Pro
☖ Day Before the Test
“Did you hear that Universal Studios Japan has a new ride?”
Only Big Sis’s voice and an electronic hum could be heard in a private room for pro players on the third floor of the association headquarters: the Player’s Room.
Beeeeeeep …… beep, beep, beep.
“Oh?”
Snap. Click! I move the piece across the board as I respond, hitting the chess clock switch immediately after.
Both of us have fifteen minutes of waiting time. Once that’s up, all moves must be made in thirty seconds. Practice style Shogi.
“Some girls in my class were talking about it. Said it was fun.”
Snap. Click! Big Sis uses no time at all either, makes her move and flips the switch.
With important matches out of the way, pro Shogi players are ready for a long spring break. No one except Big Sis and I are around because there aren’t many matches to play. Doing that three-day remedial practice punishment right now.
“Hmmm ……,” I mumble and make my move.
The whole point of this conversation is to establish a rhythm. Neither of us is listening to a word the other says.
Big Sis brought up Universal Studios Japan, but if she or I actually went, we’d either go to a Shogi classroom or play Shogi in one of the karaoke places. They’ve got private rooms where we can eat and drink as much as we want and no one will ever complain that we’re being too loud: perfect for Shogi. Heck, playing all night would be a breeze.
“About tomorrow.”
Snap. Click!
“What about it?”
Snap. Click!
“Any plans, Yaichi?”
“I don’t have anything going on——.”
Both of us are already playing with a thirty-second limit. Using each other’s turns to read the board, we answer with slow, steady voices.
“But tomorrow’s the day my apprentice takes her Practice League Test.”
Snap!! Click!!
Big Sis snapped her piece down with vigor. I’m surprised the clock is still in one piece. She’s really into it.
“…… And?”
“Well, I thought I’d go watch, just for fun.”
Snap. Click!
“Aren’t you being overprotective?”
“Well, I’m sure getting into the Practice League will be a cakewalk for my Ai.”
“……”
Big Sis’s outstretched hand stops in midair and clenches into a fist. She’s reading up to the last second.
“But I feel responsible for her, staying at my place and all. And there’s nothing for me to do at home. Nowhere else I’d like to go either. No one would come with me,” (grimace).
“……”
Beep! Beep! Beep——.
“When it comes down to it, she’s cute, so I never get tired of her face. Apprentices are like that.”
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!
The chess clock’s loud alarm bell rings.
Time’s up.
“Ah, um …… Big Sis? It looks like time ran out ……”
“Sure does.”
Big Sis stands up like nothing happened after losing to a rule violation.
I know what’s going on.
This is …… Big Sis when she’s pissed off.
But why? Was it something I said? We were just talking about our plans for tomorrow, right ……?
“Big Sis? What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Work,” she answered without missing a beat, but the clearly irritated Princess left the room without another word.
Work on a Sunday? Maybe the Women’s League has an event or something? She prioritizes Shogi studies above all else, so I doubt she’d get involved ……”
“Well, it’s nothing I have to worry about.”
Putting the pieces back, I head out the door too.
I go down to the second-floor classroom just in time to see Ai getting stars stamped on her Match Card.
“Oh! Master!”
“How’d you do today?”
Ai sticks up four fingers and smiles from ear to ear. Won four in a row?
It would be better for her to have these victories fresh in her mind for tomorrow. It’s only lunch time, but this is a good time to call it a day. I tell her to take the afternoon off.
“Want to grab a bite at Twelve for luck?”
“Yay! A restaurant!”
In order to energize Ai, just as we decide to eat at one of the restaurants on the association’s first floor and head down the stairs, I spot a couple staring at the building map just inside the front door.
Middle-aged ……? They’re probably married, but not very old.
Both the man and the woman look like they’ve got their ducks in a row. No offense to Shogi fans, but these two don’t look like the type of people that would come here to play Shogi in the early afternoon.
“Hello there. Can I help you find something?”
Being a pro Shogi player is all about service. I put on a gentlemanly smile and greet them.
Their eyes jumped open a little wider upon seeing me.
However, they looked much more surprised to see my apprentice following me down the stairs. They practically scream in unison.
“Ai!”
“Ai!”
As for the screamee, Ai——.
“Daddy!? M-Mommy!?”
…… Come again?
☗ Ai’s Parents
A man that carries himself with the air of an old warrior.
“My name’s Takashi Hinatsuru.”
We are at the association’s first floor restaurant Twelve.
Sitting across the table from us, Ai’s parents are rather subdued, completely different from their energetic daughter. It’s almost scary ……
“…… My father is our inn’s chef.”
“…… I see.”
Ai quietly whispers into my ear next to me.
Her father, whose air just screams “artisan!” reminds me a lot of Master Kiyotaki. Not that he seems the type to pee out his workspace window, it’s more, I don’t know, the air about him?
“Kuzuryu-sensei, it was a pleasure to host the Ryuo Title Match.”
