Daigo Kurogami ~

"You think we'll get to see the battle today?" Nika asked.

"I'm not sure," Toko replied, worriedly looking over at the stage where (Y/n) and Ukyo were standing.

The two bladers have been arguing for over ten minutes now. The referee was desperately trying to calm them but with no avail. Right now, Ukyo was mocking (Y/n) for having white grandmother hair, while (Y/n) was insulting Ukyo for having a girly ponytail. At some point, (Y/n) was commenting on the size of Ukyo's brain, while Ukyo said that it's obviously bigger than hers.

After a little more while of the referee only making unsuccessful attempts at separating them and beginning the battle, he finally gave up and crossed his arms, waiting for the argument to end.

Poor referee.

"I still think they can be good friends," Xander laughed behind me.

"I'm not sure," Shu said sheepishly.

"Can't you see?" Valt said. "They both are looking so enthusiastic for the coming battle!"

"No," Rantaro corrected. "They're not enthusiastic for the battle. The heat is for that argument."

When I turned my attention back to the stage, they were arguing if pigeons are more cute or the vultures, when (Y/n) told Ukyo that he is a pig. Ukyo said that she is a rat, then she said that he is a spider, and then Ukyo said that she is an earthworm, and then (Y/n) said that he is a grasshopper, and this thing continued until all animals and insects in this world finally ended.

The referee took this pause as an opportunity and quickly announced, "Get-ready-for-the-first-battle!"

Ukyo and (Y/n) looked like they were about to protest that their argument wasn't over yet, but they took their stances without complaining. Ukyo was in his usual left-handed launching position, while (Y/n) went with the Axe Counter one.

A pretty interesting strategy, if you ask me. Axe Counter works while being in the centre, and Unicrest is a defence type. So of course it will aim for the centre. This battle will probably go same as when she battled Wakiya at his place. She can win.

Then again, Axe Counter may be an unbelievably fierce move, but Alicorn Launch cannot be questioned. I've personally experienced it. It's quite strong, and also difficult to escape. My Doomscizor's Quake Launch went completely ineffective against that move.

"Ready? Set!" Referee announced.

"Three...two...one...LET IT RIP!"

Sparyon and Unicrest landed in the stadium with flawless launches. Unicrest went straight for centre, while Sparyon circled around it in clockwise movement.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. That's not Axe Counter. Her bey should've been in the centre of the stadium for that.

Expectantly, realization hit me like a truck and that truck ran me over, flattening me on the road.

I remembered (Y/n). That girl is too damn proud to even use her special moves during the battle. She mostly battles that way. The stance may have been of Axe Counter, but she's not gonna use it. She thinks she's so strong that she can beat Ukyo without using her special moves.

I sometimes wish she loses in a battle, and that ego shatters. If she's strong, then that doesn't mean she will underestimate her opponent that way. It's actually very insulting when your opponent isn't using their full power and they think you're so weak that they'll win just like that. I would so hate it if she does that to me.

Minutes passed, and Sparyon was still zooming around the stadium while Unicrest was spinning in the centre.

"Um, have they fallen asleep?" Valt asked. "Why aren't they doing anything?"

"I think they both are waiting for the other one to attack first," Shu said, and when Valt gave him a confused look, he sighed and explained further like the Shu Kurenai he is. "Unicrest is doing defence. It doesn't want to leave the centre, so it isn't gonna attack Sparyon. And (Y/n) won't attack first because...uh, I don't know what's on her mind. Her strategies have always been complicated and incomprehensible."

Yeah, can't argue with that.

"Maybe she doesn't want to provoke Alicorn Launch?" I said.

"And why wouldn't she?" Toko said.

"It's not possible that she fears it," Nika decided. "She faced off Xcalius' Saber Strike head-to-head. There's no point in fearing Alicorn Launch."

"Who knows?" Honcho shuddered. "Maybe she's also scared of unicorns."

"Also?" I teased.

Valt's ears perked up and he grinned. "Honcho, did you say also?"

The twins joined us. "Is there anyone else who also fears unicorns?"

Honcho's face visibly turned red with embarrassment. "I swear it's no one!"

Both the beys had their stamina drained out by now. Seeing Unicrest wobbling in the centre, Ukyo had his fists clenched and jaw tightened while (Y/n) had her usual emotionless face as she watched Sparyon weakly spinning on the slope of the stadium.

Doesn't this person have any concern or fear or something? Seriously, she could lose by a survivor finish night now and she's standing there like she's about to win the whole world.

When both the beys finally stopped, only then I realised the reason behind (Y/n) standing there all proud and high. Unicrest stopped first.

