A few hours later, Aichi's door opened and Silver Eye walked inside. Aichi was pretty scared as he walked up to him. "Come with me," Silver Eye said. Aichi cautiously got off his bed and followed him. He held Spriggan tightly as he was guided through the hallways. Silver Eye was walking at a very fast pace and Aichi was having a hard time keeping up. Silver Eye didn't even give him a glance to see if he was following along easily.
Soon Silver Eye reached a room and walked inside. "Silver Eye, you finally got here. Where is the kid?" Ashtem asked him while holding a tablet. Silver Eye turned to see that Aichi wasn't beside him anymore.
Silver Eye looked outside into the hallway and didn't see Aichi there either. Meanwhile, Aichi was looking around lost. Silver Eye turned a corner and when he followed, Aichi lost him. He sighed and looked around nervously. "Where am I…?" He muttered while continuing to walk around. He ran into Gold Eye in the hallway and felt a bit of relief.
"What are you doing here?" Gold Eye asked him with a deep voice.
"I got lost…" Aichi answered with a shaky voice. Gold Eye looked at him from top to bottom and noticed his legs were shaking like they were going to give in any moment. They suddenly heard a ringing and Gold Eye answered it.
"Ashtem. I'm with the kid right now," Gold Eye greeted while keeping an eye on Aichi.
"Bring him to the lab," Ashtem said.
"Okay, I'll be there soon," Gold Eye answered. He closed the phone and sighed. Aichi stepped back a little from fear when the man reached out for him. He stiffened and closed his eyes as the man lifted him up into his arms.
Aichi slowly looked up, shaking in his arms. He didn't feel safe or comfortable at all. Gold Eye just pretended he wasn't there. "I wish Shu was here…" he thought to himself while looking down. They soon reached a room where Silver Eye, Ashtem and scientists were waiting. Gold Eye put Aichi down on the metal table in the centre of the room and got hooked up to the machine behind.
They did that for a few days straight for extremely long hours and the progress was amazing. "Ashtem, the Requiem seems to be ready for use," Silver Eye relayed a message from the scientists. Ashtem looked at Aichi through the cameras. He looked really tired recently and slept for most of the day.
"Where is Red Eye?" Ashtem asked him with his head leaning on his arm.
"We don't know where he is right now," Gold Eye answered.
"I suppose it cannot be helped. As long as we have this kid in our hands, he is bound to return, which is why I am not worried. We'll be going back to the Raging Bulls tonight. We must welcome a new recruit," Ashtem ordered.
The next day, Aichi heard muffled noises in his sleep and weakly opened his eyes. He was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. "Aichi! Are you in there?!" He heard a muffled cry. He recognized the voice and pulled himself up. He heard a lot of banging like doors were getting punched and kicked in when his door suddenly burst open.
"Aichi!" It was Xander and he had a friend with him that he didn't recognize. Xander ran over and put his hand on Aichi's forehead since he didn't look well. "We'll get you out! How could they lock you in here like this?" Xander lifted Aichi up into his arms and ran out of the room.
"Xander, it really was a crazy idea raiding this place with just you and me, but at least we found the kid," Xander's friend commented while looking at Aichi who began struggling in Xander's arms.
"Aichi, stop moving around," Xander scolded him while continuing to run through the halls.
"I said I would stay here and wait for him…" Aichi said weakly.
"Shu isn't coming back for you, Aichi… Your mom asked me to get you out of here," Xander responded bluntly. Aichi turned his face into Xander's shirt and began crying.
Aichi cried loudly while clenching Xander's shirt as they ran past defeated Bladers. Xander and his friend looked sympathetic to Aichi as they left the Snake Pit. "What is wrong with you, Shu?" Xander thought while patting Aichi's back lightly to try to calm him down.
He remembered receiving a call from Shu's mom. "Shu's mom! It's been a while! How is Aichi and Shu doing?" He asked her enthusiastically. He was just getting settled with his team for the World League.
"Xander, that is actually what I have to talk to you about… I got a message from Aichi a little while ago saying that he is going to Mexico to try to find Shu. I haven't heard from him since and I got a call from Shu a while ago saying he was fine… but he didn't sound like himself…" Shu's mom explained to him frantically.
