"That was exciting." Sorath was insanely calm, "Very interesting indeed. I'll be looking foreword to your next battle with whoever wins this one! Szandryx VS Taikeita!"

Unable to handle the violence, Taikeita had passed out long ago. Szandryx kicked him awake with a steel-toed boot.

"Come on!" Szandryx's voice was a raspy maniacal growl, "Fight me!"

"Where am I?" Taikeita moaned, sat up, and blinked twice, "Who are you?"

Everything about Szandryx's features from his dark sunglasses to his upturned nose to his wide grin contributed to his face looking like a skull.

"This is Armageddon." Szandryx explained, "If you win, you get the forbidden bey Nemesis. You can use it to change the world."

"So, I can make it all happy again!" Taikeita smiled, "All right! Lets go!"

The two of them walked into the arena and launched their beys.

"Three... two... one... let it rip!" Taikeita cheered as Sorath sighed.

Taikeita's bey was Solar Leone. It was red and yellow with two thin tail-like protrusions. Szandryx's bey, Demise Sagittario, was black with silver blades that were large, sharp, and serrated.

"All right!" Taikeita jumped up and down, "Lets do this! Special move: Sparkling Sunrise!"

His bey spirit appeared as a burning two-tailed cat as sparks shot out from the tails on the bey. It charged at Sagittario but didn't seem to have much of an effect. If anything, Leone was the bey that was damaged from the attack.

"Show him how it's done, Sagittario." Szandryx growled, "Slaughter him!"

The spirit of Sagittario was that of a demonic knight with armor made of bones riding a pale horse. Leone broke apart from the sheer friction of the many blades of Sagittario. The surviving bey used the debris of Leone as a ramp to fly upwards and into Taikeita's stomach. Taikeita screamed, died, and fell to the ground as Sagittario tore away at his entrails and caused blood and guts to fly everywhere for several minutes.

"This tournament is not for the faint of heart." Szandryx growled, catching the shuriken-like Sagittario in his hand.

"And so, the first round is over." Sorath clapped in a calm and quiet way. They eight remaining bladers turned their focus to him.

"At the end of every round, I will reveal a secret."

"So, what's your secret this time!?" Lucien yelled impatiently.

"I am Nemesis." Sorath smiled mysteriously.

"That can't be true." Alessandro said, "I though Nemesis was a beyblade."

"Whoa there!" Larry yelled, "Nemesis is the prize of the tournament! There's no way I'm gonna bring you home with me! No homo!"

"Damn, Sorath!" Damitrius added, "You're one crazy motherfucker!"

"ARRA DHAARHD'R KH'AOS" Rh'ki rambled, "TIAMAT MARD'K K'RIOS DHAH'T'KK IKHIKHI"

"When I get my talons on you, I'll sever your head!" Apophis threatened Sorath, "And then, I'll use your skull as a chalice for the blood of the entire human race!"

"Excuse me, War Master Sorath." Asher addressed Sorath politely, "Could you please explain exactly how you're Nemesis?"

"I am a shapeshifter." Sorath explained, "I have taken on the form of a human to host this tournament. If you win, I will make your wishes come true."

Asher didn't like what he was feeling. He wanted to win so that he could purify the world, but he didn't sense that he would.

"I'm going to have to try my hardest!" Asher resolved.