The Perfect Shot
“Archery is the same. I concentrate better when I have an opponent.”
The club president paused for a moment at my words, then nodded.
“Huh? Ah, then... let's try it.”
There was no need for further words.
We immediately took our positions at the shooting line.
Then came the negotiation.
“Six ends, one hundred and eighty points, no time limit.”
Three arrows per end.
Six ends meant eighteen arrows.
An informal practice match with no time constraint.
I hesitated, then suggested again.
“Like a formal practice, let's do twelve ends.”
“... It might be tough if it's your first time. Are you sure?”
“Yes. I'm fine.”
No, it was even better.
Because the more you practice, the sharper your senses become.
We both stood facing each other, alternately raising our bows.
First end.
He shot first.
Thwack!
“Ten points.”
The member checked the score with the scope.
My turn next.
Breath.
Release.
As the flag on the target fluttered, I calculated the slight tremor in that instant and shot.
Thwack!
“Ten points.”
Continuing the shooting.
First end, thirty points.
Tied score.
From behind, the club members watching us silently, as if they had forgotten their own practice, felt their gazes.
Continuing to the second end.
We alternately occupied the shooting line and shot arrows.
“Ten points.”
“Ten points.”
“Ten points.”
The score remained tied.
I looked at his target beyond the scope.
Two arrows inside the ten-point ring, centered on the X.
The remaining one slightly outside the ten-point ring.
A subtle deviation, but overall perfect clustering.
‘... He really shoots well.’
The posture was stable, and the release was sharp.
It was precise enough to place him in the upper ranks of the national team selection trials.
In contrast, my clustering was lacking.
I only managed one arrow at the X center.
‘Not bad.’
But I smiled.
Third end.
“Crosswind.”
The wind crossing the shooting line and target.
The most difficult wind in archery.
Unlike headwind or tailwind, moving the pin doesn't solve it.
“Nine points!”
The president's arrow went outside the yellow ring.
I pulled the string.
Instantaneous changes in wind speed.
But I saw the flow within it.
Calm breath.
Pressure distribution at the fingertips.
Muscle elasticity.
And rapid release.
Thwack!
“X-10... X-10. X-10...”
The member checking the scope took a small breath.
Exactly as calculated.
Clustering, density, and point of impact all stable.
‘The wind is data.’
Just like Go.
Reading the situation based on shape judgment, followed by move reading.
Only, this sport is archery, fighting not against the opponent but against the wind.
“Ten points. Ten points.”
The president immediately followed up.
Clearly showing strength.
But I didn't care.
Fourth end.
Instead of the opponent's score, I still read the wind.
The flag on the target.
The grass below it.
Even the slight sway of the soundproof wall behind the shooting line.
All of it served as a wind meter for me.
‘... Slight upward airflow, pin two spaces. Release pressure correction.’
The wind is numbers.
If I can judge it as data, precise adjustment is possible.
The president took a moment to catch his breath.
It seemed he was avoiding the fierce wind for a moment.
This time, I shot first.
Maintaining torque, only pressing the recoil with a sense.
Thwack!
The arrow flew.
“X-10.”
The member's exclamation at checking the scope rang out.
Second arrow.
Third arrow.
“X-10... Again, X-10.”
One of the club members who had been holding their breath murmured softly.
“Insane.”
Even the one who spoke was surprised, covering his mouth.
But no one scolded him.
I quietly smiled while looking at the target.
Reading the flow on the shooting line, organizing the senses, and aligning the center of gravity.
‘... Rhythm, let's try to raise it even more forcibly?’
Fifth end.
Sixth end.
Assuming it's not practice but extreme real combat.
Since it's extreme, let's go to the limit of my talent.
... I need to check how far my talent will reach.
***
Club president Oh Ki-jun.
He was driving home with Byeong-ju, whose hearing direction was the same.
Through the windshield, the streetlights flowed down, and Byeong-ju in the passenger seat was excited.
