Black Horizon Arc

The Black Horizon Arc is the third story arc in the Beet the Vandel Buster Series. It covers Chapters 11 to 26 of the manga. This arc covers Beet and Poala's journey into the Black Horizon, where they meet Kissu and Milfa and battle Grunide and his minions. It is preceded by the Return of Beltorze Arc and succeeded by the New Continent Arc.

First Foray into the Horizon-Meeting Ventura, the Cowardly Vandel
Continuing on their boat, Beet and Poala come across a River Whale. While Poala runs to shore, Beet shoots a blast from the Cyclone Gunner into its skull from the inside of its mouth, killing it. Poala asks Beet why he waited until the last minute to use it, and Beet tells her that he can only shoot one shot, which bugs him since Alside could shhot multiple ones.

On the shoreline, Beet and Poala are washing their clothes. Poala tells Beet that they should hire someone from Trowana to join the Beet Warriors. Beet asks her how they are going to do this, as they don't have any money, and Poala reveals a money bag, saying she got 10000 MG baack at Ledeux. However, Beet notices that the coins aren't in the bag, rather, they're being eaten by Cannecks. While Poala chases the Cannecks, Beet notices a man lying against a tree, begging for help.

Beet goes to the man to help him, but he is ambushed by other men. It is revealed that the men were actually taken over by Ventura, one of Grunide's minions. Ventura thinks Beet is dead and gloats about how easy it was, but Beet pushes back the men, knowing it was a trap all along. Beet notices that the men have been taken over through a parasite attaching to their necks. Ventura tells him that unless he has some special skill, if he tries to forcibly remove the Toryupus, the men will die. However, Beet just pulls out the Excellion Blade and severs the insects from the men. Ventura, now realizing how powerful Beet is, tries to escape, but is cornered by Poala, who shoots him in the head. With no other choice, Ventura gets on his knees and begs for his life, much to Beet and Poala's shock. Beet sees that Ventura has three stars, much to his surprise. Ventura is then rescued by Rozzgoat, who shows Beet and Poala his bracelet, which symbolizes his servitude to Grunide. He then creates a diversion to allow him and Ventura to escape. Alone, he hits Ventura, lecturing him on his overbloated sense of pride and telling him that terminating Beet was another Vandel's job. when they get back to Grunide's castle, Ventura is tortured for his lack of temperance. Grunide then tells Dangowl and Rozzgoat that he has already sent Frausky after Beet.

Flashy Frausky
Beet, Poala, and the soldiers from Trowana continue on to Trowana, fighting many bugs along the way. One of the soldiers tells Beet that the sun has not shone in the Black Horizon for 20 years due to the monsters. They offer to pay Beet a handsome reward once they reach Trowana, but Beet declines, saying that it's only natural for a Vandel Buster to help someone in trouble. This statement shocks the soldiers, who weren't used to Vandel Busters acting this kind. The Busters and the soldiers then reach Trowana, ane of the soldiers then offers a hot meal, which the Beet Warriors graciously accept. on the steps of Trowana, they run into a hooded man, who the soldiers quickly recognize as Frausky. Before they can react, Frausky shoots one of the soldiers through the head.

Angered, Beet asks Frausky who he is, and Frausky replies that he is an assassin. The remaining soldiers tell them that Frausky is the most powerful of Grunide's minions, and Beet angrily asks Frausky why he killed that man, but Frausky replied that he was a Vandel and never really thought about it. Frausky then pulls out his gun and shoots at Beet. At first, it seems like he got Beet, but Beet managed to bring out the Crown shield just in time. Frausky then uses the Crimson Blooder, which strikes one of the soldiers and blasts the crown shield out of the way. Beet then pulls out the Burning Lance, telling Poala to take the soldiiers and go in the gate. However, Frausky forces Beet to dodge his bullets before beet can use the Lance, confirming his theory that Beet cannot use a long-distance weapon. Frausky shoots the Lance out of Beets hand and corners him. Before he can kill Beet, though, Poala shoots him in the back. Poala attempts to perform a Tenketsu, and Frausky shoots at her. She dodges, and it is revealed that she was just creating a diversion so Beet could pull out the Cyclone Gunner. Beet then shoots Frausky through the heart. However, Frausky is uninjured, much to Beet's surprise. Unable to shoot another bullet, Frausky prepares to kill Beet again, but notices a bird on the ground. Entranced by the bird's cuteness, Frausky loses interest in the battle and tells Beet he will remain alive for now.

