His face flushed, as if a layer of rouge had been applied.
Kong Yin Zi tried his best to suppress the excitement in his heart.
He forced his voice to remain steady.
After a long moment, he finally spoke:
"Today... are you confident?"
If it had been any other player, Kong Yin Zi wouldn't have been so worried.
But Shan Dao Fa Jin was a professional player who had trained under the Meijin.
Kong Yin Zi couldn't help but feel anxious.
After all, Xue Jian Yuan had retired from the shogi world after being defeated by the Meijin last time.
He had been gone for three whole years.
He had only recently returned here.
Sensing Kong Yin Zi's anxiety, Xue Jian Yuan interlaced his fingers with hers.
Kong Yin Zi froze for a moment.
"Don't worry, I'll win! After all, I'm the strongest!"
Xue Jian Yuan said with a light smile.
While it might sound like a playful reference,
he truly had confidence.
The progress bar for his shogi skill on his panel was almost at the end.
Xue Jian Yuan had spent the previous night studying the records of Shan Dao Fa Jin's eight-dan matches, and he understood his opponent.
He had planned to level up his shogi skill from level 7 to 8 in one go.
Unfortunately, he fell short at the last moment.
Hearing Xue Jian Yuan's words, Kong Yin Zi nodded and said no more.
The two of them, hands intertwined, watched the scenery outside the car window fly past.
Ishikawa Prefecture.
The venue for the official match was a large inn.
Reporters from shogi clubs were already waiting outside the inn.
Seeing the reporters from afar, Kong Yin Zi realized her situation and quickly pulled her hand away.
Xue Jian Yuan was led to a room in the inn.
Cameras were already set up.
Due to Xue Jian Yuan's own popularity and Shan Dao Fa Jin's extraordinary skill,
this official match had drawn a great deal of attention.
Kong Yin Zi was left to wait in another room where she could watch the broadcast.
Meanwhile, Xue Jian Yuan's opponent, Shan Dao Fa Jin, the eight-dan player, was already waiting by the seven-inch board.
Xue Jian Yuan didn't rush to sit down.
His gaze fell upon the wall on one side of the room.
There were four calligraphy works hanging there.
These four works were not written in katakana, but entirely in kanji.
They were: '人法地', '地法天', '天法道', '道法自然'.
The calligraphy was strong and full of depth, quite impressive.
Xue Jian Yuan was surprised to see such work in Sakura Country.
"Excuse me, Xue Jian, the five-dan, is there something wrong?"
The commentator and referee, a young lady, asked.
Xue Jian Yuan shook his head and said, "I just think the owner of this inn has good taste."
Then he sat down before the seven-inch board.
"Xue Jian-kun, finally we meet, I've been looking forward to this match for a long time."
Shan Dao Fa Jin was a young man in his twenties.
Sitting across the board, his eyes burned with anticipation as he looked at Xue Jian Yuan.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it too, especially since it's about leveling up."
Xue Jian Yuan replied calmly.
"I see, I wonder what kind of match Xue Jian-kun will show me today?"
"Oh, by the way, the Meijin will be watching today's match."
Shan Dao Fa Jin said with a smile.
Xue Jian Yuan glanced at him.
You little rascal, you're starting with off-topic conversation, are you?
Being an eight-dan, facing a five-dan, he was even using tactics outside the match.
It could only be said that this Shan Dao Fa Jin, the eight-dan, was extremely eager to win, and he wasn't above using any means necessary.
Xue Jian Yuan didn't respond this time.
The match time arrived.
The two exchanged "Pleased to meet you," and the match began.
Xue Jian Yuan moved his corner piece first, the equivalent of a pawn in the general sense.
It was a fairly traditional opening.
The first few moves were set plays, nothing special.
Until the fifth move, when Xue Jian Yuan moved his rook in the center of the board.
The rook.
The heart of most mainstream shogi strategies.
"It's the Vibrating Rook, Xue Jian-kun rarely uses the Rook, this is exciting!"
Shan Dao Fa Jin licked his lips.
The rook is the heart of most shogi strategies, and it is divided into two schools.
The Stationary Rook, which pursues coordinated offense and defense, is characterized by a fixed rook position that doesn't engage in mobile combat.
The Vibrating Rook, which pursues flexibility and adaptability, is characterized by a mobile rook that engages in combat, strategically adjusting its position for a more aggressive attack.
Both are considered mainstream, but fewer players use the Vibrating Rook.
Because compared to the Stationary Rook, which is fixed and seeks coordination, tending towards defense,
the Vibrating Rook requires stronger reading ability, otherwise it can easily lead to a one-step-wrong-step-wrong downfall.
Shan Dao Fa Jin, and the Meijin, are among the rare double-bladed players in the shogi world.
They are proficient in both the Stationary Rook and the Vibrating Rook.
It is not easy to become a double-bladed player.
Most players can only master one strategy, or even just one specific variation within the Stationary Rook or Vibrating Rook strategies.
To master two different styles requires extensive study of chess records.
Therefore, Shan Dao Fa Jin was amazed when he saw Xue Jian Yuan's Vibrating Rook.
But Xue Jian Yuan didn't react to this exclamation.
Or rather, he didn't feel anything.
Because after obtaining the system,
Xue Jian Yuan, once a prodigy of the shogi world, had become a complete anomaly.
His shogi skill was at level 7.
This meant that no matter what, whether it was the Vibrating Rook, the Stationary Rook, or some obscure and unconventional strategy,
whether it was the ancient Opening Phase, or the rarely practiced one-piece-for-corner-exchange opening,
Xue Jian Yuan's mastery of these techniques was all at level 7!
That is, mastery beyond compare!
Seeing Xue Jian Yuan remain unmoved by his exclamation,
Shan Dao Fa Jin's eyes flickered.
Then, he picked up his Silver General.
"Even though I'm excited to see Xue Jian-kun's Vibrating Rook, unfortunately, I've already found a solution during my practice with the Meijin the other day."
"After all, Xue Jian-kun's Vibrating Rook is rarely used, but it's extremely powerful, so it has to be defended against!"
He placed the Silver General in an unexpected position.
This was a move outside the established opening, a response specifically targeting Xue Jian Yuan's Vibrating Rook.
Xue Jian Yuan could only sigh in无奈.
The off-topic conversation was never-ending, huh.
Come to think of it, why are conversations not forbidden in shogi matches?
(ps: New book launch, please show your support with flowers, votes, and monthly ticket rewards! Every bit of support from readers is a hundred points of motivation for the author! Support 三七, don't get lost, 三七 is writing furiously on the highway!)