Sana picked at her ear and said disdainfully, "Accept your teaching? You want me to be your disciple? Hey, hey, are you serious? Do you know who I am?"
Ubiji spoke with refined gentleness. "Just now, I sought your grandfather's permission. He said to leave everything to me..."
Sana pursed her lips. "Tch, that old man isn't dead yet? Well, whatever—he can't control me anyway~!"
Ubiji said, "If you're unwilling to call me teacher, then so be it... But if you back down like this, are you afraid?"
"Hehehehehe...!? What a pathetic attempt at provocation. Do you think I'd fall for that??" Sana grinned. "But from what you've said, it does sound pretty interesting! Fine, fine, this old lady will stay a while longer!"
Sana looked at Ryushiki. "Little runt, wash your neck and wait. My punishment might be more than that tiny body of yours can handle, hehehehehe~..."
Amid her unruly laughter, Sana strode away.
Ryushiki stood there... uneasy, yet carrying a strange flicker of excitement.
Ubiji walked over and patted Ryushiki's shoulder. "Go back and sleep... Though your teacher hopes you'll win, I won't favor you~."
Early the next morning, the lesson began.
Ryushiki and Sana sat cross-legged on the ground.
Before Ubiji lay a rectangular grid board, its nineteen horizontal and nineteen vertical lines forming 361 intersections.
Sana laughed. "Hehe... what are you up to?"
Ubiji placed two stone bowls on the table, each filled with black and white stones.
He said, "This is an intellectual game I invented. I call it 'Go.' This small board may look simple, but it contains endless variations and the mysteries of heaven and earth."
Sana laughed. "Hehe, what's the use of playing with something like this? Hurry up and teach this little runt how to fight."
Ubiji shook his head