Shiratori The Ryuo's Work Is Never Done! Volume 8

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-7183-6370-0
Verlag: J-Novel Club
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 250 Seiten

The reigning Yamashiro Ouka titleholder, Machi Kugui, earned her place by building elegant, defensive castles in Shogi. Ryou Tsukiyomizaka, the Challenger, intends to fly in and tear that stronghold apart. As their three-match showdown escalates, both players are forced to confront the limits of their main strategies...and then turn to unexpected sources of inspiration to win.
Watching their battle closely from the sidelines is Sasari Oga, a former Women's League player who once dreamed of standing alongside Ryuo and Machi yet eventually chose to walk away. But as the two players she long admired refuse to give up, Sasari finds herself eager to retrace her steps and, maybe this time, find her own way forward.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Shiratori, Shirow

Weitere Mitwirkende

Gaippe, Andrew

Leseproben

“Oh wow! So this is Arashiyama!”

Ai is just so impressed looking at the mountain from Togetsu-kyo Bridge that she can’t contain her excitement.

She keeps saying, “It’s so pretty!”

The Katsura River is flowing beneath our feet.

This scenery has been written about in every possible way for centuries.

That being said, the vibe certainly isn’t as strong as it used to be.

It’s impossible to overlook all the souvenir shops between the historical sites or the continuous stream of tour buses shuttling in tourists who never stop taking selfies.

Streets in Kyoto are already some of the narrowest in Japan, which puts the traffic jams here on a level of their own.

“That’s a lot of tourists...Maybe we should hurry on past,” I suggest once I get an picture. But Ai puts her foot down, which is unusual for her.

“B-B-But! I want to buy souvenirs for my friends!”

“There’ll be time on the way out.”

“Awww!”

Ai tears her sorrowful eyes away from a souvenir shop. Man, that’s cute.

But she was back to her usual self in no time.

That’s because the road into Tenryuji Temple is jam-packed full of souvenir shops.

Since the number of tourists around plummets after we get away from Togetsu-kyo Bridge, we get to walk at our own pace down wide and open streets.

“It’s decently warm today, so why don’t we get some green tea ice cream?”

“Green tea!?”

It’s synonymous with Kyoto. Walking down the streets while snacking on green tea flavored snow cones, ice cream, smoothies or whatever is lots of fun.

I take a few pictures of Ai licking her green tea ice cream cone and enjoying every bite on our way to the temple and we arrive in no time.

It’s impossible to miss because of the massive boulder with characters that spell out sitting out front.

“Temples host matches, too! I thought they always happened at inns or hotels.”

“Shogi can be played anywhere there’s a room big enough for it. You might be surprised how many matches happen at temples.”

On the flipside, we have to stay and eat someplace else outside of the temples...more often than not.

While that’s inconvenient, of course, the history behind the settings and the quiet atmosphere make up for it. Lots of great matches take place inside of temple walls.

“Tenryuji Temple hosts quite a few title matches. The temple itself is a world heritage site and the grounds have been used as movie sets before.”

“In movies?!”

“ is close by. Don’t you remember on the Randen?”

“So, that’s why!”

Kyoto’s various charms are working their magic on Ai. She’s hooked.

“Master, let’s hurry up and go inside!”

“Why don’t we walk around Sagano Shrine a bit first? We won’t have any time for sightseeing as soon as any of the association staff spot us.”

Looping away from Tenryuji Temple, we make for Sagano Shrine.

“This shrine is said to be good for people looking for relationships or to have kids.”

“!!”

“There is a divine stone statue on the grounds called the . Legend has it that any wish you have will be granted within a year with just one touch. Since we’re already here, why don’t we go pay it a visit?”

“Yes, let’s!!!!!”

She’s champing at the bit.

I should’ve known she was determined to become a strong Shogi player. Big Sis and I were the same way back when we were little.

Ai goes straight up to the divine statue and starts rubbing it like she’s expecting a genie to come out. After immortalizing this precious moment with a few photos, the two of us leave the shrine and head toward the mountain.

“Uwhee. There’s so much bamboo out here.”

