thoughts, memories - italicized
"italics " - the words of the characters from the recording.
"Wait. Can we come in?" Valt asked Red Eye, but he ignored him and entered the temple.
"Born in a barn or what? At least you can answer the question!?" Rantaro asked, irritated by Red Eye's behavior.
"What's next?" Daigo asked waiting for a plan of action.
"Forward! Follow me!" Valt said confidently as he walked towards the entrance to the temple.
"Valt stop." Waki said trying to stop him.
"Wait. Should we vote?" Rantaro said trying to stop Valt as well as Waki. "Dubious place."
"We came here to find Shu! And he was here!" Valt said angry that Waki and Rantaro tried to stop him. "Otherwise, where did Red Eye get his bey?! Perhaps he's somewhere inside now. So first, we'll get our friend's bey back! And then we'll return it to him!"
"You didn't believe his words, did you?" Cuza asked, concerned about Valt's condition.
"No! This is some kind of trick!" Valt exclaimed.
"Valt, listen. Rantaro is right, you can't act rashly." Waki began to speak as she approached Valt, but suddenly she was interrupted by a voice coming from the speakers.
"Congratulations, you have found our headquarters." An unknown voice praised them, causing everyone to pay attention to the place where the voice came from, except for Wakari, who shuddered when she recognized the owner of the voice.
"Up there." Cuza said walking up to Valt and Waki and pointing to the place where the voice came from.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Rantaro exclaimed.
"My name is Ashtem. I am the owner of the snake pit." An unknown voice answered.
"Did you hear? I told you she'd be here." Wakiya said smugly.
"We have a case. We're looking for a friend and we know he's here." Valt said. "So tell us where he is?"
"You still have so much to learn." Ashtem answered. "In my domain, privilege must be earned. You must prove yourself."
"Decipher it!" Rantaro shouted, not understanding Ashtem's words.
"I don't think he will answer until we defeat him in battle." Daigo said speculating.
"Okay! But when we win. You will answer all our questions!" Valt agreed, accepting Ashtem's proposal.
"We invite you to test yourself by fighting us. Welcome to the snake pit." Ashtem announced and the lights in the corridor began to turn on row by row. "Come in if you dare."
"You go?" Valt asked turning to the team.
"I was born for this." Rantaro said confidently.
"I didn't come to look." Cuza said.
"I'll cover you. Let's go guys." Daigo agreed.
"I'm ready to accept his challenge. No fear!." Wakiya said confidently.
"Waki?" Valt questioningly called out to the blind girl, who had been silent since Ashtem spoke.
Waki sighed heavily. "You have a talent for finding adventures Valt. You can't be left unattended. I'm your teacher after all." She finished with a weak smile and Valt smiled at her words.
"Okay! Then let's go!" Valt exclaimed and everyone entered the temple.
~~~~~~~
In the room, on a throne, sat a man dressed in a black suit with purple accents and a black mask, who was watching a recording that showed how a team of intruders entered the temple corridor. On either side of him stood two people, one of whom was dressed in a black and silver suit, and the other in black and gold.
Ashtem looked at the team with a grin, but his grin soon turned into a wide grin when his eyes fell on the blind, white-haired girl.
"Why did you invite them?" Red Eye asked as he entered the room and attracted attention.
"You're not happy?" Ashtem asked without taking his eyes off the white-haired girl.
"I'm sure they have nothing to offer us." Red Eye said confidently.
"Hmm. We'll see." Ashtem answered and his eyes sparkled. "Though one of them clearly has something to offer us." His lips curved into an evil grin and finally, after years of waiting, his precious blader returned to him and this time he wouldn't let her go.
~~~~~~~
Suddenly the door through which the team entered closed, forcing everyone to turn around.
"Who closed the door?" Rantaro sobbed.
"Now you're scared." Wakiya mocked.
"You're the one to talk scaredy-pants." Rantaro objected.
"Come on, it's been so long." Wakiya continued to mock.
