Komayō

Pride, or the Champion's Soul

Preamble

In the hushed silence of a night-time Shinkansen, Takeshi, undisputed champion of ōgi, accepts a mysterious stranger's proposal of a friendly game. Draped in a kimono of cerulean sheen, she unfolds a style of play as fascinating as it is unusual, opening a confrontation that soon transcends the mere confines of the traditional board.

As the train cleaves the darkness towards Tōkyō, what was meant to be a mere diversion turns into an ordeal in which the champion's pride becomes his most formidable opponent. On this night when certainties waver, Takeshi does not yet know that this chance encounter will mark his existence for ever.

Between the Pages

The Apparition

The sliding of the carriage door broke the thread of Takeshi's thoughts. A figure stood out in the doorway, draped in a deep blue kimono that seemed to absorb the carriage's subdued light. The traditional garment, unusual on a Shinkansen, drew attention without demanding it—like a key piece strategically placed on a game board.

The First Vertigo

Time now seemed to flow with an insidious slowness, like honey stiffened by the cold. The pieces on the board, once so familiar to Takeshi, took on strangely shifting outlines under his exhausted gaze. His mind, despite the fatigue seeping into his thoughts, went on calculating, anticipating, weaving ever more complex strategies.

Contents

Details

Original Title
Publication Date
Author
Format
Online edition
Collection
The Dark Chronicles of Komayō, episode 2
Genre
  • Fantasy fiction
  • Japanese folklore
  • Supernatural thriller
Cover of the book 'Pride, or the Champion's Soul' - A chess champion facing a mysterious opponent