Volume 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)
/To the a.s.sociation
”T-this is…the Shogi a.s.sociation…!”
We arrived before the Kansai Shogi a.s.sociation, and Ai looked really impressed as she said this.
”It's so…so recognizable!”
”Because the words 'Shogi a.s.sociation' on the wall are really large, aren't they?”
From the Osaka Train Station, we took one stop down the Osaka Loop Line to f.u.kus.h.i.+ma. From that f.u.kus.h.i.+ma station, it would be a two minute walk to a five storey building.
This is the location of the j.a.panaese Shogi a.s.sociation, Kansai branch–normally called the 'a.s.sociation'.
We came here on this day to apply for Ai's Training Group Test, and also, for my official match.
Anedes.h.i.+ left in a huff on the previous day, while Ai and I stayed at Master's house. We enjoyed the piping hot breakfast prepared by Keika, returned to my house for some preparations, and came here.
”Ca-can anyone…really come in?”
”The first floor has restaurants and shop, the second floor is the dojo, and for the 3rd floor and onwards, it's prohibited for everyone except for those authorized. Let's go then.”
”Y-yes!”
I prompted Ai in, and she boldly took a step forward.
The door opened.
And standing right in front of us was anedes.h.i.+.
An awkward atmosphere lingered.
”…Loli king.”
She muttered vexedly right at my ear as I pa.s.sed her, opened her parasol, and hurried off somewhere. What's with this new t.i.tle…
Master's order was that I was to have a disciple (temp), but the 'Snow White of Naniwa' was giving Ai and me a frosty, snowy look. It's basically Ai and the Snow Queen here.
As I was given Master's permission, it seemed she was being more stubborn than usual.
We watched anedes.h.i.+ vanish into the buzz of the morning crowd, and Ai tilted her head,
”…Why is aunt here?”
”Probably here to sign some colored paper or fans, since she's a popular shogi player…also, don't call her aunt in front of her.”
Or else my lift will be endangered, you know?
We entered the building, and Ai squealed, running to the shops on the right side.
”Amazing! Are all these shogi books?”
There was a shop in the corner of the building, filled with all kinds of shogi-related books and goods, even signed books. If possible, please drop by to have a look.
”Woah, the shogi board and pieces are amazing…ehh!? The board needs, 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000…a 1,000,000 Yen!?”
Wah! Wah! Ai excitedly pressed her head against the gla.s.s display, like the boy from the Alps staring at the trumpet inside the show window. The middle-aged part-time cas.h.i.+er lady at the cash register narrowed her eyes, looking at this cheery scene.
What left Ai most excited was—
”Master! Master! They sell fans here!”
”Yeah they do.”
Topselling items in this shop are the fans signed by popular shogi player, because when one holds them, it makes the person feels really strong!
”Woah…there's so many difficult kanji! (>_<>
Ai opened a sample, checking the words written on it. Those were kanji that were somewhat difficult for third graders, and she tilted her head, ”Ehh?”
”How do I read this one?”
”'A Thousand Gold in One Stride'. It means that sometimes, one move is more valuable than thousands of gold pieces, a cla.s.sic saying in shogi.” (TN: 一歩千金)
”And this? Fl…?”
”This is 'flight'. Probably means that they hope to have a flying progression.” (TN: 飛翔)
”And this?”
”'Chaos'.” (TN: 混沌)
”What does this mean?”
”Erm…very messy? Something like that?”
”Why is such a thing written on the fan?”
”…Who knows?”
Calligraphy words are chosen by the shogi players, and sometimes, there are words whose meanings are only beknownst to the person. Just to note, what Master wrote on his fan was 'My prime shall come tomorrow'. So cool.
”…This isn't it…this isn't it either…”
”What are you looking for?”
”Do all the shogi players have signed fans?”
”Not all. Just the popular ones.”
”Popular ones?”
”Like past grandmasters, or A-list players…t.i.tle players too basically have signed fans.”
Ai's expression immediately lit up.
”So you have a fan too, Master?”
”Nn? Ah, yeah…”
I slipped the sample of my signed fans to the gap in the cupboard so that Ai wouldn't find it.