"Okay! I just so happen to be in Brazil right now, I'll go to Mexico to look for him," He assured her. He took one of his team members with him as well. He never would have imagined Shu would leave him in a dark room alone.
Aichi had fallen asleep after crying so much and his exhaustion. Xander and his teammate were staying with him in the hotel room. "Your childhood friend really left his brother in this state? I thought that you said he cared a lot about him," Xander's friend commented while looking at Aichi.
"Ren, I'm going to go back to Japan first. I need to take him back home first," Xander responded.
"Sure, but come back soon," Ren answered.
When Aichi woke up, it was dark outside and sat up. Xander was sleeping on the couch and Ren was sleeping in another bed. He looked down and pulled out Storm Spriggan. Tears fell on the energy layer and he suddenly heard a voice. "My Vanguard…" Blaster Blade appeared at his bedside, kneeling down.
Aichi turned to him with tears in his eyes. "Blaster Blade…" he whimpered. Blaster Blade smiled and Storm Spriggan began glowing brightly.
"I will be with you, my Vanguard," Blaster Blade whispered to Aichi. He looked down to see that Storm Spriggan changed forms into a different form.
Aichi smiled while laying down and hugging Blaster Blade to sleep. Blaster Blade appeared in spirit form sitting on his bed. He was watching over him carefully but decided he shouldn't step in until Aichi was out of the watchful eye of Ashtem.
"Aichi, wake up! We're going home," Xander called first thing in the morning. He noticed that Aichi looked a lot better than last night and the new Beyblade in his hands. "Are you feeling better?"
Aichi nodded before getting up. He looked down and saw Blaster Blade in his hands and looked relieved. "Let's get going. We might miss our flight if we don't go now!" He said with a smile. Aichi nodded as Xander lifted him up into his arms. It looked like Ren already left.
Xander took Aichi back to Japan where his mom was waiting. "Aichi!" She cried while running to them. She looked relieved to see Aichi in Xander's arms.
"Mom," Aichi responded, looking a little sad. Xander transferred him to her waiting arms.
"Thank you so much, Xander! I can't thank you enough!" She cried while holding onto Aichi tightly. She looked like she was almost in tears.
"No problem! Aichi is like a little brother to me too! I need to get going now! I have a flight back to Brazil," Xander said while looking at the time.
"Thank you, Xander!" Aichi thanked with a bow. Xander smiled and ruffled Aichi's head before leaving.
"Let's go home, Aichi," she said. Aichi hugged onto his mom tightly as she carried him out of the airport. She took him back to the apartment building. On route to home, Aichi remembered everything he did with Shu in specific spots and looked down. His mom looked at him worriedly as they drove home.
"Shu isn't coming back for me anymore…" Aichi thought to himself. It was only when he entered Shu's room did he start crying again.
"Everything will be okay," she said in tears as well. She hugged Aichi tightly and let him let it all out. Aichi cried loudly again and his mom comforted him the best she could.
Meanwhile, Red Eye returned to the Snake Pit to find it raided. He walked to Aichi's room to find the door kicked in and Aichi was missing. "Red Eye…" it was the kid that Aichi ran into when he was wandering.
"What happened here, Boa?" Red Eye asked him with a deep voice.
"Two bladers named Xander and Ren came here and beat everyone. If you were here… I think we could have stood a chance…" Boa answered weakly. He was beaten quite badly too. Red Eye turned and walked away. "Are you just going to leave…?"
"Tell Ashtem that I'll be going my own path from now on," Red Eye responded.
"Wait! Red Eye!" Boa shouted, but he was too weak to stop him.
Aichi stayed at home with his mom for a week. He stayed in Shu's room for most of the time and their mom had to leave soon for another business trip. She knocked on the door and opened it gently. "Aichi," she called him while sitting down on the bed. Aichi was sitting up on his bed brushing his hand on Blaster Blade. "Do you want to come with me for my business trip? You can stay with someone else if you want," she asked him while brushing his head.
"I want to stay here at home…" Aichi answered sadly. She nodded with a warm smile and wiped his tears.
"Okay, get some rest, alright?" she responded before helping him into a lying position. She continued brushing his head until he fell asleep. "Blaster Blade… are you listening…?" She called quietly. She wasn't even sure if he was listening or not. "Can you possibly ask him to come back to take care of him? I hope that he will be with him since I want him to be with someone he can feel safe with," she requested.
