Chapter 287

After ordering.

Yasui Ryouto couldn't help but ask:

"Right, you guys went for so long just now, did you find the bracelet?"

Tsukishima Rin shook the white jasmine bracelet on her wrist, a smile blooming in the corners of her eyes:

"Mm, found it."

Araki Yuai raised her left eyebrow slightly and threw a knowing look.

Tsukishima Rin understood, lowered her eyes slightly, and the corners of her lips pursed into a shy arc.

Yasui Ryouto breathed a sigh of relief:

"Found it, that's good."

"I was thinking whether I should help you look for it together."

Natsume Chikage was a bit curious about where the seniors had gone:

"By the way, where did you two go just now?"

Mentioning this.

Araki Yuai was instantly energized:

"Heh heh, we went to wander around the snack shop, bought something to eat, and just walked around."

"When passing by a jewelry shop, I took a fancy to a bracelet—"

She said, shaking the red chain on her wrist proudly.

"Then Ryouto bought it for me!"

Yasui Ryouto added in a low voice:

"Clearly you elbowed me to buy it…"

Araki Yuai "tsk"ed, and her elbow lifted slightly.

Yasui Ryouto instantly fell silent.

Tsukishima Rin covered her smile with the back of her hand.

Natsume Chikage looked at this scene, his expression subtle, and he had already mourned for three seconds for the senior's future.

Tsukishima Rin praised softly:

"Very beautiful bracelet, congratulations."

Araki Yuai chuckled:

"Yours looks very good too."

When the two girls started talking about accessories.

Yasui Ryouto turned to Natsume:

"Right, Natsume-kun, have you received the next round notification from the 'New Sharp Shogi Tournament' organizers? When is the next match?"

Natsume Chikage then remembered and took out his phone to check.

The information had already been sent, and the prize money for winning this round had also arrived.

High efficiency.

"Received."

"The match is in five days, April 13th, still in the A-division."

Yasui Ryouto analyzed:

"Yuai and I are still in the C-division, same as last time."

"It seems that before the number of people drops to a certain amount, the division will not change."

Araki Yuai replied:

"I think so too."

"Natsume-kun, since you advanced to the third round…"

"It means the number of participants in your division has been halved again."

"I remember each division started with about 500 people."

"The second round was 250 people."

"Then in the next round, the opponents you face will be about 125 people."

"Now you can start paying attention to which troublesome opponents you might encounter, and study their shogi style and habits in advance."

"—Of course, if you run into a professional shogi player, just pretend I didn't say anything."

"Those guys' routines are too deep, basically all responding on the spot."

Yasui Ryouto deeply agreed:

"Exactly."

"The gap between professional shogi players and us amateur players is like a chasm."

"If you really run into one, you can only leave it to fate."

Natsume Chikage nodded:

"Thanks for the reminder, I will pay attention."

Yasui Ryouto knew his strength very well—he could fight below the professional level, but once he faced a professional shogi player, the chance of winning was slim.

The gap between each rank is already significant, and between professional and non-professional, it is even more of a world of difference.

For professional shogi players, everyone below professional is an ant, and winning is often easy.

But he also understood that he was able to touch the professional threshold at seventeen, and in time, he would definitely be able to step into that field.

As for Natsume-kun…

He believed Natsume had talent.

It's a pity that the number of games played is too few, and the experience is insufficient.

And when facing that "newbie killer" Fukuda Tsukasa last time, he could feel he was very struggling just by watching the battle.

Thinking about it, the strength should be slightly higher than Fukuda Tsukasa, who is level 5 in the Encouragement Society? Probably level 4?

It's mostly like that.

This strength is not outstanding among high school shogi players…

After all, there are many players at level 4 in the Encouragement Society.

Looking at it this way, the opponent Natsume will encounter in the third round will only be stronger than Fukuda Tsukasa.

Natsume-kun is probably… a bit dangerous later.

However, Natsume-kun has already earned back the registration fee, so he won't lose even if he loses in the third round.

And after he loses, he might be able to perform well in front of Tsukishima Rin!

Hee hee!

Mentioning shogi, Natsume Chikage suddenly remembered something and turned to Araki Yuai:

"Araki-senpai."

"Today I met a girl in the A-division named Asahina Akatsuki."

Araki Yuai instantly ground her teeth and said angrily:

"That guy is also in the A-division?"

"Why not come to the C-division! If she came, see if I wouldn't teach her a lesson."

Yasui Ryouto complained mercilessly:

"What lesson… aren't you old rivals, the win-loss record has always been fifty-fifty."

Araki Yuai glared:

"That was before! The current me has become much stronger."

"If we meet again, I'll definitely make her return in defeat!"

"…However, why did she specifically mention this to you?"

Natsume Chikage explained:

"She saw that I was also wearing the school uniform of Private Tsukikage Academy, so she asked me to bring a message, saying she would come to school to find you recently."

Araki Yuai was puzzled:

"What is that guy coming to find me for for no reason?"

Natsume Chikage shrugged:

"Not clear."