*The next day had come and the 2nd Round was finally here, The first match of the day would be Athena VS Valt with Aiga VS Drum shortly after! Athena stood in one of the waiting rooms as she waited to be called up to her battle*

Athena: Valt Aoi, i'm really facing off against one of the strongest bladers in the entire world right here in the middle of the ocean for the world to see.. to think i'm near the level of someone like him this quick.

*Athena notices Shu coming towards her and she smiles*

Shu: You ready? Your match is gonna start shortly.

Athena: Yeah, i'm just.. coming up with a strategy.

Shu: A strategy you say? Well i would hope its a good one, Valt is going to be hard to beat even with a very well thought-out strategy.

Athena: Yeah but no matter what, i'll be the one who wins.

Shu: I like your enthusiasm, i know you can do it.

*Shu turns and walks away and the Round 2 Match 1 was about to begin*

---

*Athena and Valt were brought up to the arena and they both walked up to the stadium*

Valt: It's been some time Athena, i've been waiting for this battle.

Athena: Yeah, i'm just as excited as anyone else would be.

Valt: I hope your ready because we're not holding back at all!

*Athena smiled as her eyes began to glow with a white light*

Athena: That's perfect, i wouldn't want it any other way!

Referee: First Battle!!

---

*Shu, Aiga, Ranjiro, Chiki and Elaina were watching from the crowd*

Ranjiro: Athena, if you're really going to use that move then you better hope you mastered it enough yesterday because there's no going back now.

Elaina: Come on Athena!! You got this!!!

---

*Both bladers take their positions and the battle started*

Referee: Ready Set!!!

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!

*The beys were off and they both landed in the stadium with powerful launches!*

Athena: Alright, let's go!!

Valt: Show us what you can do!!

*Adeona and Valkyrie clash with full force as both of them tried to get an edge over each other*

Athena: Don't stop now, keep pushing harder!!

*Adeona and Valkyrie get knocked back and both beys landed on the other ends of the stadium*

Athena: We're going to burst it in one shot!

Valt: You can try but whatever you got won't work on Valkyrie!!

*Both beys collide once more as Adeonas lock hits the burst stopper and both beys were knocked back once more! Adeonas Barrage Driver began to activate and it began to pick up even more speed*

Athena: Barrage Boost!!!

*Adeona began to gain even more speed however it was starting to lose control once again*

Athena: W-What..?!!?!

*Adeona was out of control, it began to slam into the walls repeatedly and its own stamina was starting to fizzle out*

---

Ranjiro: I had a feeling this would happen..

---

Valt: Let's end this! Brave Sword!!

*Valkyrie comes rushing in as its swords glowed with golden streaks of energy! It clashes into Adeona with incredible strength and sent it flying out of the stadium*

Athena: Tch...!

Referee: Brave Valkyrie, Over Finish! Valt Aoi earns 1 point!!

---

Ranjiro: Just as i thought, Athena doesn't have a grip on Adeonas speed at all! She had it perfectly yesterday, what happened..?

---

Valt: That's not all the power Adeona's got isn't it?

*Athena looks at Valt with a bit of surprise*

Valt: You have no reason to hold back and neither do i, now let's make this an awesome battle. Show us what you can do!

*Athena nods and her Adeona began to glow immediately, her Nexus Mark glowed a purple light as it emitted a light hum*

Athena: Adeona.. let's go, Don't even try to control your speed, we're gonna rampage all over this stadium!

Referee: Second Battle!!!

*Both beys take their positions and the battle began*

Referee: Ready Set!!!

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!!

*The beys land in the stadium once more and Adeonas Barrage' driver was overloaded as it immediately shrunk down! It took off like a bullet and raced around the stadium at top speed*

Athena: Yes!!

---

Ranjiro: That speed.. that's amazing!!

---

*Adeona races around the stadium at top speed and began colliding into the walls once again*

Valt: Interesting, however that won't be enough to beat us!

*Valkyrie manages to narrowly dodge what could've been its end from Adeona and it slams into the wall*

Valt: Its movements are so unpredictable!

Athena: This is our plan!

*Adeona began to rapidly hit the walls like a ping pong and fierce winds began to erupt from the stadium*

Valt: I see now.. By bouncing off the walls, she's creating more and more momentum for herself and its allowing her to gear up for a fierce attack!

Athena: Let's go! Sovereign Symphony!!!

*Adeona ricochets off the wall and straight towards Valkyrie at top speed*

Valt: We're gonna give it our all! Brave Sword!!

*Both beys collide with all their might as both of them were then locked in a head to head clash of willpower! Both beys were not willing to give an inch!!!*

Valt: This is getting fun! Now i'm really getting fired up!!

Athena: I can say the same!!

*Both beys clash and get driven back once again*

Valt: Valkyrie!!

*Valkyrie races along the rim of the stadium and gains a tremendous amount of speed as it comes straight for Adeona*

Valt: Finish it! Brave Sword!!!

*Valkyrie slashes across Adeona and sent it flying high into the sky*

Athena: We're not done yet! Adeona!!!

*Adeona entered its Flare as it soared even higher into the air*

Valt: W-What is it doing!?

*Adeona stops and comes diving straight back towards the stadium like a meteor*

Athena: Sovereign Breaker!!

*Adeona lands directly on top of Valkyrie as its rubber blades were compressed back and Valkyrie went flying up and it burst instantly*

Valt: W-What?!!

Athena: Alright!!!

Referee: Sovereign Adeona, Burst Finish! Athena Valhalla is the winner!!!

Athena: We actually... won!!

*Valt simply smiles as he places his bey back together*

Valt: You got me.

