Kyoto (Part 2)
What a beautiful sunset.
The next thing I knew, I was standing with a hoe in my hand.
I quickly realized I was dreaming,
but I had such a sense of nostalgia that I started using it.
Someone's calling me.
It's my girlfriend who left me five years ago.
I see.
In the dream, we never broke up.
Oh, that's right.
I couldn't get past the 3rd-dan league, so I came back home.
It's the house's light.
I feel like I'm going to cry.
Everyone's here and doing well.
My grandma and grandpa, too. I missed them so much.
Dang, Kai's really good.
Nobody here can beat him.
He's great.
Dad, Grandpa, everyone.
I'm really sorry.
You've been cheering me on for so long...
It's all right, Kai.
Even if you couldn't become a professional...
Happiness is something you can find no matter where you are.
So if you live with all your might, that's enough.
It's enough, Kai.
The funny thing is
I was playing shogi, even in the dream.
Ow!
Even still, I wanted to become a professional,
and I regretted it so much that I still had stomach pains.
This must be like a nightmare for Shimada 8th-Dan.
At this rate, there's a strong possibility of Shimada losing four times in a row.
He probably won't have a match in his hometown.
They say, "Talking behind someone's back," but still...
It isn't very mature.
It'll be bothersome to get them to apologize.
My stomach hurts.
All right. I guess it's time to get ready.
The me who couldn't become a professional, and moved back to the countryside.
The me who risked everything to make it this far, and now faces four losses in a row.
Which one is a nightmare?
I'll find out by seeing it through to the end!
The Lion King Tournament, fourth match, day two.
On the first day, Master Souya secured his defense and launched the first attack,
but Mr. Shimada counterattacked that well,
and slightly holds the dominant position. At 7-c-Knight...
Mr. Shimada started to attack, but the game was adjourned with a sealed move.
Breakfast Lounge Hideyama
Still, don't you think Mr. Shimada's 7-c-Knight is a little too soon?
Yeah, it feels more like he's panicking rather than ready to attack.
Would you like some miso soup?
Please.
He probably doesn't want to draw it out. After all, he seems ill. And still...
Shimada is doing his best, but nothing stands out.
Not against Souya.
I think we're looking at four straight losses.
So Shimada 8th-Dan will miss another showdown in his hometown.
Yamagata is a long way off.
Since yesterday, the outlook in the waiting room was that Souya had this game as well.
Mr. Shimada is definitely being proactive this match,
but I wouldn't call it panicking.
He's playing like normal.
That's what it looks like to me.
The battle of nerves continued,
but Mr. Shimada was undaunted as he earned a few points off of Master Souya.
It doesn't look as bad as they say.
Kiriyama!
Why didn't you tell me Brother was in poor health?!
Ring!
Grrmmrrrr!!
I would've taken him to Kyoto in a limousine with a bed!
And what's this? You two have been practicing together?
Why didn't you invite me?!
I'm Brother's disciple and a senpai to you at the workshop!
S-Sorry! I did try to contact you, but...
...but um, uh, Mr. Shimada...
Please don't. He'll make a big fuss.
It'd be so stressful that I'd get a hole in my stomach,
so don't tell the kiddo.
Brother! Are you okay?!
I'm on my way!
He once landed a helicopter in the courtyard of the neighborhood elementary school.
I would've flown there if I hadn't had a match, too.
Shogi Hall
Kiriyama, take good care of Brother.
Stay with him even after the match is over.
No matter what happens, I know Brother will play to the very end.
Okay. I understand.
I promise I'll stay with him until he gets home.
Chairman, please, at least let me do the morning broadcast, or let me re-adjourn the match!
I'm fine! I can do this! I swear!
I even bought new formal wear, too!
Let me be on TV!
Looks like Official Observer Tsujii 9th-Dan had the flu.
They just found out and that's the result.
Everyone gargle! Disinfect your hands!
Does anyone else have the flu? Step forward!
If you infect the players, I'll kill you!
Since yesterday, he's been arrogantly clearing his throat
I never figured he wanted to be on TV so badly that he was covering up a cold.
I know. "A waste of good looks" describes him perfectly.
And so, Smith,
I'm promoting you from substitute observer to the official observer!
S-So suddenly?!
But it starts in ten minutes!
Alright, to the match room, go!
Sealed Move
And I also have to open the envelope with the sealed move?
An important role like that, with no practice?
Now or never!
Someone's Observer My Own Title Match
And I'm an observer for someone else's title match before I even have my own?
What kind of flag is that? It's a bad omen!
It'll be fine! Fine!
Hardly any of the professional players here have had a title match.
Well, I have, though!
16th Master
BAM
Glisten Glisten
Opening the envelope with another player's sealed move before I get my own...
Marriage Registration
It's like putting my stamp on a friend's marriage registration
as a witness before getting married myself?
Although it is an honor...
I will now open the envelope.
The sealed move is 6-f-Silver.
And so, the curtain rose silently on the second day.
And then... Hey, Kiriyama!
And now, I would like to begin the explanation of the demonstration board for this second day
of the fourth match for the 20th Lion King Tournament.
First let me introduce the board commentator
Shogi Dragon Raidou Fujimoto.
And the observer of this match, Tsujii 9th-Dan, has the flu,
so with our audience in mind, we acted fast and asked Rei Kiriyama 5th-Dan
to provide commentary as well.