Honestly, my handwriting's really distinct.
”Sc.u.m ryuuou's handwriting is sc.u.m too LOLOLOLOL.”
”This will be an embarra.s.sment all the way to the later generations…”
”If it's me, I would have surrendered my t.i.tle right there.”
No way can I let such extraordinary samples be seen by Ai when they caused quite a commotion on the internet.
…Not like I could have helped it. Even I never expected to win the t.i.tle…if I did, I would have practiced my handwriting more often.
”Eh…well~ there was one here. Yep, might be sold out!”
”You're really popular, Master! As expected of you!”
”Hahaha, let's go upstairs, shall we?”
I laughed, and left the shop.
I need to put the fan back later…
Registering the new disciple
We went up the stairs to the second level.
”Shogi dojo', we saw the words there, and Ai tugged hard at my sleeve.
Ai's eyes were glittering with expectations as she looked at me.
I could only give a wry smile.
”Before that, we need to apply for the Training Group Test in the office upstairs. Introduce you to the other staff members too.”
”Nn~!”
”You'll be able to play immediately.”
While Ai continued to murmur, unable to wait for long, I nudged her from behind and left the dojo.
I used to be like that too…as I indulged in my memories, I went up to the 3rd floor.
The office's at this floor, and many members of the Shogi a.s.sociation were gathered here.
”Pardon us.”
”Ah, Yaichi-kun…no, Kuzuryuu-sensei. Good morning.”
Greeting me was the staff member whose face I knew very well–though to be honest, I have been here for more than a decade, and there's no one I didn't know. It was one of the more experienced staff members who greeted me.
When I was younger, I often angered him, so to me, he was like a school teacher, but he's the one calling me 'sensei' after I became a pro player. It's an intriguing feeling.
The staff are in charge of the running of the a.s.sociations, so in a certain sense, they're more valuable than Shogi players.
It's fine if there are five or ten players missing, but without one of these people, it's possible that there won't be any matches.
I gave my most sincere smile possible, and introduced Ai.
”I came by because of this girl…were you notified?”
”Ah, yes, heard about it, heard about it.”
The staff member glanced aside at Ai, who was shrivelling as she stood beside me,
”Sora-sensei just dropped by and said, 'A pervert who tried to imprison an elementary school kid in his house will be dropping by later. Please call the police once you see him.'”
That Ginko…
”A-anedes.h.i.+ sure likes to joke huh!? Me imprisoning an elementary school kid? That's impossible, right?”
”I thought so too.”
”Isn't that obvious?”
Hahaha, we laughed heartily.
”And so? Who's this cute little lady here?”
”Uchides.h.i.+!”
Before I could answer, Ai answered heartily. I was left hanging.
””Eh?””
Everyone present echoed in unison.
They didn't appear to be listening, but they were…hey, someone's actually reaching for the phone. What's with this reaction? Some skit?
”U-Uchides.h.i.+? Kuzuryuu-sensei? At this age? An elementary school girl?”
”No, erm, well…”
Since it turned out this way, I guessed I could only just insist all the way, ”Yes, that's right? Got a problem with that?” I nodded nonchalantly with that att.i.tude.
”Yep, our school's directive.”
”A-ahh…Kiyotaki's…”
Anedes.h.i.+ and I are rather famous for being Master's Kiyotaki's uchides.h.i.+ since young, so it's not rare for me, under the Kiyotaki school, to be taking in uchides.h.i.+s. Not at all!
”I have Master's letter here.”
”Yes…”
”Well, anyway, she'll be staying at my house until the Training Group Test is over.”
I checked the schedule of the test as I explained how Ai came all the way from Hokuriku, hoped to join the Training Group so that she could become a female Shogi pro, and that Master had negotiated this with her parents.
”Isn't it Spring break now? It's better for her development if she stays in Osaka to focus on it. Once she pa.s.ses, she probably will return to her home in Hokuriku.”
”Ahh, I see–”
The staff member finally seemed to have heaved a sigh of relief. At this moment–
”Eh? I want to continue staying at your house, Master!”
A nerve-wrecking atmosphere spread in the office again, and I felt anxious.
