Chapter 14: Aquarius
With a soft exhale, Ryu released a pent-up sigh, relegating his memories to the recesses of his mind to concentrate on the imminent battle.
As Ryu was ensnared in his reverie, Aquarius launched a relentless assault on Raiju, who stood firm, an immovable force at the heart of the arena.
Meanwhile, Madoka, seizing the moment while Ryu was distracted, began elucidating Raiju's specifications to her inquisitive companions.
"Raiju is an attack-type Beyblade with a perfectly flat tip {Ryu favors the secondary tip. For those who may have forgotten, he possesses the VariAres D:D mechanism, which grants Raiju the versatility of switching between defense, flat, or sharp tips at Ryu's will}. However, the source of its extraordinary defensive prowess eludes me," she mused.
"Are you suggesting that Raiju, despite being an offensive Beyblade, possesses such formidable defensive strength?" Gingka inquired, his voice tinged with genuine surprise at the stranger's Beyblade's capabilities, a sentiment echoed by the others, who were equally intrigued by Raiju's unusual yet impressive defensive abilities.
"This is so dull," Ryu declared, a statement that resonated with his current state of ennui, given that his opponent had yet to mount a significant challenge.
'It appears that merely upgrading Beyblades doesn't necessarily enhance a Blader's strength. Without innate talent, even if I gave them the might of Nemesis, they would still be ineffectual,' he pondered internally.
"What was that?" Hikaru's voice pierced through his contemplation.
"Let's demonstrate Aquarius's true power," she resolved.
With a languid sigh, Ryu commanded, "Just finish off Raiju; I'm bored of this."
With a renewed intensity in her eyes, Hikaru gripped her launcher tighter, her determination unwavering. "Aquarius, let's go all out!" she commanded, her voice echoing through the arena. The crowd held their breath, sensing the impending clash.
Aquarius responded with a burst of speed, its blue aura flaring up as it spiraled towards Raiju. The ground beneath the Beyblades trembled, a testament to the raw power that both Bladers wielded. The air crackled with energy, a prelude to the storm that was about to be unleashed.
Raiju, however, remained steadfast, unmoving as Aquarius closed in. It was as if the attack-type Beyblade was waiting, biding its time, like a predator waiting to strike. Ryu's eyes narrowed, his focus now entirely on the battle. Despite his earlier dismissive attitude, something in Hikaru's resolve piqued his interest.
Madoka watched anxiously, her mind racing. "Why isn't Raiju moving? Is Ryu planning to counterattack at the last moment?" she wondered aloud, her fingers tapping nervously against her laptop.
Gingka leaned forward, his eyes glued to the battle. "Ryu's not the type to make careless mistakes. He must have something up his sleeve," he speculated, trying to decipher Ryu's strategy.
As Aquarius bore down on Raiju, Hikaru's voice rang out with a fierce command. "Aquarius, unleash the Tsunami Crush!" The Beyblade spun faster, its momentum building as water-like energy swirled around it, creating a vortex that threatened to swallow Raiju whole.
But just as the two Beyblades were about to collide, Ryu's calm voice cut through the tension. "Raiju, Defense Mode."
In an instant, Raiju's tip shifted, a barely perceptible change that only the keenest observers would have noticed. The once perfectly flat tip now transformed into a sharp, defensive stance. Raiju's energy surged, and it met Aquarius's attack head-on, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the stadium.
The collision was nothing short of cataclysmic. Aquarius's Tsunami Crush met an impenetrable wall as Raiju stood firm, absorbing the energy and redirecting it. The crowd gasped as Aquarius was thrown back, struggling to maintain its balance as Raiju continued to hold its ground, seemingly unaffected.
"Impossible," Hikaru whispered, disbelief evident in her voice. She had poured everything into that attack, yet Raiju had withstood it without even flinching.
Ryu's expression remained unreadable, his gaze locked onto the spinning Raiju. "It's time to end this," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
With a flick of his wrist, he commanded, "Raiju, Flat Mode."
Raiju's tip shifted again, this time returning to its flat, aggressive stance. The change was instantaneous. Raiju launched forward with a burst of speed, closing the distance between itself and the disoriented Aquarius in the blink of an eye.
Hikaru barely had time to react before Raiju struck with a blindingly fast attack. The force was overwhelming, and Aquarius was sent flying across the arena, sparks flying as it skidded along the ground before finally coming to a stop, wobbling on the edge of the stadium.
Ryu let out a soft chuckle, the first sign of amusement he had shown since the battle began. "You put up a decent fight, Hikaru, but it's over. Raiju, finish it."
Raiju responded with a final, decisive strike. The impact was so powerful that it sent Aquarius out of the stadium entirely, the Beyblade clattering to the ground outside the ring, defeated.
Ryu's victory was absolute, and the difference in skill between him and his opponent was undeniable.
Hikaru fell to her knees, clutching her launcher as she stared at Aquarius, disbelief washing over her. She had given everything she had, yet it wasn't enough.
Ryu turned away, his interest already waning as he walked towards the exit of the arena. "A battle without a challenge is nothing more than a waste of time," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible,
Gingka, still processing what he had just witnessed, looked over at Madoka. "We need to learn more about Raiju and Ryu. There's more to this than just raw power."
Madoka nodded in agreement. "You're right. We need to understand how Raiju works, and why Ryu is so indifferent to these battles. There's something deeper at play here."
As the crowd slowly dispersed, the lingering tension in the air was palpable. The battle had ended, but the questions it raised were far from answered.
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To the guy that was bitching about my enlightment how do you feel about this chapter heh
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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