Hikaru No Go Fan Fiction ❯ One Day Together ❯ Sai vs. Ogata ( Chapter 7 )

Sai and Shindou walked through the door of the same internet café where Sai battled Touya Kouyo. Shindou signed his name on the sheet at the desk, and paid the user fee. Finding a seat, he opened up the World Igo Net client and scrolled through the list of names of people online.

 

“Are you ready Sai?”

 

The go master closed his eyes and remained still for a few moments. He soon opened them, revealing the piercing gaze of a warrior about to step onto the celestial battlefield.

 

“Ikimasu yo, Hikaru,” said Sai with pure conviction.

 

In Sai's ghostly state he could feel the tangible aura emanating from the computer screen, much like his match with Touya Kooyo. Typing onto his keyboard, Shindou changed the settings for the match.

 

“You'll be taking black Sai. Three hours time, komi is 6.5 moku,” said Shindou, clicking on the last of the settings and hitting the ok button.

 

The board lit up, as the match between Sai and Ogata had begun. Sai's gaze met the computer, as his soul and Shindou's body seemed to become one. Shindou moved the mouse forward, and played the first move.

 

At the same time elsewhere, Seiji Ogata sat before his computer, calmly watching the screen. His eyes seemed to be laser focused on the electronic go board, the world around him melting into blackness. Ogata waited patiently as the first move was played by Sai, on the upper right hoshi space.

 

“No one knows how fearful a Go player really is until you meet them on the battlefield…I will not underestimate you Sai. Let's play,” thought Ogata reaching for his mouse and playing the 3,3 spot.

 

 

Touya's mother got up from sitting at the computer and walked over to her son, who had been sitting at a nearby window and staring off into space. She had gotten used to this behavior over the years, as she accepted the fact that the men in her life were engrossed in their own inner worlds. The sakura petals floated silently to the ground, playing a silent game in the gentle breeze. Touya's mother rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, lightly bringing him into present reality.

 

“Akira-san, you may use the computer now if you'd like” said his mother, smiling gently.

 

“Thank you, mother”, said Touya smiling warmly and walking in a swift manner to the computer. The Go Institute had started offering shidou go games to foreigners across the internet, and while Touya was not the biggest fan of internet go, he found some time to make a little extra money from the Institute. Typing a few keys and reaching for his mouse, he brought up the familiar white screen of World Igo Net.

 

“The screen name for my opponent should be Vanderwaalen, let's see…”

 

As Touya scrolled down the list of names, looking at the various players waiting for opponents, his eye immediately caught the sight of a familiar name.

 

“S..S..Sai!”

 

He let out a sound of surprise and excitement as he saw the name of the incredible and mysterious Go player Sai.

 

“Who is he playing?” thought Touya as he hurriedly clicked on the game and opened up the match. Looking down, his eyes leveled down at the handle “SOgata”.

 

“No…it couldn't be…Ogata-san?!”

 

Touya examined the game carefully, waiting with anticipation as Sai and Ogata began to battle across the go board.

 

“There is no mistaking it…this style of play. It's so solid and well thought out. It could only be Ogata-san. When did he…?”

 

Touya stared in disbelief at the game, completely forgetting about this teaching game responsibilities or anything else for that matter.

 

 

Fukui typed away at the keys, his face bursting with joy as it always was. Isumi and Honda had started up a game, with Nase and Waya looking on with great concentration. Fukui wailed his arms in the arm and let out a great sound of wonderment and surprise, breaking the silence of the room. Everyone's attention was momentarily scrambled, as everyone whirled around to look at Fukui. Startled, Waya whirled around and crawled on his knees to Fukui.

 

“What is it? My heart almost jumped out of my chest! Don't scare me like that!”

 

“Look Waya, there are a lot of spectators for this one game. There are over forty people watching it!” exclaimed Fukui.

 

“Whoever's playing must be pretty famous, I wonder who's playing,” asked Isumi looking back at his game.

 

“I think one of them is Ogata Sensei,” remarked Fukui pointing at the handle of SOgata.

 

“Ogata sensei doesn't play Go on the net does he?” remarked Nase looking up.

 

“I wouldn't be surprised if he did though. But would there be anyone on the net capable of being a challenge for Ogata sensei?” remarked Honda.

 

“Who is his opponent?” asked Waya, leaning in to look at the screen. Fukui pointed at the screen with his index finger.