“Hyung, do we have to go to the national team selection trials again this year? Three hundred and fifty-five points is almost pro level. It gave me chills.”
Oh Ki-jun quietly turned the steering wheel and smiled quietly.
Byeong-ju's words were not wrong.
Given the difficult wind and limited practice, it was quite a high score.
It was a score that would rank in the upper ranks of the national team selection trials.
But.
Oh Ki-jun felt strangely heavy at heart.
“Hyung? Why no words?”
“Ah, just... I was thinking about Mr. Kim In-ha.”
At that, Byeong-ju blinked.
“That person is amazing too. Even though he learned on his own, even if he shoots for the first time at 50m...”
Byeong-ju, who had been continuing, glanced sideways.
“Did you really think I wouldn't record a tie with hyung?”
“Three hundred and fifty-five points tied.”
Thirty-one arrows hit ten points, five hit nine points.
In case of a tie, the number of X-10s to decide the winner is also tied at sixteen.
The informal match ended in a pleasant tie.
However.
It was not that he didn't feel it, but that he didn't show it.
Because the career gap was obvious.
Oh Ki-jun quietly said one word without looking at him.
“Do you really think it's a tie?”
“Huh?”
Byeong-ju tilted his head.
“It's a tie. With hyung.”
“You... didn't feel it.”
“What?”
Short silence.
Oh Ki-jun lowered the window with one hand.
Refreshing, strong wind blowing through his hair.
For a few seconds while speaking, no hesitation.
“Mr. Kim In-ha, today's shots... he only chose when the wind was the worst.”
“Huh?”
Byeong-ju turned his head with a surprised face.
“Hey, no way. There's no reason for that. You must have misseen it?”
The car stopped at the traffic light.
Oh Ki-jun's expression looking far ahead was more serious than ever.
“... At first, I thought he just didn't know how to read the wind. But it wasn't.”
In front of his eyes, the moment Mr. Kim In-ha shot, the flag on the target rose.
Crosswind.
Usually called micro-turbulence.
The worst wind where the wind flow mixes irregularly.
He continued speaking quietly while looking ahead.
“Just... he practiced in that situation on purpose.”
“Huh, practice?”
“I don't know about that. He never thought he would win from the beginning.”
Byeong-ju tried to object but closed his mouth.
It would have sounded like nonsense to anyone else.
But since it came from Oh Ki-jun, who he trusted, he couldn't easily dismiss it.
The light changed, and the car moved again.
The trees swaying in the wind passed quietly.
To break that quietness, Oh Ki-jun spoke his last words.
“... Maybe, the Taeguk mark might be on that person's chest.”
Byeong-ju couldn't agree or disagree.
Just silently looking out the window.
The Taeguk mark.
Perhaps the Kim In-ha who was only an amateur, the world Go tournament winner in the shortest time.
Why did these two naturally overlap.
‘No way.’
Even though he knew it was an unbelievable thing.
He felt a chill.
***
Korea Baduk Association.
After the induction ceremony and promotion ceremony, this was the first visit.
Even though he had switched his main job to 'professional Go player'.
As the year-end approached and there were fewer tournaments, there was no particular reason to come.
“The preliminaries are said to be held over two days.”
The King of Kings Cup preliminaries were a group tournament format.
Two games per day, four wins in two days to advance to the main round 16.
However, I received a top seed in the player ranking, so I advanced directly to the preliminary round 3 with a bye.
That's why I only found the Korea Baduk Association today, on the second day, not the first.
“... It's nice that the player ranking points have risen.”
The current domestic player ranking 1st is Jeong Si-hoo 9-dan.
Rating 10,500 points.
Points per win, plus bonuses based on tournament grade.
Second is Kim Eun-woo 9-dan with 9,980 points.
And I.
“Player ranking 9th.”
Rating 9,450 points.
Initial rating at induction 5,000 points.
Plus 4,450 points received from winning the world tournament Ciel Bank Cup.