Unicrest stopped first, but there's no way she would've known that beforehand! Could anyone have known that much in advance? I don't believe it.

I refuse to.

"Stone Sparyon with a survivor finish," the referee said. "(Y/n) (l/n) gets one point. The score is one to zero."

That was when (Y/n) frowned and picked up her bey, followed by an angry Ukyo. Their bickering almost immediately started.

"Weren't you supposed to attack?" Ukyo yelled.

"I thought the same of you!" (Y/n) screamed back.

"But I was in the center."

"No one asked you to be there."

"Why don't you be the next time?"

"That's not the point here."

"You made the battle boring. There wasn't even a single strike," Ukyo reasoned.

"Yea, you tell me. What kinda match was that?" (Y/n) countered.

There was a moment of silence until they both crossed their arms, looking away from each other and said in unison, "How much I hate you!"

This made them glare at one another from the corner of their eyes. They pointed back, again saying in sync, "Don't you dare copy me!"

The referee sweatdropped and before they could say more, he quickly called, "Second Battle!"

Both of them took the same stances as they did in the first battle. Hanami was constantly talking about how epic the battle would be and how awesome the consequences can be, but I didn't pay much attention to it.

"Ready? Set!" the referee said.

"Three...two...one...LET IT RIP!!"

Unicrest and Sparyon flew into the stadium again. Both the beys ran straight for the centre, and collided at it. Blue and red sparks flew as they fought for the spot with Sparyon as the winner in the end.

Unicrest was thrown to the outer slope of the stadium, and (Y/n) gave a wicked grin as Ukyo activated his aura to strike back. "Show up, Unicrest. Alicorn Launch!"

The unicorn horn at the side of Über Unicrest's bey glimmered with turquoise blue light as it lunged at Sparyon with great power. The white and green unicorn itself appeared (Rantaro flinched beside me) and (Y/n) took this as a cue to activate her own aura.

"Sparyon!" She called, and I gripped Doomscizer in my pocket, waiting to see if she'll use Axe counter or not. I wanted to know if she's too proud to even use her full power or not.

"Face it," she said softly. There was so much calmness and quietness in her voice that it gave me chills. And that was all.

She didn't use it.

I don't know if anyone or even Ukyo or the others realize this, but this is simply insane. I don't think no one ever plays beyblade like that. Being evil is one thing; possessing darkness is another. Heck, even if darkness possesses you in return, isn't that bad.

(Y/n) isn't any of these three. She's on a whole lot other level.

No darkness makes you insane enough to take the attacks directly or find pleasure in insulting your opponents by underestimating them. It cannot make you risk your own victory just because you want to test if you'll be able to beat them without being at your full power.

(Y/n) isn't darkness. She's the void.

Of course no one else around me sees this. They don't know things about the dark as much as I do. Valt is naïve. Rantaro hasn't seen the dark side. Shu isn't too good to notice. Xander doesn't care about the deep stuff. Only I know what it means, how it feels. After exploring it so much, I...

I'm tempted to go there.

Wait no, I'm not!

Her red eyes literally glittered redder as her aura activated and the familiar golden demon joined the white unicorn in the stadium. The beasts and the beys collided with magnificent power, and the match was over so quickly that I had to blink twice to figure out what exactly happened.

Unicrest's Alicorn Launch collided with Sparyon, and the former bursted into three pieces. The fact that Alicorn Launch actually failed and (Y/n) didn't even need to use her special moves to do that, was terrifying alone.

There she's like that, while I here couldn't win against Ukyo even by using my special move.

Sometimes I wonder if there's anyone who can defeat her. Shu may have won during the District Tournament, but that was just once. She had won against him before that, and I think she'll continue to win against him even after that. There's a small part of my brain that says again and again, (Y/n) wouldn't need any actual effort to defeat Shu the next time they battle. It was just his luck being merciful on him during the Districts.

"Stone Sparyon with a burst finish," the referee announced. "(Y/n) (l/n) wins by a score of three to zero."

"YAAAYY!!" Valt screamed from beside me. I had to cover my ears to block out the noise.

"She advanced to the finals," I said. "That's a good thing. I appreciate it. But you don't have to scream like that."

"Told you she's not afraid of facing Alicorn Launch!" Nika said, proud of her reasoning. Only if she knew the real reason. "She didn't even need her special moves to win right through it."

"She's so cool," Toko cooed.

"We should quickly go and congratulate (Y/n) or she'll sneak away," Honcho said, urgently looking at Valt. Valt let out a somewhat animalistic screech and they both hurried towards the waiting room with the twins following close.

