The door opened almost immediately. Kanjuro stood at the entrance; he had changed out of yesterday's casual clothes and was wearing a dark silk robe. The collar was slightly open, revealing his delicate collarbones. He seemed to have just bathed, as his short black hair was still somewhat damp, hanging loosely and adding a bit of lazy, casual charm to his appearance. However, those deep eyes remained clear and sharp, like stars in the dark night, carrying a light that seemed to see through everything.
"You've arrived." Kanjuro's gaze first fell on Akai Hideyoshi, nodding faintly, before turning to Miyamoto Yumi, his lips curling into a meaningful arc. "Officer Yumi is here too? Welcome."
His tone was natural, as if Yumi's arrival was entirely within his expectations, or perhaps... exactly what he had been looking forward to.
Looking at Kanjuro like this, Miyamoto Yumi's heart skipped a beat uncontrollably. The Kanjuro before her was worlds apart from the gentle and elegant high school student (?) image from yesterday; he exuded a mature, lazy, yet dangerous aura. She subconsciously straightened her back as her police alertness began to wake up, but facing Kanjuro's seemingly peaceful yet unquestionable gaze, she felt an invisible pressure.
"Mr. Kanjuro, sorry for the intrusion," Yumi said, trying her best to keep her voice calm.
"Come in." Kanjuro stepped aside to clear the way.
The room was a luxury suite, spacious and extravagantly decorated, but at this moment, it was filled with a breathtaking atmosphere. Sera Masumi was not there.
As soon as he entered, Akai Hideyoshi asked impatiently, yet with a hint of restraint, "Mr. Kanjuro, about that'secret' you mentioned..."
Kanjuro raised his hand and gently interrupted him, his movements elegant and carrying the composure of someone in total control.
"Hideyoshi, no need to rush." His voice was low and soft, yet it carried a strange soothing—or rather, suppressing—power. "Before we touch upon the core, we need to first let you... calm down and reach your optimal state. This requires a little time and... a specific environment."
As he spoke, his gaze turned toward Miyamoto Yumi, who was standing somewhat awkwardly to the side. He gave a slight smile that seemed ambiguous under the suite's lights.
"Officer Yumi," Kanjuro's tone became exceptionally gentle, even carrying a trace of imperceptible intimacy, "could I trouble you to sit in the small inner living room for a moment? Hideyoshi and I need a bit of time alone for the preliminary... 'guidance'."
He used the word "guidance," which sounded perfectly legitimate. Coupled with his current mentor-like expression, it was difficult to refuse.
Miyamoto Yumi froze for a moment and looked at Akai Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi immediately gave her a pleading look, clearly trusting Kanjuro's arrangements completely.
Although she felt something was odd, Kanjuro's reasoning sounded logical, and his attitude was impeccable. Yumi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "...Alright, then I won't disturb you."
She obediently walked toward the small living room inside the suite. At the moment she turned around, she seemed to feel Kanjuro's gaze linger on her back for a second—a gaze that... inexplicably made her spine feel cold.
The small living room was connected to the master bedroom, and the soundproofing seemed excellent. Once the door closed, the sounds from outside became muffled and unclear. Yumi sat alone on the soft leather sofa, looking around this exquisite yet unfamiliar space, the sense of unease in her heart growing stronger.
Kanjuro... what exactly does he want to do to Hideyoshi?
And what role was she playing here?
She faintly felt as if she had stepped into a carefully laid trap, and the architect was none other than Kanjuro, a man where charm and danger coexisted. At this moment, she could only wait in the silence, anxiously guessing what was happening behind the door.
What she didn't know was that her obedient departure was exactly the key step in Kanjuro's plan to gradually bring her under his control. After Miyamoto Yumi left, the atmosphere in the master bedroom became even more stagnant. Akai Hideyoshi stood awkwardly, but his eyes fervently followed Kanjuro, waiting for the "secret" he had spoken of.
Kanjuro didn't speak immediately. He walked slowly to the center of the room, where an exquisite Shogi board had been set up at some point. The pieces stood silently on the squares, as if waiting for a bloody sacrifice. His long fingers lightly brushed over the cold pieces, making a faint sound.
"Hideyoshi," Kanjuro finally spoke, his voice low and calm, yet carrying an unquestionable authority, "what do you think prevents a player from reaching the pinnacle?"
Akai Hideyoshi was stunned for a moment, thinking as he replied, "Is it... insufficient calculation power? Or a lack of vision for the big picture? Or perhaps the opponent is too strong?"
Kanjuro slowly shook his head, a cold smile playing on his lips. "No, those are all just surface-level. The true obstacle is 'attachment'—those weak, 'human' emotions." His gaze was sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Akai Hideyoshi's heart. "Especially... women."
