Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 3 - Chapter 4.7

  CENTRAL ROOK VS. CENTRAL ROOK

“D-Do I have to play against, Asuka ……?”

“Would you do that for me, Ai?”

Ai looks up at me, hoping I can get her out of this situation once Mr. Oishi asks.

I know exactly how she feels.

She heard the conversation. She knows that if she wins, then Asuka will be forced to give up playing Shogi. I’m sure that Ai can tell how much Asuka loves to play.

My apprentice was in a similar position when she played against Big Sis during the Practice League entrance test. I don’t blame her for being sympathetic to Asuka’s situation. But–––.

“M-Master ……”

“Ai ……”

My apprentice is pleading for help, but I say,

“Ai. You’re going to have to be the one to put an end to Keika’s hopes and dreams.”

“Kei …… ka’s?”

Ai was shocked to hear that name came up out of nowhere, but I keep going.

“I had a look at the recent Practice League matches …… You didn’t play against her yesterday, but there’s a good chance you’ll have to play her during the next meeting. Even if it’s not the next one, you will play against her. Not just play, you might be the one that knocks her out of C-2.”

“……!”

As she gulps down the air in her throat, her face turns paler by the second.

Ai shivers at the thought of becoming Keika’s “executioner.” If Keika drops down to D at the age of twenty-five, there’s a good chance she’ll quit the Practice League altogether …… 

“If you can’t play against Asuka right now, there’s no way you’ll be able to go against Keika. Am I wrong?”

“……”

“Everyone draws the line somewhere. Everyone wants to win. If you’re willing to give up that win because you feel sorry for your opponent, you don’t have to play them at all. You can stay an amateur and have fun playing Shogi as a hobby. Yes?”

I was very aware of the customers in the classroom around us with each word.

It’s not necessary to work as a Shogi player. Amateurs can get very, very good and they don’t have to worry about wins and losses. They’re free to play for the fun of it. That’s respectable Shogi, the way it should be.

“This is your decision. You make it.”

“I …… I-I ……”

Although she sounds lightheaded, Ai clenches her hands into fists just like Asuka and makes her choice.

“…… will play!”

The stage was set immediately.

The remaining customers finished up their games and helped set up a small arena in the middle of the classroom. Then everyone stood in a ring around Ai and Asuka to get a good view of the match.

They did a piece flip, and Ai won the first move.

“When you’re ready!”

“W-When you’re ready ……!”

Exchanging bows, the two start moving pieces with purpose.

Once the formations on the board became clear, everyone’s eyes were open wide.

““……! Ah––––––Ainakabisha?!””

Yep.

Asuka chose to go up against Ai’s Central Rook with Gokigen Central Rook.

Central Rook vs. Central Rook–––.

Ai choosing to play Central Rook on offense was a surprise, but even more surprising was that Asuka chose to play the same style on defense.

“Asuka. Are you …… taking this match seriously or not?”

Says the Maestro in a low voice. There was quite a bit of anger in there too.

When both players use the same strategy, the one who went first has the advantage. That’s why.

There are some exceptions, like the Move Loss Bishop Exchange, but even a specialist like myself will only have a slight advantage as long as I don’t mess up.

Basically, Asuka chose to fight with a disadvantage by going with Central Rook. It’s that naiveté that got under Mr. Oishi’s skin.

“B-But …… But ……”

He made his feelings as clear as day, but Asuka rose to meet him with just as much intensity.

“But I–––I love Central Rook!!”

“Well said.”

I couldn’t help but nod at her response.

She’s saying that her love for Shogi is stronger: she’s played more matches, practiced more, and thought about Shogi every single day.

And that that feeling will lead to victory in the end.

In order to push your opponent out of the way … to make fighting for what you love right and just, you need to be more passionate than anyone else.

–––Passionate about Shogi.

–––To love Shogi with all your heart!

So, Ai. Pick up on that already I’m begging you!!

“?! …… Ugh …… Kh!!”

Ai’s having a hard time against Asuka’s Gokigen Central Rook, and it’s not getting any easier.

Trying to play aifuribisha, Ranging vs. Ranging, with almost no experience like Ai, everything is uncharted territory. Having the first move gives her an advantage, but it’s useless if she doesn’t know how to use it.

But, even more than that–––.

