Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 18 - Chapter 1.06

  Midnight Sun

“How about taking a seat?” Ai Yashajin said quietly from her seat while the title holder on the other side of the board was standing on her tiptoes and yelling into the ceiling-mounted camera.

“I’ve played my move. So, it’s your turn now.”

“Aggghhh ……?”

Clearly irritated, Ika glared down at the girl with her right eye as the left scanned the board.

“Haa-haa, all right then. Trying to draw things out, are you, little tramp? Die already. What if Yaichi missed my move, huh? How’re you gonna make up for that? You die on the next move anyway.”

“Don’t let your guard down.”

“Yeah, I know, Mister.”

“Do you really? All your losses these days are instant deaths.”

“Yes, I know that too! I get it, okay?! I’ll reeead the daaamn boooard!” snapped Ika as she made a gesture to the right of the match recorder sitting at the boardside table.

“……?”

An ominous chill crept through Karen Noboryou as she timidly looked to her right, but, of course, no one was there.

“Nooow …………… Watch me read.”

There was a swift plop as Ika landed on her cushion and proceeded to stick her neck out as far as it would go for a better view of the board. This time, both her eyes were locked in.

To the average person, it was just a square piece of wood.

For Shogi players, looking was how they comprehended the formation and reading referred to identifying the sequences to play their next move.

However, Empress Ika Sainokami’s version of reading was unique.

A pure, pristine light illuminated the whole area.

“Ahaaa!”

Her eyes opened like saucers as she reached out into that bright abyss.

“Heeraaaaa fuuuuutssssss gahhhhhhhhh.”

The sounds coming from her mouth no longer carried meaning.

Altering her thought process to act like deep learning software made it difficult for Ika’s brain to process symbolic verbal language.

Then again, Ika had never needed words to begin with.

Her brain had its proverbial hands full trying to sift the deluge of visual stimuli, and that allowed her to comprehend tens of thousands of times more information about the world than the average person.

That ability was firing on all cylinders as she looked at the board.

It was equivalent to seeing the future.

Brilliant fireworks went off in her mind as she saw exactly how this match was going to play out.

A future where she had already won.

But not just this particular game. Ika could see herself winning this title match in a clear three-game sweep.

And yet, the elementary-school-aged girl in front of her had an arrogant smile on her lips.

“Your flag is already flying.”

…… Fl-ag?

Ika’s mind, which had become specialized for visual recognition, couldn’t detect the change in the air that brought about Ai Yashajin’s statement.

The only word it did catch, flag, triggered a series of images to course through her brain.

Flags of all shapes and sizes came up in an instant.

Country flags.

White flags. Marine flags.

Square flags. Triangular flags. Flags at half mast. Beach flags.

Flag, flag, flagflagflagflagFLAGFLAGFLAGflagflagflagffflllaaaggg ……………

Ika’s waiting time slipped away as she struggled to identify the one specific flag her opponent pointed out. Just what could it be?

Ai Yashajin told her.

“A death flag.”

The girl with dark hair that flowed like black wings then reached out with her right hand.

It was a pointless move. Ika reached that conclusion immediately.

“Ahh kgaaamooogh.”

Incoherent tones fell from Ika’s lips as she opened her eyes wider still to see her next move.

―――Aha! There really is nothin’ prettier than Shogi.

Shogi always had a distinct glimmer ever since she first laid eyes on the sport in this very building. Everything else was a dull monochrome with no visible future to speak of, and yet that worn-out board an old man was using to line up match records sparkled like a gold-paved road leading right to it.

That glimmering light only got stronger.

―――Death flag? What even is that? Everyone in here’s doin’ just fine!!

Ika could see every elderly person she met at this facility at this very moment. Even her past, which had been as dark as a moonless night, seemed to sparkle with happiness.

―――Hey, Mister! I found it!

The girl who was never understood nor understood her peers had finally found it.

A passport to a happy future.