I had no choice but to follow as well and join this act of stupidity. (Y/n)'s just gonna snap at them again. She doesn't like to be congratulated and appreciated, everyone knows it. I don't understand why do these two go to her just to get brutally insulted. The twins are just kids, but I guess Valt and Honcho never had any self-respect in the first place.

------------

Wakiya won against Hoji, advancing to the finals of Block C of the tournament. The day after tomorrow is my battle against Yugo and the next day of that is Valt and Honcho's battle. I can't say who'll win, but I'm gonna cheer for both of them. My biggest concern at the moment is my battle against Yugo anyway.

That evening, when I was practicing with Valt and Honcho in the Beypark, Valt was repeatedly winning against the two of us.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance as he bursted my Dark Doomscizor again. Valt practically jumped up and down while I damned myself for not being as good.

I remembered the time during the Districts when he started off with absolutely nothing. Since that day, he'd been getting better and better, while I'm where I was. Valt is so much better than me.

I've gotta get stronger. If I gotta prove that I'm as good, I'm not going to lose my battle against Yugo. Valt had always been so strong. He'd always gotten to be in the spotlight. I wanna be just as good.

I reached home that day with these thoughts swirling in my mind. I lost in the District Tournaments, but now I've got a second chance—the Regionals. I can reach the Nationals if I just win my next two battles. (Y/n) will definitely win, and there are also chances of Valt being one of the four victors. They both are my friends and would definitely expect me to win beside them.

But they're so much better while I'm—Ugh, what am I even thinking?

The next morning I woke up at 5 a.m. with only one thought in my mind. First, I did my workout and then went to the Beypark early, where I practised with Doomscizor almost till the noon. And not to forget, there was this awesome gray cat that accompanied me the whole time. When I lied down on the floor to rest for a while, it came up to me and made itself comfortable on my stomach as well.

I smiled, looking up at the sky.

Next day ~

"In the blue corner, it's the mysterious boy who never loses his cool," I heard Hanami shouting from the announcement box. "With his bey Dark Doomscizor, it's Daigo Kurogami!"

The door opened and smoke puffed out from the sides for special effects as I walked out and up towards the stage. Hanami continued, "And in the red corner, it's the blader with a samurai spirit. His bey is Yugen Yegdrion. Make some noise for Yugo Nansui!"

Soon, my opponent also reached the stage and stood in front of me, on the other side of the stadium. Neither of us said anything, as the referee spoke. "First Battle," and Yugo bowed. Each muscle in my body tensed and I immediately started sweating.

Come on, I've practiced more than anyone. Just gotta stay calm and do what I have to do.

With the pressure of winning and the nervousness I was facing now, my whole body was shaking so much that I wasn't able to hold my launcher properly.

Still shivering, I took my stance as the referee announced, "Ready? Set!"

"Three...two...one...LET IT RIP!"

My left hand didn't stop shaking, and I ended up messing my launch. Doomscizor landed into the stadium with wavering spin and I entered into absolute daze and panic, with no idea of what to do.

"Uh-huh. Seems like Daigo Kurogami did a mislaunch," Hanami said over the microphone.

Yegdrion and Doomscizor circled around the stadium and quickly ran for the centre. My eyes were wide but I couldn't do anything because of the panic that consumed me whole.

"Just like that!" Yugo yelled.

I hesitated. Yegdrion hit Doomscizor and the latter was thrown out of the stadium.

"Yugen Yegdrion with a ringout finish," the referee announced. "Yugo Nansui gets one point. The score is one to zero."

The fans must've cheered. Hanami must've exclaimed over the microphone. Zac must've said something to the audience. But my attention wasn't on any of these. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and the pressure of winning this battle when there's no hope, wasn't helping.

Then there were my friends in the audience area who expected me to win. Come on, I was always able to handle the pressure. What happened today?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Valt. His voice was cheerful as ever when he jumped out from the audience area with a bag in his hand and shouted at me.

"Hey! Daigo. I know you're hungry. Here, eat this," he held up that bag for me to see. "I especially made this victory sandwich for you!"

I chuckled. "Wrong timing, Valt."

He grinned and I continued, "No, keep it with you. If it's a victory sandwich, then I'll eat it only after I win."

Valt laughed. "I know you'll win. I believe in you. Me and this sandwich will be waiting!"

I smiled and turned back to face Yugo. He was kneeling down on his spot with his eyes closed, meditating like a samurai before a real fight. I looked at Doomscizor in my hand, clutching it harder.

"It's no use," Yugo said. "This battle belongs to me. I'll win."

I closed my eyes, ignoring his words and took a deep breath. When I opened them, Yugo was standing up to prepare himself for the battle.

