Hikaru no Go: I taught you Go, and you made the Kisei cry?

"It's about to begin, Hikaru!"

Hikaru Shindo's eyes lit up, and he imitated Su Ran by picking up a black stone, though he did so somewhat clumsily: "Okay!"

"Seventeen columns, four rows, top right corner, small eye!"

Hikaru Shindo began searching for points on the board, carefully counting them one by one with his eyes.

This match is different from the previous one with Akira Touya. I've already made bold statements about defeating Su Ran, so it would be too embarrassing if I made a mistake because of my own move.

"Seventeen columns..."

"One, two, three, four, five..."

Finally, Hikaru Shindo's eyes lit up, and he carefully and gently placed the black stone in his hand.

Seventeen columns, four rows, small eyes.

"coming!"

Akira Touya's eyes narrowed. Hikaru Shindo, he really did choose Kome!

The legendary moves of Honinbo Shusaku, the undisputed king of the Go world who dominated the entire Edo period... Part 4 of 17, Komoku!

"Xiao Mu..."

Akira Touya suddenly turned around and looked at Su Ran.

"Where would you place your bet when faced with this ancient and fixed pattern?"

As Hikaru Shindo's piece fell, the onlookers began to discuss it.

"Xiao Mu...it seems like very few people play like this anymore."

"Mr. Kozuka, I played Go with you the other day, and it seems you made your first move at the small eye point, right? Is there any special reason for choosing this opening move?"

"Uh, no, I was just trying it out casually. I've seen others use this kind of strategy before, so I just wanted to give it a try."

"Compared to this, I'm more concerned about this boy named Hikaru Shindo. The way he holds the child... seems... quite peculiar."

“Oh right, judging from his hand movements, he’s a complete beginner… I remember he held it like this last time.”

"But it cannot be denied that Xiao Liang did lose to him last time."

"What a strange child. He is so good at chess, but he acts like a beginner."

The crowd whispered among themselves, not very optimistic about Hikaru Shindo.

They believe that Hikaru Shindo's previous victory over Akira Toya was mostly because Akira wasn't in good form that day.

Moreover, after witnessing Su Ran's strength firsthand and seeing his astonishingly powerful technique, they believed that even though Hikaru Shindo was very strong, it would still be difficult for him to defeat Su Ran.

Su Ran's eyes flickered, and her mind began to replay her father's book, "The Meaning of Go".

Among them, those famous genealogies related to the opening of small-scale patterns became his main search targets.

soon.

As chess scores rapidly circulated in his mind, a clear and logical game finally appeared before him.

This is……

One hundred and thirty years ago, the legendary Go game between 9-dan Inoue Gen'an and 6-dan Shusaku was called the "Ear-Red Game"!

It was with this game that Honinbo Shusaku officially entered the world of Go, beginning his terrifying fourteen-year reign over the Japanese Go community.

Fourteen years of playing Go in the Imperial City, undefeated!

Over 1,700 matches, won every single one!

Is it...

Sai wanted to use this game to declare to the world that he, the legendary Go player of the Heian period, the Honinbo Shusaku of the Edo period, the only Go master in Japan to be called the closest to God...

Has he officially returned to his original position?

"Inoue Gen'an lost that game of Go to Honinbo Shusaku."

Su Ran smiled slightly and made a move.

The fourth row and third column.

"Hiss...this step?"

"This is completely different from the previous game. The opening strategy seems to be developing in a more intricate and complex direction..."

"It seems that many Go players from the Edo period played this way in ancient times."

"He's planning to test his internal strength against that kid, Hikaru Shindo?"

Ignoring the crowd's comments, Fujiwara Sai paused slightly upon seeing this move.

"Instead of choosing the star, you chose the high-eyed one? This... is exactly the pattern I'm most familiar with..."

"Xiao Guang, sixteen columns, seventeen rows, Gao Mu."

Seeing his most proficient move, Sai's confidence soared. He had spent five minutes thinking about his previous move, but this time, almost the instant Su Ran placed his piece, he boldly announced the move for Hikaru Shindo.

"one two Three……"

Hikaru Shindo stared at the Go board, silently counting the squares in his mind.

"Here?"

Gently placing the chess piece down, Hikaru Shindo gazed at the three pieces scattered across the board and fell into a brief silence.

"The chess pieces landed on the crisscrossing chessboard like scattered stars. In this game, only three moves have passed, and I... I saw... a blazing starlight!"

"Why, why is the starlight so dazzling after only three steps?"

"Su Ran, and Sai... are their Go skills really that strong?"

Su Ran remained silent, his mind replaying his father's detailed explanation of the game. He placed his pieces with lightning speed, his hand descending from a great height, knocking the pieces down.

Fourteen rows and seventeen columns, Big Fly!

……

"What... what is this?"

Seeing this move, Akira Touya was struck as if by a heavy blow, and his eyes widened involuntarily.

"This method of betting...this method of betting, this is the method of betting from the era before Temu!"

"If White voluntarily gives up the komi, then Black will have a much greater advantage than White! Su Ran's audacity in making such a bold move is far beyond my reach, far surpassing my courage alone..."

Why do you dare to break out of this ancient and conventional way of thinking?

"Hikaru Shindo, Hikaru Shindo used the same moves when he played Go with me, but I..."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Everyone can understand this move. Anyone who has studied chess manuals even slightly can see that it is a very common ancient opening pattern.

"This young man from China has begun his attack."

"Big Fly?"

"I wonder how the haters will respond."

They pondered and whispered among themselves.

“Third column, sixteenth row, outside the eye,” Sai read softly.

Hikaru Shindo nodded upon hearing this. Listening to the crowd's discussion, he fell silent for a moment before placing his black stone.

"Second column, sixth row."

Just as Hikaru Shindo was about to make his move, he suddenly realized something and exclaimed, "Sai, Su Ran-kun, he hasn't made his move yet!"

As Shindo Mitsumasa was speaking, Su Ran had already quietly placed her piece.

Sure enough, it's the second row, sixth column—split!

Hikaru Shindo's eyes widened.

"This game of Go... I played it before, 130 years ago, in the Edo period..."

Fujiwara Sai lightly touched the tip of his nose with his folding fan, looking at Su Ran with a look of doubt in his eyes: "Hikaru, I don't know why, but I always feel that this boy seems to be deliberately trying to please me by reproducing that game of Go from a hundred years ago, so I tested him a little..."

"Did this boy see something? Was it a coincidence? Or...?"

……

Chapter Thirty-Five: I will shatter... the legend you created!

"Xiao Guang, fifth column, sixteenth row, jump."

Fujiwara no Sai lowered his eyes slightly; he couldn't quite see through the young man from the Tang Dynasty before him.

“A hundred years ago, I was able to defeat Inoue Gen'an, and today, I can defeat you too.”

"Young man named Su Ran, do you want to play against me using the same rules as in the Edo period?"

"No, I will beat you, even under the pressure of a six-and-a-half-point handicap!"

"I'll beat you using the rule of tag!"

As Fujiwara Sai's voice faded, Hikaru Shindo gently clenched his fist and placed the chess piece on the board.

Column 5, row 16, skip.

He placed a piece on an empty square, leaving one space empty.

The murmurs gradually subsided, and as the game progressed, the two sides finally began a delicate and protracted battle.

What will the outcome be?

Su Ran made her move.

Seventeen columns and fifteen rows.

"Xiao Guang, sixteen columns and five rows, sharp."

……

"This setup is very peaceful, with its sharpness concealed and its fighting only superficial."