The Never-ending Road: Chapter 12 – Bared Fangs of the Lion

By Leitbur


"So today's the last match for the Kisei Final Preliminary right?"

Manou nodded. "Yeah, between Hagiwara 9 – Dan and Shindo 2 – Dan."

Overhearing the conversation going on at the counter in the fifth floor lobby of the Japanese Go Association building, Iwasaki made his way over. "Talking about the Shindo-Hagiwara match? Seems rather reminiscent of the match Hagiwara played last year. Remember, he played Toya 3 – Dan in the Final match of the Honinbo Final Preliminary."

Kamishi nodded. "Yeah, I remember. He was close too, but Toya wouldn't let up. I doubt he'll have as much trouble against a 2 – Dan though. Really I'm kind of envious, getting such an easy pass into the Kisei League."

Manou chuckled. "Yeah, you lost in the 1st preliminary to me. Then again I probably shouldn't laugh so much. After all, I lost the round after that against Morishita."

Iwasaki let out a light laugh of his own. "Yeah, Morishita's been playing well lately. I played him a little over a year ago in the 2nd Round of the Meijin 2nd Preliminary and dominated him, but when I played him not two months ago in the Oza 2nd Preliminary, it was like I was playing a totally different person."

Manou nodded. "Yeah, Morishita's been on a role, making the Oza Final Preliminary, getting into the Kisei League, and now he's on the verge of making it into the Honinbo League as well."

Iwasaki then added, "After my game with him though, I asked him about a rumor I had heard regarding Shindo 2 – Dan. Shindo is in Morishita's Study Group, so I thought he might know."

Kamishi cocked an eyebrow. "What was the rumor?"

Iwasaki took a breath and exhaling answered, "That Shindo 2 – Dan was Toya 3 – Dan's rival."

Both Manou and Kamishi's eyes widened, and the pair shifted their position against the counter. Kamishi then responded, "Shindo is Toya's rival? I find that difficult to believe. Wasn't he that kid who was skipping games last year?"

Manou though simply asked, "What did Morishita say?"

Iwasaki paused a moment, the answered, "He said that was what he had heard from his student Waya, and that Shindo was quite passionate when it came to Toya. When I inquired further about it, Morishita simply replied, 'Shindo might well be stronger than me.' It was really surprising to hear."

The three stood there in silence for a minute, absorbing in the information. Finally Manou recovered. "Well then maybe Hagiwara will have to try a little bit harder. Still, this Shindo may be strong, but I've played Toya 3 – Dan and-"

"He'll be a 4 – Dan next month." Kamishi interjected.

"Whatever." Manou retorted. "Anyway, I've played him before and his strength seemed unreal for someone his age. I find it hard to believe that there's someone else that young and that strong, not until I see it for myself anyway."

Iwasaki then added, "Yeah, too bad Toya's not going to be here today or we could ask him if…"

Iwasaki's voice faded as the elevator door opened and Akira Toya stepped out. Eyes cold and focused, Akira moved passed the trio with merely a soft 'good morning' and began to look over the match chart for the day. A short minute later he turned and silently walked off towards the game rooms, stopping only long enough to take off his shoes and to put them away neatly.

Perplexed, the trio watched him walk away until he was out of sight then turned back to one another as Kamishi said, "I thought Toya didn't have a game scheduled for today?"

Manou nodded. "I didn't think so either. His Judan 2nd Prelim match against Morishita isn't until next week. What is he doing here today?"

Iwasaki stared at the match chart for a moment, then moving towards it said, "I wonder which game he was looking at. It was the one second to the left he pointed at right?"

Manou nodded. "Yeah, I think so anyway."

As Iwasaki made his way over the elevator door opened once again and this time out stepped Hikaru Shindo, his gaze sharp and determined. Manou and Kamishi stared at the young boy, and as Hikaru passed he turned his head to them and ever so softly muttered, "Good morning."

The pair paused and looked at one another. They could see it plainly in his eyes, not just the determination to win, but the power that was behind that determination. That boy hadn't just come to play, he had come ready to do battle. Hidden by that calm demeanor covering his face raged an intense hunger, a swirl of emotion mixing with determination to a point where it was a barely contained typhoon. It was rare to find such power in one so young, leaving merely the question of whether or not he could harness it, bend that typhoon to his will.