”Eh, Ai-Ai-chan. Wait…”
”I'm willing to do anything! I can cook, clean the house and clothes! If-if Master wants to…I'm willing to do perverted things too…”
Chatters.
”Heeeeeyyyyooooo enough with those words that can be taken for another meaning, okay!? I didn't say that at all!? Got it!?”
”B-but…'try out little girls'…”
”Kuzuryuu-sensei…”
”No no no no!! That's just anedes.h.i.+ being all petty again!”
I really, really did my best to try and explain this. I didn't accept this kid as my uchides.h.i.+ willing!! I'm serious!!
”And besides, I like mature women like Keika; I don't have any interest in kids at all! You know right!? We know each other for a long time already!”
”…Understood. I shall trust you on this, sensei.”
It seemed the staff finally believed my words, and the trust I've built up for more than ten years finally prevailed. The most important aspect of a shogi player is credibility.
Everything settled, I intended to leave the office, but the staff member gave me a grim look, one I had never seen over the past decade, saying,
”Kuzuryuu-sensei.”
”Yes?”
”…Is this really fine?”
He didn't trust me at all~
a.s.sociation's Dojo
We left the office, and Ai exhaled deeply,
”Ahh…I was so nervous there!”
”Me too…”
A single misstep would have erased my standing in society, and I was really tense. However, it's not that I didn't have a feeling that I mishandled this.
I struck first before the strange rumors would spread, but what would happen as a result…?
Well, it's pointless to be worrying about this.
A shogi player's job is to read the moves, but even pro players misread moves in matches. In the end, there are some with the 'I'll see what the opponent moves' line of thought, and would just do their best, and leave everything else to fate.
”Anyway, Master.”
”Hm?”
”What is the Training, Group?”
I barely managed to find my landing on the stairs.
”Wait…I explained a lot, a lot of times yesterday!”
”E-erm…the okonomiyaki was too yummy…so…”
Ai excused herself as her fingers rubbed on the handrail. Well, Keika's okonomiyaki's really delicious. This girl here ate three of them by herself. Did she think they're pancakes or something?
”…The Training Group is like a school that grooms pro female players, where you get to play against people aiming to be shogi players. By winning, you can increase your ranking.”
”Increase ranking by ranking…it's like a game, isn't it?”
”Well, shogi is a game.”
The board game, invented over a thousand years ago, is the most difficult game in the world. That's shogi.
”You start off with F rank when you enter, then E2, E1, D2, D1, C2, and once you get to C1, you'll get the right to be a female player.”
”Once I become a female player, I'll be able to think of shogi as my job like you, right Master?”
”You won't get as many matches as that for a pro player, but simply put, that should be the case.”
”Then what's the difference between a pro player and a female player?”
”It's a long story, so I'll explain to you next time.”
I pointed my thumb at the dojo entrance on the second floor,
”This is where you're interested in right now, right?”
”Yes!”
I opened the door to the dojo, and stepped in with my disciple (temp)
All I saw were kids in the dojo.
Typically, most of the people hanging around at this time were old folks, but Spring Break just started for the Public Schools, and there were many young boys and girls pa.s.sionate about shogi present, the enthusiastic sounds of shogi playing music to my ears.
Looking around, I saw that they were all elementary school kids? Students of the kids cla.s.sroom?
”I want to register a 'match record card' for this kid–”
I was about to introduce Ai to the staff at the counter of the dojo,
But,
A group of kids looked at me in unison, and said,
”Dr-”
Dr?
”Dragon King!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!””
Isn't that too much of a direct translation, kids?
”An autograph please!” ”Please sign this!” ”Sign! Sign!” ”Dragekin, let's play!”
The kids swarmed me. None of them called me the Ryuuou. They were pulling, knocking, pus.h.i.+ng, kicking me. These kids showed no respect or concern to me, just kicking him, or making all sorts of selfish requests.
I forgot as Ai's a really good girl, but elementary school children are like this huh. But stop calling me Dragekin!
”Okay okay! Line up in a single file…no, in three!!”
I had the kids line up in trios, and called Ai, who was opposite the table. There were three shogi boards on the table.