"More precisely about an hour ago." Rantaro began to mock Wakiya in response.
"You're getting confused about the details!" Wakiya exclaimed, turning their mockery into an argument.
"Can you calm down!?" Daigo intervened in their argument, separating them. "We have more important problems to worry about." Wakiya and Rantaro nodded shyly and continued on their way. Soon everyone found themselves in the elevator, which took quite a long time to get there.
Wakari tried to calm her breathing as the elevator descended deeper and deeper. Calmly. Everything will be fine. She felt a chill run through her body, everything was the same as the day she left this place. She promised herself to never return to the place that captured her nightmares and yet she found herself here again.
"We're going down very deep." Daigo noticed.
"Agree." Rantaro agreed with Daigo's words. Suddenly the elevator stopped and opened the door allowing everyone into the corridor.
"Wait, can you hear that?" Valt asked hearing a very familiar sound. The team moved forward. Soon the door leading further opened, everyone was surprised what was behind it.
The place looked like a training hall in the center of which there were screens showing the statistics of the bladers, as well as the rating of those who are currently the strongest. There were also four stadiums nearby where bladers competed, as well as sports equipment for training. You could see how each blader was doing something while they were watched by masked trainers who recorded their results.
"Unbelievable. Am I dreaming?" Valt asked in disbelief.
"Then both of us." Rantaro said.
Wakari frowned at the multitude of silhouettes. Some of them were faint and almost invisible to her, but some were clearly visible. There are a lot of new people here, but there are also people I know. Their strength hadn't changed much at all, but they had clearly risen in the rankings. Suddenly she noticed how a weak purple silhouette fell, unable to withstand the load of training. Apparently, he is one of the newbies.
"No wait." Rantaro tried to stop Valt, who went to help the boy. Valt ran up to the boy, worried about his condition.
"Are you okay?" Valt asked trying to help him get up.
"Disappear." The boy croaked.
"But I just." Valt tried to explain, but the boy interrupted him.
"Red Eye has proven that you are nothing." The boy said mockingly, surprising Valt. The others approached Valt as the boy tried to stand up without Valt's help, but he crashed into the equipment next to him and fell again.
"Calm down! Rest won't hurt you. Break! Rest everyone!" Valt shouted to the whole hall trying to stop the bladers.
"Dont touch him." An unknown voice said, interrupting Valt and drawing attention to himself.
Waki carefully watched the new silhouette. One of Ashtem's close associates.
"Remember, you can leave if you can't cope." Silver Eye said as he approached Valt and the boy. The boy stood up, trembling dangerously, and continued his training.
"What's happening?" Rantaro asked in confusion.
"Visitors follow me." Silver Eye said turning to the team.
"Wait, won't you talk to him?" Valt asked.
"Let the guy take a break." Rantaro agreed with Valt's opinion.
"He is free to leave." Silver Eye replied causing the team's eyes to widen in shock. "The snake pit does not tolerate weakness."
"A good teacher knows when to intervene!" Wakiya exclaimed angrily.
"Huh." Silver Eye grinned, amused by Wakiya's words. While the boy continued to train with all his strength. "And you're not the timid type."
"Why aren't you listening!?" Valt exclaimed, scolding the boy.
"Valt, calm down. We have no right to interfere here." Waki said placing her hand on the blue silhouette's shoulder.
"A change in leadership would be helpful." Wakiya noticed while looking around.
"I wonder if Shu trained like that too?" Valt asked sadly thinking.
"Good question. The situation is still the same." Rantaro agreed. "Even he would have broken."
"Never." Daigo objected.
Waki squeezed Valt's shoulder in support and to get his attention. "Shu is fine Valt, don't worry. We will find him." Waki said trying to cheer up Valt.
"That's enough idle chitchat, guys." Silver Eye intervened and his eyes focused on the blind girl. "Ashtem has been waiting for you."
