Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 17 - Chapter 5.03

  SYSTEM

Ai Hinatsuru showed no hesitation in her opening move.

“Hn ……!!”

Lips drawn out in a straight line, she played the same move she had always opened with thus far: advancing the Pawn in front of her Rook.

“I would like to play a Double Wing! As a professional …… you can’t say no, right?”

“I refuse.”

However, Takeru Usui opened the Bishop Path without using a single second of waiting time.

He had rejected the Double Wing Attack outright. No professional had done that before.

“…… !!”

“Something wrong? You didn’t think me naive enough to play along with your Double Wing, did you?” Takeru snorted at Ai’s knee-jerk glance up from the board. “I can’t speak for other players, but those tactics won’t work on me. That Master of yours already burnt me pullin’ that stunt once before.”

“………………”

“You’ve still got something up your sleeve, right? Well, let’s see it.”

Ai looked back down into her lap and grasped her knee with her right hand.

Of course she had a strategy prepared.

Opening the Bishop’s Path with the first move was perfectly normal for Ranging Rook players. Which was why, as Takeru pointed out, Ai had a trap in the works.

“Just keep advancing the Pawn like a Double Wing ……”

The technique Tsubasa had shared with her, which sealed Gokingen Central Rook.

“That forces the defender’s Bishop up to 3 Three and limits their strategic options …… And you don’t have to memorize as many standards ……”

There was no greater reassurance for Ai, who was weak in the early-game, than knowing she could take away not only Gokigen Central Rook, but all of Takeru’s research on Bishop Exchange Ranging Rook strategies.

———There’s no reason for me not to choose 2 Five Pawn.

Yet, Ai’s hand remained frozen on her knee.

Part of it was fear that her own preparation would be outdone, as had happened against Mitsuru Oishi, but …… a voice other than Tsubasa’s was in her head.

“Henceforth, simply defeating your opponent will not suffice. Nor should your Shogi be intended to break their spirit.” Rina Shakando’s words echoed.

Mitsuru Oishi’s comment wasn’t far behind.

“Even so, every Ranging Rooker in Japan …… every single Shogi fan will lose their mind when they finally decide to use it. Pros will too, of course.”

In truth, she had made the realization a long time ago. She knew what those two were hinting.

———I’m not enough …… Just winning won’t do ……

Ai understood that her playing style had identifying characteristics.

Even her mother, who was a complete novice when it came to Shogi, said that Ai’s matches had a distinctive flair.

More specifically, a flower that bloomed into an instant checkmate in the late-game.

Limiting Takeru’s options in the early-game by pressing her Pawn forward would certainly increase her chances of winning.

But there would only ever be one flower blooming in her matches if that was all she did.

“……………… I want to see …………,” Ai whispered before even she realized it.

Takeru Usui’s blossoms were in his prodigal early-game sequences.

Even if one flower wasn’t enough.

Even if he didn’t take an interest in Ai Hinatsuru’s Shogi.

———If I can just get one more flower …… a new path might open!

That was the moment when Ai’s frozen left hand finally moved. However, it was to the left side of the board.

Machi and Ayano, who were watching through their cameras, yelled in unison, “She opened …… the Bishop Path?!”

Ai’s second move was 7 Six Pawn.

She devoted an entire ten minutes of waiting time to make that one move.

A sweaty, wrinkled palm print was left behind just above her knee.

“Is something wrong?”

“An elementary student just used ten minutes on the second move ……”

“Huh? …… That’s a standard move, though.”

Players in the large hall exchanged confused comments.

Indeed, it was a normal move.

For Ai Hinatsuru, however, it required more courage than any move she had ever played.

It contained a message for her opponent as well.

“A little girl …… tellin’ me to do my worst?”

Takeru glared at the girl who had just, in a manner of speaking, taunted him even worse than her Master.

“…… Fine. You asked for it.”

Then, Takeru closed the Bishop Path.

His fingers slid the piece across the board with an elegant grace, as if leaving a rainbow in their wake.

His move after waiting so long for Ai’s———4 Two Rook.

Ai could’ve sworn she heard the metallic shing of a blade being withdrawn from its scabbard. Takeru Usui had called upon his most-treasured sword.

