The Chess Club's activity room had a very different atmosphere from usual.
"I'm back... Hm? What's going on?"
A club member who had just returned from lunch pushed open the door and froze at the sight before him.
The members, who usually studied chess openings alone or played in pairs, were now almost all gathered around the largest chess table in the center of the room. They stared at the board, holding their breath, so engrossed that no one noticed his return.
"Two first-years just came in and asked to borrow a chessboard for a match."
A nearby club member explained in a hushed voice, though he couldn't tear his eyes away from the game.
"At first, everyone thought the request was pretty strange and didn't want to bother with it. But the club president said he sensed an 'extraordinary aura' from the two of them, so he made an exception."
"So everyone's gathered around to laugh at the first-years?"
The newcomer looked puzzled.
"Just the opposite."
The club member shook his head, his voice filled with amazement. "Everyone believes the president now... Those two are absurdly good! Come take a look. You'll learn a lot."
"Are they really that amazing?"
The newcomer approached the crowd, half skeptical, and looked toward the board.
Just a few seconds later, his breathing instinctively grew quieter.
On the board, the black and white sides were locked in a dazzlingly fierce clash.
Mazumi Mami, playing white, and Sakayanagi Arisu, playing black, moved at incredible speed, rarely pausing for long. It was as if they had already rehearsed every move countless times in their minds, making each one seem effortless.
The game shifted unpredictably, with attacks and defenses changing in an instant. Clever traps and incisive breakthroughs appeared in turn, leaving the watching upperclassmen dazzled, their minds barely able to keep up with the unfolding strategies.
This didn't feel like a teaching match or a casual game. It was more like two precision strategic computers performing the most efficient possible calculations of attack and defense.
Yet only Sakayanagi Arisu, caught up in the game herself, understood that beneath the rapid pace of their moves, the pressure she was under far exceeded what anyone watching could imagine.
"That reaction speed and depth of calculation..."
A hint of solemnity passed through Sakayanagi Arisu's violet eyes. She lightly rubbed the tip of her finger against a knight, but didn't move it right away.
She felt as if her thoughts were climbing an ever-rising wall of ice. Every advance that seemed to succeed was immediately met with an even more threatening counter.
"It's like playing against an all-knowing database... No, it's even more frightening than that. He can calculate every possibility quickly, and he can also accurately predict my strategic preferences and psychological tendencies."
"This feels completely different from playing against Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji needs time to think, and sometimes he even deliberately plays weakly or walks into a trap to observe the response... But Mazumi Mami gives me the feeling of... absolute control."
She raised her eyes and looked at the boy across the board.
Mazumi Mami still looked calm and gentle. His back was straight, but his posture was relaxed, as though he were having a casual afternoon conversation rather than engaging in an intense battle of wits.
His clear, amber-gold eyes were focused on the board, reflecting its shifting light and shadow. He showed no sign of fatigue or nervousness.
"Does this inhuman reaction speed and sustained focus really belong to someone said to be sickly and lacking in social experience?"
Doubt began to stir in Sakayanagi Arisu's heart.
"Is something wrong, Classmate Sakayanagi?"
Mazumi Mami's voice sounded at just the right moment, gentle and polite. "Would you like to take a break?"
"...Yes, I would."
Sakayanagi Arisu didn't try to tough it out.
Such intense mental exertion could hardly have no effect on her heart, which already had to bear a heavy burden.
She let out a soft breath and returned the piece in her hand to its original position, temporarily interrupting the game.
"I'm curious about something, Classmate Mazumi."
She spoke again, meeting his gaze with her violet eyes. "What you said earlier—is it really true? Have you never played an actual game of chess before?"
"I believe so."
Mazumi Mami met her gaze openly. "My physical condition and past aren't much of a secret. I really haven't had the chance to play against anyone."
"But your performance..."
Sakayanagi Arisu furrowed her brows slightly, choosing her words carefully. "Your reaction speed and tactical execution are beyond reason. Playing against you feels like going up against a... perfectly configured supercomputer."
At that, Mazumi Mami gave a soft laugh, his smile carrying an elusive quality.
"You flatter me, Classmate Sakayanagi. Perhaps I simply have a unique method of 'maintenance' and 'training' that keeps my mind relatively active. Besides..."
He changed tack, letting his gaze fall on the board.
"Speaking of reaction speed, your attacks are truly swift and fierce, Classmate Sakayanagi. If I hadn't made some special 'preparations,' I'd probably have been routed long ago. Your talent and brilliance are rare. Given time and more experience, you might even surpass me."
Mazumi Mami said.
"Improve...?"
Sakayanagi Arisu quietly repeated the word, her gaze falling on the complicated board, where the course of her careful moves was recorded, each one met with relentless pressure.
An exceptionally rare, almost bewildered emotion flickered through her eyes.
"Can I really... keep 'improving'?"
The words were so quiet they were almost a murmur to herself.
"As long as you want to, and find the right direction and method."
Mazumi Mami's voice was calm and certain. "But for now, let's finish this game."
"...You're right."
Sakayanagi Arisu reined in the emotion she had let slip for a moment and sat up straight again. Her violet eyes regained their usual composure and sharpness. "Please, continue."
The game resumed.
The atmosphere remained tense. The black and white pieces were like two silent armies, beginning their final battle across the sixty-four squares.
Yet anyone with a discerning eye could see that the scales of victory had already tipped irreversibly in white's favor.
Mazumi Mami's strategy seemed gentle, but in truth it pressed forward at every turn, reducing black's room to maneuver and chances to counterattack to a minimum.
Sakayanagi Arisu fought hard to hold her ground, displaying impressive resilience and clever responses in local skirmishes. But with the broader game already lost, she was ultimately unable to turn things around.
At last, Mazumi Mami moved his queen, sealing off the black king's final escape route.
"Checkmate."
He announced it calmly. His voice wasn't loud, but it rang especially clearly through the silent activity room.
Sakayanagi Arisu stared at the board for a long while, looking at her checkmated king. Then she glanced up at Mazumi Mami, whose expression remained peaceful, and gently set down the rook she had been holding all along.
"...I lost."
She admitted it frankly. There wasn't much frustration in her voice; instead, there was the relief of a matter finally settled, along with deeper reflection.
Low exclamations and murmurs rose through the activity room. The members of the Chess Club looked at one another, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Sakayanagi Arisu had demonstrated a level of skill far beyond that of an ordinary high school student, even rivaling many seasoned enthusiasts. Yet Mazumi Mami had won with even greater ease and overwhelming superiority.
This unexpected match had done more than decide the winner. It had also left a profound impression on everyone who watched.
And through this battle across sixty-four squares, Mazumi Mami and Sakayanagi Arisu, the two players themselves, had conducted a silent yet profound test and assessment of each other.
Sakayanagi Arisu slowly stood and gave Mazumi Mami a slight nod.
"That was an excellent game. Thank you for the instruction, Classmate Mazumi."
"The same to you, Classmate Sakayanagi."
Mazumi Mami also stood and replied politely.
The game was over, but perhaps something else had only just begun.