They slowly turned and watched as the young man made his way over to the match chart and kindly asked Iwasaki to let him pass. Iwasaki had been about to sidestep already when he too caught the look in Hikaru's eyes, causing him to freeze in place. Those eyes, it was like looking into the eyes of a predator on the prowl. Iwasaki had seen this look in the eyes of pro players before, the look of someone who wasn't just planning to win a game, but to devour and feast on his opponent. He did well to contain it, but to someone who had faced such things before, Iwasaki was able to feel the energy leaking out from Hikaru's pores, struggling to keep it contained. This was not just any 2 – Dan, this was a young lion preparing to hunt. Finally pulling himself from those eyes, Iwasaki stepped aside.

Passing Iwasaki, Hikaru scanned the board for a moment, his finger coming to stop at the match listed second to the left. A moment later he headed off towards the game rooms, stopping only to take off his shoes and set them on the shelf neatly.

As he disappeared, Manou and Kamishi looked over at Iwasaki and Kamishi said, "So um… which match was Toya looking at?"

Turning to look at the chart, Iwasaki scanned to the second match from the left and stopped. A moment later he turned to look back at Manou and Kamishi and with a chill running down his spine answered, "He was looking at the match between Shindo and Hagiwara."


Down the hallway and to the right Hikaru kneeled before the goban, eyes closed. Across the way at the far end of the L-shaped table used by the score keeper and other observers sat Akira. His gaze was focused down at the table in front of him, lost in his own thoughts. Neither had even looked at the other when Hikaru had arrived, something that remained true even now.

Minutes ticked by and at last another person arrived. Honda stopped in the middle of the entrance, shocked by what he saw in the room. He had been tapped to keep the game record for today's match, something that he was quite willing to do since it would be a great match to observe. It wasn't Hikaru's early arrival that surprised him though, that was actually quite common. What surprised him was the other occupant of the room.

Akira's eyes shot up to observe Honda standing there and a slight sharpness hit Honda. The look in those eyes, it was almost as if Akira was about to play the game, but whatever that force had been it had certainly snapped Honda back into reality. Making his way into the room now, Honda passed by Hikaru and took his seat at the game recorder's table. From the entrance, and even from his seat now Honda would have thought that Hikaru looked calm and still, yet as he had walked by he had noticed it; the slight shaking. Hmm, must be nervous. Not that I blame him, this game is huge for him. I'd probably be shaking too. Just one thing Hikaru, please PLEASE don't play at the pace you did at the Young Lions Tournament. I don't think I could keep up with that.

Another few minutes passed, and at last Hikaru's opponent arrived. Entering the room, Hagiwara looked down at Hikaru. So this was his opponent, the young upstart 2 – Dan that had made it this far. The rumors he had heard, about the boy's lack of a mentor, his quick rise to the pro level, even one saying he was Akira Toya's rival. Not that he believed the last one, it was probably just a result of his recent success. It was what the Go world wanted, a powerful young rival for Toya, one that would push him higher, as if Toya wasn't enough himself. It was time to see if the rumors were true.

Glancing away, Hagiwara did a double take as his eyes fell upon Akira who was now watching him. Memories of that game almost a year ago flooded back, the game where he had faced Akira for the right to enter the Honinbo League. That loss had been painful, and it had pushed him to improve his Go even more. Now here Akira was again, this time the observer, already a member of the Kisei League. But why would Akira be here unless…

Hagiwara's eyes shot down to Hikaru, whose eyes still remained closed as if waiting for a sign. Could the rumors have been true? Taking his seat before the goban, Hagiwara watched his opponent. If the rumors were true, if this was someone who could go head to head with Akira Toya, then not only would he have to be serious, as he would have been anyway, but careful as well. This boy may not be as weak as I had thought. Still, the weight of this match must be weighing on him. He's shaking; he must be trying to calm himself by closing his eyes like that. Well this game means a lot for me too, but this is his first chance to enter the Kisei League. Will he have the fortitude?

