Back home in Japan [Season 7 End]

The next day, daily life resumed in Japan with everyone coming back to school.

"Ugh, why can't we get a day off?" Iori groaned.

"We got two weeks off already, and luckily we came back with gold, otherwise our instructors might have been a little harsher on us," Mimoko grumbled.

"And it was two weeks too long!" Utami huffed as she inserted herself between Mimoko and Iori.

"Utami-chan, it's been so long."

"Mimoko-sama! I wanted to travel to Budapest, but I couldn't scrape together enough cash in time! Forgive me for not being there to cheer you on!"

"Heh, that makes me superior then. I was in Budapest and cheering in the stands," Yuusuke proudly huffed.

"No, your ass got whooped, erased from existence, and dropped back into existence naked on the last day," Iori snickered as she procured a video on her phone of Yuusuke trembling on the floor of the playing hall naked.

"OI! Delete that shit, you fucking murderer!"

"Never officially convicted. That was just Interpol being Interpol."

As the two began wrestling for Iori's phone, Okisato arrived to join the group. "Utami, did anything happen while we were gone?" he asked.

Utami confirmed that aside from Maida's disappearance, nothing out of the ordinary happened. "Do you happen to know what happened to her?"

"They didn't announce it? She was dragged to Budapest against her will, but officially assigned as the team coach. That even netted her a medal since they give medals to the coaches too. Gorou-kun was also in Budapest for the Bermuda party... Actually, I don't think I told him about Maida-sensei, nor did he ever encounter her... Still, it's odd the school didn't say anything. How about with Shouben-kun?"

"Huh!? You're gonna call me that after all-"

"No. I guess I forgot about him, but I always do."

The blow was too much for Yuusuke and he turned to stone.

"Now, now. Utami-chan, Tanabe-kun, don't be so mean to Yuusuke-kun. He's been through a lot. And Iori-chan, delete the video," Mimoko glared.

Yuusuke was revived.

"Lol, sure. There's other footage of it online anyway," Iori snickered.

Yuusuke turned to stone again.

"Lively bunch I see. But to hear that the school put out no official word to my students on my whereabouts irks me," Maida scowled as she strolled up.

"Did you contact someone?" Okisato asked.

"I did. Yet it's possible the message never went through. It'll be a matter settled at the staff meeting."

"I hope it's just that. Considering Skaberghast was here, it's possible he might have done something."

It turned out everything was fine and that the acting principal had just told the staff that Maida was on vacation, yet everyone forgot to mention it to the students.

Once school got out, everyone made their way to Lagoon pathways hotel. There, they entered the secret puzzle cafe and were greeted by Himitsudono and Daria.

"Welcome back. It sure has been a while since our last encounter. I heard you fared well in Budapest," Himitsudono bowed.

"Yeah, we swept 4-0, every round. No one's breaking that record," Iori proudly huffed.

"It really was historic. Oh, that reminds me. There's something I want to exchange my points for," Mimoko smiled.

"I have an idea of what that might be," Himitsudono chuckled.

And with that, Mimoko exchanged her points for the ability to warp to any secret puzzle cafe in the world. This also allowed her to warp back home to her house, which she took full advantage of, leaving her friends to have to get back to Kawaguchi on their own.

"Ugh, we're gonna have to play more tournaments, Oki-kun," Iori groaned as she gazed at her points total.

"Then perhaps you'll need to best some more maestros," a voice rang out.

Okisato turned to notice Peter sitting right behind him. "So you had that ability this whole time?"

"No, the tournament merely provided me the remaining sum needed. more importantly, it informed me of just who my next maestro to best is; Amelia Stavanger of Norway. It should have been obvious to me there would be a maestro there given it's home to Magnus Carlsen, yet all the times I've played him, he's never let loose the fact. Perhaps I'll challenge him for good measure. As for you, Okisato Tanabe, you now know of three other maestros to beat. Seek out their SPCMs so that you may challenge them all."

"I will, but not this instant. I need a break. I'm still recovering from my game against you."

"Then you still have ways to go until you can stand beside me as an equal. I'll give you a victory, but remember, 1 victory does nothing to strike a debate on which one of us is better when I have countless wins to that one of yours."

"I know that well, but that's why I'll get better. But rest is also important, and right now, I need to take a few days off from chess."

"Then rest up quick. And should you hunger for some motivation, I'll summon forth a single SPCM you have yet to face that I have should you be in need of it. The offer is only good until the end of October though."

"Oh don't worry, I'll be back in action long before then. All I need is a day or two and I'll be back in action proper."

"I look forward to that," Peter smirked as he returned his focus to his book.

"Speaking of which, I hear Hobou-dono will be coming home in the coming days. Seems he's made a full recovery thanks to Dr. Yllka," Himutsudono stated.

"Hmm, she was on the Albanian team... Well that's good news regardless," Okisato nodded.

"That it is," the masked man nodded as he gazed at his medal he had placed in the display case.

"Hey, why's there a medal there?" Iori asked as she took notice of the medal.

"Oh, a friend simply asked me to display it here, and so I obliged.

"Who was it?"

Himitsudono let out a chuckle. "That... is a closely guarded secret."

[Season 7 End]