Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 10 - Chapter 5.4

  THE FINAL ROUND

“At last! The climax of the Upper Grades Division is upon us!!”

Says lead judge Ms. Shakando with vigor.

“The Lower Grades Division final match was a valiant battle …… I am certain that this impending bout will be even more invigorating.”

Seated in a chair next to the big board as if it were a throne, the Eternal Queen uses her cane like a pointing stick as she analyzes different formations for the audience. It’s a style fit for an Empress.

But, there’s a good reason for it.

Commentators aren’t allowed to talk about specific moves when talking about a match taking place right in front of them. The players will hear.

It’s not that much of an issue for Pro Players because we get so focused on the match that we don’t hear anything, but …… Predictions made by Pro Players doing commentary can affect the outcome of a match between kids.

“The piece flip has already taken place. Miss Mio Mizukoshi was granted to the opening move.”

Ms. Shakando starts introducing the two participants who aren’t out on stage yet.

“And the defender, Maria Kannabe …… Whom I did call ‘Miss’ because he is my own student.”

Student, not apprentice.

“She is this year's Elementary Meijin and younger sister to Kannabe 6-dan, who will be playing in the Top Earners Match immediately following this one. Will she succeed in being his opening act?”

That gets laughs and applause from the crowd.

“Next, rather than I introducing Miss Mizukoshi …… I believe there is one more suited to the task present.”

Ms. Shakando turns to face someone else on stage with her.

The one responsible for announcing moves and keeping track of time from her spot at the board-side table–––Ai Hinatsuru Women’s 1-dan. 

She takes the mic and opens her heart to the audience.

“Mio is always bright, cheerful, kind to everyone, and the first friend I ever made playing Shogi …… I’ve admired her ever since that day and I wanted to be just like her ever since.”

“Thank you for that valuable insight. Now, without further ado–––.”

Rina Shakando-Women’s Legend takes a deep breath and says.

“Enter your arena! Young knights!!”

Spotlights illuminate two girls walking toward the board at the center of the stage.

““Whoooaaa!!””

Mio gets cheers from all over the crowd.

“A haori jacket and hakama trousers ……!” “She’s a girl, right?” “Wow, she looks so dignified!”

The King of Naniwa Tournament committee provides kimonos for the finalists.

Girls typically choose to wear long-sleeved furisode kimono, but …… Mio seems to have gone with what the boys wear. She looks great in it though.

Meanwhile, Maria is in her usual get up.

“That’s the Elementary Meijin?!” “W-Well, she certainly takes after Rina Shakando ……” “The whole Kannabe family sure is talented …….!”

Different cheers start up for her when suddenly–––.

“Your attention, weeds of Kansai!!”

Maria looks down on the audience from on top of the stage and announces.

“You are about to witness masterful Shogi from one such as I! Ingrain each move I make into your memories …… And you may tell of my legend forevermore!!”

1,600 kids are revved up. Her unique characteristics seem to have hit the right notes.

I watch them both from just offstage.

Ayano is by my side. I wanted to give her a chance to watch this match as closely as possible, so I explained the situation to the staff and got her clearance.

On a side note, the person I’ll be facing in a match right after this one ends, Ayumu should be watching on the other side of the stage.

“Both Players have 15 minutes of waiting time. 30-second Shogi rules will go into effect once waiting time expires.”

Ai explains from the board-side table.

Their positions miraculously switched from the Women’s Legend qualifier when Mio was doing the recording, Ai looks at Mio and says.

“It’s time–––Miss Mizukoshi, please begin the match!”

“When you’re ready!!”

“Huph …… Come, weed.”

Mio lowers her head in a deep bow, but Maria just arrogantly puffs up her chest as the sparks start flying the final match.

The strategy both of them go with is–––.

“Ohh? Side Pawn Capture, is it?” whispers a clearly impressed Ms. Shakando. 

It’s a strategy that requires a ton of research.

It also allows the defender to aggressively attack.

“Just try to hold fast! Then, you will know once and for all! Know the strongest elementary school student’s early game mastery!!”

Maria does a Bishop Exchange even though she’s on defense! Then, she puts a Pawn down right in enemy territory, a surprising move to say the least.

“?! ……!!”

Mio blinks like mad as she stares down at the board and tries to figure out an attack she’s not used to dealing with.

This sequence …… It’s the fiercest one used in the Pros and still being researched right now!

The ambush throwing her for a loop, Mio makes several small mistakes and ends up on the wrong end of a few exchanges in battle.