Just then more movement appeared at the door and Amano entered, followed closely by Nase. Looking around nervously as she entered the room, Nase spotted Honda who looked up at her quizzically. Nodding her head in acknowledgment, her eyes came to fix on the other person already seated at the table and she gasped. Akira Toya was here to watch the game, just as she was, and right now, he was staring right at her, confusion beginning to appear on his face as well.

She then looked down at the two players before the board, Hagiwara already watching her. Then Hikaru's eyes opened and his head turned to face her. As his gaze fixed on her, Hikaru's face lit up in a friendly smile. "Nice of you come."

He gave her one last look and then returned to his previous position, his eyes remaining open now and staring down at the board. Hesitating a moment longer, Nase exhaled and walked over to a spot next to the scorer's table and took a seat next to Akira. As she sat down, Akira turned and looked at her, though his lips remained closed. It was obvious that he was quite curious why she had come, and to be honest Nase was beginning to wonder that herself. After she hadn't been able to help him review Hagiwara's game records the other night, she'd wanted to find some way to help out, and coming to support him has seemed the next best thing. Not to mention, she was quite curious to see how the game would go, to test her ability to read a high stakes game in real time. Still, if she ended up distracting him…

Finally Akira's gaze left Nase and came to rest on his rival. That girl… he was pretty sure that she was an insei, having a vague memory of playing her in the Pro Exam. Hikaru had been trembling since he had sat down, but had stopped the moment he had seen the girl. Who was she? The tremble though was now back, and that was good. Unlike the others, Akira had recognized it for what it truly was; the Warrior's Tremble. It was not fear, but anticipation for the approaching battle that caused Hikaru to tremble like that. The last thing Akira wanted was to see Hikaru distracted, not when he was so close to joining him in the League. Come Hikaru, show me your strength, show me you are capable.

Hagiwara too had turned his gaze momentarily to Nase, although he had since returned to the board. Who is that girl? Pro? Insei? His girlfriend maybe? Kids that age have girlfriends. Doesn't matter, I need to focus, the game is about to begin.

More minutes ticked away in silence, the only movement being Amano shifting his notepad and pulling out his pencil for notes during the game and the occasional shuffling of the game record as Honda prepared to record the match. Then finally the buzzer sounded and the players reached for the bowls to nigiri.

Reaching into the bowl, Hikaru pulled out and dropped a single black stone as Hagiwara dropped a small handful of white stones onto the board. Several seconds of counting revealed twelve stones, Hagiwara would be black. Exchanging bowls, the players' eyes met as they both said, "Onegaishimasu."

As they did so the atmosphere in the room changed, as if the word itself had opened up a floodgate. While the room had previously been quiet, a new, more sinister silence had replaced it. It was as if a thick miasma had entered the room, emanating from the pair sitting before the goban and any who disturbed that silence would be devoured immediately. Amano blinked, then inhaled forcefully. It was not easy to breathe just now, but he would adjust shortly, just as he had during the Young Lions Tournament. That time though, it had been worse. While the intensity of the battle of wills here was powerful, and would likely rise as the game went on, it was not like it had been when Hikaru had been playing Akira. So young and yet so strong those two were. A new wave really was beginning to rise.

Hagiwara reached for a stone and placed it on the upper right star point.

Klak.

The game had begun. Reaching for a stone of his own, Hikaru placed his own on the lower left star point, and then the upper left as Hagiwara took the lower right. Then came the star points on each side, leaving a dashed line of stones on each side of the board.

Klak.

Klak.

Nase watched on as sweat began to develop on her brow. This game, though it's intensity mirrored that of the game she had witnessed between Hikaru and Akira, was being played much more slowly, something that Honda was most certainly quite thankful for. Still, this atmosphere, it was suffocating, even this far from the board.

She had played so many games with Hikaru over the last month, yet never had she felt this kind of intensity from him before. Could it be that he really had been going easy on her despite all he had said to the contrary? She had remembered his game against Akira, but had written that off as merely something that happened when two people with a rivalry like Akira and Hikaru had battled it out. Now though Hikaru was battling with Hagiwara 9 – Dan with that same intensity. She could see it in his eyes, the burning passion, and the excitement. The smile she had always liked of his was gone, replaced by the burning, piercing eyes of a hungry predator. This was Hikaru at his most dangerous.

