The Company Commander has returned

Chapter 15 - Mago's Chess

Kinjo didn't remember the conversation they had while half-asleep.

He was unsure if it was a dream or reality.

"Mago will rely on the lake and ignore the king's penalty," Kinjo pointed to Mago, who was some distance away.

"But as I said, twice is the limit. We'll make Mago use up the lake entirely."

"And if Mago manages to eliminate us within 10 minutes?" Vel asked.

"He won't. He won't fight back," Kinjo responded and then delivered the next plan.

***

I watched the battle between the 3rd and 4th groups.

After observing for about 5 minutes, the match could be summed up in one word: chaos.

It was all over the place, disorganized, and confused.

It was no surprise, considering the commander had his eyes closed.

"The thirteenth turn," the chief instructor announced quietly.

"Move two spaces to the left!" shouted the king of the 3rd group.

"Did you really move two spaces to the left? Tell me quickly! I can't see!"

"I've just arrived! I'm at... A! A4!"

"Don't be fooled! That wasn't my voice! They're lying on the other side!"

"Damn it, I don't know what's going on..."

"Fourteenth turn."

"Instructor, I'll open my eyes this turn!"

"Understood. Group 3 has used both their chances, so from now on, keep your eyes closed. And Group 4, you can't use a turn this time."

The king of Group 3 slowly opened his eyes, and his expression darkened immediately.

"What the hell? You said you moved to A4!"

"See? I told you! Don't confuse my voice with theirs!"

"Wait, wait. Let me think. I opened my eyes, and the positions are completely different from what I imagined. I can even see where the enemy's pieces are... At this rate, I can't figure out the next move..."

"Just hurry up!"

"Fifteenth turn. Close your eyes again."

Before the king of Group 3 could make a move, the next turn started cruelly.

"Group 3 can't stop us now! Keep moving forward!"

Group 4's king seized the opportunity to move the pieces forward.

In the end, Group 4 won.

Group 3: 0 points.

Group 4: 50 points.

With this victory, the rankings shifted.

After a brief break, the chessboard was set again.

"Groups 5 and 6, step forward."

The instructor called out.

Now, it was my turn.

"Kings, raise your hands."

Kinjo and I raised our hands.

"Ready."

Both groups stepped back.

We stood in a line, three people each, on the opposite ends of the chessboard.

The distance was about 30 meters—within the range of the lake.

"Kings, close your eyes."

As I closed my eyes, I activated the lake.

The ripple passed, and black and white colors spread out.

"Start."

Oscar and Louis drew their wooden swords.

On the opposite side stood Amon and Vel, also holding wooden swords, ready.

"First turn."

"Oscar, Louis, move one space forward."

I carefully moved both of them forward.

"I'll end the turn."

Kinjo did nothing.

The rules of the third trial existed, but they weren't entirely fair.

The pieces were different.

While Oscar and Louis played the role of pawns...

Amon and Vel were bishops or rooks.

Vel, in particular, could even act as a queen, though only once.

I thought of the move Kinjo was about to make.

First, a move that would take advantage of the difference in skill.

With the skill gap, Oscar and Louis wouldn't have any means to break through the defense.

If I opened my eyes, I could stop Amon and Bell for a turn, buying some time.

But that would mean wasting the lake.

No matter how much time was left, the moment I opened my eyes, the number of times I could use the lake would be consumed.

"Hmm..."

Then, the second option.

A move that drags out time and wastes the duration.

Like the first option, it seemed highly likely that Kinjo would try to make me waste the lake for no reason.

If I couldn't use the lake, it would essentially be a 2 vs. 3 fight.

Kinjo's lack of a move made sense.

"Second turn."

"Oscar, Louis, move forward one space again."

"I'll pass my turn."

It seemed like he was trying to buy time.

Seeing Kinjo pass the turn again confirmed that my thoughts were correct.

"Annoying."

That guy always changes when it's exam time.

Kinjo had already been outplayed by the enemy in the battle of wits.

No matter what he was thinking, his weaknesses were already exposed, and it had all started from there.

If things kept going like this, he would just end up being played.

The only thing I could rely on was that Kinjo didn't know about last night's events.

And the fact that I could use the lake not twice, but three times.

"I have to make use of that somehow."

Then I heard the voices of my classmates.

"Why are they so quiet? They're not saying anything, but it's like they know everything..."

"I don't think they should speak... Something feels off. The atmosphere's different."

"Third turn."

The instructor's voice pierced through the chatter.

"Oscar, Louis, move forward one space this time."

"I'll pass my turn."

At that moment, flames began to rise from Oscar and Louis's wooden swords.

Kinjo didn't move his pieces, but in the meantime, he had cast a spell.

The instructor was only observing, meaning Kinjo's actions weren't against the rules.

"Uh?"

"What's going on..."

Oscar and Louis were startled.

"Louis, Oscar. It's just fire. Don't panic."

Kinjo responded as if answering my words.

"Mago, I tried it before, the wooden sword. It burns faster than you think."

Kinjo's third move.

A move that would destroy our weapons.

Group 6 had already decided to drag things out.

In the meantime, they were planning to burn our weapons.

"Can Group 5 even win against Group 6...? They seem outmatched."

"Kinjo uses magic, and Amon and Bell haven't even moved yet."

"What's Mago thinking?"

The voices of my classmates continued to fill my ears.

Kinjo, as always.

