r18novel Page 66
Page 66
And this child wasn't even Akira Touya.
Only Hikaru Shindo, upon hearing Asumi Nase's words, was not shocked. Instead, a figure flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Is it An Natsu?"
Fujiwara Sai heard Hikaru Shindo muttering to himself and replied with certainty, "If it's An Natsumi, it's not surprising that he could solve a life-and-death game of the same difficulty level at a glance."
The silver-haired boy also heard Hikaru Shindo's mutterings and couldn't help but ask, "Do you know the little boy she's talking about?"
Upon hearing this, Fukui Yuta and Nase Asumi couldn't help but look at Shindo Hikaru with curiosity in their eyes.
Seeing this, Hikaru Shindo breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "I don't know if she's talking about the same person I'm thinking of, but if it really is him, he can indeed solve this level of life-and-death puzzle at a glance."
Upon hearing this, Asumi Nase couldn't help but ask, "Is the person you're thinking of someone with a fox-like face, who likes to squint, and has a very nasty personality?"
Hikaru Shindo paused for a moment upon hearing this, then shook his head and replied, "No, the person I'm thinking of not only has a good personality, but is also handsome and refined in appearance."
"Can you tell me his name?" the silver-haired boy asked earnestly.
Asumi Naze and Yuta Fukui also wanted to know the answer, so they couldn't help but look at Hikaru Shindo.
Under everyone's gaze, Hikaru Shindo spoke up, "His name is Chen Anxia!"
Not far away, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi and Yuko Miki, who were searching for something in the crowd, heard the name 'Chen Anxia' coming from Hikaru Shindo's mouth, and their bodies trembled involuntarily.
A wave of turmoil was stirred up at this moment because of a name...
......
Chapter 98: A Clash of Titans, the Prelude!
After Hikaru Shindo uttered the name 'Chen Anxia,' before Yuta Fukui, the silver-haired boy, and Asumi Nase could react, a hostile voice suddenly rang out, 'Where is Chen Anxia?'
Everyone instinctively looked in the direction of the sound.
Upon closer inspection, one could see Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, exuding a troubled aura and giving off the impression of a problem child, staring intently at Hikaru Shindo, wanting an answer from him.
Hikaru Shindo, who was being stared at intently by Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, unconsciously swallowed, feeling a little afraid of the seemingly delinquent Shinsuke Ichiyanagi.
Hikaru Shindo never imagined that his hairstyle and hair color would be seen as having negative connotations by some people.
At the same time, both Asumi Nase and the silver-haired boy couldn't help but show surprise upon seeing Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, and exclaimed softly in unison.
"It's you!?"
"Ichiyanagi!?"
After hearing someone call his name, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi turned his gaze to the silver-haired boy who had spoken.
Upon seeing this, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi couldn't help but show a look of astonishment on his face, and asked, "Sha, what are you doing here?"
The "Sha" mentioned by Shinsuke Ichiyanagi is the silver-haired boy whose full name is Kiyoharu Sha. He has a relationship with Shinsuke Ichiyanagi that is both adversary and friend, and is Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's only acknowledged friend.
Kiyoharu's father, Kenjiro Shibazuka, was a professional 9-dan Go player whose reputation in the Go world was even greater than that of Shigeo Morishita.
However, Kenjiro Shibazuka is not a professional Go player belonging to the Japan Go Association, but rather to the Kansai Go Association, which is located in the Kansai region.
As for the bond between Shinsuke Ichiyanagi and Kiyoharu Shiba, it all started with their father.
Like them, Kenjiro Shirazuka and Shintaro Ichiyanagi also had a relationship of both rivalry and friendship, and had competed for the Kisei Cup many times.
However, Kenjiro Yamatozuka was ultimately unable to defeat Shintaro Ichiyanagi, allowing Shintaro Ichiyanagi to win the title of Kisei multiple times.
Afterwards, with the rise of Meijin Touya and the quiet retirement of Shintaro Ichiyanagi from the Go world, Ken Shibazuka also gave up competing for the Kisei Cup and returned to the Kansai Go-in. Later, for some reasons, he gradually began to take charge of the Kansai Go-in.
Kenjiro Shibazuka has now retired from the spotlight and no longer participates in competitions and the pursuit of fame. Instead, he has begun to dedicate himself to building the Kansai Go Association and cultivating outstanding Go talents, hoping to one day surpass the Island Go Association.
Shinsuke Ichiyanagi and Kiyoharu Shiba continued the relationship between their fathers, becoming both rivals and friends.
However, since returning to the Kansai Ki-in with his father, Shigeharu has never seen Shinsuke Ichiyanagi again.
That's why she was so surprised and somewhat incredulous when she saw Shinsuke Ichiyanagi in his current state, which was completely different from the image she remembered.
No one else expected that Shinsuke Ichiyanagi and Kiyoharu Shiba would know each other, let alone know their identities.
But they all felt that the situation was becoming increasingly complicated.
By this time, Shigeharu had confirmed that the person in front of him was Shinsuke Ichiyanagi.
Then, Shigeharu recalled Ichiyanagi Shinsuke's previous attitude towards Chen Anxia, and couldn't help but become even more curious about Chen Anxia, asking, "Ichiyanagi, you also know this Chen Anxia?"
Perhaps because it was Shigeharu Ichiyanagi, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's expression softened considerably, and his tone was no longer so unfriendly. He replied, "We're not acquainted yet; I just played a game of Go with him."
Upon hearing this, She Qingchun looked curious and asked, "And the result?"
