The average pro would struggle to keep moving without their formations falling apart in this barren wasteland, but the two of us have studied this phase so well that we’re setting traps for each other as we go.
Only those with a superior sense for how pieces interact have the skill to exchange blows in this type of fight. Something will give if you read sequences through one at a time.
―――If I don’t reach out with all my senses …… I’ll lose!!
This isn’t a reading contest anymore.
How much of my life have I devoted to Shogi pieces? How earnestly did I pursue possibilities and the future of Shogi?
The depth of my genuine love for the game called Shogi is being tested.
“Onward, my Sub-Golds!!”
Bent on fulfilling the ten or more pieces other than the King in the opponent’s territory condition, Ayumu summons a constant stream of Pawns from his piece stand.
Cleaning up my territory feels like playing whack-a-mole. I find a moment to breathe and ask the match recorder, “What move are we up to?!”
“The next move will be 388 …… N-No! 390!!”
My path is set. Keep Ayumu from fulfilling the conditions until the 500th move.
That way, it’ll end as a stalemate no matter what the point totals are. In other words, if I can prevent Ayumu from meeting those conditions through move 499, this match will be moot. We will have a rematch.
There are 110 moves left before 500. A typical game of Shogi ends in that amount of moves but―――
“So easy,” I say as I sacrifice my big pieces to keep Ayumu from invading my territory.
I’m way below 24 points now.
There’s no way to offer a stalemate anymore.
Now that I’ve abandoned the final retreat path, Usui-sensei gets out of seiza and crosses his legs.
“Play your hearts out, kiddos,” he says. “Takeru Usui’ll observe right along with you!”
The date changes, but we’re still fighting.
Ayumu and I break past the previous record for the longest match, 402 moves, but a hellish 98 moves of Shogi are still sitting in front of us.
Then again, that hell―――
“Haha! How fun is this?!”
Keeping the amount of Ayumu’s invading pieces out of my territory is such a thrill. This brand new version of Shogi is more fun than I’ve had in a long time.
“KHAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
“HRAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
It’s the middle of the night, but roars erupt in this quiet traditional hotel in Tokyo as our endless game of tag rages on.
“Is this Shogi at all?”
I don’t have an answer prepared for that question.
If there’s anything I can say, it’s this …… I’m amazed Ayumu has managed to keep his formation so delicately balanced for this long. He must’ve practiced with the Meijin countless times.
“There’s something wrong in that guy’s head, don’t you think, Ayumu?!”
“On that point, I wholeheartedly agree!!”
I never beat Awaji.
But I did force a tie twice. I escaped long enough to make it to the 500th move with the same strategy I’m playing now.
Even so, I can’t shake off Ayumu.
Both of us felt like we’d cracked the other’s shell around the 400th move. I never imagined that two people could play correctly long enough to make it into this unknown abyss …… But Ayumu is playing just as strong as Awaji right now!
“Here’s to humans!! But―――!!”
The finish line comes into view as we round 450 moves.
As long as I keep this up, my guts are telling me …… I can make it!
“Just …… 50 TO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
Yelling at the top of my lungs to keep myself fully alert, I allow Ayumu to fulfill the third condition.
I stop hunting Ayumu’s tenth invading pieces completely.
Instead, I bar him from reaching the last requirement with every ounce of my life!
“The declaring player cannot be in check.”
I have to keep him in check, last requirement, all the way to the 500th move. In other words, the small army of pieces I’ve built up have to threaten his King for the next 50 turns straight.
25 checks in a row!
“Check!!”
I snap pieces down as fast as possible so he doesn’t have any time to think and put his King in check every single turn.
Check!
Check! Check!
ChechcheckcheckcheckcheckchechcheckcheckcheckcheckchechcheckcheckcheckcheckChechcheckcheckcheckcheckCHEEEEEEEEEEEEEECK!!
None of these checks feel very threatening on their own. Of course not. Both of us know there’s no way either of us can put the other in checkmate.
It’s just a mere stalling tactic to draw out the match …… but every move I can force out of him is more important than the last.
“What move was that?!”
“The 496th!!”
I look down at my empty piece stand and snap my tongue in frustration.
Out of ammo.
―――But I just need two more moves!
If I can find a way to put his King in check two more times, a stalemate will be called.
So long as Ayumu’s King stays in check, he won’t be able to make the declaration. I have to figure out a way to do that using only what’s on the board but―――THERE!!
“Check!!”
―――YES ……!
Miraculously, there was a piece ripe for the taking in a position where I could put Ayumu’s King in check at the same time. Taking an extra piece on my stand, I can guarantee a stalemate next turn. It’s two birds with one stone.
Usui-sensei lets out a long sigh.
Probably a sigh of relief that he won’t have to be the first observer to call a match based on a victory declaration in history.
I place the piece I took onto my piece stand, absolutely sure this will end in a stalemate since I have Ayumu in check on the 496th move.
“…………”
Ayumu has been playing at lightning speed all this time, but now he stops.
There’s only one thing he can do in this situation: let his King be put back in check.
Then, he says, while moving his King with trembling fingers, “Check.”
“Huh?”
Move 497.
My eyes shoot open as his hand pulls away.
What?
Did he ………… just say?
“You are in check,” Ayumu repeats.
Saying I’m in check.
I’m the one who put him in check …… so how can it be that I’m in check now ……?
“R-Re ……”
The observer and match recorder get up on their knees and shout.
“Reverse check?!”
I can’t even speak anymore.
―――He got me ……!
That miraculous piece wasn’t a miracle at all.
It was a deadly poison apple.
Even while being put in check more than 20 times straight, Ayumu wasn’t just aimlessly running his King around. He was setting a trap for me the whole time.
I was so focused on keeping him in check until the 500th move that I completely overlooked something that I’d normally never miss.
My own King’s safety.
“A reverse check, here? Now?! Then―――”
I’ll be checkmated if I don’t protect my King!
Falling into a trap at the very last single possible moment, I’m forced to use the piece I’d intended to be the final check on Ayumu’s King for my own King’s defense instead.
“…… Kgh!!”
I take the piece and place it in front of my King rather than Ayumu’s. If I didn’t, I’d lose.
Once my fingertips leave it ……
Ayumu doesn’t play a move. It’s his turn, number 499.
His right hand, what should be reaching for the board right now, reaches for the heavens instead.
“I―――”
Ayumu Kannabe extends his arm as high as he can and says those words.
The ones that only the person who endured a long, grueling fight to seize a win at the very end can say.