Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Outside the hotel hosting the Phoenix Cup World Championship, the parking lot was densely packed with vehicles. Even outside the hotel, pedestrians flowed endlessly in bustling crowds.
Several elongated black sedans pulled into the outdoor parking lot outside the hotel. The car doors opened imdiately after, and a group of n in formal suits with blond hair and blue eyes stepped out, heading toward the hotel entrance.
"The French competitors have arrived!"
This scene was imdiately noticed by many. Soone in the crowd shouted, and a group of dia personnel imdiately raised their caras, focusing their lenses on the group erging from the cars, continuously pressing their shutters.
Scenes like this kept happening outside the parking lot.
Arica, England, Russia...
"Is this your first ti covering the World Championship?"
A reporter asked his caraman partner while raising his DSLR to take photos, smiling as he spoke.
"Yes."
The caraman was a young man whose face was slightly flushed with excitent as he nodded. "It's truly unbelievable—those nas I've only seen in books before are now gathered together in one place!"
"Hahaha, why do you think it's called the World Championship?"
The reporter was a man around forty years old. He laughed a couple of tis, gazing at the retreating figures of the Spanish competitors with so emotion. "Alvaro 10-dan, known as the 'Spanish Bull,' made quite a na for himself in the World Championship five years ago. I wonder how he'll perform this year."
Right then, several more cars drove into the parking lot one after another. The doors opened imdiately, and professional players of varying ages stepped out.
"Team Japan!"
Seeing the professional players getting out of the cars, the dia waiting in the parking lot imdiately brightened up. The Japanese players instantly beca the focus of attention.
Although every country had their strong players, Japan and Korea had always received the most attention in previous years.
Especially for this World Championship—An Hongshi was competing again after a two-year break, and Japan's Kudou Yano was making a coback after ten years. These two events had sparked heated discussions across the entire internet.
Although every Japanese competitor was a heavyweight player familiar to everyone, almost all dia personnel unanimously focused their lenses on a man around forty years old in the crowd.
The man walked silently toward the competition venue. Though he stood among the crowd, he seed out of place with those around him, sowhat solitary.
He had a slender build, but his eyes were sharp like an eagle's—extrely fierce, aggressive, and oppressive, making people afraid to et his gaze.
"Teacher Kudou Yano!"
The young caraman's face flushed red as he spoke to his partner. "Even though I knew Teacher Kudou Yano had made a coback, actually seeing him still feels unbelievable!"
"Yeah."
The reporter uncle watched Kudou Yano walking toward the competition venue, mories from his youth flooding back like tidewaters. "I never thought I'd see Teacher Kudou Yano appear on the competition field again in my lifeti..."
He couldn't help but feel emotional: "The scene of Teacher Kudou Yano and Teacher Zhuang Weisheng competing as two giants still feels vivid as if it happened yesterday."
"So for you, Uncle Li, it's like 'youth has returned,' right?"
The young caraman asked curiously with a smile. "But I was still young back then. Although I know sothing about the rivalry between Teacher Kudou Yano and Teacher Zhuang Weisheng, I don't know much."
"For people of our generation, Teacher Kudou Yano and Teacher Zhuang Weisheng back then were like An Hongshi and Fujiwara are now."
The reporter uncle smiled with so nostalgia. "Teacher Kudou Yano had the highest win rate against Teacher Zhuang Weisheng."
"But, dramatically enough, although Teacher Kudou Yano had the highest win rate against Teacher An Hongshi, he never once defeated Teacher An Hongshi in a title match series."
The reporter uncle sighed and said, "This has been the lingering regret for all chess fans of our generation."
The young man smiled upon hearing this and said, "Maybe this year will fulfill that wish?"
"It's not that simple?"
The reporter uncle rolled his eyes. Although he had lived through the era of Kudou Yano and An Hongshi's rivalry, even he didn't have high hopes for Kudou Yano.
'How long has it been since Teacher Kudou Yano competed? Although he didn't retire from the chess world, he transitioned behind the scenes. His skills must have declined significantly, while Teacher An Hongshi has remained active in competitions.'
"Besides, to reach a title match series, you have to make it to the finals. So are you hoping no Chinese player makes it to the finals?"
Hearing this, the young man imdiately shook his head like a rattle drum and quickly said, "No, no, forget it then. Let's not fulfill that wish."
"You kid."
The reporter uncle smiled, then also seed puzzled: "I wonder why Teacher Kudou Yano decided to make a coback. Retiring after achieving success would have been fine too, right?"