 

“S…S…” stuttered Waya.

 

“Sai!” exclaimed Fukui.

 

Waya's expression turned to one of utter surprise.

 

“What's the matter Waya?” asked Isumi.

 

“Ogata sensei is playing Sai? Impossible…” said Waya, leaning in further to look at the game. The game had not progressed very far. Ogata sensei's clock was winding down, indicating he was deep in thought, contemplating his next move.

 

“Sai? Who's that Waya?” asked Nase.

 

“Sai is the phantom net player who beat Touya Kooyo! Haven't you guys heard of him?” said Waya, turning back around to address his friends. Waya was extremely surprised to find Sai playing on the net, and even more surprised to see him playing Ogata sensei.

 

“I did hear a rumor that Touya sensei was defeated by an amateur player, but I thought it was just a rumor,” said Isumi with a clear tone of surprise in his voice.

 

“Ogata sensei is sure taking a long time to move,” remarked Fukui.

 

Isumi and Honda dropped there stones into their go ke's and crawled on their knees towards the computer. The entire group was huddled around the screen watching the game.

 

“There's no doubt about it guys, this is the Sai that played Touya Kooyo. Look at these moves. I've never seen such solid play,” remarked Waya, pointing to several positions across the board.

 

“Ogata sensei is playing white? He appears to be matching Sai play for play. But what is he thinking about so early in the game?” Isumi leaning forward.

 

Within a few seconds, Ogata sensei played, the customary blip sound ringing from the computer.

 

“What is Ogata sensei thinking with this move?” said Waya with a puzzled look on his face, scratching his head.

 

 

“Somehow…somehow Sai's gotten much stronger…” thought Shindou as he clicked the mouse.

 

“I can feel it, Sai's spirit. It's even more intense than when he played against Touya-sensei. I'm sure Ogata sensei can feel it too. So far, Sai has maintained the advantage and is even fiercer than during his battle with Touya sensei. Ogata sensei is fighting back, but what was he thinking with this move?” thought Shindou, looking on in puzzlement.

 

Ogata had played a strange move indeed, moving into the center from the side much earlier than expected. The move didn't seem to even attack Sai's stones along the side. Shindou knew Ogata sensei would never play a purposeless move, but this hand seemed to be beyond his understanding.

 

Sai raised his fan to his mouth, contemplating his next move.

 

“Sai's been gone for a long time now. He must have become stronger while he disappeared, but how I do not understand. Maybe I'll ask once the game is over with.” Shindou moved the mouse forward, and continued the match.

 

 

 

Touya had been watching the game intently, his hand covering his mouth. His mind brought him back to the match between Sai and his father. While his father was indeed strong, Sai had managed to play at a level just above that. Touya could not fathom Sai's strength, and now was even more surprised to find that the phantom player had become even more powerful than before. Touya glanced out of a nearby window and noticed that the sky was darkening. Black rain clouds began to form, darkening the landscape. He resumed his focus on the game, his mind racing to come up with answers.

 

“What I don't understand is how this match was set up. I'm certain Ogata sensei does not know Sai. But…”

 

Touya's mind raced back to when he went to visit his father in the hospital after his match with Sai.

 

(Touya rode the elevator up to his father's floor. When the elevator doors had opened, he caught sight of Shindou and Ogata sensei. Touya ran forward, trying to figure out what was going on. Just as he had entered the scene, Shindou slipped free from Ogata's grasp and escaped into the elevator.

 

“Ogata-san what happened?”

 

“I overheard Shindou and your father talking about Sai,” exclaimed Ogata, adjusting his tie.)

 

“Now there is no doubt in my mind, there is a solid connection between Shindou and Sai. It must have been him that set this match up. There couldn't be any other…”

 

Touya stopped in mid-thought and gasped at the screen. His eyes flared open, a look of pure surprise spread like wildfire across his face.

 

“Ogata…san….”

 

Ogata had finally played a move, and as the stone appeared on the computer screen, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. His move seemed to emanate a piercing glow from across the internet. The board took on a different character than before, the lay of the stones revealing the insight and planning of Ogata.

 

“Ogata-sensei. This move…” remarked Waya, his voice quivering.

 

“So this was his plan in the beginning!” exclaimed Fukui, leaning forward and staring at the game in amazement.

