Feeling a drop of sweat run down the back of his neck, Hikaru placed his stone down. He had played a well balanced, collected game thus far and was still quite in it. Yet the length of the game, his opponent was milking the game clock and holding a tempo on the speed of the game that was beginning to wear on Hikaru's psyche. Before the lunch break he had thought he was about to bust the game open and force a resignation, but his opponent had come back from lunch with a renewed strength and begun to land blows.

Klak.

Klak. Klak.

Amano blinked at the last move by Hagiwara. That had been faster than before. It was quite obvious that Hagiwara was trying to force the pace of the game so that Hikaru would begin to think more, and in so doing contemplate the immensity of the game.

Rising from his seat, Amano silently maneuvered himself out of the room and made his way off towards the monitor room. Unlike most other places in the building, smoking was allowed there and it was the closest place available.

As he walked into the room he discovered though that someone else had also thought of the idea of smoking here. "Kuwabara-sensei. Congratulations again on defending the Honinbo Title. Ogata certainly made it a good series though."

Blowing a puff of smoke out through his lips, Kuwabara chuckled and replied, "Yeah, but that boy's young, he'll have plenty of time once I'm gone. Not that I plan on going anywhere soon hehe."

Amano smiled as he moved to sit down across from Kuwabara. "Have you finished your game then?"

Kuwabara flicked his head in ascent as he took another puff from his cigarette. "Yeah, I put Serizawa in his place. These younger players, they think they're up and coming and can push us old folks around. I find it humorous really."

Amano nodded. "So Kuwabara-sensei defeats Serizawa 9 – Dan in the 2nd Round of the Tengen Tournament. So next you'll either play Kurata or Hatanaka. Any preference?"

Chuckling as he finished off his cigarette and reached to light another, Kuwabara leaned back further in his chair and answered, "Not at all. More young blood to chafe. I tell you though Amano, for the longest time the young players weren't all that good, but since Akira Toya arrived things have gone up. Just thinking about this new wave gets my blood pumping through these old veins. It makes you look forward to what's coming, and makes this old man want to keep playing until I can face them. Especially that one kid. I tell you, his true strength hasn't even begun to show itself. It could be unfathomable."

Amano blinked. "Are you referring to Hikaru Shindo?"

Kuwabara nodded. "Yep. So how's Toya's rival doing over there?"

Pulling out his notepad and scribbling down Kuwabara's last comment, as he was still fine tuning his article on Akira and Hikaru, Amano answered, "It's pretty close right now. Hagiwara has the advantage, but they're just starting to near the endgame, so who knows. What surprised me though is that Toya came to watch the match."

Cocking an eyebrow, Kuwabara nodded with a knowing grin and began to laugh. "So Akira Toya came to watch the game huh? Interesting…" Putting out his cigarette in the ashtray, Kuwabara then added, "If that boy is here too, then Shindo will win the game for sure."

Amano then watched as Kuwabara stood up from his seat before he replied, "That's a rather confident assessment of Shindo. I know he's strong, but his opponent isn't giving him an inch."

Having begun to make his way towards the door, Kuwabara looked over his shoulder and answered, "You don't get it Amano. There's no way that boy lets himself lose while his rival is there watching." He then cackled again and walked out the door.

Back in the game room the game had continued to play out, and witnessing it all was Akira. Eyes focused on the board, Akira watched on in silence as Hagiwara played his next move. The board position was getting complicated now and Hikaru was beginning to run out of options. Sure in a few minutes Hagiwara would enter byoyomi, but if Hikaru couldn't find a way to come back it wouldn't matter much.

However unlike previously in the match Hikaru had not played immediately after Hagiwara's move. This wasn't exactly surprising, since the board position was tough to work with just now. Akira knew as well as Hikaru did that an attack of some sort was needed, but unfortunately it just wasn't that simple given the current board. Moving into that territory too deeply would just widen the gap, yet a cautious approach wouldn't get the job done. Playing a hane on that one stone would win him a stone, maybe two, but Hagiwara would use that time to solidify his position in the middle of the board and it would be over.

Akira's heart began to sink. It was not looking good at all for Hikaru, and try as both young pros could there seemed to be no move that would help. So that would mean that Hikaru's best chance was to capitalize on the lack of time Hagiwara would have in the endgame, use careless mistakes to reverse the score. It didn't seem like it would be enough though. Turning his eyes for a moment to Hikaru, he saw the look of desperation beginning to creep onto his face, the sinking feeling of inevitability and Akira sighed inwardly. Is this all that Hikaru can do then? He… no I was so sure he'd make into the League, and yet now… it's been a wonderful game, but I just don't see any…

Suddenly Akira's eyes widened and he gasped lightly under his breath. There, what if Hikaru were to attach there then he…

Before Akira could even finish his thought on the move a flash ran through Hikaru's eyes as his hand darted down to his Go bowl and he placed his stone right where Akira had been looking causing a coy grin to slide across Akira's lips. So, he was able to see it too.

As Hikaru's hand left the stone an audible gasp was heard from across the board. Hagiwara's face had gone white. It was quite obvious that he had not considered that move at all, and as Akira noted from the nearly inaudible squeak from Nase next to him moments ago, neither had she. Now Black would have to respond or else risk losing territory, enough territory in fact to reverse the outcome. As sweat once again began to slide down Hagiwara's nose and he responded with a hane Akira struggled not to chuckle. Well done Hikaru!

As Hikaru placed a stone down Amano returned to the room and took his seat next to Honda. Looking over to check the game record, Amano spotted Hikaru's recent move and paled himself. He didn't know as much about Go strategy as the others in the room, but he certainly understood the importance of that attachment. Looking back up at Hagiwara, Amano observed the sweat dripping down his brow as he made his move. That move, it appeared, hadn't just potentially narrowed the gap, the tempo of the game was beginning to shift back to Hikaru, and the atmosphere in the room was only confirming it more. Perhaps Kuwabara was right after all. Now if he can just catch up a little more.

Klak. Klak.

Klak. Klak.

The game was beginning to pick up, the moves coming faster and faster. Looking up at his opponent, Hagiwara frowned. Hikaru had opened up his fan now to cover his lower face.

The two players stared down at the board for a moment, then began to count out the points. A solemn expression covered Hagiwara's face, a slight anxiety as stones slid on the board. Hikaru meanwhile held the same calm demeanor as always, though the passionate fire in his eyes was now gone. There was no more need for such eyes; the game was over as the seemingly decreasing room temperature indicated.

The last few stones were slid into place, and a moment later both players let out sighs. Then silently, his own lips taut and measured, Hikaru rose up from his seat and fan in hand turned towards the door.

Hikaru Shindo had made it into the Kisei League!