The Omnipotent Super Chuunibyou - Chapter 16

To those unfamiliar with the game, it would seem like any starting move in Go is as good as any other, but to those who know a bit about it, playing the first stone at Tengen was not a particularly wise choice.

Go involved a phase for counting, and generally, one’s first move should be to secure a star position, which facilitated both offense and defense. Creating an eye at Tengen was a risky move, as it could easily reduce liberties and make strategic planning difficult.

In addition, playing one’s first stone at Tengen was considered disrespectful to one’s opponent, so it was generally avoided.

Of course, there were some who had played this move before, but their intentions varied from person to person.

For now, the spectators watching the match could only entertain two possibilities.

Either: This guy is a complete amateur, just messing around, and this match is a sham.

Or: He’s arrogant and thinks he can win no matter how he plays, so he doesn’t care.

Though they remained silent, the strange expressions on the faces of the other members of the Go Club made their opinions clear.

“What’s going on?” Takanashi Rikka whispered to Fujiwara Chika. “Is there something wrong with Izumi’s move?”

“That’s because…”

Fujiwara Chika explained quietly.

“I think Izumi-chan has her own reasons.”

Still, she chose to trust her teammate.

“Hasegawa-san, was that a mistake? Or…”

Waya Yoshitaka struggled with himself, but in the end, he asked.

He was beginning to suspect the newcomer was doing this intentionally, with no intention of playing the game seriously.

“This is the Heaven and Earth Harmony Style.”

Hasegawa Izumi lifted her eyes slightly, looked at him, and uttered these words.

Is that a standard opening? How come I’ve never heard of it? Is this guy just messing around?!

Waya Yoshitaka’s mind raced, his expression unreadable.

“Let’s continue,” he said to his opponent.

It was perfectly reasonable for her not to understand. Even if she had passed the professional exam, it wasn’t like she was an expert. After all, this technique transcended the mundane, so it was unsurprising that she’d never heard of it.

His goal was merely to win the game, so there was no need to explain further.

“Fine.” Waya Yoshitaka stopped worrying about it. His eyes sharpened, and he focused on the game. Whether his opponent was faking expertise or truly inexperienced, he had to win this match to preserve the Go Club’s reputation.

After a moment’s contemplation, he placed a stone on the board.

At the same time, Hasegawa Izumi placed another stone without hesitation.

Waya Yoshitaka still couldn’t understand what his opponent was doing, but somehow, he felt an unmistakable sense of pressure.

“No, don’t panic! Maybe it’s just a bluff. I just need to focus on my own game. Hasegawa wasted his advantage with the first move, so my chances of winning are actually pretty good! Right now, I’m at an advantage!”

A drop of sweat dripped down Waya Yoshitaka’s forehead.

As the game continued, the mysterious opponent played another move without seeming to think, once again placing the stone swiftly.

The more this went on, the more Waya Yoshitaka’s sweat dripped.

Those playing felt uneasy, and those watching felt even more mystified.

What exactly is going on? What exactly are they playing?

As they observed this bizarre scene, none dared to speak aloud.

In truth, save for Hasegawa Izumi, no one in the room could follow the game.

“How’s it going, Fujiwara-san?” Takanashi Rikka tugged on Fujiwara Chika’s sleeve, asking anxiously.

“I-I don’t understand… Takanashi-san. Maybe they’re just really good? Though I can’t tell who’s winning.”

A spiral symbol appeared in Fujiwara Chika’s eyes, and her voice took on a robotic tone as she spoke. Clearly, her brain was processing too much information at once.

“Da.”

“Da.”

“Da.”

…….

By now, Waya Yoshitaka’s entire focus was on the game, pondering how to secure his victory. The crisp, clear sound of the Go stones being placed on the board reverberated in his heart.

“I’m at a disadvantage? Since when?” Suddenly, he took in the whole board, and his pupils contracted.

Strategically speaking, his moves should have put him in the advantageous position; after all, his opponent had started with Tengen!

He swallowed, reached into the container, and grasped a stone, only to discover it was empty. How could this be?

Waya Yoshitaka turned to look, only to realize he’d placed the stones in the wrong area, leaving him with an awkward expression.

Picking up a stone, he prepared to place it, only to hesitate midair.

“This move won’t work! I need to find somewhere else!”

And so it went, until time was called.

“Ten… nine…”

“I’ll just have to go with my gut!”

With no other choice, Waya Yoshitaka sighed and placed the stone in a strategic but precarious position.

Another click sounded, and the golden light lit up the board, making him think he was seeing things.

Upon closer inspection, his blood ran cold.

This move had completely changed the course of the game, and he was now at a clear disadvantage.

“Is this guy…giving me a lesson?”

He looked up.

His opponent, close enough to touch, had barely moved a muscle. His expression remained placid, serene, as if he were an immortal being seated high above the clouds, surveying the game from above, fully in control.

Only now did Waya Yoshitaka feel the weight of pressure bearing down on him, comparable to that of his ninth-degree master.

“I’m going to lose!”

He knew it with brutal clarity.

Likewise, the other rule-savvy members of the club recognized the steadily worsening state of the game.

“The Club President is going to lose?”

The club members’ hearts sank.

“Izumi-chan is going to win!”

Fujiwara Chika’s face was bright with delight.

Mixed emotions showed on the faces of the spectators.

Despite this, Waya Yoshitaka didn’t give up and fought a few more rounds.

“It’s over,” Hasegawa Izumi murmured quietly, holding a Go stone high in the air before slamming it decisively onto the board.

“Sky!”

“Earth!”

“Great!”

“Harmony!”

In Waya Yoshitaka’s eyes, the boy before him emanated an aura of mystery. A golden stream of qi flowed between his arm and the Go stone, like a divine dragon unfurling its claw to seal the game with a single move.

“Da!”

Another brilliant flash of light, so bright it forced Waya Yoshitaka to squint.

Once he opened his eyes again, the game had ended.

White Go were routed!

“I lose.”

As soon as the game ended, Waya Yoshitaka conceded without hesitation, placing both hands on his knees and lowering his head slightly.

“Mm.”

Hasegawa Izumi nodded gently, without the slightest hint of arrogance. To him, this victory was nothing more than a matter of course.

“Bravo…!” Asahi Shizuku clapped her hands together. “What an incredible match!”

The result of this contest had been far from her expectation.

This victory proved something: Hasegawa was serious about his pursuit of excellence, and he wasn’t just messing around!

In that case, this was newsworthy, and the next challenge would have meaning as well.

As a result, she became much more enthusiastic.