The exciting, victorious feeling from beating Kyoya disappeared in a flash, replaced by a chilling, anxious pressure. Karan stood completely still, unable to move. The importance of Madoka's warning felt heavier on his shoulders than any physical blow from Leone ever had.
"Your Beyblade is a little hurt..." her voice was low and serious, "...if you don't want to be the one who breaks it completely..."
Gingka was the one who finally spoke into the quiet. "Madoka! What are you doing here?" Beside him, Kenta's eyes were wide with surprise, and he nodded quickly, agreeing with the question.
Madoka didn't take her eyes off her scanner, its screen blinking with wild, fast-changing numbers. She was completely focused on Dark Abyss Phoenix. "I was watching the city's power network from my shop," she explained, her tone fast and professional. "The energy blast from this factory was unbelievable—much stronger than any normal Beyblade fight. I knew something was terribly wrong and rushed over immediately."
That was enough information for them. "Let's go," Karan said, his voice softer than usual. He held Dark Abyss Phoenix gently in his hand, not like a tool for fighting, but like a delicate treasure. The trip back through the hollow factory and the poorly lit roads was a quick, silent rush. Gingka and Kenta looked at each other with concern, but they didn't dare speak and disturb the heavy quiet. For Karan, nothing else existed except the faint, wrong-feeling vibration coming from his connection to the Phoenix.
When they finally opened the door to the B-Pit, Karan felt like he had entered a completely different universe. After the chilly, rusty decay of the factory, the shop was a warm, busy sanctuary. The air had the scents of machine oil and electricity. Shelves were packed with tidy rows of tools, extra pieces, and rolled-up design papers. Beyblades, some partly taken apart, sat under the glow of bright work lamps.It was a messy room, but it was the organized, living mess of a true genius.
"Here, place it right here," Madoka directed, pointing to an empty space on her main work table. A complicated machine with several moving mechanical arms and devices that created glowing, blue images buzzed as it started up. With extreme caution, Karan set Dark Abyss Phoenix inside the special scanning area.
A glowing, three-dimensional blueprint of the Beyblade appeared in the air above it. Delicate lines of energy, shining in bright colors, showed how power flowed through it. But several of these lines, running from the center to the bottom tip and the outer metal, were blinking a worrying, unsteady red.
"Just as I suspected," Madoka said softly, making the flashing lines bigger on the screen. "The heart of your Bey is perfectly fine—in fact, it's amazingly strong. But the special channels that carry your fighting spirit into its powerful attacks are cracked. When you made that... dark void... you pushed more energy through them than they were ever meant to take." She finally looked up at Karan, her expression stern. "It's like you tried to force a whole sea through a tiny, thin pipe."
For the first time since arriving in this new world, Karan's shield of sarcasm and defensiveness shattered completely. His face showed pure, undisguised fear. "Can you fix it?" he asked, his voice so quiet it was almost inaudible. Nothing else was important anymore—only the safety of his partner mattered.
"I can fix it," Madoka said, a small, sure smile finally appearing on her face. "But the work is very precise. It isn't just fixing the body; it's about carefully guiding the pathways of energy inside it back into their proper place."
The next hour was filled with quiet, concentrated effort. Madoka worked with the steady hands of a doctor, using tools that shone with gentle beams of light to carefully persuade the broken energy lines to mend and realign. Gingka and Kenta, who knew the routine of the B-Pit well, naturally started helping her without needing any instructions.
"Gingka, hand me the phase calibrator," Madoka requested, her focus never leaving her work.
"Kenta,can you change the lamp's angle? I can't see the joining point clearly enough."
Karan stood to the side, initially feeling helpless and out of place, his hands squeezed into tight fists. But as the delicate work went on, Madoka started to describe her actions, pulling him into the process.
"Look at this energy path?" Madoka said, pointing. "It's built for quick, powerful bursts. But you forced a constant, heavy river of power through it. You have to learn to send your energy in waves, not as one never-ending flood."
A little hesitantly, Karan began to assist. He held a device that created a stable energy field for her when she required both hands free. Slowly, he was being pulled into the work, becoming an active piece of the solution.
During a quiet moment in the work, Gingka finally asked the question he'd been wanting to. "So, Karan," he started, rubbing a smudge of grease off his face. "Where are you from? And how did you get a Beyblade like that one? I have never felt anything like it!"
Karan's body went stiff for a moment before he made himself calm down.He used the half-truth he'd prepared. "I'm from... a place very far from here," he said, which was technically correct. "And this," he pointed towards the Phoenix, "was a gift." He swiftly changed the subject. "But what about you two? How did you end up having trouble with the Face Hunters?"
