The mad tsar

A series of red handprints adorned Okisato's face as he sat on the train.

"I can't believe you. I was worried sick about Utami-chan, and look at her! She's exhausted! The first round starts at 9, you know," Mimoko glared as she rested Utami on her lap.

"It's just the blitz, though. The first round of the main tournament doesn't start till 2," Okisato mumbled.

"Which is exactly why she needed proper sleep! Those rounds will go by quickly."

"But I trained her-"

"To the back of the train, you're banished from the group!"

"Yes," Okisato sighed as he got up and headed towards a different train car.

The car Okisato entered was completely empty aside from one man who was reading a book.

"Well you look depressed," Peter snarled as Okisato sat down.

"Ah, Peter. I got banished for playing recklessly.”

"I happened to gaze at your match data for your game against Kazuya. So what was with the reckless moves?"

"It was an odds game, but one of my juniors was trapped in the b-pawn so I had to keep her from being captured or she'd die. She'd also die if she got promoted."

"Because the pawn itself is technically removed from play, yes?"

"Yeah, though I figured he wanted me to promote Utami-chan's pawn in order to mate me with my own victory."

"But you were able to read his mind."

"Yeah, plus in the event where he was fooling me all along, I had an airbag placed on the ground and made sure the punishment was simply just jumping off the roof of the school."

"So you were playing 3D chess in a sense."

"Yes, and I imagine he'll be meeting his end soon."

"So you've arranged for him to die? Well, he has no one to blame but himself, though I doubt my league-mates will share the same sentiment.”

...

At the prison, Kazuya's eyes widened as he stared at the woman before him. The woman had a short silver bob, blue eyes, and carried a large sledgehammer.

"Доброе утро [Good morning], I'm here to bust you out," the woman glared. It was Svetlana Smirnova.

Kazuya stared in silence as Svetlana smashed the bars to bits and held out her hand. "What a terrifying woman. I’ve heard she's an assassin by day, so I guess it's a given she'd have monstrous strength," he thought as he nervously grasped Svetlana's hand.

As he followed her out, he noticed a trail of blood and corpses along with loads of damage to the building. It was obvious at first-glance that Svetlana had done all of it. As the two exited, they were greeted by buff foreign men in military attire in front of a limousine and convoy of black SUVs. One of them opened the door and a large man with a reddish beard clad in military attire stepped out wielding a pointed staff.

"Светлана, в миссии не было никаких нестыковок, да [Svetlana, the mission had no discrepancies, yes]?" the man asked.

"Правильно, мой царь. Я вытащил нашего товарища практически без проблем. [Correct, my tsar. I retrieved our comrade with little to no issue]," Svetlana nodded.

"Hello boy. I do speak some Japanese, but I prefer to speak in Russian. I am Tsar Grigori Ivan Vasilyevich the 1st of Russia," the man stated as he turned to Kazuya.

Kazuya wanted to ask the man plenty of questions, but his fractured jaw prevented him from doing so.

"Yes, I am royalty as well as the leader of Russia. Though since we are heading to the same venue, you will have the honor of riding alongside us. Now, do get into the SUV over there or we will leave you to fend for yourself."

Kazuya nervously did as Grigori ordered and got into one of the bodyguard's SUVs.

Inside the police station, a policewoman groaned and gritted her teeth in frustration as she clutched her bloodied head. "That f****** monster," she growled as she pulled out her phone.

...

On the train, Okisato noticed his sister, Otona, was calling and answered.

“Hello.”

"Okisato... We f***** up..."

"What do you mean?"

"Some Russian girl with a sledgehammer busted that guy out."

Okisato let out a heavy sigh. "So you're calling me to tell me your final message?"

"HELL NO! I ain't dyin yet!"

"Well, then stay on the line till you get out or you'll get killed. First, head out towards the roof."

"The roof!?"

"Yes, but don't rush. Now once you're in the stairwell, check for explosives first, then if the coast is clear, go up to the roof."

"Explosives!? There was only one-"

"There could have been others while you were distracted. Honestly, it's 50/50 whether or not Tsar Grigori decided it was worth eliminating everything for Kazuya. I'd lean towards no, but if he knows about your connection to me, he might have set some traps- Actually, don't go to the stairwell."

"HUH!? YOU JUST-"

"The door is likely booby trapped. No choice, you'll have to book it. Run out the main exit as fast as you can and head for the railroad tracks, while avoiding any potential traps.”

"The hell!?"

"Our train will be passing by the area in about 5 minutes, that's your time limit, and if you get shot at, dodge."

"My head's poundin-"

"No other choice."

"F*** you!"

"Oh, and stay on the line."

Peter let out a sigh as he turned the pages of his book. "Once this ordeal is over, you'll be paying me back by being my first round opponent for each tournament. I will also torment you until the tournament's start."