~~~~~~~
Ashtem watched the bladers training, eagerly awaiting the visitors that Silver Eye would bring. Golden Eye stood at his side. Suddenly the elevator doors opened, indicating that the guests had arrived.
Waki shuddered when she saw a familiar purple silhouette. She understood that if he was here, it meant that Ashtem was too. Golden Eye. Golden Eye's lips curled in disgust upon noticing the white-haired blind girl.
"I'm sure you're impressed with our center." Ashtem said while continuing to observe.
"No! Not really!" Valt exclaimed, looking intently at Ashtem.
"Interesting." Ashtem said turning to them with a grin. "My name is Ashtem."
"Great another mask." Cuza said.
"Mask. Mask." Carl repeated.
"Our personalities don't matter here. Only strength matters. That's our motto." Ashtem explained, dramatically spreading his arms to the sides. "In the snake pit, we have created all the conditions to form and train the best bladers. We test their endurance."
"What about a vacation!?" Valt exclaimed.
"Well, a little freedom." Rantaro agreed.
"Why don't you give them a break?" Wakiya asked.
"You don't understand. They did this of their own free will. We don't force anyone." Ashtem explained.
"Even if it is." Rantaro continued to insist.
"I assume you share their desire to become stronger? And you are no different from them." Ashtem said and looked again at the training bladers.
"Maybe not. I think that's why Shu came." Valt began to reason, causing Waki to worry, knowing his character. "Ashtem! Tell me where is he!? What happened to him!?"
"Valt, calm down." Waki said, grabbing Valt's silhouette by the shoulder and hiding it behind her back, blocking it from Ashtem.
"Who?" Ashtem asked as if not understanding.
"Stop fooling around! Red Eye was using his bey! We know that you know what we don't know!" Rantaro exclaimed.
"And he said Shu left." Daigo continued.
"Exactly. Now I understand. Well, he told you the truth. Your friend failed." Ashtem said, surprising the visitors, but most of all he was interested in the reaction of the white-haired girl. Whose colorless eyes sparkled golden for a moment after his words.
"Take back your words!" Valt demanded, offended by Ashtem's words addressed to his best friend.
"Valt." Waki warned him.
"Those who come here want to become stronger. They want to overcome themselves." Ashtem began to explain. "We hold fights every day and post ratings. Our training regime helps to weed out those who lack fortitude and who cannot stand it. It's very simple, right? Training is not for weaklings, and that's exactly what your friend was. He was inferior in strength to the weakest from us."
"Shu anyone, but not a weak! You don't know the most important thing about him!" Valt objected, a gleam appearing in his eyes. "He is awesome! He works as hard as he can and trains harder than anyone else! Even if it's not easy. You won't believe the moves he can do. He is one of the supreme four. He earned that title! You and your shady crew could never break his spirit."
Valt. Waki loosened the hand that was covering Valt from Ashtem, surprised by Valt's words about Shu.
"You say you know him, but you ignore the truth." Ashtem stated causing everyone to stare at him in shock. "You see in him only what you want to see and nothing more. He suffered from the very same short-sightedness you have. He didn't truly know his own bey."
"Don't lie to me! You made it all up!" Valt blamed Ashtem..
"This is your first mistake. Legend Spryzen is a gem. And he deserves a worthy partner. For a role that only Red Eye would be suitable for." Ashtem said and his eyes sparkled as he looked at the white-haired girl.
"How dare you!" Valt said through gritted teeth, angry at Ashtem.
"It's probably hard to see for those blinded by official competitions. We could." Ashtem continued to insist, but Valt interrupted him.
"Stop it already!" Valt exclaimed losing his temper. Ashtem's smile disappeared from his face. "Spryzen is my friend's partner! You have no right to him! You have to give it back to him!"
"Now listen. Let's make a deal." Ashtem said seriously causing everyone to look at him in surprise. "Prove yourself in battle. Use your energy in the ring. First you need to earn the privilege of fighting Red Eye for the bey."
No. Waki thought fearfully.
