Chapter 7 — The First Cracks
Valt Aoi's first loss hurt.
Not because he lost.
But because he didn't understand why.
"Burst finish!"
The judge's voice echoed through the small stadium as Valtryek flew apart, its pieces skidding across the floor. The crowd reacted with a mix of cheers and laughter—nothing cruel, just the sound of people watching a beginner learn the rules of the world.
Valt stood frozen.
His launcher hung limp at his side as he stared at the stadium.
"Huh…?"
It wasn't anger that filled him.
It was confusion.
I trusted you, he thought, kneeling to pick up Valtryek. Why didn't it work?
Across the stadium, Shu Kurenai watched in silence.
This was the moment.
And Shu felt his chest tighten.
Valt bounced back faster than anyone expected.
That was his strength—and his danger.
He lost, learned nothing, smiled anyway, and challenged the next opponent with the same reckless enthusiasm. He ran down streets with his Bey clutched in his hand, launching wherever he could, testing himself against anyone willing to play.
That was how he met Rantaro Kiyama.
"Whoa! You're really bad," Rantaro said cheerfully after blocking Valt's wild launch.Valt laughed. "Yeah! But it's fun, right?"
Rantaro blinked.
Then laughed too.
The two were inseparable after that.
Straw Street became their battlefield—cracked pavement, makeshift stadiums, laughter echoing between buildings. They talked about Beyblade nonstop, about becoming stronger, about forming something bigger than just two kids launching Beys in the street.
"A club!" Rantaro declared one day. "The best one ever!"
Valt's eyes sparkled. "Yeah! A Beyblade Club!"
Above them, the wind stirred.
Shu began training Valt.
Carefully.
Too carefully.
He corrected Valt's stance. Adjusted his grip. Smoothed out his launches. He taught him timing, control, restraint.
And Valt listened.
Mostly.
But every time Shu tried to rein him in completely, Valt pushed back—not in defiance, but instinct.
"My Bey feels better when I trust it," Valt said once, smiling innocently.
Shu's hand froze mid-adjustment.
That sentence echoed.
Too familiar.
Trust…
Shu tightened his grip on Spriggan later that night, alone in his room.
"This time," he told himself, "I won't let it break."
That was his first mistake.
The local tournament approached.
Word spread quickly—strong bladers gathering, rankings shifting, names being noticed.
The Supreme Four watched from above.
Lui didn't bother attending small tournaments.
But he felt them.
New sparks igniting.
"Worthless," he scoffed, yet his eyes lingered on the screen a second longer than necessary when Valt's name appeared.
Shu entered the tournament calm as ever.
Efficient.Perfect.Unyielding.
He dismantled opponents with precision, never overextending, never faltering.
Valt watched with awe.
"That's amazing," he whispered. "That's how strong I want to be."
Shu smiled.
And didn't correct him.
That was his second mistake.
When Shu and Valt finally faced each other, the stadium buzzed with anticipation. Mentor versus student. Genius versus instinct.
The launch was clean.
Spriggan moved like clockwork—controlling space, redirecting force, never wasting motion.
Valtryek was wild.
Unstable.
Alive.
Valt pushed harder, trusting his Bey completely, even as it rattled and strained.
Shu saw the signs.
He remembered the sound of breaking plastic.
He pulled back.
Just slightly.
And that hesitation—
Cost him.
Valtryek slammed into Spriggan with reckless force, bursting through Shu's perfect defense in a collision neither calculation nor restraint could predict.
"Burst finish!"
The crowd exploded.
Shu stared at the stadium.
For the first time in years—
He had misjudged.
Far away, in Europe, Ryuga paused mid-launch.
Storm Dragoon slowed.
The wind shifted sharply.
"…So," Ryuga murmured. "You've started moving."
Storm Dragon stirred, amused.
On a rooftop in Japan, Lui smiled without humor.
"A crack," he said. "Good."
Valt jumped into the air, cheering, while Rantaro whooped beside him. Straw Street's dream felt real now—closer than ever.
Shu stood still.
Calm.
Smiling.
But beneath the surface, the cage rattled.
The Blade Runners era had truly begun.
And for the first time—
The legends weren't watching the past anymore.
They were watching the future rush toward them at full speed.