The BeyMall looked different in the early afternoon light.
Sunlight streamed through the high glass ceiling, breaking into pale fragments as it passed over banners, screens, and the polished floor below. The usual bustle of shoppers had faded, replaced by something sharper and more focused. Groups gathered near the central stadium, voices low but excited, every conversation circling back to the same subject.
The semifinals.
Ryo moved through the upper level at an unhurried pace, Eclipse Drago's case resting against his side. He could feel the shift in atmosphere long before he reached the railing. It wasn't louder than usual, not yet, but it carried weight, as though the building itself was holding its breath.
A cluster of students stood near one of the large screens, watching a replay that had already looped too many times.
"…there, look right there."
The image froze on the moment Drago's wings flashed open, sparks scattering across the stadium wall as Orochi's Bey was forced back. The scoreboard appeared a heartbeat later.
Ryo — 3 | Orochi — 0
A low whistle followed.
"That was clean," someone said. "No panic at all."
"He didn't even look surprised."
Ryo slowed slightly but didn't stop. Hearing his own name spoken by strangers still felt strange, like listening to someone talk about a different person entirely. He kept his eyes forward and continued toward the railing that overlooked the main arena.
Below, the stadium stood ready.
Its transparent walls gleamed under the lights, freshly polished, reflecting movement from every direction. Staff members walked its perimeter with clipboards and headsets, checking panels and testing sensors. A faint hum rose from the machinery beneath the floor, steady and patient.
Ryo rested his hands against the cool metal railing.
From here, he could see everything—the launch platforms, the curved stadium floor, the wide screens suspended above. The space looked calm now, almost empty, but he knew it wouldn't stay that way for long.
Behind him, voices drifted past in fragments.
"Valt's match is next, right?"
"Against Shu, yeah."
"That's going to be insane."
"I don't know… Shu never rushes."
Ryo's gaze lingered on the right-hand platform, imagining Storm Spryzen resting there soon. He'd trained beside Shu long enough to know that calm wasn't hesitation. It was preparation.
A ripple of excitement moved through the crowd as more people gathered, filling the upper walkways. Families leaned over railings, younger bladers clutched their launchers even though they weren't competing, and phones were already raised in anticipation.
Somewhere below, the announcer tested the microphone. The echo rolled softly through the atrium before fading.
Ryo exhaled.
Yesterday, he had stood in that stadium himself. He could still remember the vibration under his feet, the way the noise narrowed until all that remained was spin and timing. Today felt different. Lighter, in a way but also more uncertain.
Watching carried its own kind of pressure.
He shifted his grip on Drago's case, feeling the familiar weight settle him. The Bey was quiet now, its warmth faint but steady, like a presence that didn't need to speak to be felt.
Soon, one of them would stand across from him in the final.
Valt, with his reckless energy and unstoppable drive.
Or Shu, with his silence and precision that cut deeper than any shout.
Ryo didn't know which outcome unsettled him more.
The lights above the stadium brightened slightly, drawing the crowd's attention downward. Conversations tapered off, replaced by expectant murmurs.
The second semifinal was about to begin.
Ryo straightened slowly, eyes fixed on the arena below, as the mall seemed to lean inward around it.
The moment Shu and Valt stepped into the stadium, the noise changed.
It didn't simply grow louder; it sharpened, as if the crowd had leaned forward all at once. The glass walls reflected flashes of color as cameras adjusted, and the wide screen above the arena split neatly in two, displaying both bladers in close detail.
Valt lifted his launcher high, turning once toward the stands. The response was immediate. Cheers surged upward, loud and uneven, carrying his name across the atrium until even the upper floors joined in. He laughed, feeding off it without restraint, his grip tightening as excitement coursed visibly through him.
Across the stadium, Shu did not look up.
He placed Storm Spryzen onto his launcher with careful precision, fingers steady, posture unchanged. Where Valt drew energy from the crowd, Shu seemed to let the noise pass straight through him, as if it belonged to another world entirely.
From the railing above, Ryo watched the contrast with quiet focus. He had trained beside both of them long enough to recognize this moment. Valt burned brightest at the beginning. Shu waited for the fire to reveal its shape.
The referee's voice rang out, cutting cleanly through the echoes.
"Bladers ready."
Valt dropped into position immediately, knees bent, eyes shining. "Let's go!"
Shu nodded once. "Ready."
The stadium hushed, not silent but suspended.
"Three."
Ryo felt his fingers curl lightly against the railing.
"Two."
Valt leaned forward, almost vibrating with energy.
"One."
"Let it rip!"
The snap of launchers cracked through the air.
Victory Valtryek struck the stadium first, exploding outward in a burst of blue light. It tore along the outer ridge at full speed, sparks leaping beneath it as it rebounded sharply and dove back toward the center.
Storm Spryzen landed a heartbeat later, smoother and lower, its path measured as it settled near the inner curve of the stadium.
The first collision came fast.
Metal rang sharply, the sound echoing against the glass walls. Valtryek was thrown back only briefly before charging again, its momentum already building with frightening speed.
