Kaito Narumi took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the empty stage before him. The dart in his hand felt as familiar as always. In the past, it was his kingdom, a place where he felt like a winner, a place where he was the strongest. But now? Now it all seemed distant, like a dream fading from memory.
Five years ago, Kaito was a junior champion in darts. His name was on everyone's lips. He was fast, precise, and, above all, unbeatable. But as fate often does, it had other plans for him. His family... a tragedy that changed him forever. And after the scandal that destroyed his reputation, he disappeared from the world of darts, leaving everything he had behind in the dust of the past.
Now, he was just a bartender in a rundown pub on the outskirts of Tokyo. No fame, no attention. Just another day, another drink for someone trying to forget their problems. Kaito smirked as he poured whiskey for the next drunk. The familiar cycle. Time seemed to slow down here, to vanish.
Until one moment, his routine was interrupted. A customer stumbled over a table, and his darts fell to the floor. For Kaito, it was a flash from the past. The old familiar sounds. In those moments, he could never shake the feeling that something bad was approaching.
The entrance door opened, and a man in a dark coat stepped in. Kaito immediately sensed that this would not be an ordinary customer. Dark eyes, a cold gaze, and some kind of secret hidden in every step.
"Whiskey. Double," the man said, his voice smooth but as cold as the ocean.
Kaito turned, his heart stopping for a moment. It was him. Yoshinari "Venom" Kuruma. His former rival, the man he once considered his enemy when he was on top. Kuruma was the best of them all. But what worried Kaito the most wasn't his skill in darts, but his dark nature. Venom was known for his ruthlessness, his coldness. And now here he was, right in front of him.
"You've changed, Narumi," Kuruma said as he sat at the bar. "But your eyes... they still know how to aim."
Kaito stared at his face for a moment, and memories flooded back like a lightning strike. Young Kuruma, still with that ambition that made him feel invincible. Young Kaito, who always beat him, but in that defeat, found something important. A rivalry that turned darker...
"Want to play again?" Kuruma continued, his smile dark, one Kaito hated.
"Are you going to throw it all away?" Kuruma went on, his gaze frozen. "Or should we have one friendly throw... for old times' sake?"
Kaito looked at his old darts behind the bar. Rusty, dusty. To most, they were just old pieces of wood, but to him... they were weapons. A weapon that could be reloaded, a weapon he'd never forgotten how to use.
"Only if the loser picks up the tab," Kaito said, grabbing the darts. "And buys a new board."
Both stood up. The match was set. Kaito's heart raced. With this throw, this moment, his past had come rushing back. He would have to face not just Kuruma, but his own past.
Kaito frowned, focused on the target. Breathe in... breathe out. His hand was steady, his eyes unfaltering. He threw.
SFX: FWOOOSH
The dart hit... not right in the center. Next to it. But it didn't go unnoticed. Kaito smiled, though his smile was more unsettling. Rusty, but still there.
Kuruma raised an eyebrow. "You're not ready yet. But you will be."
His dart hit the bullseye with unbelievable precision. Kuruma didn't even flinch.
A small black card suddenly appeared on the table. On its surface was a skull and a dart. Kaito stared at it, his eyes narrowing.
"'Black Ring Tournament.' Show up... or die in silence."
Kaito looked at the card. It was a challenge. And not just for a match. It was a decision that would affect his life. He looked at Kuruma, then at the card.
"Hello, old world," he muttered as the card landed in his hand.
Next chapter: "Shadow at the Bullseye"