The work of the Go master

But upon closer reflection, his image has indeed remained in everyone's memory.

"Who exactly is he? Is he really a disciple of Shixin?" Qingdaolu asked, looking at the entrance to the port, even though the other person had long since disappeared.

"That's the only possible identity. Only someone at the level of a Stone Heart disciple would have this kind of strength," said Bamboo Blade Forging.

"I... that's the only way I can think of it." Xingcai nodded.

"Alright, let's get on the boat quickly. If we have the chance, we can ask him for clarification." Xingjia leaned on Xingcai's back and pushed her forward.

Hmm... I see, buoyancy can also carry people forward.

“Mr. Guang, don’t think about this anymore. If we’re ranking people by the degree of fate, you’re the most likely to see him again,” Xingjia said, turning around with a knowing smile.

Clearly, she most likely knew the other person's identity.

Ke Zhiguang simply lowered his head, focusing his gaze on his open folding fan.

The word chess sage.

If I remember correctly, this was written by Hanno-sensei himself.

That's probably the only answer.

Like the exhilaration of a mystery being solved, Ke Zhiguang flicked his fan in the air, closed it, turned around, and took a step forward.

The dragon boat has officially boarded!

The Ryugu also emitted a heavy groan as it swam into the depths of the sea.

Chapter Seventy-Two: Ooh-mi!

Hanno Ken returned to his original form, sitting in his wheelchair and gazing at the night sea. The person pushing the wheelchair was Kitaro Hikaze, the current holder of the Moon Sky.

"It's a memory I'd take to my grave. I hope I can remember this experience in my next life," Hanno Ken said with emotion.

"It's wonderful that your mission is almost over, while we have to live for so much longer, continuing our anxious lives in the world of Go," Nikko said wistfully.

Although he holds all three titles, his personality is vastly different from the other two.

His requirement was simple: in this treacherous world of chess, he just wanted to survive safely and live to the age of ninety-nine.

He rarely gets involved in other trivial matters, and even if young chess players ask him for help with training, he usually agrees.

Who knows if these young chess players will hold a grudge if he doesn't agree, and perhaps they'll try to cause him trouble like the protagonist did in the future.

If Koshikawa Tatsumi is the kind of super-emotional type who would gamble everything as long as the success rate isn't 0%, then Yagami Kunikyo is the ultimate rational type who would go all in as long as there's a 51% success rate.

Kitaro Hikaze is a 100% sure-win player, only making a move when he's absolutely certain of victory.

"Life in the world of Go is so free, Kitaro, you have to learn to enjoy it too," Hanno Ken instructed.

“Yes, yes, yes, the person who is the freest in the chess world can be called the chess saint. This is your motto.” Hikazeya nodded as if he was annoyed. “Thinking about it this way, the chess world now is really not free at all. Yagami Kunikyo is obsessed with immortality, while Tsukikawa Ryu is in a hurry to die.”

Perhaps this is the way of chess; everyone has their own pursuit.

"By the way, teacher, you mentioned before that Koji Hikaru chose Inoue's sister as his teammate, which reminded you of an old story... I'd like to ask which old story it was?" Nikkaze asked curiously.

"The situation back then is very similar to the present..." Hanno Ken slowly recounted the story.

-

That was fifty years ago, when Hannoken was 48 years old.

In the dojo of Hannoken, 11-year-old Yagami Kunikyo knelt down before his fellow disciples, his forehead pressed against the floor.

"Please let me participate in the chess competition ten days from now!" Yagami Kunikyo said firmly yet humbly.

"What are you saying! Yagami, this is a crucial game that will determine whether we can become the number one dojo in Kanto. How can we send a chess prodigy like you who can't even pass my two-piece challenge?" Senior brother retorted righteously.

"Please, I really want to participate in this competition. If I lose, I'll leave the dojo right now!"

The two sides were deadlocked, but everyone present sided with the senior brother.

The chess competitions of this era were similar to those of ancient gatehouses, where disciples from different schools would compete one-on-one to see which side could win more games.

The competition that determines the status of a dojo is extremely important.

-

"So Yagami Kunikyo used to kneel before others? I didn't know that." Hikaze said casually, "Speaking of which, there's a bit of a story about Senior Brother's position in our industry, like with Saito's side."

This is similar to how, in Jin Yong's novels, once the identity of the cousin is revealed, he is almost always the villain.

"Guokyo is a late bloomer in Go, or rather, he was a bit slow to develop his talent, but that also determined his composure later on," Hanno Ken said to himself.

"And then what?"

-

Just as the standoff was reaching its end, Hanno Ken emerged, wearing a loose kimono: "What's going on? Why are you shouting like that?"

"Teacher, Yagami is stubborn and insists on participating in the chess competition ten days from now."

Hanno Ken turned his gaze to the boy whose head remained pressed against the floor.

"Get up! Kunikyo, in the way of Go, you ask for help by your skill in Go, not by your forehead or knees!" Hanno Ken rebuked sharply.