———Blocked Bishop Exchange 4th File Rook ……!

Only six moves had been played up to this point, but Ai’s heart thundered inside her ribs as if the late-game had arrived.

“Th-This ………… Isn’t this …………?!!”

In the hands of anyone else, it was simply 4th File Rook.

But with Takeru Usui’s fingers at the helm, the strategy was known by another name.

Ai spoke aloud the name of the strategy that went beyond theory.

“System.”

“That’s right,” said the former Ryuo with a nod and a smirk. “Your Static Rook’s fate is set once I move this Pawn. There’s no going back now.”

Takeru flicked his wrist with extra gusto to emphasize the gravity of the situation as he took hold of the edge Pawn.

9 Four Pawn.

That was the final lock on a rusty seal that hadn’t been opened for far too long.

“T-Takeru Usui ………… brought out System!!”

A veteran match reporter who had been going up and down the large hall to photograph other matches was so stunned that he dropped his camera onto the tatami mat.

Shock zipped through the entire building like a thunderbolt.

“The real Usui System?!”

“How many years has it been since the real thing has been played?!”

The other matches in the large hall came to a standstill as the players started stealing glances at Ai and Takeru’s board.

———It’s nothing like before ……!!

Ai had received nothing but the cold shoulder since entering the arena, so she was both confused and exalted by the sudden shift.

The girl had done nothing but try to show off her own strength until now.

She abused her age and status as an elementary school girl to constantly taunt her opponents in order to force a late-game where her skills could shine.

That was the only way she could win.

And she wanted to win no matter what.

———But that’s not good enough!

The professional players would never acknowledge her if reputation as an upstart grade schooler stayed stagnant.

“I want to face Ai Hinatsuru.”

How could she become a professional if none of them thought that way? Professional Shogi players were not enemies.

They’re competitive rivals.

———I want the fans to acknowledge me, too! Not just the professionals!

If they want to see strong Shogi, fans could just watch computers play.

Ai had also seen the match records from Awaji that Ai Yashajin and Yaichi released. They were so far over her head that she barely gleaned anything from them.

Was that the future of Shogi?

Would fans enjoy watching it?

Ai had been constantly mulling over those questions even as she bought a high spec personal computer in Akihabara to use software she never could get the hang of in order to study early-game sequences.

What was the meaning behind her Shogi?

What was the meaning behind the Shogi humans beings play?

In an age where software exceeded human abilities, it was necessary to mimic software to be strong.

Of that, there was no mistake.

However, the Shogi world hadn’t regressed in the slightest despite computers becoming stronger than people.

Actually, Shogi’s popularity had hit an unprecedented fever pitch.

Ai mulled over possible reasons for it as she built her formation. A deep voice echoed from across the board.

“Static Rook is already dead,” Takeru declared on the 42nd move.

———He’s …… not bluffing!

Ai knew.

In Usui System’s debut match over 20 years ago, the Kansai-born Static Rook player on the receiving end had been driven so far back that he bowed out after only 47 moves.

“The board will only twist further out of reach whatever move you play next. How about saving us both some time and surrendering now?”

“…………………………………………………………………. Here ………………”

Ai started violently swaying to and fro.

“Here ………… Here …… Here, here, here, here, hereherehereherehereherehereherehere hereherehereherehereherehereherehere———”

Rather than throwing in the towel, Ai answered by making a move.

“Here!!”

She sent a Gold normally set aside for defense directly to the front line!

A clearly annoyed Takeru Usui snapped back, “So, you won’t go down quietly …… Eh? Got that cheeky playing style from your Master, did you?”

“Herehereherehereherehereherehereherehere …………!”

Takeru’s words weren’t reaching Ai’s ears.

In fact, she was beginning to feel that the four hours of waiting time she wasn’t sure how to use before wouldn’t be enough.

The live coverage team had set up their base of operations in the Katsura no Ma. Machi Kugui gave an SD card full of pictures to her younger sister apprentice along with instructions.

“I shall input comments into the blog feed. Please post corresponding pictures to match.”

“I understand!”

“Now, I would like to gather quotes from professional players, but———”

Under normal circumstances, players would never come into the Katsura no Ma so soon after matches commenced. Machi was intending to call them instead. However …… that would be counterproductive today.

