［Well then, could you both please introduce yourselves?］ (Announcer)
「Yashajin Ten'ai, fourth-grade elementary student.」 (Ten'ai)
「Hinatsuru Ai! Fourth-grade elementary student! I live with Master Kuzuryu Yaichi as a live-in disciple!」 (Ai)
Once the lunch break concluded, a cue card reading [Guests Entering Now] was held up. Just as Kuzuryu wondered who might appear, he froze the moment he saw Ai and Ten'ai. To make matters worse, Ai dropped a bombshell statement that was akin to pouring oil on a fire, causing the comment section to visibly explode.
「Umm, is Miss Yashajin Ten'ai also a live-in disciple at Master Kuzuryu's...?」 (Kanoba)
「I am Master Ōki's disciple. I do not live with him, but I do meet with Master Ōki four times a week.」 (Ten'ai)
Ten'ai's remark ensured that the flames scorched Ōki as well. Just as it seemed both men would be incinerated by the rumors, the remaining members of the "Research Group" stormed the set. The girls swarmed Kuzuryu, instantly magnifying the scale of the catastrophe befalling him.
The match had reached a critical juncture in the middle game; Kisei Shinokubo was lost in deep thought over a complex position. When Kuzuryu spotted a cue card reading [Broadcasting uninterrupted until the end], he felt as though he might pass out.
Charlotte—the blonde little girl—sat in Kuzuryu's lap. To his right sat Ai, effectively blocking the path between him and Kanoba, while Mizukoshi and Sadato from the "Research Group" lined up on his left. Confronted with a scene that truly cemented Kuzuryu's image as the "Loli King," the stream of mocking comments continued: "Replace the Dragon King," "Drop dead, you obsessed Scum Dragon," and "It's a Little Girl Festival."
Naturally, Kanoba distanced herself from Kuzuryu, leaving Ten'ai standing beside her. Ten'ai had initially come out in a rush because Ai was attempting to derail the broadcast, but now she found herself at a loss for what to do. Consequently, she began picking out random comments that caught her eye and responding to them.
≪Is Ōki a lolicon, too?≫ (Comment)
「Master Ōki is not a lolicon! Watch your mouths, you trash!!」 (Ten'ai)
≪She read my comment≫ ≪She's so cute≫ ≪Lick lick, you little bully≫ (Comments)
「...You are truly gross.」 (Ten'ai)
≪Is this what her personality is like?≫ ≪That bullying style is amazing≫ ≪Abuse me more! Look down on us more!≫ (Comments)
Some viewers had already read Ten'ai's interview from the previous day, but having displayed her "bullying" side before such a massive audience, she could no longer maintain any pretense. As viewers realized she had been feigning innocence in her initial interview, comments like "Amazing!" and "Please step on me!" began to surge.
Amidst this chaos spiraling out of control, Kisei Shinokubo played his decisive attacking move. However, Ōki countered instantly, plunging the match into the endgame at breakneck speed.
「...This is a mate (Tsumi).」 (Kuzuryu)
「Huh?」 (Kanoba)
In that final battle, Ōki sacrificed his Knight. While Shinokubo pondered whether to capture it with his Gold General, Kuzuryu realized that an immediate mate had been established. Kanoba's voice rose in astonishment at his words. At first glance, the move appeared ordinary and safe to capture, but taking the piece meant instant loss, and refusing it was equally hellish. The only option left was a counterattack, yet Shinokubo woefully lacked the necessary attacking pieces.
「That is correct. If he takes the Knight, he will be mated starting from the 9-3 square.」 (Ten'ai)
「There are mating sequences other than from 9-3, too!」 (Ai)
Ten'ai and Ai had also spotted the immediate mate, with Ai even identifying an alternative sequence. Unable to believe it, Kanoba asked Ten'ai for the steps, which she recited in a flash. Before she could even finish, Ai fluently rattled off the other sequence.