When Aichi woke up, he heard two familiar voices talking outside. He got out of bed for the first time in a while and opened his door. He peeked his head out to see a familiar person right outside. The person felt Blaster Blade's presence and turned with a smile. "Hello, little one. I'm glad to see you are well," he greeted with a smile. He lifted the little one up into his arms while Shu's mom continued to give him a tour of the house and everything he'll need.
"Thank you for coming," she thanked him. She had her things packed and in front of the door.
"I'll take good care of him, don't worry," the older Aichi assured her. She put her hand on the older Aichi's shoulder and brushed the younger's head before leaving.
"I'll be home as soon as the business trip is done," she said. Both of them nodded while waving. The older Aichi turned to the younger one with a warm smile.
"Are you hungry? Your mom made some meals for us for the next few days," the older asked the younger. The younger one nodded before Aichi took him to the table. Aichi warmed up one of the containers of food using the stove and took it to the little one. "I don't really know how to cook, so I'm glad your mom prepared it for us," he said with a smile while starting to eat with him.
The older one was worried about him since he had heard about what happened with Shu from his mom. He felt a little guilty since he knew there was always a possibility of this happening. He didn't want to bring it up to the little one, so instead he will do everything in his power to protect him. He smiled looking over beside the little one to see Blaster Blade sitting there.
"Do you want to play with Blaster Blade?" the older one asked the younger.
"I don't have the strength to…" the younger answered sadly. The older one smiled and touched his hand. The younger one felt something from the touch and looked up.
"I will help you with whatever you need," the older one said happily. He was surprised when he saw a soft smile from the little one. He was quite depressed a while ago, but it looked like Blaster Blade and him being there helped the little one out. "Let's go after you finish eating and wait a little to digest everything," he suggested. The little one nodded before eating quickly.
When they were ready to launch a little in the basement. The little one was struggling a bit getting enough strength to make Blaster Blade spin as fast as possible. The older one watched on the side since the little one looked like he was having a lot of fun. He felt a presence and turned to the door.
He saw Red Eye standing there, watching the little one from outside. "Shu, it's been a while," the older one said quietly. Red Eye remained stoic as he stepped outside of the room to talk to him.
"My name is Red Eye," he responded.
Aichi closed his eyes and nodded. "What does a stranger want with the little one? You aren't his family or anything," he asked him. Red Eye fell silent and only had eyes for the little one. "You don't need to do this, Shu. The little one misses you very much."
"As I said, my name is Red Eye," Red Eye responded before walking away. Aichi sighed and looked over to see a little boy following him.
Aichi went back inside and was happy to see the little one smiling brightly. "Good job, Blaster Blade," he thought to himself with a smile.
After a while, they returned back upstairs and washed up. They slept beside each other in Shu's room. The little one held onto him tightly. "Could I do anything for him?" Aichi thought while looking down at the little one.
"Shu…" the little one muttered in his sleep. He was in a dream where he woke up to Shu opening the blinds like he used to.
"Aichi, wake up or we'll be late," Shu said. He was changed and ready for school already as Aichi got up from the bed.
"Shu…" he called timidly. Shu turned to him with a smile. "Good morning," he said with a hitched voice. Suddenly, the space around him was engulfed into flames and a mask appeared on Shu's face. Aichi looked with a fearful expression and crawled backwards.
"You do not need to worry, my Vanguard. Please put your mind at ease," it was Blaster Blade's voice and the space was engulfed in a white light. The older Aichi and Blaster Blade stood in front of him with their hands reached out.
"You'll be okay little one," the older Aichi said with a warm smile. The little one felt the warmth in the space and reached out to their outstretched hands. When he woke up, he found the older Aichi sleeping soundly beside him.
He looked up and waited for him to wake up on his own. When the older opened his eyes, he saw the little one just staring at him. "Good morning, little one," he greeted with a smile.
"Good morning," the little one responded timidly. They both got up into a sitting position.
"You get changed, I'll make some breakfast for us," the older one said with a smile while helping the little one out of bed. The little one nodded and ran to the closet. The older one walked outside to make the food.
