Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 10 - Chapter 5

  THE KING OF NANIWA TOURNAMENT

“Look at aaaa–––all those Shogi boards!!”

Ai yells at the top of her lungs as we step inside of the gym, her eyes open wide.

There aren’t any people here yet, but nearly a thousand boards are lined up and waiting.

Grade school kids from all around the Kansai area will gather here at the Osaka City Gymnasium, 1,630 to be exact. Add in the parents and family members joining them, and over 3,000 people will be in here soon.

“You never took part in an actual amateur tournament before joining the Women’s League, did you Ai?”

I say while pinning a name tag to my chest that identifies me as a Pro Player.

“A bigger one takes place at Tokyo Big Sight, where 3,200 grade schoolers once showed up and played 1,600 matches at the same time. It set a Guinness World Record if I remember right.”

“Uwhee …… It’d take a whole day just to get the boards set up!”

There’s also a name tag on my genuinely surprised apprentice’s chest that says she is a Women’s League Player as well.

Printed on it are letters that spell out “Women’s League 1-dan.” 

Qualifying for the Women’s Legend League got her promoted. Right behind Ai Yashajin, she’s the second youngest ever to reach that ranking.

The same is true for Ai Yashajin, but amateurs turning Pro without playing in an amateur tournament at some point is completely unheard of.

“The winner will get decided today, right? How does it work?”

“Well, all the participants will be divided into blocks first.”

Once everyone’s been sorted into blocks, only the kids who win all three matches in a row can advance into the bracketed tournament.

“They’re sorted into upper and lower grades, right?”

“Yes. So, there’s no need to worry about Charlette playing against other members of the Grade Schooler Practice Group. I really hope that Mio and Ayano end up in separate blocks ……”

“Will …… Everyone do okay?”

“Honestly, I think a good goal for Charlette is to win one match.”

Even in the lower grades, nowadays dan-ranking amateurs show up. Charlette is barely dan herself, so I’m not sure if she can win ……

“But, Mio and Ayano are in the Practice League. Lose now and they’ll get criticized by people saying their ‘level is too low for girls trying to get into the Women’s League.’ They’re under a lot of pressure right now.”

“…………”

Ai goes quiet and stares at her feet.

Pros and Women’s League Players don’t even have time to grab a snack when working at tournaments this large.

There’s no way we’ll be able to keep an eye on their matches. Now, if they make it into the tournament stage ……

“Ai. About Mio–––.”

“Yes?”

“…… No. Never mind.”

Just then, a staff member calls out to us.

“Kuzuryu-sensei. Hinatsuru-sensei. Participants are about to arrive so please move into position to greet them and take pictures.”

““Coming!””

Time thunders by from that moment on.

“Good morning! Good luck to all of you today!”

“G-Good morning!”

Swarms of kids and parents flow through the doors like an endless tsunami. Ai and I are lined up with the staff to greet every single one of them.

It’s at times like this you can tell how popular a Player is by how many people say hello.

“That’s Hinatsuru-sensei ……!” “Hinatsuru-sensei, you’re so cute!!” “Ai-sensei, can I have a picture with you?!” “Wasn’t Hinatsuru the first wife?” “Congratulations on your promotion!!” “The Loli-King next to her is getting in the way.”

Ai’s popularity is off the charts.

The line of people wanting pictures with her gets so long that it sends the entrance lobby into chaos. Reporters and journalists trying to get a good picture of Ai force their way in …… Gahhh, this place is a mess!

No matter how good I am at handling grade schoolers, worlding my way through 1,600 of them is impossible. Ai and I shake hands, talk, and smile our way through the crowd all before getting our bearings.

Ms. Shakando, the judge for the tournament, is busy overseeing everything and Ayumu never leaves his master’s side, so all the fan service duties fall squarely on our shoulders.

After a full hour of meet and greet …… We head over to the instructional match booth and finally get a breather.

“Haaa …… Haaa …… Haaa ………… Ai, did you see everyone ……?”

“N-No ………… But, I saw Kanegasaka-sensei in the crowd …… Haahaa ……”

Our voices and bodies are already failing.

“Ai, we’ll be starting instructional matches after this ………… The kids who don’t make it to the tournament round will be coming nonstop.”

What’s worse, the Sub League has their regular activities today, so the sub League members who would normally help out are not here. Basically, we’re extremely shorthanded.

“………… So, rest up now while you can. It’s hell from here on out ……”

“……… Testing, one, two, testing …………”

Just as we’re talking, the MC’s voice comes over the loudspeaker.

“Before the matches get underway, today’s lead judge and Women’s Legend Rina Shakando would like to say a few words to all of you!”

Compared to our sweating, beet-red faces, Ms. Shakando elegantly appears on stage with a cool, calm, and collected expression.

Her beloved apprentice Ayumu is right by her side, step for step.

All those grade school kids look dumbfounded as the two of them show up like a queen and her knight stepping out of the picture book. All the chattering disappears in an instant as silence envelops the gym.

“I am Women’s Legend Rina Shakando.”

Enunciating her name in a way to ensnare all the hearts of the grade schoolers at once,

“Under normal circumstances, it would be disrespectful for a Professional to be usurped as lead judge by a Women’s League Player such as myself. However, my own apprentice and his rival will be making appearances today. I ask for your consent and understanding.”

Ms. Shakando continues after making that sincere request.

“When I was young, Shogi tournaments were only for adults. Children who played Shogi were few and far between …… And as for girls, I was the only one for many years.”

She’s right. Even when Big Sis and I were little, girls almost never came to tournaments like this.

I imagine that when Ms. Shakando was that age, she had to make do with playing against geezers at smoky Shogi classrooms and parlors.

Then again, that’s the very reason that people say her Shogi hasn’t lost a step despite her age.

“Now, a great wave of youth has come onto the Shogi scene despite the declining birthrate in recent years. Especially here in Osaka where Ginko Sora leads the charge in the Sub League at 3-dan, the youngest Women’s League Players in history, Ai Yashajin 2-dan, as well as Ai Hinatsuru 1-dan, who is with us today, are performing very well in their respective areas. Looking out and seeing all the girls participating today fills me with great joy. Oh, and yes–––.”

Ms. Shakando then drops a bomb of unprecedented magnitude onto the audience.

“This year’s Elementary Meijin is a young girl as well. What’s more, I hear that she will play here today. Emerge victorious today and that victory will mean that much more.”

Chatter!

The silent gymnasium suddenly comes alive again.

“…… She’s talking about Maria, right?”

“Yeah. Either she’s bringing it up to give the participants an extra spark of motivation or she’s trying to put more pressure on Maria ……”

Probably both, now that I think about it.

Nodding with satisfaction that she has whipped the crowd into a frenzy, Ms. Shakando kicks off the King of Naniwa Tournament with a majestic declaration.

“And now––––––the time for battle is at hand!”