「Actually, that uncomplicated sequence is a forced one-way street. Did you not realize something so obvious?」 (Ten'ai)
「...Damn you, you little brat...」 (Kanoba)
Ten'ai sneered at Kanoba. While Kanoba had muttered the curse inadvertently, the sharp ears of Ten'ai, Ai, and Kuzuryu caught it. Nevertheless, Ten'ai maintained her condescending attitude, leaving Kanoba unable to hide her irritation.
At that moment, Kisei Shinokubo announced his resignation. The match concluded at 2:56 PM, without ever reaching the second snack break. Ōki had consumed a mere 11 minutes of his time, whereas Shinokubo had used 3 hours and 21 minutes.
With this victory, Ōki seized the Kisei title. He will no longer be addressed as Ōki 7-dan, but as Kisei Ōki. Following the conclusion of the match, journalists crowded the hall to praise the victor. However, witnessing Shinokubo trembling in humiliation after losing his title through consecutive defeats, Kuzuryu projected his own future onto the scene and turned slightly pale.
Just then, Charlotte kissed Kuzuryu on the cheek, causing the online attacks against him to flare up once more.
(Regarding Ten'ai's appearance on the live stream and the spread of news about our master-disciple relationship, the situation did not ignite against me as intensely as I had anticipated.) (Ōki)
(What a surprise... The "Loli King" was truly a formidable opponent. While your topic consumed only three discussion threads regarding seizing the Kisei title, Ten'ai's appearance, and jealousy toward you, Kuzuryu's topic devoured ten full threads in the same day. I haven't seen "momentum" reaching 36,000 comments in a long time.) (Ai)
(Truly, that "Loli King" is a real problem. The popularity of little girls on live streams is terrifying as well. The moment Charlotte kissed him generated the greatest momentum in the comments.) (Ōki)
(Red comments completely blocked out the screen. The other moment that gained massive traction was when Ten'ai began casting looks of contempt and hurling insults.) (Ai)
(Well, if it only went that far, then fine. But judging by Kanoba's facial expression at the end, it seems Ten'ai clearly mocked her, which is... a bit thorny.) (Ōki)
After successfully seizing the Kisei title, I immediately conducted press interviews, then had dinner at the Hotel New Awaji before returning home. The most exhausting aspect of title matches is maintaining a smile while answering journalists' questions. It is three times harder than I imagined; for the Meijin to repeat this 98 times is truly astounding.
...As a result of my altering the original storyline, the Meijin failed to secure the Kisei title, and thus did not reach a total of 99 titles. However, he is expected to reach his 99th title by the time of the Ryu-O (Dragon King) battle, so what I have done poses no issue. Still, caution is necessary.
Next, the Ryu-O challenger determination match between the Meijin and Ayumu will take place, as well as the "Changing Clothes" event involving Sora and Kuzuryu, but I will be unable to intervene in either. Before the challenger determination match, Ten'ai faces the Unified Preliminaries for the Mynavi Women's Open and the entrance exam for the Shoreikai.
Regarding the Unified Preliminaries, if Ten'ai continues on this path, she will undoubtedly land on Kanoba's "Absolutely No Forgiveness List." Frankly, provoking others and getting blacklisted unnecessarily is a loss in life, so I would prefer she stop, but their meeting in the waiting room is inevitable. If I recall correctly, Kanoba is the one who initiates the provocation.
(In that regard, Master never made any enemies, did he? No matter how much you were provoked, you remained smiling, which either absorbed the opponent's malice or instilled awe in them.) (Ai)
(Responding with a smile that affirms the opponent's words is the best way to handle provocation. I will teach Ten'ai only this. No matter how infuriating the person in front of you is, as long as you maintain a "business smile," you can build acceptable human relationships.) (Ōki)
(...And did you manage to build a relationship with Sora?) (Ai)
(That girl is locked inside a shell, so she doesn't count as a case study.) (Ōki)
The Unified Preliminaries for the Mynavi Women's Open is a knockout tournament for a small number of participants; Ten'ai will clear the prelims if she wins two matches. I would like for her to secure her seat in the main tournament before she tackles the Shoreikai exam.