Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Embar P.O.V

Me and my mother sits in front of Tobirama who is acting as a the advisor of Hokage. And, it is his duty to greet the guest of village in the hokage absence. So, we are meeting with him now while making some small talks. It is my mother who is mainly talking with him though. I just smiles gently throughout their talk without disturbing them. After my mother laughs amusedly after talking about our early arrival, Tobirama turns towards me and ask while smiling gently like a neighborhood uncle but, I can see his piercing gaze that is trying to looks at me and analyze me.

But, I do not falter under his calculating eyes because I have long since mastered how to judge a person's character with a glance. So, it is not difficult for me not to fool his eyes. He is still unexperienced. Well, I can't blamed him. After all, he is just 40 somewhat while I am more than 70 mentally.

"I see. So, you are the rumored Genius child of Uzumaki. I am Tobirma Senju. Nice to meet you, kid." (Tobi)

"Nice to meet you too, Mister Tobirama. I am Embra Uzumaki. I am sorry if I have inconvenienced you because of my excitement and rushed the trip." (Embra)

"Aha. No problem at all, Kid. OH. You can just call me uncle. We are relative after all. Though I am curious about your excitement. What are you excited about? To meet Tsunade?" (Tobi)

Why the hell would I be after a five years old kid? Are you idiot?

Well, that is what I would like to say but, I replies him without a change in my expression.

"I would be lying if I said, I am not excited to meet her, Uncle Tobirama. But, I am more excited in meeting you two. Uncle Hashirama, who is called God of Shinobi and you, the second God of shinobi." (Embra)

"Oh? You want to meet us? Ok then. You are meeting me now. So, what can I do for you?" (Tobi)

He did not denied the title. Whatever. I am getting annoyed at his gaze that is trying to find me out. So, how about I show you, what I am, dear uncle?

"Please play a match of Shogi with me." (Embra)

I slightly bows towards him when saying that, which makes him raise an eyebrow at me. It is not only him though, even my mother and Emiko-san raise an eyebrow at me, not understanding my intentions. But, I ignore them and looks up at Tobirama while tilting my head a little to ask him what is he surprised about.

"Ahahaha. You are interesting Kid. It has been a while since I laugh like this. Alright. I still have some free time before lunch. So, how about we play a match now?" (Tobi)

"Agreed. Let's play a match now." (Embra)

I agrees immediately and he walks towards a corner with an amused smile on his face while my mother and Emiko-san could not understand what is happening. They must have sensed something between the two of us. But, they decided to stay quiet while sipping a cup of tea each. My mother is already used to my sudden change in behavior. So, she is taking it easy. But, the same cannot be said to Tobirama. That cunning man has still not drops his guard towards me for once. After all, his heartbeat remained the same since the moment we come in to this room.

Not once, his heartbeat change a little. Even when I ask a Shogi match to him. It may be due to his rich experience in Shinobi career but, his analyzing eyes cannot be hidden from me. Seeing that, I could not sense hostility from him, it seems he is curious about my intelligence and mature aura around me. After all, no eight years old can show this kind of intelligence except for genius like Itachi or someone like that of course.

So, I can somewhat understand his curiosity but, I still do not like his analyzing eyes. So, I decided to teach him a little lesson with a shogi match which I am confident in. Let me show you, Tobirama. What it means to face against some one who holds the title of 'Meijin' in Shogi.

Hmm... Now that I am dead on earth, I can call myself 'Eisei Meijin', lifetime Meijin, right? Whatever. Now Now. Let start this game...

(AN: The word meijin refers to a highly skilled master of a certain field like the various arts found in traditional Japanese cultures. In short, the title holder is the best among best in a certain field. In shogi, the title 'Eisei Meijin' aka lifetime Meijin, is only given to a person who win the title 'Meijin' for five times in his life. The title is only officially awarded upon their retirement or death. In the long Japanese Shogi History, only 19 people hold this title and that says a lot. You can just understand this as the person who is the best in Shogi.)

P.O.V changed

Right now, in the wide meeting room of Senju compound, only the sound of shogi pieces hitting the board can be heard.

*tik* *tik*

It is not like there is no one in the room, in fact, there are five people in the room beside from Embra and Tobirama who is playing the shogi. There are Embra's mother: Amane, high ranked clan member: Emiko Senju, elder sister of Amane: Mito Uzumaki, daughter of Hashirama and Mito: Yukina Senju, and granddaughter of Mito: Tsunade Senju.

Not even one person is making a sound because they are so absorbed in the Shogi that Embra and Tobirama are playing. Before the match, Embra proposed that they play a five second Shogi because it is nearing lunch. Tobirama, of course, agreed not doubting a bit that he is trapped.

