Chapter 157: Hidden Meanings Are One Thing…
The match began. As the white player, Sakura immediately took the first move.
Pawn to E4.
A very solid opening. As Tachibana's personal student, this was the move she had practiced most.
Kamuro answered immediately.
Pawn to E5.
Both openings were extremely proper, neither intended to give the other the slightest advantage. Although there was no time limit, the Commander only had 30 minutes total to intervene, meaning early development could heavily influence the match.
From the first moves alone, both girls recognized that the opponent was not someone who could be taken lightly. Not with their own current strength.
Akito: "These two… are playing so steadily…"
He was one of the few in the class who could somewhat read a chess game, and even he couldn't help commenting.
Ike: "What's happening now…?"
Sudō: "Don't rush, Ike. The game just started. No way the outcome shows that fast."
Even Akito, who had some experience, shook his head. At their amateur level, the current board was already beyond them.
Sato sighed deeply. "It really is hard to beat them in chess. But if we want to widen our victory margin… we need to win this one."
Shinohara shook her head, "Don't get ahead of yourself. It's not that easy. We already beat their class overall, that's enough. Once that 'fairy' takes over, I bet Sakura will be crushed in less than ten minutes."
…
Meanwhile, Kamuro looked troubled, because the board was gradually tilting toward her disadvantage.
She frowned slightly. She knew Sakayanagi would never lose in chess, and any disadvantage would be erased the moment the Commander intervened. But still… She wanted to defeat the girl in front of her with her own hands.
Sakura's voice entered her ears: "Your playstyle is really unique. You're very solid, no surprise, since Sakayanagi taught you."
Then Sakura continued: "But even so, I don't think I will lose."
Kamuro returned her smile. After thinking briefly, she moved a piece.
"I only learned for a week. But it doesn't matter who started first… I'll still win."
Sakura immediately countered by placing a piece directly into the blind spot of Kamuro's queen, firmly taking the initiative.
"Even if starting earlier doesn't matter, accumulated experience always exists. If you don't nurture connection and experience properly, you'll pay dearly at crucial moments."
[In the chatroom, Hikigaya felt more and more off. Were these two really talking about the board…?]
[Yukinoshita Haruno burst out laughing. Even she rarely saw such a scene.]
[Hiratsuka Shizuka rubbed her forehead helplessly.]
[Everyone watching the video shook their heads. Clearly, the two girls had personal grudges. Bringing that onto the chessboard…]
In Hikigaya's earpiece, the two girls' voices kept coming through, and he was speechless.
It felt like they were hinting at something… But he couldn't be sure. And even if he were, there was nothing he could do, both girls were "precious classmates" after all.
Might as well let them fight it out.
Hikigaya was clearly more relaxed now. Sakayanagi on her side was relaxed for her own reason: absolute confidence in her chess ability.
…
Sakura held a knight, unsure where to move it.
"You learned this much in just one week… unbelievable. Even without Sakayanagi teaching you, you probably have talent for this."
"But I'm starting to understand how terrifying Sakayanagi really is. She must've noticed your potential long beforehand, that's why she picked you to train. Unbelievable. She judges people so accurately. No wonder Hachiman is scared of her."
Hikigaya heard this and froze.
'I am not scared of her…'
But Sakura soon smiled again and made a brilliant move, locking the board into her advantage.
"But even so, if you want to beat me, you'll need a lot more effort, Kamuro-san."
One had to admit, when the classmates looked at Sakura now, none of the old timidness remained on her face. What replaced it was confidence. Many of them couldn't understand just what had caused her to change so much, so drastically.
Perhaps only a small number of people knew the real reason. Even Sudō couldn't fully comprehend it. Kushida, who had grown into a fairly good "friend" to Sakura, was sincerely happy for her, after all, she was no longer the manipulated, helpless little girl she used to be.
But after a brief moment of blankness, Kushida looked a little troubled, because sitting across from Sakura at the board wasn't just an opponent.
The two girls had been silent for some time now, and after Sakura finished her move, it was Kamuro's turn to respond. But about ten minutes into the match, this was the first time Kamuro fell into long, deep thought. Her expression turned solemn.
If she didn't do something… She would lose.
She didn't want to lose anymore, not to the girl sitting before her.
The more she realized this, the more anxious she became, her mind spiraling into a storm.
In the multimedia room, the fact that the girls' voices had fallen silent told Hikigaya and Sakayanagi something: Their turn to take over was coming.
For amateurs, being able to reach this level of board state was already impressive. Both Kamuro and Sakura had used nearly every tactic they could muster.
But this was where it ended.
Amateurs were amateurs.
Sakayanagi realized very clearly, if she didn't intervene now and allowed Sakura to continue freely, even she might not have any room to salvage the situation later.
So, The Commander intervenes.
Sakayanagi sat upright in her chair, still wearing that faint, composed smile. Even with the board in this state, she showed not a hint of nervousness.
She began typing in her command sequence.
Kamuro received the instruction, let out a small sigh, and moved exactly as Sakayanagi dictated.
