hello dear readers. I'm so glad to read every comment on this story. i would like to thank you all for your sweet words. and i would like to appologise for not answering your messages earlier. I tried though, but I'm just not familiar with X or discord. therefore, I will leave my instagram account. Soo... please contact me on instagram? celinacarter2023.

Thank you.

The night air was cool, and the rocky mountain terrain made for a harsh, unforgiving campsite. The wind howled through the jagged peaks, making it difficult to settle down, but the three travelers had grown used to such conditions. A small fire crackled at the center of their camp, casting flickering shadows on the stone around them.

Tsukiya sat by the fire, her hands deftly working to set up the kindling. She had learned to do this with Flame Artemis, using the same patient, steady movements she saw Ryuga employ when he worked with L-Drago. She even mimicked the way he held his launcher, adjusting her grip and stance to give Artemis the speed and agility she sought. As the fire grew brighter, she stole a glance at Ryuga, who was sitting a few feet away, cleaning L-Drago with careful, precise motions. The way he treated his Bey was almost reverent, like it was more than just a weapon—it was a part of him.

Kenta had gone off to train, as he often did, determined to improve himself, even if it meant slicing through mountains with sheer will. Meanwhile, Tsukiya decided she needed to train too. She had been working on a new strategy, trying to improve her second special move, Crescent Moon Snare. If she could get Artemis to release multiple crescent arrows instead of just one, it would give her an edge in future battles.

Her training took her to the foot of a nearby rocky incline. She launched Artemis with a determined thrust, sending it spiraling up the side of the mountain, defying gravity with each turn. «Crescent Moon Snare!» she called, watching as the spirit of Artemis appeared, drawing her bow. A single, brilliant crescent arrow shot forward, breaking a falling rock, but it wasn't enough. Tsukiya gritted her teeth and tried again, pushing herself and her Bey harder each time. She wouldn't stop until she had perfected it.

By the time she returned to camp, her muscles ached, and her hands were trembling, but she carried a sense of quiet satisfaction. Kenta had made it back before her, and he was excitedly talking about a tournament he'd heard about a while ago, "It's on this island a little too far from here!" he was saying, his eyes bright with hope. "Gingka will be there for sure! Maybe if we go, we can encounter some legendary bladers too».

" I'm going alone ," Ryuga cut him off sharply, not even looking up from L-Drago. "You're still weak, kid. You'll just slow me down."

Kenta's face fell, his enthusiasm deflating. "But… Ryuga, I've been training! I'm stronger now! If we just—"

"You don't get it," Ryuga interrupted, his tone cold. "Training isn't enough. You need power. Real power. And you don't have it."

Tsukiya felt her blood boil. "Dragon Emperor!" she snapped, standing up so quickly that the blanket she'd been sitting on flew off to the side. Ryuga's eyes flicked to her, his golden gaze cool and unbothered. "Why do you always have to say things like that?" She clenched her fists, stepping closer to him. "Kenta kun is stronger than you think. And if you can't see that, then maybe you're the one who's blind!"

Ryuga's expression didn't change. "Control your temper, girl," he said, his voice low and warning. "You're acting like a fool."

The insult stung, but Tsukiya wasn't backing down. In her frustration, she made a reckless decision. "Fine," she said, her voice steely. "Then I'll prove it to you. I'll show you that even L-Drago has a weakness."

That got his attention. Ryuga straightened, his eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"

"L-Drago has an Achilles' heel," she said, crossing her arms. "Every Bey does. Even yours." She looked at Kenta. "Kenta-kun, help me demonstrate. Bring me that wooden plank "

Kenta hesitated but nodded, picking up a sturdy wooden plank and holding it up. Tsukiya stepped back, took a deep breath, and then, with a swift, powerful movement, she punched through the plank, splitting it cleanly in half. "It's called 'Ikken hissatsu,'" she said, her eyes locked on Ryuga. "One strike, one kill. Even the strongest armor has a weak spot."

Ryuga's eyes glinted, a mix of amusement and annoyance flickering there. "Are you saying you know how to defeat L-Drago?" he asked, his voice a low, dangerous murmur.

"Yes," Tsukiya said, her voice unwavering. "I'm saying I can find that spot and bring your Bey down."

Ryuga's lips curled into a slow, almost predatory grin. "Then prove it," he said, standing up and positioning himself for a battle. "If you think you can find L-Drago's weakness, then show me."

The air crackled with tension as they set up their Beys. Kenta watched nervously from the sidelines, his heart pounding in his chest. "Tsukiya-chan, are you sure about this?" he asked. "Ryuga's not going to hold back…"

"I know," she said quietly, without taking her eyes off Ryuga. "But I'm not backing down."

The battle began with a flash of metal and a burst of energy. L-Drago shot forward, aggressive and unrelenting, while Flame Artemis darted around, quick and agile. Tsukiya's heart pounded as she focused, watching every move, every rotation. She was analyzing L-Drago's movements, looking for that one moment, that one opening.

"Moonlight Piercing Shot!" she shouted, and Flame Artemis responded, launching a precise arrow at L-Drago. But Ryuga deflected it effortlessly, his Bey charging forward with renewed fury. "Is this all you've got?" he taunted. "You'll have to do better than that."

Tsukiya gritted her teeth, frustration bubbling up inside her. But she didn't let it cloud her focus. She had to be patient, had to wait for the right moment. Then, she saw it— a tiny, almost imperceptible weakness. Something in the face bolt "Now!" she thought, her heart racing. "Crescent Moon Snare!"

Flame Artemis surged forward, its crescent arrows multiplying, surrounding L-Drago. For a split second, it looked like she had an effect, like she had found the weak spot and was about to win. But then, with a roar, L-Drago broke through, slamming into Flame Artemis with brutal force. Tsukiya's Bey wobbled, and she felt the impact reverberate through her entire body.