“…… Nice!”

Asuka’s read-and-react playing style is so spot-on I couldn’t help but comment on it.

The thing about ainakabisha, two Central Rooks playing against each other, is that standards don’t really exist and it can become a contest of strength at the drop of a hat.

But that didn’t slow Asuka down at all. Her movements were so smooth it was almost like––.

“…… Hey, Asuka. How come you can read ainakabisha like this …?”

She didn’t even look up from the board to answer her father’s question.

“…… I learned by playing people here at the classroom.”

“Is that sooo?”

The Maestro glares around the room at all the customers doing their best not to look him in the eye.

After a few moments, they must’ve figured out there was no point trying to hide this secret because they start fessing up one by one.

“…… Come on, Maestro. How could I ever say no to Asuka?”

“Got that right. Plus, it was a chance to get another Ranging Rook party member … Not only that, to get a young lady to join! That only happens once in a blue moon. I won’t pass that up.”

“The Rook may slide, but never slide a lady! That’s our bread an’ butter, how many times have ya said so?!”

Yeah, and for sure, and a whole lot more yeses start coming from the crowd as they side with Asuka.

Mr. Oishi holds his head in his hands.

“You Ranging Rooker’s are nuts … You guys really can’t help yourselves, I swear!”

He groans but looks a little happy too.

Thinking back on it, he’s been in a good mood ever since we showed up.

Was some part of him still holding out hope that his daughter would play Shogi?

“I don’t think I could ever work as a Shogi player! I don’t want to join the Women’s League! I-I just …… I just love Shogi!!”

Ai shrinks back in the face of Asuka’s emotional surge. Then she went off like a bomb.

“That’s why I want to play against you, Father! That’s why I want to play with the customers! It doesn’t matter if I can’t be really good, if a little girl passes me up, I don’t care! Because …… All because I … I love Shogi so much!!”

Gokigen Central Rook is strange as far as strategies go.

Having an emotional state, happy-go-lucky in the name in the first place is strange.

There are a few explanations for it, but the one I like best is: playing Gokigen Central Rook makes you feel happy-go-lucky.

Strange as it sounds, people who know nothing about Shogi tend to naturally play this way. So, Central Rook is like a human instinct and using Gokigen Central Rook can make someone feel happy whenever they play. Or so they say.

I know it sounds crazy but …… watching Asuka right now, doesn’t it sound crazy enough to be true?

“I love Shogi! I love Central Rook! A wallflower like me, always quietly standing off to the side … If I play with a Rook in the middle, even I can be straightforward, I can express myself! No matter what anyone says, no matter what my opponent plays, I will always meet them with Central Rook!! I’ll keep fighting with Gokigen Central Rook as long as I live!!”

All of her built-up emotions came out in one burst, a particularly loud one for Asuka.

“Central Rook is–––my way forward!!”

Just as she said.

Asuka advances her central Rook straight down the middle of the board, tearing a path to Ai’s King wide open!

“……?!”

Ai wasn’t expecting to be attacked that turn, and her formation took heavy damage as a result. She’s being overwhelmed by Asuka’s intensity.

That’s when, “Dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Asuka’s worldliness erupted!

Once the Rook plunged through the outer layer of defense, she deploys piece after piece right into the middle of Ai’s formation and tears apart.

It’s a similar yet different version of her father’s worldliness. A clumsy, brutish finesse. But—.

“…… Pretty intense,” the Maestro says under his breath and I nod in agreement.

Now backed into a corner, Ai–––.

“Take that and …… ugh.”

Her internal struggle: the feelings holding her back finally fell out of the way as Ai’s offensive instincts started to come out.

“Take that one …… here …… That one …… take that one, here, here, herehereherehereherehere–––.”

The switch finally flipped. Ai starts rocking back and forth to establish a reading rhythm.

Now she’s in the zone.

“Hereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehere-hereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehere-herehere–––––––––.”

“……?! U-Umm …… Ummm …… Ai ……?”

Asuka, who’d been on an all-out offensive, starts feeling pressure from this grade school girl’s sudden transformation.

Then–––.

“…… I … lost …”

One hour later.

The one who threw in the towel–––was Ai.

“Th … Thank …… you ……”

“Haa, haaa,” Asuka manages to say with her shoulders heaving up and down.