"Push it!" Valt shouted. "Don't stop!"
Valtryek obeyed without hesitation, circling wide before slamming inward once more. Each impact drove Spryzen slightly off its line, forcing it closer to the slope. The crowd roared with every hit, voices rising as Valtryek's speed continued to climb.
Shu's eyes followed the movement closely. He did not speak at first, allowing Spryzen to absorb the rhythm of the battle. When he finally adjusted his wrist, it was subtle, barely visible.
Spryzen shifted.
The next collision landed at an angle instead of head-on, sending Valtryek skidding just enough to break its flow. It recovered instantly, but the pattern had changed. The attacks came faster now, sharper, but less clean.
Ryo narrowed his eyes. He could see it clearly from above. Valt was attacking harder, but Shu was beginning to decide where those attacks landed.
Valtryek surged again, striking Spryzen near the ridge. The impact lifted Spryzen's frame for a brief moment before it touched down unevenly. The crowd gasped, sensing the imbalance.
Valt didn't hesitate.
"Now!"
Valtryek dove in with everything it had left in that burst of momentum. The blow rang out louder than the others, sending sparks flaring against the stadium wall.
Spryzen's rotation faltered.
For a second, it looked like it might recover.
Then its parts scattered across the floor.
A wave of sound crashed through the arena.
"BURST FINISH!"
The referee's voice barely cut through the cheers.
Valt threw his arm into the air, laughing breathlessly as the crowd erupted around him. From the upper level, Ryo could feel the vibration travel through the railing beneath his hands.
Across the stadium, Shu knelt quietly, already gathering Spryzen's pieces. There was no frustration in his movements, only concentration, his eyes fixed on the stadium floor as though replaying every second in his mind.
When he stood again, Storm Spryzen rebuilt in his hand, his expression remained calm.
But something behind his eyes had shifted.
Ryo felt it instinctively.
The battle had only just begun.
The atmosphere in the BeyMall shifted the moment the stadium reset.
Where the first round had felt explosive and loud, this pause carried tension instead. The crowd murmured among itself, voices overlapping in restless waves, eyes fixed on the two bladers as their Beys were retrieved and returned to their hands.
Valt rolled his shoulders, still grinning, though the edge of it had softened. "Alright," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "Same thing again."
Across from him, Shu remained quiet.
He knelt briefly as he placed Storm Spryzen back onto his launcher, fingers moving with deliberate care. His gaze flicked once toward the stadium floor, then back to Valtryek, as though mapping something only he could see.
From the upper level, Ryo leaned forward slightly.
He recognized that look.
Shu wasn't reacting anymore.
He was preparing.
The referee raised his arm once more. "Second round. Bladers ready."
Valt snapped Valtryek into place. "Let's go!"
Shu inclined his head. "Ready."
The lights brightened.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Let it rip!"
Valtryek burst forward immediately, surging along the ridge with the same ferocity as before. Its blue trail flared brighter than earlier, speed building almost instantly as it rebounded from the slope and carved back toward the center.
"Rush Launch!" Valt called out, voice cutting through the noise.
The crowd erupted as Valtryek accelerated even further, its rotation tightening into a fierce spiral that sent sparks scattering with every change in direction. The stadium seemed to vibrate beneath the assault, momentum stacking faster than the eye could follow.
Spryzen met the charge head-on.
The impact rang sharply, forcing it backward several lengths in a single strike. Another hit followed, then another, each one heavier than the last as Valtryek pressed forward without mercy.
Valt's laughter echoed across the stadium. "That's it! Keep pushing!"
But Shu did not answer.
Spryzen slid, corrected, and slid again, its rotation wobbling just slightly before steadying. The pattern of Valtryek's attacks continued wide arc, inward dive, heavy collision over and over again.
And then, slowly, something changed.
Spryzen no longer met the attacks directly.
At the moment of impact, it tilted not away, but sideways allowing the force to glance past its frame instead of crashing into it. Valtryek's strike tore through empty space, its momentum carrying it too far.
Ryo's eyes narrowed.
That wasn't luck.
Shu's voice finally rose, calm and clear.
"Counter Break."
Spryzen shifted its line at the exact instant Valtryek attempted to recover. The redirected force snapped back against the attacking Bey, turning its own speed inward. The collision that followed was sharp and sudden, like metal snapping against metal.
Valtryek was thrown off course, skidding violently toward the ridge.
The crowd gasped.
Valt's grin faltered. "Huh ?"
Spryzen followed not chasing wildly, but closing the distance just enough to maintain pressure. Each time Valtryek tried to regain its rhythm, another subtle deflection stole it away.
The stadium grew quieter, the cheers fading into uncertain murmurs.
"That was… different," someone whispered.
Valtryek's movements widened, its attacks losing their earlier precision. It struck once more, harder than before, but the angle was wrong. The recoil sent it crashing against the stadium wall.
Spryzen remained upright near the center, spinning steadily.
Seconds stretched.
Valtryek's rotation slowed.
