Chapter 49

Kageyama Sora hurriedly dropped his gaze back to the screen, but his heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of the faint blush on the tips of Haramura Nodoka's ears. The sunlight happened to fall upon the girl's pink hair, gilding it with a golden edge that looked impossibly beautiful.

At this moment, Saki Miyanaga on the screen had indeed played an unexpected tile; although she avoided dealing into Ikeda Kana, she had made her own hand much harder to complete.

Yuki Kataoka bit into the potato chips in her hand, not even noticing the crumbs falling onto her uniform skirt: "That's really the same style as the Club President, starting from a disadvantage only to turn the tables later."

Her large eyes were wide open, and her fingers were unconsciously tapping a nervous rhythm against her knees.

The person mentioned, Hisa Takei, smiled: "Saki Miyanaga isn't intentionally making her hand hard to win like I do; she's just choosing tiles that allow her to wait for a Kong."

Time seemed to stretch in this moment.

Ikeda Kana's cat ears suddenly stood straight up, her pupils dilated in shock, and her mouth opened slightly, yet no sound came out—the tile held between Saki Miyanaga's fingertips was, shockingly, the very winning tile she had been waiting for so desperately!

What made it even more unbelievable was that Saki Miyanaga chose to declare a Kong with this tile without a moment's hesitation; the crisp sound of the tiles colliding came through the speakers, exceptionally clear in the silent lounge.

And then...

Her movement as she reached out to draw a tile was fluid and natural, her wrist turning to reveal a sliver of fair skin at her cuff, glowing with a delicate luster under the lights.

"Flower on the Tile."

The four words were spoken nonchalantly, yet they exploded like a thunderclap in every corner of the arena.

The wave of gasps from the audience threatened to lift the roof, and even the referee, who was used to seeing big events, couldn't help but grip the recording pen in their hand tightly.

Ikeda Kana wasn't just shocked that the tile she needed to win had been used by Saki Miyanaga for a Kong, nor was it because the opponent could still win with such a terrible hand, but rather... the fact that the opponent had managed a Flower on the Tile yet again.

At this moment, Haramura Nodoka turned to look at Kageyama Sora: "Saki Miyanaga is very dazzling, isn't she..."

"Yes." Kageyama Sora's expression was very serious: "Just as dazzling as you, Nodoka."

[Consecutive Flower on the Tile, what an incredible thing this is!!] The male announcer's voice was already cracking; he waved his arms excitedly, nearly knocking over the equipment next to him.

The match would not end because of shock, and the game was still ongoing.

And at this moment, that Club President from Tsuruga Academy actually dismantled her hand to declare Riichi, which was quite baffling.

But the next second, her goal became clear as day.

Because... at the very moment Saki Miyanaga declared her Kong, at the very moment Ikeda Kana was so terrified she was about to collapse.

The Club President from Tsuruga Academy, who had just dismantled her hand, actually performed a Robbing the Kong—to win the hand.

The purpose of dismantling her hand was obvious; although it reduced the point value of her win, it prevented Saki Miyanaga's third Flower on the Tile.

[Robbing the Kong! A way of winning even rarer than Flower on the Tile has appeared! It's only the East 2 Round, and incredible things are happening one after another!!]

The male announcer's voice was incredibly spirited; clearly, compared to previous matches, this one could truly be called spectacular.

And in the Kiyosumi High School lounge, Haramura Nodoka was also uncharacteristically nervous: "How could this be..."

Yuki Kataoka decisively summarized: "It's like she's being targeted! Won't Saki's Flower on the Tile be restricted just like that? This person from Tsuruga Academy isn't simple either!"

Hisa Takei set down her teacup, the bottom colliding with the table with a soft click; her expression was unprecedentedly grave: "In just two rounds, they've already found a way to deal with Saki Miyanaga!?"

The lights cast light and shadow across her face, making the first hint of genuine worry appear in those eyes that were always smiling.

Kageyama Sora, on the other hand, looked very calm: "It won't end like this... this is all just the beginning..."

In the third round, Saki Miyanaga noticed that the tiles played by the Tsuruga Academy Club President seemed to be setting up a trap to rob her of a Concealed Kong—she wasn't sure if the opponent was Tenpai, so she chose to give it up.

And this behavior led to the East 3 Round ending in a draw.

Although she didn't win, Saki Miyanaga breathed a sigh of relief, relieved by her own caution.

And just at this moment, the person who had been silent and inactive, Amae Koromo, suddenly spoke in a voice that sounded almost dangerous: "Boring to the extreme... I heard the Kiyosumi captain was tough and was even excited about it, but this is far from enough, what a disappointment..."

Chapter 110: Never Understood My Cousin

The air in the arena seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand; in the dead silence, Amae Koromo suddenly curled her lips, her tone lazy yet carrying a bone-chilling coldness: "Boring to the extreme..."

She tilted her head, her large red rabbit-ear headpiece swaying slightly with her long golden hair, the tips brushing against her shoulders.

