The crowd had been silent, holding its breath as Dayo and Lois closed out their duet. The final notes of Best Part lingered in the air.

"If you love me, won't you say something?

If you love me, won't you say something?

If you love me, won't you?

If you love me, won't you say something?

If you love me, won't you?

Love me, won't you?"

The last line dropped, and for a moment, the Barclays Center was quiet.

Then the noise hit like thunder. Screams, chants, and applause shook the entire arena. Thirty thousand fans were on their feet, waving their phones and flashing lights.

Dayo and Lois both paused, soaking in every energy the crowd poured until Vale came in.

Vale walked on stage, grinning."New York! I told you I'd bring you something special tonight. Are you happy?"

The crowd screamed back."YEEESSSSS!"

"That's what I like to hear."

As Dayo and Lois started to step off, Vale stopped them. "Nah, not yet, JD."

He turned to the fans.

"You all remember that version of my song 'Passing by' that went viral on TikTok?"

The crowd roared."YESSS!"

"JD here was the creator, and I saw many of you requested I sing that version, so tonight, you're getting the real thing. I live together."

The cheers grew even louder.

Vale handed Dayo an extra mic and fist bumped him.

"Let's make this moment count."

Dayo lifted his mic, like an experienced MC, "New York, bring out your phones, turn on your lights. Let's light this place up."

The fans obeyed instantly. The stage lights dimmed, leaving the arena glowing with thousands of phone flashlights, like stars scattered across the dark.

Dayo walked over to the piano, sat down, and started playing the first chords. The crowd quieted, swaying with the soft notes. Vale stepped in, voice steady and strong.

"I wasn't lookin', just passin' time

,Playin' these keys, hummin' a line…"

The fans screamed at the first lyric, then went silent again.

Dayo leaned into the mic, his voice sliding in smoothly, blending with the piano.

"You walked in like a melody,

Not too loud… just stuck with me."

Their voices fit together naturally, as if they'd been rehearsing for months. The band joined softly in the background, drums and bass adding depth without overpowering them.

Together they hit the chorus:

"'Cause some songs don't ask for much…

Just a smile, a laugh, and a little touch."

The fans roared, phones bouncing as they screamed the lyrics back.

Vale looked at Dayo mid-song and laughed, enjoying the energy. Dayo kept playing, smiling. For that moment, it was pure music.

They closed out together at that moment, the whole arena sang with the voice of thirty thousand people blending, giving the night a very blissful feeling.

"Some hearts don't make a sound…

Till someone like you comes around."

Dayo let the last piano chord ring out. Vale dropped his mic. Silence for a split second—then the Barclays Center exploded again.

From backstage, Lois watched with mixed emotions. Awe, pride… and a tiny sting of jealousy that Dayo got to share this moment with Vale instead of her.

The chants rolled like waves:

"JD! JD! JD!"

"VALE! VALE! VALE!"

Dayo's smile trembled, his eyes shining red. The feeling of thirty thousand people screaming his name—it was almost too much.

He gave a small bow. Vale threw an arm around him and raised his mic again."I want you all to vote for my brother here—he's competing for the Global Competition. Show him love!"

The crowd answered with deafening applause.

Dayo gave a small bow, whispered, "Thank you all," and walked backstage with a smile that refused to leave his face.

Then—

DING!

He heard a familiar system sound was bout to look but bumped into someone instead. Looking up, his heart skipped.

"Darren???!!!"

The superstar smiled warmly. "JD! Wow, what's up, man? How you doing? I saw that video you made—it was absolutely amazing."

Dayo laughed nervously, shaking his head. "Man… thank you. That means a lot coming from you." He hesitated, then added, "Uh, not to pry or anything… but I've been wondering. Why did you endorse me? I mean, I really, really appreciate it, but I just don't understand why."

Darren smirked knowingly. "You want the truth?"

"Of course."

"It was Vale," Darren said plainly. "He reached out. Told me about you. Said you were worth the push. I trust his word—and I'm glad I did."

Dayo's eyes widened. "Vale… oh my God. So it was him."

Darren patted his shoulder. "Yeah. That guy believes in you. And now? So do I. You've got something rare. Keep pushing, JD—you're closer than you think."

They parted ways a few minutes later, Darren heading towards the stage for his own set. Dayo stood frozen, trying to process what had just happened.

Back at his hotel, his phone buzzed again.

DING!

[STATS UPDATED]

Name: Jason Dayo

Age: 20 years

Status: National Artist (Level 5)

Singing Level: A- (↑)

Writing Level: A+

Acting Skill: C-

Visual: A- (↑)

Instruments:

Guitar – SS+

Flute – A+

Piano – S-

Violin – A-

Music Production Skill: SSS+

Video Editing: B+

Potential: SSS+

Skills:

– Prodigy's Instinct–

Status Viewer–

Perfect Match

Cards:– Global Spotlight Card → Doubles exposure/reach of next release (7 days)

System Level: 2–

Trend Insight–

Archive Vault

Dayo nearly screamed with excitement. He had trained for so long, and finally—he'd broken into the A section for singing. He tested a few notes right there in the room, amazed at how clear and powerful his voice felt.

As for visuals, he checked the mirror. He didn't see much difference at first… but when he looked closer, there was a subtle glow in his eyes, a sharpness that hadn't been there before. He smirked and shrugged.

That night, sleep refused to come. He lay in bed, replaying everything—the duet with Vale, Darren's words, the system's upgrade.

By morning, the world had caught up. Socials were flooded with clips of his duet with Vale. Fan cams, edits, hashtags—all trending.

And then came the numbers.

Global Competition – Wildcard Top 30 Rankings (Updated)

Frank Kane (USA) – 20.9M votes

Dayo Jason (Nigeria/USA) – 20.5M votes (+2 positions)

Aisha Kimura (Japan) – 19.4M votes

Lucas Rivera (Brazil) – 18.2M votes

Sophia Zhang (China) – 17.2M votes

From fourth to second overnight. The gap between him and Frank was razor-thin.

For the first time, Dayo sat comfortably near the very top, and his mission was now within arm's reach.

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