Star Fragment

Everything had returned to normal. Ryuga and Gingka had stopped the floating movement of Dr. Ziggurat’s city. While Gingka and his friends were celebrating their victory, Ryuga, as always, watched them from afar and set out to become even stronger. The victory against the so-called "Fake Bladers" and their lackeys from the American representative team meant nothing to him. He needed to improve himself further and rid himself of the imprisoning feeling inside him. Ever since he lost the tournament final against Gingka, he had felt a suffocating sensation buried deep within him, never revealing itself. When he saw that Tsubasa had also been affected by the dark power, this feeling grew even stronger. That was when he realized the dark power was still inside him, waiting for the right moment to surface. However, Ryuga wanted to completely eradicate this feeling. He would not allow himself to be crushed by the dark power—he wanted to control it and fully merge with it. But in the last battle, when he pushed his limits to stop the spiral that kept the city moving in the sky, he had begun to feel the dark power more intensely, not just in his body but also in his very character. And everything would change once the star fragments reactivated to stop Nemesis.

Ryuga Kishatu stood at the entrance of a desolate village, where the wind carried dust into the air. His long green hair brushed against the collar of his jacket as his eyes scanned the surroundings with a cold intensity. He had come here to train, looking for a secluded place, but the noise coming from the village center disrupted his plans. A crowd had gathered around a makeshift arena, cheering loudly. A Beyblade tournament... A smirk of disdain appeared on Ryuga’s lips. "The entertainment of the weak," he thought, yet his curiosity got the better of him. He turned toward the crowd.

As he arrived at the arena, the villagers did not notice him. All eyes were locked on the final match of the tournament. A young man named Taro—tall, muscular, and full of himself—had just defeated his opponent. His Beyblade, a heavy defense type that he called "Rock Bull," had launched its opponent out of the arena with one final blow, sending it crashing into the stones. The crowd roared with excitement as Taro pounded his chest.

"No one is stronger than me! Rock Bull is unbeatable!"

Ryuga stepped forward from the crowd and approached the edge of the arena. Taro’s arrogance disgusted him. He raised his voice, his tone icy.

"Is that what you think?"

The villagers fell silent, turning to see who this stranger was. Taro sized up Ryuga. His green hair swayed in the wind, and his white jacket was covered in dust. With a mocking laugh, Taro scoffed,

"And who are you, stranger? Did you come here to show off?"

Ryuga narrowed his eyes, his response short and sharp.

"You don’t need to know my name. But since you’re so full of yourself, I’d love to crush you."

He pulled Meteo L-Drago from his pocket, gripping it tightly in his palm. The smirk on Taro’s face disappeared, but he did not back down.

"Alright, stranger. Let’s have a one-match tournament. If you lose, you leave this village for good."

The crowd stepped back as the arena was prepared once again. Ryuga took his launcher in hand and assumed his stance. Taro positioned Rock Bull, a determined glint in his eyes. One of the villagers stepped forward to referee the match and shouted,

"Three, two, one—let it rip!"

Both Bladers launched their Beyblades at the same time. Meteo L-Drago landed in the arena in a streak of red light, while Rock Bull crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud. Taro immediately made his move.

"Rock Bull, Granite Defense!"

His Beyblade spun rapidly, forming an invisible shield around itself, taking a defensive stance. Ryuga, however, simply watched with a faint smirk.

"This is your strength? Pathetic."

He calmly decided to end the match.

"L-Drago, show them the power of your superior left spin with an unforgettable response!"

Meteo L-Drago was suddenly enveloped in a fiery aura, and an image of a dragon appeared above the arena. It dashed toward Rock Bull, delivering a fierce strike. Taro’s Beyblade held on, managing to stay within the arena with a stroke of luck, but L-Drago did not relent.

Ryuga’s eyes glowed, and his voice grew harsher.

"Come on, L-Drago, destroy it!"

As Meteo L-Drago’s speed increased, a cloud of dust rose within the arena. Rock Bull struggled against the relentless attacks. Taro shouted,

"Rock Bull, Granite Wall!"

His Beyblade spun even faster, reinforcing its defensive shield. Cracks began forming in the ground. A loud thunderclap echoed in the sky. Meteo L-Drago rose in the middle of the arena and then crashed into Rock Bull with a fiery energy wave. Taro’s Beyblade was sent flying, flipping multiple times before slamming into the stones outside the arena, breaking into pieces.

The crowd fell into stunned silence. Taro dropped to his knees, his eyes wide with shock.

"This… this power… what is it?"

Ryuga tucked his launcher back into his jacket pocket and walked away without saying a word. As he moved through the crowd, the villagers instinctively made way for him, unable to take their eyes off him. Taro’s defeat had sent a wave of shock through the village, but Ryuga didn’t care.

"The weak don’t concern me."

As he walked toward the village exit, the sky darkened, and the wind picked up.

Ryuga had left the village, heading toward the hillside. The tournament had not provided him with any real challenge, yet a lingering unease remained within him.

Ryuga took Meteo L-Drago in his hand, his fingers touching the Beyblade's cold metal. A weak opponent could never unleash L-Drago's true power. Somewhere deep inside, a dark force stirred—it was calling him, demanding more. I need to find a greater challenge, he thought. A real battle that would push L-Drago to its limits.

