Chapter 643

Sawada Rika's voice was pleasant as she took the initiative to start the conversation:

"Contestant Asahina, Contestant Natsume, that game of chess you just played on the field was truly brilliant; it even made me feel a bit passionate."

"In the current shogi world, to have such excellent young players like the two of you emerging, I think the future development will definitely be even more worth looking forward to!"

Asahina Akatsuki pursed her lips slightly, subconsciously glanced at Natsume Chikage beside her, and then still politely nodded at the microphone.

"Thank you for your praise."

Natsume Chikage also nodded slightly, responding concisely:

"Thank you."

Sawada Rika's eyes held curiosity as she threw the question to Asahina Akatsuki:

"So, Contestant Asahina, if you could review the game, which factor do you think had the greatest impact on the result of this match?"

Asahina Akatsuki thought for a moment and explained earnestly:

"I think... it was mainly a lack of experience. If I could have anticipated in advance that Contestant Natsume would use that key 'drop,' and prepared for it in advance, perhaps that situation of being completely reversed wouldn't have occurred."

Her tone carried the analysis of a serious review, and also hid a trace of unwillingness.

Sawada Rika then turned the microphone to Natsume Chikage and pursued the question:

"Contestant Natsume, do you agree with this analysis by Contestant Asahina?"

Natsume Chikage nodded, his tone frank:

"I agree."

"Her strength is very solid, and her layout is rigorous. If that 'drop' had been guarded against in advance, it would indeed have been very difficult to end the match as quickly as just now."

Sawada Rika keenly grasped the lead and further pursued:

"Then... let's assume, if Contestant Asahina had really successfully defended against that move, do you think you would have lost?"

Natsume Chikage nodded without any hesitation, his voice steady but certain:

"No."

Sawada Rika asked curiously:

"So you had other strategies?"

Natsume Chikage nodded and said:

"Yes."

Asahina Akatsuki was obviously stunned upon hearing this.

Immediately, she bit her lower lip slightly, clearly very unconvinced by this answer.

A trace of a smile flashed in Sawada Rika's eyes as she summarized:

"It seems that besides that earth-shattering 'drop,' Contestant Natsume also had other winning strategies left. Truly not simple, his strength is unfathomable."

She changed the subject and asked Asahina Akatsuki again:

"Contestant Asahina, is there anything you particularly want to say to Contestant Natsume here?"

Upon hearing this, Asahina Akatsuki's puffed-up cheeks looked even more serious. She looked directly at Natsume Chikage and said word by word:

"Next time! I will absolutely not lose again!"

"If you lose to me next time... I, I will still propose the same agreement!"

Natsume Chikage was also stunned upon hearing this.

Immediately, he replied with a serious expression:

"I will absolutely not lose!"

Asahina Akatsuki was instantly frozen on the spot upon hearing this unyielding declaration.

Following that, her cheeks began to "heat up" at a speed visible to the naked eye, stained with a crimson of shame and anger. She stared at Natsume Chikage with wide eyes, speechless for a moment.

Sawada Rika looked at the interaction between the two, which was full of gunpowder but also implied a special connection, blinked her eyes that were good at discovering stories, and smiled playfully:

"It seems the two of you have a very special agreement in private."

"Although the specific content is unknown, I imagine it must be a very interesting agreement."

"But regardless, here, please allow me to first congratulate Contestant Natsume for becoming the first player to win in this fourth round of the Newcomer Shogi Tournament!"

"At the same time, congratulations to Contestant Asahina. I hope you can learn from this valuable experience, keep up the good work, and become stronger and stronger in the future!"

The audience nearby who could hear the interview also timely erupted into warm applause and sporadic cheers upon hearing this.

Asahina Akatsuki then came back to her senses and subconsciously looked back at the big screen in the arena.

The screen showed that other matches were still in progress, and Mido Orihime, as well as her childhood friend Suzuki Takayuki and others, were still in fierce battles.

The ones who finished the match the fastest right now were indeed their group.

She wasn't very surprised by this result.

After all, Natsume Chikage used a playing style that was almost "fast chess."

Throughout the entire match, it was basically her who spent much longer thinking time.

This playing style indeed had clear pros and cons.

If he played fast and she played slow, he could instead fully utilize his own chess clock time for long thinking.

And her slow rhythm could not form time pressure on him.

To be honest, in the early stages of the game, she indeed didn't have much time pressure.

But as the game deepened, Natsume Chikage's continuous, almost unhesitating fast chess rhythm still brought her considerable psychological pressure.

If it weren't for this pressure interference, she might have been able to think more deeply, and the ending might not have been so tragic—collapsing instantly from a perfect great advantage...

The two who had finished the interview.

Finally managed to get away and walked together to the storage room.

Referee Kishida Mineisuke still fulfilled his duty as a witness, following silently behind them while keeping his distance.

Asahina Akatsuki walked to her locker and opened the cabinet door.

She took out her small handbag from inside, unzipped it, and reached in to grope for a moment.

Then, she took out a beautifully designed makeup mirror that was glowing with an unusual light.

She handed it to Natsume Chikage and muttered in a low voice:

"Here you go... the bet."

A trace of joy flashed in Natsume Chikage's eyes as he reached out to take this special piece of equipment that might look ordinary to others, but to him, was emitting a unique faint light:

"Thank you."

The moment his fingertips touched the mirror surface, at the edge of his vision, a translucent prompt box visible only to him quietly appeared:

【You have obtained ownership of this equipment, do you want to register it?】

【Yes/No】

Natsume Chikage muttered "Yes" in his heart without any hesitation.

【Registration successful!】

【You have collected three special pieces of equipment and obtained 1 attribute point!】

【To obtain the next attribute point, you still need to collect three special pieces of equipment!】

Seeing this line of prompts, Natsume Chikage felt a burst of joy in his heart.

Finally, he had obtained another valuable attribute point.

Now he could finally improve one of his attributes again.

But he knew very well that every time he used attribute points to strengthen himself, his body would show some obvious "abnormal conditions."

Therefore, he must find an environment where he would absolutely not be disturbed to do it.

He planned to find an opportunity to go home after guiding Furukawa Saio's shogi in the afternoon, and quietly use the attribute point before his sister returned.

The prompt box changed again:

【Do you want to equip this item?】

【Yes/No】

Natsume Chikage muttered "Yes" again.

After equipping it, he didn't feel any immediate changes to his body or appearance.

He wasn't surprised by this, because the equipment effect description of this "Beauty Makeup Mirror" was "can set the hairstyle and makeup."

Since it was this kind of effect, it naturally wouldn't immediately trigger external changes.

However, with Asahina Akatsuki and the referee around, it wasn't convenient for him to verify the effect on the spot.

He could only try to find an opportunity later.

At this moment.