"This is it," Hanami said. "The second battle! Will Daigo Kurogami be able to make a comeback or will Yugo Nansui finish this for good?"

He bowed again and smirked up at me. "Not looking so good. You sure you don't want that sandwich?"

I gritted my teeth, but said nothing.

"Daigo!" I heard Valt say. "Got your victory sandwich waiting for ya!"

I can't let down Valt today.

"Go for it, buddy," I heard Honcho. "You can do it!"

I need this for them.

And for myself.

I looked down at Doomscizor again. For a moment, it was the same but then a figure appeared in front of it. It was my own face but a lot darker, grinning at me evilly. I blinked back in shock. "What?!"

'Keep telling yourself that,' it said. I shook my head and put my bey in the launcher. The air around me had visibly turned dark and violet. The voice that talked to me was chilling, scary and evil. It entered my ears like thin air, the words losing in its own aura, like abandoned mist on a winter midnight.

'Think you can win just because your friends are there?' I heard it again. This time, the face was on the display screen above me. 'Friends can't help you here. It's up to you and your choice.'

"W-Wait, who are you?" I stuttered.

'Isn't it obvious? I'm you. We're one,' he smirked. 'But you already knew that.'

I pressed my lips together and turned my attention to the stadium. But when I looked at it, the same face mirrored mine. I flinched and almost immediately knew who was him.

That's my dark side speaking back to me. He's right. I already knew that.

'Join me to help you win. No one needs to know a thing,' he said. 'It's not like you don't want this.'

I was surprised that I was actually thinking about what the dark had to offer. It's promising so much. Reserving the victory. Giving me exactly what I want. That's what darkness does to you. It's manipulative, tempting, inviting and unexplainably irresistible.

"There's no chance. It's gotta be legit all the way," I replied, trying to sound skeptical. But in reality, I was slowly getting convinced.

'Too bad. You could've made it to the top. Instead, you're gonna lose it.'

I'd never felt so weak in my life. My knees were started to wobble because of all the resistance I was putting in. My whole body was sweating and shaking by thinking about the contrasting possibilities of agreeing to him and turning him down.

"It's not over yet," I reasoned.

'Too bad for all your friends that decided to support you,' he said dramatically, looking up with sympathy in his empty eyes. 'They didn't know you're so weak, or you didn't have any real skills.'

"Second Battle!" The referee called. I had my eyes closed and gaze downwards as I took my stance. I tipped my feet on the ground, urgently hearing to what my own shadow had to say.

'Well, what do you want from this?'

"I want to—what do you think I want?" I stopped for another moment, but the voice was gone. There was no reply from the other side. I had already taken my decision. "I want to win!"

"Ready? Set!" The referee said.

"Three...two...one...LET IT RIP!"

At the last moment, I tilted my launcher and used it to reflect the sunlight for blinding Yugo. The sudden glare made him wince and his left hand shook while launching.

Both the beys landed into the stadium. While Doomscizor's spin was perfectly fine, Yegdrion's trajectory was worryingly unpredictable and it was occasionally hitting the walls of the stadium.

"Woah! Now it's Yegdrion's turn for mislaunch," Hanami exclaimed.

Yegdrion weakly ran for the centre while Doomscizor circled around it like a predator cornering its prey. Yugo gritted his teeth and shouted, "Hurry! Outta the way."

But Doomscizor was quick when it hit Yegdrion from behind. Another hit on a weak spot, and Yugo's bey bursted. Yegdrion fell into the stadium in three pieces, Doomscizor circling around as the victor.

"That's a burst finish for Dark Doomscizor," the referee announced. "Daigo Kurogami wins by a score of two to one."

I won.

'Yeah, you won. What now?'

"Daigo!" Once again, I snapped out of my daze from Valt's voice. "You did it! I knew you could win, buddy."

"The ultimate prize is your victory sandwich!" Honcho said.

"Daigo Kurogami charges once again and advances to the next round!" Hanami said, and I still couldn't believe it.

"No way," I muttered and looked at the audience area again. (Y/n) was standing a few feet away from the Beyclub, and she had the most disappointed expression on her face that I've ever had anyone give me.

Her arms were crossed and she was glaring daggers at me. I won, but there was an expression of absolute hate on her face. We stared at each other for a whole minute, then she shook her head and walked away, disappearing in the crowd. I finally realized what I had done. She saw what I did. She knows what I did. I know what I did...

How could I have been so selfish?

I wanted to win so desperately that I got blinded for a second. Where's my understanding of the wrong and the right? Where were my damn senses!

I cheated today.

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In 3731 words.

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