Beyblue Island

“Dante. We’re here. This is Beyblue Island.”

Dante looked up at the vast water before them. A gigantic tree stood in the middle of the water standing over 7,000 feet tall and wide. Bridges extended from multiple places on the tree into large holes where different areas were inside the tree.

Astro: “Listen to me Dante. The people here are extremely nice, but not in the way you think. They aren’t like the people you and I have met so far. Match their energy the best you can. However…Don’t accept anything they offer you. You aren’t strong enough to reverse the curse they will put on you. As long as you do this, there won’t be a problem. Just follow me.”

Dante wondered what this meant, but had no time to ask any questions as he understood quickly why he had warned him. They came to the front of the bridge where people immediately bombarded them asking for anything they could help with.

???: “Would you like a massage?”

???: “How about some food?”

???: “Either of you want access to our beloved suites?”

Astro replied to them all with a smile on his face completely different from how he had been acting, “No thanks everyone! We are just passing through!”

Simultaneously, they all replied, “Okay. Enjoy your stay!”

They continued inside the middle of the tree and down the first set of stairs into the base to a large opening. A large hill lay in the middle of the floor. A man with red slicked back hair and blue eyes sat on a throne atop the hill yawning. “Who else here would like to take a shot at me for this chaplet?”

The man revealed an orange orb wrapped with black lines. “I heard this is quite rare in these parts. Where I’m from, this grows in my backyard. Come on you cowards. I will be here all day.”

The crowd started murmuring, as someone stepped forward to face the man. Nervously speaking, “I-I’ll beat you!” The man charged at him and was stabbed in the heart immediately. He scoffed, “Weak. Next!” Dante wasn’t surprised. He had infiltrated many underground fighting rings before. This was just with stronger men with abilities and powers.

‘They have this in every world, huh? Disgusting,’ he thought.

Astro: “Come on, Dante. We need to go down one more level.”

The man yelled out from the throne, “Hold it! What is your name?” He pointed a rusty and dirty gray looking sword at Astro. Astro kept walking without answering, trying to just move on without any trouble. They were in a race for time.

???: “Hey! I know you're strong! Why not step up here for a chance at a prize!”

Astro looked annoyed, but put a smile on his face and replied, “We’re just passing through. We’ll be on our way,” looking at him with calm eyes.

???: “I don’t think you understand. You will fight me.”

His patience started to get tested with Astro’s quick tempered self. He said, “Listen kid. Not sure how you got your hands on a Manipulator Chaplet, but that’s besides the point. I don’t want it plus your mana and sword are not that impressive. I would leave that throne soon unless you want to get killed.”

The man laughed.

???: “You’re funny! My name is Bellamy Rito. You remind me of a man that came in here a few weeks ago. He challenged me with a weird looking sword and could’ve taken my head off at any moment yet…he let me live and didn’t want a prize either. He just smiled and left.”

“Well…Then that is what we will do as well. Smile and leave.” Astro and Dante turned around to leave before the man called out,“Ohhhh, Sylphie. Please attend to this man.”

A woman in a dress with blonde hair approached the two. She looked at Dante with a smile, which then turned to an evil grin. “Sir, please don’t fight Bellamy.” A black line of mana shot out of her torso connecting with Dante.

Dante: “The hell. What is this Astro?”

Dante tried to jump back, but the thing before him wouldn’t let him loose.

Astro scoffed at the girl. “Bastards. He had nothing to do with this.” Bellamy looked down on them both. “Well, you wouldn’t fight me, so this was the next best option. As a loyal resident here, I get access to 3 force touches a year. This is my 2nd one used. Maybe you shouldn’t have come here if you wanted to wimp out on a challenge like this.”

Dante: “Astro, what do I say?”

“Don’t say a word. Keep your mouth shut,” he told him before looking back at Bellamy. “You didn’t need to do that. He already couldn’t have said no by the way the question was formed. We both know that. Call her off. I’ll freaking do it.”

Bellamy: “Oh? Ladies and gentleman, we have a challenger! Sylphie, keep the contract intact, but transfer the names. I’ve already used it anyway, so I want to make sure he doesn’t back out on me and I have to use a third force touch.”

Astro climbed the stairs to the top of the hill while the throne lowered into the ground, preparing the hill for a battlefield.