I-I'll do my best.
Holding mic with both hands from nervousness
As you know, Kiriyama 5th-Dan received a lot of attention
for becoming the fifth middle-schooler professional shogi player in history,
and the others including Master Souya, all went on to become masters,
so you could say middle school professionals are future masters in the making,
but what do you think in that regard?
Um, my ability is not that great compared to my older colleagues. Sorry.
Of course not!
Even with a middle-schooler debut, it becomes pointless if you take this long to get out of C-1.
I made my debut as a first-year high school student, but at his age, I was at B-2.
What I'm trying to say is...
I'm more impressive!
That's my point!
So then, answer me this.
Why is the world so enamored with the expression "middle school debut?"
It's confounding to me!
Future master?
Nobody knows that!
Nag Nag Nag
The goal is to "become a professional,"
but not having the goal of "becoming a master at all costs" is something I can't abide.
Complain Complain Complain
The Japanese posit that "having no desire" is a rather beautiful thing,
so it doesn't make sense that having a goal is good, but having desires is bad?
Isn't it strange? They're the same thing.
Yeah, yeah.
Incidentally, I want to become that.
What?
But thanks to that weird fellow, I've been held back from it,
but I swear I'll drag him down and become a master myself.
Veterans
First-timers
Until then, you can bet the house that I'll never drop out of Rank A!
And once I take a title, it's mine! I'll hold on to it 'til the day I die!
That is all!
I'm scared!
P.S. Mr. Shimada, you were surrounded by people like this and fought them daily, huh?
That you only suffer from stomach pains makes you a monster in a way!
I can't do it! Rank A is impossible!
Kyoto (Part 2)
Kyoto (Part 3)
It hurts.
This is just...
Really...
Dammit!
It's like a black bog throbbing in the pit of my stomach.
It really makes you feel alive!
5-g-promoted Pawn? He's going with that? It's crazy!
If he lets up on the attack, he'll be surrounded!
His own king is still on shaky ground.
How long can he keep up the attack?
6-g-Silver, threatmate!
7-h-Silver.
2-h-Rook, again threatmate!
Will Shimada be able to finish off the king like this?
Still, his opponent is Souya.
Yeah. But will he make it?
He won't. 7-a-Rook.
He rode it out!
With just a Rook and Pawn?
And now it's Souya's turn.
This is where Shimada 8th-Dan's attack stopped
and Master Souya's counterattack began.
That's the game.
I'm going to the waiting room.
Snow.
No matter how much I struggle,
it'll bury me without mercy.
It's a blinding darkness that dazzles my eyes.
Silent, and overwhelming...
It's captivatingly beautiful.
Wait.
Please wait.
It's not over yet.
His castle was torn down, and his King is in danger.
And his opponent is Souya.
There's no way he can turn it around from here.
But it's not over yet!
Mr. Shimada's pieces are alive!
It's over. Shimada is done.
And it's because of their gap.
Four straight losses! He's too weak!
You're in Shimada's workshop, aren't you?
I understand you don't want to admit your mentor's in a pinch,
but you'll make Shimada lose his reputation.
So shut up.
Well, Shimada 8th-Dan did his best.
Yeah...
But his opponent...
It can't be helped. He was outclassed.
After all, it was Souya.
Four straight losses...
Still...
He could've at least won once.
I wanted him to show some backbone.
He didn't show us anything.
As expected.
Yamagata was a long way off.
Well, this is how it is.
No.
No, that's not right.
To me, this board hasn't died yet.
I don't think...
Mr. Shimada's pieces...
have died!
To me...
Kiriyama 5th-Dan?
Kiri... Where are you...
Kiriyama 5th-Dan!
Mr. Shimada.
Mr. Shimada!
Shogi Dragon Fujimoto!
Mr... Shimada...
Shimada 8th-Dan conceded.
It's the gap between them.
It's just like I said.
It wasn't noticed, huh?
This darkness isn't just playing on an endless loop.
- Hey, wait. - Yeah.
This...
This 7-i-Bishop...
He reversed the situation.
The 2-d-Knight threatmate is gone, too.
Huh? Isn't Master Souya's king under check?
With just one move...
...the world shows me a completely different form.
In that tiny gap from such a fatal ground...
I saw a small flash of light.
You have too much faith in me.
And it was so beautiful...
And so,
the Lion King Tournament came to a close, with Mr. Shimada's four consecutive losses.
That night, Mr. Shimada and I left Kyoto.
Mr. Shimada, have some water and a light meal.
Looking at his exhausted profile,
made me think of the path he's taken.
That's right. I knew it from the beginning.
What's on "the other side of the storm"
is just an even more furious storm.
No matter how many times you fall,
you have to pick up the scattered fragments of yourself.
This is a world where you continuously pick yourself up and move forward.
It's wandering without end.
"Then why?"
I can no longer ask that question to this profile.
Instead, I have to ask myself that question
in the middle of that storm.
Kyoto (Part 3)
Next Episode Preview
Episode 21
I told you. I'm a rain-bringer.
Just go and let everyone cheer you up!
The petals have mostly scattered, but I think I like it like this.
I-I lost.
I'm extremely delighted!
I can't believe I was in a pinch, and had to reveal the sealed move.
You can't miss next week's "March Comes in Like a Lion"!
Strawberry! I'm coming home!