Just as the Japanese players were about to enter the hotel, several more cars drove into the parking lot and stopped. Imdiately, Yu Shao and his group got out of the cars, instantly attracting the attention of all the dia present.
"The Chinese competitors have arrived!"
Seeing this, the Japanese players also unanimously stopped walking and looked toward Yu Shao and the others. Particularly, a young black-haired youth and a beautiful-looking girl were staring intently at Yu Shao.
"It really is Teacher Kudou Yano."
As soon as Yu Shao got out of the car, Zheng Qin beside him noticed Kudou Yano and whispered to Yu Shao.
"Where?"
Yu Shao asked curiously.
"Over there."
Zheng Qin gestured with his chin toward Kudou Yano's direction.
Yu Shao looked in the direction Zheng Qin indicated and imdiately spotted Kudou Yano in the crowd. Then he noticed that Kudou Yano was also looking directly at him.
Yu Shao was slightly startled. After hesitating for a mont, he nodded distantly toward Kudou Yano. Just as he was about to withdraw his gaze, he spotted another familiar face in the crowd.
Higashiyama Kaoru looked at Yu Shao, then at Su Yiming, his expression becoming extrely solemn.
'Teacher Honinbo Shinwa, Teacher Kimura Go, Kisung Sato Ken, Oza Ishiami Kiyoo, Teacher Fujiwara Motoki...'
Beside them, Zheng Qin listed the Japanese players nearby like counting treasures, finally sighing sowhat dejectedly: "So many immortals gathered together!"
Yu Shao also followed Zheng Qin's gaze to look at the group of players.
On the far left was a middle-aged man wearing a well-pressed suit with handso features and piercing, bright eyes.
Honinbo Shinwa, currently the player with the highest average win rate in Japanese Go!
Standing beside Honinbo Shinwa was a slightly overweight man around forty years old with thick black hair and narrow, long eyes.
Kimura Go, Higashiyama Kaoru's teacher, who had countless tis pushed An Hongshi to the brink and was known as the "Uncrowned Champion," currently holding the 10-dan title!
Next to Kimura Go stood a middle-aged man with a stern expression, tall stature, powerful build, and an imposing presence that commanded respect without anger.
Oza Ishiami Kiyoo, who had the highest win rate against Chinese players in World Championships, often called "China's Nesis," who had made countless Chinese players bleed on the board.
Each of these nas represented a legend in the world of Go, with no fewer than five famous gas attesting to their playing strength!
"Sounds like it has sothing to do with you."
Hearing this, Le Haoqiang couldn't help but tease: "Those whose nas you don't know are the ones who actually relate to you."
"What do you an? I know Higashiyama Kaoru's na too, does that an Higashiyama Kaoru has nothing to do with ?" Zheng Qin imdiately beca anxious.
"Do you think you're a match for Higashiyama Kaoru?"
Le Haoqiang said leisurely: "Are you sure?"
Zheng Qin widened his eyes but couldn't say anything.
Indeed, although Higashiyama Kaoru didn't hold any titles, in the China-Korea-Japan Team Competition, the moves Higashiyama Kaoru made were probably better than what so title holders could produce.
He asked himself honestly—if he faced Higashiyama Kaoru, his win rate wouldn't be high.
"Let's go."
Just then, Zhuang Weisheng looked at the Japanese team not far ahead and said: "Since we've t at the entrance, let's go greet them."
After speaking, Zhuang Weisheng walked toward the Japanese team, and the others imdiately followed behind him.
Soon, the group followed Zhuang Weisheng and stopped before the Japanese team.
"It's been a long ti, Teacher Kudou Yano."
Zhuang Weisheng looked at Kudou Yano, his eyes slightly complex, and said with a smile: "I never thought I'd et you at the competition venue again. I thought there would be no more opportunities."
Hearing Zhuang Weisheng's words, Kudou Yano was silent for a mont, then slowly said: "I also never thought there would be a day when I'd et you at the competition venue again."
Hearing this exchange, Yu Shao and Su Yiming were surprised.
Zhuang Weisheng had just spoken in Chinese, and Kudou Yano had replied in Chinese as well—very fluently, without even a trace of an accent.
Zheng Qin nearby seed to notice Yu Shao and Su Yiming's surprise and explained quietly to them: "Teacher Kudou Yano's childhood Go teacher was a Chinese player living in Japan, so Teacher Kudou Yano's Chinese is excellent."
"So, why?"
