It was somewhat disappointing really, as coming back from the break Amano had taken great heed in Kuwabara's proclamation, and had actually found himself looking for Hikaru to show the power and ability that Kuwabara had alluded to. Not that his moves were poor, but rather it appeared as if Hikaru was going through the motions, playing as was expected but not pushing his opponent back. Ogata meanwhile was taking advantage of the indecision of his opponent and had kicked his game up into the metaphorical next gear.

As he watched the stones continue to hit the board, Amano had to wonder what was going through the boy's mind just now. Even a casual player could tell that his opponent was beginning to pull away, and yet he continued to play back, as if waiting for some moment. Something must have happened during the break, something that had thrown the boy's mind out of synch. The fire that had burned in Hikaru's eyes, engulfing the room in its intensity, was dim now as if his spirit had all but broken during the lunch.

It didn't make sense really, usually the break period allowed time for players to breathe and regain their calm, yet it seemed that it had done the opposite to Hikaru. He hadn't been down very much during the break, he had been in good position really, so it wasn't like he'd looked ahead through all the moves to the end and seen his eventual loss. After all, if that were the case he would have simply resigned by now.

Then it hit him; the bet. Was he refusing to resign despite having already seen his own defeat due to an inability to cede the bet to Ogata for even an hour or two? Noting a pause in the action, Amano quietly began to rise from his seat and make his way to the door. This notion was rather disturbing, and if his mind was going to run down this path then he needed a quick smoke.

Ka-Chi.

As he reached the door the sound of Ogata's stone hitting the board caught Amano's ear. Before he could turn to take one last glance however a rush ran up Amano's spine as if a frozen draft had hit him head on. The sensation was followed immediately after by the sound of another stone hitting wood, and as a slight tingle began to vibrate through his appendages, Amano turned back toward the room and reentered, his eyes focused on the board.

Glancing off to his side to notice the most recent moves on the game record as he took his seat, Amano returned his eyes to the board and watched on wide-eyed. Ogata's move had been forceful and full of strong intentions, yet something about Hikaru's response seemed to be… stronger. Taking a glance up at the faces of each player, both locked in thought, Amano felt the sweat beginning to form on his brow. Had Ogata made a mistake that was not yet apparent to someone of his own skill? If so, there was no sign of it on his face; the only evidence being that the blaze in Hikaru's soul had returned and was even now permeating the room. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to go for a smoke after all.

As Amano continued to look on Hikaru scanned over the board, his mind ablaze as he waited for Ogata to reply. Even though Ogata was now taking his time to think, it was now too late for him on that side of the board, his mistake had seen to that. It had been what Hikaru had been waiting for, an opening that he could jump on, a slight mistake that would allow him to enter back into the fray. Really he had begun to wonder if it would ever come, given the crisp play of Ogata up to this point. Now however Ogata had gone lax for one move invading too deeply and with Hikaru's last move there would be no escape. The lead Ogata had been enjoying would soon shrink to a point where it would really not matter at all, and from there the battle for this game would begin.

Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi.

No, this wasn't about his career; Hikaru thought. Today was about the bet, his obligatory desire to protect Sai from outside threats. As long as he kept Sai's identity safe, kept people like Ogata from discovering the truth then it was possible that Sai would return. If he lost this match and was required to arrange the match that Ogata so desired there would be nothing he could do but to tell him the truth; the truth that Hikaru couldn't bare to utter, that Sai was gone. Hikaru just couldn't allow, something he would battle with all his heart and soul to deny. If it meant winning this game no matter what just to push back the inevitable for another day, week, year, to leave that hope in his very being that Sai still existed and might one day return to him, then he would do it without hesitation.

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi.

Pressing his glasses back up his nose with one finger as he continued to study the board, Ogata exhaled stoically. He had already removed his jacket upon returning from the break, and yet even still he was beginning to feel the sweat on his brow and palms. His mistake had been foolish really, attributed more to a desire to end the game quickly rather than to keep the slow, grinding pace he had been working with previously.

The weight atop his eyes said it all, the fatigue of all of these recent high intensity games was beginning to slide its way in. It would only be a factor though if he allowed it to be one, allowed his mind to lose focus for even a moment. Regardless of the reason though the fact remained that it had occurred and that Hikaru was now making quite good use of it. The lead was still his of course, and he'd just have to play his pace of game and everything would work out.

Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi.

Hikaru was trying to shore up his position in the upper left by pushing at Ogata's position at the upper edge. An interesting plan, but he had overlooked one thing; that corner was already in Hikaru's control and to fight over a point or two before the endgame was wasteful, not when the center was still open. A small mistake, likely created from inexperience at games with such high level players, but it was good enough. It was time to pull away once more.

Ka-Chi.

