thefictionvixens Page 74
Page 74
This time, Hikaru Shindo's luck ran out. His opponent, while not yet at the level of a true master of Go, was stronger than him.
Therefore, after a hard-fought battle, Hikaru Shindo was defeated.
This was also the first time that Hikaru Shindo tasted defeat.
Hikaru Shindo had to admit that this feeling was extremely unpleasant, and he would never want to experience it a second time.
At the same time, a deep sense of resentment and disappointment welled up in Hikaru Shindo's heart.
For this National Children's Go Tournament, Hikaru Shindo most desires to play against Anxia Chen.
Although Hikaru Shindo was unsure whether Anxia Chen would actually participate in a competition of this level.
Besides Chen Anxia, Hikaru Shindo also wanted to play against Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, Yuko Miki, Kiyoharu Sha, and Yuta Fukui, to see how big the gap was between himself and these Go prodigies who had embarked on the path of Go.
But reality is cruel. Not to mention the uncertain Chen Anxia, even for the confirmed Ichiyanagi Shinsuke and others, Hikaru Shindo was unable to secure a chance to play against them.
While the staff were recording the winners and losers, Hikaru Shindo kept his head down, his hands clenched tightly under the chessboard, so tightly that the veins on his hands bulged.
Fujiwara Sai was able to understand Hikaru Shindo's feelings because Fujiwara Sai had also experienced failures and felt similarly to Hikaru Shindo.
Fujiwara Sai knew that this was an essential path for every Go player to grow.
Only by constantly rising from failure, and by maintaining one's true self amidst resentment and disappointment, can one temper one's mind and truly stand out from the crowd.
When Mu Ran looks back then, he will find that he has already stood at the pinnacle of the way of chess.
Therefore, Fujiwara no Sai did not offer any words of comfort to Shindo Hikaru.
Fujiwara Sai wanted Hikaru Shindo to overcome his failures on his own; only in this way could Hikaru grow and his mind be tempered.
Only in this way can Hikaru Shindo have a slight chance to rely on his own chess skills to have a peak battle with Chen Anxia in the future.
Of course, there is only a slight possibility.
Even Fujiwara Sai couldn't imagine how terrifying the monster named Chen Anxia would become in the future.
After the staff recorded the winner and loser, Hikaru Shindo got up and walked out of the arena.
Throughout this process, Hikaru Shindo remained silent.
Just when Fujiwara Sai thought this silence would continue indefinitely, Fukui Yuta, who had also lost a game, appeared.
Unlike Hikaru Shindo, Yuta Fukui, who also lost a game, did not seem to be much different from usual.
Seeing this, Hikaru Shindo slightly suppressed his disappointment and resentment, and forced a smile as he greeted Yuta Fukui, "Congratulations, Fukui."
Upon hearing this, Fukui Yuta was slightly taken aback, then realized what he meant and jokingly said with a smile, "Hikaru, are you congratulating me on losing the game?"
Hikaru Shindo was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, his expression somewhat incredulous, and asked, "Afuku, you lost? Who did you lose to? Was it the three of them?"
Fukui Yuta naturally knew who the three people Shindo Hikaru was referring to, and gently shook his head.
Immediately, Fukui Yuta seemed to have thought of something, his eyes lit up slightly, and he described Chen Anxia's appearance in detail. Then he asked Shindo Hikaru if he knew Chen Anxia.
Upon hearing Fukui Yuta's description, Hikaru Shindo and Fujiwara Sai, who was standing beside him, were both jolted awake, and a figure almost simultaneously appeared in their minds.
Among them, Hikaru Shindo muttered to himself, "It's Anxia, Anxia really came to participate in this competition..."
......
Chapter 110 Encounter, the Coming Storm!
Knowing the answer he wanted, Fukui Yuta smiled slightly and said, "As expected, it was him."
Then, Fukui Yuta said to Shindo Hikaru, "Hikaru, I'm going back to hone my Go skills."
"This time, I will also take Chen Anxia as my goal and follow in his footsteps on the path of chess."
"I hope that when we meet again next time, we'll have the opportunity to compete on the chessboard!"
Without a second thought, Fukui Yuta left.
As Hikaru Shindo watched Yuta Fukui's departing figure, his expression gradually hardened.
Seemingly having moved on from his defeat, Hikaru Shindo composed himself, took a deep breath, and solemnly said to Yuta Fukui's retreating figure, "Ah, there will definitely be a chance!"
"Before that, I will work hard, and keep working hard."
"When we meet again, I hope I will be able to walk alongside you, chasing after Anxia's shadow..."
Behind him, Fujiwara Sai heard this and a relieved smile appeared on his face.
Then, Fujiwara Sai couldn't help but ask, "Hikaru, are we going back now?"
Hikaru Shindo replied, "Since it's still early, let's stay here and watch the game, and wait for Anxia."
As he spoke, Hikaru Shindo turned to look at Sai Fujiwara and grinned, saying, "I think this is what Sai wanted too."
Upon seeing this, Fujiwara no Sai smiled and replied, "Ah, that's what I wish for too."
The third round of the competition ended before we even knew it.
