Konoha Chess Saint

Carrying a new shogi set, Genichi arrived at the Nara Clan compound.

"Shikaku, I'm here to play shogi with you. Have you been looking forward to it?"

When the door opened, Nara Shikaku came out. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and he still looked as listless as ever.

"Genichi, what made you think of coming to play shogi with me? I assume it's not just about playing shogi?"

"We've been classmates for years. Can't I come over for a game when I have nothing else to do? By the way, your home is quite nice. No wonder—it's the Nara Clan Head's residence."

"Ah, I'm not the Clan Head yet. Forget it. You'd better come in first." Shikaku invited him inside.

They went to the reception room and set up the shogi board. Nara Shikaku's wife, Yoshino, seemed to know that the two had things to discuss. She brewed a pot of tea, then left.

"This is the game I'd been hoping to play since we started at the Academy, but I never got the chance before graduation. You were such a training fanatic, I doubt you even knew how to play shogi." Shikaku took a sip of tea, looking utterly resigned. He could tell at a glance that the game was just an excuse for Genichi.

"If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to beat around the bush."

"Oh, is that so? I heard you're henpecked, Shikaku."

"Pfft—" Coming to his senses, Shikaku spat tea onto the ground beside him and hurriedly protested, "That's never been the case! You know, women often become gentle around the men they love most. So at home, I'm the one who makes all the decisions."

"Sure, let's go with that. Come on, let's play. I bought this set especially." Genichi smiled.

Then, as if in passing, Genichi suddenly asked, "The Third wants Ninja Academy students to graduate early. What do you think, Shikaku?"

Not understanding Genichi's intentions, Shikaku gave the politically correct answer. "Well, I certainly don't want a bunch of children sent to the battlefield. But if the war gets that bad, we might not have any other choice."

"Hey, the Third never went to the battlefield during the Second Shinobi World War. He's even older now. I doubt he'll take part in the next war either."

"It's probably not our place to comment on how Lord Hokage conducts himself."

"Then let me ask you this, Shikaku. If a sheep led a pack of tigers against a tiger leading a flock of sheep, which side do you think would win?"

Shikaku immediately understood what Genichi meant: he was implying that the Third had grown cowardly.

So he asked, "Genichi, are you planning to run for the Hokage Position?"

Without answering Shikaku's question directly, Genichi continued, "I heard the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi Clans have upheld the tradition of the Earring Oath under the Sarutobi Clan's witness since the Warring States period."

"Your three clans are now important ninja clans in Konoha. I wonder, are you loyal to the Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen? Or are you loyal to Konoha's Hokage?"

The topic grew more and more pointed. Shikaku couldn't help taking another sip of tea to moisten his dry throat. "Of course we're ninja clans of Konoha. Genichi, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"The Nara Clan is renowned for its intelligence and is the intellectual core of the three clans. Do you really not understand what I'm saying?" Genichi countered.

"You're so dissatisfied with the Third, Genichi. You're not planning to stage a coup, are you? At a time like this?"

"Of course not. I'm a Konoha Ninja with the Will of Fire, after all."

Once Shikaku understood that Genichi had no intention of staging a coup by force, the atmosphere eased somewhat, and the two continued their game.

"The Uchiha Clan has already changed its clan head to Uchiha Fugaku. In the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi and Hizashi are waiting in line to take over. The three of you should be inheriting your respective clans soon, too," Genichi said calmly. "The shinobi of our generation are gradually coming into their own. What do you think has kept the Third and the others holed up in the Hokage Building without doing a thing?"

"Genichi, if you want to run for Hokage, you actually have a very good chance. There's no need to rush." After calming down and analyzing the state of the village, Shikaku continued, "After the Second Shinobi World War, we all thought the Third would pass the position to one of the Sannin, but he did nothing. If he keeps putting it off, the next Hokage will probably be chosen between you and Minato Namikaze."

"You're stronger, and you're already part of the Hokage's faction. You get along with both the Senju remnants and the Uchiha. There's no one better suited to become the Fourth Hokage. When the time comes, our Ino-Shika-Cho clans will stand up and support you, too. As long as you don't make a mistake, you've already got one hand on the Hokage hat."

"So we're supposed to watch my village get hurt by those useless people who sit around collecting pay?" Genichi sighed. "Ah! I never wanted to be Hokage, but I hope Konoha finds peace."

"We're all from the same village. I didn't come here today to force you to do anything, or to stage a coup by force and hurt the village."

Genichi asked solemnly, "Shikaku, if I step forward to become the Fourth Hokage, will you—or rather, will your three clans—support me?"

Shikaku nodded seriously. He and Genichi had been on good terms since childhood, and Genichi really was the best candidate for the next Hokage in the village right now.

A storm of thoughts churned through his mind. What were the advantages and disadvantages of Genichi becoming Hokage? How could they get the Third to step down sooner? Or should they let things take their natural course? What role should the three clans play in the meantime? What would be best for Konoha? He also had to consider what was happening beyond the village. War could break out at any moment.

"Then, my last question for today." Seeing that he had been utterly routed on the shogi board, Genichi asked with a smile:

"Shikaku, I've never lost a game of shogi in my life, and I'm called the Konoha Chess Saint. Why is that?"

Shikaku turned his attention back to the board. Despite his tactful approach, the game had been entirely one-sided. Genichi's moves had been as chaotic as those of a child just learning to play. Choosing his words carefully, Shikaku said, "Because you're a beginner—and this might even be your first game—so you've never lost?"

Genichi held the king general in one hand above the center of the board, between the two of them. Slowly, he opened his hand, but the piece never fell. Suddenly, Natural Energy surged. It was Sage Mode. A gale roared through the room, and a small Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasengan quietly formed. The shogi board and pieces were lifted by the force of the wind and swept into the vortex, ground to dust, and scattered away.

As Shikaku stared in disbelief, Genichi slowly said:

"What decides the winner of a game is often not the pieces, but the person moving them outside the board. The same is true in the Ninja World: the strong prey on the weak, might makes right, and the winners take all while the losers are left to eat dust."