Switching things up, Maria extends her edge Pawn and starts a slow advance into Mio’s territory.

The defender is focusing on two things: keeping their King well defended and taking stronger pieces than they lose.

It looks like Maria has decided the board will naturally tilt in her favor without being aggressive if she plays like this.

“She’s changing her tempo. To think, a grade schooler could use Side Pawn Capture this well …… She really is Ayumu’s little sister!”

“M-Mio ……!!”

Ayano claps her hands together as if offering up a prayer. I doubt she’s hearing a word I say.

“Formations are favoring the defender. It appears the Elementary Meijin’s early game makes the grade.”

Ms. Shakando praises her student’s early game strategy.

Meanwhile, Mio will just get eaten away bit by bit if she keeps playing normally.

She’s at a fork in the road where she has to commit to going on offense or defend–––.

“Arrr–––ghhh!!”

Mio, believing in her own playing style, has chosen to attack.

Despite being behind in pieces, Mio pours a great deal of her precious waiting time into an all-out assault on Maria’s defenses.

Then–––her Rook takes off like a rocket! It goes all the way to Maria’s back line and promotes into a Dragon!

But.

“Shallow.”

Maria had lured the Rook that far into her territory so she could seal it away with as few pieces as possible.

Next, she sent forth her own major pieces and creates a Dragon and Horse in Mio’s territory in the blink of an eye ………… She’s good!!

“Hghh?! T- …… Too strong ……!”

Mio groans with her head in her hands.

The Rook rocket that she was banking on got blocked by a single Pawn that Maria deployed behind a Gold.

Her forced attack shot down, Mio is now way behind in pieces.

Whether on offense or defense, the difference in strength it is obvious ……

“Hmph. For such a powerful attack, it sure didn’t amount to much.”

“Khh ……!”

“I considered one aiming to become another Ai Hinatsuru to possess a great deal of talent, but in terms of the Elementary Meijin Tournament, you are prefectural class at best. Consider yourself fortunate to sit across the board from one such as I!”

“……”

Mio bites her lip to endure the pain.

Picking up steam, Maria keeps on talking.

“Spectacles, my previous opponent, also failed in that regard. Being done in by a feeble attack like that …… The Kansai Practice League is pathetically weak!”

A painful moan comes from Ayano at my side.

No matter how much I’d like to console her right now …… Doing so would just pour salt on the wounds.

Maria’s voice is getting louder and louder.

“It appears that amateurs are no longer a match for one such as I. I must strike you down before Master this day to gain her approval in undergoing the Sub League entrance exam even a moment sooner! It is for this you must be exterminated! Die, weed!!”

“…… Oh, so you’re going to join the Sub League?”

“Obviously. As for yourself? Will you continue in the Practice League and attempt to join the Women’s League ranks?”

A Women’s League Player.

That’s exactly what Mio wanted to be.

Except, Mio has a surprisingly cheerful look on her face as she says.

“I’ll be transferring schools. Actually, I won’t be in Japan anymore.”

“…………”

With that from out of nowhere, even Maria falls silent.

“Until now …… I thought there was still loads of time. Kinda like how summer break feels like it will never end, that there’s still lots and lots of time left. So …… I didn’t think about what I wanted to do at all, putting off trying to figure it out even if I found something I wanted ……”

“Hm …… Hmph! Mere excuses for weaklings!”

Irritated, Maria yells.

“Just get stronger if the pain is too much! Commit more effort! You may use this loss as inspiration to become like me!!”

“Um, no.”

“Whaaat?!”

“The strongest girl at Shogi in my grade I know isn’t you, Miss Kannabe.”

Mio snaps back.

And then–––she smiles.

“The one I want to be like …… Is always really cute, but a little out there and clumsy sometimes. And when it comes to the boy she likes, she gets a little stalker-ish …… But, she’s the best friend anyone could ever want, has more Shogi talent than anyone, tries harder than anyone–––.”

Mio’s keeps rattling off her list.

Explaining her ideals. Going on and on about her emotions that are just as complicated as the board in front of her.

“Even with all her strength and talent, she goes through more pain than anybody during matches …… She squirms and clenches, hurting so bad that she can barely sit up straight …… Watching her up close, it hurts to admit it …… I know in my heart …… I wanna be just like her ……!”

Mio wipes the tears forming in the corners of her eyes away with the back of her hand.

“I wanna be just like her–––She is my inspiration!!”

Once she yells.

Mio puts her hands down on either side of her cushion and leans over the board.

“………… Here.”

