After Lui and Frees battle Valt immediately started training.

The first battle of the second group was Aiger and Diago. And as much as Valt wanted to watch he had to focus on his upcoming battle.

Based on what he knew, Emerald Eye was the most mysterious blader out of them all and perhaps the oldest. There were a lot of rumors floating around him but the one thing Valt was certain of was that he was dangerous with or without Phi's help.

Walking through the hallway Valt glanced up at one of the TV's, on it Aiger already had a point.

Everything is riding on this battle....

Turning away from the TV Valt kept walking.

Xander and Suoh's battle is afterwards and then mine. Fubuki dropped out which means there's one less battle today and less training time....

Bumping into someone, Valt fell onto the ground.

"Are you okay?"

Valt held out his hand and pulled Hyde off the ground.

"Hyde what are you doing here? I thought you left the tournament."

"I thought about it but I need to see how this all ends and I need to talk to you."

A few minutes later Valt was practicing his launches while Hyde sat watching.

"Phi wasn't always bad, in fact we used to be close like you and Toko. That wasn't until our parents died. That day something snapped in Phi, and he wanted to make the pain go away forever."

Valt stopped launching to look over.

"Theodore told me about Silver Eye."

"Yes, when we were a little older Theodore could always see the power Phi had which is why he took advantage of him by making him leave. Phi is very powerful and has a lot of practice with his power and he will certainly not give up easily. He will use every trick he can find including trying to turn you or someone else that you care about. But I didn't just come in here to talk about Phi."

Getting up Hyde grabbed the remote and pressed a button. The window darkened and Hyde turned back to Valt.

"While Theodore may say he's on your side, Valt this is not true. The other day when you were busy I overheard Theodore talking to Shu. Theodore is mainly here to find the ultimate bey just like last year and his eye is set on Valtryek. He wants to use Valtryek to not only make money but for his own desires. And if you don't hand in Valtryek then he won't tell you how to truly defeat Phi. After that I had to get out of there because I heard someone near the doorway."

Valt was silent processing what Hyde had just told him.

"What would happen if he won?" He asked quietly.

Looking up at Hyde, Valt could tell he was struggling to find the right words.

"I don't know, but the most important thing to know there is about Phi is that he's still in there and that he's still a person. He may have lost his mind but he's still family."

******

Now stepping on stage Valt was now determined more than ever to make it to the finales. Standing before him was none other was Emerald Eye wearing the same serious expression as Valt.

His mask was black with green highlights and a black bodysuit. Unlike Free his movements were more coordinated and focused.

"Emerald Eye."

"Close, but I'm surprised you never figured it out; although you never did figure out who Red Eye was last year."

"Who are you?"

"Give up Valt?"

Valt was silent but nodded his head a little.

"Then maybe this will jog your memory."

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his bey. It was a dark green bey with hints of a silver metal but in the center was the avatar's face in the shape of a dog.

"Ken...."

It was in that moment everything around Valt seemed very far away. His heartbstopped, his throat shriveled up and tears started to form. Wiping them away he looked down at this hands.

He swallowed in pain fighting back the urge to cry. This was supposed to be his old friend! And yet it wasn't everything about it was wrong... Tightening his hands Valt looked back up at his opponent with a newfound anger.

"You're lying, Ken would never break beys. This is Phi talking." Valt said with a hint of anger.

Emerald Eye let out a tired sigh, unstrapping his mask he let it fall to the ground, and an eerie silence fell over the crowd and Valt.

"You guys never were good at keeping in touch were you?"

Without the mask on Ken looked a lot older and his black hair was longer but standing before him Valt could tell that he wasn't Phi. There was no purple resonance, no anger, only a neutral expression.

"But I thought you were with the Beasts?"

"I was, until I left a while back."

"But how did you end up at the Snake Pit of all places, the only one is in Mexico."

"There are others but in places you would least expect it, the Snake Pit is a lot bigger than you think and their roots run deep across the world." Ken said holding out his launcher.

Valt did the same but couldn't focus. His mind was swirling and his thoughts were starting to form a tornado.

How long has he been there? How many more Snake Pits are there? Is this how it's going to be going against Free?

Across the stadium Ken watched as Valt was struggling to understand what was going on.

Perfect

"3...2...1...Let it Rip!"

Kerbeus took the center while Valtryek started attacking, but with each attack Kerbeus didn't budge instead Valt's mind was elsewhere.

Why did he never tell us! I remember calling him here and there but he never seemed possessed or anything... But why did he tell me now? He could've told me plenty of times but why now?

"Turbo Valtryek Whip!"

"I don't think so you're finished, it's time for the reign of Phi. Kerbeus now!"

Kerbeus rose beside his master letting out a fierce growl. It was the same avatar but with more metallic armor.

"You call that an attack?"

Colliding, Kerbeus knocked Valtryek into the sky, bursting it.