They spent weeks together and the little one was starting to be cheerful again. Meanwhile, at a temple in Brazil, Red Eye confronted Xander and his new teammates. "So you are the one who told Valt that Shu is dead," Xander said with an angered tone.
"I only took what was rightfully mine," Red Eye responded while pulling out his launcher. There were no keychains attached to it this time.
"Do you know what you did to his little brother?" Xander shouted with anger. He remembered how Aichi was crying his eyes out and he was sick from exhaustion.
"That isn't anything of my concern," Red Eye answered stoically. They battled and Xander's Xcalius was defeated easily. Red Eye was seeking out and defeating all of the top Bladers. Soon it was Lui's turn.
The two Aichis were outside shopping for groceries. When they walked past the park, the little one's mood dropped and he looked down sadly. "Let's get going," the older one said with a sad smile. The little one nodded before walking off with him, holding hands.
"I hope I won't end up cooking something inedible. Maybe I should have asked your mom about some simple dishes," the older Aichi said with a laugh. When they reached the apartment building, they saw Theodore standing right outside the gates beside his limousine.
"Mr. Sendou, it has been a while," Theodore greeted cheerfully. The little one tightened his grip on the older one's hand which made him look at Theodore suspiciously.
"It has, Mr. Glass. What brings you here?" The older one asked him while pulling the little one behind him.
"I am actually here to check on the child. I didn't expect your return," Theodore answered.
"He is fine. I am glad that he got better since returning home. When I returned, the little one wasn't doing too well. I never expected that you would take care of him so terribly," the older one responded with sharp eyes. The little one looked up worriedly since Theodore was a dangerous person.
"I apologize for my negligence, but Shu Kurenai wanted to get stronger. I'm sure you'll hear from him soon," Theodore responded. "I won't take any more of your time. I apologize for my abrupt visit. May I make an appointment to have dinner with you before you leave?"
Aichi looked a little confused and defensive. "I won't be leaving until the little one can be taken care of properly," he responded.
"Of course," Theodore responded before turning to the limousine that was beside him. A boy stepped out of the limo and the little one knew who it was instantly.
"Shu!" The little one exclaimed desperately before running over. The older one followed to make sure he was okay. Shu stepped onto the sidewalk and was hugged by the little one. Shu hesitated a little before brushing his head. He looked like he had a forced smile on his face. "I missed you so much!" He cried loudly.
"I'm back," Shu responded.
"Shu, I'm glad you're back. The little one really missed you," the older one said. He was suspicious, but the little one was so happy that he was crying.
"Maybe they should spend time together alone for dinner," Theodore suggested with the limo door open. The older one was hesitant, watching Shu lift up the little one into his arms. The little one's face was buried in Shu's collar.
"Take care of the little one, Shu. I'll be back tonight," the older one said while holding out the grocery bag that he was holding. Shu took the bags with a hand after shifting the little one to one arm.
"I will," Shu responded before walking inside the building.
Aichi watched them walk away worriedly. "We should get going, Mr. Sendou," Theodore said. Aichi turned and got inside the car. Shu carried the little Aichi back into their apartment.
"Are you staying, Shu?" Aichi asked him as Shu put him down on the couch. He was worried when Shu didn't answer him.
"I want you to go back with me, Aichi," Shu said while holding his hand and kneeling down to him. Aichi was in disbelief and looked down. It was the first time he realized Shu was staring at him indifferently.
"Is that the reason you came back?" Aichi asked him. Shu only looked down on him and didn't answer. Aichi turned away with hurt and teary eyes. As much as he wanted the reason for him returning to be for him, he knew deep down Shu only wanted to use him.
"My Vanguard, you have the right to refuse," Blaster Blade whispered in Aichi's ear. Aichi looked back with glistening eyes before pulling his hand away from Shu's and running away to his room.
Shu stood up with a frustrated expression. He didn't get refused outright and he knew that Aichi would agree one day. He remembered yesterday: he battled Lui.
"So you're Red Eye, good for you to come. I thought you would run away from my challenge," Lui said with his arms crossed. "Meet my Beyblade, Nightmare Luinor!"
Looking at Luinor boiled him up inside. He pulled out his own Beyblade and held it in front of him. "Legend Spriggan will be your opponent," he announced.
