The girl's name was Komugi. Since taking over from the previous Gungi world champion, she had held the title for five consecutive championships, never losing a single game.
She wasn't visiting the Supreme Commander for the first time, but no matter how many times, she'd be reserved, nervous, and excited.
She believed her only life highlight was Gungi, worthless otherwise. So playing with the Supreme Commander was the highest honor.
Tap, tap.
The cane tapped the ground, probing the way, slowly reaching the cushion, then carefully sitting down.
After sitting, Komugi wanted to take a deep breath to ease her inner restraint and nervousness, but two streams of snot blocked her, making it difficult.
"Hmm..."
Komugi suddenly remembered she forgot to greet, hurriedly bowing her head, nervously saying, "Th-this time, receiving, receiving, Lord Supreme Commander's favor..."
Mid-sentence, the King interrupted, "Skip the formalities. Let me memorize the rules first, then we'll determine superiority with Gungi."
"Huh?"
Komugi felt puzzled. She knew the Supreme Commander could play Gungi, and the voice was different. Curiously, she said, "Your voice is completely different from the Supreme Commander's."
"He's dead. Now I am the King." The King replied while reading.
"Ah!"
Komugi exclaimed in surprise, "Please pardon this ignorant commoner, completely unaware of worldly affairs..."
"Silence, or I'll kill you." The King said.
Hearing this, Komugi promptly shut her mouth.
The game room finally quieted, leaving only the sound of the King turning pages.
After quite a while, the King closed the book, saying calmly, "Alright, I roughly understand the rules. Let's begin."
As he spoke, he noticed Komugi lying sideways on the cushion, seemingly unconscious.
"What happened to her?"
Pouf quietly approached, kneeling halfway, reporting, "She fainted. According to subordinate inference, you told her to shut up, so she really closed her mouth. Her nose was blocked, unable to breathe, leading to oxygen deprivation and fainting."
Hearing this, the King remained silent for a while, then said, "Being this foolish isn't easy. Wake her."
"Yes."
Pouf used a simple method to wake Komugi.
"Truly shameful. Breathing… even infants can do it. Yet I'm worse than an infant!"
After waking, Komugi rubbed the back of her head, looking embarrassed.
"Enough. Start quickly."
The King had no interest in Komugi's meaningless words.
"Yes! Please take care of me then!"
Hearing this, Komugi straightened her posture, first bowed, then looked towards the board. In that moment, her tightly closed eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of large silver eyes.
"Hmm?"
'If truly blind, the pupils shouldn't be so spirited, and the atmosphere changed...'
The King's gaze seemed to pierce into those silver eyes, asking, "Can your eyes see?"
"No, not at all. So please state the placement positions."
Pausing, perhaps feeling her explanation insufficient, Komugi continued, "My eyes only open during games. If you find them unpleasant, I can close them again."
The King stared at Komugi's eyes, then after a moment said, "No issue."
'The atmosphere indeed differed...'
This girl before him was entirely different from the previous so-called champions.
If those previous champions were walls, this girl was a mountain.
'Hmph, this makes it interesting.'
The King thought thus.
The game thus began.
Gungi originated from East Gorteau. Similarities with Chess and Shogi: winning condition is capturing the opponent's King.
The differences lie in troop deployment.
Pieces include: King, Shinobi, Cavalry, Bow, Soldier, Cannon, Musketeer, Fort, Prince, Captain, Duke, Counsel, and Samurai. Each piece's moves and functions are fixed.
Before starting, both sides freely deploy pieces within their territory. There's also a 'Stacking' rule, allowing stacked pieces to grant varied move functions to a single move.
Meaning, when deploying troops, the game has already begun.
Though blind, Komugi's familiarity with the board far surpassed her own body.
Her piece-moving gestures subtly held a trace of beauty. When pieces landed with soft sounds, her smile seemed visible.
Taking turns placing one piece each, the infinite game paths conceived on the board began from this moment.
After deployment, the King saw Komugi's formation… 'Merely beginner level.'
