Chapter 992: Victory or defeat decided, legend begins to appear!

The game, opened the curtain in the crisp sound of falling pieces.

Honda Chongsi held the first move.

He took a deep breath, his eyes sharp like a hawk eyeing its prey, the arc of the corner of his mouth carrying undisguised superiority.

The opening move was the solid and steady "Yagura" prototype.

He didn't choose a more aggressive opening; facing a "fast-falling" opponent whose shogi style might lean towards intuition and chaotic fighting, he decided to use his most profound foundation to build an impregnable fortress.

What he wanted to use was the textbook-like orthodoxy, the heavy weight precipitated by years of hard training, like the tide hitting the sand castle, using impeccable shogi shape and calculation to wash away the opponent's bit of "unexpected" and "luck" completely.

"Pa."

The falling piece was steady, the force was just right, and the echo from the nutmeg chess board was heavy and certain.

Natsume Chikage's response had no delay at all.

Almost in the same frame as Honda Chongsi's fingertips leaving the chess clock button, his fingers had already picked up a chess piece.

"Da."

The falling sound was light, fast, and steady, like raindrops falling on bluestone, clean and neat.

The first dozen moves of the opening, flew past in the alternating "pa" and "da" that dazzled people, the rhythm so fast that some spectators held their breath.

Honda Chongsi advanced unhurriedly, building a solid "Yagura" position.

Natsume Chikage responded tit-for-tat, setting up a "static rook" formation, with clear pointing of force and distinct walls.

Everything seemed to be within the spectrum of orthodox opening, as if two chess players were tacitly copying an ancient chess manual.

The waves caused by the pre-match disturbance in Honda Chongsi's heart gradually subsided, replaced by a sense of control of "sure enough."

Only felt that this Natsume Chikage's energy was exhausted.

Didn't dare to use the fast attack method, and the shogi path became steady?

Thinking it was fear of himself.

Really a third-rate chess player with a tough mouth!

He even leaned back slightly, adjusting to a more comfortable sitting posture, as if he had already won.

However, the signs of change always breed quietly under the calm.

As the pieces moved step by step across the Chu River and Han Border, the moment of "breaking away from the fixed style and fighting at close quarters" that was expected seemed to have arrived.

But Natsume Chikage's speed of falling pieces showed no signs of slowing down at all.

"Da."

"Da."

"Da."

Every crisp sound fell precisely on those points in the chessboard that seemed ordinary but made Honda's layout vaguely feel "stagnant."

Or lightly reinforced, or seemingly plainly exchanged, or steadily pushed forward.

There were no earth-shattering wonderful moves, but every step was like a precise scalpel, cutting on the "tendon" that Honda's formation needed to operate most subtly and smoothly.

Honda Chongsi frowned slightly.

He tried to get rid of this sticky feeling, took the initiative to launch a tentative attack on the flank, a "silver general" like a protruding tentacle, quietly pressing forward.

Natsume Chikage's response was so fast that it seemed no thinking was needed.

Just as the echo of Honda's fingertips leaving the chess clock button hadn't dissipated, a "far cover" that seemed to be defensive had already fallen.

This move not only lightly pushed away his tentative attack, but also, like foreseeing the future, vaguely threatened his other side's "flying rook" path that was still developing, forcing him to have to be distracted.

The arc of ease on the corners of Honda Chongsi's mouth disappeared completely.

This move... the timing and selection point were too tricky, not like responding to changes, but like having long expected his movement.

His nostrils flared slightly, he restrained his previous slackness, leaned forward, his gaze locked onto the chessboard like a torch, and began to spend more time than the opening to weigh the next step.

On the chess clock, the red number representing his thinking time jumped over the scale of "one minute" calmly for the first time.

On the commentary desk, Jing Shang Ya San immediately captured this signal.

"Oh? Honda contestant's thinking time has started to increase. Natsume contestant still maintains an amazing 'second response' speed. The opening ends, the situation looks... very balanced, even can be said, Natsume contestant did not let Honda contestant take any advantage in the response."

Nan Tiao Wu Zi nodded and added, her tone carrying a trace of surprise:

"Natsume contestant's defense is airtight, and the response is as precise as if measured with a ruler. Honda contestant wants to open the situation, it seems he needs to take out more effective means."

The game slid silently into the middle game, and the heaviness in the air quietly intensified.

Honda Takashi's gaze became incredibly focused, even revealing a hint of coldness.

He decided to end the temptation and sacrifice his "middle game tactics" that he had polished for a long time and was proud of.

"Silver general" and "Gui horse" were delicately mobilized by him, forming a set of flexible linkage, like two strange soldiers fighting in coordination, suddenly launching a compact and changeable offensive towards Natsume Chikage's seemingly solid position.