Tenai's first title match began on schedule, starting with Tenai as the first player (Sente). ...In the original story, didn't Sora start as the first player?
Ah, perhaps because "Ai" performed the "Piece Toss" as the recorder, the starting order was reversed? There is an impression that "Ai" is adept at producing the result she desires, and maybe she wanted Tenai to move first in a confrontation between Sora and Tenai. Although the most likely scenario is that she tossed the pieces without thinking, and luck simply favored Tenai.
The match venue is located on the third floor of the Tsutenkaku Tower, while the resting room for those involved is on the second floor. Incidentally, the analytical commentary provided by Kuzuryu is taking place in the basement.
While I was answering reporters' questions according to the script prepared by "Ai", the members of the "Elementary School Girls Research Group" (JS-Ken), whom Kuzuryu and "Ai" had brought along, entered the resting room. The percentage of "elementary school girls" in the room skyrocketed, and the noise and merriment exceeded my expectations. This will attract negative attention, and unnecessary newspaper articles are likely to be written again.
「Thank you very much! "Uchi" (I), Master Kuzuryu has made "Uchi's" dream come true! Just letting me stay overnight at his house was a dream in itself... For Master Kuzuryu, "Uchi" is ready to do anything!」 (Ayano)
「Aaaah, Ayano-chan?! This place is full of people from the Shogi world, do you understand?! Tone down your figurative expressions, please!」 (Kuzuryu)
And indeed, a reporter appeared, rushing to write an article about Kuzuryu making an elementary school girl with "Fujoshi" (BL-loving) tendencies say she would "do anything for him." ...Had I not been here, all eyes would have been focused on Kuzuryu.
After that, Charu-chan caused another commotion when she asked: 「Mashtah (Master), when will you mawwy (marry) me?」, but Kuzuryu miraculously survived thanks to the pieces moving early on the board. Tenai shifted her style from "Ranging Rook" back to "Static Rook." This move resembles the "Two-Move Loss Static Rook" strategy that occurred in the third round of the Queen Tournament in the original story, but it seems things are slightly different this time.
It can be described as a "Feint Static Rook" inspired by the "Feint Ranging Rook" strategy. True, she relinquished the initiative advantage (Sente), but she clearly succeeded in dragging Sora into a type of Shogi she is completely unfamiliar with. More dangerously, Tenai has consumed absolutely no thinking time so far. It seems all this is proceeding according to prior research and study.
「...Aoki's disciple is amazing. Even I couldn't play fast in my first match for the "Ryu-O" title due to nervousness.」 (Kuzuryu)
「No, Tenai is nervous too, believe me. But she enjoys this tension while smiling. She is truly a skillful disciple.」 (Ōki)
The reporter covering the match, Komehan-san, kept asking Kuzuryu questions about the "Elementary School Girls Research Group" until the end, but thanks to the noisy moves on the board that began to shift the power balance, Kuzuryu practically escaped with his life. However, at this stage, due to the difference in move count, the advantage seems to lean towards Sora.
『Thinking long in this position means the time consumed will be significant.』 (Ai)
(She is trying to surpass the "Optimal Move" derived from experience. ...The formation building is complete, and this is the time a player usually wants to spend the most thinking time, so it is unavoidable, but she might suffer from time pressure in the endgame.) (Ōki)
Tenai is not very accustomed to playing matches with a thinking time of 3 hours. in my teaching games with her, when we allow long thinking time, we usually play "without a time limit." To surpass the "Optimal Move" derived from automatic experience, she needs time to read calculations deeply.
「The lunch ordered by the players has arrived!
The Challenger ordered a "Shokado Bento Box," and Queen Sora ordered "White Stew Udon" with "Kayaku" rice.」 (Announcer)
When the staff brought the meals, reporters gathered around and began taking numerous photos. A familiar scene in title matches. In my case, for some reason, photos of "Häagen-Dazs ice cream" are mass-produced.
Because the reporters did not know what "White Stew Udon" was, Kuzuryu explained it and simultaneously recounted a story from his memories with Sora. Due to actions like this, suspicions about his relationships with women worsen. Naturally, the reporters noted down Kuzuryu's memory story meticulously. They won't miss a thing.
(With the "Two-Move Loss Static Rook" strategy, if it ends with both sides building a "Yagura" castle, there is little benefit to that loss, is there?) (Ōki)
『No, not entirely. There are no absolutes in Shogi, and Tenai is proficient in the "Yagura" castle as well. Thanks to someone who taught her the secrets of the edge attack (attacking the edge of the board).』 (Ai)
(...Well, edge attack procedures have become almost standardized and memorized. Oh, the edge attack has begun. With the move loss, the situation is certainly unfavorable for her.) (Ōki)
The match shifted from Tenai's "Feint Static Rook" to a mutual construction of the "Yagura" castle in the end. The mathematical result is that Sora lost one move, and Tenai lost two moves. Nevertheless, they built the Yagura because both believed they could win with it. Perhaps Tenai chose the "Feint Static Rook" simply because she wanted to play it, even though Sora refused the "Mutual Ranging Rook."
Tenai and "Ai's" match was also a "Yagura" system, and Sora must have reviewed that game record. But Tenai also reviewed Sora's records. ...The members of the "Association to Destroy Sora Ginko"—specifically those who are still members of the Shoreikai—taught her Sora's game records. Naturally, "Yagura" records were among them.
Records of past title matches are also preserved, and given Tenai's personality, she certainly reviewed them. In a "Yagura vs. Yagura" battle where prior information is decisive, this information gap is significant. ...The only source of concern is that Sora's playstyle, characterized by calm, cold defense, somewhat resembles "Ai's" (the AI) style. Although the gap in strength between them is as vast as heaven and earth.
(Amazing... Is this the first time I've seen Tenai-chan this intensely focused...?) (Ai - The Disciple)
"Ai," watching the confrontation between Tenai and Sora Ginko from the closest vantage point, was stunned by the atmosphere the two created. Then "Ai" realized something. Was Tenai this focused in the main tournament final a while ago? Tenai now, her ears red to the tips, clasping her fingers together in front of her. It is the gesture Ōki sometimes makes during matches.
The match continued evenly, and both sides began attacking from the edge. Theoretically, Sora Ginko should be one step ahead, but at this moment, it appeared to "Ai" that Tenai was actually the one a step ahead. The balance of power began to tip against Sora Ginko.
However, Sora Ginko continued to defend coolly and calmly. Tenai felt a sort of illusion, as if her attacks were having absolutely no effect.
(...This feeling resembles playing against Master. No matter how much I attack, it seems as if the attack has no impact. But the one sitting before me now is not Master!) (Tenai)
When Tenai saw Sora Ginko's machine-like precision in defense, she felt that weak attacks would be crushed, so she moved to reinforce her pieces. The "Yagura vs. Yagura" battle, despite both sides penetrating the edge, turned into a long war of attrition where large pieces could not operate freely.
Tenai felt that Sora Ginko resembled a machine. But she did not panic. Because her Master, Ōki, is a machine far more precise than Sora Ginko, and simultaneously, Tenai has seen with her own eyes repeatedly how that machine (Ōki) tortures and destroys the precise defenses of opponents.
Tenai promoted the Bishop to the 1-3 square to create a "Horse." And the software's evaluation gauge indicated Tenai's superiority.
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