His plan worked exactly as he hoped. Kenta's face turned red as he remembered the awkward, frightening moment. "They trapped me in an alley and ordered me to hand over all my points!" he admitted, his voice quiet. "I was really scared..."
And I refused to let them get away with that!" Gingka declared, standing tall and proud. "I traveled to this city to battle the most powerful Bladers, and I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful friend Kenta during my journey." He gave a bright smile, giving Kenta a friendly pat on the back.
Karan realized he was actually paying attention to their story, and, to his surprise, a small, real smile began to form on his mouth. Their tale was straightforward, truthful, and overflowing with a sense of friendship and teamwork he had never experienced before.
As she completed the last steps, Madoka spoke once more, her voice now gentler and more thoughtful. "You must understand, a Beyblade is more than just equipment, Karan. It is your companion. The deeper your connection, the greater the strength you can share, but you must also learn to hear its needs." She looked at the hologram, where the dangerous red lines were now shifting into a calm, strong gold. "It seems you and Dark Abyss Phoenix share a powerful link, but it is... wild. Untamed. You demanded everything from it, but you did not shield it. A true partnership requires give and take from both sides."
Gingka nodded his head eagerly, his eyes drifting to his own Beyblade, Pegasus, which was sitting quietly nearby. "Yes!" he agreed. "It's exactly like a true friendship. You need to have faith in one another. You can't only receive; you must also offer support. And you need to understand the right moment to push forward with all your strength, and the right moment to hold back and protect each other."
Their words struck Karan with the force of a real punch. He remembered the thrilling, wild feeling of power during the fight with Kyoya, and how the Phoenix had happily answered his commands. But he also recalled the sharp, hurtful jolt he felt right after, the warning vibration he had overlooked because he only wanted to win. He had been using the Phoenix like a disposable tool given by his System, not a real, breathing partner connected to his very spirit.
With one last, pleasant humming sound, the glowing image became perfectly steady. All the energy lines now shone with a constant, bright gold color. Madoka released a long, relieved breath. "It's finished."
Karan summoned Dark Abyss Phoenix back into his palm. The instant it made contact, he sensed the change. The slight, irritating wrongness had vanished. The Beyblade felt complete and harmonious, and their connection felt cleaner and more profound, like a musical instrument that had been perfectly adjusted. A powerful feeling of relief flowed through him.
"Alright!" Gingka announced, shattering the serious mood. "This deserves a party! I'm buying ramen for everyone!" He proudly held up his Bey-Point reader, showing a high number. "I won a lot of points in battles earlier!"
The offer was so kind and real that Karan found it impossible to say no.
Twenty minutes later,they were all packed into a tight booth at a small, busy ramen shop. Steam from their hot bowls clouded the windows. The last bits of awkwardness and distance disappeared, chased away by the delicious smell of soup and noodles. With Gingka's excited energy on one side and Kenta's sincere, admiring looks on the other, Karan slowly felt the tension leave his body and actually began to relax.
He carefully put together a more complete life story for himself—an orphan boy from a far-off village, looking for his purpose. It was similar enough to his real situation to sound true. He even made a couple of sharp, funny comments about Kyoya's "ridiculous throne," which made Kenta laugh loudly. For the first time since he'd woken up in this new world, the steady, nervous feeling of being a stranger finally disappeared, replaced by a warm feeling of fitting in.
They said goodbye outside the shop under the cool, fresh night sky.
"See you tomorrow at the B-Pit!"Gingka called out. "We can do some proper training!"
"Yeah!"Kenta added. "It'll be fun!"
Karan simply waved back, the action feeling oddly right and easy. Once he was back in his silent, simple room, he lifted Dark Abyss Phoenix into the beam of moonlight coming through the window. It was more than just fixed; it was truly known. The connection between them had been challenged and had come out stronger.
"Friends... partners..." he thought to himself, and now the ideas didn't seem so strange anymore. "Perhaps true strength is about more than just victory in a fight. Kyoya is still somewhere perhaps training hard, and many adventures lie ahead. But for the first time, it doesn't seem like I will have to meet all those challenges by myself."
Ding!
The sound from the system was quiet and soothing.
"Connection Formed:'Gingka's Group.' Teamwork Benefit Unlocked: Your spiritual bond with your Bey will grow a little faster when you practice with your friends."
A small, real smile appeared on Karan's face as he gazed at the city glowing under the moonlight. For the first time since he had tripped on that cursed banana peel, the road in front of him no longer looked lonely or scary. Instead, it seemed full of promise. He had a partner to learn with, friends to support him, and a brand new day to welcome.