Thanks to that, I entered the top 10, and could receive a preliminary seed in the King of Kings Cup as well.
“Pansu-ya... just grab it in the main round tournament.”
The main job maintenance condition is 60 games per year.
It applied from the time I quit being a bank security guard.
Many or few games.
‘Simultaneous matches weren't included.’
Informal matches or practice matches are excluded.
Only domestic and international regular tournaments.
Considering international majors, domestic tournaments, leagues, etc., there are more than 15 possible matches per year.
Even if only passing the preliminaries, it's enough to fill the number.
In front of the preliminary match room on the 3rd floor of the Korea Baduk Association.
Right after getting off the elevator, I felt the changed gazes.
People who would have passed by indifferently before now stared at me.
Following the changed reputation and status.
Jealousy.
Wariness.
And awareness.
‘It really has changed.’
Until the time I participated in the Ciel Bank Cup integrated preliminaries, no one was paying attention to me.
But now it's different.
An unprecedented case of winning the world tournament in the shortest time.
Top 10 ranking right after induction.
The difference in treatment from before was clearly felt.
In particular, even the players who made it to the domestic ranking top watched me with heavy eyes.
And one more.
There were also those who began to admire me.
“Excuse me...”
Two young men cautiously approached.
They looked like research students who passed the amateur selection or new pros who had been inducted for a short time.
“Could you possibly sign this for me?”
They handed me a signature and pen.
I quietly smiled.
“Of course. Shall we take a photo together later?”
“Huh? Yes!”
The kid who handed it first wrote my name in Hanja on the signature.
“Name?”
“Research student Park Ji-an.”
I also wrote a blessing under the signature to enter the association.
“T-thank you!”
Next was another kid standing beside.
His age was similar but he seemed a bit calmer.
“I am... Kang Chan.”
“Kang Chan?”
A name I've heard somewhere.
After a moment, it clicked.
“Inducted this year?”
“Yes, that's me.”
A prodigy who defeated Park Junsu, amateur ranking 1st, and succeeded in the youngest induction.
A genius evaluated as a key figure to lead the next Korean Go world.
And.
“Are you playing against me today?”
“Huh? Ah, ah... yes!”
Kang Chan's face turned red up to his ears.
In his bewildered eyes, there was a tremor.
I lightly smiled and finished signing the signature.
“Good luck today.”
“H-haha, I'll learn one move.”
He bowed his head deeply, and instead, I shrugged my shoulders.
“Learn? You inducted faster than me, so I should learn from you.”
“Ah, no! What's important about that. Mr. Kim is already a title holder... he's my role model.”
“Me?”
Kang Chan nodded repeatedly.
Every word had breath. It was sincere.
Hearing those words, I felt a bit real.
Having become a target of admiration for someone and standing in a place of envy I wanted to reach.
Until now, it was something I had never imagined.
‘Because I was always at the bottom.’
I who had only looked up to someone.
Now, I had risen to a position where someone was looking at me and dreaming.
‘It's mysterious.’
I smiled briefly and quietly said once more.
“Then, let's play today without any regrets.”
“Yes!”
After saying goodbye, I entered the preliminary match room.
Fifteen minutes later, the referee entered and roughly explained the rules.
And.
“Let's start the King of Kings Cup preliminary round 3 match.”
I lightly exchanged glances with Kang Chan sitting across the Go board and greeted him.
Chwack.
Removing the stones.
‘White.’
Tap.
Kang Chan placed his first move.
Then the opening unfolded.
According to AI's orthodox, but inducing changes by deviating from the sequence.
No caution, no hesitation, rough and bold.
‘This Go...’
In Kang Chan's Go, which he said he would learn, I suddenly felt familiarity.
Shaking.
Wild intuition.
A strange knot where senses and calculation intertwined.
Mixed sense of familiarity and unfamiliarity, gradually leading me to certainty.
Yes, I know this Go.
Probably no one knows this Go better than me.
Why?
‘Because I'm playing it like this.’
My Go was challenging me now.