Beet is angry that he and Poala would have died if not for Frausky's weird personality, and Shagie comes upon Frausky, who tells Shagie about his love of small creatures.

Kissu's Motives
Beet and Poala come into Trowana, but Beet immediately gets beat up by the Vandel Busters in town because he wanted them to help him defeat Frausky, who they consider to be unbeatable. Driven out of Trowana, Beet and Poala run into Rozzgoat, who they immediately confront. Even though it wasn't his job to terminate Beet, Rozzgoat decides to kill the two anyway, but is stopped by Kissu, who was Beet's friend and training partner. Rozzgoat says that it wouldn't benefit him to fight Kissu and leaves, which Beet thinks is because he is afraid of Kissu. Beet immediately makes Kissu the third member of the Beet Warriors, recalling the time when they were training, when Kissu vowed to become the world's greatest Tenketsu master.

Kissu takes Beet and Poala to some ancient ruins, telling them that he researches Vandels and that he is curious as to why Grunide never destroyed them. While Beet is running, he gets separated from the two and gets lost, just as Frausky comes to him. Instead of pulling out a Saiga, Beet keeps dodging Frausky's bullets. Eventually Frausky apparently gets Beet, but it is just Beet's cloak. Beet jumps from behind Frausky and shoots him in the head. However, just like last time, it has no effect, frustrating Beet. Frausky's arm separates from his body, and he tells Beet that his vital spot was inside his arm, and that his body was just an empty shell. Frausky's body then self-destructs, but his core is rescued by Ventura.

Meanwhile, Kissu corners Poala under the guise that he is in love with her, so they can get out. However, Ventura ignored orders and appears before them, trapping up Poala. Kissu tells Ventura that taking care of Poala was his job, but Ventura ignores him. Poala is confused at what Kissu is saying, but Kissu shows her his bracelet, revealing that he is actually a servant of Grunide. Ventura, kissu, and a tied-up Poala fly off, rescuing Frausky's core as Frausky's body self-destructs, with Beet still in the ruins.

Back at Grunide's castle, Grunide congratulates Kissu, Rozzgoat, and a recuperating Frausky on getting the job done. Kissu soon relizes that Poala is gone, which means Ventura must have taken her. Kissu rushes into Ventura's room, where Poala is covered in webs. Poala tells Ventura that she has a sword and is going to break out and attack him, but he thinks she is bluffing. Poala then frees herself and beats up Ventura. She punches Kissu once, but stops at that because he is going to get her to Beet. Despite Kissu's protests, Poala believes that beet is alive and the two fly to the ruins. Rozzgoat notices them and thinks Poala captured Kissu, but Frausky knows better.

On the way, Kissu tells Poala why he came to serve the Vandels. A few years ago, he separated from Beet to join a famous buster team. He and the Busters were going strong, but one day they encountered a vandel whose powers were tremendous. Kissu's team created a plan that Kissu would distract the vandel while they would charge up an attack to hit it. Kissu attacks the vandel and is automatically defeated, but as he looks for his teammates, he saw that they were running away. It turned out they were using him as a throwaway sacrificial pawn so that they could escape. However, the Vandel kills them, but spares Kissu because he risked his life to save his team. The Vandel told Kissu to become stronger and face him again one day. At that point, Kissu began believing in Vandels more than humans, and was employed by Grunide to help him with some ancient ruins. Back in the present, he and Poala make it to the ruins, but they find Frausky descending upon them.

Meanwhile, Beet is trapped under the rubble from the ruins. Wondering how he could be alive, he sees that the Boltic Axe had appeared and propped up the ruins, realizing that Bluezam had saved his life by making him bring out the Axe. Beet wonders how to get out before he suffocates, then hears a breathing noise next to him. Wondering what it could be, Beet realizes that the Cyclone Gunner is taking in air. Beet finally understands the true power of the Gunner, and shoots his way out of the ruins.

