Chapter 44: THE FESTIVAL BEGINS (Part 5)

After their stomachs were full and their spirits had started to lift, Kai gathered his students back under the shady tree. They sat in a circle, this time with more serious expressions. The food and drinks had been tidied up, and now it was time to focus on the next match.

Kai stood in the center of the circle, his eyes looking at each of his students one by one. "Alright, now let’s discuss the next event. Soon there will be a chess match. And we’ll be represented by Eve."

Eve, sitting in the corner, lifted her head from her laptop. Her round glasses had slipped slightly down her nose, and she pushed them back up with a habitual movement. "I’m ready, Sir."

Rin, sitting beside Eve, patted her shoulder. "You can do it, Eve. We all believe in you. Out of everyone in this class, you’re the most suitable to represent us in chess. Your brain is super sharp."

Mira nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. "Yes! Eve will definitely win! Mira is sure! Mira has seen how Eve plays chess during practice with Mr. Kai, it was really cool!"

Eve smiled slightly, but her eyes remained serious. "I’ll do my best. But I need to know who my opponents will be. I need time to analyze their playing styles."

Kai nodded, then opened a small notebook from his pocket. "I’ve seen the participant list. There are eight classes participating in this chess competition. Class 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, and us. Eight participants total."

"So Eve has to play three matches?" Ella asked, calculating quickly. "With eight participants, a knockout system means four matches in the first round, two in the second round, and one final."

Kai nodded. "Exactly. It’s a knockout system. Eight participants will play in the first round, four winners advance to the second round, two winners advance to the final, and one winner becomes champion."

"So Eve has to win three times?" Rin asked, her eyes widening slightly. "That means she has to play three times in a row? That’s really tough."

"Exactly," Kai answered. "Three matches. And each match will get harder because the opponents will also get stronger. In the first round, the opponents are usually still average, but in the second round it starts getting tough, especially in the final."

Eve let out a long sigh. Her intelligent eyes moved quickly, analyzing the possibilities she would face. "Who’s my opponent in the first round?"

Kai looked at the list he was carrying. "In the first round, you’ll be facing Class 2.3. They’re quite tough, but I’m confident you can beat them."

Mira clenched her fists in front of her chest. "Eve will definitely win! I’m really sure!"

Rin added, "You’ve been practicing with Mr. Kai, Eve. You can definitely do it. Besides, we’ve been training for months for this."

Eve smiled slightly, then looked at Kai. "Sir, do you have any specific advice for the match later? Besides what you’ve taught me all this time?"

Kai sat beside Eve, his voice soft but firm. "First, don’t rush. Take time to think before every move. Second, observe your opponent’s playing patterns. Find their weaknesses. And third, don’t forget the special rules we’ve been practicing. That will be your advantage."

Eve nodded, noting all of Kai’s advice in her mind. "Okay, Sir. I’ll remember all of that."

"Besides that," Kai continued, "remember that chess isn’t just about defeating your opponent. It’s about managing resources, about sacrificing something to gain something bigger. You’ve been practicing with special rules. You already understand the value of each piece. That will give you an advantage."

Eve pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I understand, Sir. I’ve memorized all the piece values and how to use them effectively."

Mira, hearing that, immediately asked, "What special rules, Sir? What has Eve been practicing all this time? Mira is really curious!"

Kai smiled. "That’s a secret. You’ll see for yourselves during the match."

Mira pouted her lips but didn’t ask further. "Hmph, Mr. Kai is so secretive."

The atmosphere in the chess room started to feel tense. Long wooden tables were arranged in rows, each with a chessboard and pieces already neatly arranged in their starting positions. The lights on the ceiling shone brightly, illuminating every corner of the room clearly. Spectators started arriving, sitting in the chairs provided around the competition area.

Eve sat at one of the tables, facing her opponent from Class 2.3—a girl with short hair and a serious expression. Around them, the spectators started whispering, predicting who would win.

"They’re starting," Rin whispered from the stands. "Eve looks really calm. Like she has no burden at all."

