Congrats for those people who figure it out that the mysterious person with umbrella is future Valt!

Now let's see where this revelation lead~

🌂

"Neh, I've been wondering, why did you join BC Sol?"

A boy with yellow eyes blinked in surprise at the unexpected question of Valt. He paused, his gaze flickering for a moment as if searching for the right words, before finally meeting the person who asked it. Cuza smiled brightly, dismissing the dread feeling creeping in his stomach. He had been feeling unwell since this morning for some reason. His body was usually in perfect condition, so it couldn't be illness. Yet something felt off.

"Honestly... I'm not sure either." Cuza trailed off while absentmindedly chewing his lip, his mind drifting to the past. "At first, it was just a way to get closer to the action, y'know? The thrill, the competition... I wanted to be part of something bigger. BC Sol was always at the top, and I thought it would be... well, a great opportunity. But after a while... I realized it wasn't about the battles anymore. It was about something deeper. Something I can’t explain."

He hope he his answer actually make sense for moment. He fell silent for a moment, staring at his hands. There was a hint of sadness in his yellow eyes that didn’t match his usual energetic demeanor. For once, the ever-smiling Cuza wasn’t smiling.

He couldn't shake the strange feeling in his chest ever since the tournament was finished, as if the world around him was shifting in ways he couldn’t control. 

🌂

The moonlight filtered through the trees as Free De La Hoya made his way to their meeting point—a secluded clearing on the edge of the forest. The air felt heavy, charged with tension, and Free’s usually calm expression was tighter than usual. He's not comfortable working with others,  let alone this guy, but tonight was different. Tonight, he needed an ally who could at least understand the bizzare situation they are in.

Lui Shirosagi was already there, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, clearly not happy with the situation - well who wouldn't? - his royal purple eyes sharp and piercing in the dim light.

“Tch. You’re late,” Lui said, irritation lacing his voice.

Free ignored the jab and stepped closer, his golden resonance faintly flickering against the void-like black of his eyes. “Let’s skip the formalities. We both know why we’re here.”

Lui smirked, though his expression held no humor. “Oh, I know exactly why. And for the record, I already figured it out.”

Free tilted his head slightly, his unnerving gaze pinning Lui. “Really? And how, pray tell, did you come to that conclusion?”

Lui straightened, his voice gaining an edge of pride. “I noticed him during the tournament. He was hiding in plain sight, watching everything like a predator. Nobody else seemed to care, but there was something off about him. His presence, his posture—it didn’t match the energy of a bystander. So I followed him.”

Free’s lips twitched, almost imperceptibly. “And then?”

“And then it clicked.” Lui’s tone turned sharp, his words cutting through the night. “The way he moved, the way he watched you, Valt, and the others—it was like he already knew the outcome. Like he’d seen it all before.”

Free nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “Smart. You pieced it together by just observing from afar, just like what you did to Red Eye. Well, my own realization was... different.”

Lui raised an eyebrow, folding his arms tighter. “Different how?”

“I didn’t need logic to tell me,” Free replied, his voice distant yet firm. “I could feel it. The energy around him was unnatural. Tainted. I’ve always been connected to the flow of nature—the energy that binds everything. It’s not something I can explain, but I know when something is out of place. And he…” Free’s golden resonance flickered darker for a moment. “…was an anomaly.”

Lui scoffed, though his unease was evident. “You’re really leaning into that whole ‘nature mystic’ act, huh? You do realize how ridiculous that sounds?”

Free turned his gaze fully to Lui, and for the first time, the void in his eyes seemed to stretch deeper, as if drawing the other boy in. “Ridiculous or not, I’ve never been wrong, Shirosagi.”

Lui hesitated, unsettled by the weight in Free’s words. He had always thought of Free as an enigma, someone who walked the line between reality and something beyond. But hearing him speak with such conviction made it impossible to dismiss. He knew this guy never lie, but you couldn't blame him for a person who cling to logic.

(Although, logic doesn't apply anymore in their world. So, it doesn't really matter anyway)

“Fine,” Lui muttered, looking away to hide his discomfort. “So you felt it. Big deal. That still doesn’t explain how this is possible.”

Free glanced at the sky, his expression contemplative. “Beyblade has always been more than just spinning tops. The energy we harness, the bonds we create—it’s not something science can fully explain. If there’s anyone who could unlock the power of time, it would be Cuza Ackerman”

“Cuza?” Lui repeated, frowning. “You mean the circus guy with Alter Chronos?”