"Women?" Akai Hideyoshi was stunned. He subconsciously thought of Yumi, his face showing a trace of confusion and resistance. "Mr. Kanjuro, what... what does this have to do with Shogi skill?"
"It has a lot to do with it." Kanjuro's voice carried a seductive magic. "A woman's tenderness, a woman's love—it will wear down your will, making you hesitant and worried about gains and losses. In a game that requires cold calculation and the cutting off of all retreats, this weakness is fatal."
He paused, observing the changing expressions on Akai Hideyoshi's face, before continuing to drop an even heavier bombshell:
"Conversely, hurting a woman—especially... hurting a woman you care about and 'love'—that bone-deep pain and sense of betrayal can tear apart your mediocre soul, allowing you to experience the ultimate emotional impact. Under such an impact, your mind will be forced to transcend mortal boundaries, and you will see more... the cold 'truth' on the board, and even in the world."
"What?!" Akai Hideyoshi suddenly took a step back, his face filled with disbelief and horror. "Hurt Yumi? No! How is that possible! This is too absurd! Mr. Kanjuro, you're joking, right?" He couldn't accept this twisted theory; it went against everything he knew.
"Absurd?" Kanjuro chuckled, his laughter devoid of any warmth. "What do you think power is? Is it something easily obtained through polite requests and day after day of hard practice?"
He said no more, turning instead to face the Shogi board, his fingers elegantly moving the pieces.
"It seems you need a more direct demonstration."
In just a dozen seconds, a seemingly ordinary yet actually murderous and thrilling game state was presented on the board. This style was completely different from the one that defeated Hideyoshi yesterday; it was filled with an even more eerie, ruthless aura that completely ignored common sense, as if every move trampled on traditional Shogi principles yet formed its own cold and heartless logical system.
"This is a unique style I created," Kanjuro's voice sounded like a sleep-talker's, carrying a fatal attraction. "I call it the 'Way of Heartlessness'. By discarding all emotion and viewing both the opponent and oneself as mere pawns, only absolute coldness and calculation can unleash its true power."
He casually demonstrated a few moves. The exquisite yet cruel techniques made the Shogi-proficient Akai Hideyoshi's scalp tingle, while simultaneously feeling a near-shuddering attraction! This style... was too strong! Strong beyond belief, strong to the point of despair, yet so strong he couldn't look away!
"Do you see?" Kanjuro stopped the demonstration, his eyes burning as he looked at the heavy-breathing Akai Hideyoshi. "This is power that transcends the mundane. Do you want... to become like me? Do you want to master this... 'invincible' Shogi?"
His words were like a demon's whisper, echoing in Akai Hideyoshi's ears.
Akai Hideyoshi stared fixedly at the board, a storm raging in his heart. On one hand, he felt fear and rejection toward Kanjuro's theory of "hurting Yumi"; on the other hand, the "Way of Heartlessness" and the supreme Shogi path he dreamed of were like the poisoned apple of Eden, radiating an irresistible temptation.
His beliefs were shaking violently. Could it be... that true strength really required such a cruel price? Could the gentleness and kindness he had always held onto actually be the shackles preventing him from touching the peak of Shogi?
Kanjuro watched the intense struggle in his eyes, knowing the seed had been planted. He was in no hurry to make Akai Hideyoshi accept it immediately; rather, he wanted him to fall into this painful choice. When a person begins to seriously consider an evil option, they are not far from falling.
"I won't force you to make a decision immediately, Hideyoshi." Kanjuro's tone suddenly became "forgiving." "You can think about it slowly. Power is always reserved for those who truly crave it and are willing to pay any price for it."
He patted Akai Hideyoshi's shoulder. The movement was gentle, yet it made the latter shudder violently.
"Now, let us first perform some basic... 'meditation' training. Call Officer Yumi in from outside. Perhaps... her presence will allow you to more deeply experience what it means to have attachments that need to be 'transcended'."
The corner of Kanjuro's mouth curled into a cruel and expectant arc. The good show was just beginning. Akai Hideyoshi's struggle and Miyamoto Yumi's ignorance would all become sources of his pleasure tonight. Kanjuro had Akai Hideyoshi call Miyamoto Yumi back in. Yumi walked out from the small living room, her face still carrying a trace of doubt and concern. She saw Hideyoshi standing pale by the Shogi board, while Kanjuro sat opposite him at his leisure, his posture lazy as if everything was under control.
"Hideyoshi, shall we begin?" Kanjuro spoke flatly, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of the board.
