The Shoreikai exam consists of two stages and is typically held during the Obon holidays. In the first stage, where applicants compete against one another, the pool was flooded with candidates at the fifth and sixth-kyu levels. This forced Tenai to play every single match as the superior side—meaning she had to play with a handicap.
Tied up with a string of daily commitments, I settled for reviewing the game records at night.
In truth, Tenai had only practiced playing the superior side down to the "Lance Drop" handicap level. But frankly, high fundamental skill usually carries a player through. That said, some applicants wait until their skill far exceeds the requirement before applying, creating vast disparities in strength among the candidates.
Over the two days of the first stage, Tenai played six matches, securing five wins and suffering one loss. That solitary defeat came at the hands of an applicant aiming for sixth-kyu who actually possessed third-kyu strength. Given that she was playing with a "Rook and Lance Drop" handicap, the loss was entirely excusable.
In the second stage, she swept through the first two rounds against Shoreikai members. With her success secured by those two victories, the draw pitted her against Sora.
As a 2-dan holder, Sora played with a Lance handicap. I had previously taught Tenai the standard strategies for facing a Lance Drop, but she seemingly realized that following the textbook would put her at a disadvantage. Instead, she resorted to a bold gamble.
(That match against Sora... it was spectacular.) (Ai)
(Truly impressive. It was a triumph of innovation, yet it remained grounded in fundamentals.) (Oki)
Seeing Sora adopt a "Ranging Rook" strategy despite the Lance Drop, Tenai decided to mirror her, employing the "Ranging Rook" style she inherited directly from Oishi Tamasho. The game evolved into an "Opposing Ranging Rook" battle. Rather than wasting time building offensive formations, Tenai rushed to fortify her king. She advanced the lance on the very file where her opponent was missing hers—due to the handicap—and constructed an "Anaguma" castle.
(The opponent's lack of a lance becomes a fatal flaw when trying to breach an Anaguma, as they cannot attack from the edge.) (Oki)
(Sora tried to strip Tenai of her offensive pieces, but Tenai handled it well by forcing a Bishop exchange and maneuvering skillfully.) (Ai)
Leveraging the defensive advantage of the Lance Drop, Tenai defeated Sora to secure her third consecutive victory. She thus concluded her matches against the Shoreikai members with a perfect record of three wins and zero losses.
(Usually, applicants only face lower-ranked members, so clashing with Sora was an exceptional irregularity.) (Oki)
(Many must have wanted to see this showdown between those two early on. In the end, Tenai prevailed.) (Ai)
(I am already looking forward to the Queen Title match in half a year.) (Oki)
Tenai passed safely, which is all well and good, but the supervisor reprimanded her for poor conduct and a lack of etiquette. People have failed the exam for that very reason. However, given her immense talent and value, they let it slide. I had warned her about this myself; I only hope she stops sulking and scowling just because her opponents are weak.
Incidentally, Yajin Kooten attended the interview as her guardian. The session ended so quickly I almost forgot it happened. The primary purpose is to explain things to the parents, making it more of an orientation session than a formal interview.
With the interview concluded without incident, Tenai is now a member of the Shoreikai at the 1-kyu rank. She has officially stepped into the inferno where young aspirants devour one another's stars. She will undoubtedly be a target of caution and scrutiny, yet she declared unequivocally that she would keep winning until she turned professional. Her stance was truly magnificent.
(Well, it is time for the problematic matchup: the "Meijin" versus "Ayumu".) (Ai)
(I know. I feel suffocated; I have no desire to accept this commentary job.) (Oki)
「Good morning, everyone. I am your host, Shikabane Tamaire. Joining us for commentary today is Mr. Oki, the current 'Shogi Emperor.' Mr. Oki, we are honored to have you.」 (Shikabane)
「The honor is mine.」 (Oki)
I was in Tokyo today to fulfill a commentary request. I imagined Kuzuryu and Big Sister were watching this live stream as well. Glancing at the comment section, I saw messages like "Please let me marry Tenai-chan" or "Good luck on the Throne title challenge."
