The work of the Go master

On this very day, Rome and Constantinople will officially open their gates and send their respective armies to fight on the plains, in the valleys, and even in the sea, vying for leadership of the world.

"Time really flies," Ke Zhiguang exclaimed, his gaze fixed on the distance, meeting the stare of an unknown danger.

"When people get serious and focused, time flies by. Plus, luck might offer some psychological suggestion, making you feel like time is passing even faster... How about it? Don't you wish that luck could subtly speed up the clock for you on your future workdays?"

Ke Zhiguang didn't respond. There had been enough of the usual friction between him and Ling, and now, at this crucial juncture, they couldn't get any more out of each other.

Or rather, one's mind is already entirely focused on the battle that is about to erupt, and the pre-battle state is beginning to take shape.

......

In the mansion of Yagami Kunikyo, he was also gazing at the gray sky, the dark clouds pressed down so low they looked as if they might collapse at any moment.

"Lord Kokukyo, we are all ready." Shusaku's voice sounded behind him.

Yagami Kunikyo turned around and saw that his best team was already in place in the center of the office, like a group of armed black hawks.

All the chess players wore matching custom-made suits, the gleaming fabric resembling black dragon scales.

Yagami Kunikyo raised his glass: "It's been a pleasure working with you all during this time. Although we have a clear superior-subordinate relationship, there's no denying that we are also friends."

He drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, and the others followed suit.

Shusaku suddenly spoke up: "I've actually always had a question I wanted to ask you... what exactly is your ultimate goal?"

The moment the question was posed, all eyes turned to it, showing both caution and anticipation.

After a moment of silence, Yagami Kunikyo said, "It seems everyone is eager to know the answer to this question."

Shusaku nodded: "This is our biggest curiosity, because in our view, Lord Kokukyo, you are already at the pinnacle of the chess world, possessing enormous wealth, countless connections, and even mastering the core secrets of fortune... We really can't think of anything else worth risking everything for. If there is anything... it can only be something like immortality."

Yagami Kunikyo's gaze swept over the crowd, then he nodded: "That's right, it is immortality, but not the eternal life you imagine, but a more advanced form of immortality..."

As he spoke these words, his gaze fell on his palm, his five fingers clenching and unclenching like dragon claws, as if testing the power of authority.

"Life is painful, and I think everyone here understands this better than I do." Yagami Kunikyo rose from his office chair, the shadowy figure of a giant dragon rising from the ground, each syllable carrying weight.

"Physical ailments, emotional torment, fear and anticipation of the future... and the longing to return to the past—there are so many things we can no longer obtain. This is the lesson I've learned after being in this position for so long." Yagami Kunikyo's voice echoed in the living room, where all was silent.

“Only they…only they are not bound by all of this. My goal is to become them.” Yagami Kunikyo raised his voice slightly on the last syllable.

The five fingers suddenly exerted force, as if a demon were crushing a heart.

The elevator doors opened wide, revealing a space large enough to accommodate dozens of people.

"Go forth, my warriors, and hunt down the enemy's blood!" Yagami Kyoto spread his five fingers wide.

As if receiving a command, a red light appeared in the eyes of each ancient chess player.

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

A swarm of black snakes rushed into the elevator, a freight elevator with a large capacity that could accommodate the entire group.

The elevator slowly descended and stopped on the first floor. The moment the doors opened, it was as if the gates that had sealed away evil spirits had been released, and the orderly procession moved out in full force, like a horde of demons unleashed.

......

......

A cold wind pressed down on the chess academy, making the railings and doors and windows rattle.

The central courtyard of the chess academy is a magical place, evergreen all year round, maintaining its lush green vitality even in winter. But at this moment, most of the plants have withered, and the artificial hill stands abruptly and forlornly in the center of the courtyard, like a crooked tree.

The chess players who will be participating in the first round of the competition today are all dressed in suits and ties, holding folding fans steadily in their hands. They lean against the railings and windows, waiting for the order to start the game.

Rows of buses were already parked in the square in front of the chess academy. These buses would transport the chess players to their respective competition venues.

The competition venues are not limited to Tokyo; these buses are more often used to take them to train stations or airports.

From Hokkaido to Okinawa, from Kagoshima to Nemuro, the flames of the Go tournament will ignite the entire land!

"Keep it up, everyone! If all goes well, the war will be over before Christmas!" Xingjia encouraged everyone as she walked through the training hall corridors.

Indeed, Christmas is just around the corner, a day everyone looks forward to. And today, she's changed back into her shrine maiden attire, and her few shouts have certainly had a morale-boosting effect, much like a songstress.

However, upon closer examination of her lines, something felt off.

"Hey! That guy who was yelling about ending the war before Christmas almost didn't make it back for Christmas for the third year!"

"And they've been fighting for three years and still haven't won..."

"Well, don't worry about the details?" Xingjia stuck out her tongue and tapped her head, successfully getting away with it with her cuteness.

Xingcai spoke up from behind Xingjia: "Sister, where did you get all these jokes from? Did you copy them from Xiong Ying and Yingmei again?"

"Yes, after spending so much time with them, I feel my horizons have broadened considerably," Xingjia nodded with a smile.

"No, such unscrupulous political and military quips are really not up to the level of vision," Xingcai retorted with a cold laugh.

Today, the chess academy is already in a state of anticipation for the holiday. A restless atmosphere permeates the air, and no one can calm down.

However, as we all know, holidays and exams always go hand in hand, and if you fail an exam, you'll get a scolding from your parents during the holidays.