Sakayanagi: "Little Hiki, aren't you intervening yet? If this goes on, you might actually lose."
Hikigaya, fully aware of himself, replied: "No matter who plays chess against you, they're going to lose. At least within this school, there's no opponent left who can face you."
For a moment, Hikigaya thought of Kōenji, but after a moment of reflection, he shook his head.
Sakayanagi didn't continue talking to him. She focused all her concentration onto the chessboard.
On Sakura's side, after feeling five consecutive terrifying moves, cold sweat began to drip down her back.
This was definitely not Kamuro's level.
This kind of aggressive pressure, only one person could produce, Sakayanagi.
Realizing this, Sakura took a deep breath, steadied her trembling hand, and placed her next piece.
She had been timid once, but now, even facing Sakayanagi, she no longer felt like running.
Hikigaya smiled faintly, satisfied with how quickly Sakura recovered her composure.
Sakayanagi: "If you don't intervene soon, you'll lose."
She was right. Just a few moves had turned the entire board around instantly. This was Sakayanagi, once within her area of mastery, she never intended to give Sakura even a sliver of breathing room.
Hikigaya remained unhurried: "You overestimate me, Sakayanagi. I've spent even less time learning chess than Sakura. If I butt in randomly, her chances drop. She gives us better odds."
For the first time, Sakayanagi's expression shifted.
Her calm smile faded slightly, leaving her eyes half narrowed as she stared directly at Hikigaya.
"No. Someone as monstrously rational as you, if you're prepared, you'll definitely come up with something terrifying. If you want to deceive me, this excuse is too low-level."
Hikigaya spread his hands and didn't respond.
Sakayanagi no longer bothered hiding her intentions.
After freeing her queen in a few steps, she launched a complete offensive, her moves rapid, relentless, giving Sakura no chance to react.
Sakura's advantage, accumulated since the opening, collapsed instantly under Sakayanagi's fierce attack. And all of it happened in under five minutes.
There was no handling this casually. Even when Sakura resisted with everything she had, Sakayanagi always found an angle she never expected, each response taking less than five seconds, every move aimed at the jugular.
"Check."
Sakura's hand froze in midair, her eyes going blank.
Even after studying all semester, she felt it:
Despair.
In just five minutes, the entire situation reversed, straight into check.
This was Sakayanagi Arisu.
A natural-born genius.
Advance or retreat, either way, she forced her opponent into a dead corner.
Although the check was more of a threat than a finishing blow, Sakura could clearly see her loss. If this continued for another three minutes, she would fall without question.
Her hard-earned confidence felt like it was collapsing all at once.
Sakura Airi tightened her grip on her king, her hand suspended midair, unsure what to do.
Finally, helpless, she looked toward the camera, hoping for the answer she wanted.
The Commander intervenes.
Queen to F7.
A notification chimed through her earpiece, Hikigaya's typed command.
Anyone else would hesitate. Moving the queen there was practically suicide. Even if it blocked the attack temporarily, the game would be lost in a few turns anyway.
But this was Sakura Airi.
She had absolute trust in Hikigaya.
Within a heartbeat, she lowered her king, picked up her queen, and moved exactly as instructed, placing it on F7.
Sakayanagi watched Sakura regain her resolve, then shifted her gaze toward Hikigaya.
"So you're finally intervening?"
"There are some things you can't avoid."
Now,
Commander vs. Commander.
Sakayanagi's remaining time: 23 minutes
Hikigaya's remaining time: 30 minutes
The board began shifting in an unexpected direction.
To everyone watching, Sakayanagi only needed to keep attacking and she would win.
But from that previous move onward, Sakayanagi began defending instead.
Kamuro and Sakura were both stunned. None of them understood why Sakayanagi chose such a move.
More instructions reached Sakura through the earpiece: Knight to A8.
Pawn to G3.
Rook to C9.
…
It was an almost suicidal style of defense. Hikigaya controlled the pieces, aiming to force exchanges.
Every move pushed toward a dead end, yet each suicidal advance managed to exchange for one of Sakayanagi's pieces.
Akito looked shaken. He actually understood chess, and even he couldn't process it, "No… you can play chess like this?"
Ike: "What is happening!? Someone explain! I'm getting stressed out, dammit!"
Everyone stared at Akito, but Matsushita Chiaki answered first: "He's basically using a self-destruct strategy to force the board into the simplest possible endgame. That way… he minimizes Sakayanagi's ability to weaponize her overwhelming skill."
Sudō: "It does sound like something he'd do… but wait, isn't this guy supposed to suck at chess?"
Sotomura: "Don't tell me… he's actually a genius?"
Meanwhile, in the multimedia room, Hoshinomiya and Sakagami watched, stunned.
This kind of self-destruction-based play, they'd never seen anything like it.
Hoshinomiya: "Hey, what kind of otherworld chess are you two even playing? I don't get it at all!"
Sakagami shot her a fierce glare.
"Non-participants shouldn't talk during a match."
Hoshinomiya pouted. "So mean, Sakagami…"
The pace of the match was slow, giving Sakayanagi, used to fast chess, plenty of time to think.