One person to take on three—three-p.r.o.nged.
”If you can beat her, you can have my autograph.”
”Who?” ”Who's that girl~?”
”My disciple (temp).”
”Disciple? Little Dragon! Is Little Dragon Strong?”
”Really strong.”
”So if we can beat Little Dragon, we can get the autograph?” ”How do we play?”
”How huh? Hm, let's see…no handicaps.”
I moved a swivel chair over, and had Ai sit down.
”Ai, I want you to play against three at the same time. Can you do it?”
”O-okay!”
Ai seemed taken aback, ”Alrighty!” but she proceeded to roll her sleeves, and got into battle position, and immediately got ready for battle.
The first wave of trio hurriedly lined the pieces, and Ai lined up three boards worth, looking very busy.
””Please take care of me!””
They lined up the pieces, and the matches began.
I checked the kids' record cards that were placed at the middle side of the table. It's like a dojo members.h.i.+p card, a green card that has the name, dojo rank, and the recent match records.
”The one at the upper table is a second dan, and the rest are kyu ranks…now that, how many matches can you win?”
When playing against many simultaneously, it's hard to concentrate on one, and even with a difference in ability, it's hard to beat every single one.
However, Ai was invincible.
Typically, any kid would play whatever move they thought of immediately, and end up making all kinds of mistakes, to a point where self-destructing moves were often played.
On the other hand, Ai was holding tightly onto the hem of her skirt as she read the moves faster than anyone else. She was extremely cautious. A born player.
Compared to the kids here, her talent's a whole different dimension.
”Little Dragon's so strong!” ”We can't beat her…”
In forty minutes, she killed off twelve players.
I thought she would lose once or twice, but she beat them all…
”Haa…haa…th-thank you very much…!”
Once Ai beat the last person, she bowed and thanked them while panting furiously. It seemed it took her a lot of physical exhaustion as she was swivelling around on the chair, playing against them. I guess she was basically jumping sideways while playing shogi.
”Sen-sensei, her ranking is…?”
The staff of the dojo asked me, holding a blank record card, clearly looking pale.
”Sec…no, please register her as first dan. Ah, here's the attendance fee. She'll be spending the entire day here playing shogi.”
Given her ability, I could have registered her as a second or third dan, but I hope that she'll be able to experience the joy of winning matches and increasing her rank. This is my parental mindset at work as I registered this ranking.
Looking at this normally however, it's very abnormal to see someone with the ability of an amateur first dan.
”Ai!”
I received the record card from the staff, and handed it over to Ai, who was running over to me without realizing that her skirt was being flipped, and her white panties were exposed.
”It's your record card. Try filling it with white stars, okay?”
”…Yes!!”
First dan, Ai Hinatsuru-dono, my first disciple (temp) wrote the words onto the green card, and raised it up with both hands as though it was a treasure, giving a delighted smile.
Showing up! Silver Knight!
”Here, drink up.”
”Yes! Tucking in ♡”
I bought a packet of orange juice at the vending machine of the dojo, and Ai thanked me before she gulped it down through the straw. It's easy to get thirsty while playing shogi.
”Fuah! …Master, do you have any matches today? At what time?”
”About 10am or so.”
”Eh!? Is it really fine for you to hang around here!?”
”Hang around…well, isn't there still another fifteen minutes?”
There's basically nothing to prepare for before a match, and it'll be awkward to sit at the shogi board way too early. Besides, it's a four hour long t.i.tle Ranked round-robin match, a marathon match that is to be played until night. (TN: 帝位戦リーグ)
If I were to go all out right away, I'll be likely to tire out.
”The match venue is just above here. I'll just head there when it's almost time.”
”Y-you can't! You have to reach there five minutes before it starts!”
Ai pushed me from behind, trying to get me upstairs. Didn't I say there's another fifteen minutes?
”Ah, maybe you want to have a look at the venue?”
”Is that okay?”
”You can come along with me.”
The match venues on the fourth floor and beyond typically aren't open to public…but the Kansai Shogi a.s.sociation provides a service for dojo users to attend official matches, and not forbid them from entering. Also, if there's prior booking, anyone can lease the match venue (with payment)
”This is the 'match board'. There's the names of the match rooms and the players of the doay on on the magnets.”
