If not because they broke up, she would have already gone to fetch her son-in-law back.
Even according to Eriri's own wishes,
Yukima Azuma was someone Sayuri should support.
Let repeat that.
The flower symbolizing Eriri is the lily.
The language of lilies is: pure love, solemnity, and a harmonious heart.
With Eriri's pure personality, once she has chosen someone as her lover, she would never change her heart!
.....
The next morning, at Yukima's house.
"Please come in."
Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled brightly and handed the "guest" a pair of disposable slippers.
Yukima Azuma stood behind, gently rubbing his forehead.
He hadn't thought things through.
Sora Ginko stood at the door, her sharp gaze staring directly at Yukima Azuma behind Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Just like last time.
She took off her small leather shoes and directly stepped barefoot onto the wooden floor.
As her cute sailor uniform skirt swayed,
her small feet, clad in black stockings, were placed onto Yukima Azuma's feet.
"Ah, Ginko, your feet..."
Yukima Azuma gently reminded her.
Sora Ginko applied a little more pressure.
Her delicate toes pressed firmly into Yukima Azuma's instep.
"Do you have a problem?"
"No, it's a great honor to be stepped on by you, big sister!"
Yukima Azuma decisively put himself in a weaker position.
Now, angering this silver-haired girl would surely make her furious.
"Hmph!" Sora Ginko snorted lightly before lifting her foot.
Today was the official competition day.
A match that would decide whether Yukima Azuma could rank up to 6-dan.
And his opponent was the one who had severed every sword, ranking at eight.
Clearly, Sora Ginko wasn't at ease, so she once again traveled from Chiba to Tokyo.
"Alright, senpai, we're off."
Yukima Azuma finished preparing and waved goodbye to Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Mm, good luck in the official match," Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled in response.
Today, she was rarely in direct confrontation with Sora Ginko.
Until they left, Kasumigaoka Utaha's gaze lingered on Sora Ginko for a moment.
If she wanted to know about Yukima Azuma's past, asking Sora Ginko was definitely the best choice.
After all, since Yukima Azuma was young, the two had been close through shogi.
Even though they had a senpai-kouhai relationship, Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at them and felt as though they were family.
Even though Yukima Azuma had temporarily withdrawn from the shogi world, Sora Ginko would surely always stay by his side.
However, getting Sora Ginko to honestly reveal information
It seemed that would require more effort.
.....
The official competition was held in Ishikawa Prefecture.
It was quite far from Tokyo.
But fortunately, the Shinkansen trains in Japan were quite convenient, and the country wasn't that large.
With a little bit of early rising, they could reach the place.
Yukima Azuma didn't even skip his morning run today.
On the train, Sora Ginko and Yukima Azuma sat next to each other.
She hesitated several times, as if wanting to speak but then stopping.
Yukima Azuma noticed, but he waited for Sora Ginko to speak on her own.
Suddenly, Yukima Azuma felt a soft, cool sensation from his hand.
Just as he was about to look down, he heard Sora Ginko's hurried voice:
"Don't look!"
Immediately, Yukima Azuma understood what that feeling was.
It could be said, no surprise, it was Sora Ginko.
Not only was her aura cold, but even her small hand was cold to the touch.
Yukima Azuma turned his hand, gently grasping the small hand she had extended to him.
Honestly, in the heat of this summer, Sora Ginko's cool hand felt incredibly pleasant.
"Mmm" Sora Ginko let out a small sound unexpectedly.
Her small hand squirmed a little.
Yukima Azuma applied a little more pressure, and immediately, her hand stopped resisting, lying obediently in his.
Sora Ginko's hand was truly small, just like its owner.
When held, it felt soft, as if it had no bones, and the smooth skin seemed like it could almost drip water.
Yukima Azuma couldn't help himself and playfully teased a little.
Immediately, he felt his foot stomped on.
Yukima Azuma had no choice but to obediently fall silent.
After all, one must savor their meals slowly.
For Sora Ginko, this arrogant girl, the act of taking the initiative to hold hands was already a big step forward.
— — — — — — — — — — —
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Chapter 35: Nah, I'd win! After all, I am the strongest!
Her face turned red as if she had just applied a layer of blush.
Sora Ginko tried to calm the turmoil inside her.
She made an effort to keep her voice steady.
