Chapter 774

And Gu Chuan Caixu, who was snuggled up beside him, had a cute pride written all over her little face that said "you don't understand at all."

She had also dreamed of surpassing Big Brother Natsume.

But after being ruthlessly "educated" time and time again, and witnessing that unfathomable strength like an abyss with her own eyes...

She had long been completely convinced.

Now, her eyes were filled with nothing but longing and worshipful little stars.

She was satisfied just being able to touch the edge of Big Brother's strength.

As for surpassing him? She didn't even dare to think about it.

Therefore, she disagreed with the commentators' analysis ten thousand times over.

In her view, the "star of death" representing defeat had long since lit up behind that contestant named Morimoto Yūki.

It was just that he himself, and the vast majority of people at the scene, were still oblivious.

Fukuda Si, sitting a little further away, also had a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Or rather, he was happy to see this "generally unfavorable" situation.

In his cognition, Natsume Chikage had always been a slacker whose "luck was greater than his strength."

Being able to mix into the fifth round certainly took some skill, but the luck factor could definitely not be ignored.

After all, the opponents he had encountered before, strictly speaking, couldn't be counted as real "tough nuts."

And today's Morimoto Yūki was a powerhouse with official rank certification.

In the shogi world, having a rank and not having a rank is a fundamental difference.

Not to mention Morimoto was so young, came from a famous school, and had received systematic training since childhood.

He was a "school-style" elite with deep roots.

Looking at Natsume Chikage?

Just a wild path that popped up from nowhere; he might have talent, but he walked too many crooked paths.

If it weren't for those strange moves that were biased, odd, and dangerous, catching Asahina Xiaoyue and others off guard, he wouldn't have been able to get here at all.

Therefore, in Fukuda Si's view, Natsume Chikage drawing Morimoto meant his luck had run out, and even a god couldn't save him.

The evidence?

It was the situation on the shogi board right now!

Where was Natsume Chikage's previous storm-like offensive posture? Where did he dare to use those unorthodox evil moves?

Replacing them was an unprecedented steady and solid approach!

What did this explain?

It explained that Natsume Chikage himself was feeling empty inside! He knew there was a gap in hard strength between the two sides and didn't dare to play with fire anymore!

Using those tricks again in front of a real expert like Morimoto would just be seeking his own death!

However...

Fukuda Si's brow suddenly wrinkled slightly, feeling a trace of confusion.

This kid... since he had switched to a steady playing style, why was his speed of placing pieces still so fast?

Almost without thinking?

But he immediately felt relieved.

It was probably the opening layout stage, where the changes were relatively fixed and didn't require long thinking.

Once it reached the mid-game and the situation became complex, it definitely wouldn't be fast anymore.

He thought so firmly.

And Horikawa Kaori, sitting diagonally opposite him, had a much more complicated mood.

If it were in the past, seeing Natsume Chikage finally willing to use this solid and steady shogi style, she would definitely have felt relieved, even breathed a sigh of relief.

Because Natsume Chikage's previous shogi path was really too scary in her view, every time it was like dancing on the edge of a cliff.

Playing shogi like this now was the right path, the demeanor a shogi player should have.

But when she really saw this scene, she couldn't help but let out a light sigh in her heart.

She guessed the reason.

Natsume-kun... must have felt unprecedented pressure.

Facing an opponent of similar age whose rank, experience, and training all comprehensively surpassed his own, he didn't dare to take risks anymore.

Thinking this way was correct.

Facing Morimoto Yūki, daring to use those strange moves was indeed no different from suicide.

Asahina Xiaoyue, sitting beside Horikawa Kaori, bit her lower lip tightly, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

She could also understand the changes on the shogi board.

Natsume-kun had switched styles.

In her view, this was a clear signal—he had encountered an opponent he couldn't confront head-on and had to choose a more conservative strategy.

And she was clear about Morimoto Yūki's strength.

That was a strong enemy she felt difficult to defeat herself.

Natsume-kun wanting to win... was too difficult.

The faint flame of hope in her heart was dimming bit by bit under rational analysis.

She only felt that her beloved... was in trouble.

Tianbian Youren didn't look at the shogi game carefully at all.

He had determined from the beginning that Natsume Chikage would definitely lose.

Therefore, regarding Natsume Chikage becoming "steady," he only felt it was a matter-of-course death struggle.

Even his mind had long since drifted elsewhere.

Calculating, when Natsume Chikage lost the match and was in a low mood...

Should he hint to Xiaoyue to seize this good opportunity to "take advantage of the weakness," comfort him, and get close to him?

It would be best if there was substantial progress today, like holding hands, kissing, or something...

In this way, Xiaoyue would get her wish and be happy.

Seeing Xiaoyue taken, Takayuki, although he would be in pain for a while, could also give up sooner; time would heal everything.

The precarious balance between the three of them might be able to be stabilized again in a new way.

Killing many birds with one stone!

He felt he was simply a genius.

Just when Tianbian Youren was immersed in his "perfect plan"...

Another corner of the audience.

Honda Takashi from Tianhao Private Academy looked at the shogi game on the screen, the corners of his mouth almost reaching his ears.

He held back so he wouldn't laugh out loud on the spot.

He knew Morimoto Yūki's strength all too well.

Crushing Natsume Chikage was more than enough!

He couldn't wait to see what kind of frustrated, unwilling, or even humiliated expression would appear on that handsome face that always had no expression after Natsume Chikage was defeated.

Thinking that this guy was about to be slapped in the face in public, Honda Takashi felt refreshed all over, as if drinking ice water on a dog day.

Let you put on airs before!

Let you say "wait and see"!

Now that you've really run into it, let's see how you can still put on airs!

After you lose, let's see how I add insult to injury in future interviews!

He thought viciously.

At the same time.

Natsume Chikage's acquaintances, who were following this match through television or live streaming, also felt their hearts tighten after hearing the commentators' analysis.

Moonlight Private Academy.

Shogi Club activity room.

Yasui Ryōto had already returned to school but hadn't gone to class.

At this moment, he was staring at the TV screen in the activity room with Araki Yuai and the Shogi Club's advisor, Nomura Tomohiro.

What was playing on the screen was Natsume Chikage's match.