Beet Masters the Cyclone Gunner-The Death of Frausky and Ventura
Frausky descends upon Poala and Kissu and shoots down the bird they are riding. Kissu tries to convince Frausky not to kill Poala, but Frausky calls Kissu "despicable" for changing sides again. Just before Poala is killed, though, Beet comes and shoots Frausky with the Cyclone Gunner. Frausky is not at all surprised that Beet is alive, but is surprised that Beet can now shoot multiple bullets from the Gunner. Beet and Frausky have a ferocious duel, but soon Beet seems to run out of bullets. However, Beet reveals that the gun breathes air like a living thing, and he could only shoot one bullet before because his breathing was imperfect, and reloads the gun. Frausky taunts Beet, saying that no matter where he aimed, he still couldn't hit his core. Beet replies that he doesn't need to, and shoots a full-powered blast, obliterating Frausky's body

All that remains of Frausky are his arms, legs, and his core. Frausky warns Beet that when he dies, top-ranked Vandels are going to come after him. Frausky's core is then rescued by Ventura, who thinks they've gotten away, but Frausky knows better and accepts his death. Beet then turns the Cyclone Gunner into a long-range sniper, and shoots, piercing both Ventura and Frausky. As they plummet to their deaths, Frausky reaffirms his point that Beet is not a normal boy.

Rozzgoat Attacks-Kissu Makes His Decision
Beet recovers from his fight with Frausky, but his recovery is cut short by Rozzgoat, who plans to finish Frausky's job. Rozzgoat launches an explosive fireball at Beet, injuring him. Poala tells him to pull out the Crown Shield, but Beet somehow is unable to do it. Rozzgoat shoots a Dark Ice Attack at Poalaw who tries to perform Fire Tenketsu to stop it but is also unable to perform it. She is forces to block it with her gun, pinning her arm to the ground. Kissu realizes what Rozzgoat has done, as Rozzgoat then prepares to kill Beet using his ultimate attack, Stream of Inferno. However, Kissu puts himself in front of Beet. Beet tells Kissu that he can handle this, but Kissu says that Beet will definitely die because Rozzgoat scattered poisonous scales around the area, revealing Rozzgoat's signature move, Illusin Mist, a dark mist that renders Busters unable to use Tenketsu.

Rozzgoat asks Kissu why he is doing this, and Kissu replies that he made a promise to Beet he would never leave him, but he broke it, and is offering himself up as atonement. Rozzgoat then takes off his hood, revealing that his left eye is gouged out. Rozzgoat tells them that Grunide inflicted it, back when he invited Rozzgoat to be his minion. While they talked, Rozzgoat showed skepticism about the deal, ending his statement with "Pal". However, Grunide, who hates being addressed casually, went on a rampage, destroying Rozzgoat's eye and his castle. Rozzgoat tells Beet that Grunide's true title is "The Bloody Beast", and that Grunide is a Vandel of pure rage inside a shell of calm. Once again, Rozzgoat tells Kissu to stand aside, but Kissu again refuses. Rozzgoat then attacks Kissu with Stream of Inferno.

However, Kissu repels it by using Wind Tengeki, causing the poison bracelet to stab him. Rozzgoat is dumbstruck as to how Kissu could use tenketsu, but Kissu just says that Rozzgoat's large Dark Attack pushed away the scales, leaving an opening. Rozzgoat is amazed at how Kissu managed to figure that out. Knowing he doesn't have long left to live, Kissu creates a giant fireball and throws it at Rozzgoat. Rozzgoat counters it, but Beet then shoots at Rozzgoat with the Cyclone Gunner, revealing that Kissu's attack was only a diversion. Rozzgoat then prepares to attack with Stream of Inferno again. However, Beet's attack was also a diversion, in order ot give Kissu time to power up his ultimate attack, the Frozen wave of Divine Blue. Before Rozzgoat can react in time, he is hit with the Frozen Wave, which freezes him and his attack. A frozen Rozzgoat wonders how they managed to keep Kissu under when he was this powerful, before he shatters into pieces.