“I-I should be the one thanking you ……”
“I regret not being able to greet you in person as my duties in the kitchen prevented me from leaving my post. Please allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate you on becoming the youngest Ryuo in history. Also, I’ve come to apologize for all the trouble my daughter has caused, knowing full well words will never suffice.”
With that, he lowered his head and I’m the one who doesn’t know what to say. This feels weird, as if Master were bowing his head to me ……
However.
Things were about to get much more uncomfortable.
“I’m Akina Hinatsuru.”
Now it’s Ai’s mother’s turn.
“I oversee the day-to-day operations of our family’s inn, HinaTsuru. It really was a pleasure hosting you, Kuzuryu-sensei, and all of our guests from the Shogi world.”
She looks exactly like Ai, a bombshell …… But her heavy air and thorn-laden polite voice send chills running down my spine.
It was the Ryuo Title Match, when I earned my title of Ryuo.
Taking place over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, people involved with Shogi from all over Japan gathered at the HinaTsuru on that premium Christmas weekend to watch the season’s final title match.
There’s no way the match’s after-party wouldn’t get a little out of hand.
My drunken Master said something crazy like “I am … Shogi!” before doing something even crazier, throwing off his robe and stripping down to his boxers. He forced me to strip down myself and all the young pros from Kansai that came to cheer me on followed suit. Then, everyone ran out into the lobby and started playing “human Shogi” in nothing but their skivvies. That’s when some reporter on the scene got the fantastic idea to broadcast that game live over the Internet. People were talking about it for weeks.
I don’t want to remember what happened that night, and I’m sure that the inn’s staff doesn’t have fond memories of that deplorable evening …… yeah? Seeing me brings them flooding back in. One after another.
Burying memories of that awkward night as deep as possible, I force a smile and say, “W-Well, you’ve already come this far. Why not have a bite to eat? I recommend the ‘Extraordinary Pork Beauty.’ It’s really good.”
I open the menu and explain.
By the way, the ‘Extraordinary Pork Beauty’ is an original creation by the chef here at Twelve. They take a tender piece of pork, add a light breading, and then smother it in a sweet sake sauce to make this tasty dish. The name is a bit strange, but I like it. They also have another one called ‘Dynamite,’ but that name is so out there that I don’t remember ever ordering it.
“I’ll have the ‘One Bite Head-Over-Heels Cutlet’ lunch set. How about you?”
“The same.”
“O-Oh, all right then …… Ai, what would you like?”
“Buttered rice!!”
When all was said and done, only I got the ‘Extraordinary Pork Beauty.’ It’s really good …… But that name ……
The food came and the conversation started back up once everyone except Ai was finished. She’s scooping the rice into her mouth, but there’s so much on her plate and her mouth is so tiny that she won’t be finished anytime soon. Just take your time …
“If I may … about you taking on my daughter as an apprentice …”
Her father wipes his mouth with a napkin and continues.
“My wife and I have discussed this at great length and decided——to oppose this arrangement. We can’t allow her to be any more of a bother than she already has been to someone as prestigious as yourself.”
“Nhhh!! MUMMMM!!”
“Ai. What have we told you about speaking with your mouth full?”
Scolded by her father, Ai shovels even more rice into her mouth and chews at a blistering pace. Hang in there.
Twelve knows how to make a delicious pork cutlet, but even that wasn’t enough to make her parents more willing to listen.
“W-well … I can’t deny that sending your daughter to live with a complete stranger to train might seem a little bizarre in this day and age …… It’s only natural that you, as her parents, would be against it.”
“No. That’s perfectly fine.”
Say what?! Perfectly fine?!
“In our lines of work——whether it’s managing an inn or working in cuisine, living with your instructor is common practice. I have been told that Shogi is much the same.”
“That, well …… Why yes. That …… That it is ……”
I make my responses as vague as possible.
Live-in apprentices are a dying breed in the Shogi world. I’m pretty sure that Big Sis and I are the only ones under forty who have done it. Master Kiyotaki must have left out that detail when he spoke to them.
“I firmly believe that children need to be separated from their parents when training to become truly skilled in any occupation. I have no words to express my gratitude to you for accepting our daughter into your home, Kuzuryu-sensei.”
“You’re welcome.”
“However, whether or not this is the best option for our daughter’s future is another issue entirely——. The point is, would becoming ‘a Women’s League player’ be in our daughter’s best interest?”
Ai’s mother cut in before her father could finish what he was saying.
“Being her mother, I took the liberty of doing my own research …… Women’s League players rarely have a steady income, they have a surprisingly large amount of vacation time, and many retire at a young age, correct? I would like to hear what you have to say on the matter, Kuzuryu-sensei.”
“Alright then ……”
I pause for a moment to gather my thoughts and nod. “It’s true that becoming a Women’s League player doesn’t guarantee a bright future.”
“Master?!”