"Yes, but I'd rather deal with that than have Nee-chan get killed by the tsar."

"Your gambit only paid off because I just so happened to be here. Though I hope this will teach you not to play with your food when there's an easy win."

"Yes, though it isn't as easy as it sounds to order a hit on someone. Plus he's got friends in high places here in Japan."

"What would you have done if I wasn't here?"

"Invoked you, that's what."

…

A few minutes later, a bloodied Otona staggered onto the train.

Okisato let out a loud sigh, before nodding and pocketing his phone. "So you're the real deal."

"Of course I'm real you asshole. My damn eye still hasn't healed from when ya elbowed it," Otona glared as she wiped away the makeup concealing her bruised eye.

"Good, you-"

SMASH!

Okisato immediately dove on top of Otona as Grigori and Svetlana smashed through one of the train's doors causing the train to screech to a halt.

Grigori smiled as he stared down Okisato. "Привет [Hello] Oni-tiger, This is check, but it seems it will only lead to a draw."

"A draw? I believe Nee-san is safe."

"Yes, since you have the blessing of Caïssa, you could simply shield her and outlast my barrage, like so," Grigori grinned as he whipped out a pistol with a silencer and fired at Okisato.

Okisato suddenly began glowing turquoise as the bullet was destroyed upon impact, leaving him completely unharmed.

"The hell!? Is that some high-grade military tech!?" Otona shouted.

"No, it's a function of my WWCF card that prevents you from being killed outside of a chess match to unnatural causes. It's known as Caïssa's blessing."

"Caïssa!?"

"She's the goddess of chess. Just like me, Peter has it, Inoue-senpai likely has it, and sadly, Tsar Grigori does too."

"Huh? You mean that guy-"

"Yes, in addition to being the tsar of Russia, he's also one of the top chess players in the world."

"And why they call me Grigori the terrible," Grigori smirked.

Svetlana gave Okisato a deathglare as she clutched her hammer. "Царь мой, позволь мне убить его! [My tsar, let me kill him]!"

"Нет [No]."

"Но он [But he]-"

Smack!

Svetlana clutched her head and rolled on the ground in pain as Grigori smacked her forehead with the pointed tip of his staff.

"So tell me Oni-tiger. If I restrain you, what is stopping me from simply killing the woman you're trying to protect? I doubt my dear rival, Peter cares enough about her to spare her," Grigori glared.

"Yes, but he does care about the one who would witness the act," Okisato grinned as Mimoko ran into the train car.

"Tanabe-kun! What's going on!? There was a loud crash and-"

"Why would I care about this girl?" Grigori glared.

"She's Mimoko Inoue, the latest prodigy to grace the chess world," Peter glared as he stood up and closed his book.

"Mimoko Inoue. Ah, I remember. In that case, it is good that I decided to come here. Светлана, мы уезжаем [Svetlana, we are leaving]."

"да [Yes]," Svetlana nodded as she got up and followed Grigori as he disembarked from the train.

"This match ended in a draw, but the next match will not."

"Again, how is this not my victory?" Okisato glared.

"Because I retrieved my Desperado comrade that you imprisoned. Thus, we draw for failing to fulfill the full winning conditions," Grigori snickered as he and Svetlana got into a nearby limousine and drove off.

Mimoko trembled in shock. "W- Who was-"

"Svetlana Smirnova and her father, Tsar Grigori Vasilyevich of Russia," Okisato stated.

"A 'tsar'? But I thought Russia no longer had a monarchy."

"They didn't until just a year ago. I guess he emerged from the shadows and took over. Though I think he truly does have royal lineage."

"Didn't you say that Svetlana was a robot?"

"Well, she's essentially lost her free will and is nothing more than a DESPER wielding proxy for Grigori."

"That's horrible!"

"Yeah, and when he decides to let her loose for a bit, she tends to come after me to avenge all the Desperado league comrades of hers I've taken out."

"I see... OH Mr. Morphy! My apologies for not taking notice of you! It is good to see you again."

"Make it up to me by giving me good matches in the tournaments," Peter nodded.

"Oi, ya gonna do somethin’ about me!?" Otona groaned.

"AAH! T- That policewoman's bleeding!" Mimoko cried as she took notice of Otona.

"Ah, this is my older sister, Otona. Don't worry, she's fine."

"Tanabe-kun, I was just about to forgive you, but your heartlessness is making it much more difficult to do so."

"Is everyone all- WHAT HAPPENED HERE!?" a train conductor shouted as he darted into the car.

"Perfect. Inoue-senpai,could you tell this fine fellow how some crazy Russians tried to kill this cute policewoman?"

"Tanabe-kun... I'm doing this for your sister. You're getting another set of slaps for this.

"Yes, yes," Okisato sighed.