Klak.

Klak.

Klak.

Exhaling deeply, Hagiwara looked down at the board. It was difficult to concentrate within the room's current conditions. It was as if someone had turned the heat up high in the building. Yet he knew it was his opponent that was responsible. Taking a towel and wiping the sweat from his hand, Hagiwara looked over the board. It was hard to tell who was winning just yet but he was fairly certain that he held a slight lead. Still, this boy had not been making the game easy at all.

Reaching for a stone, Hagiwara placed it down upon the board. Hikaru's style of play was different from that of Akira Toya, that much was obvious. Akira Toya's Go resembled the Go of his father to some degree, although it held a certain amount of independence. Still, it was clear who had taught Akira. This boy though, it was like looking at one of Shusaku's old game records. Strong and flexible, not to mention elegant. Hagiwara had spent time studying many of the game records belonging to the Go Saint, but this boy, Hikaru Shindo, he must have studied Shusaku's old games religiously. There was no doubting his strength either; the rumor must have been true.

Still, it was not over by any means. This boy was strong and had quite the presence at the board, but he was not Shusaku. He simply needed to take his time, force the pressure on the young player, and wait for it to begin to pile on.

Klak.

As Hikaru's finger left the stone, Hagiwara blinked. That move… it was brilliant. Not only was it hard to take, but it was going to make holding the lower left corner difficult. He had played it so casually too. Glancing at his clock time, Hagiwara looked up at his opponent and nearly gasped. Hikaru's face was calm, devoid of emotion as he stared down at the board, but this was not what had hit Hagiwara so forcefully.

Those eyes, the fire in them, the power, it was amazing. This was not just a boy, but rather a dangerous beast, a lion whose fangs were now being bared at him with a hungry glee. The pressure wasn't phasing him at all; he was enjoying this. Grunting as he placed his own stone down in an attempt to block the plan the previous move had set up so well, Hagiwara returned his focus to the board. It was impressive, but he too was not just a human now, he was a demon, and he would give no ground, show no kindness.

Klak.

Klak.

Klak.

Klak. Klak.

Klak.

Klak. Klak.

Klak.

As Hikaru's finger left the stone the buzzer sounded announcing the arrival of lunch. Hagiwara exhaled and rose, happy to be able to escape the atmosphere for a bit. He'd have time to ponder his next move on the break, and what an interesting cusp they had reached.

Amano, Akira, Honda and Nase too also rose from their seats and began to make their way to the door. As they did so however everyone realized that Hikaru had not yet risen, but was motionless, eyes scanning over the board. Akira too had moved not with the rest of the group but to the board, and standing above it now looked down in deep thought. Nase sighed and turned to leave. She had seen that look in Hikaru's eyes before; he wouldn't be going anywhere for at least another minute or two. Best to get something to eat.


Sitting off by herself in the lunch area, Nase took a bite out of her cheeseburger. It didn't feel right being here, amongst all these high level pros. She was merely an insei after all; she was nothing to all the players around her. It had been best to sit alone.

Chewing and swallowing, she followed it up with a sip of her drink. Her mind though was not on her lunch, but on the game she had just seen. This was the second time she'd seen this other side of Hikaru, and it was hard to comprehend. Normally he was all smiles and laughter, so carefree and fun to be around. Sure he could put on that calm, serious face when he played, but then so could she. That intensity though, to be able to bend the game and the physical reaction of an opponent with an act of will, that was something she was not accustomed to seeing Hikaru do.

It was suffocating, the very energy in the air giving all a good hint on just what effect it was having on the players. Nase sighed. Could I ever be able to play a game like that? All that intensity and power? Hikaru's a genius, so of course he can do it. But me…

"Mind if I join you?"

Looking up from her meal, Nase gasped. Akira Toya was standing there looking down at her. Her face once again flushing in embarrassment, Nase hastily nodded. "Umm, yeah sure uh… Toya-sensei…umm, I mean…"

Letting out a slight smirk as he sat down, Akira replied, "Toya is fine. I don't mind."

Nodding, Nase looked over at Akira nervously. What could he possibly want to sit with me for?