With everyone else losing interest in practicing chess, only a few tables still maintained their fighting spirit.

such as--

Sunwind Valley, Gentama Tomokazu, and the table with the bamboo sword forging.

"The ko was started too early here. We should have prepared the ko threats first." Just as Nikkoya was about to set up the board to review the game, Taketsuto Forged snatched the pieces away first.

"No! The timing is perfect. In this situation, we must take risks and achieve victory through surprise!"

"The problem isn't here, it's in the planning stage!"

Three pairs of hands were clashing on the chessboard like they were fighting.

Hikaze Tani rubbed his head, which was feeling a bit throbbing with blood pressure, but managed to calm it down.

He came to report in November, thinking that he would have some say based on his current position as Yue Tian, ​​but he was immediately attacked by these two.

"Yes, yes, you're both right. Whatever you say goes." He seemed to have come to terms with it and removed his hands from the chessboard.

Xuan Yu and Zhu Daoduan stared at each other blankly.

"No, you're a holder of a big title, how can you be so cowardly?" Bamboo Blade patted the other person's shoulder.

“Exactly, if Ke Zhiguang were here, he would definitely be happy to propose a quick game to decide the winner,” Xuan Yu immediately added.

Nichikaze's blood pressure continued to rise, and he let out a heavy sigh through his nose.

This trio is truly a breath of fresh air in the current climate.

"Are you all ready?" After a moment of silence, Nikko looked up and pointed his sharp gaze at the two men.

After a moment's pause, they both nodded simultaneously: "Of course, we're ready."

......

......

On the top floor of the Go Academy, in the open-air rest area, Qingdaolu had been sitting for a long time, gazing thoughtfully into the distance.

The thick, heirloom cotton quilt finally came in handy, perfectly wrapping her body in this warm and cozy space, instead of forcing her to find an electric fan to cool down.

Today, her outfit has reached its peak. In addition to being covered with a quilt early, she has also changed her shoes to little leather boots with dragon and phoenix carvings... These were all bought for her by her father when they went out to play last time. As for the specific aesthetic style... it seems that he treats her like a princess, and she is only missing a little red flower in her hair.

Looking back now, so much has happened during this period, yet time seems to have flowed by incredibly slowly, like traveling in a dream, only to find the journey has come to an end when you wake up.

It's time to... vent all the anger that's been building up during these months of closed training!

“Come on, I’m ready,” she said, stretching her hand towards the sky.

Just as the emotions reached their peak, the bell of the Go Academy rang at the perfect moment... Actually, the Go Academy didn't originally have a bell, but recently, since Shizuru Fuchigami's koto music has been ringing on time, everyone has started using it as a bell.

It is now 9:00 AM. The chess academy is no longer under lockdown. From now on, everyone is free to go out and about without being required to return by 8:00 PM.

"Alright, it's time to get going." Harushima Kaoru patted the raindrops off her skirt and jumped off the chair with a thud.

However, when she heard the piano music on the radio, Shiro was stunned.

I feel like I've heard this cheerful tune somewhere before...

Wait a minute! Isn't that the opening music from "Tom and Jerry"?! Who the hell chose this song as the battle cry?! It ruins the whole atmosphere!

Without a doubt, this song was chosen by Koji Mitsuaki. It was probably arranged with Fuchigami Shizuru long ago. The song was to be played precisely at nine o'clock on the morning of December 3rd to bid farewell to the brave warriors.

To be honest, this is definitely not something a carbon-based life form could come up with...

Although the background music was somewhat out of place, the chess players who were about to set off today still strode confidently out of the chess academy, with starlight-like camera flashes outside the door.

As expected, Shireshima Kashima walked in first, like King Arthur leading his knights, especially with that little cotton blanket.

The rain suddenly intensified, and the whole world was shrouded in a misty haze.

The Go academy in the west and the Yagami Mansion in the east clashed across thousands of meters, their fighting spirit and will to battle seemingly rising even in the rain.

In the metaphysical world, the flames are already beginning to dance.

Most of the giant tree was submerged in the world-burning, sky-reaching flames, turning the night into a red day.

The massive branches, their roots severed by the fire, fell in large sections, crashing into the rotting soil, bursting forth with a deathly, dazzling display of sparks.

At the top of the Chess Tree, Hannoken remained like a reclusive old man, rocking his chair and quietly overlooking the raging fire that was already close at hand.

"Let the game begin," he said in the tone of a referee.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Tokyo Tower

"The Sanhe Real Estate Cup officially kicks off today!"

"The Winter Festival Rapid Chess Tournament has entered its second round!"

"The second annual Cowherd Cup is about to be revealed! Who will claim the title of the strongest and most handsome Go player and become the favorite of wealthy women!"

"Wait! What's with this host club cup? Something weird got mixed in here!" someone shouted.

"This... I don't know either, but that's really its name. Who knows what the competition is about, or what the prize for the champion is..."

Media studios in the chess world are being bombarded with information, and television channels are constantly displaying tournament information and live match reports.

Since the start of the war on December 3rd, the entire city of Tokyo has been engulfed in an Olympic-level frenzy. The silent flames of war have spread to the city's skyline, and the clouds have turned into heavy leaden blocks, as if they might collapse at any moment.

On the field, countless faces remained tense, an atmosphere of life and death pressing down on every chessboard, making the referees, who were still unaware of the inside story, tremble with fear.

Although life-or-death struggles and mutual killing are common occurrences among chess players, the current atmosphere of hostility seems to be even stronger.