Lui's eyes squinted a little. "Did you say Spriggan?" He smiled with intrigue like he already knew who his opponent was. "I didn't think that that weakling would actually abandon the kid that was giving him all of his power. Maybe now that he is out of the way, he'll share it with someone else," he taunted.
"Enough talk," Red Eye responded before getting in his stance.
"3! 2! 1! Let it rip!" Spriggan was easily getting knocked around by Luinor.
"I gotta admit, I was expecting more than this. You gotta tell me you were holding back," Lui taunted with a laugh.
"Spriggan! Upper Launch!"
"This is a waste of my time," Lui said before Spriggan was knocked out of the stadium. He started laughing loudly as Red Eye picked up his Beyblade. "You gotta be joking! Maybe you should go find the kid and beg him for his power because this is just pathetic!" He continued laughing. It took a little while for him to compose himself.
Red Eye looked very composed as he looked at Spriggan. "Thanks for showing me Luinor's style. It was very informative," he commented.
"It won't make much of a difference," Lui responded in a cocky attitude.
"You've underestimated Legend Spriggan," Red Eye said.
"Sure, it's got a lot of power. Just enough to keep me entertained. It might even be funnier than our last match!" Lui laughed.
"Our last match?" Red Eye responded. They launched again and they clashed explosively. Both of them, using their full strength. Red Eye was only able to win barely with a ring out. The third battle was more explosive than the last and resulted with Luinor winning with a burst finish. Red Eye's mask broke and was blown off his face to reveal his identity.
Shu scrunched up his hand and grit his teeth. He abandoned everything to get stronger and it still wasn't enough. "Shu…" a voice from the side muttered in disbelief. It was Valt and he looked with disbelief.
"I knew it was you all along. This should show you that you will never win against me. Who would have thought even after using that kid, you're still a great loser. " Lui said smugly. Shu walked away with his head down. He was full of frustration.
"Hey! Wait!" Valt cried before running to him. "Hold on!" He cried out again before blocking Shu's way. "Don't leave! Talk to me!" He exclaimed, but Shu just walked past. He ran to catch up again and put his hands on Shu's shoulders "Stop! We've been searching all over for you and we finally found you! Daina, Ken, Aichi, everyone-!" Once Shu heard Aichi, he slapped Valt's hands away.
"Hey! C'mon! Do you know how much everyone misses you, Shu?!" Valt cried.
Shu looked down with a glare. "You, get out of my way!" He shouted before shoving him off and walking away.
"Please… why are you doing this?!" Valt shouted with tears in his eyes behind him.
"After all this… I still failed…" Shu thought while inside the forest alone. His eyes were filled with hatred as he grit his teeth tighter. "What could I have missed?" He remembered Aichi's smile at that moment.
"Shu!" He heard Aichi call happily from behind.
"I don't want to see you anymore…" Shu said with his back still turned.
"Let's go home, Shu!" Aichi said with a cheery tone.
"Leave me alone!" Shu turned aggressively to see that no one was there. He remembered back before he became Red Eye, he battled Free and lost.
"Do you want to get stronger? To become great?" Theodore asked him.
"That's not even a question," he answered him instantly.
"Then you'll need a fresh start. Throw away who you are now and leave everything behind. I'll give you time to think about it," Theodore said.
"No need. I'll do it," Shu responded.
"I'll give you a day to say bye to your brother then. Of course he will remain here. You can't have him by your side if you are willing to start anew," Theodore said.
He didn't know how to tell Aichi that he was leaving. He did his usual training the next day and heard someone say, "hey Aichi. Are you here for Shu?" He got off of the treadmill and saw Aichi fall on the floor.
Aichi still needed him, but he couldn't stay. He lifted Aichi up from the ground and walked back. He knew that Aichi definitely felt the tension in the air. It was only until he saw Aichi crying and trying to hold himself back from telling him not to go, did he feel like maybe he should stay and back out. In the end, he decided to separate from Aichi and enter the Snake Pit.
"You can never return to your past self," Ashtem told him while he was offered a red mask. He reached out for the mask and accepted it. He never would have imagined that he would see Aichi again until he returned one day to find Aichi locked up inside the room. He hurt Aichi again and again, leaving him alone even knowing how he was being treated while in the Snake Pit. But he couldn't throw away his desire for revenge, he wanted to get stronger than anyone and today's battle reminded him of that.