It took a long time before she finally spoke:
"Are you confident today?"
If it were any other player, Sora Ginko wouldn't be this worried.
But Yamato Kajin was a professional player, someone who had been trained by the "Meijin" before.
Sora Ginko truly couldn't help but worry.
After all, the last time, Yukima Azuma was defeated by the "Meijin," and immediately withdrew from the shogi world.
It had been three years.
Only recently had she returned here.
Sensing Sora Ginko's concern, Yukima Azuma gently brushed his fingers through hers, then tightly interlaced their hands.
Sora Ginko went completely stiff.
"Nah, don't worry, I'd win! After all, I am the strongest!" Yukima Azuma said with a light smile.
Although it seemed like he was joking a bit,
He was truly confident.
On his status, his shogi skill progress was close to maxing out at level 7.
Yesterday, Yukima Azuma had reviewed many of Yamato Kajin's games, so he had a good understanding of his opponent.
At first, he had planned to seamlessly raise his shogi skill from level 7 to level 8.
Unfortunately, in the end, he fell just short on the last step.
Hearing Yukima Azuma's words, Sora Ginko nodded slightly, not saying anything further.
The two of them, with their fingers still interlocked, gazed out the window as the scene outside quickly passed by.
.....
Ishikawa.
The official match was taking place at a large inn.
The shogi association's reporters had arrived early, waiting outside the inn.
Seeing the reporters from a distance, Sora Ginko snapped back to her senses and quickly pulled her hand away.
Yukima Azuma was led to a room inside the inn.
The cameras had already been set up in advance.
Due to the attention Yukima Azuma attracted, as well as Yamato Kajin's remarkable skills, this official match had garnered a lot of interest.
Sora Ginko was left in a different room, where she could watch the match through the live broadcast screen.
Meanwhile, Yukima Azuma's opponent, Yamato Kajin, a 8-dan, had already seated himself at the 7-tatami room.
Yukima Azuma did not rush to sit down.
His gaze was directed toward one of the walls in the room.
On it, four phrases were displayed.
These phrases were written entirely in Kanji, with no Katakana.
They were as follows: "Human law is earth," "Earth law is heaven," "Heaven law is the way," "The way law is nature."
The calligraphy style of the writing demonstrated a deep cultural foundation.
Seeing a piece of work at this level in Japan made Yukima Azuma quite surprised.
"Excuse me, Yukima 5-dan, is something wrong?"
The female commentator and referee standing nearby asked.
Yukima Azuma gently shook his head and smiled, replying:
"I just feel that the owner of this inn has very good taste."
After that, he sat down at the 7-tatami board.
"Yukima-kun, finally, we meet. I've been waiting for this match for so long, so long."
Yamato Kajin, an 8-dan, was a young man in his twenties.
Sitting before the board, his eyes were shining with expectation as he looked at Yukima Azuma.
"Mm, I'm looking forward to it too. After all, this is the match that determines promotion."
Yukima Azuma replied calmly.
"I see. I wonder what kind of match you'll show me today, Yukima-kun?"
"Ah, by the way, Meijin will be watching today's match as well."
Yamato Kajin smiled with hidden meaning.
Yukima Azuma glanced at him.
So, this was the strategy"to induce worry" from the start.
As an 8-dan, facing a 5-dan, and trying to play psychological tricks like this.
One could only say that Yamato Kajin, as an 8-dan, was really eager to win, even if it meant using any means necessary.
Yukima Azuma said nothing further.
(trans: I have no knowledge of shogi, so I'm unsure about the accuracy of these parts, all by chatgpt)
The official game time had arrived.
The two bowed to each other with the words "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu," and the match began.
For the first move, Yukima Azuma moved his kakugyou (the bishop, a standard piece in shogi).
It was quite a traditional start, following the Ai-gakari opening.
The first few moves were all standard, with nothing noteworthy.
By the fifth move, Yukima Azuma placed his hisha (rook) in the center of the board.
The rook.
It is at the core of most mainstream shogi strategies.
"Is it furi-bisha (moving the rook)?" Yamato Kajin remarked. "Yukima-kun rarely uses the rook this way, it's really exciting!"
Yamato Kajin licked the corner of his mouth, his eyes sparkling.
