Chapter 104
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Human Chess (3)
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The third game began after lunchtime.
It was a little different this time.
Not dramatically so.
"...Finally."
In the midgame of chess, someone appeared right in front of my square. I rushed toward him because I was glad to see another person.
"Hey. What are you?"
There was a man beyond the translucent mana barrier. He was a pawn, just like me.
What else? A pawn.
"Come on. Come here. Let's go."
I tapped the mana barrier with my club. Tang!Tang!
The opponent looked incredulous.
Can't go. By the rules, we can't attack each other.
"...True enough."
Pawns are like that by nature. You can't capture the one right in front of you; you can only take the ones on the diagonals.
As if pawns are only good for ambushes.
"Ah... I'm so itchy. So damn itchy."
Should've just done that sparring yesterday.
Of course, even winning like this gives basic points. I just won't get combat points.
That said, there are probably tons of guys who want my spot right now. Sitting idle and racking up points must look sweet.
Match End. Endex 1st Team Victory.
And in the meantime, Endex 1st Team won again.
I didn't do a damn thing.
Ah, fuck, I'm so jealous.
"What of?"
The opposing pawn scowled as he spoke.
You just sit there doing jack shit and get points. This is bullshit unfair.
From his perspective, sure. But my expected value and actual worth aren't that of a pawn. I could go toe-to-toe with most knights.
This is the side effect of not publicizing grades.
"Put yourself in my shoes. It ain't all sunshine."
That's why I wanna switch, you retard.
"What the? Retard?"
Yeah, you fucking retard. Lucky asshole.
"You crazy fuck. Lost your mind? Hey, spewing curses out of nowhere, you retard prick."
Fuck off, retard.
"Fuck what? You fucking psycho. You're dead next time we meet."
Anyway, the opposing pawn vanished like that, and I returned to the waiting room.
"What a psycho prick..."
I was momentarily speechless at the sight of the waiting room.
A lot of the guys were utterly spent.
No, most of them were.
"...Ah. Three games are rough. My arm won't move."
"Me too. Feels like my shin cracked a bit."
Makes sense with four games in a day. It felt more like testing stamina and endurance than combat ability.
"Break's 20 minutes, right? I'll go get some quick mana treatment."
"Me too."
Hearing the groans of injuries everywhere, I felt lucky to be sitting idle like this.
"Hmmm."
I quietly sat on the sofa, waiting for the final game.
...Elise Petra had grasped the basics of Human Chess.
First off, pawns usually die without a chance to defend when facing higher pieces. On top of the fundamental skill gap, the weapons they can use differ.
Next, in battles between higher pieces, first strike holds a massive advantage.
Elise sends opponent info via smartwatch first, they memorize it, then fight.
Thus, the king must know exactly which piece they're facing. That info's in the 'Player Scout Notebook' tablet PC.
With perfect intel, Elise induced fights matching favorable matchups.
As a result, higher-piece battles saw 80-90% wins for the first striker.
Finally, pawn-vs-pawn scraps had few variables.
Lower skill means first strike dominates even more.
In simple terms, the crappier you are, the more 'first punch wins' applies. Just prep a ton of mana formulas and charge.
But beware the 'golem' above all.
White golems were pawn-level fine, but as Kain said, black golems were trouble.
Black golem was top-tier pawn. Terrain-dependent, it could even beat higher pieces.
Plus, its self-repair meant no 'stamina' or 'durability' drain, making lategame worse.
So, locate black golems ASAP and dispatch a knight optimized for beast hunting to take it out first.
Thanks to that understanding, Elise won three straight.
But tougher foes meant the finale was predictably obvious.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Elise watched the waiting room clock.
Break ending soon.
Break Time End.
Endex 1st Team's opponent is Endex 2nd Team.
"Ah. Here it comes."
Hearing that, Kain, mid-ice pack, took a deep breath.
Endex 2nd Team.
Gerkken Kal Dun's team.
Elise had planned for this.
Unlike before, queen-vs-queen wasn't a guaranteed win. Kain was 6-star combat-rated, but his style drained stamina per fight. Plus ten-plus battles over three games.
James, meanwhile, was a fencer swordsman who'd ended most fights in 3-4 exchanges with fewer bouts. Gerkken hadn't overworked him.
Opponents had solid higher pieces like Kieli, Getel.
