Infinity Starting with Hikaru no Go

Page 43

'Could it be that behind him are other players like me who have accepted the quest?'

'Could it be that the player currently playing against the teacher is actually a top-tier chess player from the real world?'

'But I've never heard of any top-tier Go player in real life who could bring the Shusaku style to such a level that it's as if Honinbo Shusaku himself were present...'

......

As various questions flashed through her mind, Kurozuki Ryoko also told Tengen Dosai about Fujiwara Sai's move.

After Tengen Dosai, playing white, replicated Fujiwara no Sai's move, he reached into the box containing the black stones.

During this process, Tengen Dosai looked at Fujiwara Sai's attack with a solemn expression. His astonishing fighting spirit merged into his surging aura, manifesting behind Tengen Dosai as a terrifying beast that seemed to be real.

At this moment, the terrifying beast was staring at the empty end of the chessboard, as if it could penetrate time and space and see Fujiwara no Sai and Honinbo Shusaku.

At the same time, Tengen Dosai also turned his gaze to the other end of the board where no one was, and said in a deep voice, "They actually ignored my move that sacrificed the ko fight."

"Is it overconfidence, or a declaration of war against me...?"

As they were speaking, Tengen Dosai slowly raised his right hand, which was holding the black stone, and ascended into the sky, before suddenly stopping.

At that very moment, lightning seemed to flash in the eyes of Tengen Dozai, which had already been churning with turbulent waves, and he uttered softly, "Then so be it!"

"Honinbo Shusaku, look carefully, this is the Go that belongs to me, to Tengen Dosai!"

The next moment, the lightning that flashed in Yu Tianyuan Daozai's eyes appeared above the chessboard sky and struck the chessboard directly.

Snapped!

The terrifying beast that had been crouching behind Tengen Dozai suddenly stood up and roared angrily toward the empty end of the chessboard.

Meanwhile, in the world of Hikaru no Go.

The moment Chen Anxia placed his piece, Fujiwara Sai felt an astonishing fighting spirit erupt from the piece, transforming into a storm that swept towards him.

The storm was so fierce that Fujiwara no Sai could not see its source. He could only vaguely make out that a terrifying beast was roaring and howling at him from the source of the storm.

His body trembled slightly involuntarily at that moment; Fujiwara Sai seemed to feel himself...shuddering!?

......

Chapter 63: A Draw!? A Timeless Triple Ko!

After the initial shock, an indescribable surge of passion and excitement welled up in Fujiwara Sai's heart.

Fujiwara no Sai knew that the real battle had begun...

Without the slightest hesitation, Fujiwara no Sai pointed his five-bone bat fan, which he had closed, at the ko fight area on the chessboard, and gave a soft command, directly instructing Shindo Hikaru to capture the remaining white stones in the ko fight.

After Fujiwara Sai made his move, Chen Anxia, ​​as if without thinking, directly placed his own piece.

The invisible smoke of battle is spreading.

The spectators amidst the smoke of battle all felt a heavy sense of impending doom, as if a storm was brewing.

In a daze, they seemed to hear someone beating war drums. The sound of the drums was as loud as thunder, like the horn of an army attacking, bringing people an indescribable sense of urgency and grimness.

They all knew that on this chessboard, the war... had begun!

Snapped!

Snapped!

Snapped!

......

As the sound of pieces falling like pearls onto a plate rang out, the game continued, and the situation became increasingly complex and constantly changing.

Sometimes, even Fujiwara no Sai and Tengen Michiya, the players themselves, could no longer see the situation clearly.

However, they did not stop making moves. Instead, they transformed their beliefs and will into momentum, integrating it into the pieces they held, which manifested as powerful beasts on the chessboard, constantly vying for dominance and fighting.

In Chen Anxia's eyes, who was in the midst of chess enlightenment, a symphony woven from the chess principles of Tengen Dosai and Fujiwara Sai was playing on the chessboard.

This symphony was so grand and magnificent, yet so tragic and desolate, that it left Chen Anxia sometimes captivated, sometimes terrified, sometimes chilled to the bone, and sometimes exhilarated...

Unlike Chen Anxia, ​​the game has progressed to a point where neither Kaga Tetsuo nor Kurozuki Ryoko, nor any of the other players, can understand the situation anymore.

They felt that the chess game before them was fraught with danger, filled with a pervasive sense of peril, making them feel palpitations and tension, and preventing them from looking away.

Although they could no longer understand the game, it did not prevent them from feeling and knowing how wonderful the game before them was.

Fujiwara no Sai, who was in the middle of the situation, had an extremely solemn expression on his face.

In previous exchanges, Fujiwara Sai felt that Chen Anxia's playing style was quite different from that shown in the Demon Blade Battle.

In the battle against the demon sword, Chen Anxia's playing style was bold, aggressive, and decisive.

This is why he subtly followed his own strategy, allowing him to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out and thus gain the upper hand in the battle against the demon sword.

However, Chen Anxia's current playing style is solid and balanced, and his calculations of the situation are so precise that he rarely makes mistakes, leaving himself feeling that there is no opening to exploit.

In Fujiwara Sai's eyes, every move Chen Anxia made was like laying a foundation stone, continuously building an impenetrable wall of steel on the solid ground of the chessboard.