We walked to the fifth floor, and I started explaining various things to Ai.
”Once the match ended, the loser has to move his nameplate to a lower position. This is a system to indicate the results.”
”Oh…”
Ai, who had been tentative all this while, was interested in this after all. I could see her eyes sparkling.
”Master…are you at the Upper Room? Ho-how do I read this?” (TN: Ai can't read the full name)
”It's the Upper Tier Room” (TN: おんじょうだんのま, Onjoudannnoma. 御上段の間. Yes, these are actual locations inside the place, /wiki/%E5%B0%86%E6%A3%8B%E4%BC%9A%E9%A4%A8#.E3.83.95.E3.83.AD.E3.82.A2_2 and yes, that is the actual place in Osaka. )
”And the opponent is…Kami, Kami…erm, how do I read this?”
”6th dan Ayumu Kannabe. A young player from Kansai.” (TN: Just to note, the kanji for Ayu, 歩, means p.a.w.n.)
I was about to remove my shoes, ready to show her the room, and at that moment!
”Fufufu…this is my alias as a disguise on this word. My actual name is…!” (TN: The term actual name here, 真名(マナ), is an archaic form)
”Y-you're–”
I turned my head around, and standing before us was a person in white. He covered his n.o.ble-like face with a hand, making a pretentious pose, revealing a right eye with colored contact lens between his fingers as he solemnly gave his name!!”
”A shogi player and a Knight! I am the 'Silver Knight'–G.o.d Cauldron Ayumu!”
At this moment, an a.s.sociation staff member pa.s.sed by, and greeted him,
”Ah, good morning, Kannabe-sensei.”
”IT'S G.o.d CAULDRON!!” (TN: Kannabe (神鍋), taking both kanji words separately, literally translates as G.o.d Cauldron.)
This 6th dan G.o.d Cauldron (aged 18) really seemed to insist on this name.
The staff didn't mind, as though it was per usual. It's hard to be a staff member if one can't get along with such weirdos.
”Goodness…Westerners (Kansai People) are a bother. They lack grace…”
As he said that, Ayumu removed the magnet with the name 'Kannabe', and swapped it with the 'G.o.d Cauldron'. Did he bring this along? Not bad…
Upon seeing Ayumu, Ai (and only her) immediately paled.
”Master! Th-that person…is wearing a mantle!?””…Yep. A mantle.”
”This is the first time I've seen one!”
It's the first time I'm seeing someone wear a mantle at an official shogi match…
'Hoh…little girl! Surely you have outstanding talent in shogi (taste) to notice this mantle. I cannot say that I cannot allow you to join our Kanto Knights Division.”
G.o.d Cauldron Ayumu gracefully raised his right arm, and flapped the white mantle.
He basically looks–like a n.o.ble!
The shogi world is divided into 'Kanto', which Ayumu belongs to, and 'Kansai', which I belong to.
The Kanto Shogi a.s.sociation is located near the youth streets of Harajuku, and has three times the number of affiliated players to Kansai's. Most of the t.i.tle holders are Kanto players, so most of the rookies and veterans are from Kanto.
In contrast to the stylish, trendy Kanto players, the Kansai players are considered barbaric and pesky for choosing to deviate from normal plays and pulling full-scale skirmishes, and are treated as bandits.
”Us Kanto players have a delicate and fresh style of play! Young girl, if you want to learn, choose our Kanto's style of play that seeks to hone our skills in the name of research!”
”I-I'm the disciple of the ryuuou Kuzuryuryu! I won't give in to someone like you!”
My disciple couldn't say my name properly.
”Fufufu…hahaha! So the Ryuuou's (Dragekin) life shall come to an end today! Enjoy your short master-disciple relations.h.i.+p while you can!”
”What did you say?”
Really, this G.o.d Cauldron-sensei was able to instantly get along with nine-year-old kids, the perfect candidate to promote kids' shogi. So you're the guy who spread the nickname 'Dragekin' amongst the kids.