"I agree. Where to sign?" Valt said confidently.
"And I agree. Well, who's on me? Do you want to be first in line?" Rantaro agreed.
"No, with all due respect, I will refuse." Ashtem answered.
"Are you afraid of losing to us?" Cuza asked mockingly.
"Hmm. Don't be smug." Silver Eye said mockingly.
"What makes you think we're going to waste time on you." Golden Eye taunted.
"You're in trouble, buddy!" Rantaro said getting annoyed by their ridicule.
"I invited you to our center for a reason." Ashtem began to speak seriously. "Just understand. The opportunity we offer is once in a lifetime." Suddenly everyone turned around hearing the sound and gasped. Where the door opened there were five figures in masks.
"Great, even more masks." Сuza said when he saw the opponents.
"More masks." Carl repeated after Cuza.
Wakari frowned, recognizing the auras of the spirits that belonged to the beys of the silhouettes. Their silhouettes are darker than those of the original owners. But this is definitely the energy of Valt's bey and the others.
"Meet your opponents." Ashtem said, drawing attention to himself again.
"What's special about them?" Valt asked.
"Show them." Ashtem ordered and five masked bladers showed their beys. Surprising everyone except Waki, who already recognized them.
"These beys are reminiscent." Valt started.
"Incredible. Didn't expect it." Cuza said in surprise.
"Am I the only one who recognizes them?" Wakiya asked in disbelief.
"The colors are different, but they're similar." Rantaro began.
"They look like ours." Daigo noticed.
"They don't just look like your beys." Waki said drawing attention to herself. "Their spirits and aura are exactly the same as yours. The only difference is that their silhouettes are darker than yours."
"Admire it." Silver Eye began. "Black Eye and his bey Shadow Doomsizer."
"It's a joke?" Daigo asked in confusion.
"Violet Eye and his bey Shadow Wyvron." Silver Eye announced.
"Not funny at all! This is theft!" Wakiya objected.
"Gray Eye and his bey Shadow Cognite." Silver Eye announced and Kuza looked at him in surprise. "Yellow Eye and his bey Shadow Roktavor."
"Some kind of overkill with shadows!" Rantaro exclaimed.
"Azure Eye and his bey Shadow Valtryek." Silver Eye announced the last masked blader.
"Not great at all." Valt said seriously looking at his opponent.
A? Are there only five bladers and shadow beys? Waki's colorless eyes widened in understanding.
"What are you up to?" Wakiya asked turning to Ashtem along with the others. "You won't get far with a team of wannabes and scammers."
"As I already explained. Our main goal is to promote and develop the strong bladers of the world." Ashtem explained. "We would watch your struggle against your partners. And thanks to the data received, we would make the beys even stronger."
"No one told you about boundaries!?" Rantaro exclaimed.
"You stole them and want us to test them?" Wakiya asked annoyed.
"Stop! Where is Red Eye? I want to get into the ring only with him!" Valt stated.
"Everything is in order, as I said." Ashtem replied with a wide grin.
"Forget it, I won't give in!" Valt objected.
"If you want to fight me. You have to defeat them first." Red Eye's voice rang out and everyone turned around to see him among the five masked bladers.
"Red eye!" Valt exclaimed and Ashtem grinned.
"You heard him." Ashtem said. "A five-on-five fight. You will fight copies of your beys. Only the winners will be able to fight the Red Eye."
"Okay. Okay. We got you." Rantaro stated.
"Are you guys going to support me?" Valt asked.
"I'm with you and I'm already looking forward to victory." Cuza said more excitedly.
"Red Eye! Get ready because the games are over! I'll take my friend's bey from you! Just wait." Valt stated, but Red Eye ignored him and left. "I'm coming for you! You can't run forever!"
"Now, let the fight begin!" Ashtem announced with his arms outstretched dramatically and the masked bladers left.
