Bright sunlight poured through the B-Pit's windows, lighting up tiny specks of dust floating in the air like little, shining fairies. The feeling in the room was cozy and calm, a complete contrast to the dangerous, desperate fight in the steel factory only a day earlier.
"Alright, Karan, focus!" Gingka called out, a wide grin on his face. "Let's see that control Madoka was talking about!"
In the middle of the workshop, Karan and Gingka faced each other, their Beyblades ready. Karan took a deep breath and launched Dark Abyss Phoenix. It flew forward, but this time, its famous dark energy didn't explode wildly. Instead, it pulsed in careful, rhythmic beats—like a shadowy heartbeat—letting it slip and dive around Pegasus with scary precision.
"Wow!" Kenta shouted from the side of the room. "It's moving way quicker than before!"
Madoka nodded,a pleased smile on her lips as she watched the stable data on her screen. "He's starting to guide the energy, not just let it all out wildly. His connection with his Bey is becoming much stronger and steadier."
The practice battle was a series of precise, managed impacts, completely different from the wreckage-filled fights of the day before. For the first time, Karan was truly having fun. The heavy, constant fear of being destroyed was gone, replaced by the pure, simple happiness of improving his abilities alongside friends.
The peaceful moment was destroyed by a loud, screaming siren that rang out across the whole city. The happy feeling disappeared immediately. Outside, every massive holographic screen flashed on, all showing the clean, serious symbol of the World Beyblade Battle Association(WBBA).
A sudden quiet spread across the city, quickly followed by a low wave of whispering and excited chatter. A serious-looking man in a neat WBBA uniform appeared on all the screens, his face serious and formal.
"People and Bladers of the world," his voice boomed, amplified across the metropolis. "The WBBA is proud to officially announce the commencement of this year's most anticipated event: the Annual Survival Battle!"
A shared sound of shock and surprise spread through the streets. Karan, Gingka, Kenta, and Madoka hurried out of the B-Pit and into the expanding crowd, all of them staring intently at the giant screen.
"The rules are easy to understand, but the test will be incredibly difficult," the man went on. Video of a rough, rusty-red wilderness took over the screen—the Crimson Canyon. It was a dangerous place of sharp rock towers, bottomless cracks in the earth, and shaky footing. "For one full day and night, registered Bladers will fight everyone in this special area. Beat your rivals to take their points. Endure the dangerous environment. The Blader who is the last one spinning, or who has collected the most points when the clock runs out, will be the winner."
The camera zoomed in on the official's face. "And to the one who conquers this trial, the WBBA will grant a single reward, as is our tradition." He paused for dramatic effect. "The victor will be granted one wish. Any single wish within our vast and considerable power to fulfill."
The city exploded.
A roar of excitement, disbelief, and raw ambition erupted from every corner. Bladers were shouting, cheering, arguing, their dreams suddenly given a tangible, incredible goal. The air itself crackled with potential.
"YEEESSS!" Gingka screamed, thrusting his fist high into the air, his shout louder than the crowd's noise. His eyes shone with a fierce, excited light Karan had never witnessed. "A competition that gathers every top Blader together? This is what I've been waiting for! I'm joining for sure!" For Gingka, the grand prize was hardly the main point. What truly mattered was the battle itself, the challenge, and the opportunity to reach the peak and show everyone his power.
Kenta, holding his Sagittario Beyblade so hard his knuckles turned white, looked up with a face full of powerful resolve. "I'm entering too! I have to! I understand I probably won't be the champion, but I still need to try! I have to find out what my limits are!" His deepest desire, though he didn't say it out loud, was obvious to those close to him: he wanted the power to stand next to Gingka as a true partner, not just as an admiring friend.
Madoka, always the practical one, had already taken out her data device, her fingers moving quickly over the screen. "This is a major situation, everyone. Look here." She showed them information on previous champions—intimidating Bladers with amazing battle histories. "Kyoya will definitely be competing. So will other bladers just as powerful as him, and likely some who are even stronger. This is no longer a small, neighborhood fight. This is the biggest level of competition."
Karan, however, stayed completely quiet. The loud sounds of the city became a faint, distant hum in his ears. One wish. Anything.