Who wins? Unclear.
"As we planned."
"Got it. Hey! Everyone, ready up!"
At Kain's shout, all 14 lined up at the door.
Match Start
Elise entered the board immediately.
King's square: office. Large desk with chessboard, panoramic view through full glass wall. Any king move changes that square to this office.
First move: White, Gerkken.
Gerkken Team: White Pawn advances two squares.
Familiar opening. Elise moved knight first.
Elise Team: Black Knight to F6.
...
Midgame. White and black finish setup, battles erupt.
Hot zone: center. Both sides position higher pieces centrally, madly sacrificing pawns.
"D5 pawn. Attacks C4 pawn. Terrain: swamp. Watch your step in the muck. Opponent's a swordsman, so you've got the edge."
Three minutes after command.
Elise Team: Black Pawn attack successful.
Gerkken Team: White Pawn destroyed.
Enemy pawn captured. But the advanced pawn got eaten by incoming white bishop, and Elise's brow twitched.
"...Path opened."
Advancing bishop cleared Gerkken's lane.
Nothing between queens.
Queens staring each other down.
Trap?
Or calculation?
No time to ponder long. Player time: 2 minutes.
"Kain. D8 to D1. Opponent: white queen. James."
Elise ordered advance. Solid reasoning.
Kain battle-worn, James fresh. If her queen, unable for many fights, beats Gerkken's pristine queen—even if destroyed after—it's fine.
"..."
As Elise fidgeted waiting.
Elise Team: Black Queen attack successful.
Gerkken Team: White Queen destroyed.
She clenched her fist. Kain fell to bishop-knight combo next, but profit already.
"Next. Knight to C6..."
...
Post queen mutual destruction, no-queen board fights raged fiercely.
Pieces dwindled one by one; king Elise already moved four times.
"Tricky bastard."
Now endgame.
Elise gritted teeth.
Pressure vs. Gerkken stemmed from king piece too. Kings lack defense chance, but Gerkken as king wielded overwhelming force.
In fact—
"...Ah."
Gerkken Team: White King attack attempt.
Elise Team: Black Bishop vs. White King battle.
Gerkken challenged her bishop personally.
Losing meant king destroyed, but no way.
Gerkken Team: White King attack successful.
Elise Team: Black Bishop destroyed.
Elise: six pieces left.
Gerkken: five.
Numbers favor her, but hers all pawns.
Theirs: black golem, rook Kieli alive.
Beyond disadvantage—virtual defeat.
"...Tch."
Elise pinched brow. Thoughts swirled.
Shouldn't have expended queen—Kain.
Or blame that dumb knight who drew with a pawn. How do you draw a pawn? Getel, was it?
"..."
Irritated, but Elise eyed board again.
One movable pawn.
"Didn't wanna move you."
The guy unmoved entire game.
Left corner, A7 pawn stuck since start.
Sion Askal.
"...A7. Advance two squares."
She moved him.
This pawn push draws enemy pawn attack. Endgame: can't ignore pawn advances.
Gerkken Team: White Pawn attack attempt.
Elise Team: Black Pawn vs. White Pawn battle.
Enemy pawn: black golem, of course.
Success: eaten, forfeit.
Failure: just stall.
"Haa..."
Elise sighed, chin on hand.
"Sun's blazing..."
I'm zoned out, sauna-style. Even peeking via SZX-9500 Mana Optics Microscope hurts eyes, so nah.
Sweating it out feels good.
"...So loose. So damn loose."
Thinking about it, breaks like this are needed. Been grinding hard. Even beat Elise by 0.3 points or whatever.
Rest today, grind tomorrow—
Bzzz.
As drowsiness hits, smartwatch vibrates.
I lift wrist, jolt.
"!"
Command.
"Whoa. Two squares advance?"
World first for me. Some think pawns only one square—wrong.
First move: two squares forward only.
Front mana barrier opens.
"It does open."
I step through.
From sweltering jungle to empty plain square.
Then empty plain to chilly highlands.
Weapons: club, slingshot.
"...Here."
I stand still.
Wait here again?
As I squat down—
Grrraaah??!
Charred roar, black golem invades diagonally.
Alerts pop over mana barrier.
[03:00]
Gerkken Team: White Pawn attack attempt.
Elise Team: Black Pawn vs. White Pawn battle.
Battle's on.