The last bits of rice finally gone from her plate, Ai anxiously tugs at my sleeve.
But I just give her a reassuring look before continuing my spiel.
“They don’t have anywhere near as many matches as the main leagues and are paid less per match. Their remuneration from other parts of the job is also lower than men. It’s true that they don’t have as much financial security. However,” I go on, “In Ai’s case, I don’t think that will be a problem.”
“And why do you say that?”
“Because Ai is gifted with extraordinary talent,” I state with confidence. My voice naturally starts burning with enthusiasm. “At the rate she’s growing, I have no doubt that she’ll claim a Women’s Title. Considering her bubbly, friendly personality, Ai would be a shoe-in to give lessons or even get recruited as an assistant on Shogi TV shows. They make a lot more money than secretaries working in some offices.”
“……”
“I can attest that doing what you love for a living isn’t all fun and games,” I say, remembering those dark days when I was getting crushed under the weight of my losing streak——before Ai came. There’s nothing more painful than being rejected by what you enjoy. “Then again, a life where you can’t do what you love as much as you would like can’t be considered a good one. At least, that’s what I believe ……”
It’s not like just anyone can become a pro Shogi player.
In a world where the vast majority of people give up on the dream, it’s much worse for someone with the necessary skills to miss out on the opportunity to go pro.
“A valid point ……”
A thinly veiled grin appears on Ai’s mother’s face.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but how many apprentices have you trained, Kuzuryu-sensei?”
“Actually …… Ai is my first ……”
“So how is it that you understand exactly how talented Ai is? How can you claim that she’ll win a title under your tutelage?”
“……”
“You seem quite confident, but are your clear lack of credentials enough to place the future of someone else’s child in your hands?”
She’s talking down to me, like I’m just a kid. Ai’s father immediately defends me from his seat next to her.
“Listen to yourself! How can you be so rude?!”
“You will be quiet, please.”
“Okay.”
Sir?! Don’t you think that was too quick to throw in the towel?!
Ai whispers quietly into my ear.
“…… He took my mother’s name and married into the business, so he can’t go against her.”
“…… Sure looks that way.”
He won’t be much help ……
“I’ll ask you again, Kuzuryu-sensei. Are you saying that your teachings can mold my daughter into a titleholder?”
“Well, I——.”
“Yes, he can!!”
That wasn’t me, but Ai. She made her feelings known with her spoon still clenched in her fist.
“Master is a great teacher! Always kind, but strict, with a great technique and stamina …… We kept going until morning the very first night!”
“……”
“……”
“Sh-Shogi! She’s talking about Shogi?! That’s all I’ve been teaching her?!”
Not only are Ai’s parents looking at me suspiciously, the chef here at Twelve is too. Why?
“…… Anyway.”
Ai’s mother coughed as though trying to break that awkwardness that comes from a love scene showing up on TV when watching as a family. Then.
“We’re taking Ai home with us. I’m sure you understand.”
“NOOO!”
Ai jumps under the table and latches onto the central table leg, ready for a long defensive bout before I can get a word in edgewise. An anaguma in Shogi terms. Solid as a rock.
“I’m not going home! Dara!!”
“Is that any way to speak to your mother yaine!”
Mother and daughter start arguing from above and below the tabletop. What the heck’s going on ……?
I turned her father and quietly asked, “Um, sorry, but what does dara mean?”
“It’s a word that means something along the lines of idiot or feces.”
Oh ……
That means that Ai has been calling Big Sis something along the lines of idiot or feces with an angelic smile on her face this whole time. Big Sis’ll kill if she finds out—namely me!
I’ve got to make sure the truth never comes out …… But it’s all over if Big Sis ever checks the Internet. So, my cause of death would be the Internet? Talk about an enemy. But, I still gotta know. Am I sick?
I build up the courage and address Ai’s mother.
“It’s true that my teachings alone may not be enough. However, there is a Shogi league specifically designed to help women become professionals. She’ll receive tried-and-true instruction there.”
“What’s it called?”
“The Practice League. Women can turn professional after training there and attaining a certain level. In a way, the entire Kansai branch of the Japan Shogi Association will be involved in training your daughter.”
“……”
“Ai’s already registered to take the Practice League’s entrance test, so why not wait and see the results for yourself before making your decision? The test is tomorrow.”
“Listen you, he’s made a very solid argument ……,” Ai’s father passionately interjects, taking some of the pressure off me.
The girl cautiously pokes half her face over the tabletop like a hermit crab. Cute.
“So, this Practice League, What is it? What kind of test is required to join?”
“She’ll have to play three consecutive handicap matches …… against prospective professionals and full-fledged pros. Her performance determines whether or not she can join.”
“…… I see.”
Ai’s mother slowly nods.
“Should Ai win all three matches, I will allow her to join the Practice League.”
“A-all three?!” Ai and I blurted out the same words in unison.
Even her father stood up to state his case.
“Are you serious? You can’t possibly expect——.”