Ai didn’t go easy on her. Watching the whole match from beside the board, I could tell.

At the same time, that wasn’t her best either.

Ai’s heart hasn’t completely healed yet, her spirit wasn’t in it and that put the brakes on. Knowing that winning the match would make life hard for her opponent made her think twice and kept her from pulling out all the stops. On top of all that, Asuka’s left-handed high-speed playing style might’ve thrown her for a loop too.

But most of all …… Asuka played an excellent match.

Maintaining the lead she stole in the early game, Asuka kept up enough pressure in the late game to keep her formation together and emerge victorious in the end. I’d be willing to bet that if Asuka and Ai played one hundred matches, Ai would win ninety-nine of them. The fact that this happened to be the one is proof that Asuka wanted it more.

Seeing her play, I didn’t feel any talent in Asuka’s moves.

But that’s exactly why this game was so significant. At least, I think so.

With everything on her plate, from school to helping out at the bathhouse to practicing in the classroom, building up this much Shogi knowledge behind her parents’ backs proves she was willing to do whatever it took.

And most of all, her love of Shogi is sincere.

“I …… I won ……”

Emotions getting the better of her, Asuka looks up at her father with tears in her eyes. “F-Father …… May … I play, Shogi ……?”

Mr. Oishi, who quietly watched over his daughter the whole match, says, “…… Asuka. Say you started learning Shogi, what would you want to do?”

“If, I can …… I’d like to get the qualifications to become a promotion instructor and work alongside you in the classroom …… Not just doing the little things, but I want to teach customers ……”

Promotion instructors are teachers who have been officially approved by the association to teach others.

Someone with that title can get their classroom approved by the association, hold an official rank and get certified as well.

There’s a lot that needs to happen to get that qualification, but the main one for women is having an amateur 2-dan rank or better.

Judging by the match I just saw, I’d say that it’s a realistic goal for Asuka.

“The business that you …… that you and all these nice people have built, I want to help protect it …… Not just the classroom, I want to be able to run the bathhouse by myself as well …… That way you won’t have to worry about it and can focus on Shogi. That’s …… m-my dream …… Father. …… So, please ……”

“Your dream, huh ……”

Mr. Oishi echoes Asuka’s words.

“You think you can accomplish that with those pitiful Ranging Rook skills?”

“Huh ……?” Asuka winces at her father’s retort.

“Make no mistake, Asuka. You won today because Ai isn’t used to playing Ranging Rook, not because your Gokigen was anything to write home about. Your movements were heavy, lacked any kind of precision, and I can’t let other people see a late game like that and think of it as Ranging Rook. That would hurt our reputation. So–––.”

“……!”

Stop playing here and now.

Asuka braces for the words she thinks she’s about to hear.

But–––Mr. Oishi says something else.

“I’ll teach you myself.”

“…… Are you … sure that’s okay?”

“Doesn’t matter if I say it’s okay or not, does it? You’ll just do it anyway: play Shogi.”

“……” The customers in the room have been closely following the conversation back and forth. Now that it took this unexpected turn, a few whistle their approval. More join in. What a great group of guys.

“Uh, umm …… I …… I ……!”

“And if I let Yaichi teach you, your Ranging Rook’ll only get worse.”

Looks like Asuka doesn’t know what to say, but desperately searches for something.

“I-I’ll …… do the best I can … I know I’m not talented … and that I’ll never be as good as you, Father … But if you’ll work with me …… I promise …… I can do it ……!”

“Is that so? You’ll just end up wanting to join the Practice League anyway.”

“W-why ……?”

The Worldly Maestro answers his daughter with an exhausted look in his eyes, “Because you’re my girl.”

“…… Daddy!!”

Massive tears start flowing out of her eyes.

I’m pretty sure that Mr. Oishi would’ve offered to teach her even if she’d lost but …… I think that’s better left unsaid.

Asuka said what she wanted and opened the way with Central Rook: a path that leads to her dream.

Seeing that Shogi firsthand, Ai quietly asks, “Asuka and Oishi-sensei … do you think they’ll be okay?”

“They’ve bonded over Gokigen Central Rook.”

I pat my concerned apprentice’s head and smile from ear to ear.

“Of course. It’ll be a happy ending.”