Mira gripped Rin’s hand tightly, her fingers almost turning white. "Mira is really nervous, Rin. Mira is afraid Eve will lose."

"Be patient, Mira. Trust Eve. She’s been practicing hard with Mr. Kai."

Kai stood near Eve’s table, not too close but close enough to observe every move she made.

At the table, Eve and her opponent faced each other. The referee gave the signal, and the match began. Eve’s opponent opened with a king’s pawn move—a classic move Eve had seen many times. Eve responded with the same move.

"Both are starting with classic moves," Kai whispered to himself. "This will be a long match."

Eve’s opponent started pressing on the left side of the board, trying to break through Eve’s defense. But Eve moved calmly, maintaining her position neatly. She didn’t rush to attack, only defending and observing.

"Why isn’t Eve attacking?" Mira asked softly, her eyes not blinking from the chessboard.

Ella, sitting beside her, answered, "She’s reading her opponent’s game. She’s looking for weaknesses. If she attacks without knowing the opponent’s patterns, she could fall into a trap."

At the table, Eve started finding an opening. Her opponent was too aggressive on the left, leaving the right side open. With careful movements, Eve moved her queen into a threatening position.

Eve’s opponent was surprised. She tried to defend, but it was too late. Eve kept pressing, and one by one, her opponent’s pieces started falling.

"Eve captured the opponent’s rook with her queen," Kai whispered. "A good move."

Eve’s opponent tried to counterattack, but Eve had already anticipated it. With quick movements, she captured the opponent’s knight with her bishop.

"She lost two pieces at once," Rin said from the stands. "Eve is starting to pull ahead."

Mira cheered softly. "Eve is amazing! I knew she could do it!"

Eve kept pressing, not giving her opponent room to breathe. In just twenty minutes, the match was over.

"Checkmate," Eve said in a calm voice.

The referee raised his hand. "Winner: Class IX-9."

Mira immediately jumped from her seat, her hands raised in the air. "EVE WON! EVE WON!"

Rin smiled widely, sighing in relief. "I knew she could do it. Eve is really good."

Eve stood up, stepping away from the table with a flat expression. But her eyes were sparkling.

"Good job, Eve," Kai said, approaching her. "One more match until the final."

Eve nodded. "I’ve seen the opponent’s playing patterns. They’re too aggressive at the start and forget to defend. That’s their weakness."

Kai smiled. "That’s a good observation. Now, get ready for the next round."

Rin approached Eve, patting her shoulder. "You’re amazing, Eve! I knew you could do it! Your play was really cool earlier!"

Mira hugged Eve tightly, almost making her lose her balance. "Eve is amazing! Eve will be champion! Mira is so proud of Eve!"

Eve smiled slightly, her eyes still focused on the next match. "I’m not champion yet. There are still two more matches. And the next one will definitely be harder."

In the second round, Eve faced an opponent from Class 1.3—a boy with thick glasses and a fully concentrated expression. Although he was younger, he played very carefully and measuredly. In his hands, the pieces moved with impressive precision.

Rin, watching from the stands, frowned. "He looks really serious. Like he’s been playing chess his whole life."

"Yeah," Ella said. "That kid must have trained hard. I heard he was champion at the city-level chess competition last year. He’s already famous among young chess players."

Mira listened carefully, her eyes widening. "So he’s really good?"

"Yes," Ella answered. "But Eve has also been practicing with Mr. Kai. I’m sure Eve can beat him."

At the table, the match progressed slowly. Eve’s opponent didn’t rush, every move carefully calculated. Eve also didn’t press, choosing to observe and wait.

"Why are they taking so long?" Mira asked, impatient. Her legs moved restlessly. "Mira can’t take this anymore!"

"This is a careful match," Kai answered, still standing near the table. "Both are looking for each other’s weaknesses. Whoever is more patient will win."

Eve’s opponent started moving his knight, trying to break through Eve’s defense. But Eve had already anticipated that move. With quick movements, she captured the opponent’s knight with her bishop.