Akai Hideyoshi took a deep breath, forcing himself to concentrate as he sat opposite Kanjuro. Yumi quietly walked to a spot slightly behind Hideyoshi's side and sat down, not wanting to disturb them.
A new game began.
However, unlike yesterday's focus, Akai Hideyoshi was restless today. Kanjuro's words about "hurting the woman you care about" swirled in his mind like a curse, clashing violently with his inner treasuring of Yumi. Every time he placed a piece, it felt incredibly heavy, and his eyes would involuntarily flicker toward Yumi sitting quietly to the side.
Yumi also noticed Hideyoshi's abnormality. His fingers trembled slightly as he played, and fine beads of cold sweat even broke out on his forehead, making him look like a completely different person from his usual steady and confident self. On the board, his layout appeared hesitant and full of holes, completely led by the nose by Kanjuro's sharp, eerie, and oppressive "Way of Heartlessness."
Kanjuro's pieces were like cold executioners, encroaching on Hideyoshi's territory step by step. Every precise strike felt like it was trampling on Hideyoshi's crumbling beliefs. The game presented a one-sided slaughter.
"Hideyoshi, your play today is very messy." Kanjuro placed a piece, another fatal attack, his voice calm and rippleless. "Your heart is not still. Is it because... something is interfering with you?" His gaze meaningfully swept over Miyamoto Yumi.
Akai Hideyoshi's body stiffened, his knuckles turning white as he gripped a piece. He felt an unprecedented sense of irritability and powerlessness. Kanjuro's words, the crushing defeat on the board, and the inner pull between his desire for the twisted power of the "Way of Heartlessness" and his feelings for Yumi were almost enough to make him break down.
Seeing Hideyoshi's painful struggle, Miyamoto Yumi could no longer hold back and asked softly with concern, "Hideyoshi, are you okay? Your face looks terrible... do you want to take a break?"
These caring words sounded exceptionally piercing to Akai Hideyoshi at this moment! At his most pathetic, when he felt most incompetent, this care seemed to turn into a kind of pity—a proof that confirmed his "weakness"! Kanjuro's theory bit into his sanity like a venomous snake—it was this attachment, this emotion, that made him so vulnerable!
"Shut up!"
A crude, nearly out-of-control roar erupted from Akai Hideyoshi's mouth, startling Yumi. He suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, glaring at Miyamoto Yumi with a face full of twisted anger and displaced resentment.
"It's all you! It's all because you're here!" he bellowed hoarsely, completely losing his usual gentleness. "You're interfering with me! You're distracting me! If it wasn't for you... how could I play so poorly! Get out! Get out of here!"
He pointed a finger at the door, his eyes fierce, as if Yumi were his sworn enemy.
Miyamoto Yumi was completely stunned, the color draining from her face instantly. She looked at the stranger before her, Akai Hideyoshi, who was speaking to her with such vitriol, in utter disbelief. Grievance, shock, heartache... a torrent of emotions overwhelmed her in an instant. She couldn't understand why a simple expression of concern would be met with such violent abuse.
"Hideyoshi... you..." Her voice was choked with sobs, and her eyes reddened immediately.
"Get out! Didn't you hear me?!" Akai Hideyoshi roared even more hysterically, as if to prove something, to sever the "attachment" that caused him so much pain. He even grabbed an empty teacup from the table and smashed it violently onto the floor, creating a piercing shattering sound.
Miyamoto Yumi was frightened by his appearance and took a step back, her tears finally bursting forth uncontrollably. She looked at the hideous expression on Hideyoshi's face, then glanced at Kanjuro nearby, who remained calm, even wearing a faint, almost imperceptible smile. A chill ran from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.
She hesitated no longer, turning and running out of the room in tears.
Watching Yumi's retreating figure as she left in sorrow, Akai Hideyoshi seemed to have all his strength drained. He slumped into his chair, gasping for breath, his heart filled with a massive void and a morbid sense of relief, as if he had completed some kind of "ritual."
Kanjuro slowly clapped his hands, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
"Very good, Hideyoshi."
His voice carried praise, like a devil rewarding his disciple.
"You have finally taken the first step. Do you feel it? That momentary 'lightness' when you sever an attachment? Though it is painful, this is precisely the beginning of transformation."
He pointed to the disastrous state of Hideyoshi's endgame on the board.
"Remember this feeling. Next time, when you sit before the board again and recall tonight's 'decisiveness,' your play will be different."
Akai Hideyoshi looked blankly at the board, then at his trembling hands, his heart cold as ice. He didn't know what he had done, nor what the future held. But he vaguely sensed that something had fundamentally changed from the moment he roared the word "Get out." And Kanjuro's shadow had already been deeply etched into the depths of his soul.
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