Sitting before the goban in his room Hikaru placed a stone on the board. This had been Akira's answer to Lu Lee's advance during the Hokuto Cup. Checking over the game record, Hikaru examined Lu Lee's response, then checked to see if he agreed. Akira's move had been brilliantly timed, and the biggest problem was that Lu Lee had not seen it coming beforehand. While Hikaru had noticed it coming while reviewing the game record afterwards, whether he would have seen it in the heat of the game was another matter.
Reaching over to pick up another set of game records, this one from the Honinbo League, Hikaru scanned until he found what he'd been looking for, a similar strategy that Akira had used in this game. Comparing the two, Hikaru returned to the game on the board, and his eyes widened. What if he moved there instead? Then there, and there after. Yes, that would put him in the advantage.
Leaning back for a moment and wiping the sweat from his brow, Hikaru let out a long yawn. He'd need to get some sleep shortly; the game was tomorrow and he'd need his rest. However he also could use all the preparation for Akira that he could get. While familiar with his rival's Go style from the many games they'd played at the Go salon, like Hikaru, Akira's true strength came out in official games.
Of course normally he'd have been going to Akira's Go Salon to practice, review, and discuss games before a big match, but the fact that it was Akira he was playing meant it couldn't be possible. It was understood by both that it was best to keep their distance for now. While their current closeness allowed them to confide comments to one another, at the moment they were not friends but rivals and adversaries, and so he had opted to go to the other Go salon, the one where his so-called fan club resided. It wasn't that he didn't like going there, in fact it was a rather refreshing change from Akira's salon where anyone who so much as suggested that each of Akira's moves were not the Divine Move itself was someone to be despised. Still, the more favorable environment did not make up for the commentary, play level, and development of Go that he could have with Akira.
Then there was the matter of the interview that Amano had asked about, and all that it implied. Sure, he really didn't care if anyone else thought that he and Akira were rivals. As long as Akira acknowledged him as such then…screw all the rest!
Still, because they had agreed to do the interview only after tomorrow's match was complete, the outcome of the match loomed heavy on the validity of the article. If Hikaru won, then the article would certainly open everyone's eyes as to the power of his Go, and move him into the same spotlight that Akira had been given almost since he began as a pro. What the effects of a victory would be on the Go world Hikaru didn't know, but he didn't care about what consequences might come. His goal was on beating Akira, no matter what anyone else thought of it.
All right, fifteen more minutes, then he'd go to bed.
###
Although there was still plenty of time before the actual match, a fairly large crowd had already gathered. Most were Go players themselves, either pro or insei, joined by several members of the press. Off near the main entrance to the room talking to Amano was half the reason for the large crowd.
"So Touya-Sensei," Amano said, "you've been on a rather nice streak lately, I think you're up to twelve in a row now, fourteen if you count the Hokuto Cup. How do you feel about your chances of winning the Young Lions Tournament for the third straight year?"
A weak smile crossed Akira's face. He was trying to be nice to Amano, to answer his questions, but this really wasn't the time. The sheer determination in his eyes showed that quite well, making the smile look out of place. "I guess I'll just have to play the game and see."
"You and Shindo have only played once before since turning pro, a game you won last year. Does that give you an advantage?"
"No."
Amano scribbled down something on his notepad. Normally he'd wait for asking questions until after the game, but there was just something in the air today that made him want to get the pre-game thoughts. Just a few more questions. "I have heard that Shindo-Sensei and you have played quite often at your family's Go salon. Now…" Turning to look at his watch, a thought occurred to him. "Come to think of it, where is Shindo? It's almost time for-"
Just then Hikaru walked right passed Akira and Amano, face taut and eyes alive with an intense determination, even greater than the look in Akira's eyes. For a moment Hikaru's head turned slightly and electricity flashed between him and Akira. Then he was passed them and the moment was gone.
Turning to follow Hikaru for a moment with his eyes, Amano lingered on him for a moment, then turned back to look at Akira who was also watching Hikaru's back with an immense intensity. Right before his eyes that intensity turned to a calm focus and Akira excused himself, stepping around Amano and walking off towards the one remaining game table, towards Hikaru. Watching the young man walk off, Amano suddenly realized that sweat was dripping down his own face. That intensity, smothering in its power, if only for a moment. He'd only ever felt something like that while standing next to two top players in a title match. But from ones so young, even if one of them was Akira Toya… this was going to be amazing.
