Pride?
As the top-ranked professional player to advance, Xu Yue naturally received the corresponding first pick.
Because title holders—the foremost figures in the Go world—had to be invited to play, the timing of the New First Dan games was usually not fixed, only given within a general range.
The title holder who had agreed to play during this period was Zama, holder of the Oza title—Oza Zama!
One of Japan's top professional players, with formidable skill.
Though he was somewhat utilitarian by nature, no one could deny his strength at Go.
In the original story, Touya Akira had taken first place that year. Oza Zama had originally intended to give Meijin Touya some face by going easy on Touya Akira and letting him win a game.
But Touya Akira had not appreciated it. He played fiercely and, during the reporters' pre-game interview, inadvertently said something Zama found offensive.
So Zama had ruthlessly crushed Touya Akira in the middle game.
As a result, Meijin Touya had come knocking, and Zama had even temporarily lost the Oza title, allowing Meijin Touya to hold five titles at once.
Before the newspaper reporters, Oza Zama wore the same smiling expression when he first faced Xu Yue.
"I've heard of you. The Greatest Academy Student of All Time. That's quite a title—feels even bigger than mine. Hahaha."
Naturally, great figures like them knew nothing about the Go Academy's admissions. Without Xu Yue's permission, no one would have dared reveal his information casually.
So, to Oza Zama, Xu Yue was merely a talented young man.
There were three every year. He had simply been the rare one to advance with a perfect record this year.
*Should I casually lose by a few points to give him some face? He has only just entered the professional world,