And endlessly.

He made me think.

The more I thought, the more I would get caught in his moves.

I had to keep it simple.

I watched the flames on the wooden swords.

Flames that had once been an ally.

Now that Kinjo was the enemy, the flames were also against me.

I needed to turn them back to my side.

"Oscar, Louis, throw your wooden swords."

"Where?"

"At Kinjo. Directly."

His enhancement magic.

Without me, it would only make the enemy stronger.

"Fourth turn."

"I'll pass my turn."

Kinjo passed his turn again, but it was a mistake.

To avoid the wooden swords, Amon and Bell should have moved to defend.

"Throw them!"

Two flaming wooden swords flew toward Kinjo's head.

Kinjo extinguished the fire on the incoming swords.

And then.

He caught the swords with his head.

A loud impact rang out.

"Ki-Kinjo?"

"Kinjo?"

Vel and Amon reacted at the same time.

"Fifth turn."

"Louis, move left one space. Oscar, move right one space."

I began to set up the formation.

"I'll pass my turn. Amon, Vel, stay as you are. I'm fine."

"You're not fine!"

Vel raised her voice.

Blood appeared on Kinjo's forehead.

To me, it looked like black lines on his forhead.

The blood covered his eye and ran down to his cheek.

Kinjo wiped the blood away with his sleeve.

Thanks to his rough wipe, half of his face was covered in blood.

"According to the plan, the king shouldn't be injured, but for some reason, Mago, whenever that guy's involved, the expectations just fall apart."

The instructor muttered quietly.

"Kinjo, don't overdo it. People are calling us 'Majo' because you take the hits like that."

"It's you who's overdoing it, Mago. You should think about the time too. Don't you think we don't have time to joke?"

Kinjo calmly responded.

That bastard.

He was determined to win at any cost.

"Magoo, from home to here, I've received so much help from you. Far more than I should have. I've never once been ahead on my own."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Even without you, I'm still useful. Now's my chance to prove that. I can't afford to lose."

His voice grew lower.

The trial continued.

"Sixth turn."

"Louis, move one space to the left. Oscar, one space to the right. Spread out by one space."

"Vel, Amon, they don't have weapons. It's practically over. So…"

Kinjo's next order.

"Stay still."

As expected, he said that.

The duration of the lake power passed the halfway point.

There was about two minutes left.

"Is this really the same thing the other groups did? This feels like a completely different event."

"What's the next group supposed to do…"

"The rumor about those two beating the thieves of the capital isn't for nothing."

The voices of my peers continued in the background.

Kinjo couldn't ignore the movements of Oscar and Louis, who had spread out.

Vel and Amon.

One of them had to follow.

"Kinjo, what's your next move?"

Who would make the move?

"Seventh turn."

"Louis, move one space forward. Oscar, one more space to the right."

"Vel."

Just as Kinjo began to give his orders.

"Amon."

One of them.

"Both of you, go behind me."

As soon as he finished, my peers stood up.

"Behind...?"

"There's no space behind! What are you going to do if they move back?"

"The King's the leader. You're not going to protect him…?"

"But the instructor hasn't said anything, so..."

The voices of my peers grew louder.

Kinjo's fourth move.

Sending Amon and Vel outside the lake's range, that is.

If he gave them orders beyond my sight, I wouldn't know what was happening.

If I opened my eyes, I would be able to see 50 meters away, but I would use up a turn of the lake power.

Vel and Amon retreated while watching me.

"Eighth turn."

"Louis, prepare to strike Kinjo. Oscar, move forward."

"Both of you, keep going back."

Amon and Bell moved beyond the lake's range.

Now, their figures were no longer visible.

But the fourth move wasn't all good.

There was no one left to guard Kinjo.

"Ninth turn."

"Keep going forward."

"Keep going back."

Now was the time to make the move.

And the next turn was the tenth.

I had told Oscar to move forward regardless of my orders, starting from the tenth.

"Tenth turn."

"Vel!"

Kinjo raised his voice.

It was Vel, as expected.

A horse that could quickly close the gap.

A rook that could move freely in a straight line.

Or even a queen.

"Vel Red! Move forward big!"

Kinjo trusted Bell's explosive power.

She would be at the front in no time.

Out of sight, right up close.

I had no choice left.

"I will open my eyes. Louis, move forward. Oscar, move one space to the left."

"Mago, there's only one chance left to open your eyes. And Kinjo's orders are to be ignored."

I opened my eyes, but Vel couldn't move.

I slowly checked Amon and Vel.

They were just barely outside the lake's range.

If I closed my eyes again, I wouldn't be able to see them.

At the same time, an opportunity appeared in front of me.

Louis had reached Kinjo's front.

Just one more step and I could defeat the king.

"Eleventh turn."

"Louis, forward..."

"I will open my eyes. Vel, Amon. Move forward and block Louis."

"There's no turn for Mago. Kinjo, you have one chance left."

"It was just one more step...!"

Louis stood still, expressing her regret.

Vel and Amon quickly returned forward and protected Kinjo.

"Twelfth turn."

"Louis...!"

"I will open my eyes."

Kinjo had stolen my turn twice in a row.

And then.

"Vel, Amon. Send Louis back."

"Send him back? How?"

"Throw her, push her back. Do whatever it takes to send her back. Force her."

"Hey, Kinjo..."

Amon's expression turned to one of horror.