'Did she think he wasn't worth serious competition?'
Though guessing this, the King showed no displeasure.
He would win eventually.
That's all.
Komugi moved first, gently placing a piece.
"4—4—1, Soldier."
"6—2—1, Bow."
"3—4—4, Fort."
"2—1—1, Shinobi."
The King watched Komugi's moves which pressed forward step by step, pinching his chin in thought.
Using [Shinobi] as an offense-defense stronghold, deploying offense-defense integrated pieces around, steadily capturing the enemy King.
This wasn't any special strategy, even ordinary. But... however countered, the opponent's formation remained rock-solid, as if his countermoves were seen through one by one.
"Checkmate."
Komugi placed the final piece, forcing the King's King into a dead end.
This outcome expected, the King raised a hand to scatter the pieces, calmly saying, "Another game."
"Okay, absolutely delighted!" Komugi excitedly agreed.
The second game quickly started. The King lost again. Undiscouraged, no matter how strong this girl was, he believed he'd win within ten games.
Third game, fourth, fifth...
Ten games quickly passed. The King's skill skyrocketed like a rocket, yet he remained defenseless.
'Within the Crane formation hides a sharp spear. Using right flank false defense to lure my attack.'
'A straight-line formation push is to let the Bow capture the Counsel, thus letting the Shinobi take the King."
'Left and right flanks, only taking one… what's the plan?'
'Three stacked Soldiers, just one Soldier can capture. But her Cannon, supposedly dead, now revived?'
'This woman...'
Clatter...
Again, a defenseless loss.
The King swept the pieces aside, expression unchanged. "Another game."
"Okay!" Komugi happily agreed.
Twenty minutes passed. With Komugi's '8—8—1, Cavalry', the game ended.
"This is checkmate..."
The King scooped up pieces, scattering them on the board.
Komugi extended both hands, tidying board pieces, excitedly saying, "Lord Supreme Commander, your progress speed is truly astonishing. If not serious next game, I might lose to you."
Hearing this, the King softly snorted. After eight hours of play, his skill was far from novice, clearly understanding Komugi hadn't used full strength.
He closed his eyes, as if seeing a mountain growing taller, suddenly saying, "Alright, rest first."
"Ah? No, no, I'm not tired at all. If it's Gungi, playing three days and nights wouldn't tire me!" Komugi said.
The King opened his eyes, looking at Komugi, explaining, "I need to meet someone first. After resolving that, it's your turn."
Komugi understood, seemingly unaware of the words' hidden meaning and danger, scratching her head, replying, "Then... I'll rest first."
Saying this, Komugi took her cane, stood up, walking towards the hall exit.
After Komugi left, Pouf came beside the King, respectfully asking, "Your thoughts?"
This was the first time the King spent so long yet couldn't defeat an opponent.
The King raised an index finger, pressing on the board's King piece, saying, "Gungi moves vary, but its essence isn't much different from other games. After four or five more games, she should get serious."
Saying this, the King's eyes slightly changed, lips curving with full confidence.
"Then, her breathing will be under my control… death unavoidable."
Everyone has unique breathing, unconsciously liking or disliking certain forms, naturally forming personal style.
Once mastering breathing, then disrupting it, weaknesses can be found.
Pouf stood quietly aside, silent.
After a while, Youpi entered holding a suicide note, saying, "Your Majesty, that Go champion committed suicide."
Hearing this, the King disdainfully chuckled several times, saying, "Call that fool back."
He didn't want to stop playing, but needed to deal with the Go champion first. Since the Go champion suicide, it saved him trouble.
Now most important: force that woman into a dead end.
No matter how high that mountain, he will cross over sooner or later!
Shortly after, Komugi returned to the game room, continuing with the King.
Time passed.
No matter how he played, the King couldn't win against Komugi.
The longer played, the harder to grasp.
As if... seeing a high mountain in distant fog, walking forward, getting closer, yet the mountain remains distant.
'Did she use full strength?'