Across the room, Waya, Ochi, Isumi, Honda, and Nase were standing around chatting about the match. They had decided to come support Hikaru, although how much Ochi had wanted to support Hikaru was suspect as far as Waya was concerned. More likely he was looking forward to watching Hikaru play Akira. Well, Waya had to admit, so was he. Glancing around the room, he saw all the pros, many whom wouldn't normally come to such a match like the Young Lions Tournament, even to see Akira Toya. This was likely a result of the waves that Hikaru had been causing as of late, and it wasn't from that article a few weeks ago, but from word of mouth amongst the Go pro community.
Then something caught Waya's eye. Doing a double take to make sure he saw what he thought, he just stared for a moment before touching Isumi on the shoulder and saying, "Isumi, everyone look. It's Kurata 7 – Dan. He's here to watch Shindo and Toya's match."
"Well" Isumi replied, " he was the manager of Team Japan for the Hokuto Cup. Now the 1st and 2nd chairs of that team are about play, is it so surprising he's interested?"
Honda then replied, "I heard that he was interested in Shindo before that though."
Ochi, taking a moment to push his glasses back up onto his face nodded. "Yes, I look forward to watching this game." He then turned and walked off towards the game table. Yes, now lets see what you can do Toya. You've always only seen Shindo, praising Shindo and ignoring me. Now here he is in front of you. Show me how you will respond.
Meanwhile Hikaru, having reached the table, moved around to one side and pulled out a chair in silence. He had been waiting for this, worked hard to get here, and now he was here, before Akira. Right on queue Akira arrived at the table and began to pull out his own chair, although neither player sat down just then. "Well done on defeating Ashiwara to make it to the next Kisei preliminary. I hear you won your first round match for it against Matsunaga 6 – Dan."
Voice calm and nonchalant, Hikaru replied, "Yes, but then you're playing in the Honinbo 3rd preliminary right now. My efforts hardly compare."
"Well I was in the League last time, so I start out playing in the 3rd preliminary. My getting there isn't so much of a feat as it might sound. Like you, I take one step at a time."
Until now the pair had been staring down at the board, avoiding eye contact. As they took their seats however, their eyes met once again. People standing near them chatting suddenly stopped their conversations and looked over at the pair, and the rest of the room, noticing the drop in conversation, likewise looked to the table and seeing the pair sitting there, began to make their way to the table. Those who had been closest though actually took a step or two back, giving the pair space.
It was as if a bubble of pure suffocating energy had formed around the table, and was slowly expanding. Some of the insei who had come found themselves struggling to breathe, as did one or two pros. Kurata however stood his ground, even taking a step closer to get a better view of what was going on. A moment later he began to head towards the table, arriving at the same time as Ochi, who was followed moments later by Waya and the rest, although they were keeping their distance. Looking at the two players, Kurata for a moment caught a glint from their eyes and gasped. It wasn't the suffocating, invisible miasma that did it, but what he saw playing out at the table.
The look in their eyes, the power, the intensity they projected; in his mind's eye it swirled and formed, no longer two Go players sitting there, but rather a lion and a dragon before the table. Each one slowly prowling around the table, bearing their fangs, jaws snapping, growling and sneering at one another, each ready to pounce, to devour the other with their indomitable wills. Though the faces on each player remained cold and calm, as if chiseled from stone, there was no question these two were predators ready to strike. To see something like this between two players so young, only a 2 – Dan and a 3 – Dan, it would have been awe-inspiring if it wasn't so scary. It felt like the air itself was electrified.
Then their eyes lowered as they reached for their Go bowls and the intensity dropped, or at least it seemed to. Wiping the sweat from his face as the crowd continued to gather and the time before the game drew near, Kurata just stood watching with a slight shaking in his one leg. He had known the two saw one another as rivals, but this went beyond. While the intensity seemed to have left, he knew that in reality it was merely simmering, as if each had turned their intensity down from a rolling boil to a simmer. If only each had been like this during the Hokuto Cup. An image of Ko Yongha wearing a Toya mask being blown back out of his chair by Hikaru entered Kurata's mind, and he grinned slyly despite himself.
