In a room so inundated with male odors that the throat begs for mercy, Natagiri 8-dan crosses out the final remaining number on the waiting time reference chart placed atop the boardside table.
“Kannabe-sensei, one-minute Shogi begins now.”
“Acknowledged!!” I softly scream with my gaze firmly affixed to the board.
Beginning yesterday morning, both of us have exhausted nearly every last second of our allotted eight hours of waiting time in this match. As that time itself has been measured using a stopwatch that shaves off seconds down to the nearest minute, we have been at war for well over sixteen hours, at the very least.
The formation, indistinguishable. However there is a discrepancy in our waiting time.
Thinking is a luxury I no longer possess.
“―――There!!”
My first instinct leads me to a sequence that exploits my adversary’s vulnerable underbelly and I ride out in full force.
Immediately following that is a body blow in the form of a big piece that arrives from a completely unforeseen angle.
“Urgh?!”
Being hit unexpectedly under one-minute Shogi makes breathing physically impossible. Worse, a follow-up blow nails my defenses before the phantom pain left by the first can fully dissipate.
“Ngh ……! Arrrgh ……!!”
Already suffering from fatigue induced by a match longer than any I have ever experienced, an unexpected flurry of blows at the very end forces pathetic grunts and groans from my lungs.
Except this pain is not nearly enough.
―――If he were here …… the sequence would have been even more merciless ……
I spend my last threads of consciousness offering up my surrender.
“What’s with you? Chin up,” says a scantily clad Natagari 8-dan, emerging from the bath while drying his damp hair with a hand towel.
I, who had received the honor of the first bath, remain hunched on the sofa and give this response.
“………… One who could raise their chin after being defeated by an adversary they vanquished in the Challenger Match under title match rules seems far more unnatural to me ……”
“Are you going to act like this when it counts? Because when the title match starts, it’s the time starting from when you know you lost a match that’s important.”
“How do you mean ……?”
“You lay the groundwork for winning the next match once you accept the current one is lost. It works the other way, too. Once your opponent knows they won, it’s their chance to pile on the damage. They’ll try to crush your spirit. And if you mope around like this, it’s safe to say it works like a charm.”
“……”
“There are some tricks of the trade just for this. And the only place to pick them up is playing on the title match stage.”
―――The point of saying that escapes me ……
“How am I supposed to contend without that experience―――”
It comes to me in a flash in the midst of my counterargument.
Did the Meijin …… organize this session just to give me said experience?
“Be grateful. Even young pros hate the idea of having to do a practice match using title match rules, and that busy, busy man not only gave you that much of his time, he made the offer in the first place.”
Very true.
The Meijin proposed this title match preparation session the very day the Crown Challenger Match came to a close.
The participants: the Meijin, Natagiri 8-dan and myself.
It was that number that first struck me as unusual.
By and large, practice sessions are carried out with an even number of participants. That way, all can take part in matches simultaneously.
This session, however, only had three.
Two play while one records. Even the Meijin took his turn.
Then, once the match was complete, we used computer software to analyze the sequences while conducting our own thorough review session. This, I assumed, was the most vital element.
Reason being that Yaichi Kuzuryu of late has risen to a point that the Shogi sense of one individual would never be enough to stand against him.
Chances are that the Meijin intended to host this practice session regardless of the Challenger Match outcome.
The final event scheduled for the excursion was a two-day format mock title match between the Meijin and myself. It was the most extreme form of practice I have ever undergone.
“Playing an eight-hour waiting time match against the Meijin with a recorder present to boot. Even a chance to practice a sealing move. This was the real thing, what title matches actually feel like. Why, I’m so jealous, I could bleed green for days!”
It goes without saying that my gratitude is boundless.
Natagiri-sensei filled the role of match recorder, even using a stopwatch to track the waiting time. I never imagined an A League player, one who challenged the Meijin in the Meijin Title Match just last year only to be vanquished, would consider attending such a practice session.
But …… with the title match on the very near horizon, dark thoughts start to emerge through the tattered remains of my fighting spirit.
―――Was this retaliation against me for robbing him of a title match against Yaichi Kuzuryu?
When, from out of the blue, Natagiri 8-dan asks, “You’re having a beer, right?”
“No, I―――”
“Haven’t had one before, hm? Then tonight is too good of a chance to pass up!”
I formulate my counterargument to that flawed logic, but Natagiri 8-dan takes a can of that alcoholic liquid from the refrigerator and tosses it in my direction.
“You’d better get an idea of how much beer you can hold. After all, it’s next to impossible to avoid drinking entirely at opening night and closing parties.”
“Wouldn’t a sip during the opening toast suffice?” I retort, and somehow manage to catch the cylindrical projectile of a beer can.
In the event that this title match runs to a full set, there will be seven parties of both varieties. Indeed, with that many opportunities, I may end up consuming more alcohol than anticipated.
This beverage is also used to celebrate victories and dull the agony of defeat …… Both of which I anticipate experiencing over the course of the title match.
“Word to the wise: hard drinks can be a good weapon to have.”
“A weapon …… How?”
“Picture this: it’s your first title match. A series of seven games, all against your life-long rival and best friend. You’ll either be stiff as a statue or roaring with competitive fire. Things don’t flow like they usually do when you’re like that, no?”
“…………”
“That’s where a nip from the bottle, or can, comes in. Just the right amount can give you a good night’s sleep. The problem is that the inexperienced tend to drink too much when they’re just starting out. That’s why right now, with full-fledged veterans around, is the best time to experiment. Okay?”
“……………………………”