Taking a slight breath, Akira looked squarely at Nase and said, "You're an insei correct?" Nase again nodded. His expression turning serious now, Akira continued, "I thought so. Your name was…?"

Nase bowed her head. "Nase. Asumi Nase."

Akira returned it with a slight bow of his own. "Nase huh? Forgive me, but I would like to know your connection to Hika… to Shindo."

Blinking at the question, Nase suddenly fought to withhold a giggle. This made sense now, Akira was inquiring about her as Hikaru's rival. Now if only she had a truly solid answer. "Well, I guess I'm sort of his student."

Surprise covered Akira's face. This was obviously not what he'd expected. His mouth beginning to hang open slightly, Akira regained himself and said, "H-his student? Hikaru has a student?"

Nase nodded, noting that in his surprise he had reverted to his more informal reference to Hikaru. So it's not just Shindo, they both address each other that way. "Yeah, well sort of. Shindo has been helping me prepare for the Pro Exam, we've been training for it most nights over the last month. It's not really anything official though, and he's pretty informal about all of it."

Raising his hand to his chin as he looked down and contemplated this answer, Akira replied, "I see." After a long moment that had given Nase a chance to eat some more of her burger Akira looked back up at her and said, "Why though? What is it about you that would make Hikaru agree to take you on as a student?"

Shaking her head, Nase took another sip from her drink. "I don't know. After we played at the Young Lions Tournament he complimented me on my play, and then a month ago I talked to him again and he volunteered to teach me. I don't know why though."

Eyes fixed on her, seriousness stretched across his face, Akira responded, "There must be something about you that intrigues him. Hikaru is not just anyone, he wouldn't take on a student without a reason."

Sliding her lunch tray aside, Nase lowered her chin down onto her folded arms on the table counter and let out a soft sigh, then a moment later replied, "I don't know. I mean I can feel my game improving, he's really good at teaching, but watching his game today, I'm wondering if he's taking me seriously."

Cocking his eyebrow, Akira responded, "Why do you say that?"

Nase let out another sigh. "Because I watch him play you like at the Young Lions Tournament, or just now, and I see the intensity and passion he puts into the game and realize that he doesn't play like that with me. Maybe he doesn't think I can handle it… and he might be right too."

At that remark a grin cracked through Akira's serious complexion and he began to chuckle. Looking up at him as he did so, Nase began to wonder what was so funny about that. Finally Akira answered, "It has nothing to do with taking you seriously. That kind of intensity can never be created in a mere pick up game. If Hikaru says he's taking you seriously then I'm sure he is. What you're seeing is a result of the stakes of the game involved. Both players have a lot riding on this game; the Kisei League awaits the winner after all. Of course he plays differently."

Raising her head up out of her arms, Nase blinked in comprehension. "So you mean that…"

"When faced in a real battle, as Hikaru is currently in, a player can transform from his usual self into a more frightening figure. It can't be invoked at will; it's something that is brought out of each player by the game itself. Hikaru is focused on victory, and that desire to win is what you are seeing. It has nothing to do with going easy on you."

Nase exhaled and smiled. So Hikaru did take her seriously. She still might not know the answer to why he was teaching her, but then it didn't really matter right now. What was important was that she was getting stronger thanks to his help, and if all went well, she'd join him as a pro by the end of the year.

Watching the tension and worry drain out of her, Akira had returned to his previous nonchalant expression. He then said, "What is your goal?"

Caught off guard by this question, Nase blinked and replied, "Huh?"

"Your goal, what it is that you're pushing yourself for? What is your goal?"

Still slightly confused by the purpose of the question, Nase answered, "Well… I guess my goal is to pass the Pro Exam."

Akira exhaled and shook his head. "That's not enough."

Perplexed further, Nase replied, "What do you mean?"

Looking her in the eye again, Akira responded, "I mean that just wanting to pass the Pro Exam is not enough, and if that's all you want then you will likely fail."

Shock covering her face, Nase's mouth now began to hang open. Fail, I'm going to fail? "I don't…"

"Having a goal like passing the Pro Exam will only take you so far. As you get closer to that goal, the harder it will become to achieve because there is nothing after. Plus the pressure of meeting that goal increases, because you know you're so close. Once you pass and become a pro, then what will you do? Will you be content just being a pro, or is there something greater that you're after, that makes you play? I do not believe that Hikaru would take you on as a student if you didn't have the talent to pass.