Those eyes, usually as clear as sapphires, darkened at this moment, as if scarlet light were swirling in their depths: "I heard the Kiyosumi captain was tough and even got excited about it for a while, but what's the result?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze locking onto the live broadcast camera like a precise arrowhead: "Far from enough, it's really... so disappointing."

The moment her words fell, the aura around the girl who had been sitting quietly at the mahjong table suddenly erupted with a suffocating intensity.

That presence spread like a physical force, carrying an overwhelming pressure that made the players at the neighboring tables subconsciously hold their breath.

"Cousin..." Her gaze looked toward a certain direction as if piercing through the screen, the innocence in her tone vanished, leaving only playful mockery: "The person you thought so highly of back then... is nothing more than this."

In the audience on the other side of the screen, Kageyama Sora's fingertips paused.

He was wearing a crisp white shirt, and those ink-colored eyes beneath his black bangs were filled with astonishment.

Kageyama Sora's gentle brows were tinged with complexity at this moment—he had indeed mentioned Saki Miyanaga and Haramura Nodoka to Amae Koromo, saying that Saki Miyanaga's ability was very similar to Amae Koromo's, and that Haramura Nodoka's calculation skills were top-tier, perhaps they could be opponents she would find interesting.

He remembered that at the time, Amae Koromo was curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow and swinging her little legs, saying with a smile: "That's truly something to look forward to."

Her soft voice was like cotton candy, cloyingly sweet.

But the girl on the screen before him, where was there any trace of her usual docility?

She seemed to be shrouded in an impenetrable black mist, like a Demon King stepping out of an ancient legend, every look carrying an indifference that controlled everything.

Kageyama Sora's Adam's apple bobbed; for the first time, he felt that this cousin he thought he had already "conquered" was hiding an abyss he had never touched.

On the broadcast, Saki Miyanaga was startled by the sudden mention of her name. A faint blush crept across her cheeks beneath her short brown hair, and she subconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt—she clearly knew the other girl wasn't talking about her, yet she inexplicably felt a chill pierce straight through her, as if she had been doused in ice water.

Just then, Koromo Amae curled her lips, her tone as dangerous as a viper flicking its tongue: "It's about time to open... the Gate of Hell."

The moment the words fell, the pressure surrounding her surged violently, sweeping across the entire venue like a tsunami.

Saki Miyanaga felt her heart skip a beat. She instinctively pressed down on her fluttering skirt, her knees trembling slightly, while an untimely thought popped into her head: If only I could go to the bathroom right now.

"Koromo Amae," a trembling voice rang out. Kana Ikeda of Kazekoshi Girls' High School clenched her fists, beads of sweat seeping from her temples: "Are you confident you'll win this year, too?"

Koromo Amae's gaze drifted over slowly, landing on Kana Ikeda's face.

Those red-glowing eyes blinked, as if flipping through a blank book—clearly, she had no impression of the cat-like girl before her.

But she shrugged nonchalantly, her rabbit-ear-shaped braids swaying with the movement: "Played against Koromo last year? Well... forget about last year's Koromo. I wasn't in the zone at all."

"Meow!?" Kana Ikeda sounded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her pitch spiking as her round eyes widened in shock.

The terror of being crushed by her last year surged up instantly, making her unable to control a cat-like gasp of breath.

"Last year, like you, I was standing from a human perspective." Koromo Amae suddenly winked at her playfully, shallow dimples appearing on her fair cheeks, making her look like a child who had successfully pulled off a prank.

Kana Ikeda's back was instantly soaked in cold sweat; a droplet slid down her chin and hit the table with a soft click.

Her voice trembled, and she asked through gritted teeth: "If... if you aren't human... then what are you?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself?" Koromo Amae smiled innocently, yet the crimson in her eyes grew deeper, and the black aura around her seemed to come alive, twisting into grotesque shapes behind her.

Kageyama Sora watched the familiar yet strange figure on the screen, his fingertips tapping the desk unconsciously.

He remembered the young girl who had been acting spoiled and cute in his arms not long ago; back then, her eyes had shone like stars.

But now, hidden within her casual words was the power to drag people into the abyss.

He suddenly felt as if he had never truly understood this cousin of his, just as he couldn't understand the loneliness that occasionally flashed in her eyes—a loneliness that didn't match her age.

The match continued.

But everyone's tiles began to behave strangely.

The Club President of Tsuruga Academy touched the tiles in her hand, her expression subtly grave—because after reaching tenpai, the hand had made no progress, and she was essentially drawing nothing but useless tiles.

The others were in the same situation.

Only Kana Ikeda, who had played against Koromo Amae before, knew that this was the monster Koromo Amae exerting her power.

"It's starting..." Kageyama Sora whispered, recalling the time he first played mahjong with Koromo Amae.

It was just like this back then; even though the opening hand was already in tenpai, no matter what, he couldn't draw the winning tile.

He had initially thought it was a coincidence, only to realize later that it was Koromo Amae's board control, as all the tiles were waiting for the moment she would claim Under the Sea.