Kissu collapses on the ground from the poison. Beet brings out the Excellion Blade, which Kissu thinks Beet will use to ease his passing. However, Beet severs the Poison Bracelet, and then uses the Crown shield to detoxify Kissu. Kissu is then offically inaugurated into the Beet Warriors, but Kissu cries at Beet that he was acting like nothing had happened and that he wasn't a superhuman like Beet. Beet tells Kissu that that is because of the Zenon Warriors' sacrifice three years ago, and that afterwards he cried like a baby in Poala's arms. Beet recommends that Kissu do the same, and while Kissu bawls in Beet's arms Beet falls asleep, making Poala think about how weird their team was.

BB Milfa
The Beet Warriors travel to Muslee to get supplies, but find that it has been destroyed. Kissu volunteers to search the city alone while Beet and Poala check out the area first. Beet and Poala then run into two Vandel Busters who are on the run. Beet asks what monsters they are runing from, and they reply that they are running from something much worse than a monster. A mysterious figure in a dark cloak appears, scaring the Busters. The creature takes its hood off, revealing only a teenaged girl named Milfa. Milfa, a Broad Buster, is hunting down the two Busters because of their theivery. She easily subdues one of them with Buster Handcuffs, but the other one pulls out his Saiga, the Red Van Sword. Beet steps in and counters it with the Excellion Blade, saying that it was despicable to use a Saiga for selfish reasons. Beet slams the Buster against the wall, and both of them are left incapacitated.

Milfa and Beet chat, with Milfa flirting a lot, much to Poala's dismay. Poala pulls Beet away, telling him that she arrests corrupt busters, which includes Kissu, and therefore they cannot stay with her. Just then, Beet, Poala, and the Busters are surrounded by Land Anemones, the monsters that destroyed Muslee. Beet and Poala prepare to attack them, but Milfa says their attacks wouldn't work, and to leave them to her. She uses Thunder Tengeki to strike herself with lightning, covering herself in a shroud of electricity. Milfa easily rips apart the Land Anemones, and the Busters try to thank her for saving their lives, but are electrocuted when they touch her. However, the Land Anemones are not dead, rather they all merged together, becoming a giant anmeone.

Milfa rushes toward the monster, telling Poala and Beet that they should use Fire Tengeki to help her fight the monster, but Beet, not being able to perform Tengeki, is left to care for the Busters. While Milfa gets up close, Poala shoots fireballs from afar, but none of these do any major damage. Milfa realizes that Poala isn't using her Tengeki properly, but Poala thinks she is condescending her and continues shooting. The giant Land Anemone then grabs Milfa and throws her toward a building, but she is rescued by Kissu, who covered his hands with Thunder Tengeki so he didn't get electrocuted. Milfa is entranced by Kissu, but she continues to attack the anemone, with Kissu helping. Kissu notices Poala's struggles and tells her that maybe long-range attacks aren't suited for her. At first, Poala blows him off, but she comes to realize that Kissu is right. To Milfa's shock, she rushes toward the Land Anmeone and launches a large fireball at close range, seriously injuring the anemone. The anemone prepares to escape by tunneling underground, but Milfa stops it with her Saiga, the Lightbolt Grasper. She holds it just long enough for Poala to attack, finally killing it. Milfa says the Beet Warriors are all "diamonds in the rough", and they depart.

Afterwards, Milfa takes the arrested Busters to Trowana, but then notices Kissu's picture in the bingo book.

Surprise at Grunide's Castle
After departing from Milfa, the Beet Warriors trek to Grunide's castle, while Poala lectures Kissu on being so suave with Milfa, who was his enemy. Kissu replies that he didn't know Milfa was a Broad Buster, and he knows Milfa could be a great team member if she wasn't one. The Beet Warriors come up to the gate of Grunide's castle. Beet blasts it open with the Crown Shield, and the Beet Warriors rush in, but quickly realize, much to their shock, that Grunide's castle has already been destroyed. Dangowl attacks the Beet Warriors, but they dodge him, and he lands in a rock, crying out that this was all Grunide's work and blames the Beet Warriors for killing his minions, which triggered his rage. While Dangowl is crying, Kissu suddenly falls in a root trap. Beet and Poala then force Dangowl to take them to Kissu by prodding his underside.