"They’re exchanging pieces," Iris whispered from the stands. "Eve lost a bishop, but the opponent lost a knight. That’s a profit for Eve."

"But Eve has more points now," Sera added from the side. "According to the special rules taught by Mr. Kai. A bishop is worth 3, a knight is also 3, but Eve still has more pieces."

Eve’s opponent kept pressing, but Eve remained calm. She kept maintaining her position, not giving her opponent room to attack. The opponent started looking frustrated. She tried to attack on the right side, but Eve easily blocked it.

"Eve is defending really well," Katrin said. "She’s like an impenetrable wall."

"Eve’s opponent is starting to lose patience," Nora added. "That’s the biggest weakness in chess. Once you get emotional, your play becomes chaotic."

Finally, Eve saw an opening. Her opponent was too focused on attacking and forgot to protect her king. With quick movements, Eve moved her queen into a deadly position.

"Checkmate," Eve said.

The referee raised his hand. "Winner: Class IX-9."

Mira was hopping in place, her fists clenched in front of her chest. "EVE WON AGAIN! EVE WON AGAIN!"

Rin sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "One more. Just one more. This is the final."

Kai approached Eve, who was tidying her pieces. "You played very well. But the next match will be the hardest."

Eve lifted her head, her eyes looking at Kai seriously. "Who’s my opponent?"

Kai pointed to a table in the corner of the room, where a girl with long hair and a cold expression was sitting. "Her. Class 3.1. The defending champion from last year. She’s never lost in any festival."

Eve looked at her opponent carefully. Her intelligent eyes moved quickly, analyzing her opponent’s posture and expression. "I’ll beat her."

Rin, hearing that, immediately asked, "Who is she? She looks really intimidating?"

Ella answered in a soft voice. "She’s Alicia. Chess champion for three years straight. She’s famous for being very difficult to beat. Even the teachers sometimes lose to her."

Mira bit her lip, her eyes full of worry. "Eve can do it, right? She can definitely do it, right?"

Eve looked at Mira calmly, her voice full of conviction. "I can. I’ve been training for this."

The atmosphere in the chess room grew even more tense. All the spectators gathered around the center table, where Eve and the defending champion from Class 3.1 would compete. The lights felt brighter, and the whispers started fading into a gripping silence.

Mira gripped Rin’s hand tightly, her fingers trembling. "Mira is scared, Rin. Mira is afraid Eve will lose. Her opponent looks really good."

Rin returned the grip, holding Mira’s hand firmly. "Calm down, Mira. Eve can do it. She’s trained really hard. We’ve all seen it."

At the table, Eve and her opponent faced each other. The girl from Class 3.1—Alicia—smiled slightly, a smile full of confidence. Her long hair was loose over her shoulders, and her sharp eyes looked at Eve with a gaze that felt like she was judging.

"You think you can beat me?" she asked in a soft voice, but loud enough for Eve to hear. Her tone sounded condescending. "I’m the champion for three years straight. You’re just a newcomer."

Eve didn’t answer. She just looked at her opponent with a calm gaze, her eyes behind her round glasses not blinking.

The referee gave the signal. The match began.

Alicia opened with an unusual move—a knight move at the start of the game. Eve was slightly surprised, but she quickly adjusted. She responded with a more careful move.

"An unusual opening move," Kai whispered from the side. "She’s trying to surprise Eve."

"She’s trying to throw off my rhythm," Eve thought to herself. "I need to stay calm. Don’t take the bait."

The match progressed with high intensity. Alicia kept pressing, trying various strategies Eve had never seen before. She moved her pieces quickly, trying to overwhelm Eve.

"Look, Eve is starting to get pressured," one spectator whispered in the stands.

"But Eve is defending well," another added.

But Eve defended well, not giving her opponent room to attack. She wasn’t provoked by Alicia’s attacks, staying calm and focused on her position. Her intelligent eyes kept observing every move her opponent made.

"I can’t let her control the game," Eve murmured softly. "I need to find her weakness."