“Chronos, the god of time,” Free confirmed. “If any Bey is tied to time itself, it’s his. It’s possible that something Cuza did—or didn’t do—set this in motion.”

Lui’s jaw tightened, his mind racing. “Then why Valt? Cuza’s the one with Chronos, not him. Why would he be the one to travel?”

Free didn’t respond immediately, but when he did, his voice was heavier. “Perhaps Valt’s connection to Valkyrie—or his unyielding spirit—made him the anchor. Or…”

“Or what?” Lui pressed, though he had already begun to suspect the answer. And he didn't like where this is leading to.

“Or perhaps,” Free said quietly, his gaze darkening, “future Valt took matters into his own hands. If he’s capable of killing Theodore Glass, then Cuza wouldn’t have been an exception.”

The words hung in the air like a thundercloud, and Lui’s eyes widened as the implications set in.

“You’re saying…” Lui’s voice faltered before hardening, his tone cold. “You think future Valt killed future Cuza?”

Free’s silence was answer enough.

Lui slammed his fist against the tree behind him, his frustration and disbelief boiling over. “This is insane! What the hell happened to him? What could make Valt of all people do something like that?”

Free’s gaze fell, his shoulders tense. “The Valt we know would never. But the Valt we’re dealing with now… he’s not the same.”

Lui growled under his breath, pacing back and forth. “This is bad. Really bad. How do you fight someone who knows every move you’re going to make before you make it?"

“We don’t fight him. Not yet,” Free said firmly, his voice like steel. “First, we need to find Cuza—or find out what happened to him. We need answers before we act.”

Lui stopped pacing, his expression hardening. “Fine. But if it comes to it, I won’t hold back. If future Valt’s gone rogue, I’ll take him down myself.”

Free looked at him, his gaze heavy with unspoken conflict. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

🌂

The silence between Free and Lui stretched out. Free’s gaze was focused, his mind turning over the pieces of the puzzle, trying to make sense of the mess Valt had created. Lui watched him, waiting for the right words to surface.

Lui shifted, finally breaking the silence. “So… what do you think Valt’s real plan is?” His voice was quiet. “I mean, why kill Theodore? Although the man deserve it. Still, why?”

Free didn’t immediately respond, his expression unreadable, eyes dark and calculating. His mind,  was turning over every possibility, trying to make sense of what he had witnessed. Valt had changed, and it wasn’t just about Theodore. No, it was something deeper—something more destructive.

Lui watched him closely, waiting. “You’re not gonna answer me, huh?” he asked, an almost amused edge in his voice. But the amusement didn’t reach his eyes.

After a long moment, Free spoke, his voice flat and distant. “Valt… He’s not just after revenge on Snake Pit, is he?”  His tone made it clear that he already knew the answer, or at least part of it.

Lui’s lips pressed together, considering Free’s words. “Yeah,” he said slowly, “but I don’t know what. It’s not just revenge... there’s this... hunger, like he wants to destroy more than just the people who wronged him. In which I kinda understand too”

Free tilted his head slightly. His eyes, though dark and distant, focused intently on Lui.  “What do you mean? Destroy more?”

Lui frowned, his eyes narrowing as he struggled to find the right words. “It’s like… It’s like he’s not just out for revenge. He’s out to erase something."

Free’s lips tightened into a thin line, but his gaze never wavered. “Erase what?”

Lui paused for a long time, his hands resting at his sides. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s everything. Maybe it’s the past. Or maybe…” He stopped, his words trailing off, but the glint in his eyes says something  “Maybe it’s about the people who betrayed him. The ones he trusted. The ones who hurt him. Valt’s not just angry. He’s burning bridges. He’s willing to lose everything, just to make them feel the pain.”

Free frowned. His mind was moving in the same direction, but it wasn’t making sense. He had no experience with feelings like these. He understood logic, but human emotions… they were foreign to him. “But what does he hope to accomplish with this destruction?”

Lui then amidst the tension, smirk in dark amusement like a damn manic he still is " Maybe he thinks that destroying everything will make him feel better. It's a common human emotion if you still didn't figure it out, De La Hoya"

Free didn't say anything but  for the first time, the full weight of what Lui was saying hit him. His mind raced to connect the dots.

“ He wants to kill...Shu Kurenai”

"Duh, took you long enough to realize. If only you know how much effort I had to put into my dialogues"

"Let's just focus on the important things here. A murder is about to happen and you're so calm about it."

🌂

Seriously, there are times I think Lui is bipolar on how fast his emotions can change.