“You will be quiet, please.”
“Okay.”
Father, sitting.
“If our daughter truly has as much talent as you claim, she should be able to pass this test with a perfect score. Am I wrong?”
“Um, not wrong …… It’s just, this isn’t that kind of test. It’s not necessary to beat the examiner to pass. Even if the test-taker loses every match, they can still pass if their technique is sound. So please——.”
“That information is irrelevant.”
Ai’s mother cuts me off like a slap to the face. Me, silent.
“Even playing against professionals, if she can’t win with the benefit of a handicap, that means she wasn’t that talented in the first place, correct? Just because they’re professionals doesn’t mean they’re the best of the best. A truly talented player should have no defeat in three matches in a row. Am I wrong?”
Expecting the impossible maybe ……
Novices often make this mistake, but just because one player is better than another doesn’t guarantee that they can win.
We call it a one-up or two-up ratio, where one player’s skill is equal to having the advantage of one big piece over their opponent in an even match. The lesser player could still win a third of the matches.
No matter how talented Ai is, no matter how much of a handicap she’s given, there’s no guarantee that she, who started playing less than half a year ago, can win three matches against far more experienced players.
I open my mouth to start explaining that, but.
“I won’t lose!”
Ai crawls out from beneath the table, matching her mother’s a strong tone tit for tat. Grabbing onto my arm, she argues with her in their dialect.
“Master has taught me so, so much! I’ll never, never lose gaine!!”
“Prove it,” her mother arrogantly retorts. “Win every match and I’ll allow you to keep training. However, the deal is off the moment you lose and we go home. Is that clear?”
☖ The Last Night
“…… All right. That should be enough,” I say to my pajama-clad apprentice and start cleaning up, but Ai reaches across the board to stop me, clinging.
“Master! Just one more——.”
“No.”
“But ……”
“All pros rest up before official matches. It’s an important technique, you know,” I tell her while patting her head to calm her down. “You have thirty-five minutes of waiting time for each of the three games tomorrow, one-minute Shogi after that. Then there’s the pressure of having to win all three. It’ll really wear you out.”
“………… Okay.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. Play the way you normally do, and you’ve got this. It’s in the bag.”
She played Shogi all morning, reviewed standard strategy with me after saying goodbye to her parents, and I lost count of how many two-piece handicap matches we played after she took a bath earlier tonight.
Ai is already at a level where she can take games off me with that two-piece handicap. I’m pretty sure she could face Practice League members without a handicap and win three times in a row.
What worries me …… is whether Ai can handle the pressure or not.
Since she’s never been in a tournament, the only match she’s ever played that had something on the line was that first match she played to become my apprentice.
That’s why I’m afraid the pressure might overwhelm her.
But experience is the only way to overcome it. If there were some magic medicine that eased the pressure, I’d love to give her some ……
“…… Master.”
“Yeah?”
I thought she’d long since gone to bed, but she’s here, face half hidden by the pillow in her arms and looking right at me.
Plus, she’s blushing bright red and kind of fidgety.
Red face and fidgety …… Oh.
“Use the bathroom before going to bed, okay?”
“I don’t need to!”
Ai, face flushing red like a bomb went off, grows even more antsy and mumbles, “Umm …… ughhh ……” until she gives the pillow a big squeeze, works up her courage, and practically yells, “Uh, um …… Can I have something to feel you with, Master?!”
“……”
…… Feel me?
“S-Something like a handkerchief or a pen, something you use …… Anything is okay! I want …… a good luck charm for tomorrow’s matches ……”
“Ahh …… Got you. A good luck charm.”
Yes, yes. Yep. That’s what she meant.
Of course, I knew the whole time.
“…… Sure. I’ll have something ready for you in the morning.”
“Th …… Thank you so much!”
“Now, get some sleep.”
“Okay! I bid you good night!!”
After making a picture-perfect bow with her hands on the tatami mat, Ai spins around so fast that the hem of her pajama skirt, kitten face and all, swishes around her knees. Then she hopped all the way back to her room.
Ker-chak. Once I heard her door close, “Hmm …… That should work.”
I go to my closet to take out my calligraphy set and a white fan.
I wrote my own fan three times just like this: one after becoming 4-dan, one when I decided to pursue the Ryuo title, and one after I won the title—Fresh Start, Resolute and Keep Growing. Looks like I’ve got a motivational speech lined up on the floor …
But I’ll write something else this time.
While I don’t have any magic medicine——.
I decided to impart something, something that she’ll need for every match, the most important thing of all, by pouring my heart and soul into each stroke of my pen.
Courage——.
The next morning, when my apprentice awoke to find a fan handwritten by her Master next to her pillow, “ME——OOOW!!” Her cat-like squeal of happiness woke me up.
☗ Practice League Test
“This way. It will take place upstairs.”
I met Ai’s parents at the association’s front door and led them up to the fifth-floor arena where her Practice League Test was going to be held.