"If you truly want to grow as a player Nase, then you need to have a greater goal, one that takes you beyond the Pro Exam. When you strive for a goal that is beyond your current one, beyond the Pro Exam, winning will become easier because it's just the next step in your goal. You must believe completely in your ability to win or you will lose in the end."

Nase just stared at Akira in awe. So this was Akira Toya, the genius Go player, Hikaru's rival. She had played him three years ago in the Pro Exam of course, but she didn't really know all that much about him other than how strong he was. The passion he spoke with though, no wonder Hikaru had chased after him.

Hikaru, that was right. He had risen the ranks so quickly, passed everyone and dominated during the Pro Exam, gaining strength as he went. But he never talked about passing the exam the way the other insei had; it had always been about catching up to Akira Toya. It was Toya this and Toya that, never satisfied, saying Toya was moving farther away. That had been Hikaru's goal, reaching Akira, and now here he was banging on the doors to the Kisei League to reach it. Hikaru had understood back then what Akira was telling her now, that was why he had become so strong.

But what was her goal? She had been an insei for so long, struggled to become a pro, it just seemed like the Pro Exam had become everything. She had never really thought about what she'd do once she got there. It had just seemed like she'd find out once she passed. But according to Akira that wasn't enough. She didn't have a goal like Hikaru's, she had nothing.

Seeing the frustration and despair forming on her face, Akira exhaled and smiled warmly. Perhaps he had pushed too hard too quickly. "You don't need to figure it out just now, but I'm sure you'll find the answer. After all, you came to watch Hikaru play."

As she returned her gaze to Akira, Nase was about to inquire what he meant by that when Akira began to rise and added, "We should get going. The game should be starting up again about now."

Nodding once more, Nase rose and took her tray to the trashcan. She then began to follow Akira back down the hallway towards the game room, staying several feet behind. He was right, she still had some time to think about why she played Go, and in the meantime she could support Hikaru in his game.

As they approached the door to the room where Hikaru and Hagiwara were playing, the sound of stone on wood indicating that the game had started up again, Akira stopped. Then without looking back he said, "After this game is over, I would very much like to play a game against you, if you don't mind that is."

With that, not even waiting for an answer, Akira walked into the room leaving Nase standing there in shock. Akira Toya wants to play… me? Taking a deep breath, Nase allowed her nerves to calm. Yes, he would after hearing all she had told him. Well, she'd just have to show him what kind of Go she could play. After all, this wasn't something that happened every day.

Taking another deep breath, Nase smiled and walked back into the room, making her way towards her spot on the floor, the sounds of Go stones echoing in the thick, miasma-filled room.


Author's Notes:

Phew, so much going on in this chapter. Originally there was more to this chapter, but in the end it had gotten so long (about 9,000 words) that I decided it would be better to simply cut the chapter in two. This means that Chapter 13 is already done, and I'll release it in a few days. I know you all want to read the rest of this match, but I'm doing this so that those of you reading can take this chapter in a little before I hit you with the rest. Also, given how my boss just keeps increasing my hours, it will give me a chance to take a breath before jumping into Chapter 14 (ok, so I'm stalling for a short break and to get a little of Chapter 14 done before Chapter 13 is released). If you're wondering about the quick release, don't forget that Chapter 11 was supposed to come out on Tuesday, so I had half the week and the weekend to finish this up.

I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, such as it is, and can appreciate my reasoning on splitting the chapter up. While it wasn't planned this way, I do wonder whether Hikaru's luck and skill can help him prevail in unlucky Chapter 13, don't you? Well I will say that there is no cliffhanger next chapter, a definite winner and loser will be declared at the end.

Terms:

Oza Tournament: The word 'Oza' means 'Throne' in Japanese. This is the 6th of the seven big titles in Japan. It is a lot like many of the other big titles in that it has a preliminary tournament followed by a main tournament that is a sixteen player single knockout format. The winner of the tournament then challenges for the title in a best of five series. It was founded in 1953 and currently holds a prize of 13.5 million Yen (about $118,000). This was one of the five titles that Koyo Toya held before retiring(Meijin, Judan, Tengen, and Gosei being the others), and is currently held in the story by Zama Oza (who regained it after losing it to Toya Meijin).