Valt fell onto his knees as Ken looked down on him with a smirk.

"You can't win."

At the word win Valt was brought back to his conversation with Aiger earlier.

It needs to be you Valt. I've fought Phi before but I know you can stop him. I feel it and so does Achilles!

He wants to make you believe you can't win and that you never will. But you can't let that fear take over which is why it needs to be you Valt, even when you faced Shu last year you still had a smile on your face!

He's right! I can't focus on Ken right now! I need to focus on this battle! Everything is riding on this for me to make it to the finales!

Looking back at Ken, Valt was wearing a big smile and his eyes were glowing blue.

"Look who decided to show up." Ken said, holding out his launcher.

Valt did the same letting his resonance build up, behind him Valtryek could barely be seen.

"So this is why Phi is so interested in you."

Narrowing his eyes Ken let his own power build up until Kerbeus was head to head with Valtryek.

"3...2...1...Let it Rip!"

This time Kerbeus was on the outside chasing Valtryek. They collided over and over with both of them rebounding back.

Valtryek sped forward putting some distance between them.

Then settling in the center Kerbeus began attacking Valtryek.

"Chain Whip!"

The side of Kerbeus lit up and knocked Valtryek out of the center.

"Hang in there!"

Hitting the stadium wall Valtryek came speeding back at Kerbeus.

"Now! Turbo Valtryek Whip!"

At the center a small electric force shot into the air but nobody was giving up. Instead they both came back colliding over and over until they were hard to see.

"You know what's sad?"

Looking up at Ken his eyes were glowing green focused on the battle.

"It's sad that even after last year you still never figured out what was really going on. Theodore had been planning this for months, especially right after last year. But what's even sadder is that you actually think that you can beat Phi."

"But I've seen what he's capable of, he could turn any of us if he wanted. Even Theodore. But what's even worse is that you've only seen a little bit of Theodore's power, and you have no idea how much his roots lie in the blading world."

"So what makes you think you can actually beat me because even if you do beat me you'll never truly beat someone like Theodore. He can easily just go into hiding again."

"Besides..."

Ken looked up at Valt.

"I don't need a blader power to beat you."

"Maybe but I'm not going to let you win. Valtryek now!"

Pushing Kerbeus to the edge Valtryek had it trapped against the wall.

Both Ken and Valt were silent waiting.

"I can't do it."

Valt lost his concentration and Kerbeus went flying into the air with Valtryek then bursting.

"Not bad." Ken said, picking up his bey.

Valt did the same getting into his own launching stance.

"3...2...1...Let it Rip!"

This time they immediately collided in the center sending out a surge of power into the room.

The lights went out but neither of them cared because in the center both their beys were enough light.

Colliding over and over neither beys showed any signs of losing stamina or attack power instead the power surges grew more and more wild.

Looking up from the battle Ken saw Valt's golden power flickering on and off.

But looking back down at the battle Valtryek was going wild hitting the walls of the stadium speeding around until it was barely seen.

What is this...

Looking back at Valt his eyes were now glowing golden and so was his bey.

"Valtryek now!"

Pushing Kerbeus to the edge Valtryek was glowing like a light.

Ken could barely see at this point and used his hands to cover his eyes.

Looking up from the battle a shadow had fallen over Valt but a golden light was surrounding him. His eyes were golden too.

In the stadium Kerbeus's power was starting to go out and Ken's resonance was starting to dissipate and for a minute through everything Valt saw his friend return. He saw the same shy smile and kind look in his eyes.

But then it was all gone, replaced by Phi's power.

"Phi!"

"Indeed."

Kerbeus's power came back in the form of a purple corrupted resonance and his eyes were glowing purple.

"Let him go Phi!"

"Oooo serious are we?"

"Don't toy with me Phi."

"Fine then if you want your friend back then break his bey. That'll release him from my power."

A flicker of doubt ran across Valt's face and his golden power started fading.

A smug look came across Ken's face.

Instead Kerbeus was thrown into the air and bursted. The pieces landed by Ken's feet but Phi didn't let go of his control.

"You know for a minute there I actually thought you were going to do it but I guess that new power of yours was just a fluke after all."

Walking off stage Valt fell to his knees watching his friend leave.

I was so close...

Shu walked out onstage pulling Valt back onto his feet.

"Are you okay?"

Valt shook his head burying his face into Shu's side. Pulling him into a side hug Shu led Valt offstage.

"Sometimes the easy thing and the right thing aren't always the same but I'm proud that you didn't do it and I'm proud that you didn't give into his mind games Valt."

Looking up at Shu, Valt wiped the tears off his face and Shu smilied.

"We'll find a different way to free them I promise. But now..."

Valt looked back up at Shu and in his eyes was a newfound fiery determination.

"It's my turn."

Onscreen the last battles of the day were posted with Shu going against Phi.