As the game progressed Isumi was beginning to discover that a rag to wipe his brow might have been a nice thing for him to bring. Not that he dared leave to deal with such things now, not when Hikaru had begun to come alive. Sadly Isumi was fairly certain that Hikaru was not going to pull this out even if he had made the game closer. Ogata had begun to make a play for the center, and unless Hikaru could break the sente it was going to be difficult to come back.

Motion in his peripheral vision drew Isumi's eyes away from the board as he spotted another figure entering through the door and moving to take a seat. From the look of calm confidence on his face, it was highly likely that Akira Toya had just defeated his opponent Ookubo 9 – Dan in his Tengen match. That meant of course that with one more victory next month Akira Toya could enter the Tengen Main Tournament, which would mark his fourth main tournament in three years of playing.

Turning his eyes to Akira, Isumi watched the young Go prodigy curiously. How did Akira view Hikaru's game now though? By now he must have been able to see Hikaru's worsening position, it was beginning to become more and more apparent with each move. Did Akira see now with eyes like his own, a worsening position for Hikaru, or were those eyes searching for a solution, a place to play like the one that Hikaru had seen for Akira two weeks prior? They'd heavily reviewed that game, and Hikaru's solution had taken everyone in the group by surprise, especially when he had revealed seeing it during the match. Did such a position exist now, one hidden in the depths of the game that even Isumi could not see?

Ka-Chi.

Returning his gaze to the board now, Isumi exhaled silently. Ogata's move there was painful, being well placed and hard to remove. As it was so late into the game too, it was highly unlikely that Hikaru could make up the point difference in the endgame. The expression on Hikaru's face just now was showing that he too knew this. Lowering his gaze and turning his head away now, Isumi closed his eyes in sorrow. So Hikaru's winning streak was now over.

Rubbing his sweat covered brow as he stared down at the board, Hikaru struggled to keep his panic from overwhelming him now. He had been right in it just a few minutes ago, how had everything slipped away like this? As his mind began to process strategies, the panic became harder and harder to suppress. One by one his brain rejected each and every strategy for making a comeback that he examined, each doomed to failure.

He had felt so confident coming in, so sure of his abilities and now here he was, hanging off the edge of the cliff of defeat by a single finger, the knowledge that he would slip any moment now from that ledge ever present in his mind. He had tried everything he could think of, worked strategies and tactics, and pushed Ogata with all he had with this being the final result. He could try to play there but Ogata would ignore the threat and move to cut him off for anything more than a point or two gain in territory.

Closing his eyes as his lips contorted in frustration, Hikaru fought back the anger and tears that were beginning to well up within him. Why had he opened his big mouth, boasted like that before Ogata? Sai would die now, the last hopes of his existence banished from his heart and soul, all because he had acted on pride. Yes, it was all his own fault, his pride had gotten the better of him and now he was lost.

As a tear broke the wall of his eyelid and trickled down his cheek, Hikaru felt the shell crack and then crumble, and with it the pain and sorrow of the knowledge that it held within burst out into every pore of his being, allowing those two words at last back into his consciousness. Sai…help!

No answer came however, no sudden inspiration of genius flashing into existence, just the cold loneliness of defeat, the guilt of knowing that his best friend was gone and that he was entirely to blame for it. Pain gripped his chest as he inhaled and exhaled, thoughts and images swirling of all those people who looked to him for strength, all of those people who had faith in his abilities, and those that he looked to for strength. Slowly each of those he cared for most seemed to vanish in his mind, fading into the darkness just as they had in his dream, as if snuffed out like a candle caught in a breeze. Akira, Waya, Isumi, Ochi, Morishita, Shirakawa, Grandpa, Akari… Sai, all of them, his support and his drive, the desire to succeed and progress lived in the people he cared for most. Sorry everyone, I've lost.

His eyes prying open as he moved his gaze up to his opponent, Hikaru swallowed back the lump in his throat as he lowered his head, his eyes sweeping across the board one more time and said, "I…"

The last word froze in his throat, unable to release itself as Hikaru's eyes locked onto the board. Electricity flashed through his eyes as he stared down at that one open crosshair. Had it been there this whole time, right before him? As he watched it, Hikaru lifted his head back up, eyes widening as he swore the space had flashed with light for merely a moment, or had it just been the lights from the room catching the board as he lifted his head back?

Somewhere in the far depths of Hikaru's mind a dam broke open, its waters pouring out to flood the valley below. As it did new ideas, strategies and maneuvers seemed to flash alive in his mind, a tidal wave of potential as a tingling rose in the fingers of his right hand. The next thing Hikaru knew his view of the spot was obscured as his left hand reached out and fan in hand pointed straight down at that very spot on the board.

The occupants of the room watched on now with baffled expressions on their faces at the young boy with his arm outstretched, unsure of what was happening as Hikaru's time continued to tick away. Even Hikaru had to admit that he wasn't entirely sure what had possessed him to do so, but the moment he did everything about it felt right.

