The crowd leaned in, holding their breath. Kaito and Jin stood face to face. Their eyes locked. No more words. Just darts.
The commentator's voice crackled through the speakers:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're watching closely... This is no longer a game. This is art versus instinct."
Jin threw first. Triple 19 — sharp, clean, brutal.
Kaito responded with a triple 20, barely grazing the wire — but it stuck. The points dropped like seconds on a ticking bomb.
The second commentator murmured:
"I've seen world champions crumble under less pressure. These two… they're built different."
Kaito's hand trembled for a second — but he caught himself. He remembered the weight of the black card in his pocket. It pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.
Don't think. Just feel. Soul to target…
He threw.
Bullseye.
The crowd gasped.
Jin didn't blink. He stepped up, pulled his dart with that same cold composure, and aimed again.
This time — double 18. Perfect.
Kaito narrowed his eyes. He knew what this was — the final round.
---
High above, the mysterious girl stood motionless on the balcony. Her eyes, locked on Kaito. Watching. Always watching.
One of the commentators whispered:
"She's been here since round one… always focused on him. Who is she?"
And finally, someone whispered her name — so quietly it nearly got swallowed by the crowd:
"Arisa..."
As if the name carried power, it echoed in Kaito's mind. He didn't know how… but it gave him strength.
One throw. One chance.
Jin stood tall. Threw.
Triple 17.
The score tightened.
Now Kaito.
He closed his eyes. Felt the pull of everything — the crowd, the card, the moment, her.
And then…
Thwack.
The dart landed.
Silence.
Then — explosion. The screen lit up:
"WINNER: KAITO"
The crowd erupted. Jin lowered his head, then gave a faint, respectful nod. He knew it. He hadn't lost to just a player — but to something beyond that.
Kaito exhaled, sweat dripping from his temple. He looked up.
She was gone.
But her name remained.
Arisa.