Try to Wake, Try to Escape

Chapter 2: With Our Support and the Winged Blade

It was easy tracking down the Snake Pit for the second time, and it was even easier to defeat their Shadow Beys. The members of Beigoma Academy Bey Club- plus Xander- only had one goal- to defeat Ashtem. Then they could save Shu.

With Boa's help, they trekked through the endless labyrinth of traps and Beys, making their way to where Ashtem was waiting. They barged through the doors, launchers at the ready.

"Ashtem, we're only going to give you one warning!" Valt yelled. "Let. Shu. Go!"

"I'm afraid I can't." Ashtem replied, turning to face the young Bladers. "I may have been able to put him under, but he can only wake up once he submits to my will."

Valt growled loudly. "Fine then. Let's make a deal..."

"I'm listening."

"Battle us. If we win, you tell us how to save Shu..."

"And if I win, you forget about your friend?" Ashtem suggested. Nobody was surprised when Valt nodded in agreement, knowing well he intended to win no matter what. "Very well then, I agree to those terms. Who will I battle?"

"Me." Valt answered, approaching the stadium in the middle of the room. Ashtem stood on the other side, pulling his Beyblade from his coat.

"That's... Spryzen Requiem." Wakiya gasped.

"Of course it is. Red Eye isn't currently able to use it, so I will in his stead." He even had Shu's launcher.

"Do you think he knows what he's doing?" Daigo whispered to Wakiya as they watched Ashtem assume Shu's typical launch stance.

"Not really, no..." The blond whispered back, frowning. "But you never know."

"And he may have some tricks up his sleeve..." Ken murmured, his puppets put away already.

"He definitely will." Boa replied. 

Valt crouched down, a blue aura appearing around him as determination shined in his eyes. Let's do this, Valtryek. For Shu.

"For Shu." Valtryek agreed, its voice heard only by Valt.

Ashtem and Valt were ready to battle, and everyone in the room began counting down. "Three... Two... One..."

Valt and Ashtem launched their Beys, yelling. "LET IT RIIIP!"

Spryzen Requiem started in Counter-clockwise Defense Mode, going in for the center. Strike Valtryek swooped in on it, knocking it away from the center again, and again, and again.

It was obvious Ashtem had no real skill when it came to Beyblade. No wonder he wanted Shu so badly...

"Go, Spryzen!" Ashtem yelled, to no avail. Even if he was a good Blader, Spryzen was loyal to Shu, and any command it followed was stiffly executed.

"Hit him hard, Valtryek!" Valt cried, punching the air. "Genesis Whip!"

"Now!" The masked man snapped his fingers, and a holographic Bey took the blow for Spryzen.

"What?" Valt gasped, looking to Ashtem with a growl. "I should have known you wouldn't play by the rules."

He chuckled. "Nothing in real life is played by the rules, young man."

Another holographic Bey took the next attack Valtryek dished out, then another began fighting for Spryzen. Nobody recognized the Beys that were being summoned, they were all from Bladers they didn't know. Never the less, Valtryek cut through them like paper.

"If Ashtem doesn't stop summoning Bey lackeys, Valtryek's gonna run out of steam!" Rantaro muttered, clenching his fists.

"He can still use the Genesis Reboot." Wakiya replied.