Delta Zakuro: Character Arc Breakdown: To See With Clear Eyes
"And You're Nothing More Than Food for Devolos!" - Delta Zakuro
From the very first moment Delta appears on screen with Devolos, it's quite clear he's a fierce battler, before long though it becomes apparent he's also obsessed with battling in not an altogether healthy way. In the first half of Rise we see and hear many conversations between Delta and Devolos espousing their desire to "devour" and "extinguish" blader after blader, all in an effort to be the only star in the Beyblade sky. We see this is his desire to dominate each of the Risen 3, Dante, and Aiger Akabane.
Even in the face of Arthur Peregrine's threat to the Blading World, it isn't out of a desire to protect the Balding world that he challenges Arthur, but his desire to stand alone at the top. To prove himself the only luminary in the sky. This desire manifests in a cold, calculating and harsh persona in his dealings with others. Even his relationship with Devolos is colored by this shared goal rather than a bond of warmth between him and his bey.
He was so obsessed with being the only star in the Beyblade sky, that he missed out on the good things right in front of him. From there very first meeting Dante reached out to Delta in friendship. He tried to form a thread of connection, one Delta coldly and flatly rejected with each offer no matter how beneficial it would be to him. His own self involved obsession with his own strength blinded him to the possibilities and the joy he could get from forming connections with others. He couldn't to see the forest for the trees.
"Just don't forget what you need always right by your side. You just need to reach out for it." - Valt Aoi.
It was only after his crushing loss to Arthur, only once he was broken, was he able to, with the help of his mentor Valt Aoi, see a bit more clearly. He started to realize what he had right in front of him. When he started to see with that clear vision, he recognized Dante's strength and his bond with Dragon, but even more than that, he began to see the value in the friendship Dante offered the more they interacted.
Now seeing clearly the good thing he initially denied himself, he not only came to appreciate and value the partnership he formed with Dante, but also who Dante was as a person and the friendship they've forged between themselves.
It was this newfound friendship that allowed them to work together seamlessly which had been impossible before because of Delta's harsh and negative view of Dante, because he couldn't see the value of the friendship Dante offered him.
We even see how they empower each other because of this bond they now share which not only increased the power of their Blading, but illustrates how far Delta has come as a person and further how they're relationship has evolved all because Delta can see clearer now than he ever has.
The idea they present that people can push each other forward, that human connection can make people stronger is on display to such an extent, that it even confounds Gwyn's carefully constructed and mechanical view of the world and of what is possible.
Now having formed such a strong bond between themselves, Delta was even willing to sacrifice himself to give Dante a needed boost. This is a far cry from the Delta we met at the beginning who was purely concerned, obsessed even, with his own strength and goals, obsessed with being the only star in the beyblade sky to the point that he showed nothing but dripping contempt for Dante.
But once his vision cleared and he saw with clear eyes what was right in front of him, he gained the benefits of forming a genuine connection with people and was all the happier for it. Delta's arc is a good reminder not to become blind to the good things right in front of us. As people it's easy to lose sight of such things in pursuit of a goal or any manner of things. Sometimes we already have the most valuable of things and can't see it.