Astro: “I have one condition before we start. I assume those swords in the corner are all of yours. When I kill you, not only do I get the Manipulator Chaplet, but I also get 5 of those Tempest swords. I want to show this boy how crafting works.”

“Deal. Although, who’s killing who here?” The man smirked and laughed quietly. Astro called out, “Dante. Listen. Remember when I told you that people don’t fight each other unless they truly believe they can win with their sword and abilities…This man is lessening his mana. It’s not the same as concealing it. If you do that, then your opponent will know what you're capable of. Lessening your mana flow fools your opponent into thinking you are weak. Not everyone can do it though. I can barely do it myself. Watch us both and see how cruel this world truly is and the level you have to get to in order to get Lucky back.”

Bellamy looked a little shocked. “Oh? I thought I was concealing it just enough to where you’d think I lacked in mana. Good eye.”

Astro: “Great. Just my luck. Two people in one day that can close off their mana. I underestimated you. I apologize. Let’s really test my strength here.”

Astro pulled his scythe from his back. Purple mana lines encompassed his body. Bellamy took up his rusty sword in hand. Red mana lines lit up his body, but he observed closely as Bellamy’s mana lines shot out of his body attacking Astro immediately via a Manipulator Chaplet.

Astro evaded and ran around the large hill while still being followed by the mana lines. He quickly chanted, "Death Bringer: Grim Reaper, Goddess of Night: Nyx’s Black Whip.” He used the whip to entangle the mana lines before slicing them in half. Bellamy threw his sword in the air as the mana lines followed to it. He placed his hand on the ground and a magic circle appeared. “Fireflow Convergence!” Flames shot out of the magic circle all the way up to the sword. The mana lines holding the sword in the air burned and the rusty sword now looked polished and covered in red light.

Astro: “Stupid idiot. Just use a chaplet next time. Not some stupid flashy ability.”

Bellamy: “Where’s the fun in that?”

Astro looked at him with cockiness in his eyes, deciding to fight seriously. “By the way, this fight will be pretty short. You never had a shot in the first place.”

Astro and Bellamy both raised their swords and stuck them in the ground. The hill cracked and rumbled. Red and purple light emitted from the ground before a wave of mana from both of them met and collided. Bellamy called out, “Airflow Manipulation!” At the same time, Astro called out, “Children of Thanatos, Spirits of Shadows, Disperse!”

The air surrounding the hill dispersed. Small white particles filled the air as Bellamy held his breath. He looked around. ‘Where is he? Where did he go?’ As he thought this, the scythe’s sharp curvy blade pierced his stomach. Bellamy, in shock, breathed in from the wound inhaling the white particles in the air. He stood there paralyzed unable to move. “My throat…Feels like…it’s on fire. Wh-What did you do? My…Stomach.”

Astro appeared behind him through Bellamy’s shadow on the ground. He picked up his sword and pulled the chaplets out the inside of his sword. “Hmm…A Manipulator and Concealment Chaplet? You know…You would’ve had a chance if you used these correctly. Concealing your sword, and then manipulating your mana to attack. That would’ve been the better idea. Instead you got cocky in your stupid abilities. Don’t know who taught you how to fight, kid, but that was pointless. Too much risk for reward. Making your sword look rusty just to switch it back? Maybe I overestimated you then.”

“S-Shut u-up! Ahem. Ack!” Bellamy started to cough up blood. “I-taught…myself.” Astro kneeled down in front of him with the Manipulator Chaplet.

Astro: “You taught yourself to conceal mana? I don’t give a crap. Now, you said where you’re from, these things grow in your backyard, correct? That wouldn’t happen to be Centennials Parrel would it?”

Bellamy’s eyes lit up as if forgetting he was injured. “Then you know of the curse! Help me! You’re strong! I know you are! Help me! Please!” He coughed up more blood and fell on his side.

Astro: “Get yourself patched up. Dying only makes it carry on in the afterlife. Try to live the rest of the life you have before that happens.”

Some workers came and carried him away to heal him. “No, please! Help me! I only have 3 years left! Don’t let them take me!”

Dante was utterly confused, but he had gotten used to it at this point. Astro walked over to him with the 2 strange looking chaplets and 5 of the same looking sword. “Here. A gift from that man for delaying us in saving Lucky.”

Dante didn’t know what to do with these, but continued to follow Astro. “Dante, I’ll explain crafting to you and chaplets work on the way, however we have to get going. I have a feeling this talk isn’t going to go so well.”