Mira, watching from the stands, could barely sit still. Her legs moved restlessly, and her hands gripped Rin’s hand tightly. "Eve... come on, Eve... you can do it..."

Rin squeezed her hand tighter, trying to calm her. "Calm down, Mira. She can do it. We have to believe in her."

At the table, Eve started finding Alicia’s playing pattern. Her opponent was too aggressive at the start, trying to take control of Eve’s defense. But Eve was ready. With quick movements, she captured one of her opponent’s pieces.

"Eve captured the opponent’s rook," Ella whispered. "A bold move. But risky."

Alicia was surprised. Her eyes, which had been full of confidence, now started showing a hint of worry. She tried to counterattack, but Eve had already anticipated it.

"I can’t let her control the game," Alicia thought, her brow furrowing. "I need to attack immediately. Otherwise, I’ll lose momentum."

The match lasted for over forty minutes. Both players exchanged pieces, neither willing to give the other an advantage. Sweat started forming on Eve’s forehead, and her hands started trembling slightly. But she remained focused.

"Why are they taking so long?" Mira asked, almost in tears. "Mira can’t take this anymore!"

"This is the final, Mira," Rin said patiently. "Of course they’ll play more carefully. One small mistake can cost the game."

Ella added, "Alicia is the defending champion. Eve won’t be able to beat her easily. But Eve also never gives up."

At the table, Eve saw an opening. Alicia was too focused on defending and forgot to attack. With quick movements, Eve moved her queen into a threatening position.

Alicia was surprised. She tried to defend, but Eve kept pressing. One by one, her opponent’s pieces started falling.

"Checkmate," Eve said in a firm voice.

Silence enveloped the room. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the chessboard. Then, cheers from the stands broke the silence.

Mira immediately jumped from her seat, her hands raised in the air. "EVE WON! EVE WON! I KNEW IT! I KNEW EVE COULD DO IT!"

Rin smiled widely, her eyes sparkling. "She did it! She really did it!"

Eve stood up from her chair, her hands still trembling slightly. But her eyes sparkled with pride. Sweat dampened her forehead, but a smile never left her face.

Kai approached her, gently patting Eve’s shoulder. "You did it, Eve. I’m proud of you. You were truly amazing."

Eve smiled slightly—a smile rarely seen on her face. "I just followed your advice, Sir. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to do it."

Kai laughed softly, shaking his head. "No, Eve. It was all your own effort. You trained hard. You deserve to win. I just gave you guidance, but you’re the one who executed it."

Mira ran toward Eve, hugging her tightly. "EVE! YOU’RE AMAZING! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT! I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!"

Rin, Ella, and the others also approached. They were all smiling and congratulating Eve.

"We won again," Ella said firmly, her eyes sparkling. "This is our second victory today. We’ve shown that we can."

"Let’s celebrate!" Mira exclaimed, her fists clenched in front of her chest. "Mira wants ice cream! This is a big victory!"

They all laughed together. Amidst the crowd, Eve smiled—a sincere smile, a smile that came from deep within her heart.

In the distance, Kai watched them with a small smile. In his heart, there was a pride he couldn’t explain. They weren’t just students. They were family.

Eve looked at Alicia, who was still sitting in front of her, her face showing undisguised admiration. "You played very well," Alicia finally said. "I’ve never met an opponent like you. You really overwhelmed me."

Eve nodded, her eyes looking at Alicia with respect. "Thank you. You also played well. I learned a lot from your game."

Alicia smiled—a sincere smile. "Next year, I’ll beat you. I’ll train even harder."

Eve smiled slightly. "We’ll see. I’ll also train harder."

They shook hands, and Alicia walked away with her head held high.

Eve returned to her friends, still with a smile on her face. Mira immediately approached, holding Eve’s hand. "Eve! You’re the champion! You’re really the champion!"

"We’re champions," Eve said softly, her eyes looking at all her friends. "All of us. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. You always supported me."

Mira cried happily. "Eve... Mira is so proud of you!"

They all laughed together, hugging each other in the midst of the chess room’s crowd.