In his mind's eye the images of all those people from before began to fade back into existence, smiles streaked across their faces as they nodded and gave encouraging gestures. Then finally amongst all of the others Sai's image returned, and the smile across his face said it all and as Hikaru closed his own eyes once more his own face mirrored Sai's smile perfectly.

Withdrawing the fan back to his side as his eyes opened once more Hikaru felt his right hand move for the Go bowl as his spirit began to soar as if liquid lightning were flowing through his veins. Sai isn't dead, he's alive. He's here, living and breathing and his Go is strong. I understand it now, as long as I exist and remember him Sai will never truly be gone. Sai is alive…in me.

Ka-Chi!

As Hikaru's stone hit the board Ogata's eyes widened in amazement. It wasn't the move itself that had caused such surprise in him as the fan had ruined that surprise quite efficiently. No, what was so surprising was the manner in which it had been played; he swore that Hikaru's fingers had been glowing as the stone hit the board. It was just like before, during the game he'd seen Hikaru play against Akira at the Young Lions Tournament, a light such as he'd only ever seen from his master, Koyo Toya. Had he imagined it, was it just a trick of the light that had given him that impression? He was certainly feeling his fatigue now, and so it was possible that his eyes had deceived him for a moment.

More importantly though was this new move. It was the type of move that he had feared might show itself all throughout the game; the unique flash of creative genius that no one else saw or even noticed that ripped apart strategies as if they had never even existed. He'd have to respond to it, and that was the most annoying part because not only was this stone difficult to remove but it attacked several points of the board at once. It was a stone that took away sente, not to mention his control of the game's tempo. Even now he could feel it, the thunderous electricity forming in the air like a sudden thunderstorm, one whose bolts only struck in one place, right where Ogata sat.

Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi!

Once again Ogata blinked as his eyes stared at the stone. Again Hikaru's fingers had seemed to glow. What it was or how it was possible Ogata didn't know, but he couldn't let that distract him now.

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi!

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi! Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi!

Stone after stone hit the board as the pair began to speed up, the tension in the air rising and rising as shape began to take more and more solid form and Ogata's lead began to shrink. Several times as Hikaru's stones would strike the board a electric shockwave seemed to ripple across the corresponding stones, energy seemingly bursting from the boy as if consumed by an inexhaustible supply that continued to burn like a furnace. Hikaru could feel the flow of the stones, his eyes open to all that seemed to be occurring. Yes, he could do this, there was hope, a light at the end of this dark abyss of a tunnel.

The tingling that had started in his fingers had moved up his arm and shoulder and were beginning to threaten to consume his entire body. The moves just seemed so natural to him right now, as if each stone was not merely a move but rather a part of him, resonating with him and the board in a way that defied anything he'd experienced before. Was this how it felt to play the Divine Move?

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi!

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi! Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi!

They had entered the endgame now, and Ogata was beginning to feel that same desperation that his opponent had felt not too long ago. Hikaru's fingers were still glowing with each stone he played and with it his game had increased to new heights. It was insane really, could a player become this much stronger in the middle of a match? No, this couldn't be happening, he had won the match and earned his prize, and yet now every move he played seemed to be two moves behind what Hikaru was seeing. It was like he was playing a different person all together, an uber-Hikaru that had for a short time dethroned the god of Go himself.

As Ogata's last stone hit the board leaving the game at its end, the electricity in the air vanishing as if sucked into the void, one thought held fast in his mind. Sai, it was like Hikaru had suddenly become Sai. No, it wasn't possible, it just couldn't have been. As they began to count up the points Ogata continued to glance up at his opponent. Was it possible that he had been wrong all this time? It couldn't be that rather than Hikaru knowing Sai that Hikaru was Sai. No, his play was too inconsistent for that, it had to be something else. Yet just now the stones had glowed for Hikaru, just as they did for his mentor, he was sure of it. What did it all mean?

Tears began to slide down Hikaru's cheeks as he and Ogata finished repositioning the stones on the board to reveal the final point total, even if he had known what it was long before they'd even begun to count. Black 77 points, White 73 points. With the addition of komi White gained five and a half points leaving the final tally at Black 77 points, White 78 ½ points. With a margin of one and half points, Hikaru had won.

The wave that had surged through him like a raging juggernaut had died down to that of a slow drip off a leaky pipe as tears of joy continued to slide down his face, breath fresher than anything he'd ever tasted filling his lungs as he threw his head back in relief. He'd done it, somehow he'd pulled off something that he had thought impossible. Even as the rest of the observers made their way over to the board Hikaru felt as if the match had occurred hours, even days before.

Words were being spoken all about him now as an apparently shocked Ogata sat across the board trembling. What was said though Hikaru didn't know, nor just now did he care. He knew one thing though, that he had not been alone today after all. He never had played alone, and he never would play alone because all the people he cared for most were there beside him to lift him up, just as he was there to lift them up when they needed it.

With a feeling of pure ecstasy flowing through him Hikaru sighed contently. Thank you Sai, thank you… everyone.