Slowly …… Mio start rocking back and forth as she reads the board.

Searching for that one move that will turn the tide.

“Here, here, here, here ……”

Looking like someone completely different.

“Here, here, here, here, hereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehere–––!!”

“!! M-Mio ……!!”

Tears build up in Ai Hinatsuru’s eyes.

So much so that she’s having trouble reading off the seconds.

“Fool ……! Do you claim that one such as I, the Elementary Meijin in my rightful place at the peak, am beneath some simple Women’s League Player!!!?”

Maria is livid as she launches of fiery assault to checkmate Mio’s King.

Snapping a Silver down beneath the King, she uses a Promoted Lance to put it in check –––.

Mio’s defensive formation wasn’t in good shape to begin with, but now it’s on the verge of completely breaking down.

“Heh! Imitating Ai Hinatsuru shall get you nowhere!!”

“Hereherehereherehereherehere––––––Here!!”

“Mgh?! …… I-Impudent move!!!!”

Maria’s hands stop in midair.

Because Mio broke her own formation apart.

Her King emerges from the rubble and start marching across the board.

This is–––!!

““Nyugyoku?!””

“Now I get it! Mio wasn’t attacking it all …… She was clearing an escape path for her King!!”

This changes the board completely.

Her Rook rocket didn’t fail! It served its purpose just fine!

Those wispy defenses were in place so that her King would get away ……!

“Even the Dragon and Horse in Mio’s territory are nothing but useless decorations now that her King isn’t there anymore! Mio will have the advantage if that King can make it all the way across!”

“Mio ……!!”

Ayano is starting to sound alive again.

It’s almost like a rags to riches revolution.

All those little mistakes Mio has made so far have suddenly become advantageous. Even Shogi rules seem to be on her side ……!

“Weed! I’ll trample you asunder!!”

The Elementary Meijin deploys piece after piece from her stand in an attempt to lock down the King in the middle of the board with an aerial assault.

It’s like she’s got a treasure chest filled with an unlimited supply of every weapon imaginable to use to rein in the enemy King.

“Sing your delirious swansong, weed!”

“Herehereherehereherehere ………… yes!!”

But, Mio finds a way to get past it all!

“Seems there was a piece stand bargain sale.”

Ms. Shakando calmly comments, and she’s right. The overwhelming stock of pieces that Maria had built up is suddenly gone.

Mio had won the reading battle.

That fact staring her in the face only serves to rob Maria of whatever composure she had left.

“Dastard–––ingrate, insolent, disdainful, pompous, minuscule weeeeeeed!!”

“Herehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehere toooooo here!!”

109th move–––Mio’s King makes it to the goal, the deepest row in Maria’s territory.

But, the path her King forged to nyugyoku is now a barren, singed wasteland.

That means that nyugyoku is now an option for Maria as well.

As a result ……

““Double nyugyoku ……?!””

On the 126th move, Maria’s King also makes it to the goal line.

Even so, the battle isn’t over yet. Actually, it’s impossible to tell who will come out on top.

“1-160 moves ……”

After another fierce back-and-forth for yet another 30 moves using no time whatsoever, people in the crowd can hardly believe their eyes.

Then–––.

“Burn - in - hellfire–––Weeeeeed!!”

“!? –––Here!!”

After being put in check by a Rook in her own territory, Mio blocks it with an even stranger move.

“Silver?! …… Why wouldn’t she use a cheaper piece to block? There’s plenty on her stand, so why use the Silver ……?”

“Are ya brain-dead? The offensive Player deployin’ a piece that can’t go backwards in the first row breaks the rules!”

“Besides, Golds and Pawns are basically worth the same at this point in the match!”

“Gaahhhh?! She figured all that out in a second?!”

A rule prevents Mio from using Pawns, Knights, and Lances to defend.

And, the point system used to break the stalemate.

Those two things just made it this Shogi much more difficult. Saying it’s a completely different game wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Just watching it is making my brain burn up.

Standards don’t mean anything anymore. Late game theory is out the window.

They’re on the leading edge with only their reflexes and gut instincts to rely on, but that doesn’t stop these two from tearing into each other at a breakneck speed.

170th move, the eighth major piece exchange this match happens.

180th move, less than half the pieces remain on the board.

Then, after the 190th–––.

“…… I …………”

Mio pauses after playing her moves using no time up to that point and uses the last of her waiting time here.

Lifting her head as if coming up for air, she takes a long, deep breath.

She’s not using this time to read.

She’s using it clear her head instead.