From Hikigaya's very first move, the white queen had been traded.
And if this exchange continued, the final winner should be the side that still had a queen.
Still… even Sakayanagi had to acknowledge the brilliance: "With this alone, little Hiki, I really can't underestimate you. I knew it, your chess skill can't be low. Coming up with something like this proves it."
Hikigaya responded: "Honestly, I just skimmed through some professional matches from recent years and built a tactic based on our disadvantage. I'm not as good as you think."
Using Sakura's early advantage, he forced Sakayanagi to intervene early, then drove the attack straight to his own king, deliberately, so he could start forcing exchanges and reduce the game into something simple enough for an amateur to handle.
The gap between amateurs and professionals was enormous.
Without a tactic like this, there was no chance of narrowing the distance, or winning.
Even now, Sakayanagi still didn't believe she would lose.
As the game entered the later stage, Sakayanagi actually paused, rarely, and immersed herself completely in thought.
This was the longest she had ever stopped to think, making both Hoshinomiya and Sakagami flinch.
Kamuro stared at the board, dazed. This was pure confusion.
Forced exchange was extremely dangerous. Normally, the one who initiates trades loses more. Professionals would never trade pieces unless absolutely necessary.
But Hikigaya continuously traded pieces, even at a loss, because of Sakura's early advantage.
And now…
Knight connected to bishop.
Bishop connected to queen.
Queen connected to knight.
A complete, intricate loop.
Through trading, they had reached a point where Sakayanagi herself was forced to start exchanging, because no matter what she did, she would lose pieces. At this stage, she needed to minimize losses.
So she placed her knight in a sacrificial position, caught between Sakura's rook and pawn, hoping to block an attack on her queen.
Akito: "This guy…"
Matsushita Chiaki: "Did he predict this far ahead?"
Horikita: "His calculations are terrifying."
But to everyone's surprise, even though he could immediately capture the knight sandwiched between his rook and pawn,
Hikigaya didn't.
Instead, he continued advancing a pawn on the edge.
In chess, when a pawn reaches the farthest rank of the opponent, it becomes a queen.
Hikigaya was betting everything on that.
Sakayanagi smiled, "Little Hiki, you really are clever. Even in chess, you're not an opponent to be taken lightly. But… the difference between amateur and professional is only a single step."
She didn't retreat her knight. Instead, she moved her queen directly before the white king,
"Check!"
The second check came so abruptly that everyone was caught off guard.
Hikigaya had been one step away from promoting his pawn.
Just one step.
Everyone clenched their teeth. Even Sakura, sitting at the board, felt her heart pounding out of control.
Hikigaya: "Sakayanagi, I can't defeat you. That much is certain."
"No matter how many strange tactics I use, I can't beat you. That is the difference in strength, I know that."
"But from the beginning, I didn't play to beat you. I played to create the endgame I wanted."
"And now… just one step remains."
"The one who finishes the endgame, Won't be me. And it won't be you."
Commander time: Sakayanagi – 1 minute left.
Hikigaya – 7 minutes left.
Following Hikigaya's instruction, Sakura moved her rook beside her king.
If they traded, Sakayanagi would lose her queen as well. For someone with her advantage, that was impossible, she would never make that move.
As long as they avoided another triple-piece stalemate like earlier, the victory was essentially secured.
Finally, I leave the rest to you.
Bishop moves two squares diagonally to the right.
After sending her final command, Sakayanagi's Commander time ran out first.
At this moment, white had only a pawn, a rook, and a king left.
Sakayanagi still had a queen, bishop, and knight.
Hikigaya did not rush the remaining time, instead continuing to lay out the board step by step. At this moment, both kings were in the far corners of the board, diagonally opposite one another. The pawn still hadn't found the chance to take its final step forward.
The opponent's queen tightly suppressed Sakura's king, and with the knight cooperating in the attack, checkmate was only a matter of time.
Hikigaya gave his final command.
Pawn, advance forward.
Sakura still followed it without hesitation. But the bishop stood guarding the pawn, and before it could be promoted into a queen, it was captured.
After that, the match returned to a straightforward battle between Sakura and Kamuro.
Sakura used her rook to capture the bishop. At the same time, she delivered a check, and also simultaneously threatened the knight on the other side.
Kamuro had no choice but to move her king, and her knight was eaten right after.
Only four pieces remained on the board: White king.
Black king.
White rook.
Black queen.
...
Sakayanagi: "As expected, in the end I couldn't prove anything. I have to say, little Hiki, you really are impressive."
Hikigaya: "In the end, it was just luck. I only got this far by relying on these kinds of tactics. In a normal match, I wouldn't last ten rounds against you."
Sakayanagi gave a calm smile and shook her head.
"A loss is a loss. I couldn't prove anything. But regarding this match, I'm genuinely pleased."
"Of course, as for Masumi's situation, you need to take proper responsibility. After all, I was the one who introduced her to you."
Hikigaya nodded.
The final match in chess ended with Class A's victory.
The overall Commander score: 4–3, a narrow win.
(End of this chapter)