Just then, Zhuang Weisheng looked at Kudou Yano and asked: "Why did you suddenly choose to make a coback and compete after ten years, Teacher Kudou Yano?"
Regarding the question of why Kudou Yano suddenly returned to compete in the World Championship, not only were netizens confused, but even he—as Kudou Yano's old acquaintance—was completely in the dark.
Of course, he was definitely happy about Kudou Yano's coback.
Hearing this question, Kudou Yano was silent for a mont, then suddenly smiled and said: "I just kept seeing you and An Hongshi active in the chess world, and suddenly felt like competing again, wanted to play Go. What, aren't you welcoming ?"
"Of course not."
Zhuang Weisheng didn't think too much about it and smiled faintly: "To be honest, I've always been waiting for an opportunity to compete against you again on the field. Your withdrawal from the chess world before was a loss for the entire Go community."
"Let's not stand here chatting. Let's enter the hotel first."
Just then, Honinbo Shinwa suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation: "The opening ceremony is about to begin."
Zhuang Weisheng smiled and nodded, taking steps to walk side by side with Kudou Yano while chatting as they headed toward the hotel entrance. Everyone seeing this imdiately followed, preparing to enter the hotel together.
Just as Yu Shao was about to move, he noticed two people from the Japanese team staring intently at him, so he stopped and looked toward them.
Everyone else seeing this was sowhat surprised, including Zhuang Weisheng and Kudou Yano, and they all imdiately stopped walking.
"The person playing chess at the Phoenix Go Hall the day before yesterday—that was you, right?"
The young man looked at Yu Shao and asked in English.
Although the young man was asking a question, his tone was extrely certain, as if he had already determined that the person playing at the Phoenix Go Hall the day before yesterday was Yu Shao.
Kimura Go, Higashiyama Kaoru's teacher, who had countless tis pushed An Hongshi to the brink and was known as the "Uncrowned Champion," currently holding the 10-dan title!
The others hearing this were completely confused.
The day before yesterday?
Phoenix Go Hall?
Yu Shao also looked at the girl beside the young man and said sowhat hesitantly: "You're the one from the day before yesterday..."
"Yes, it's ."
Seeing that Yu Shao recognized him, the young man nodded, looked at Yu Shao, and said: "That ga gave deep inspiration. These past two days, I've been repeatedly analyzing that ga."
After speaking, the young man took a deep breath, extended his hand toward Yu Shao, and said: "Let reintroduce myself. I'm Sato Ken, currently holding the Kisung title."
Hearing this, Le Haoqiang couldn't help but tease: "Those whose nas you don't know are the ones who actually relate to you."
Yu Shao wasn't unfamiliar with the na Sato Ken. In fact, among that list of "so many immortals gathered together" that Zheng Qin had ntioned earlier, Sato Ken's na was included.
However, compared to veterans who had been famous for years like Honinbo Shinwa and Kudou Yano, Sato Ken—who only won the Kisung title from the previous Kisung Fujiwara Motoki last year and had only successfully defended the title for one year—wasn't as well-known.
But being able to hold a title for two years in the highly competitive Japanese Go world was already proof of playing strength!
First, the previous Kisung Fujiwara Motoki himself was the player with the highest win rate above 7-dan in Japan over five years.
Secondly, winning a title might involve so luck besides playing strength, but being able to hold the title continuously for two years, defeating challengers and successfully defending it again—that could only be ability!
Although Yu Shao had guessed that the person he played against the day before yesterday wasn't an ordinary professional player, he hadn't expected it to be Sato Ken.
Yu Shao thought for a mont, extended his hand, shook hands with Sato Ken, and said: "Yu Shao."
Sato Ken stared intently at Yu Shao and said: "I hope to have the opportunity to compete against you again on the field."
Seeing the fighting spirit burning in Sato Ken's eyes, Yu Shao was silent for a mont, then gently nodded and replied: " too."
Everyone around watched this scene quietly without saying a word. Although they didn't know what had happened between the two at the Phoenix Go Hall the day before yesterday, they could guess the general idea from their conversation.
They had played a ga at the Go hall, and the final result was...
Sato Ken had lost!
For all the Japanese players, this was definitely not good news.
In the crowd, Higashiyama Kaoru couldn't help but take a deep breath, while Kimura Go standing beside him slightly narrowed his eyes, looking at Yu Shao—this junior player who had turned the Go world upside down in just one year.
Also the one who had caused his most proud student Higashiyama Kaoru to remain depressed all year.
As for Kudou Yano, he just watched this scene quietly, showing no emotion on his face.
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