I kept a slight distance, physically and mentally, from the duo who were in a mood to duke it out, and asked,
”Ayumu, where did you buy that mantle?”
”Blue Mountain.”
You could have just said Aoyama. It's not like it's coffee. Anyway, they really do sell everything in Tokyo, huh…? (TN: Aoyama Tradings: , Blue Mountain Coffee of Jamaica: /wiki/Jamaican_Blue_Mountain_Coffee)
”They also sell black ones of the same style. I can buy one for you.”
”Master! You have a black one!?”
”Thanks, but no thanks.”
I showed my intent, and Ayumu looked a little dejected, ”I see…” Ai too looked sad. Did they really want me to wear a mantle…
”Hmph…whatever.”
Ayumu flipped the mantle when there was no need to do so.
”I shall be waiting for you in the Upper Room!” (TN: And this Chuu2 can't read it either…)
”It's the Upper Tier Room'.”
Fhahahaha…he gave a pretentious laugh, and vanished. Ai looked at me.
”Master! Are you familiar with that weird person?”
”Familiar…well, we often met in the past.”
The shogi world's a small world. Those aiming to be professionals often matched up against each other in the tournaments since young, and once formal apprentices.h.i.+p begins, we would end up meeting more often at both East and West Shogi a.s.sociations.
Once we became pro players, we had to fight against the same opponents for the rest of our lives. This is our destiny as shogi players.
”Ayumu's older than me by two academic years, but we started aiming to be pro players at around the same time, so it kinda feels like we're cla.s.smates.”
”I see! So a rival!?”
”Rival huh. Well, I'll be honoured if that's the thought…”
Ayumu's in Kanto, and I'm in Kansai. While our bases are different, it's a fact that both of us strongly knew of each other's presence since young. People often talked about how we were fated rivals in our past lives or something.
But Ayumu's defiance against me reached its peak when I became the Ryuuou.
It's not that he let a rival, a peer, overtake him…not at all.
He, who declared himself as a holy knight, saw this 'Ryuuou' as a symbol of evil, a demon lord to be taken down. In other words—
Ryuuou, Dragon King = Demon = Me.
Knight = Holy = Himself à I have to beat him! ( ` •w• ' )
So it seemed. Really impressive.
”He was already someone with either some n.o.ble-like tendencies or Chuu2 madness, but it looks like it got worse when he became a pro player and had money to use.”
”So he bought that mantle?”
”He's been on a winning streak recently, and the money's has been rolling in. It's for certain that the winning streak and the win rate awards will be taken by him, and once he wins today's match, the chances of him challenging for the t.i.tle will increase ma.s.sively…I can't say that I'm his rival when I'm on an eleven match losing streak…Ryuuou's going to get taken down…”
”That's not true! You're the strongest, Master!”
–Strongest?
Every shogi player has such a thought to such an extent, or else, it'll be impossible for them to continue fighting in the world of pro shogi. Due to consecutive defeats and ridicule on the internet, my self-confidence was rattled.
However, after I was called 'the strongest', I felt some confidence rising in me for some reason. Shogi players are actually quite simple-minded.
”Master! I hope you'll win!!”
”Haha…I'll do my best.”
With my disciple (temp) encouraging me, I could not help but give a wry smile, and walked towards the match arena where the 'Silver Knight' is waiting.
Start of the match
There are three match rooms on the 5th floor of the Kansai Shogi a.s.sociation–'The Black Library'.
This level is an imitation of the Edo's Castle Black Academy (said to be an actual place), and there are the 'Upper Tier Room', 'Lower Tier Room', and the 'Lotus Room'. Between them, the 'Lotus Room' is of a higher tier, a room only the high ranked could use, the most sacred place in the Kansai Shogi a.s.sociation, and also the place my master peed. (TN: The Black Academy is a study for the generals and officials. There was one built in Nijo Castle, but as the text here implies, I can't tell if there's one in Edo Castle.)
'Man Obeys Earth'
'Earth Obeys Sky'
'Sky Obeys Tao' (TN: 人法地 地法天 天法道, quote from the Laozi, a cla.s.sical Taoist text. There isn't a proper translation of this out there, so I thought I should just contribute mine.)