By the way.
I know I’ve been saying “Test,” “Test” quite a bit, but there is no actual “Practice League Test Day.”
It’s just added into the normal sessions called “Regular Activities.”
And if the examinee performs well, they can join right then and there.
“So, don’t think too hard. It’s okay—play just like normal, all right?”
Keika, who already holds a C2 rank in the Practice League, offers Ai some kind words to help her relax.
Ai is sitting on her ankles in the corner of the room and looks very very nervous. The fan I left next to her pillow is tightly clenched in her fist.
Currently, there are thirty-nine men and women who belong to the Kansai Shogi Association’s Practice League, most of whom are elementary and middle school students.
Nine of them who are trying to become Women’s League Players are a little older than the rest.
Keika is the oldest at twenty-five, but I’d say most are in high school. The only elementary schoolers are the two who came to the Practice Group at my apartment, Mio and Ayano, and of course Ai.
“Nh. Good morning, everyone.”
The man in charge of the Practice League, Yoshitsune Kuruno 7-dan, says a quick hello and takes attendance.
With that out of the way, he pulls out a “Big Board”—a whiteboard with a Shogi grid printed on it and magnetic Shogi pieces—to do a quick strategy lecture and gives the Practice League members a life lesson.
Today’s lecture went like this.
“Tell me, what kind of things do each of you do to get better?” Kuruno-sensei asks the rows of Practice League members in a kind voice, looking at each of them in turn.
The grade school members answer first. “Play matches every day!” “Solve lots of Shogi puzzles.”
“Nh. Playing matches, solving puzzles, there are many ways to improve. But the most important one is to keep building. For example,” he continues, “for people who have difficulty maintaining correct posture, try sitting on your ankles throughout your first match today. Then try to maintain it well into your second match during the next session. Then through the end of the second match during the following session …… Keep building like that and you’ll be far better than you were when you started before you know it. This is called effort.”
No sooner did Sensei say that then each of the elementary schoolers hastily fixed their posture. It’s so cute how they follow directions right away.
“There’s someone taking the test to join our ranks today. I’d like all of you to focus. Build on what you’ve learned. Show her that the Practice League is not just another classroom.”
Suddenly the center of attention, Ai froze like a statue. Keika forced a smile and gently rubbed her back.
“Now then, I’ll announce today’s matchups.”
Once he was finished saying who was facing whom with what handicap, the Practice League members went straight to the Shogi boards and started lining up their pieces at once. Desire to get started is radiating out of each and every one of them. Even my fingers start moving on their own.
With only one left uncalled, Kuruno-sensei turns his attention to Ai.
“Miss Hinatsuru, you play at a 3-dan rank in the classroom downstairs, yes?”
“Y-yes!”
“Nh. Then let’s see what you can do against Miss Sadatou without a handicap.”
Ai’s first opponent will be Ayano Sadatou, one of Ai’s Practice Group friends.
She may only hold an F1 rank as a new Practice League member, but I saw her play during the Grade Schooler Practice Group. She has a great feel for Shogi.
An even match with no handicap. Ai was assigned the second move with the flip of a piece.
“Now, please get started.”
“Ready when you are!” they both say at once.
All the participants bow to each other at the call of their instructors and every match gets underway. The electric chess clocks hum to life as the first clacks ring out from the Shogi boards.
“Whoa ……”
Ai’s father lets out something like an impressed sigh. Even her mother is watching intently.
The bubbly, excited atmosphere is gone, as are the young, innocent expressions from each child’s face. It’s gotta be strange for someone seeing this for the first time. A bunch of young assassins who are trying to kill each other’s Kings are here now.
Now then, about Ai’s match——.
“Would you look at that. Ai’s got a chance to take the lead.”
“Huh?” her parents respond in unison, looking to me for clarification.
“Ai’s opponent is being overly cautious and set up her defenses too soon. That actually opens up a weak spot in her formation. It’s not big enough to bring the whole thing down but ……”
But, it’s more than enough for Ai.
“…… Nhh!!”
Ai rams her Bishop into the formation to bring it all down—using no time.
“Huh?!”
Ayano is stunned by Ai’s decision to use one of her big pieces in a suicidal attack run right off the bat.
“I-I have no choice but to take it!”
She has that look in her eyes and takes the Bishop. That opened the floodgates to an all-out onslaught.
Seizing her chance, Ai used absolutely no waiting time as she systematically cornered Ayano’s King all the way into checkmate.
She found a tiny hole in the wall and forced it open with an attack as ferocious as a storm surge.
“There …… There are no options left …… I’ve lost ……”
Still not sure what hit her, Ayano lowers her head in a daze.
Ai’s brain is still working so fast that, “thankyou!” her words blended together. Ai practically throws her head down. Even her cheeks are flushed red with excitement.
Surprised to hear a match coming to an end, the nearby kids start talking in a frenzy.