“Very true. Heh heh heh...”

How’s she going to react when she sees ?

A quick climb and we’re at Tenryuji Temple’s north exit. Except we go right past it and up another hill.

Then—Ai comes to a surprised halt as soon as that opens up in front of us.

“A bamboo archway! Oh...wooow!!”

The sun is high in the sky right before lunchtime, but there’s enough bamboo on both sides to block out the rays.

“Bamboo Grove.”

You could say it’s Sagano’s biggest tourist attraction, but it doesn’t cost any money to go inside. Anyone can come and go as they please. That’s just how deep the history in Kyoto runs.

“I...I’ve seen this place on TV!!”

Looking more impressed by this than anything else all day, Ai looks up at the sky through the bamboo stalks.

“Beautiful...The air, the light, everything is green...”

“Yep. Sure has that feel to it.”

This place shows up in commercials all the time.

There are so many foreign tourists here that taking a picture without someone else in the frame is easier said than done. But, with a little luck and great timing, I get a nice picture. A very nice one!

All...of my pictures have a grade school girl in them...

No, no. I’m just documenting my apprentice’s growth.

I don’t have any ulterior motives for taking pictures of a little girl. Ai’s parents (especially her mother) have been asking to see her smiling face a lot recently.

“Master, did you get a cute picture?”

“Y-Yeah. A perfect one.”

“Let’s take one together this time!”

Ai goes up to the closest foreigner and says, “!”

They must have understood because they take a picture of the two of us.

Then they come up to her and say, “Hey sweetie, can we have a picture with you too?” and suddenly Ai is in the middle of their photo. She’s so cute I bet she looks like a Japanese doll to them.

“Me too, me too!” Even more foreign tourists gather around and the next thing I know Ai is the star of an impromptu photo shoot.

Ai’s cute charms break language barriers...

“That’s one cute little sister you have there.”

I try to figure out how to respond to one of the foreign guys talking to me, but Ai says from my side.

“”

“???”

...That’s got to be confusing. Sorry.

Finally, the photo rush is over. Able to catch a breath, we retrace our steps back to Tenryuji Temple’s north gate.

...And get spotted by association staff the moment we step onto the grounds.

“Ah! Ryuo!”

“And Hinatsuru-! Welcome, welcome! Please, right this way! Don’t be shy!”

It’s only been a year since she left the north coast. This child who’s only played Shogi for a year and a half is now in a position to be called . That’s proof enough that the Shogi world revolves around talent.

The association employee leads us to the staff break room. I ask him about the match along the way.

“Has the lunch break started?”

“Yes, it has. The challenger went to break during her turn a little early.”

“I see...”

The rules say it’s fine for a player to use their own waiting time to start the break earlier than scheduled. I bet it’s easier to think things over in a private room rather than in front of the board.

Especially for someone as hotheaded as she is...

“Hello. I’m Yaichi Kuzuryu. Pardon me.”

“P-Please pardon me! Women’s League member, Ai Hinatsuru!!”

We stand in the staff break room doorway and announce ourselves.

Everyone is expected to introduce themselves like this whenever they travel to local title matches to do research on their own time. It’s important for members of the Sub League and Practice League to introduce themselves by saying their Master first. Since this is the first time Ai has come to a title match that I’m not playing in, I spoke a bit more formally than necessary to show her how things are done.

Adults tend to like kids with good manners.

Sure enough, all the geezers in Kyoto’s Shogi world take to her right away, offering her , and all sorts of candy and juice.

“Well, if it isn’t the Ryuo,” says a man dressed in traditional Japanese clothing sitting next to an analysis board when Ai and I come close.

Seiichi Tsukimitsu 9-. The Shogi Association chairman.

“Miss Ai Hinatsuru as well. How great of you to join us.”

“Th...Thank you for having me! I’ve come to do research!!”

“Very admirable.”

The chairman is blind, but still looks in Ai’s direction and compliments her while smiling with his eyes.

Taking a look around, I notice something’s different.

“Huh? Did Ms. Oga go somewhere?”

Sasari Oga, the...