Yagami Kunikyo slowly raised his head, his angry gaze startling those around him, including his senior brother. They couldn't imagine how he could make such a humble request with such a fierce look, let alone that this boy would one day stand at the pinnacle of Go.

"Well, you can still manage to show that look in your eyes." Hanno Ken smiled with satisfaction. "For the next ten days, train hard. Except for eating and sleeping, you need to throw yourself into training like crazy!"

"Yes!"

This was tantamount to granting his request.

-

"In the end, he succeeded and won the game he was meant to win."

"As expected of Brother Yagami, so... according to you, you've been guiding Inoue for over two months, implying that she'll achieve great things in the future?"

"Haha, not really. Her only goal is her father. After achieving that goal, she will probably return to a normal life. It's just that one knot in her heart can be untied. Not every female Go player is like A-Xiang or Harushima Kashiwa, able to embark on a legendary life." Hanno Ken laughed heartily.

After a moment of silence, Hikazeya said, "You and Keiji are really alike."

Hanno Ken instantly understood what the other person meant.

In this story structure, Hoshino appears to be the counterpart to Yagami Kyo, but in reality, they are fundamentally different.

What they really had in common was that Hanno Ken and Koji Hikaru both allowed each other to join the team.

"Yes, it really looks like it."

The lighthouse watched the Ryugu go into the deep sea, like a silent bard.

On the deck of the Ryugu, most of the chess players came to the forefront of the ship to feel the momentum of breaking through the wind and waves, and to shout "Oomi!"

Although the pronunciation of "ocean" is "umi," also known as "youmi," it sounds more like the Japanese-style "umi."

"Hey, are we going to play chess in a place like this next?"

"Don't worry, our chess matches are all scheduled for daytime, and the further south you go, the higher the temperature gets."

"Riding in something like this looks like you're going to fight monsters!"

An atmosphere of excitement filled the ship.

"Never mind, just go full speed ahead!" Ke Zhiguang pointed his finger forward, giving the order like a captain.

Under the influence of psychology, the ship seemed to really speed up, and time seemed to speed up as well.

......

......

Three days later.

The first day of the competition.

From the first day of June, the blazing sun shone down, and the sea surface shimmered with crystal-clear light.

Sunny days are like treasures, and the ocean is like a new world.

"Please give me your guidance!" The opening ceremony was announced, and the players took their seats.

Beneath the crystal-clear chandelier, amidst the surging sound of waves, black and white chess pieces clashed on the board, with golden waves as the backdrop.

"Alright, we're going to talk about Go again today! It's a rare opportunity to have a tournament at sea, so we must work hard and explain as many games as possible," Naosaka exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Um, Mr. Naosaka, this yet another saying is..."

"I learned this from Ke Zhiguang. It seems to be a word used to describe something that happens quite frequently."

Today is the third day since we boarded the ship, and the competition officially begins today.

All players except the captain participated, totaling sixty-four teams, divided into thirty-two rooms. Each room hosted four matches: Vanguard, Second Vanguard, Middle Vanguard, and Vice-Captain.

In the past, chess tournaments would first have a preliminary round at the chess academy to select teams of 64 people to enter the competition venue. However, under the team competition system, this number of people has increased fivefold. It has changed from a professional competition at the level of a tournament to a family mobilization similar to the Olympics. It is more like a feast than a competition.

In addition to the chess players, the broadcasting team, the chess academy's administrative staff, and various other related personnel also boarded the cruise ship.

Many prominent celebrities, or simply tourists who had bought boat tickets, also joined the banquet.

There were a total of 2000 people on this ship.

Since the main player is not playing for the time being, Ke Zhiguang has the opportunity to wander around the ship and experience the charm of this miniature floating city.

From the moment I boarded the Ryugu, the joy of stepping into a foreign land welled up within me.

This is indeed a small floating city, with a dazzling array of restaurants, colorful public spaces that resemble art galleries, a spacious multi-functional theater, and even duty-free shops.

It seems that you don't have to pay taxes when buying things on the high seas.

Because of the convenience of international waters, many cruise ships offer gambling facilities, but this ship did not install such facilities due to the large number of minors present.

"Phew, this is much more relaxing than I imagined." Ke Zhiguang sipped his strawberry milk as he strolled along.

I always wonder if there are any Go masters on this ship, like the one in "The Legend of 1900," who never leave the ship and only seek out opponents to hone their skills.

Because the latitude is much lower, the temperature has risen considerably, and his clothing has become much lighter, which has given him a more relaxed mindset to think about these trivial matters.

"Hey, you're too relaxed, kid. I didn't realize you were already a shoo-in for the championship." Saito's voice came from the side.

Ke Zhiguang turned his head and found Saito lounging comfortably on a beach chair, dressed in a standard Hawaiian vacation outfit: a floral shirt and sunglasses.

"No, no, no, to be honest, teacher, you look like you're slacking off even more than I do." Ke Zhiguang leaned closer.