Five second Shogi is a kind of match that is only played between pro Shogi players who hold 'Meijin' title. As the title say, each player has only five seconds to make a move and if one did not make a move within the time five-second frame, another player can make a make. It is a kind of shogi match that is quite challenging and one of the hardest types of shogi.

But, there is one saving grace to both players, naming: extra thinking time which means that each player have '30 minutes' extra time beside the five seconds rule for a match. For example, if a player cannot think a move between five-second time frame, he can request for extra time or pass his turn. In the case that he ask for extra time, it will be reduced from the total 30-minutes extra time. Meaning that, if he takes 5 minutes thinking, he will be left with only 25 minutes for extra time which will not be filled till a match end.

If it is modern time, there will be timer and such but, as there is no timer yet, Embra uses hourglass and two incense sticks. The small hourglass can show five seconds time and the incense stick is for extra time. They played like this: Embra makes a move first and turn the hourglass. And, as soon as all the sand has fallen, Tobirama makes a move and turn the hourglass. Then, Embra makes a move after all the sand has fallen. Like this, they have been playing and both party do not use the incense stick till it hit twenty minutes after the match starts.

Tobirama is the first one to light the incense stick and ask for extra thinking time. After he is done thinking, he put out the fire in incense stick by cutting the burned part of the stick. Right now, Tobirama's incense stick is only left with half the original size. Meaning that, he is only left with half of the extra time while Embra's stick has no burnt part or such which indicates that he had not asked for the extra time yet.

It has been half an hour since the match starts and now there are only a few pieces left on the shogi board which indicates that the match is nearing the end. To find out which side is winning, one only have to look at the faces of both Embra and Tobirama. One will surely find out the result of the shogi match just by seeing the facial expression of the two because Embra is smiling innocently and siting in a relaxed state while Tobirma is sweating a lot and his whole body is tensed from pressure.

'... What is this? What did go wrong? Why the hell am I losing against an eight year old child in Shogi? No, he is not just a simple child nor is he a simple amatuer in Shogi, This pressure... only those who have been playing shogi for their whole live can exude this much pressure. It feels like I am just a prey to him!

How? How can a mere child exude this much pressure which I cannot even stand tall under it?' (Tobirama's thought)

It is not a surprise that Tobirama is feeling this much pressure because in a five-second shogi match, even a second is precious. And, one has to come up with a move or a strategy under the short time frame of five seconds. One has to think whether he has to attack, defense, avoid, trap or gain an advantage by sacrificing a few pieces. In a normal match, one would not feel this much pressure but, this is a five-second shogi, a kind of match only played by the best shogi players.

That's why, Embra who has the experience of playing shogi for nearly fifty years and the owner of a hundred titles in Shogi world, is used to this kinds of shogi. It is also the reason why he is feeling completely relaxed in this kind of shogi match where one only has seconds to move. On the other hand, Tobirama, who has never played these kind of shogi before is pressured like he is in a life or death battle.

It is not that, Tobirama has low intelligence or never played shogi before. It is just, he has no experience in playing these kinds of Shogi match. Therefore, for Tobirama, playing against Embra feels like-

' -I am punching a wall. An unmovable wall. No matter how I attack or defense, avoid his attack or trap him, I - I see no wining. It is like he is seeing everyone of my move. Did he have a future vision? How much have one have to play for one to foresee this much? How? How many match did he played to be this good?' (Tobirama's thought)

A sweat dropped from Tobirama's head. Mito Uzumaki, who knows how intelligent Tobirama is surprised seeing the state of him being pressured in a shogi match against an eight-year old child. Granted, it is not a normal shogi match, but, it is rare for Tobirama to be cornered this much in a match of intelligence. After all, Mito herself have witnessed how Tobirama come out on top against a nara clan member in a shogi match. So, it is no wonder, she is surprised to see Tobirama losing against a child.

The same can be said for the other people in the room. They are also surprised at Tobirama's losing. Even a five-year old Tsunade is sitting quietly on her mother's lap as she too can feel the tense atmosphere in the room.

RIght now, Tobirama, who saw that he has no chance of winning in this match, is looking straight at Embra's golden eyes, which feels like there are deep wisdom in there. He is no longer thinking about the match. He is thinking about the reason behind this match. The reason behind Embra's request to ask for a shogi match.

'What is it? What does want to say? Throughout the match, he played boldly. He did not try to defense. It was just a plain head-on battle. But, even so, I lost against him. This is not the point, Tobirama. Think. Think why is doing that! Think why did he play boldly? Think why did he crush me comple- Ah. I see. now. I see. So, this is what he wants me to see, no. This is what he wants to teach me.' (Tobirama's thought)