura stated bluntly.
"Oh yeah? Well try this!" Ranjiro sniped back as Ragnaruk tilted slightly to smash Shikomi towards the ground. It worked, causing Shikomi to tilt slightly before rebalancing itself.
"Oh my! Ranjiro might have found a way around Shikomi's defense! Do we have a breakthrough here?" Hanami announced with a surprised tone. Sakura watched as Ragnaruk kept tilting Shikomi again and again, though Ragnaruk was losing its balance. Sakura clenched her fists as her purple and black resonance emerged around her.
"No matter what you try, you cannot break through our defenses! Now rise, Shikomi!" Sakura shouted as Shikomi's purple resonance thrusted into battle. The avatar emerged, depicting a purple cloak, with a pair of glowing green eyes in the face opening, and a pair of black and gold shield designs on the sides of the cloak. Shikomi glowed a beautiful purple as Ragnaruk came hurtling towards it.
"Let us reveal our impenetrable defenses! Cloak Guard!" Sakura stood in a guarding stance as Shikomi took attack after attack, this time without budging an inch. Shikomi stayed there until Ragnaruk wobbled and then toppled over.
"Stalk Shikomi wins with a survivor finish! The score is 0-1!" The referee pointed his arm towards Sakura.
"An outstanding defensive display from Sakuya Miyamoto and Stalk Shikomi! They held off Ranjiro's offense while barely budging an inch! Now will Sakura finish her match the same way Klarissa did, or does Ranjiro have a trick up his sleeve?" Hanami recapped the match. Ranjiro ran a comb through his extremely tall hair, smirking proudly.
"Heh. Not bad! Your defenses are potent!" Ranjiro complimented his opponent. Then he bit into his lollipop.
"I'll still find a way through! When I do, you'll really feel it!" Ranjiro proclaimed as he folded his arms. Sakura folded her arms as well, staring into Ranjiro's eyes.
"You are very confident in your abilities. I quite like that… but confidence alone will not allow you to defeat Shikomi and myself!" Sakura responded with a heavy tone, ready to prove Ranjiro wrong.
"Second battle!" The referee called out. Ranjiro attached Ragnaruk to his launcher.
"Let's start with a bang, Ragnaruk. Show 'em what we can really do!" Ranjiro thought to himself, smiling.
"Ready, set!" The referee raised his hand.
"Three!" Ranjiro kneeled down lower to the stadium. Sakura stood perfectly straight with her legs together as she put Shikomi on her launcher.
"Two!" Ranjiro held his launcher right above the stadium at a flat angle. Sakura moved her right arm behind her.
"One!" Ranjiro gripped the string handle on his launcher. Sakura moved her right hand to the string handle on her launcher.
"LET IT RIP!" Ranjiro and Sakura pulled on the strings of their launchers as hard as they could. Shikomi landed and moved to the center, while Ragnaruk ran towards the top of the stadium slope.
"Shikomi claims the center, ready to repeat its previous formula! But look out, Ragnaruk climbed to the top of the stadium, revving up to attack!" Hanami announced as Ranjiro thrusted his fist forwards.
"Time for a rude awakening! Go, Ragnaruk!" Ranjiro called out to his bey as Ragnaruk qickly charged down the slope and smacked into Shikomi, using the back of its stamina wing to flick Shikomi away, near the top of the slope. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as Ragnaruk rolled back towards the top of the slope.
"Did ya miss it, Sakura? Let me show you again!" Ranjiro spoke confidently as Ragnaruk charged back down the slope, where it met Shikomi halfway up the other side, where it smacked Shikomi into a wall.
"What a change of events! Ragnaruk is leaving Shikomi with no room to breathe as it crashes into the defense type over and over!" Hanami shouted, quite surprised by the sudden switch in strategy.
"Hold your guard, Shikomi! Don't give an inch!" Sakura called out to her bey as Shikomi rumbled towards the center. Ranjiro had other plans, however.
"Oh no, you don't get the middle today! Send 'em flying, Ragnaruk!" Ranjiro wagged his finger as he pulled out a new lollipop, holding it like a lance. Ragnaruk charged back up the slope and ran towards Shikomi, smashing into it and knocking both beys backwards. Ragnaruk landed near the center as Shikomi crashed into a wall, starting to lose its balance.
"Shikomi, nooo!" Sakura desperately called out to her bey, but Shikomi wobbled and wobbled before clinking against Ragnaruk and then coming to a stop.
"Typhoon Ragnaruk wins with a Survivor Finish! The score is 1-1!" The referee pointed his arm at Ranjiro, who put his new lollipop into his mouth, smiling.
