Walking out of the dungeons there was a dreaded feeling in the air as the group made their way out. As they passed each camera, Valt used his power to fry them along with all of the ones in the dungeons.

Nobody spoke as the group moved, and the only sound was the rattling of the chains that were supposedly holding Sasha and Nightfell captive.

Shu was in the middle while Free and Valt were on the sides. It was strange being in this situation considering what would happen if he were corrupted. But instead, Shu tightened his fists and kept moving trying to focus on finding a way out without Theodore's knowledge on what they were doing.

At least Sasha and Nightfell got to be themselves he thought as they went up the stairs.

A distant scream snapped Shu out of his thoughts, looking to his left the door to basement bladers was still closed but unlike the last time they were clawing at the door.

"YoUR liGHT, wE NEed IT, WE cRAve iT."

Valt stepped in front of them with his back turned to his friends and showed them his terrifying power, glowing purple the shadow of Valtryek loomed over them scaring them all away.

"They shouldn't be a problem now." Valt said walking back up the stairs.

Slowly everyone followed silently, and thought to themselves.

He understood now, what he meant by being in between stages of corruption. It was Valt but also Brown Eye. There were points it had been Brown Eye like then and points where he had seen Valt.

But the question was would he ever get Valt back and not the one with him now but the one before everything got so bad. He he ever be the same?

Climbing up the stairs he felt as if he was being watched.

Getting to the main level of the facility they opened the door to hundreds of bladers training, launching and exercising. They paid them no attention until they got a glimpse at Red Eye.

Shu knew that if a piece of those bladers were left inside, then their hope had just died seeing him.

Valt led them through the crowd towards the exit.

"No matter what happens we have to stay in character, our lives depend on it." he said, shoving his way past bladers in awe.

"Red Eye." The intercom boomed.

The group froze in their tracks at the sound of his voice.

Theodore stood from his private balcony as the other bladers around them turned to look at him in awe.

The training, launching and noises suddenly stopped making Shu tense up even more. The silence had created a vacuum on him. Looking up at Theodore, he stood with a stern expression and terrifying power glowing around him. Amaterios could barely been seen behind him.

But the shock was short lived instead for once Theodore felt warm and welcoming like the time before he'd lost his marbles. He felt generous and commanding. He should be their Lord, their God even. Shu wanted to be promised peace and comfort,

he wanted to be corrupted.

Then Valt stepped on his shoe, snapping Shu out of his trance.

When he looked up again at Theodore the illusion of his goodness had faded and his smile was now hollow and dark.

Shu felt very naked and vulnerable all alone with the others stuck in that corrupted crowd.

"Leaving so soon with our guests?"

"No sir, we were just taking them to the dungeons."

In an instant Theodore was in front of Valt trying to sense his dark power. Satisfied he pulled back and dissipated his power. He looked along each of them, judging and looking until his stare stopped on Shu.

"Red Eye..." he said, pausing to get a sense of his dark power.

Shu tensed up but remained serious.

"Your power has returned."

"I never left." he replied, trying to sound as monotone as possible.

Theodore smiled at this response satisfied but still craving more instead he turned to Brown Eye.

Shu could tell, even from the corner of his eye he could tell Brown Eye was struggling keeping it together. It was hard not only having to keep up his own dark appearance but also Shu's and Free's fooling Theodore.

"So then Brown Eye, you've managed to pass your final test, you've broken a bey....corrupted a friend.....cut all ties with BC Sol..... and can control another bladers resonance but now it's time for your ultimate test. Before it was seeing if you were able to corrupt Shu...."

Theodore turned to him looking for something in his old blader.

"Red Eye has returned Theodore, I am no longer trapped in that pathetic shell that is Shu. He was weak, he had no power and he couldn't even save his best friend."

Theodore turned back to Valt.
"Now then, didn't I just see you heading towards the exit? You know what I do to traitors here, Brown Eye....."

"You know as well as I do there's another set of stairs that leads down to the dungeons, master."

Theodore pulled back remembering this fact as well.

"Then why don't I believe you."

Valt held his ground against Theodore impressing Shu.

"You were weak and needed help, meanwhile I've been running things around here without you."

"Then why wait on corrupting them now?" Theodore said testing them

"Show everyone your power."

Valt looked at Sasha and Nightfell hesitating.

"Not you Brown Eye, I meant you Red Eye, show them why I speak highly of you and show them your power. Then you can corrupt them and be done with it."

Shu faced Theodore's army not sure what to do with himself, but what he saw in the crowd made him sick, his friends, family and even rivals were all watching him dark and twisted versions of themselves.

Slowly he lowered his head building up his power along covering it, creating the illusion of a dark resonance masking his true colored resonance. His eyes glowed red but then changed to purple thanks to Valt masking his power. He used all of his anger, hate and power and poured everything he had into his bey.

It was almost the opposite of what he did for Valt in the dungeon.

Launching Spryzen at the wall the corrupted bladers ducked and sprinted away.

Spryzen collided with the wall pausing until cracks spread up the wall pulsing with purple power destroying part of the wall revealing the wasteland outside. Cracks spread along the floor, shaking the building. Electricity flowed through the air darkening the room.

"Didn't take much for him to fall back into form." Sasha whispered to Nightfell out of Theodore's sight.

"You've done well Red Eye, you have finally gotten what you desired all those years ago, what Shu Kurenai couldn't. Power." Theodore said, looking at the destruction while smiling next to Shu.

"Shu Kurenai, is gone. I am Spryzen."

Theodore paused at the destruction and back at him. He circled him sensing his dark power but now that he was up close it felt very weak and faint.

He narrowed his eyes and then started laughing.

"Very impressive, but only Brown Eye can only corrupt bladers, not make the blader and spirit become one. You're not Spryzen, Red Eye, or should I say Shu."