Without any further surprises, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, Yuko Miki, Kiyoharu Sha, and Otoko Iwashima all advanced smoothly.
During the break between the third and fourth rounds of the competition, She Qingchun kept looking for Fukui Yuta and Chen Anxia.
No matter how hard Shigeharu searched, he couldn't find Fukui Yuta and Chen Anxia.
However, although Shigeharu did not find Fukui Yuta and Chen Anxia, he did find Ichiyanagi Shinsuke.
At this moment, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi was sitting in a secluded corner, taking a nap with his eyes closed.
Upon seeing this, Shigeharu walked over and sat down next to Shinsuke Ichiyanagi.
Shinsuke Ichiyanagi frowned and opened his eyes when he realized someone was sitting next to him.
But when Shinsuke Ichiyanagi saw that it was Kiyoharu Shiba, his furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
During this process, She Qingchun asked, "Yiliu, have you seen that squinty-eyed chubby boy?"
Shinsuke Ichiyanagi knew who Kiyoharu was referring to and replied directly, "I didn't see him."
Then, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi asked with some curiosity, "Why do you want to see him?"
She Qingchun didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "During the match, I felt the aura of the squinty-eyed chubby guy in the game."
"I was curious about who he was playing against, so I wanted to find him and ask him."
Upon hearing this, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi frowned slightly and asked, "If he unleashed the aura of the way of Go, then it means that his opponent must be at least of the same level."
"Could it be Miki? Or Akira Touya, or perhaps that fox brat number 1010?"
Upon hearing this, She Qingchun replied, "It wasn't that girl. I saw his back; it was a boy."
"Of course, it wasn't Akira Touya either. Although there was a commotion before, Akira Touya never came to participate in the competition. It was just that someone mistook him for someone else."
"As for whether it's the fox imp number 1010, I don't know."
Upon hearing Kiyoharu's words, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi was taken aback, not expecting that Akira Touya had not come to participate in the competition.
Then, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi frowned even more deeply, seemingly lost in thought.
Just then, Miki Yuko's voice suddenly rang out, "Not a fox brat."
Both Shigeharu and Shinsuke Ichiyanagi were startled by the sudden sound.
Among them, Kiyoharu looked at Yuko Miki with some fear and said, "Are you a ghost? You walk without making a sound!"
Yuko Miki ignored this and continued, "I just checked the match schedule. In the third round, Fatty's opponent is not number 1010, the fox kid, but number 129, an unknown contestant."
"Not only that, according to the match schedule, the chubby boy lost the third round of the competition."
As she spoke, Yuko Miki paused, then looked at Shinsuke Ichiyanagi and continued, "Also, I just heard that the contestant who was mistaken for Akira Toya is also this unknown contestant number 129."
"Who do you think is most likely to be mistaken for Akira Touya among people of the same age?"
Upon hearing this, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi seemed to realize something, his whole body trembled, and he looked at Yuko Miki and asked, "You mean, number 129 is very likely him?"
Without replying, Yuko Miki simply nodded.
Upon seeing this, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi couldn't help but smile.
In that smile, there was longing, trepidation, and even a hint of fear.
Seeing this, She Qingchun couldn't help but recall the figure she had seen standing as straight as a pine tree, and murmured, "Are you Chen Anxia?"
Yuko Miki didn't linger. Before leaving, she spoke again, "According to the match schedule, your opponent in the fifth round will, barring any unforeseen circumstances, be number 1010, the little fox."
"I won't say much more. Be careful, and hopefully you won't lose to that little fox brat before you lose to me..."
With that, Yuko Miki left.
She Qingchun's brows were already furrowed at this moment.
Shigeharu realized that the reason Miki Yuko approached Ichiyanagi Shinsuke was not because of Chen Anxia's matter, but because of the 1010 fox demon.
From this perspective, the number 1010 fox imp holds an even greater place in Miki Yuko's heart than Chen Anxia.
Thinking about it, She Qingchun murmured to herself, 'What's so special about this fox spirit number 1010? Why is she so concerned about it?'
Not only Kiyoharu, but Shinsuke Ichiyanagi also noticed this, and his expression gradually became serious. He firmly vowed, "I will not lose. I will not lose no matter what, until I play against him again!"
Time passed by, and before we knew it, the fourth round of the competition had begun.
As expected, all five contestants—Chen Anxia, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi, Kiyoharu She, Yuko Miki, and Otoko Iwashima—advanced in the fourth round.
During the fourth round of the competition, Hikaru Shindo and Sai Fujiwara also found Chen Anxia, who was in the middle of the competition.
However, due to some unexpected events, Hikaru Shindo was unable to meet Anxia Chen after the fourth round of the competition.
However, while Hikaru Shindo didn't meet Chen Anxia, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi did...
......
Chapter 111 Chen vs. Society, Yiliu vs. Iwashima! (Please vote!)
The fourth round of the competition is the round of 128 to 64.
The participants who made it to this round of the competition were basically all beginners; there were no novices among them.
Therefore, in the fourth round, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi finally got his wish and ended the game before most people had finished their games.
After the game ended, Shinsuke Ichiyanagi searched for Chen Anxia outside the competition venue.