"You're still weak," Ryuga said, his voice calm but his eyes burning with intensity. "I'm invincible. You can't defeat me."

Tsukiya's hands were trembling, her vision blurring with the strain. "You're not invincible," she said, her voice hoarse but defiant. "You… you have an Achilles' heel too. It's your pride… your arrogance. You think that just because you're strong, you don't have to change. But that's going to be your downfall."

Ryuga's eyes darkened, and for a moment, he looked like he might say something. But then his expression hardened, and L-Drago charged again, hitting Flame Artemis with a force that sent it flying off the way, and Tsukiya was sent flying with the intensity of the battle. She hit a tree, and fell unconscious.

"Tsukiya-chan!" Kenta cried out, rushing to her side. "Ryuga, stop! You've already won!"

Ryuga stood still, watching Tsukiya's limp form. His jaw was clenched, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. He took a deep breath to calm down "Leave her," he said finally, his voice cold. " she'll get up on her own."

Kenta's eyes widened in disbelief. "But she's hurt! We can't just leave her—"

"She challenged me," Ryuga snapped, his voice harsh. "This is the consequence. If she wants to prove she's strong, she'll have to stand on her own two feet."

Kenta wanted to argue, but he could see there was no changing Ryuga's mind. All he could do was kneel beside Tsukiya, hoping that she would wake up soon, and praying that this journey wasn't going to tear them all apart.

A cold breeze swept through the campsite, rustling Tsukiya's midnight-blue hair as she stirred. A sharp pain shot through her skull, and a dull ache pulsed in her muscles, remnants of the brutal battle she had just endured. Slowly, her ice-blue eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light of the fire that crackled nearby.

Her vision was hazy at first, but the first thing she saw was Kenta's worried face hovering above her. He was sitting by her side, knees pulled up to his chest, his hands clasped together. His eyes lit up with relief the moment she groaned and shifted.

"Tsukiya-chan!" he gasped. "You're awake! Are you okay?"

She exhaled slowly, her breath steadying as she processed the throbbing pain in her head. "I've been better," she admitted, her voice rough but steady. She forced herself into a sitting position, rubbing her temples as she felt the remnants of the battle weigh on her.

Kenta hesitated before speaking again, his expression troubled. "Ryuga told me to leave you," he muttered, almost ashamed. "He said you should get up by yourself."

Tsukiya scoffed, shaking her head. "Of course he did," she said dryly, pushing herself up with deliberate ease. Her legs felt like lead, but she refused to show any weakness. She dusted herself off, straightened her jacket, and walked towards the fire as if nothing had happened.

Kenta scrambled up after her, watching her closely. "You don't have to act like you're fine, you know," he said hesitantly.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and gave a small, knowing smirk. "I am fine," she said, settling down near the fire and extending her hands toward the warmth. "Nothing I haven't handled before."

Kenta sighed but didn't argue. He knew Tsukiya well enough by now to understand that she wouldn't admit to any weakness, not even after nearly getting knocked unconscious in battle. Instead, he looked around the camp and frowned.

"Ryuga's gone," he muttered, scanning the area. The rocky terrain stretched out into darkness, illuminated only by the flickering fire. There was no sign of the Dragon Emperor anywhere.

Tsukiya merely shrugged. "He'll be back," she said simply.

Kenta wasn't so sure. Ryuga was unpredictable, and right now, he was probably still irritated from their argument earlier. "What if he doesn't?" he asked.

Tsukiya poked at the fire absentmindedly with a stick. "Then that's his problem, not mine."

A comfortable silence settled between them as the flames crackled. The cold air was biting, but the fire provided a small bubble of warmth, easing the tension that had been hanging over them since the battle.

After a moment, Tsukiya reached into her bag and pulled out some of the food she had packed. Dried meat, rice balls, and a few other rations she had prepared beforehand. She set them down and gave Kenta a pointed look.

"You're eating," she declared.

Kenta blinked. "Huh?"

"You've been training all day. You need food," she said, tossing him a rice ball. "I don't care if you're not hungry. Eat."

Kenta caught it, looking at her with a mix of surprise and gratitude. He hadn't even realized how hungry he was until now. With a small smile, he sat down beside her and unwrapped the rice ball. "Thanks, Tsukiya-chan," he said softly.

She hummed in response, already biting into her own meal. They ate in silence for a while, the only sounds being the crackling fire and the occasional rustle of wind against the rocks.

Then, Kenta hesitated before speaking. "Tsukiya-chan…"

She glanced at him. "What?"

He fidgeted slightly. "What you said to Ryuga earlier… about his Achilles' heel. Do you really think that? That his pride will be his downfall?"

Tsukiya took a moment to answer, chewing thoughtfully. Finally, she swallowed and leaned back on her hands, looking up at the night sky. The stars twinkled like tiny shards of ice against the darkness.

"Yes," she said simply. "He's the strongest blader I've ever met, no question about that. But strength alone isn't everything. If he keeps thinking he's invincible… one day, he'll lose. And he won't see it coming. When that happens, man… he will be broken."

Kenta nodded slowly, digesting her words. "But you still trust him, don't you?"

Tsukiya sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "I don't know if 'trust' is the right word," she admitted. "But I respect him.''

They continued eating, the warmth of the fire making the cold mountain air slightly more bearable. The night stretched on, quiet and peaceful for now.

Somewhere in the darkness, Ryuga was out there, lost in his own thoughts. Maybe he was reflecting on the battle. Maybe he was angry. Maybe he was laughing at her words.

After all she's just a little girl. What does se know about him?