There's the three pieces of famed calligraphy hanging on the wall, and kneeling at the only lower seat of the 'Upper Tier Room' was Ayumu, the collar of his mantle standing as he gracefully sipped at some red tea while raising a tea cup and saucer.
”Fuu…so the fearless fool has arrived.”
”Of course I did. It's a match.”
I walked to the upper seat, knelt on the thin cus.h.i.+on, making sure I was comfortable as I took off my watch and put it on the tatami. I then took out a fan, a handkerchief, gla.s.ses, and water. (TN: As a reminder, lolicon here is the t.i.tle holder, so he gets the upper seat, while the challenger gets the lower seat)
If it's that soft, expensive cus.h.i.+on, my legs would numb easily, and it would be uncomfortable. An old cus.h.i.+on like this was more comfortable. Some players would request for special cus.h.i.+ons from the a.s.sociation when playing elsewhere.
Every player has their own habits when it comes to preparations before the match.
Some would rub their eyes, some would close them to relax, and some, like Ayumu, would bring their favorite tea set and leaves along, and brew some tea. Ah, some would bring their personal air purifier along (anions generators). Basically, they just had to make sure that it wouldn't be too loud.
There's a long table placed by the side of the shogi board, and the 'recorder' in charge of keeping the time and recording the moves. The board set and the cus.h.i.+ons were also provided by the recorder.
Seeing that it was time, I said.
”Let's get arranging.”
”Right.”
I put on my gla.s.ses, and reached for the pieces box on the board, taking out the contents in the silk bag. It's the job of the higher rank to take out the pieces from the board.
After that, we arranged the pieces accordingly.
The arranging styles can basically be cla.s.sified into two different ones, 'Ito Order' and 'Ohas.h.i.+ Order', the latter being the mainstream. Just to note, I'm the Ohas.h.i.+ style, and Ayumu naturally has his own unique style of arrangement. (TN: In order, the placement order goes as 1. King. Gold generals, silver generals and then knights for both styles. For Ito, the player places 5. the p.a.w.ns (from left to right), 6. the lances, 7. bishop, 8. and rook. In Ohas.h.i.+, it's 5. Lances, 6. Bishop, 7. Rook. 8. p.a.w.ns (starting from center, and then one left, one right until the board is filled).
Once we were done arranging, the recorder told us.
”Starting first, Kannabe-sensei.”
”Please call me G.o.d Cauldron.”
He carried out a familiar conversation with the recorder (and naturally, was ignored). A few minutes before the match started, we closed our eyes, adjusted our breathing, and our minds were already running at full speed.
”It's now 10am. Begin the match.”
””Please take care of me!””
Both compet.i.tors bow to each other in respect, and Ayumu made the first move. He slowly removed his mantle, which he did not before the match; this indicated that it was formal clothing to him, and in other words, respect for the opponent. To be honest, I wished he stopped with that. It's rattling me.
I immediately made the second move.
The order of turns for today's match were decided beforehand, so I came up with a strategy at home. We played fast, and a certain formation developed on the board.
And then, it finally showed up on the board.
Ayumu moved the piece, giving a maniacal grin as he looked at me.
”Kukuku…do you think you're able to beat my iron 'citadel'?”
Isn't it just a Fortress? (TN: Fortress, 矢仓, yagura, a form of castling, and a static rook opening.)
”6th dan Kannabe, formation as Yagura…”
In contrast to the highly agitated Ayumu, the reporter sitting beside the recorder was calmly making a record, and it looked really surreal.
Right, a watching reporter.
It's the important match to determine the challenger for one of the seven major t.i.tles in the tourney circuit—'the Throne'. Shogi magazine reporters, and even mainstream reporters will publicize the results. There's a shogi column in the newspapers, isn't there? That's the place.
Till this point, Ayumu won every match, and by winning this, it'll be a pathway towards the role of the challenger.
In contrast, I lost every match, and it's decided that I wouldn't partic.i.p.ate in the next Tournament. In other words, I was just there to finish the group stage.
But in the world of shogi, that's an exalted philosophy that goes,