Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 7 - Chapter 4.2

  VANISHED STRATEGY

Moves pass one after another at a quick pace.

“…… Fuuuu ……”

Zaou-sensei sometimes makes these long sighs still sitting cross-legged and playing fast rather than using his waiting time.

He looks almost indifferent, moving the pieces like that.

–––He doesn’t have much waiting time left, so I suppose he can’t help it.

I match his pace and charge ahead. It’s what the standard calls for. The more waiting time I have in the late game, the less likely it is for Zaou-sensei to come back and beat me.

His formation is so old, it almost smells like the 1960s. We’re 30 moves in, and I bet that’s how far back you have to go to find another match like this one.

Sticking to modern Shogi theory’s build a stronger defense than the opponent way of thinking, I slip my King down behind a rock-solid wall …… but …

–––My 7 Seven Silver is getting in the way ……

Then again, this formation isn’t bad at all. How could it be? It’s standard through and through.

Zaou-sensei’s King doesn’t have much defense at all, and both his Rook and Bishop are stuck behind his own front line, useless when the battle starts.

The thing is …… the Gold he sent to attack rather than defend his King has some serious firepower behind it.

–––Shifting my formation might be a good idea ……

I move the one piece of deadweight, the 7 Seven Silver, back to 5 Seven and firmly into my territory.

This is called a Flowing Yagura.

Seeing what I did, Zaou-sensei pinches a Pawn on his piece stand and tells me, “Ah, ’at’s right. ’Bout those mountain hikes I’ve been doin’.”

“……?”

“Ya find plants people think went extinct long, long ago growin’ by the wayside when ya explore new paths.”

––– …… What’s he talking about?

“Sunlight comin’ down ’n all the folks walkin’ in and out changed up the environment …… Turns out the seeds were jus’ buried the whole time.”

Zaou-sensei takes that Pawn and deploys it right in the middle of the board like he’s planting a seed in the ground.

The battle is about to start.

I advance my right Knight to reinforce my front line.

“…… I’d say it’s ’bout time.”

Zaou-sensei sends a Pawn toward my newly-advanced Knight, sacrificing it–––.

A tidal wave is coming my way with two Silvers and a Gold leading the charge! Here he comes ……!!

“But! I should be able to hold him off ……!”

Our pieces converge on the center of the board and start disappearing one after another.

It’s the late game from here on out, where either one of us could end up packing it in very soon.

I commit all the waiting time I had saved up to make absolutely sure I handle Zaou-sensei’s attack the right way. Carefully, meticulously, I read deeper and deeper into the board so I don’t have to depend on other match results to promote into C-1.

That’s when something completely unexpected happens.

The deeper I read …… The more I see Zaou-sensei’s attack getting through. Was my defensive formation not as strong as I thought?!

“The Bishop and Gold are in the way ……!”

Rather than protecting it, half the castle is blocking my King’s escape like piles of trash in the road!

“Where?! What’s causing it ……?!”

The waiting time I had set aside to read my victory instead goes to trying to figure out why my yagura castle is so weak despite following the standards to the letter.

And, no matter how many times I think it through, all signs point to one thing in the early game.

7 Seven Silver.

“…… That can’t be right! The fifth move?! It ……… c-couldn’t be …………?”

–––A standard that craps out that early doesn’t exist anywhere in the world!

All my analysis produces this one single unbelievable result.

“Argh ……!!”

Flexing my fingers as I reached out over the board, I grab my Knight and advance it with authority, determined to prove myself wrong.

It’s just …… no amount of determination can fix a weak formation.

And I’m starting to get an idea why it turned out like this.

–––Zaou-sensei’s mountain hikes ……

What makes sense …… would be that as standards changed and evolved, this one lost the ability to deal with an older strategy ……

“Ya noticed, eh?”

Zaou-sensei says with his eyes on me.

“Back in my day, 7 Seven Silver was branded as a bad move. It made ya weak in the middle, so a defensive Rapid Attack Yagura or Central Rook Yagura would plow right through ya.”

“……!”

So, that’s why.

That’s what turned the Rapid Attack Yagura into a vanished strategy …… Offensive players stayed away from the dangerous 7 Seven Silver path and chose to take safer routes ……!

“But, ’fter that …… When I was past my prime, the standard started goin’ back through 7 Seven Silver,” says Zaou-sensei as he reaches over the board.

The Silver he picks up slashes into the Knight I’d just brought forward, capturing it for himself.

“Ghhh ……!!”

Pain zips through my right arm like something bit a chunk out of it as I take Zaou-sensei’s Silver. Trading a Knight for a Silver actually works in my favor, but–––.

“The seed was always here. Jus’, it’s bloomin’ today.”

Firmly in control of the match, Zaou-sensei looks sturdy as a rock as he begins an assault.

Blow after blow …… It’s almost like the match has already been decided.

“N ……!!”

–––No!!

My heart screams out as I fight back tooth and nail.

Trying to attack his King would only force him to bolster his defense, so I commit everything I have to slowing his attack by deploying all my pieces in my own territory.

Holding strong.

Like a toddler trying to fight back by throwing toys …… This can’t even be called holding out anymore, just buying time.

But what choice do I have?! What else am I supposed to do?! Just resign to another season in C-2 and give up?! Yeah right!! I’m the Dragon King Ryuo, the strongest player in the Shogi world!!

“Futile. I ain’t lettin’ ya outta this.”

Zaou-sensei ramps up the offensive yet again, pushing my line further and further back. Only then do I remember that this old man is also the Shogi puzzle guru.

Then–––on the 86th move.

Zaou-sensei puts a Pawn in front of my King with the same delicate touch as if he were trying to comfort a crying baby.

“……………Aa …… Aah ………… hh ……”

That little piece gently put in front of me felt almost like a dagger placed before a defeated evil tyrant was being told to atone for his actions by taking his own life–––.

Fourteen minutes later, I bit the bullet and accepted defeat.