Infinity Starting with Hikaru no Go

Page 8

In Sakamoto Kei's view, there are more important things to do now.

That means comforting Chen Anxia properly.

Knowing Ichiyanagi Shinsuke's personality, Sakamoto Kei believed that Chen Anxia must have been dealt a blow by Ichiyanagi Shinsuke in the game just now, both in terms of the game itself and his words.

'This child must be very disappointed now...'

Thinking this, she saw a warm smile appear on Sakamoto Kei's face, and she spoke gently to Chen Anxia, ​​"Anxia-san, are you going back?"

Offering comfort also requires methods. Some forms of comfort cannot go straight to the point. You need to first help the other person lower their guard and close the distance between you before gently persuading them. Only then will it be effective.

That's exactly what Kei Sakamoto is doing now, trying to bridge the gap between them with the most ordinary greetings, smiles, and tone of voice.

However, a scene that deviated from Sakamoto Kei's expectations appeared once again.

Chen Anxia nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, I'm going back now."

Without waiting for Sakamoto Kei's response, Chen Anxia gave Sakamoto Kei a bright smile and said goodbye, "Goodbye, Sakamoto-sensei."

With that, Chen Anxia left.

Chen Anxia's reaction exceeded Sakamoto Kei's expectations, leaving Sakamoto Kei momentarily stunned and unable to react.

By the time Sakamoto Kei realized what was happening, Chen Anxia had already disappeared from his sight.

Sakamoto Kei shook his head slightly, feeling puzzled but not dwelling on it.

Anyway, as long as Chen Anxia's mentality doesn't suffer, everything will be fine.

Then, Kei Sakamoto returned to the Go club.

At this moment, the Go club, contrary to its previous rigorous and solemn atmosphere, became like a noisy market, with discussions everywhere and even occasional uproar.

This situation made even the usually mild-mannered Sakamoto Kei frown and feel like getting angry.

But before Sakamoto Kei could get angry, he heard a discussion that shocked and amazed him.

"What? Yiliu lost? Lost to that person just now?"

"Really? With Yiliu's skill level, he actually lost to someone his own age?"

"Who is that person? Is he a student at our school?"

"There are so many Go geniuses at the private Kaiou Elementary School. First there was Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, then Yuko Miki, and now there's someone who can defeat Shinsuke Ichiyanagi. It's unbelievable!"

"Didn't Sakamoto-sensei say that Ichiyanagi's Go skills were close to professional level? Then does that kid who could defeat Ichiyanagi already have professional-level Go skills?"

......

Sakamoto Kei couldn't hear any of the subsequent discussions.

At that moment, only one thought occupied Sakamoto Kei's mind: 'Shinsuke lost? How could that be? Didn't Shinsuke practically secure victory in that last game?'

Thinking it over, Sakamoto Keiya didn't care about the messiness of the Go club environment and walked hurriedly to the game between Chen Anxia and Ichiyanagi Shinsuke.

Although Chen Anxia had already left, Ichiyanagi Shinsuke was still standing in front of the chessboard, staring blankly at it, his face occasionally revealing expressions of disbelief, disappointment, and resentment.

Upon seeing this, Sakamoto Kei couldn't help but turn his gaze to the game of Go before him.

By the end of the game, the black and white pieces almost filled the entire board. If someone who doesn't understand Go were to look at it, they probably wouldn't understand it at all.

But Sakamoto Kei could understand it, and could imagine how magnificent and intense the game had just taken place based on the current board position.

Sakamoto Kei is now filled with regret, regretting that he left halfway through.

If I hadn't left, I wouldn't have missed this exciting game.

At the same time, Sakamoto Kei began to count rapidly in his mind.

Numbers are a method used after the game ends to determine how many points each black and white piece occupies.

Most professional chess players can roughly estimate whether they are leading or trailing after the game has progressed to the middle stage by looking at the board.

Even if they are behind, they can estimate whether they can turn the tide.

If it is determined that there is no way to turn the tide, some players will choose to resign before the game reaches its end.

Soon, Sakamoto Kei knew the result of the game by counting the numbers.

On the board, Black is leading White by seven points. According to the current komi rules, Black should give White five and a half points.

In other words, Black won the game by a margin of one and a half points.

This result deeply shocked Sakamoto Kei.

Sakamoto Kei couldn't fathom how Chen Anxia had managed to turn around that seemingly disastrous opening and ultimately win the game.

'Could there be a hidden, deadly move within that disastrous start?'

'Could it be that Shinsuke Ichiyanagi made a mistake?'

How did he manage that?

......

A series of thoughts surfaced in Sakamoto Kei's mind, making him increasingly eager to know what exactly was going on in this game of Go.

This intense thirst for knowledge made Sakamoto Kei turn his gaze to Ichiyanagi Shinsuke.

Sakamoto Kei knew Ichiyanagi Shinsuke's skill level and was aware that Ichiyanagi Shinsuke was fully capable of reviewing the previous game.

