Racing down the stairs with the rest of BC Sol on his trail Shu opened the doors to the outside.

The figure was getting closer, squinting his eyes Shu knew it was Valt based on the spiky haired figure.

"It's Valt!" Nika and Sasha yelled.

The group rejoiced except for Shu who started backing away. The sun was now gone and the sky had darkened. Around the figure he could barely see some sort of dark blue force.

"I knew he would be okay!" Nika said happily.

Shu's eyes widened in fear as he took another step back. Behind him a second figure emerged and then more and more. A large line of bladers was behind Valt following his lead as he was practically at the gates.

"We need to get inside now!"

"Shu, what's going on?" Kris asked.

Shu didn't answer and instead watched as the figure stopped, moving his arms.

On the pathway, dirt went flying in both directions. A bey emerged speeding towards the gates.

Shu took another step back.

"We need to leave now!" He repeated.

But before anyone could make a move the bey collided into the gate breaking it into pieces causing Shu and some of BC Sol to fall over from the empact.

Stepping through the debris the spikey haired figure caught the bey with a hazy cloud of destruction surrounding him.

"Valt?" Shu asked.

The figure stirred looking over in Shu's direction smiling. Valt had always managed to stay positive and energetic but in that moment Shu knew something was off.

His movements seemed off and he could tell it was all in his eyes. His smile fell and his eyes turned hollow and emotionless. Shu knew he was gone at that moment. He knew what Theodore was doing to him.

Valt tilted his head and a slow grin spread across his face

"No..."

"What is it Shu?" Nika asked.

"No, no, no"

"Shu?" Toko said.

"He's with them." He said quietly.

"I don't understand..." Toko said.

"That's not Valt." Shu said with a new anger entering his voice.

Stepping through the cloud of destruction his features were now visible. He wore a black and brown Snake Pit mask that held back his hair.

He wore a long black coat with brown highlights, black boots and a brown and back bodysuit.

Shu's eyes widened with fear, looking up at Valt he couldn't believe that was his friend. He seemed so different. Both scary and intimidating. He used to be so encouraging and inspiring but now it was like he was a different person.

The second figure emerged from the cloud with his hands behind his back. Theodore stopped, standing beside Valt looking amused.

"Theodore." Shu growled.

"Valt please it's us, your brother and sister!" Nika said, trying to get through to Valt.

He looked down at her without saying a word.

"It's too late for that Nika although I'm sure he would've appreciated the effort."

Backing away from Valt, Toko gave her a hug as she silently cried. Toko looked over at Theodore shooting daggers at him.

"Let him go." He said firmly.

"And we can't forget about Toko Aoi now can we? The big protective brother who couldn't even save himself let alone Valt from the Snake Pit."

Toko's confidence wavered but he still tried to hold his ground.

Theodore smilied amused knowing he had struck a nerve.

"What did you do to him!" Shu yelled with anger.

But before Shu could get close to Theodore, Brown Eye got between them and held out his hand stopping Shu in his tracks.

Shu's eyes widened with surprise.

"But how?" He whispered in pain.

"It's simple really, Valt gave me the mask and in return I let him keep the power for himself."

"No, Valt would never do that.....besides who's controlling all of them?"

Theodore narrowed his eyes and his amused smile cracked. Shu smiled a little causing Brown Eye to up the pain factor causing Shu to fall over.

Theodore bent down to Shu's level on the ground.

"Maybe you don't know him as well as you think." He said, smiling cruelly.

Shu gritted his teeth in pain but never started crying or screaming. Brown Eye stopped, Shu lowered his head in defeat for a second then he looked back up at Theodore.

"What do you want?"

"You know why I'm here." Theodore said, bending down to Shu's level.

"You all know why I'm here." He said standing up with a new purpose.

"Bladers of BC Sol and Shu, you are now all trespassers. I'm giving you this opportunity to escape while you still can or things might get...complicated." He said darkly.

"But why do you need BC Sol?" Kris asked.

"I don't necessarily need BC Sol, I need what's inside, surely you know what I crave Kris." Theodore said, looking over in her direction.

"Kris what is he talking about?" Shu asked.

Kris was silent and didn't answer, instead she kept her attention on Theodore.

"BC Sol is essentially a bonus to this whole endeavor, but like everything else it's another opportunity for the expansion of the Snake Pit."

"Expansion?"

"And the WBBA?" Kris asked.

"Power can come in many forms and have different meanings. It doesn't always mean being number one or the most powerful no, no, no it can also mean the influence you have over others. It's sad how all you guys do is waste your power on silly little battles when there are far greater uses. That was one of the things I liked about Phi, he knew how to manipulate resonance. What Brown Eye just did to you Shu, any blader can do. By gaining the WBBA along with BC Sol we can help bladers control their power."

"Then why do you need Valt?" Shu asked.

"Why do you think I need Valt, Shu? Why do you think I need any of you? Why do you think I needed you back then?"

"Enough Theodore, answer the question." Shu said.

His power could barely be seen making Theodore smile even more.

"The truth is you don't know Shu, but nevertheless I don't exactly need Brown Eye at this moment. But what I really need is the power he stole from Phi. But for now I'll let him keep it and turn crazy like Phi did. You see Shu, you and Valt stole everything from me when all I did was give you more power. And since I can't control my army without Phi's power and turning crazy I'll let Brown Eye keep it and become my new Phi."

"No..." he whispered

"And as for the rest of my army Brown Eye will learn to control them in time but until then I'll do the honors..."

"No..."

"Now then, if you're not going to leave..."

Brown Eye stepped out of the shadows and held out his hand.

"We can always make you." Theodore said darkly.

"But luckily I'm a merciful man and instead we'll settle our little dispute like bladers. What do you say Shu? Me or Brown Eye?"

Right as Shu was about to answer BC Sol pulled him into their huddle.

"Look Shu, I know you want to battle Valt but maybe we should think this through." Kris said.

"Besides, maybe it would be better if you fought Theodore! If you defeated him then maybe he would free Valt or even leave!" Fubuki added.

"No you can't fight Theodore! He can take control of any blader if he took control of us it would be game over." Sasha said.

"But if I fought Valt then maybe I could get through to him..."

"Either way they can take control of anyone using Phi's power but I'll have a better chance at getting through to Valt than Theodore. Even if there's a chance they could win there's also a chance I can beat them."

"But no one has ever beaten Valt before! Except for Free but that was months ago and but even then nobody's managed to beat him recently!" Fubuki said.

"No one's unbeatable Fubuki, not even Theodore or Valt."

Walking away from the huddle Shu stopped short of Theodore and Valt.

"I accept, I'll battle Valt. If I win you will leave forever and let us have Valt but if you win you can have BC Sol and whatever you want on the inside."

"Fine then, it's settled and what more fitting place than to do this in the gym where it all started?"

"Deal." Shu said.

Theodore's cruel smile grew as he walked into the gym with Brown Eye following him from behind.