*Athena kept on celebrating her victory and Valt just couldn't help but smile*

Valt: Out of all the people i've met, i'm glad i was able to watch your growth. Good luck in the Semi-Finals, Athena.

---Later---

*Athena walked through the halls of the Cruise Ship and she thought about the previous 2 battles she had taken part in so far*

Athena: So far i've beaten Daina and now Valt, whoever wins between Aiga and Drum will be my Semi-Finals Opponent.. it all comes down to this.

*She notices Valt enter the room and she looked up at him and smiled*

Athena: Well, i guess this is it.

Valt: Yeah i guess it is. You did well earlier, an attack from above was definitely not what i was expecting at all, i have to give some props for that one.

Athena: Yeah, that was totally not planned at all!

Valt: Wait, that wasn't even apart of your plan?!

Athena: Mhm!

Valt: She really pulled an aerial attack and it wasn't even planned..?! I guess she really is more than meets the eye.

Athena: I'll continue to get even stronger, nothing can stop us now.

Valt: Glad to hear it, getting stronger even after a loss is always important as well as having fun.

Athena: So uh.. when are you leaving?

Valt: After the whole 2nd Round is over, whoever loses here will be coming back to Japan with me.

Athena: So you'll stick around the whole 2nd Round?

Valt: That's right. I especially don't want to miss any of these incredible battles!

*Athena perked up and ultimately realized*

Athena: THE BATTLES!!! I'M GONNA BE LATE!!!

*Athena hightailed it out of the training room and she made a mad dash to the arena where the 2nd Match was about to start!*

---Meanwhile---

*Aiga and Drum had already made it to the stadium and the battle was about to begin*

Drum: Aiga, i've been looking forward to finally taking you out!

Aiga: You can try but our Achilles is unstoppable!

*Drums face was starting to get super red*

Drum: Oh yeah..?! Me and Dragon are gonna get super serious and send you flying!!

Referee: First Battle!!

---

*Athena finally made it to the arena and she was completely out of breath*

Athena: I made it.. w-what did i miss?

Ranjiro: You're just in time, the battles about to start!

---

*Both bladers take their position and the battle proceeded to start*

Referee: Ready Set!!!

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!

*The beys land in the stadium and Achilles took the center in Defense Mode*

Drum: Defense Mode huh? No matter, we're knock them out in one shot!

*Dragon races along the slope of the stadium and comes rushing in towards the center where Achilles resided*

Aiga: Bring it on!

*Dragon clashes into Achilles with all its might but was driven back from Achilles' defenses*

Drum: No way!

Aiga: That's it! Looking great Achilles!!

*Dragon lands on the other end of the stadium and kept on going*

Drum: Yes! We're not backing down, we're gonna nail it this time!

*Dragon races onto the 4th Level and races down the slope of the stadium and dove straight for Achilles*

Drum: Time to get serious!!

*Dragon slams into Achilles with full force as it awakened from the clash*

Drum: Yes! Dragon has awakened now!!

Aiga: Now you've really done it, we're not holding back now!!

*Achilles was sent flying from the previous clash and it now was on the attack*

Drum: Dragon!!!

Dragon: Let's go Drum!!!

Drum: You know it!! Rainbow Turbo!!

*Dragon began to pick up a bit of speed as its Rainbow Turbo glowed to life*

Aiga: Achilles!!!

Achilles: You know what to do, Aiga!!

Aiga: Yeah! Let's roll!!

---

*Athena was amazed from the intense battle in front of her, she had never seen Aiga or Drum this pumped before*

Athena: A-Amazing..!

---

Aiga: Triumphant Sword!!!

Drum: Tempest Break!!

*The beys return to the center with full force and both beys clash with all their might as the stadium exploded with a burst of red energy! Both beys went flying and Dragon was the one to burst*

Drum: N-NOOO!!!!!

Referee: Triumphant Achilles with a Burst Finish! Aiga Akaba wins with a score of 2-0!!

Aiga: YESSSSS!!!!!!

*Athena fell back into her chair as she realized what this meant, Aiga was her Semi-Finals opponent...*

---Later that day---

*The following matches were to start the following day so everyone in Block B had the rest of the day to train! Lane Valhalla trained alone in one of the training rooms and he began to think about the previous battles Athena had taken part in*

Lane: So she actually made it to the Semi-Finals.. interesting. However, it is nothing more than just pure luck.

*The door opens and Lane sees Athena walking in*

Lane: What do you want?

Athena: What's your plan against Free?

*Lane turns away and continues his training*

Lane: You really think i'm gonna tell you?

Athena: Don't me, let me guess: You're gonna try and break Fafnir?

Lane: Who knows? Maybe you're spot on, maybe you're not.

Athena: I guess we'll see.

Lane: What is it you want?!

Athena: Nothing i guess, tbh i would like to hear your game plan against Free but it doesn't look like you'll tell me.

*Lane continues to train and Athena just stayed in the room for a while as she watched Lane train*

Lane: GO SHOOT!!!!

*Lucifer landed in the stadium and it took the center almost immediately!*

Lane: Nothing will ever stand in my way ever again, i'll destroy everyone and i mean EVERYONE!!!

*Another gold sparkle emits from Lanes flare... and another... and another!! Athena perks up in surprise as she watched golden sparkles trail off of Lanes Flare. Her eyes widened at the sight and she could barely believe it*

Athena: Lane... your..

[TBC]

Next Chapter: The Greatest Battle Ever!!

The 2nd Round for Block B has begun and Lanes flare continues to change! Meanwhile, Athena prepares for her Semi-Final Match!