Karan woke up feeling a deep, tired ache in his muscles. His palm still remembered the tight grip of his Bey-Launcher from the day before. The burning anger he had felt was gone now, replaced by a cooler, stronger feeling of determination.
He lay still in his small, messy room, watching the morning sun shine through the one dirty window. In that quiet moment, he made a firm decision about his future.
He wouldn't merely live in this world. He would dominate it.
For the next hour,he trained in his small, cramped room. He launched Dark Abyss Phoenix over and over, making it fly in short, precise paths. With each launch, he learned more about its weight, its balance, and the clean way it moved through the air.And beneath it all, the "Giant Slayer" title hummed, giving him a natural instinct for how to use his agility to defeat a more powerful, heavier opponent.
A low, rumbling growl from his stomach was a sharp reminder that he was still just a human. Right on time, the System's voice rang in his head, its fake cheerfulness as annoying as ever.
"Ding!You need to eat. Your mission is to go to the market and buy food. Reward: 100 Bey-Points."
"A hundred points for food?" Karan grumbled, his voice still uncomfortably young. "That's nothing." But his empty stomach growled, overruling his complaint. He needed to stock up, and this gave him a clear excuse to go out and see what this new world was really like.
The moment he stepped into the shopping district, it was like he had walked right into his favorite anime. The air wasn't just filled with the noise of people talking. It was alive with the unique, thrilling sounds of Beyblades—the high WHIRR of the spin, the metallic CLASH of collision, and the deep BOOM of impact. This was the constant, background music of this new world.
His eyes moved quickly, taking in all the unique stores. One shop had shiny, custom-made metal parts for Beyblades shining behind strong glass. Right next door, another store promised super-fast repairs, its windows covered in posters announcing big official tournaments. He realized this wasn't just a game people played.It was a deep-rooted culture, a real economy, and a complete way of living.
He immediately understood that people were already talking about him.
"...Benkei was totally beaten..."
"...some new kid with a black and purple Beyblade..."
"...called a Phoenix...I heard it broke the other Bey to pieces..."
Karan pulled his hood low over his head, trying to stay unnoticed. Great, my fame is spreading. Now every random blader looking for glory will be after me. He sped up, trying to find a grocery stall. But his feet suddenly stopped moving. He forgot all about food. A store across the street had grabbed his attention and held it tight.
His gaze locked onto it. There, sitting between a takoyaki vendor and another shop, was a storefront he recognized from countless episodes. The name on the sign made his pulse race: B-Pit.
No way,he breathed out. It's real. Madoka's B-Pit.
He stood completely still, a strange and powerful mix of past memories and present reality flooding through him. This was the famous base for every blader he'd watched on screen. While he was lost in the moment, the shop door opened with a cheerful ring, and two boys walked out, their laughter filling the air.
One boy had a crazy, bright red hairstyle that stood out like a flame. He carried himself with a limitless confident energy that seemed to light up the whole street. The other boy was younger and shorter, holding a yellow Beyblade tightly. He gazed up at his red-haired friend with pure, heartfelt admiration.
Gingka. Kenta. The thought echoed in his mind. The star of the show and his devoted partner. They weren't just characters on a screen anymore. They were alive, right in front of him, sharing the same space.
The awesome feeling of seeing the protagonist was destroyed by a sudden THWIP!
A dark arrow with black feathers cut through the air right where he had just been.It slammed into the wooden board at his feet, the shaft shaking violently from the impact.Gingka and Kenta jumped away, their smiles vanishing, replaced by shock.
"Whoa!" Gingka cried out, his cheerful expression gone in a flash. He was now fully alert and concerned. "What's happening? Where did that arrow come from?"
Karan's feeling of wonder dropped away, replaced by a hot, simple feeling of pure annoyance. These stupid bullies can't even give me one day off! he thought, furious. Not one single, quiet day to myself!
His jaw clenched tight, he knelt down and pulled the arrow roughly from the wood. A small piece of old paper was tied to it. The words on it were short and sharp, written in an angry, slashing handwriting:
The Abandoned Steel Factory. Be there at sunset. Come Alone. - Face Hunter Leader.
He crumpled the note into a tight ball. A trap. It was so clear and simple it was almost an insult. But he saw no way out. He was going to have to step right into their ambush.
He turned to go, but a firm hand grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. It was Gingka.
"Hey,wait!" Gingka said, his eyes locked on the crumpled note in Karan's fist. "That's from the Face Hunters, right? They're trying to trap you!"
You think I don't know that?" Karan shot back, trying to shake off Gingka's hand. "This is my fight. I'll deal with it myself."
"Not a chance!"Gingka insisted, moving to block his path. His eyes burned with a fierce resolve that Karan recognized instantly from the anime. "Those Face Hunters are nothing but cowards who steal from others! They even picked on Kenta before, and I still owe them for that! You're not going alone." He slammed a fist into his other hand. "We're coming with you!"
Karan just looked at him, a fierce battle happening inside his mind. His pride and the clear "come alone" order told him to say no. But another part of him, the part that had watched every episode of Gingka's life, knew better. He never gives up. He's stubborn and too brave for his own good.
Even if I refuse, he'll just follow me anyway, probably making more noise and attracting more attention.
He weighed the options: walk into a den of wolves alone, or walk in with the main character and his friend as backup.It wasn't a difficult choice at all.
After a tense moment, he let out a sharp, frustrated breath. "Fine," he bit out. "But don't get in my way. The leader is mine. This is my fight."
A huge,radiant smile broke out on Gingka's face. "No problem! We'll support you!"
The three of them found a quiet spot away from the main street. Kenta was practically vibrating with nervous excitement,while Gingka's expression was completely serious and focused.
"The Abandoned Steel Factory," Gingka said, his face becoming grim. "It's a terrible spot. Inside, it's a confusing jungle of rusty walkways and broken-down machines. They know the whole layout perfectly. They'll have every advantage because it's their territory."
Karan nodded slowly, his fingers gently feeling the cool, detailed surface of his Beyblade. He could sense a quiet vibration coming from it. This wasn't the hot rage from the fight with Benkei. This was a chilling, focused anticipation. It was ready for the hunt.
They began this fight, Karan thought, his gaze turning sharp. They challenged me and sent the warning. They asked for this. He lifted his eyes toward the factory district, where the bare, bony outline of the steel factory was already becoming clear against the evening sky.
You made the first move, Karan's thoughts murmured, his hand squeezing his Beyblade until his knuckles were white. Now it's my turn to end it. Let's find out what happens when the prey you're hunting turns around and bites back.
As the sunset painted the sky in shades of fire, the three of them stood in front of the factory's old, rusty gates. The sign that said "ABANDONED" dangled sideways. The air smelled strongly of old metal and rot. A creepy, heavy quiet lay over everything, with only the sound of the wind whistling through shattered windows to break it.
Gingka cracked his knuckles,a bold, excited smile lighting up his face. There was no trace of fear in it, only pure readiness for the fight. "Okay," he said, his quiet voice sharp in the silence. "Let's find out how tough these Face Hunters really are!"
After a quick look at each other, they pushed the old, rusty gate and walked into the huge, dark entrance. Inside, it was like a forest of deep shadows and giant, sleeping metal machines.
They had taken only a few steps when a calm, arrogant voice echoed from the darkness deep within the factory, laced with mocking delight.
"Well, well," the voice said calmly, seeming to come from everywhere at once."Thesheep all arrived together.''
A shape then moved away from the darkest shadows up on a high walkway,outlined against the last bit of fading light coming through a hole in the roof.
"What a wonderful day to harvest wool."