Just then, a shout echoed from the other side of the village. Ryuga paused, furrowing his brows as he looked in the direction of the noise. The villagers were running from something, fleeing towards the hills in panic. His curiosity was piqued, and he turned back toward the village entrance. There, a few young Bladers were trying to drive away a gang of bandits who had emerged from an old warehouse. The bandit leader was a burly man, holding a worn but powerful Beyblade he called "Steel Wolf." One of the villagers shouted:

"Leave us alone! You have no right to steal our goods!"

The bandit leader laughed.

"This village belongs to us now. What can weak villagers possibly defend? Steel Wolf will crush you all!"

As Ryuga watched from above, a cold smile appeared on his lips. Seeing the weak turn against each other amused him, but the bandits' confidence intrigued him. He stepped forward, walking into the village and standing in front of the bandit leader.

"If anything is going to crush you, it’ll be me."

The bandit leader scanned Ryuga and smirked.

"Well, well, a hero arrives. Let’s see how long you last. Flame Wolf, get ready!"

Ryuga pulled out his launcher and placed Meteo L-Drago in position.

"You’re the one who needs to last."

The villagers stepped back while the bandits gathered around the arena. The two Bladers took their positions. The bandit leader shouted, "Three, two, one—let it rip!"

Meteo L-Drago and Flame Wolf landed in the arena simultaneously. Steel Wolf was fast and aggressive, charging at L-Drago with a metallic howl. The bandit leader made his move.

"Wild Claw!"

The sharp edges of his Beyblade struck L-Drago, creating sparks. But Ryuga remained calm.

"Is that all you’ve got? I don’t have time to waste on fools like you. Go play with your little toys somewhere else."

L-Drago’s crimson energy erupted in an instant, its dragon figure rising in the arena. It moved to launch a devastating strike on Flame Wolf. The bandit leader shouted:

"Wolf Apocalypse!"

His Beyblade picked up speed, forming a whirlwind around itself, but L-Drago tore through the defense.

Ryuga’s eyes gleamed.

"Hah. Fool…"

Using the speed it had stolen from its opponent, Meteo L-Drago delivered a crushing blow. The impact sent the bandit’s Beyblade flying out of the arena, slamming into the warehouse and splitting in two. The bandit leader was thrown back, hitting the ground.

"T-This is… impossible…"

Ryuga picked up L-Drago, casting a cold gaze at the bandits.

"Get out of here. If I see you again, I’ll destroy you all."

The bandits scrambled to pick up their fallen leader and fled. The villagers stared at Ryuga in shock, but he didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he walked away, heading toward the hill.

By the time Ryuga reached the peak, night had fallen completely. Storm clouds blanketed the sky, and the wind howled. He held Meteo L-Drago tightly, his fingers gripping the metal. The tournament and his battle with the bandits had taught him something—being strong wasn’t enough. He had to be the strongest. A dark desire grew within him. He wanted to unleash L-Drago’s full potential. He murmured to himself, In this world, only power matters. L-Drago, with you, I can crush everything.

At that moment, a sound reached his ears from the sky. He lifted his head and looked up. A sudden brightness appeared—a beam of light, falling like a meteor—and it was coming straight for L-Drago.

"What!? What’s happening!?"

Instinctively, Ryuga stepped back, his voice laced with a mix of fear and shock. The light struck L-Drago dead center. The Beyblade was ripped from his grasp and hit the ground. The Star Fragment embedded itself into the metal.

Suddenly, a surge of dark energy erupted across the hilltop. Ryuga fell to his knees, covering his face with his hands. The force of the explosion turned the wind into a raging storm. Destruction spread all around—branches snapped, rocks tumbled, the ground split into deep cracks. Lightning flashed across the sky as the storm intensified. A deafening hum echoed in Ryuga’s ears, and the energy overwhelmed him. His hands trembled, his breath came in sharp gasps.

As the energy wave slowly faded, Ryuga lowered his hands from his face.

At first, his vision was blurred, but then his eyes focused on the ground. Meteo L-Drago was gone.

In its place stood "Nightmare L-Drago."

Ryuga held his breath, staring in shock at the new Beyblade. Nightmare L-Drago’s surface had completely changed. The vibrant red metal was now replaced by deep black and purple tones, as if a fragment of the night sky had fallen to earth. The dragon figure on it had reshaped itself—more savage, more menacing than ever before. The dragon’s teeth were razor-sharp, long, and curved, with thin wisps of smoke seemingly escaping from its mouth. Its claws had grown, glowing with a metallic sheen, each talon casting a deep shadow. The dark aura surrounding the Beyblade pulsed, shifting like it was alive, emitting a faint hum into the air.

Ryuga examined Nightmare L-Drago without looking away. Its energy ring was still fused with the fusion wheel, but this time, the energy ring was not rubber—it was metal. Covered in black and dark purple hues, it exuded raw power.

Additionally, the spin track and performance tip were now fused together. It was in a state that could be used in both balance and attack modes. Furthermore, thanks to the rubber in the fusion ring, it could continue to steal the power of its opponents.

Ryuga’s gaze shifted to the dragon figure on the face bolt. The eyes, once red, were now a dark purple, with a faint gleam as if they were staring back at him. This new form had completely altered Meteo L-Drago's elegant yet deadly structure—now, it resembled a pure destruction machine. It was as though it had been overtaken by L-Drago’s dark form.

Ryuga, breath held, stared at it.

"What... What is this? L-Drago... What happened to you?"

The fear was still within him, but it was slowly being replaced by admiration. The dark aura of Nightmare L-Drago seemed to whisper to him—power, invincibility, victory. Ryuga rose from his knees, his hands still trembling, but his eyes now gleaming with determination. This new Beyblade could be his destiny.