“For real?”
“Over already?”
“Baby Dragon is a beast ……”
Only 34 moves were made. Matches normally last for nearly 100, so that one was incredibly short.
Ai’s father is just as surprised.
“D-Did she win already?! Ai?!”
“Your daughter’s determination won the match. She took advantage of her opponent’s momentary lapse before she was ready to fight.”
“Determination?” Ai’s mother says in her prickly tone. “Shogi is a board game, is it not? How could a player’s determination affect the outcome?”
“It’s true that Shogi is a board game.”
Twenty years ago——when the current, unquestioned ruler of the Shogi world claimed all seven titles, a journalist asked him, “What is Shogi to you?” This was his answer.
“Shogi is——just a game. However, as long as two people are facing off, mental elements such as overconfidence, fear and other emotions will always play a part.”
Even in this match, if Ayano had just taken a deep breath and analyzed Ai’s attack without getting rattled, there were many opportunities to take the upper hand.
But she got swept up in Ai’s big piece sacrifice and extremely fast pace, which caused her to make a bad move and ultimately lose this extremely short game.
Heck, Ayano had the first move in an even match. She would’ve had the advantage by attacking first. Being unable to do so means she lost her determination right then and there.
“You’re very good, Ai …… Too good ……”
“B-But I nearly lost a few times …… Went a little too quick ……”
The two of them start doing the review session and, “Ohh ……?”
A person behind them who came in for a closer look let out a curious breath.
Ai’s approach was just that impressive. The final formation on the board put her talent on full display.
That talent of hers attracted another talent.
☖ Pro
“Nh. I’ll be the next opponent.”
My eyes flew open once I saw the man who named himself.
“Kuruno-sensei is going to ……?!”
Manager of the Practice League—Yoshitsune Kuruno 7-dan.
Ai’s father asks me in a hushed voice, “Who is he?”
“He oversees the Practice League …… Should Ai get accepted into the league, he’ll be the one instructing her. He has a B1 ranking, a full-fledged pro ……”
Just for comparison, I’m three levels below him in C2.
Completely different from the Kuzu Ryuo who claimed the title on a lucky hot streak, Kuruno-sensei’s skills are the real deal. His unique sensibility, known as Kuruno World, strikes fear into the hearts of pro Shogi players everywhere.
“So, she really is playing against professional Shogi players ……”
“Indeed. She will, of course, have a handicap.”
A two-piece handicap to be exact. Kuruno-sensei will be playing without his Bishop and Rook.
Under normal circumstances, he’d also play without the left and right Lances in a four-piece handicap, but it looks like he wants to see just how good Ai is for himself.
Ai’s parents can’t hide their surprise at seeing their daughter sitting across the board from a pro Shogi player either.
Both of their gazes trained on her, Ai squeezes her fan with her hands resting on her knees before lowering her head and saying as loud as she could, “I-I’m ready to play when you are!”
“Nh. As am I.”
They bow. Then Kuruno-sensei removes his suit jacket to reveal the short-sleeved shirt underneath.
Taking off his suit jacket before the first move is part of Kuruno-sensei’s pre-match routine. So is playing in short sleeves. It also lets everyone know he’s not holding back.
The lively room’s entrance gets noisy.
“So, who is it? Who’s the Ryuo’s apprentice?”
“Whoa! Sounds like she’s gonna play Kuruno-sensei!”
“This’ll be good.”
The Kansai Shogi world is a small one. Rumors of “strong kids” spread fast. Staff members, Sub League members, journalists and even pro Shogi players are gathering to see just how strong Ai is for themselves.
Ai’s father is having a hard time stringing words together in this charged atmosphere.
“D-Does she stand a chance ……?”
“Anyone else, and I wouldn’t have much hope …… But Ai could win this!”
She can win if she follows standard strategy and maintains an advantage …… But …
“Nh …… I see. You’ve been studying. In that case——.”
After following the standard for several turns, Kuruno 7-dan makes a move that deviates from convention.
“!? ………”
With this strange move it looked like he passed this turn. Ai’s hand freezes on the spot.
Clench, clenched, clench. She’s leaning forward, squeezing her fists together on her knees. It’s still early game, but she’s carefully reading the board. No matter what move comes her way, Ai focuses all her energy on figuring out its purpose. That talent of hers is spreading its wings.
“…… Here, here, hereherehereherehere ………… Yes!”
Body swaying side to side to establish a rhythm and quietly whispering to herself, Ai forcefully pushes a piece forward. A strong move!!
“Whoa! You guys see that!?”
“She’s got guts!”
Ai’s father was caught off guard by the audience’s happy reaction.
“W-What’s happening?”
“Ai has chosen to completely reject her opponent’s plan of attack, which will lead to the fiercest possible battle. The idea of challenging a pro Shogi player to a contest of strength doesn’t frighten her at all. Your daughter has nerves of steel.”