The rook is central to many shogi strategies, and it is divided into two schools of thought.
I-bisha (fixed rook): Seeks a balance between offense and defense, characterized by keeping the rook's position fixed and not moving it during conflicts. Furi-bisha (moving rook): Seeks flexibility and diversity, characterized by moving the rook to engage in battles and adjusting the strategy through its position, creating a stronger attack.
Both are considered mainstream strategies, but players who use furi-bisha are relatively fewer.
The reason is that, compared to the i-bisha, which emphasizes defense and maintaining a fixed position to coordinate strategies, furi-bisha requires an exceptional ability to read the board. Without it, even a small mistake can lead to a chain collapse.
Both Yamato Kajin and Meijin were rare players known as "ryou-danshu" (dual masters) in the shogi world, meaning they were skilled in both i-bisha and furi-bisha.
Becoming a ryou-danshu is not easy.
Most players specialize in just one school of thought, or even a specific variation of i-bisha or furi-bisha.
Mastering both strategies requires a tremendous amount of time studying the game.
That's why, when Yamato Kajin saw Yukima Azuma using furi-bisha, he couldn't help but admire him.
However, Yukima Azuma showed no reaction to this admiration.
Or rather, he didn't think it was anything special.
Because, ever since he received the system, Yukima Azuma, a genius who had been praised by the entire shogi community, had completely become an "abnormal" player.
Shogi skill level 7.
Shogi skill level 7 meant that, whether it was furi-bisha or i-bisha, or even more obscure and complex schools of thought,
Whether it was a classic strategy like Ai-gakari (hanging pawns), or rare plays like hitote kawasonkaku (a move that sacrifices a piece),
Yukima Azuma had mastered them all at level 7!
Meaning he had reached a level of transcendence!
Seeing that Yukima Azuma was completely unmoved by his comments, Yamato Kajin's eyes flashed with sharpness.
He then picked up his silver general piece.
"Although I find Yukima-kun's furi-bisha very interesting, unfortunately, during a recent study session with Meijin, we figured out how to counter it."
"Even though Yukima-kun rarely uses furi-bisha, when you do, it's always very strong. I can't help but be cautious!"
With that, he placed his silver general in a surprising position.
It was an unconventional move, specifically aimed at countering Yukima Azuma's furi-bisha.
Yukima Azuma could only smile wryly.
The psychological tricks weren't going to stop, huh?
By the way, why isn't talking during a shogi game forbidden?
Chapter 36: The Loli Appears!
(trans: I'm not sure about the accuracy of this chapter)
"Click," "click," "click."
The sound of the chess pieces being placed echoed continuously.
On the shogi board, the battle was unfolding fiercely.
Yamato Kajin's earlier words were not just psychological tactics. He had truly studied Yukima Azuma's furi-bisha along with Meijin.
No, it would be more accurate to say that they had studied all of Yukima Azuma's moves.
From the potential moves, the sequence of moves, to the player's signature strategies.
Although Yamato Kajin did not understand why Meijin was particularly interested in Yukima Azuma, a genius who had just returned after a long absence,
With Meijin involved in the study,
The ability to break down the game had reached a terrifying level.
Today, Yukima Azuma brought a sharp killing intent like a storm.
His furi-bisha moves were rarely seen, even extremely extreme.
It was as if he was ready to abandon everything just to press forward with the attack.
If it were anyone else, they might have been caught off guard and unable to respond in time.
But...
"Such a pity, this sequence of moves, Meijin and I have studied it thoroughly."
"And in that study, we've come to a conclusion."
"I-bisha is guaranteed to win."
Yamato Kajin said, simultaneously placing a piece on the board.
This move not only neutralized Yukima Azuma's attack but also created a subtle pressure on his sharp rook, which was like a sword.
After placing the piece, Yamato Kajin lifted his head to look at Yukima Azuma.
Yamato Kajin wanted to observe any changes on Yukima Azuma's face.
However, Yukima Azuma's expression remained completely unchanged.
In fact, he even...
"You talk too much. You'd be better off focusing on the game," Yukima Azuma said, his face clearly showing impatience. "Talking too much will just make you lose faster."
Yamato Kajin froze, then lightly chuckled to himself.
Even when cornered like this, Yukima Azuma still had such a sharp tongue.
.....