Then stopped.
The referee raised his arm. "Spin finish! One point to Shu Kurenai!"
The scoreboard shifted.
Valt's earlier lead narrowed.
A ripple of surprise moved through the stands, followed by renewed excitement. Phones lifted again, voices rising as people realized the battle was no longer one-sided.
Valt stared at Valtryek for a heartbeat, then laughed quietly. "Okay… so that's how you're playing it."
He tightened his grip on the launcher as the Bey was returned to him. The smile returned to his face, but this time there was effort behind it.
Across the stadium, Shu met his gaze calmly.
From above, Ryo exhaled slowly.
Now it was truly a match.
The balance had shifted not toward victory yet, but toward uncertainty.
And everyone in the BeyMall could feel it.
The stadium settled once more as the Beys were returned.
The noise of the crowd did not fade, but it shifted, restless and uncertain, as though no one quite knew which way the battle would tip. The scoreboard still glowed above the arena, its numbers steady for now, a silent reminder of how narrow the margin had become.
Valt rolled Valtryek between his fingers, exhaling slowly. The earlier confidence was still there, but it no longer overflowed. He had felt it in the last exchange the way Spryzen had begun to slip past his attacks, not by strength, but by timing.
He grinned anyway.
"Alright," he said, planting his feet. "Then I'll just hit harder."
Across from him, Shu said nothing.
Storm Spryzen rested calmly in his hand, its red frame catching the light as he locked it into place. His eyes were steady, not cold, not distant simply focused. The stadium floor reflected faint glimmers of red beneath his feet, as though the air itself had begun to respond.
From the upper level, Ryo felt his pulse slow.
This was the moment Shu always waited for.
The referee raised his arm.
"Bladers ready."
Valt lifted his launcher. "Let's go!"
Shu nodded once. "Ready."
The lights shimmered.
"Three."
A hush rippled through the crowd.
"Two."
The air grew tight.
"One."
"Let it rip!"
Valtryek exploded forward the instant it touched the stadium, blue energy surging violently outward. Wind tore across the arena as it shot along the ridge, sparks scattering in its wake.
"Flash Launch!" Valt shouted.
The response was immediate.
A brilliant blue current spiraled upward around Valtryek, and within it, the outline of a warrior-like figure flared briefly into view—arms stretched forward, wings of energy trailing behind as it charged without hesitation.
The crowd cried out as the pressure washed over the stands.
Valtryek dove inward at full speed.
Spryzen met it head-on.
For a split second, nothing happened—then crimson light bloomed.
It did not burst outward. It gathered.
Red energy wrapped tightly around Spryzen's frame, pulsing in controlled waves. Above it, the silhouette of a horned warrior rose slowly from the glow, its presence heavy and unmoving despite the storm rushing toward it. its presence heavy and unmoving despite the storm rushing toward it.
The collision shook the stadium.
Blue and red clashed violently, sparks tearing through the air as both Beys were thrown apart. Valtryek recovered first, surging forward again, refusing to slow, forcing its way through the turbulence with raw momentum.
Valt leaned in, shouting encouragement as the blue aura flared brighter.
But Shu had already seen it.
The rhythm.
The exact moment where power turned into imbalance.
"Now," he said quietly.
"Counter Break."
Spryzen shifted not away, but slightly beneath the incoming strike.
The red energy tightened sharply.
Valtryek's overwhelming speed folded inward all at once, its own force snapping back against its rotation. The blue aura fractured, scattering in broken streaks as the Bey was violently knocked off its path.
A loud crack echoed through the arena.
Valtryek spun wildly, its frame rattling as it slammed into the ridge and rebounded uncontrollably toward the center.
Spryzen followed through.
The crimson dragon surged forward, its form briefly sharpening as Spryzen struck cleanly through Valtryek's destabilized spin.
The impact burst like thunder.
Parts scattered across the stadium floor.
For a heartbeat, the BeyMall stood frozen.
Then
"BURST FINISH!"
The referee's voice rang out at last, cutting through the silence.
The scoreboard flickered.
The numbers shifted.
Shu — 3
Valt — 2
The realization hit the crowd all at once.
Cheers erupted, louder than before, surging upward through the mall as people finally understood what had just happened. Phones rose, voices overlapped, disbelief and excitement blending together.
Valt stared at the scattered pieces of Valtryek, breathing hard.
Then he laughed.
"…wow," he said, rubbing the back of his head as he looked up. "You really waited for that one."
Shu picked up Spryzen, the red glow fading slowly from its frame. He met Valt's gaze and gave a small nod.
"You didn't slow down," he said. "So I had to be precise."
Valt grinned. "Figures."
They stepped toward each other and bumped fists lightly, the crowd roaring around them.
From above, Ryo felt something settle deep in his chest.
He had seen the blue storm.
He had seen the red stillness.
Two completely different paths both real, both powerful.
And now, one of them was walking toward him.
Ryo's fingers tightened around Drago's case as the lights reflected across the stadium below.
The tournament was moving forward.
And so was he.