"Ranjiro turns the tables with a pressuring offense! It's much harder to play defense when your bey isn't in center stage!" Hanami recapped the match. In the crowd, Nora sighed.
"He's right… defense and stamina type beys rely on the center. Otherwise, they become prone to knockouts and wasting spin." Nora pitched her thoughts. Brandon stood off to the side, looking disappointed as Sakura picked up her bey.
"How'd ya like that, Sakura?" Ranjiro gloated about his victory. Sakura's eyelids sunk to half mast. She did not want to listen to Ranjiro's bragging.
"Let us finish this battle… I am in no mood for banter." Sakura responded bluntly. Tyler noticed the look in Sakura's eyes.
"Uh oh… Sakura's starting to get impatient. That's not good news…" Tyler sighed. He grew nervous for Sakura.
"Third battle!" The referee called the start of the third battle. Ranjiro attached Ragnaruk to his launcher with a big grin on his face.
"Ready, set!" The referee raised his hand.
"Three!" Ranjiro kneeled down lower to the stadium. Sakura stood perfectly straight with her legs together as she put Shikomi on her launcher.
"Two!" Ranjiro held his launcher right above the stadium at a flat angle. Sakura moved her right arm behind her.
"One!" Ranjiro gripped the string handle on his launcher. Sakura moved her right hand to the string handle on her launcher.
"LET IT RIP!" Ranjiro and Sakura pulled on the strings of their launchers as hard as they could. Ragnaruk quickly took the center as Shikomi raced around the middle of the slope.
"I'm right here, Sakura! Come and get me!" Ranjiro taunted his opponent nto making a move. He held out his pointer finger and motioned for Sakura to come closer. This set her right off.
"Oh, is that how you'd like to play? Fine. You have incurred my wrath, so you must suffer the consequences!" Sakura snapped, thrusting her hand forwards. Shikomi leaned onto the ring of the Prize driver and shot towards Ragnaruk like a black jet.
"Looks like Ranjiro found a way into Sakura's head! Suddenly she's the one playing offense!" Hanami announced as Shikomi ran into Ragnaruk, dealing minimal damage. Ragnaruk just kept on spinning as Shikomi smacked into it again and again.
"Just keep going, Shikomi! Claim the center as your own!" Sakura angrily called out to her bey.
"Heh. If you insist!" Ranjiro grinned as Ragnaruk left the center, allowing Shikomi to take the position. Ragnaruk raced around the middle of the stadium slope before reaching the outer ridge, where it started to gain speed.
"What is the matter, Kiyama? Afraid to attack, are you?" Sakura retorted, feeling rather annoyed. Ranjiro smirked as his orange and white resonance came alive around him.
"Alright then! It's showtiiiiime!" Ranjiro called out as he bit into his lollipop. Ragnaruk's white resonance emerged, revealing a brown goat demon with black horns, a set of silver armor, and an orange chest plate with two cyan eyes and a mouth. The goat demon roared as the tip of its horns caught fire. Ragnaruk's wings glowed a brilliant gold as it charged down to meet Shikomi. Ranjiro's arm glowed a bright gold as he raised it to the sky.
"Here it comes! Ragnaruk's Typhoon Attack!" Ranjiro proudly called out to his bey. Ragnaruk leaned over, allowing the edge of the Flugel driver's cone tip to make contact. Ragnaruk suddenly shot towards Shikomi like a rocket, causing it to burst right there. Sakura gasped as she watched Shikomi's pieces hit the ground.
"Typhoon Ragnaruk wins with a Burst Finish! With a score of 3-1, Ranjiro Kiyama is the winner!" The referee pointed his hand towards the smiling Ranjiro.
"Oh wow! Sakura lost her temper and it cost her the match! Now both teams are knotted up at one win a piece! By process of elimination, our final battle will be between the team captains!" Hanami recapped the match and announced the final battle. Sakura walked over to the team patio, disappointed in herself.
"I'm sorry… I lost control and battled recklessly…" Sakura sighed. Tyler patted her on the back.
"Sounds like Ranjiro got into your head. Don't worry too much about it. I'll take care of business!" Tyler smiled at Sakura as he scanned his bey and bolted towards the stadium. Meanwhile, on the other side, the Kiyama siblings were hi-fiving each other with smiles on their faces.
"Great win, my hermano!" Ranzo celebrated his cousin's victory. Ranjiro had a good laugh.
"Man, that was a blast! Winning feels so good!" Ranjiro bragged a bit before Rantaro scanned his bey.
"Wish me luck, brothers! I'm gonna go out and finish the job!" Rantaro leapt over the railing and ran towards the stadiu, where he met Tyler face to face. Their battle was going to be electrifying.