The thought repeated in his head,feeling heavier each time.
This was a wish from the powerful WBBA. Did he want endless riches? He could have a life of luxury here, never needing anything again. But to get it, he had to win. The chance was unbelievably huge, but the memory of his new friends' faces made a simple choice feel suddenly very complicated
As the group processed the huge news, Karan's sharpened senses, fine-tuned by his connection to the Phoenix, detected a well-known, threatening presence. His eyes instantly darted to the other side of the street. There, leaning casually against a wall with his arms folded, was Kyoya. He was watching the announcement play again, a clear look of contempt on his face.
But as if he could feel Karan's look, Kyoya turned his head. His hunter's eyes instantly found and locked with Karan's. There was no shout, no big warning. Only a slow, sure smirk that was cold and empty, and a sharp, focused stare that delivered one clear, wordless promise: I'll be waiting for you. He then pushed himself away from the wall and disappeared into the happy, noisy crowd, like a powerful predator melting away into the wilderness.
"Do you see him?" Madoka whispered, tracking where Karan was looking. Then, without being obvious, she pointed towards other people in the mass of spectators. "And he isn't the only threat we should fear." She indicated a calm, tall Blader who had a dark blue Beyblade at his side that looked like it was made of flowing water. Then she pointed to another, more aggressive-looking one whose Bey gave off bright, snapping sparks of orange power. "The opponents in this tournament are going to be absolute beasts."
Ding!
The sound in Karan's mind was sharp and unmistakable,slicing through all his other thoughts.
"Major World Event Triggered: 'Conquer the Survival Battle.'
Objective: Win the Survival Battle tournament.
Success Reward: 10,000 Bey-Points, Title: 'Survival King.'
Failure Penalty: Loss of all your saved Bey-Points.
The System had spoken. There was no choice anymore. Only victory or crushing loss.
The group moved back into the safe living room of the B-Pit, but the happy workshop now had the feeling of a military command center. The relaxed feeling from the morning was completely gone, replaced by a sharp, buzzing sense of purpose.
"Okay, we can't afford to delay," Madoka announced, firmly placing a detailed map of the Crimson Canyon onto her main work table. Her eyes shone with a fierce, planning energy. "We have fourteen days. This tournament is now our only priority."
She looked at each of them one by one. "Karan, your command over your power has improved, but you cannot think about it. It must become a reflex. You have to perfect your spiritual connection until it is as automatic as taking a breath. One more uncontrolled explosion like the one you used against Kyoya could break your Beyblade during a long competition."
"Gingka, no one can match your raw strength in a direct clash, but this battle is a test of lasting power. We are adjusting Pegasus's build—we will increase its staying power, even if it means slightly reducing its maximum force. You must be able to keep fighting for a full day and night."
"Kenta," she said, her tone becoming a little gentler but just as determined, "we are going to make your special move training much more demanding. The attack must be quicker and more powerful. In a chaotic battle against everyone, you require a dependable, strong move that can defeat an opponent and earn you points in an instant."
Karan listened carefully. He looked at Gingka, whose excitement had been refined into a sharp, focused determination. He looked at Kenta, who was agreeing with a mature seriousness that seemed older than his years. He looked at Madoka, their smart, steady leader. Then he glanced down at Dark Abyss Phoenix resting in his palm. It vibrated softly, not with a desire to destruction, but with an eagerness for the difficult trial that lay ahead.
The hazy, distant idea of wishing to return to his old, lonely, and boring life... it dissolved and vanished like morning fog under a bright sun. In its place grew a firm, blazing certainity.
My wish... I don't know what it is yet, he thought, his grip tightening on his Bey. But I know I need the strength to claim it,to guard the new life I am creating in this world. I will win this tournament.For my own sake, for my partner, and for the companions who have accepted me here.
A unified, unshakeable sense of determination settled over the B-Pit. The road in front of them was obvious, harsh, and illuminated by the promise of one incredible wish. Fourteen days of extremely hard, dedicated training awaited them—a challenge that would strengthen their abilities, examine their friendships, and stretch their courage to its very edge. The fight to decide their destiny had now started.