However, given Shinsuke Yanagi's current state, Kei Sakamoto was unable to speak.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Sakamoto Kei's eyes lit up.

Afterwards, Kei Sakamoto began searching the Go classroom, hoping to find Yuko Miki.

Sakamoto Kei remembered that Miki Yuko had just been watching the game, and given Miki Yuko's skill level, reviewing a game shouldn't be difficult for her.

However, Sakamoto Kei did not find Miki Yuko.

Soon, Sakamoto Kei learned from other company members that Miki Yuko had been taken home by her family.

This news deeply saddened Sakamoto Kei, but there was nothing he could do. He could only suppress his strong thirst for knowledge and wait until tomorrow to find an opportunity to tell Miki Yuko about it.

Immediately, Kei Sakamoto looked at Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, wanting to offer some words of comfort.

Before Sakamoto Kei could speak, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi silently packed up the Go board, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and left the Go club with a desolate back view and his head down, without saying a word.

Sakamoto Kei knew Ichiyanagi Shinsuke's personality well, and since Ichiyanagi Shinsuke's home was near the school, he didn't stop him.

However, Kei Sakamoto still made a phone call to Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's home.

The call was quickly answered, and a deep male voice said, "This is Yiliu..."

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Sakamoto Kei knew that the person answering the phone was Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's father, who was also his teacher during his time as an intern.

He is also the former holder of the Kisei title, Shintaro Ichiyanagi!

......

Chapter 12: A New School of Go, on Par with Honinbo Shusaku!

Penguin Park is an open park located near the private Neptune Elementary School.

After leaving the Go club, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi did not go home, but went to the penguin park and sat on a swing.

Shinsuke Ichiyanagi didn't swing on the swing; he just sat quietly with his head down, lost in thought.

Just then, a steady sound of footsteps approached from afar and reached Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's ears.

Shinsuke Ichiyanagi was very familiar with the weight and frequency of those footsteps, and it brought him a sense of peace.

At the same time, the emotions that had been suppressed in his heart seemed to be touched and were about to explode at any moment, but Shinsuke Ichiyanagi desperately suppressed them.

The visitor was a middle-aged man, about 40 years old.

This middle-aged man is also Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's father, Shintaro Ichiyanagi, the former holder of the Kisei title.

Shintaro Ichiyanagi had short, black hair, an ordinary appearance, and wore black-rimmed glasses. His overall demeanor could be summed up in four words: gentle and refined.

At this moment, Shintaro Ichiyanagi was looking at Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, who was standing in front of him with his head down.

As a father, Shintaro Ichiyanagi could guess Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's current state of mind and understood what Shinsuke Ichiyanagi needed most right now.

With a gentle smile on his face, Shintaro Ichiyanagi asked in a deep, soft voice, "Shinsuke, are you unwilling to accept this?"

Shintaro Ichiyanagi's words were like a spark, instantly igniting the emotions that Shinsuke Ichiyanagi was desperately suppressing.

Shinsuke Ichiyanagi trembled violently, then looked up at his father with tears streaming down his face, and cried out, "I am not reconciled, I am extremely reconciled!"

"I clearly swore an oath in front of him, in front of Ryo..."

"I had already decided that I wouldn't lose to any of my peers before defeating Akira..."

"But I lost. Once again, I lost to everyone my age except for Akira Touya..."

"Father, am I... really useless...?"

"Waaaaah, how can someone as pathetic as me possibly reclaim the glory that once belonged to my father..."

Upon hearing Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's words, Shintaro Ichiyanagi trembled violently, seemingly moved, and his eyes gradually reddened.

Shintaro Ichiyanagi was once in his prime, full of vigor and ambition. He was a renowned Go master in the island nation, possessing dazzling glory and aura.

But all these honors and accolades seem so fragile in the face of Touya Meijin.

In the final match of the Kisei Cup that year, Shintaro Ichiyanagi was defeated, utterly defeated, and so defeated that he felt despair.

After that, Shintaro Ichiyanagi wanted to compete for the Kisei Cup again.

But whenever he recalls that game with Meijin Touya from years ago, and the gap between them, Shintaro Ichiyanagi becomes fearful and hesitant, afraid of losing to Meijin Touya again.

For a period of time afterward, Shintaro Ichiyanagi was extremely depressed and relied on alcohol to numb himself.

That period had a very significant impact on Shinsuke Ichiyanagi.

The once spirited and ambitious father has suddenly become a decadent alcoholic, a stark contrast that Shinsuke Ichiyanagi finds unacceptable.

Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's transformation also began from that time.

At the same time, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's belief in becoming the Go Saint became completely firm from that time onwards.

Shintaro Ichiyanagi was always puzzled by Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's transformation. He couldn't understand how his once obedient and adorable son had become so rebellious, delinquent, and extremely competitive.

Now, it seems that Shintaro Ichiyanagi understands.