 

“I didn't understand Ogata sensei's moves from earlier, but now that we're this far…” said Isumi.

 

“Amazing…” said Honda.

 

“By heading out into the center first, Ogata-sensei has managed to create the perfect situation to attack Sai on all sides…” said Nase, unable to hold back her astonishment.

 

“Ogata sensei is amazing. Up until now Sai…Sai has just been playing into his hands…” said Waya, his eyes widening with every word.

 

“It is clear that Ogata sensei now has the advantage, but will he be able to hold it against an opponent as strong as Sai?” said Isumi.

 

“But how could you stop this attack?” remarked Honda, resting a hand on his chin.

 

The group of young go players sat silently, their gaze transfixed onto the screen. The room fell deathly silent, the only sound being the blips coming from the computer screen and the harsh patter of rain hitting the window.

 

Shindou could feel Sai's emotions, as if his and Sai's mind were as one. Ogata sensei's moves had done some serious damage to Sai's plans. Shindou could feel his mentor's mind reeling with ways to handle it.

 

“Ogata sensei… is absolutely amazing. But, Sai must have seen this. Couldn't he have fought back?” thought Shindou, his laser focus drilling into the screen.

 

To Shindou, the next few seconds were like a painful eternity. He looked up at Sai only to see that the go genius had his eye closed, immersed in a world of tactics and strategy. After a few minutes, Sai opened his eyes, and lifted his fan to the next space.

 

Waya and the others watched on in transfixed silence, watching the game progress.

 

“Here Nase, let's replay this game on the board over there,” said Honda, moving over to the go board and cleaning off the stones.

 

Nase simply gave a quick nod and crawled on her hands and knees to help Honda clean and then recreate the game.

“I didn't think Ogata sensei had this much power in him. He's doing so well against the greatest Go player I've ever seen. His play is not quite as well rounded as Touya sensei's but he isn't lacking in innovation,” thought Waya.

 

“Waya…doesn't it seem a little strange to you,” said Isumi hesitantly, scratching his chin.

 

“Strange?”

 

“Sai's past few moves, especially these ones here,” said Isumi pointing with his finger at the corner of the board. “It would seem as if Sai is bending to Ogata's attack…but at the same time …”

 

“You're right Isumi. Ogata is losing his advantage…” said Waya, who stopped mid sentence as he saw Sai play a move.

 

“The lead…that Ogata sensei had…” said Isumi.

 

“It's gone,” said Waya in a quivering tone of voice.

 

“It's almost even, Sai's made a comeback!” said Fukui leaning in towards the screen.

 

Touya's hardly even blinked as he watched the battle unfold.

 

“Black…black has turned the situation around. Ogata sensei had the advantage but now the game is even,” thought Touya. “The game is entering Yose…who will win?”

 

 

Ogata sensei stared at his computer screen in the inky blackness of his room, his face covered with the faint green glow of his aquarium. A bead of sweat rolled down his check.

 

“Sai…he broke through my plan and has brought the game into Yose. There must be a way to break through. But when I read the final board to the end…I see only…”

 

Ogata let out a large breath, his eye quivering just slightly. Sighing slightly, Ogata hung his head low before his computer screen, his hair covering the look of despair on his face.

 

 

The words “resignation” appeared on the screen of Waya's computer. Everyone was completely surprised.

 

“He… resigned here? But why?” exclaimed Waya.

 

“There is still Yose left” said Isumi.

 

“Ogata sensei resigned here…” said Nase in a quiet voice.

“Sai…has won” said Waya.

Touya sat back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling.

 

“Was there no other way? Was there nothing Ogata-san could have done?”

 

Touya got up from his chair and looked out the window. It was night now, and the pale moon hung high in the sky amidst mysterious black clouds.

 

“Sai….”

 

Shindou stared in disbelief at the computer screen, the words “resignation” appearing before his eyes.

 

“Sai…you won…” murmured Shindou. Hearing no reply from Sai, he looked up at his mentor. Sai's face was peaceful, a heavenly glow emanating from his ghostly form.

 

“How I relished this game, Seiji Ogata. Each move was more brilliant than the next. Nothing could have provided me more satisfaction.” Sai looked down towards Shindou his face beaming.

 

“I thank you Hikaru,” said Sai, his eyes full of love for the young, blond streaked Go player.