He didn't even notice he was floating in a lake. When he got to shore, Ashtem was standing there, waiting. "You've disappointed me greatly. You left the Snake Pit of your own accord, without my approval. You held on to your old self even though you were supposed to throw it away when you entered the Snake Pit. That's why you lost," he explained to him as he walked past him and stood there. "But I am a merciful man. I will grant you forgiveness. That said, a Bey that has lost has no more value. You must abandon Legend Spriggan, but I have a perfect way to find a better replacement."
Shu held onto Legend Spriggan tightly, knowing that he would have to throw away the Beyblade Aichi worked so hard to make for him. "For that, you must use Aichi Sendou's power again. He is in Japan, where you used to live. It is your job to bring the boy back to the Snake Pit. I hear that his other self has also returned, so I will deal with him," Ashtem explained. Shu hesitated, but he threw Legend Spriggan on the ground.
In real time, Shu waited a little longer before walking to his room. He knocked on the door and opened it to find Aichi under the covers sniffling. "Have you made your decision?" He asked him. He had wronged him so many times. The only chance he had of getting stronger now was to hope that whatever feelings he had left for him were strong enough to convince him to come with him.
He waited at the doorway for the answer. Considering Aichi didn't outright refuse, it was a good sign. "If that's what you want…" Aichi muttered before getting out of his covers. "But are you sure this will make you happy?" He asked him with tears in his eyes. Shu was surprised with the question and he didn't want to answer.
"Let's get going then," Shu said.
They returned back to the Snake Pit by a private plane. Inside the plane, Aichi was emotionless during the entire flight. He blankly looked outside the window and ate when food was given to him. "My Vanguard, are you sure this is what you want?" Blaster Blade asked him.
"Shu is still my family… tell the other me thank you for everything…" Aichi answered.
"Your other self is still with you, My Vanguard. I sense that he is on this flight as well," Blaster Blade answered. Aichi looked confused and got up. Shu wasn't sitting beside him and Theodore was also not around. He wandered out of his compartment and found a room near the back of the plane. The door was open and there were voices coming from inside.
"Make sure he remains asleep. The Requiem will only be complete if all of their power is used," it was Theodore's voice. Aichi peeked inside to see them standing in front of a bed. The older Aichi was lying there with a breathing mask on with a bunch of other monitors.
"Didn't he agree to do it if the boy agreed as well?"
"Yes, he was aware of how straining the procedure was for the young one and volunteered to take part. However, if he decided to go against us at the last minute, there is nothing we can do," Theodore answered. Aichi returned back to his seat before anyone noticed and thought. When they reached their destination, they were taken to a room that Aichi recognized immediately and shivered.
He was laid onto the metal table like he did a long time ago. Shu stood inside a capsule with wires all around him. He was completely stoic as everyone was prepared. "We will commence the Requiem Project!" The machine started and with the two Aichis' power, Shu's consciousness was sent to go through trials. On the side, Legend Spriggan and Blaster Blade were in the same capsule with a small black twig as it lit up as well.
"Open the door and step forward. Beyond it, you will receive the ultimate Bey. Seek and you shall find," Ashtem's voice echoed in the space. Shu walked through a cold snowy tundra and after walking a while, he fell to his knees. It was at that moment, Luinor appeared above him intimidatingly. Lui was standing on top of Luinor laughing at him sinisterly.
"Attack!" Lui ordered. Luinor used its tail and hit Shu, knocking him off his feet and throwing him a distance away from where he was.
"I never want to lose again!" Shu thought to himself. "And I won't… I swear it. Today, everything changes. Failure is not an option," Shu said while pulling himself on his feet again. Luinor began flying, ready for another attack. Shu reached to the ground and energy built up in his hand. He raised it and the energy collected into Spriggan's axe. He used it to slice through Luinor and clear the first trial. Next, his surroundings were engulfed in flames and Free stood in front of him. Fafnir appeared through the flames and flew in for an attack. Shu used the axe to stop the dragon from swallowing him whole.
"I'll win at any cost! Nothing can ever stop me!" His body began glowing before he jumped up out of Fafnir's mouth and threw his axe into Fafnir, clearing the second trial. Fafnir went down with a huge blast and when the dust cleared, the darkness cleared and a door appeared in front of him.