"Forward, the ring is ready, take your seats." Silver Eye said with a grin. Suddenly, a staircase appeared from the wall, which led to the place where the masked bladers had previously stood.
"Wait a minute." Waki intervened, drawing attention to herself. "Even when the masked bladers appeared. I noticed that there are copies of all the beys except mine and when you said earlier that the fight would be five on five. You said that without counting me, didn't you?" Valt and the others' eyes widened at Waki's statement.
"I noticed it then too." Daigo agreed. "That among the shadow versions of beys there was no her bey."
"I wouldn't expect anything less from Beyblade Queen Wakari Reynolds." Ashtem said grinning causing the others to look at him in confusion. "Watching the world league. I noticed that you help your team a lot by giving advice. So I decided that you could wait here with me while your friends fight." The entire team's eyes widened at Ashtem's words.
"What does it mean!?" Valt exclaimed, standing in front of Wakari.
"It's a joke?" Rantaro asked.
"Leave Waki with him while we fight." Daigo said seriously. "Never."
"You're kidding. She's one of the strongest bladers in the world!" Cuza stated not agreeing with Ashtem's words.
"This is already crossing all boundaries." Wakiya stated. "All the strongest bladers who came to the snake pit were never seen again. And you say that you want Waki to stay with you. What is the likelihood that we will see her again and she will not disappear like the others?"
Guys. Wakari was surprised that they protected her, not wanting to leave her with Ashtem.
"You still don't understand?" Golden Eye asked and everyone turned their attention to him. "She can't go with you."
"But!" Valt tried to object, but was interrupted by Ashtem.
"Golden Eye is right. She can't go with you." Ashtem stated seriously. "Either she stays here with me and my subordinates, or you leave the snake pit. Choose."
"B-but." Valt tried to answer something, but couldn't decide because both people were important to him. On the one hand, there was his best friend, who disappeared without a trace and this was the only way to find out anything about his disappearance, on the other, there was a girl who was his teacher and became like an older sister to him.
"Either leave Waki with him, or leave and be left with nothing." Cuza repeated. Wakiya clenched his fists tightly from the hopelessness of the situation, unable to come up with a solution.
This is their only chance. Maybe it's not too late and all is not lost with Shu. Waki thought and sighed. She put her hand on the head of Valt's blue, confused silhouette, attracting his attention.
"It's okay Valt. Go, this might be our only chance to find out something about Shu." Waki said and tilted her head to the side and smiled weakly at him.
"But Waki." Valt said looking at the white-haired girl, not noticing how his voice trembled in fear.
"Are you kidding?!" Rantaro exclaimed.
"It's not funny!" Wakiya objected as he approached them.
"Like I said, this may be our only chance to find out something." Waki answered. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." The guys gave up, realizing that they would not be able to convince her.
"So, your final decision?" Ashtem asked waiting for an answer.
"We agree to your proposal." Wakari agreed. She felt Ashtem grinning and piercing her with his gaze.
"Waki, I promise we won't lose!" Valt stated confidently, making the blind girl smile at him.
"Okay, I'll wait for you. Good luck." Waki said.
"Okay let's get started!" Valt said confidently as he walked up the stairs with the others. But having reached the top, he turned around, looked at Waki again, and moved on with the others.
Waki watched the silhouettes of her friends disappear one after another until they completely disappeared allowing her to see only impenetrable darkness. But she became serious when she heard applause. She turned around to see the silhouettes of the Silver and Golden Eye, but instead of looking at them, she looked into the dark void between them where she knew Ashtem should be.
"Let me greet you once again." Ashtem said solemnly, looking at the white-haired girl. "Long time no see Wakari Reynolds or should I call you by a name that everyone here in the snake pit knows. Isn't it White Eye?"
"I am no longer associated with that name. I am done with you and this place." Waki answered seriously.
"How dare you say that!" Golden Eye objected. "After you meanly betrayed us!"
"Why? That you still can't come to terms with the fact that you lost to a seven-year-old blind girl??" Waki asked annoying Golden Eye.