A kidnapped Kissu is brought before Grunide, who has calmed down somewhat but is on the brink of his tolerance. Grunide pours Kissu some wine and tells him Kissu can atone for the deaths of his minions if Kissu comes back to him and helps him with his project. Grunide then unveils a room full of monsters that he created himself, using the text on the ruins and Kissu's brainpower. This project, The Great Undertaking of the Century, will end Grunide's dependence on the Dark House of Sorcery and earn him an eighth star, making him the strongest Vandel ever. Once again, Grunide tells Kissu to come back to him, but that he needs to help him kill Beet first. Kissu refuses, saying he will never break his promise to Beet again. Grunide starts to get angry, but Beet, Poala, and Dangowl come in the room at that moment. Beet tells Grunide that Kissu doesn't belong to him anymore, but Beet adds the word "man" after that statement. The informal way Beet addressed him causes Grunide's rage to go beyond anything it has before, and Grunide's skin starts breaking, revealing his true form.

Grunide's True Form! An Epic Battle Begins!
The Beet Warriors look at Grunide's transformation in shock, but soon run away. Grunide causes an explosion, but the Beet Warriors are saved by the Crown Shield and Dangowl. Beet wonders what Grunide is turning into, and Dangowl replies that that is Grunide's true form. Because his natural appearance looked incredibly barbaric, Grunide coats himself in a herb every day in order to balance his personality. Grunide starts yelling out for Beet, wanting to kill him for making him turn back into this form. Beet shoots at Grunide with the Cyclone Gunner and Poala also shoots Grunide, but their bullets have no effect. The Beet Warriors start attacking Grunide simultaneously, with their atacks barely scathing him, and with Kissu marveling that the Vandel who believed in well-planned strategy was battling them with only brute force and pure instinct. Meanwhile, Hazan and Shagie watch the fight from the sidelines, commenting on how powerful Grunide's body was and that nobody could stand a chance against it.

Beet shoots a full-powered Cyclone Gunner blast, which Grunide easily blocks. All charged up, Kissu unleashes the Frozen Wave of Divine Blue, which hits Grunide. Beet attempts to shatter Grunide with the Crown Shield, but the Frozen Wave only went skin deep on him, and Grunide shatters the ice and throws the Crown Shield and Beet against a wall. Grunide notices a noise coming to the side of him, and notices Dangowl. Dangowl runs to Grunide, wanting to come back to him. Grunide just tells Dangowl to go away, since Dangowl could no longer calm his anger. He then asks Dangowl if he could withstand "this blow", and Grunide uses the Fierce Wave of Infuriated Steel, which wipes out the surrounding area. Dangowl runs away, crying that he couldn't do it anymore.

Meanwhile, Beet's leg is trapped underneath a rock pile from the Fierce Wave. Beet sees a hand reaching out to him, and he grabs it, but the hand is Grunide's. Grunide is glad that Beet isn't dead because he needs to do more to Beet in order to calm his anger. Grunide then throws a Supreme Punch at Beet, but Beet avoids it, not because he dodged it, but because he was so weak and Grunide was so strong, which caused the whirlwind force of the punch to blow him away. Grunide prepares to unleash the Fierce Wave again, but breaks down and cries, lamenting on how a piece of garbage like Beet made him do all this, and crying out to Beet, asking him why he wouldn't die in the manner he chose for him. Beet replies that humans aren't pieces of garbage and begins to bring out a Saiga. Kissu tells Beet that none of the Saiga he can use work against Grunide, but Beet says maybe it's the one he can't use that works. Grunide gets to Beet, but his punch is blocked by the Boltic Axe.