“I had no idea she had this in her ……”
Ai’s father and mother watched their daughter as if seeing her for the first time.
Kuruno-sensei keeps his eyes on the board, tense as he opens his mouth.
“Nhh ……… Ryuo.”
“Yes?”
“Those three bags over there are mine. Please bring me the middle one.”
“S-Sure!”
I walk over to the three large sports bags in the corner of the room and grab the middle bag. Whoa?! This thing is pretty heavy?!
“S-Sensei ……! Your bag ……!”
“Nh. Thanks.”
He takes the bag from my outstretched hands and pulls out a circular contraption from inside. Pretty darn big.
He sets the machine down behind his back and flips the switch.
Whirrrrrrrr …… A low, quiet hum echoes through the room. The gallery is having a field day.
“That’s Kuruno-sensei’s air purifier ……!”
“He’s playin’ for real! This ain’t no instructional match …… The pro is goin’ for the win!”
I-It’s one of Kuruno-sensei’s “Seven Match Items,” the minus ion air purifier!
“…… Does that make any difference?” Ai’s mother frowns. A valid question.
“It puts his mind at ease …… That’s my theory, but that little bit of reassurance is very important.”
“How do you mean?”
“In order for the brain to reach its peak level of concentration, it’s necessary to remove any anxiety or outside distractions. Humans can’t concentrate to their full potential when something is bothering them.”
That’s why pro Shogi players use many different methods, like keeping their schedules open before matches, wearing earplugs during the match or doing other little things to keep their minds clear. There was even a guy who had the hotel turn off their waterfall during the title match.
That probably means that for Kuruno-sensei, knowing “minus ion air is clean ♪” helps him relax that extra little bit. I think. Maybe.
“Eliminating all the small distractions allows him to get in the zone and completely focus on the match. I believe he needs that machine to do it.”
“Is it really necessary to go that far to play Shogi?”
“Professionals completely devote themselves and their livelihoods to playing Shogi. Every little bit helps.”
I’ve gotten used to Ai’s mother’s tone.
Ai told me last night that this inn manager, her mother, apparently always hated Shogi. The local Hot Spring Association asked them to host the Ryuo Title Match, so she never saw Shogi players do anything more than playing around. Ai thinks that her mother’s father—Ai’s grandfather—ignoring his duties at the inn to play Shogi could be the reason for her disdain.
But for everyone in here, Shogi is our reason for living. We truly believe that without Shogi death is the only thing left. We battle with that in our hearts.
“On a related note, I’ve heard that some Chinese Go pros play in tournaments with needles in their heads.”
“N-Needles?! In their heads?! They play with those things just sticking out?!”
“That’s how badly they want to win. That’s everything. Anything it takes to win.”
The match has already passed through the mid-game and dives right into the ever-difficult late game.
We may be professionals, but it’s not like we can magically conjure pieces out of thin air. In order to overcome a two-piece handicap without some of the big pieces on your side, you have to trick your opponent and chip away at their forces while steadily building your own.
Therefore pros set traps all over the board.
It’s sort of like setting landmines, blowing the wayward pieces that come too close to your territory sky high. The strategy is to slowly dismantle your opponent piece by piece.
But Ai keeps her nose to the board, rocking her body side to side ever so slightly and reading the formations. Then she boldly sends her Silver into a minefield.
“Nh?!”
Kuruno 7-dan’s eyes bulged in surprise at Ai’s determination to point a sharp blade directly at her superior opponent’s King.
Her Silver deftly avoids the traps, practically dancing across the board and wreaks havoc on his formation. Ai then sends both her Rook and Bishop to tear his defenses apart at the seams. Intense. Even the audience is burning with excitement, enough to make the room heat up. Competitive fire sparked and blood boiling, the combatants let loose.
“Nhh ……” Kuruno-sensei folds his arms and groans.
I’m sure he was expecting at least one of his traps to work, but all of them failed. He underestimated Ai’s talent.
Pesky little traps were nothing to the untamed, fully unleashed talent sitting before him.
“Nh!!”
After much internal deliberation, Sensei decides to charge into battle. Rather than protecting his own King, he launches an all-out assault on Ai’s.
Making sure the two of them couldn’t hear me, I whisper quietly to Ai’s parents as soon as I see that move, “He’s lost.”
“Huh?”
Ai’s father looks at me with surprise.
“It-it’s already over?”
“Yes. Many moves still need to be made, but there’s no escape for Kuruno-sensei’s King. All that’s left is to see if Ai notices ……”
If she decides to go on defense now, the tide will turn against her. It’s another trap, a tactic.
There’s a trust that comes with the pro designation.
“As a pro, they’re definitely better than me.”
“As a pro, they’ve definitely read everything.”
Everyone has this trust when it comes to pros. Therefore, they often use this trust against their opponent to find mental weak spots and exploit them.
“The pro has stopped protecting the King and has gone on the attack. That King must be invulnerable …… Then I’d better protect mine!”