Reason being, players were filing into the Katsura no Ma one after another.

“That 5 Five Bishop on move 19 into 3 Six Pawn is very interesting. That little girl is taunting the Takeru Usui with feints.”

“This formation was thoroughly researched around 20 years ago. The defender shouldn’t have any problems using it but ………… Looking at it right now, I’d rather be playing offense.”

“I mimicked this so much back in the day. Not just System, but I’d even cross my arms to strike Mr. Usui’s famous reading pose while looking out over Hatomori Shrine …….”

Professionals in their thirties and forties gathered around an analysis board and began trying to outdo each other as they reminisced about the past.

Any place else, and it would’ve been mistaken for a class reunion.

“But didn’t computers already prove the Usui System cannot withstand modern Shogi strategies?” Machi posed with an air of doubt.

The players, however, laughed through their noses and retorted, “What do computers know?!”

The Shogi world wasn’t the only one getting riled up.

The word System had started to appear all over social media and even electronic billboards. The younger generation caught on quickly once #system started trending, but they thought it was an error of some sort. The situation devolved into outright panic once the internet caught on that it was a Shogi term.

“Today’s turning out to be one heck of a day. Not only has Takeru Usui unleashed System on a sixth grade girl, Shinokubo and Kuzuryu are playing some ultra-new sequences in the special arena and piling up Repetition Draws. Man, am I glad I brought that extra help.”

“Master!”

Only when Kayaoku 7-dan walked in carrying boxes of top-rate sushi did Ayano realize she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.

“This is a total surprise! I know about System because I play Ranging Rook, but I had no idea it would get a response like this ……”

“That’s Takeru Usui for you. The guy is Rambo.”

“Ram bow? What is that?”

“Today’s kids need to learn about him, too.”

It was a film that came out long before Ayano was born, much like System’s heyday.

“It’s an old action movie about a guy who fought against an army by himself and won.”

“Is that possible?!”

“In movies, yeah,” responded the Sage with a shrug. “But Mr. Usui pulled it off in real life. In the Shogi world, at least.”

“……!”

“Rambo took on waves and waves of enemies in that tank top of his, standing up to missiles and helicopters with a hunting bow and a knife. Mr. Usui did that, too. He built a perfect strategy all by himself, and claimed the title of Dragon King Ryuo …… But he ran out of steam.”

“…… Why ……?”

“The Usui System was too perfect. Anyone could try to copy it, but only Takeru Usui himself knew how to make it click for real …… Because, well, it’s built on the resolution to constantly create something new.”

“The resolution …… to create ……”

A prodigy with overwhelming talent and aspirations that went well beyond the clouds.

Those aspects doomed Takeru Usui to solitude.

Movies can end on a happy note but Shogi players have to keep fighting throughout their decline.

“He sealed away System, and even Ranging Rook, to play Static Rook instead. The Title Match series he played against Ai’s Master was all Double Wing Attacks. Since they could turn into contests of strength at the drop of a hat back then, maybe Mr. Usui thought his creativity would give him the edge?”

“Back then?”

Ayano tilted her head at her Master’s words.

Machi’s fingers vigorously danced across her keyboard, eyes glued to the screen as she mumbled under her breath, “…… Standards are starting to form in Double Wing Attacks through the power of software.”

Machi, who played one of those standards against Ai Hinatsuru in the final match of the Women’s Legend League, sounded as though she regretted her decision.

If Takeru’s opponent today were a younger professional fluent in software research or a mid-level professional who had experience against System, this intense match of Shogi would not have appeared before her eyes.

Only because he was facing an opponent worthy of unleashing System in the immature Ai Hinatsuru could this heart-pounding match of Shogi come into existence.

And, of course, because choosing 7 Six Pawn required Ai to have courage. The courage she inherited from her Master.

———This Shogi very well could change the course of history.

Even as she input comments on Ai and Takeru’s match, which was having an even greater impact than the cutting-edge battle taking place in the special arena, into the blog at lightning speed, Machi couldn’t help but notice that her heart pined for this old style of Shogi.

“…… My apologies, Yaichi. I’ll be having an affair today.”