Meanwhile, Shagie and Hazan realize that they are not the only ones watching the battle, revealing Noah, the Vandel Scholar, who came to watch Beet. Beet attacks Grunide and he actually manages to draw blood, but has a hard time controlling the axe. Despite this, he rains heavy blows on Grunide, but Grunide just stands there, knowing that he will instantly heal from Beet's attacks and that Beet will tire out eventually. However, Beet accidentaly strikes Grunide's horn with the axe, causing him to cry out in pain and go into a rage. However, Beet is saved by Poala, who risked her life to jump above Grunide and set his head on fire. While Grunide writhes in pain, Poala wishes that Grunide had a weak spot somewhere, and Beet says he does, at his horn. Poala then comes up with a plan using this information. Beet is shocked about how bold the plan is, but Poala says they have no other choice, and comments that she finally made the bold Beet's mouth drop. Beet puts away the Boltic Axe, much to the surprise of the Vandels watching, and Poala runs to Kissu to tell him the plan. At first, Kissu is appalled by the plan too, but concedes, as Grunide unleashes the Fierce Wave of Infuriated Steel again.

When the shockwave reaches Kissu and Poala, Kissu pushes it away with Wind Tengeki so Poala can run to Grunide to distract him. As Poala runs, Kissu collapses and Beet races toward the shockwave, pulling out the Burning Lance. To Hazan's shock. Beet uses the lance to vault over the shockwave, as he brings out the Boltic Axe again in midair, with the intent of severing Grunide's horn once it formed. However, Noah calculates that Beet will be a couple seconds too late; that by the time he reaches the horn, the axe will still not have come out yet. Poala runs toward Grunide in order to distract him so that Grunide cannot dodge Beet. She forms a fireball, but Grunide counters it with Dark Power. However, Poala forces the fireball to explode, revealing the technique Burst End. The resulting explosion blows Grunide's right arm off and throws Beet a few feet higher into the air, which gives him enough time to bring out the Boltic Axe and sever Grunide's horn.

The Death of Grunide
Grunide collapses, apparently dead, but as the Beet Warriors recover, he leaps out at Beet, grabbing him and preparing to kill him once and for all. However, Beet remembers what Poala did earlier and lights his hand on fire with Tengeki, lighting Grunide on fire. The fire and one of Beet's punches causes one side of Grunide's face to blow off. Grunide, still standing but on the brink of death, asks Beet if he thinks he won, and Beet reples yes. As Grunide's stars start to break, the sign of a Vandel dying, he tells Beet thank you for defeating him with such a good strategy, so it wouldn't seem like he died as the Bloody Beast. Grunide then tells Beet that because his horn was severed, dark power is coursing unchecked through his body, which will result in a massive explosion. Grunide tells Beet farewell and then dies, as his body swells up.

Completely wiped out, the Beet Warriors stand there, unsure of what to do. However, Milfa arrives at that moment, but she is oblivious to their predicament until Beet alerts her. Milfa pulls out the Lightbolt Grasper, and uses it to push Grunide's body up in the air, where it explodes. Beet, Poala, and Kissu remark that they actually managed to do it, and fall asleep, hand in hand. Meanwhile, Hazan and Noah reflect on the surprising outcome of the battle, and Shagie races away to tell their Creator the news.

The Aftermath and Kissu's Fate
With the Beet Warriors all recovered, Milfa advises them to visit the appraiser's house and get their substantial reward. they try to blow it off, making Milfa realize they know about Kissu's history. Quickly, she handcuffs and arrests Kissu. Beet and Poala expain to her what Kissu has done, and that he tried to redeem herself, and Milfa agrees, but says Kissu still needs to stand trial. Beet agrees to this and plans to go to Gransista, so they could get their just desserts but still get Kissu the best amnesty possible.

Poala practices her Burst End technique as Kissu watches and Beet sleeps. To their shock, they see an airplane landing towards them, and the pilot rushes out, asking them where Milfa is. He reveals that Milfa said she would kiss him if he took them to the New Continent, much to their shock. He tries to get Poala to kiss him, but Poala blows him off as a shadow converges on them. Flying above them, the Vandel Balleus attacks, wanting to eat the plane. As Poala and Kissu kill his monsters, Balleus shoots a fireball at them, but his attack is blocked by Beet, who just woke up and is ready for battle.