The moment Ai believes that trust rather than what she’s reading on the board, she’s already lost. There is no path to victory in Shogi if you don’t believe in yourself.
I was worried about her——but it turns out I didn’t need to worry.
Ai puts Kuruno-sensei’s King in check with no hesitation and closes in. She’s got the enemy King completely cornered. That means she listened to her gut feelings, believed in herself.
Kuruno 7-dan places his hand on top of his piece stand once he saw that move.
“Nh. I have lost.”
“Th …… Thankyousoverymuch!”
Ai quickly lowers her head too.
Sure, she had a handicap, but I can tell she’s excited about winning against a pro Shogi player. Those flushed cheeks and watery eyes say it all: she put everything she had into reading the board. Her left hand, still clenching the fan, shook the whole time.
After a quick review session, Kuruno-sensei came up next to me and whispered so quietly that no one else could hear. “She’s good. At that level, she doesn’t belong in the Practice League.”
“Do you really think so, Kuruno-sensei?’
“I know so, because I just got thoroughly trounced by that talent of hers.”
Sensei’s face relaxed after a tense smile and he nodded.
“I’d love to teach her. Two consecutive victories and defeating a pro with a two-piece handicap should be plenty.”
With that, Ai should be accepted into the Practice League, except ……
He must not have noticed my lack of enthusiasm because he immediately turned to Mr. and Mrs. Hinatsuru standing next to me with a big smile on his face.
“Are you her parents? You have an incredibly talented daughter.”
“D-Do you really think so?”
Ai’s father looks overjoyed. No parent would ever not like to hear someone singing their daughter’s praise.
“I do. Her ability to accurately read the situation was surprising, but she has a very strong spirit. That’s what’s really good.”
“Spirit ……? What does that have to do with Shogi talent?”
“Everything,” Kuruno-sensei and I answer as one.
“Most Shogi matches end with surrender, so matches come to a close with one player admitting defeat. Therefore it takes a very strong spirit to believe in yourself and keep fighting without giving up when you’re against the ropes.”
“So it does ……”
“But, the most important thing of all is having a spirit strong enough to get back up after a loss.”
“After a loss?”
The look on Ai’s mother’s face seemed to say isn’t it all over when you lose? So Kuruno-sensei offered an explanation.
“Losing is a part of Shogi. Play against someone better than yourself and you will lose. At the same time, you’ll never improve without playing against people better than yourself.”
Joining the Practice League, and trying to join the Women’s League, means losing thousands, tens of thousands of matches.
Once the losses become too much to handle, once you start thinking you’ll never get any better and give up, that path will close.
“True failure only happens when the spirit gives out. But if the spirit stands strong, it’s not an actual loss. That’s why the most important talent to possess isn’t Shogi skill, but a strong spirit. It’s also the most difficult talent to acquire.”
Kuruno-sensei finishes his convincing speech and grins at me.
“I can see why the Ryuo took her as apprentice.”
“Well, you know …… Hahaha.” I laugh to cover the truth. There’s no way I can tell him that she was the one who came all the way to my apartment to ask me to take her.
“And she has the talent. Yaichi, have you considered having her join the Sub League in the future?”
“Sub League?” Ai’s father asks.
“Yes. It’s a step above the Practice League and the gateway to becoming a professional Shogi player. More women have started getting into the league recently. While their numbers are still small, they’re increasing.”
“Is joining this Sub League necessary for Ai to join the Women’s League?”
“It is not. In fact, joining the Sub League would disqualify her from joining at all.”
“One thing at a time, one at a time.”
I step in between the two of them.
“There’ll be plenty of time to think about that later …… For now, about joining the Practice League——.”
“Not yet.”
Snap! A voice cracks like a Shogi piece slapped against the board.
Ai’s mother.
“Our agreement was that she must win three consecutive games to keep playing Shogi. Begin the third match, please.”
“…… Nh. Understood. Let’s continue with the test.”
Kuruno-sensei didn’t look too happy about it, but realized what was going on right away.
Shogi is a useless life skill.
Many people see it that way, and it’s true in many cases.
That’s why many parents, especially parents who care about their children’s future, stop them from playing Shogi at a young age. They set their children on what they believe to be the best path and force them to leave Shogi behind. Talented children are taken from the Shogi world. All for love.
Kuruno-sensei is heavily involved in youth programs and has seen that situation play out like a broken record. That’s why he immediately recognized the signs.
“Should your daughter win the next match, she’ll become a Women’s League Player without question.”
“Is her opponent that good?”
“Very good, yes. ——She’s undeniably the best female to ever play in Shogi’s one thousand-four-hundred-year history.”
Right along with Kuruno-sensei’s words.
A beautiful young woman appears in front of the Shogi board like a pure white angel descending from heaven.
“Ahh——.”
Ai’s eyes flew open.
And the shock froze my vocal cords to the point that only muffled sound came out of my throat.