"You!" Golden Eye exclaimed irritably, but was interrupted by Ashtem, preventing their argument from continuing. For as long as he could remember, ever since the two had ended up in the snake pit, they had always been arguing.
"Calm down Golden Eye." Ashtem said and the window that overlooked the training hall closed and three screens appeared showing the place where the battle would be held. "We have a fight to pay attention to. Let's leave the conversation for later."
Suddenly Wakari heard a noise under the place where she stood and retreated a few steps back before Ashtem's throne appeared in the place where she stood. But she stumbled and almost fell if she had not been held by a familiar red silhouette, which appeared in time to catch her.
"Shu." Waki called him, recognizing the red silhouette. She felt him flinch when she said his real name.
"You showed up just in time Red Eye." Ashtem said as Red Eye helped Waki up. "Please take care of our dear guest. And be polite to her, she is a very important person." Ashtem finished and sat on the throne just as Valt and the others entered Yellow Eye's territory.
"The match between Berserk Roktavor and Shadow Roktavor will begin now." Ashtem announced, watching.
I was right. They watched us and learned our weaknesses. Rantaro is unlikely to be able to withstand the heat in his conditions. His chances of winning are slim. Waki thought with a frown as she listened to the fight being broadcast live.
"Look carefully. The coincidences we see will allow us to gather invaluable information." Ashtem ordered.
"The blader with two points will be declared the winner." Golden Eye announced. "First battle! Ready? Set!"
"1!"
"2!"
"3!"
"Let rip it!" Rantaro and the Yellow Eye shouted and launched their beys and began the battle.
Wakari frowned when she heard Yellow Eye's words about studying Rantaro. "You've been following us since we arrived in Mexico, haven't you?" She asked. Golden Eye was about to object to her, but Ashtem answered faster.
"As always, you amaze Wakari. Even though I sent non-bladers to follow you so that you wouldn't notice them. You still found out about it." Ashtem said with a grin. "I didn't expect anything less from you. You're right, we studied all those who accompanied you, including your student."
"What are you trying to achieve with this?" Waki asked, but Golden Eye interrupted her by announcing the result of the battle.
"Last man standing. Yellow Eye wins with a point." Golden Eye announced. "Second battle! Ready? Set!"
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
"Let rip it!" Rantaro and Yellow Eye shouted and launched their beys and began the battle.
"Yellow eye's bey copies Roktavor's every move." Daigo's voice was heard from the recording.
"It seems they finally understand, but it's too late." Ashtem stated and Rantaro's bey was blown up by the Yellow Eye's bey.
"Two points for a crushing victory! Yellow Eye wins with a score of three to zero." Golden Eye announced.
"He overpowered me. AAHH!" Rantaro screamed as a hatch opened under his feet.
"Rantaro!" Exclaimed Waki, worried about him. But thanks to Cuza, who managed to react in time, the others managed to save him.
"Is this okay boss? " From the recording, the voice of Yellow-Eyes could be heard, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "The losers of a match must disappear. Are we changing the rule mid-fight?" He asked, paying attention to the place where the camera was.
"It looks like he wants to continue the parade of humiliation. I welcome that." Ashtem replied as Waki sighed in relief that the others were able to save Rantaro in time.
"Okay then." The voice of the Yellow Eye was heard and he let Valt and his friends pass further.
"Hm." Ashtem grinned, attracting Waki's attention. "One zero Wakari." Ashtem stated and Waki's colorless eyes sparkled golden for a moment.
~In the next chapter~
Intense fighting in the snake pit continues. Daigo and Cuza have worthy opponents. Wow, it's hard to fight a clone of your own bey. It's almost like fighting with yourself. At the same time, Waki and Ashtem have a conversation in which the past of the legendary blader White Eye is revealed. What!? Are you joking?!
In the next chapter of Beyblade Burst Evolution. The Underground Maze.
- 3!
- 2!
- 1!
Let it rip!