Fate
"Eh? Mr. Xu Yue's Go is stronger than I imagined."
After giving Shindo Hikaru the most basic guidance, Shirakawa came back to his senses and spoke in surprise.
He was already among the better beginners. In the beginner class Shirakawa was currently teaching, this level of skill could at least rank in the top five.
"Huh? He's that good?"
When Shindo Hikaru heard Shirakawa praise Xu Yue, a trace of displeasure appeared on his face.
To be honest, after seeing Sai and Touya Akira's game, he had inexplicably felt unwilling to accept it.
That was also the original motivation behind why he had taken the initiative to come to this kind of Go training class.
Yet while he was still here babbling like a baby, Xu Yue had already received praise from the teacher.
They were both beginners, so competitive Shindo Hikaru could not help feeling a little sour.
"Mr. Xu Yue should only be seventeen, right?"
Shirakawa suddenly asked again.
"Yes."
Xu Yue answered as well.
"Actually, starting to learn Go at seventeen isn't late for someone with Mr. Xu Yue's talent. The Go Academy's insei age limit is eighteen and under. For geniuses like you, the early improvement needed to reach insei standards will be very fast."
Shirakawa adjusted his glasses again, a glimmer shining in his eyes.
At first, he had not been paying close attention. But once he focused on reviewing the game, he was astonished to discover Xu Yue's improvement during this match.
Even in the eyes of a professional player like him, it seemed utterly incredible.
It inevitably reminded him of Aota Atsushi, the professional player who had recently become so popular.
That man had not been exposed to Go for long either, yet the improvement in his skill had truly made every