With her A-League-ranking father acting as the observer, she would propose to the only man on this planet with talent similar to hers. He couldn’t possibly refuse. Even if he said no, that wouldn’t change the fact that he was destined to spend half of the rest of his life with her.

What the old man had said was true. Getting strong enough really had made her dreams into reality.

“I’m happy for you, Ika.”

―――Thanks, Mister!

Ika Sainokami wasn’t alone anymore.

She could already see herself adorned in a gorgeous white wedding gown just as soon as this match en―――

That’s when gruesome amounts of blood burst from Ika’s eyeballs.

“Gl―――”

The bright realm was instantly stained pitch black. Ika covered her eyes as if trying to gather any fragments of light that remained, but only blood came out from between her fingers.

With the ferocity of a waterfall.

And it wasn’t slowing down.

“G-Glasses ………… Someone …… Glasses, please ……”

Ika begged as blood spewed from each eye.

She couldn’t see.

That’s why she wanted glasses. She was sure that a pair of them would let her bask in that light of happiness she saw just moments ago.

“I can’t see ………… S-Someone ………… Glasses …………”

Sway.

Her sense of balance askew, Ika leaned all the way up the board in hopes of seeing the pieces over and over again.

But it was all for naught.

The ultra-sensitive light receptors, which acted as her eyes had become drenched in dark red blood.

“………… Please …………”

That would be the last word from Ika Sainokami’s mouth.

The pool of her blood on the board had expanded to the point that it was dripping off the sides and onto the tatami mat below. That steady plip was all that could be heard in the arena.

“Hyeee ……! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!”

Karen let out a blood-chilling scream as she scuttled backwards.

She retreated with such velocity that the sliding door came off its track in her wake.

Ai Yashajin calmly watched the entire scene unfold from atop her cushion. She then picked up a pitcher of water, poured herself a glass, and slowly drank it all.

Just because she was thirsty.

“She still hasn’t played ……?”

The anxiety in Yaichi Kuzuryu’s voice was palpable as he watched from the association’s green room.

His apprentice had all but lost at this point.

What’s more, Ai Yashajin’s previous move was akin to laying her head on the block. It may have looked like she was lining up for a counterattack, but in actuality she was asking the executioner to make it quick by setting the scene, most likely.

The faint echo of voices gave the impression that the match had already ended, but it was Ika’s turn. Furthermore, her head was so close to the board that it was blocking the camera’s view. However, her hand was nowhere to be seen.

―――All Ika has to do is bring down the blade and the match is over ……

Yaichi tilted his head. Ika wasn’t the type to be cautious when victory was close enough to taste.

What in the world could be stopping her?

When suddenly, something appeared on his smartphone’s screen.

“Huh?”

The numbers were unbelievable.

The overwhelming statistical advantage Awaji had calculated swung completely in the other direction.

“Awaji went back on the rating?! No way?!”

In other words, it showed Ika had lost.

She had been in a victory position until just moments ago. Every move she played lined up with Awaji’s best possible option. Ika never made a mistake.

Did that mean Ai Yashajin’s last move surpassed the world’s fastest supercomputer?

“Th-That’s …… not possible ……”

What he just saw confused Yaichi no end. Was there a problem with the machinery? Had Awaji glitched? His mind raced to find an explanation when a loud noise came from the arena ……

Thud.

Looking up, he was stunned to see what greeted his eyes.

“…… Sensei?”

King Yo Okito already had one foot out the door.

The only place he could be going was―――

“Okito-sensei?! The match hasn’t ended yet!! Sensei!!”

The observer entering the arena could send a clear message to the players: the match is as good as over.

Thus, it had become standard practice for everyone except the match journalist to stay outside during title matches.

In spite of that, Yo Okito completely ignored Yaichi’s calls as he made a beeline for the arena.

Whether he was worried about his daughter’s condition or wanted to warn his daughter that she was suddenly on the verge of losing by entering the arena, Yaichi couldn’t tell.

Ika’s hand still wasn’t on screen.

There was no denying that something unprecedented was happening in the arena.

“Tch ……!”

Yaichi grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair and went after the observer.