As the officials moved about, making sure everyone was far enough back and that everything was in order as game time approached, a figure appeared at the entrance to the room. At first no one noticed, but as he made his way in towards the table, several people turned to look and their jaws dropped. Seeing the transfixed look of those people, Amano's eyes moved to follow the others and came to a stop as he spotted Ogata Judan Gosei. Behind him stood a slightly nervous Ashiwara, but as far as those looking on were concerned, Ashiwara was invisible.
As the crowd parted to allow the titleholder in for a prime view of the game, Amano watched in shock. Ogata had just lost the second match of the Honinbo Finals. With the series tied at one apiece, why Ogata was coming here was a mystery. He had been locked away in his home for weeks now preparing for the matches, barely leaving for anything.
Then he remembered his research. Ogata had been the one to recommend Hikaru as an insei. He had also been here the last time Hikaru had entered this tournament as an insei, and during the Shinshodan match between Hikaru and Toya Meijin. He had known before of course that Ogata had been keeping an eye on Hikaru, admired his game even, but to come and watch this match during the Honinbo Finals, could it be that it went beyond that? Could Ogata actually…
###
The buzzer sounded, and the official announced that the final match would soon begin. Each player removed the tops of their go bowls, and reached for stones to nigiri in silence. "Onegaishimasu."
Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak.
Those around them watched on in shock. This wasn't a championship match - this was speed Go. Already the pair had bypassed fuseki and entered into a fierce battle in the lower right corner.
Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak.
So he wants that stone huh?
Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak.
Hikaru glanced up for a moment, his intensity and focus rising as he did so, then moved in.
Klak.
Akira froze. Attacking from there, he hadn't seen it. Hikaru would win the exchange unless he acted now. That move though, once again he was reminded of Sai. He'd never understood that relationship, but now was not the time. Reading ahead in an instant, Akira made his move.
Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak
The game continued, Hikaru slightly ahead after the last exchange.
Ogata meanwhile had also noticed it, and his eyes were just as focused on each of Hikaru's moves now. I could have sworn I saw it. Just then, for a moment, I thought that Shindo's fingertips…they were glowing. But now, I don't see it. Still… He'd played many games against his teacher over the years, and he knew the effect that seemed to come off Koyo Toya whenever he played a stone. That's why he was sure he'd seen it just now, but then it had vanished like a star on the curtain of night, pulled away at the coming of the dawn.
The endgame had begun, and such a flawless endgame it was shaping up to be. Looking on wide-eyed, Waya couldn't believe what he was watching. If it hadn't been moving so fast, it was almost like watching a title match. Glancing off slightly to the only other table, the one that Kadowaki sat at, Waya felt a tinge of pity for the rookie pro. Unlike the other games of the tournament, the final match of the tournament was recorded, and the Go Association tapped the lower Dans to record such games. In this case it had been Kadowaki, and while originally he'd been pleased as it meant he'd get to see the game, it had turned out as a nightmare. The look of utter agony and exhaustion on Kadowaki's face told it all. Waya just hoped that he'd been able to keep up with the move order early on.
Returning to the game, Waya watched as Akira placed a stone, and it was over. Now all that was left was to count out the points. The whole room watched in silence as the pair began to count the territory, the positions complex and hard to understand.
Who won? The waiting was nerve racking, and while Waya understood all too well how hard it was to calculate such a close game surely someone here knew. Glancing to Ogata, Waya tried to read his face, to find some sign that he could see who had won. None appeared, Ogata's eyes were as intensely focused on the board, sweat dripping from his face, as everyone else's was.
His eyes returned to the board. They were almost done counting, soon they'd know, this intense, awesome game would be over with a winner declared. But who? Both players' faces were dripping with sweat, taut expressions across their faces as the counting finished. That was it, the count was over. Eyes widening, Waya waited in the silence for some sign from either player of the outcome, a cheer from the victor, a lowered head from the loser. It was maddening. Who had won?
