Chapter 47:
En Passant Grandmaster
Yuusuke trembled in frustration as he stared at the board.
"Wow, you're so skilled, Vice-president. That's 5 losses in a row to me over the span of 5 days. Looks like your rating also dipped down a few points too," Okisato sneered.
"You piece of shit, now your just being an asshole," Yuusuke tearfully glared as he stormed away.
Ever since the vice-president vote, Okisato had been challenging Yuusuke to daily matches at the chess club, and beating him in humiliating fashion each time. However, Okisato’s bloodlust was also causing the other members to resent him more.
"Lol, sucks to be Shouben-kun. Wonder if I can notch some elo off him if I challenge him," Iori snickered as she headed out after Yuusuke.
"I guess I should be proud that you're taking chess seriously, but you're doing it in an immoral way. It's not nice to harass and humiliate Shousen-kun like that just because he beat you in the vote," Mimoko glared.
"His mother would approve though," Okisato argued.
Mimoko paused before shaking her head in disappointment. "She's only been yelling at him more because you've been beating him so mercilessly."
"He agreed to the challenge, and played horribly, so that's on him."
"All you're doing is beating him, you aren't teaching him," Mimoko glared as she headed out.
With barely any members left, Maida dismissed the club for the day, but not before reminding everyone present to be at the train station by 6:50 next morning. Once she departed, only Okisato and Utami remained.
"So why are you still here?" Okisato asked as Utami approached him.
"Because I wanted to tell you to your face, I'm disgusted with how you played 3 days ago."
"Sure took you time to build your confidence, but I had things under control."
"MY LIFE WAS AT STAKE AND YOU JUST MADE MISTAKE AFTER MISTAKE ALL FOR A GRAND SPECTACLE!"
"Yes, which is why it was the right choice. I completely crushed all his plans."
"WAS THAT WHY YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO GET THAT DUMB SETUP!?"
"Yes, first I'd make him think I was going to promote you to a queen, then mate him without doing so. Next, I prepared an airbag to stop his ascension to martyrdom, and as a back-up in case I needed to sacrifice myself to save you."
"Like you'd actually do that."
"Finally, I planned to have him arrested, but sadly Tsar Grigori bailed him out. Though if it makes you feel any better, the tsar is the type of man to subject Kazuya to a gulag training regiment as punishment for failure, so needless to say, he's probably suffering right now."
"It seems your moral compass is just as bad as we all thought. No wonder Mimoko-sama's been kicking you out early each day," Utami snarled as she began to head out.
"So how much have you improved?"
Utami stopped and began to tremble.
"Not by much, I assume. Seems Inoue-senpai's still not focused enough to teach you properly, or maybe you're too busy swooning-"
"DON'T INSULT MIMOKO-SAMA!"
"Then prove me wrong in a game. Win, and I'll also acknowledge that my methods for the game against Kazuya were wrong, but lose and I'LL be taking over your training."
Utami didn't so much as flinch at the proposal as she immediately sat down and glared at Okisato. "I will make you grovel before Mimoko-sama.
"So you're resolved and confident. In that case, I'll move first," Okisato said as he moved his pawn to d4.
Utami countered with d5, while Okisato shrugged and moved his pawn to c4. "What a waste, well your blunders will only solidify my victory and prove you were wrong," Utami thought as she captured the pawn at c4 with her d-pawn.
Okisato then moved to e3, while Utami moved to b5.
"Huh, I guess she's playing better, for now at least," Okisato thought as he moved his pawn to a4.
Utami responded by moving her bishop to a6, while Okisato moved his queen to f3. She then decided to bring her knight to d7.
"Now let's see her response," Okisato thought as he captured the pawn at b5 with his a-pawn.
Utami responded by capturing the pawn at b5 with her bishop, prompting Okisato to move his knight to a3. She then coldly, and confidently moved her rook to b8.
"Just as I thought, still an amateur," Okisato thought as he captured the bishop at b5 with his knight.
Undeterred, Utami captured the knight at b5 with her rook, prompting Okisato to move his bishop to c4. She then nonchalantly moved her rook back to b8, completely unaware of the peril she was in.
"Checkmate," Okisato glared as he captured the pawn at f3 with his queen.
Utami's confidence shattered as her face went pale. "No NO! I DIDN'T SEE IT!"
"Then I'll give you one do-over, from the 9th move just after I captured the pawn at c4 with my bishop. Though if you botch this, we'll play games non-stop until I'm satisfied. You also won't be able to play against Inoue-senpai until you manage to beat me."
"A- Are you using a DESPER!?"
"No, in fact, you could play Inoue-senpai even if you lose, but I don't think you'll want to."
"I- I'm not afraid."
"Then salvage this scenario."
Utami gazed at the board and decided to move her rook to f5 instead. However, that move also resulted in her defeat.
"Keep going. You're not leaving until you can win from this position," Okisato glared.
"Y- Y- You're evil," Utami cried.
...
Utami huffed and puffed as she slammed her queen down. "Check...mate," she groaned as she slumped down onto the table and fell asleep in exhaustion.
"Took her quite a few attempts, but she managed. Hopefully this will improve her skill," Okisato thought.
"Hey, why're you two in here!?" the janitor cried as he entered the room.
"Ah, we're sorry. We'll go home now."
"'Go home'? Boy, it's 6:30 in the morning! Were you two here all night!?"
"All night? Ah, Inoue-senpai's gonna kill me. Sorry, but we got a train to catch," Okisato nodded as he scooped up the sleeping Utami and ran out."
The full game:
White: Okisato Tanabe (2525) Black: Utami Enoki (1001)
1. d4 d5
2. c4 dxc4
3. e3 b5
4. a4 Ba6
6. Qf3 Nd7
7. axb5 Bxb5
8. Na3 Rb8
9. Nxb5 Rxb5
10. Bxc4 Rb4
11. Bxf7#
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