(Kei perspective) Chapter 32: The Rebel
Naoki and I were alone in the room.
At least, that was how it appeared.
He sat across from me with the same faint smile he always wore whenever he believed he knew something I didn't.
"Well," Naoki said, "I guess this is the first and last time we'll ever confront each other, huh?"
I looked at him.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I know about your plans, Kei."
I said nothing.
There was no reason to confirm anything.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
A boy entered the room carrying a camera and several pieces of equipment. He immediately began setting everything up. His movements were surprisingly efficient. Within minutes, the camera was positioned so that the entire school could watch the match.
Once he finished, he walked over to his chair.
Then he sat down.
And immediately fell asleep.
I glanced at him.
Naoki sighed.
"Excuse my classmate, Toma. He tends to nap a lot."
"So he's the jester."
"Fast, isn't he?"
"Yet lazy."
"That's Toma."
I ignored the exchange.
There was something more important.
"Let's cut to the point. Why did you promote our class?"
Naoki's smile widened slightly.
"Tell me something. Would you rather receive a guaranteed five hundred thousand yen, or flip a coin for a million?"
I understood immediately.
He wasn't talking about money.
"You're asking whether I'd rather leave Kaito's structured class in Class B or gamble on my class having enough potential to surpass them."
"Exactly."
Naoki leaned back.
"I didn't promote you because your class was easy to manipulate. I promoted you because your class has more potential than Kaito's."
I looked toward the chessboard.
"Kaito's class performs better than mine."
"Yes."
His answer came without hesitation.
"Kaito's structure is simple. Everyone follows him, and because of that, it works. Efficiently, even."
He paused.
"But it's boring."
I didn't respond.
"To have people like Kengo and you hiding in the shadows would be a waste."
"Kaito's class could surpass ours eventually."
Naoki gave a quiet laugh.
"Oh, please. Class B can't even surpass Miyako."
"I don't know who that is."
"And you don't care."
"No."
That seemed to amuse him.
Naoki walked toward the camera.
"Then let's begin."
He switched it on.
The entire school would be watching now.
There was no audience inside the room, but I could already imagine the eyes being directed toward us.
Naoki sat down.
I sat opposite him.
The chessboard was positioned between us.
We began.
The camera couldn't record our voices clearly, so whatever conversation occurred between us would remain private.
That was useful.
"Have you heard of the Final Ascension Exam?" Naoki asked.
I moved a piece.
"Only rumors. Some upperclassmen mentioned it."
Naoki moved his own piece.
"The Final Ascension Exam is one of the NIFL's most prestigious examinations. It occurs every few years, depending on the school's schedule. Several elite schools from around the world gather at Kazemi Island and compete in a series of challenges."
I watched his move.
"The winner receives the Kazemi Cup."
"The NIFL won the previous examination," I said.
"Thanks to Aoi Fushimiya and Atsuhiko."
Another move.
"This year is different, though."
Naoki's expression remained calm.
"The Final Ascension Exam is happening this year, Kei."
So that was why the school's administration had been moving so many pieces.
Interesting.
"Meaning everyone will have to cooperate."
Naoki sighed.
"How boring."
We continued playing.
The game progressed quickly.
My pawn was eventually captured.
Somewhere in the school, a student from Class D was expelled.
I didn't react.
Neither did Naoki.
"Careful, Kei."
His voice carried a hint of amusement.
"You're losing."
"Who decided that?"
I moved again.
The position became increasingly complicated.
I sacrificed pieces.
First the queen.
Then a rook.
Then both knights.
Naoki continued taking them.
To anyone watching the match, the conclusion should have been obvious.
My position was collapsing.
I had captured only four of Naoki's pieces.
He had taken almost everything of value I possessed.
Naoki smiled.
"It looks like it's over for you."
I looked at the board.
Then at him.
"No."
I moved my bishop.
Naoki's expression changed.
For the first time during the match, his smile disappeared.
My second bishop moved into position.
The two bishops created a double check.
There was nowhere left for his king to go.
Checkmate.
The room became silent.
I had won.
The match was over.
Because of my victory, every Class B across all four years received 500 class points.
Our class total rose to 2,511.
We were now directly behind Class A.
Naoki stared at the board for several seconds.
Then he stood.
He walked over to the camera and switched it off.
The eyes of the school disappeared with it.
"Tell me something, Kei."
He turned toward me.
"Why would you risk all of this?"
I didn't answer.
"If you won, the entire school would start watching you. If you lost, you'd become a non-ranked student. If you forfeited, you'd lose whatever reputation you've built."
He tilted his head.
"So what did you gain?"
I looked at the chessboard.
"Don't know."
Naoki narrowed his eyes.
"Are you sure you want to continue with your plan?"
"Yes."
"You'd be missing out on a lot."
"I'm aware."
Naoki smiled again.
Then he added one final sentence.
"Oh, and by the way..."
I looked at him.
"We both know who the Phantom Bishop is, don't we?"
I had known for a while.
"Since Game 4."
Naoki's expression became slightly more serious.
"I thought so."
"I think it's time I confront them."
Neither of us spoke afterward.
I looked down at the chessboard.
The pieces were still exactly where we'd left them.
I memorized the sequence.
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bxb4
5. c3 Ba5
6. d4 exd4
7. O-O d3
8. Qb3 Qf6
9. e5 Qg6
10. Re1 Nge7
11. Ba3 b5
12. Qxb5 Rb8
13. Qa4 Bb6
14. Nbd2 Bb7
15. Ne4 Qf5
16. Bxd3 Qh5
17. Nf6+ gxf6
18. exf6 Rg8
19. Rad1 Qxf3
20. Rxe7+ Nxe7
21. Qxd7+ Kxd7
22. Bf5+ Ke8
23. Bd7+ Kf8
24. Bxe7#
It was an unusual game.
Not because of the sacrifices.
Because of what those sacrifices represented.
Everyone watching had probably seen a reckless player throwing away his strongest pieces until he somehow found a winning combination.
That interpretation was convenient.
It was also wrong.
I would have to explain the match eventually.
The entire school had watched it.
That meant I couldn't simply remain silent.
I'd have to construct a lie.
Not an ordinary lie.
A lie convincing enough to explain the greatest contradiction of the match:
How someone who appeared to be losing from the beginning had already decided how the game would end.
I stood up.
The Final Ascension Exam was coming.
The Phantom Bishop was waiting.
And whatever was hiding behind the school's walls was finally beginning to move.
I had no intention of waiting for it to come to me.