Shusaku: I'm sure some of you were hoping for this one. Known fully as Shusaku Honinbo, he was born Torajiro Kuwahara in a village near Onomichi on June 6, 1829 as the son of a merchant. By age six he was already known in the region as a Go prodigy, and this news reached the ears of the region's Daimyo lord (regional governor/noble) Lord Asano. After playing a game with him, Asano became his patron and allowed him lessons with his own personal trainer Hoshin (basically a pro level player of Dan ranking, I believe he only ever reached 3 – Dan, but ranking worked differently then).

In 1837 Showa Ito, one of the strongest players of the day, came to the region and played the eight year old Torajiro where he became quite impressed with him. At this time Torajiro's skill was reaching that of a 1 – Dan. Unable to gain further training in the region, Torajiro traveled to Edo (Tokyo) and became a student of the Honinbo House. In November of 1839 he officially became a 1 – Dan at the age of ten. He then returned home for a year where he was given an allowance by Lord Asano and returned to Edo in September of 1841 where he was awarded the name of Shusaku (it was not uncommon to be given another name, or even many, in Japan during that time) and promoted to 2 – Dan. By the time he was 14, he was promoted to 4 – Dan. To be continued in a later chapter…

Note, in the Hikaru no Go series, it was Sai who played all of Shusaku's games for him.

At the end of Chapter 11, this was also a literary device, sort of like saying "Less is More" because by giving rise quickly to an anticipated event without saying too much, it basically lets your own mind fill in the blanks of what the game will be like. Also to note, I got the idea for that scene from Chapter 144 of Volume 17 at the end, when both Akira and Hikaru are departing their homes en route for their game.

As for Hikaru, Nase, and Akari's ages, Hikaru is 15, Nase is 18, and Akari is 15 too. Heck, here's some more. Akira is 15, Waya is 17, Isumi is 19, Honda is 18, Ochi is 14, Kadowaki is 28, Yashiro is 15, Ashiwara is 23 and I'm pretty sure that Kurata is 23, although that one could be off by a year or two.

On Hikaru playing older joseki, I don't know if we'll see that. It should be noted though that he often does not start on a star point, but rather plays 3-4 in the upper right, the same opening Sai used originally. This is not unique to him however, as we have seen several players including Akira open this way. The opening was more common in older times, but is still quite popular today. Pro players though, are unlikely to be thrown off by specific joseki from older times as they have studied this in an attempt to understand the progression of Go. Hikaru meanwhile does not really play an old style, he was taught really playing the newer moves. When Sai and him started playing, Sai had already learned modern joseki, and before that Tsutsui and Mitani were teaching Hikaru. While Shusaku is prominent in Hikaru's Go, it is a more modern form of Shusaku gained from Sai. Also, dealing with Akira not mentioning the Shinshodan match in his thoughts, one must remember that he knows that Hikaru put a handicap on himself for that game as Kuwabara pointed it out to him, but he does not know why. Because he knows why the game looked as it did, he probably does not think of it the same way others do. Still, it is a fair point.

Finally, do not worry, I have every intention of telling this story how I want to tell it. I only mentioned that I had not decided on whom Hikaru may end up with to let the readers know that it really is up for grabs right now with me, so looking for hidden clues I may be hiding is pointless because they aren't there. I just write the way the story flows for me, and however it turns out is how it turns out. I do indeed enjoy writing this, and continue to enjoy writing it even as I enjoy reading everyone's reviews.

Note, new longest chapter, and this one was cut in half too!

Well I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the reviews, once again a high number. Again, I will mention that I have a web group where I post these as well in a more original format, and any and all of you are more than welcome there. The link can be found on my profile page. R&R.

If there's something really important you need to say, feel free to email and make sure that the Subject is clear so I don't think its spam. This does include stuff you might not want others to read posted on the review list, but if you ask a plot question, you may not necessarily get an answer, as that's really no fun.