Most importantly, Fujiwara no Sai was unable to stop the construction of this impenetrable wall; he could only watch helplessly as it grew higher and higher until it reached a point where he had to look up to see the top.

Suddenly, Fujiwara no Sai felt an unprecedented pressure.

But this was not the adversity, or even the desperate situation, that Fujiwara no Sai desired.

Because, in terms of the current overall situation, Fujiwara no Sai still has the upper hand.

Fujiwara Sai couldn't find an opening to attack when facing Chen Anxia's Go skills.

However, Fujiwara no Sai's own playing style was based on peace, composure, and balance, and he did not like to use fierce fighting methods.

Therefore, the Go moves Chen Anxia was playing at this moment, and the principles of the game he was demonstrating, perfectly aligned with Fujiwara Sai's intentions. He brought his Shusaku style to its fullest potential and faced off against Chen Anxia.

In another world, Tengen Dosai watched Fujiwara Sai's Shusaku-ryu technique, his face occasionally showing amazement and wonder.

In Tengen Dosai's mind, the person he was playing against at this moment was Honinbo Shusaku himself.

Because Tengen Dosai knew that in this world, apart from Honinbo Shusaku, no one else could bring the Shusaku style to such an almost perfect and sublime level.

Tengen Dosai himself had also studied the Shusaku school, and before that, he believed he had thoroughly studied it.

But through his match against Fujiwara no Sai, Tengen Dosai realized how narrow-minded he had been.

The true Shusaku style is like a vast ocean, not only boundless but also unfathomable. Even I have never truly come into contact with the core of the Shusaku style.

In Tengen Dosai's eyes, Fujiwara Sai's Shusaku-ryu style, though seemingly moderate and peaceful, and appearing to be restrained at every turn, was actually fraught with danger, making even him feel uneasy.

Tengen Dosai knew that Fujiwara no Sai's Shusaku-ryu was like a predator eyeing its prey, ready to tear him apart and devour him without hesitation if he revealed even the slightest flaw.

Of course, for Fujiwara no Sai to tear him apart and devour him, he would need to find the slightest opening.

Having pondered this, a powerful expression of confidence appeared on Tengen Dosai's face as he softly murmured, "Even Honinbo Shusaku wouldn't be able to find the slightest flaw in me..."

As he spoke, Tengen Michiya looked at the game board before him and continued, "Next, it will be a contest of mental fortitude and calculation ability between the two sides..."

Those watching the game could never imagine that two top chess players from different worlds and different times were engaged in an unprecedented duel on the chessboard before them.

Only Chen Anxia felt something; it was as if a phantom scene appeared before his eyes.

In this scene, Fujiwara Sai and the top Go player behind him stand facing each other, their overwhelming aura making Chen Anxia feel a sense of suffocation, trembling, and an indescribable excitement.

'One day, I will stand beside them, a three-way rival!'

In his heart, Chen Anxia made a vow...

The game had unknowingly entered the middle and late stages.

Now it's Chen Anxia's turn, that is, Tianyuan Daozai's turn to make his move.

However, as Tengen Dosai looked at the game before him, the white stone he was holding remained untouched for a long time, his face constantly shifting between amazement, astonishment, and excitement.

Not only Tengen Dosai, but also Fujiwara no Sai looked at the game before them with expressions of amazement, astonishment, and excitement.

Even the onlookers were shocked and incredulous as they watched the game unfold.

Among them, Kaga Tetsuo was so shocked that he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "The cycle of three tribulations... it really is the cycle of three tribulations..."

"This game is truly a game for the ages, worthy of being recorded in the history of Go..."

As he spoke, Kaga Tetsuo's gaze involuntarily fell upon Chen Anxia and Shindo Hikaru, and he continued, his voice trembling, "And they... are enough to achieve lasting fame through this game..."

......

Chapter 64 The Number One Under Heaven, the Universe in His Eyes!

As the name suggests, a triple ko cycle occurs when three ko battles occur simultaneously on the board.

These three calamities can be each other's calamities, creating an endless cycle of calamities as long as the rule against identical forms is not violated.

As long as the ko fight continues, the game cannot end.

In the history of Go, there have been instances of triple ko, which invariably ended in a draw.

The game is now in its middle game and nearing its end, with very little room left for Tengen Dosai and Fujiwara Sai to make their moves.

In this situation, these three struggles are the key to determining the outcome.

However, after examining the entire board, Tengen Dosai and Fujiwara no Sai could find any ko threats more powerful than the three ko fights.

This means that the cycle of the three kalpas cannot be broken.

Because neither Tengen Dosai nor Fujiwara no Sai could possibly give up on these three tribulations.

This is an unsolvable cycle, a game of chess with no end.

At this point, both Tengen Dosai and Fujiwara Sai realized that the result of this game was... a draw.

When Kurozuki Ryoko saw the Three Tribulations Cycle appear, she already had some guesses.

Then, Ryoko Kurozuki heard her teacher's voice saying, "Ryoko, this game is over. It can be considered a draw."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help you complete the task this time."

"Next time, if I have the chance to fight him again, I definitely won't lose..."

After speaking with Ryoko Kurozuki, Tengen Dosai went into seclusion again to review and study his previous match against Fujiwara Sai.

Tengen Dosai sensed that during the recent game, his bottleneck in the art of Go had loosened somewhat.