...Please do not mention Tenai's name in front of Ms. Shikabane. It felt as though the room temperature suddenly dropped. Did they crank up the air conditioning?
「Kannabi 6-dan's opening move is Pawn to 7-6. I wonder what formation the Meijin will choose?」 (Shikabane)
「The Meijin plays everything, but he is fundamentally a Static Rook player. That said, he has only one season left to claim the 'Eternal Dragon' title, so he is desperate to win. In a match like this, he might use any means necessary, perhaps even launching a violent attack right from the st— Wait, did he just move the Rook to 3-2?」 (Oki)
「Rook to 3-2! The Meijin plays a Third File Rook on the second move!」 (Shikabane)
Once the match began, however, I focused entirely on the job. We were both skilled at keeping up appearances and managing situations, so no broadcasting mishaps would occur. I continued the commentary calmly, occasionally picking up audience comments to add a humorous retort or answer a question.
(It seems events are proceeding exactly according to the 'original work' scenario. Ayumu chooses the High Mino castle, then a single move from the Meijin forces a repetition of moves (Sennichite). In the rematch, the King enters the enemy camp, yet he still gets checkmated in the end. This is going to be a very long night.) (Ai)
(Ah, right. Doesn't that mean the commentary will drag on excessively? I want to go back quickly and finish the games I stockpiled during the summer sale.) (Oki)
(You have to be patient today. Once you become a title holder, you get busier. Didn't you realize that beforehand?) (Ai)
The match continued with ebbing tides and exchanged attacks. The Meijin finally made a move to end the game, but it was a fatal error that allowed Ayumu to counter. Is the moment for Silver to 6-6 approaching? Ah, there it is.
「Could we say the advantage now lies with Kannabi 6-dan?」 (Shikabane)
「No, the scales will tip with Silver to 6-6.」 (Oki)
(Are you allowed to say that and spoil the events?) (Ai)
(It would be unnatural not to say it in this situation, wouldn't it?) (Oki)
The situation clearly seemed to favor Ayumu. When Shikabane asked about the advantage, I mentioned "Silver to 6-6." Immediately, the comment section flooded with shock: "Silver to 6-6?!" and "That's just a free sacrifice!"
Indeed, the Meijin played Silver to 6-6. If Ayumu takes this piece, the tsumero (threat of mate) imposed by the Meijin vanishes. Ayumu took the Silver, the threat disappeared, and with it, Ayumu's chance of victory. Thus, the situation drifted toward a repetition of moves. Please stop; my time off is evaporating before my eyes.
(Resuming the match at midnight? Have they lost their minds? Play faster and get it over with!) (Ai)
(The resumption allows one hour per side... that means we won't finish before 3:00 AM.) (Oki)
「Excuse me, Mr. Oki, are you alright?」 (Shikabane)
「I am fine, just fine. Ah, look, the King is entering the enemy camp, so the match will drag on. Viewers behind the screens, prepare another energy drink.」 (Oki)
「Huh? Are you really okay, Mr. Oki? You seem a bit strange, and your tension is unnatural!」 (Shikabane)
「Fine, I am perfectly fine. For some reason, my mind feels strangely clear right now.」 (Oki)
(Hey! Are you seriously okay?!) (Ai)
(Shut up. I spent my entire Obon break traveling around and obsessively monitoring reports on Tenai's exam without a moment's rest. I am about to drop dead.) (Oki)
It was past 2:30 AM, and I was still on the job. Although the match began at 10:00 AM, I had arrived at the Shogi Hall at 9:00 to make my rounds and pay respects. How many hours have I actually been working? What idiot accepted this gig? I should have known this would turn into a long night.
The end finally came at 4:00 AM. After a grueling eighteen-hour battle, the Meijin survived to claim victory.
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