“It’s true …… I haven’t tried nearly as hard as you have, Miss Kannabe. I haven’t become the Elementary Meijin like you or accomplished anything all that great. About the only thing worth bragging about that I’ve ever done is bike a lap around Lake Biwa during summer vacation in the third grade–––.”

That’s one very surprising admission. Lake Biwa is huge!!

“Come again?! She really did that?!”

“I gave up after making it to Nagahama ……”

Ayano shivers as if reliving those memories. Though, Nagahama is about the halfway point, so that’s nothing to sneeze at ……

“But!!”

Mio puts her fists back down on the mat and leans over the board once again.

“The past …… doesn’t decide the future ……!”

Then, she plays it.

A decisive move powerful enough to turn her whole life on its head.

“It’s the future!! What I do decides what I’ll have done!!!”

In that moment–––I’m sure I saw tiny little wings sprout from Mio’s back.

“Sh- …… She slid a major piece?!”

“Not just one, but two?!”

Mio sacrificed two major pieces in order to drag Maria’s King up and out of the back row.

A decisive move that took real guts.

“B-But, the points ……”

Ayano says with despair, so I tell her.

“It won’t matter. She’s going for the checkmate.”

“In this situation ……?! But–––!”

“Take a look over there.”

Rather than the big board, I point right at where Mio is sitting.

Mio …… and one more person just behind her from our point of view.

““Herehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehere–––.””

Mio at the board and Ai at the board-side table.

Both of them are focused on one spot and completely absorbed in reading the board.

“Ai never lets a checkmate get away. Never.”

She’d use that wing-ly talent of hers to find a check path that no one’s seen before.

Therefore.

“Mio is trying to catch up to Ai, meaning she’d never even consider trying to win without checkmating her opponent.”

The board is utter chaos.

In order to grasp hold of the single beam of light leading to victory …… she has to stay zeroed in on the target without getting side-tracked, just like the light!

“…… This match no longer needs words. Any move appraisals would only take away from its grandeur.”

Ms. Shakando quietly says with her eyes closed.

“The one thing I will say …… is that this Shogi is one for the ages and shall be remembered throughout our lifetimes. That goes for the players, and every person who comes upon it from this day onward.”

Even though victory is slipping through her student’s fingers, Ms. Shakando seems oddly content.

Someone in the crowd shouts.

“Th-That’s 200 moves!!”

The match is still going on, but a natural round of applause erupts throughout the arena.

“What’s going on?! Who’s got the points?!” “Wait! But …… Could she be?!” “C-Can she really …… checkmate her ……?”

Pulled out of its safe place and now running for its life every which way, Maria’s King is running out of options fast.

“You …… You ……! Insolence little ………… YOUUUUUUU!!”

Tears are starting to build in the champion’s eyes as she struggles with all her might.

It’s almost over.

The applause disappear as everyone holds their breath. Seriously, it’s so quiet in this arena you could hear a pin drop.

Except for one person.

“…………………”

One little girl watching on from the shadows as the board basks in a massive spotlight …… Passions are running high, but she has been left behind.

So, I tell that lonely little girl.

“Mio would never have won this match by herself.”

“Huh ……?”

“It unfolded like this because you held out as long as you did, Ayano. Sure, it tired her out a bit, but …… Your match against her made Maria anxious about her opponent ‘holding out.’ That’s why she was late in her decision to try to nyugyoku.”

Stubborn, gritty Kansai Shogi.

Determination that conjures up images of Ms. Gakumeki.

It’s exactly because Ayano showed Maria how hard it is to defeat that style that Maria pushed too hard trying to checkmate Mio’s King in the middle of the board.

“Maria is fighting on her own, but Mio had you next to her the whole time. You’re in that spotlight, Ayano. That’s why Mio ……”

I let my voice trail off before I said “won.”

I stop myself entirely from saying “don’t get down on yourself.”

“………… Thank you …… very much ……”

Whispering under her breath, Ayano removes her glasses and wipes the tears away with the back of her hand.

All so that she could see her best friend claim victory.

Then–––.

“…… But ………… This is still, painful ……”

She says the word she’s been repeating this whole time once more.

It’s a word she’ll probably say tens of thousands of times after today, too.

“…… It sure is. Now’s the time to get stronger.”

I put my arm around Ayano’s shoulder and pull her in close.

On stage, the long final match is coming to a close. Not by a stalemate or repetition draw, but a full-fledged checkmate.

King of Naniwa Tournament, Upper Grades Division.

Claiming victory after an epic 217-move battle is–––