Back then, Kageyama Sora had tried to use his own calculation abilities to change the flow of the tiles, but under such absolute control, everything was in vain.

And clearly, everyone currently playing against Koromo Amae was beginning to face the same situation.

Hisa Takei, sitting beside Kageyama Sora, looked at him: "Is this what you meant by Koromo Amae's ability?"

"Yes..." Kageyama Sora nodded: "And it's one that grows stronger as the night deepens, becoming even more terrifying during a full moon... and today, it is a full moon..."

As he finished speaking, the round reached its final turn.

And it was at this moment that Koromo Amae chose to declare riichi.

Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone, with only the final four tiles left, one for each person.

In a situation where one would normally expect a draw.

The light in the center of the table flickered, stretching Koromo Amae's shadow long against the wall.

She lowered her eyelids, her golden hair obscuring half her face, with only her crimson pupils glowing strikingly in the shadows.

When her fingertips touched the final tile of the wall, the breath of the entire arena seemed to be choked off—Saki Miyanaga's knuckles turned white as she gripped her tiles, cold sweat seeping between her fingers; Nodoka Haramura's calculation notebook slid from her lap with a soft thud; Kana Ikeda bit her lower lip so hard she tasted the faint tang of blood.

That small, fair hand hovered over the table for half a second, as if weighing the gravity of the entire match.

—As if reaching out to scoop up the moon reflected in the depths of the sea.

Chapter 111: Under the Sea

In the arena, Koromo Amae's wrist turned slightly, the tile carving a cold arc through the light.

The movement was as slow as a slow-motion shot in a film, yet it carried an unquestionable finality, as if what she were pulling from the deepest part of the ocean wasn't a mahjong tile, but moonlight that had been imprisoned for a thousand years—cold, bright, and carrying a sharpness capable of destroying the world.

The moment Koromo Amae slapped the tile onto the table, the table emitted a resonant hum.

She lifted her eyelids, her crimson pupils reflecting the patterns on the tile, the curve of her lips holding a childish triumph while hiding a detachment that looked down upon all living things.

"Under the Sea." The three words spilled from her lips, not loud, yet like needles quenched in ice, piercing the extreme tension of the silent arena.

This was no mere Under the Sea; it was clearly dragging everyone into the moonlit abyss she had woven.

Kageyama Sora leaned back against his chair abruptly, a surge of indescribable emotions churning in his chest.

He watched the girl on the screen, half-shrouded in black aura, realizing more clearly than ever that he had never truly understood her.

Even though she had been calm when they played last time, but...

He hadn't expected her to be like this.

It wasn't that this was necessarily bad, but when Kageyama Sora thought about the life of Amae Koromo, he still felt a pang of heartache; he had always assumed he had entered her heart, but now it seemed it was indeed just a crude physical relationship.

Meanwhile, inside the arena, the match continued.

The numbers on the scoreboard ticked slowly forward with each round, yet they struck everyone's nerves like heavy hammers. The cold lights at the top of the venue had become blindingly bright at some point, reflecting off the mahjong table like a sheet of ice, making the very air feel as if it had frozen into transparent glass, ready to shatter at the slightest disturbance.

The whispers in the spectator stands had long since vanished, leaving only the sound of rhythmic breathing, which, intertwined with the shuffling of tiles from the table, wove a taut web that held the entire arena firmly in its grip.

Everyone was under immense pressure.

Aside from the opponents who understood Amae Koromo, the others began to realize that there was a major problem with her tiles.

Even after waiting in a hidden tenpai for so long, she would only declare riichi in the final round, as if she were one hundred percent certain she would win.

This sense of control made her opponents feel uneasy.

After all, Amae Koromo had won with Under the Sea last year, but she had never actually pulled off an Under the Sea win at the National Tournament.

Ultimately, the Amae Koromo of last year was the type of player who strove to win big hands for high scores, and her reactions this year made everyone feel unsettled.

As for what followed, the situation for everyone was that they started with tenpai, yet were unable to win.

Perhaps no one who had made it to this stage was an ordinary person.

Take Ikeda Kana, for example; the fear of having once been dominated by Amae Koromo, combined with the pressure from Kazekoshi Girls' High School, made her decide to change everything.

Ikeda Kana gripped her hand tiles tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

A surge of unprecedented courage suddenly welled up from the bottom of her heart.

The images of being shut out by Amae Koromo flashed back in her mind; the memories of being mocked and beaten by her coach now transformed into scorching flames, burning away her fear.

She took a deep breath, suddenly pushed down four identical tiles, and said, her voice trembling with tension yet exceptionally firm: "I... declare a kan!"

The moment she declared the kan, Ikeda Kana felt as if her heart were about to jump out of her throat.

She had changed her hand to declare the kan, not only shifting the position of the tile Saki Miyanaga was waiting to win on, but also displacing the very tile Amae Koromo had intended to use for her Under the Sea win.

When she saw the actual deviation in the tile wall, she couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth, her fingertips trembling slightly with excitement, as if she had already caught a glimpse of the dawn of a reversal.