"I lost," Shinsuke Ichiyanagi replied frankly.
This result caused She Qingchun's expression to change.
The others were unaware of Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's skill level, so they didn't react much after hearing his words.
However, Kiyoharu Sha was different; he was very clear about Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's skill level.
Several years ago, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi was considered by the Go community to be second only to Akira Toya among the younger generation.
Naturally, at that time, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's Go skills had already surpassed Kiyoharu Sha.
Before coming to participate in the National Children's Go Tournament, Kenjiro Yabuka once said to Kiyoharu Yabuka, "Shinsuke's Go skills have already reached the professional level."
Kiyoharu was well aware that although Kenjiro Yamatozuka did not say it, his words conveyed the meaning that Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's Go skills were still stronger than his own.
Shocked, Shigeharu wanted to say something.
However, before She Qingchun could speak, a clear, childlike voice rang out, "Not only Chen Anxia, but this time, you will also lose to me."
The sudden sound drew everyone's attention.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice again and saw a little girl with pigtails, delicate and cute appearance, and a somewhat domineering and arrogant aura walking over.
This little girl is none other than Yuko Miki.
Shinsuke Ichiyanagi already knew who was speaking the moment he heard the voice.
Therefore, as he turned his head, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi showed a disdainful look on his face and said, "A defeated opponent dares to speak so arrogantly."
"Just pray you're lucky enough to meet Chen Anxia before the finals, otherwise you have absolutely no chance."
Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's words stirred something within those around him once again.
Because Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's words revealed two pieces of information.
The first piece of information is that this new twin-tailed little girl is also related to Chen Anxia.
The second piece of information is that Chen Anxia will be participating in this National Children's Go Tournament, and both Shinsuke Ichiyanagi and the twin-tailed little girl want to play against Chen Anxia.
Although Hikaru Shindo was thick-skinned, he didn't realize the hidden message in Shinsuke Ichiyanagi's words.
However, the observant Fujiwara Sai noticed this and couldn't help but say to Hikaru Shindo, "Hikaru, it seems that Anxia will also be participating in this National Children's Go Tournament."
Upon hearing this, Hikaru Shindo's heart skipped a beat, followed by a strange expression on his face as he murmured to himself, "Will Anxia also be participating...?"
At the same moment, Fujiwara Sai sensed the intense longing emanating from Shindo Hikaru.
Through this longing, Fujiwara Sai knew that Shindo Hikaru wanted to rely on his true skill to have a fair and square game against Chen Anxia in the National Children's Go Tournament.
On the other side, Miki Yuko did not get angry after hearing Ichiyanagi Shinsuke's words.
Yuko Miki tossed her twin ponytails slightly, her eyes fixed intently on Shinsuke Ichiyanagi. Suddenly, she unleashed her own unique aura of Go, pressing down on Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, and confidently declared, "The one who should be praying is you, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi."
"Otherwise, I will definitely defeat you!"
Upon seeing this, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi couldn't help but smile slightly. Then, his own solid yet intangible aura of Go suddenly erupted, clashing with Yuko Miki's aura of Go from afar.
At the same time, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi met Yuko Miki's gaze and confidently replied, "If you can do it, then give it a try."
At this moment, amidst the clash of chess styles, it seemed as if everyone heard a magnificent symphony.
And this is merely the prelude...
......
Chapter 99 A Three-Way Standoff, A Four-Way Division of the World
At the moment when Yuko Miki unleashed her Go-do spirit, Asumi Naze was stunned, staring at Yuko Miki's face with an expression of disbelief.
Asumi Nase would naturally know the spirit of Go.
This is not only because Naze Asumi is an in-in of the Island Nippon Go Association, possessing a legitimate lineage of Go, but also because she has a mentor in the way of Go.
Furthermore, Asumi Naze herself has already embarked on the path of Go and begun to cultivate her own Go aura.
Therefore, Asumi Naze knows how difficult it is to build up the momentum of Go.
Even among students, not everyone can condense the aura of the way of Go.
Take Asumi Naze herself as an example. It was only a year after she became an insei (a student in the Go school) that she successfully developed her own Go spirit.
The fact that she was able to become an insei (a student training program for Japanese chess players) already demonstrates Asumi Nase's talent in Go, which gives you an idea of how difficult it is.
But now, Asumi Nase is actually feeling the aura of Go from a little girl who is younger than her and seems to be an elementary school student.
Not only that, but the little girl's aura of chess was even stronger than her own, which was what made Asumi Nase the most incredible.
Asumi Nase knew very well that this little girl was not a student of the Island Nation Go Association.
Otherwise, given the girl's age, her Go aura, and her appearance, she would definitely be a prominent figure in the Japanese Go Association, and Asumi Naze would certainly know of such a person.
'Could she be a student at the Kansai Go Association?'
'Could her father have been a professional Go player?'
'Could it be that she relied on her own talent and self-exploration to embark on the path of Go and cultivate her own unique Go aura?'
......
A series of questions surfaced in Asumi Naze's mind, causing her thoughts to become chaotic.
Before Naze Asumi could even sort out her thoughts, she felt an even stronger aura of Go surging towards her.
This powerful aura of Go gave Asumi Naze a sudden jolt, and at the same time, a tremendous sense of pressure arose in her heart.
Turning her head, Asumi Naze couldn't help but show an expression of disbelief.
Naze Asumi never imagined that the seemingly delinquent little boy who had once helped her out of a predicament had actually embarked on the path of Go and was cultivating his own Go aura.
Most importantly, both the little boy and the little girl are participants in this year's National Children's Go Tournament.