"Are you abandoning me?" A voice echoed behind him. The ground below him made a small splash noise. Shu's expression softened a bit, then turned to see the little Aichi standing there looking up at him. He turned back with a serious expression and opened the door. Aichi looked with a surprised expression before disappearing, shattering into light particles.
When he walked through the doors, his softened expression disappeared and turned back to his Red Eye persona. Through the doors was a temple with a slate floating at the centre of it. "You have done well to make it this far," a deep voice praised.
"Who are you?" Shu asked him.
"Have you become the ultimate blader?" The voice asked him.
"Not yet, but I will be very soon!" Shu answered with sharp eyes.
"Good. Are you ready to join me?"
"What do you mean?" Shu responded before the slate fell down in front of him. He was surprised to see a dark mirrored version of himself through the reflection.
"Together…" the deep voice said.
"... we can be one!" His reflection finished. Shu gasped and stepped back a bit before the slate began glowing. Energy spread around the temple as well as a blinding light as Spriggan manifested in front of him.
"What?! You're…" Shu exclaimed while looking up at Spriggan.
"Spriggan," Spriggan answered.
"It's you…" Shu muttered with fearful eyes.
"Yes. It is time to decide," Spriggan said. Shu reached out for Spriggan and together, they merged together. Shu and Spriggan both cried out as darkness spread around him.
Outside, Shu was crying out in pain. The scientists that were monitoring him were also starting to get concerned. "His power level is already well into the red zone, sir! The kid is also being pushed to his limit as well! I think we should stop the machines!"
"No need. We must stay on course. Only Red Eye can obtain the strength I seek," Ashtem responded.
"Shu… Shu!" A voice called in the distance. Next thing Shu knew, he was standing in his apartment cooking his famous spaghetti with Valt. He saw the BeyClub sitting at the dining table with Aichi smiling and laughing and talking.
"Valt, you're here?" Shu asked him, surprised.
"Dude, I've never seen you so zoned out before. How's that spaghetti coming along?" Valt responded with a worried smile. "Lemme try some!" He took a fork full and looked blissful. "Tastier than ever! You're amazing, Shu!" Valt exclaimed.
"Here you should try some too! Open up!" Valt said with a smile. Shu stood there surprised as a voice came into his head.
"Ask yourself. Who are you?" Spriggan asked him. "You're the one who must decide! What is your answer?"
Shu's expression changed back to his Red Eye persona and his scar began to burn up. "We are one! I am Spriggan!" His surroundings were engulfed in flames as the axe appeared again. Luinor appeared in front of him once again and he sliced through it. Outside, Legend Spriggan and Blaster Blade were beginning to merge to form a new Beyblade. Fafnir appeared as well and he sliced through it as well.
Next was Valkyrie. "Valkyrie!" He shouted before slicing through it. And finally he heard a giggle. He turned to see Aichi and Blaster Blade together.
"Shu!" Aichi said with a smile with his arms spread out. Shu took his axe and swung through them without hesitation the image of Aichi slowly disappearing out of his mind. Soon the machine powered down with the Beyblade complete and Shu jumped out.
"The Beyblade you created. Requiem Spriggan," Ashtem informed him. As Spriggan came out of a machine. Shu took it in his hand and power quickly came out of it. His aura also flared brightly.
"It is finally ready," Shu said with excitement. The scientists removed the little Aichi from the machine. He looked in bad shape, completely pale. But Shu didn't even give him a glance before moving to a training room.
"The data of every Blader in the world is loaded into this computer," Ashtem explained to him. The machine powered up and Lui appeared in front of him.
"Lui," Shu identified.
"Nightmare Luinor is a counterclockwise spinning attack type. What would your strategy be?" Ashtem asked him curiously. "Prove yourself. Show me your new power!"
"3! 2! 1! Let it rip!" Shu shouted before launching Spriggan with incredible power.
"He chose a clockwise rotation in attack mode," the researchers identified. Spriggan burst it with the first contact.
Next was Xander and he defeated him just as easily with a counterclockwise defense mode launch. It became obvious that Requiem Spriggan can be in any spin and any mode.
"Perfect! Now, prove to the world that Requiem Spriggan is the ultimate Beyblade!" Ashtem said, sounding impressed.