The store was alive with chaos. Every aisle had been cleared to make room for the Beybroll arena. Cup noodles teetered like tiny towers, soda crates formed barricades, and candy shelves were carefully marked as "hazard zones." Nyx had already spun her Beybroll in practice rounds, bouncing around like a hyperactive tornado.
Vario stood behind the counter, arms crossed, dimension sword tucked at his side. He was tense—crimson eyes darting toward Yuwen as if she were judging his strategy. He was ready to dominate the tournament, but there was a distraction gnawing at the back of his mind.
Nyx bounced up to him, spinning her Beybroll on the floor with a flourish. "Ready, Demon King? Let's see if your skills are as sharp as your blade!"
Vario's tail flicked, and he narrowed his eyes. "I am… prepared. Do not underestimate human ingenuity… or this… Beybroll."
Nyx leaned closer suddenly, eyes gleaming mischievously. "You know… maybe you need a little… motivation."
Before Vario could react, Nyx planted a quick, surprising kiss on his cheek.
Vario froze, claws gripping the counter. His crimson eyes widened, and the faint aura around his dimension sword flickered. "…What… was that?" he demanded, his voice low but shaky.
Nyx grinned, bouncing back with a flourish. "Motivation! Now you really have to win!"
Vario's tail lashed behind him, and he straightened. His usual aura of dominance flared up, but there was… something else lurking beneath it. A strange warmth in his chest, an unfamiliar tension that made him momentarily forget the tournament entirely.
"You… fool," he muttered, voice almost a growl. "Do not… distract me further."
Nyx giggled, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Distract you? I think I just activated your true potential! You're going to destroy everyone now, aren't you?"
Vario glared, yet the faintest flicker of a blush touched his cheeks beneath the crimson glow of his eyes. "…I… will not fail… for… any… reason," he said, his voice clipped but carrying a tension Nyx found highly entertaining.
Bella, leaning against a soda crate nearby, groaned. "I can't… I cannot deal with this right now. Beybroll tournament, Demon King flustered, Nyx being… Nyx… just kill me now."
Feria hovered above, clipboard shaking slightly. "I… I do not believe this… the store… cannot survive this level of chaos."
Nyx bounced onto the arena floor, twirling her Beybroll. "C'mon, Vario! Let's make this tournament legendary! And maybe… just maybe… I'll give you another motivation later!"
Vario's crimson eyes narrowed as he adjusted his stance. The dimension sword glimmered faintly at his side, a silent warning. "I… am… ready. Let the Beybroll… begin."
Somewhere in the corner, a lone cup noodle teetered on the shelf, wobbling slightly. It seemed to know that today, chaos would reach an entirely new level.
The Beybroll tournament had officially begun.