Japan, Tokyo, in a quiet Go room.
Higashiyama Kaoru knelt before the Go board, gazing at the game before him. After a moment, he shook his head, picked up two white stones and placed them on the board, saying, "I resign."
"Your play here was actually quite good."
Seeing Higashiyama Kaoru's resignation, the slightly overweight man sitting opposite him frowned slightly. Holding a folding fan in one hand and adjusting stones with the other, he said, "But you're always lacking decisiveness."
Higashiyama Kaoru's expression darkened as he lowered his head. "Sensei played too well. I couldn't find any opportunities."
"That's no excuse."
The overweight man lifted his gaze from the board to look at his most promising student, displeasure evident on his face. "How can you blame your loss on the opponent being too strong? You can only blame yourself for being too weak!"
"At first glance, these two statements might sound similar, but their deeper meanings are completely different!"
"The former is avoidance, the latter is challenge!"
"As a Go player, how can you say something like 'I lost because my opponent was too strong'?"Under his teacher's scolding, Higashiyama Kaoru kept his head lowered, not daring to offer any rebuttal.
Seeing Higashiyama Kaoru's silent response, the overweight man's frown deepened. After a long pause, he spoke again: "Higashiyama, while I have many students, among them all, you're the one I value most."
"I've always believed in you—believed you could one day take my place, surpass me, even believed you could eventually replace An Hongshi's position and lead Japanese Go to the top."
"The reason I value you so highly isn't just because of your talent, but more importantly because of your genuine love for Go, your willingness to dedicate your life to it, never retreating even when facing strong opponents."
The overweight man looked directly at Higashiyama Kaoru and asked, "But now, what's happened to you?"
Higashiyama Kaoru kept his head down, lips parting slightly, but no words came out for a long time.
"Ever since the China-Korea-Japan team competition, you've been in a slump. Many people have been disappointed in you." The overweight man tapped the board with his folding fan. "Have you... fallen out of love with Go?"
"No!"
Hearing this, Higashiyama Kaoru immediately raised his head in vehement denial. "I want to play Go! I want to keep playing forever! A hundred games, a thousand games, until the end of my life!"
"Then what exactly is troubling you?"
The overweight man stared straight at Higashiyama Kaoru, his piercing gaze seeming to see right through him.
"I..."
Higashiyama Kaoru's lips trembled slightly. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "I used to think I was talented."
"At ten, I became a professional player with a 23-game winning streak, only suffering my first defeat when I faced Honinbo Shinwa-sensei."
"My goal has always been to stand at the pinnacle of the Go world, to become the strongest player, to lead Japanese Go past Korea and become number one in the world."
"I've been steadfastly moving toward this goal, never afraid of any opponent because I believed that one day, I would surpass them all."
"You always thought that if you kept climbing like this, kept moving forward, everyone would eventually fall behind you, and those ahead would be caught."
"As long as you kept going, you would surely reach that goal."
Higashiyama Kaoru lowered his gaze, long hair obscuring his face, clenched fists trembling slightly. "But... I've realized that's not how things actually are."
The overweight man remained silent, watching Higashiyama Kaoru.
Higashiyama Kaoru's fists clenched tighter as he continued: "The China-Korea-Japan team competition affected me deeply."
"But even after losing, I still believed I could surpass them in the future."
"However, after watching the National Champion and Great Go Player matches... I don't know what to do anymore."
Higashiyama Kaoru's expression showed confusion, his voice weak: "There's truly no way... I... against Yu Shao, against Su Yiming..."
The overweight man listened quietly without interrupting.
After the China-Korea-Japan team competition ended, he knew Su Yiming and Higashiyama Kaoru had played a game where Higashiyama Kaoru lost. The uproar caused by the Great Go Player and National Champion matches was too great—he'd naturally watched them all. Hearing Higashiyama Kaoru's words, he found himself at a loss for harsh criticism.
Those two title matches had indeed been too stunning, shaking even his own heart profoundly.
The overweight man sighed softly, turning his gaze back to the board before them, thinking silently:
"So I misunderstood."
"The reason he never feared any strong opponent before was because he had complete confidence in his own potential."
"He held no awe for the strong, so naturally he wasn't afraid, nor would he retreat."
"Now that he's lost confidence in his own potential... he's finally begun to feel awe."
"A truly strong Go player isn't someone who lacks fear of strong opponents because of self-confidence, but someone who dares to face them even while feeling awe, even without confidence."
"Only such a player can grow..."
"Precisely this kind of player, even if lacking in talent, will go further than the former."
The overweight man kept these thoughts to himself, not planning to voice them, knowing they would be meaningless—this was a path Higashiyama Kaoru had to walk alone.
He too had gone through such a period in his youth.
Back then, young and successful, he'd achieved brilliant results in various Japanese Go tournaments. But at the world competitions, he faced An Hongshi.
That was his first taste of complete helplessness.
At the time, he even felt An Hongshi was an opponent who couldn't possibly be defeated—every thought of his was seen through.
He'd never encountered such an opponent before, with Go style balanced to perfection—opening, middle game, endgame, all flawless. Thick when needed, never thin; fierce when required, never weak; solid when necessary, leaving no gaps.
He couldn't find a single opportunity...
That game left such a deep impression that even after over twenty years, he could still recall it vividly.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the Go room. The next moment, the door burst open as a boy around fourteen rushed in.
The overweight man frowned, about to speak, when the boy shouted: "Sensei! Something big has happened!"
"What is it? Making such a fuss?"
The overweight man said disapprovingly, "Haven't I told you many times not to disturb when we're playing in the Go room?"
"But Sensei!"
The boy swallowed hard, an expression of lingering shock on his face as he blurted out: "The Chinese Go Association is holding a tournament called the Twin Stars Cup for Su Yiming and Yu Shao!"
"In seven days, at the Twin Stars Cup, Yu Shao and Su Yiming will play two games, and the results will determine the ownership of each other's titles!"
Hearing this, the overweight man froze.
Across from him, Higashiyama Kaoru also jerked his head up, looking at the boy in disbelief.
"Twin Stars Cup? Su Yiming? Yu Shao?"
Higashiyama Kaoru said dazedly, "Determining each other's title... ownership?"
......
France, Paris.
Paris Go Newspaper, reporter's office.
"Madness, absolute madness!"
A fair-haired, blue-eyed reporter stared at the announcement from the Chinese Go Association on his computer screen, face full of disbelief: "The Chinese Go Association is actually holding a tournament for just two players to decide title ownership!"
"Huge news!"
Beside him, another reporter looked equally shocked as he quickly dialed a number. Before the call connected, he said to his colleague: "The association organizing a tournament specifically for two players—there's never been precedent for this!"
"Is this for real?"
Someone couldn't believe it: "Maybe the announcement was written wrong?"
"That's the official announcement! They've already published it—must be real!" someone else immediately said.
"My God, this is too reckless!"
Another reporter picked up his phone, swiping to book a flight to China: "No matter the outcome, this tournament will shake the world!"
"Anthony, I've already booked tickets—let's head straight to the airport!"
Someone else stood up hurriedly, speaking to his cameraman partner on the phone: "Grab the DSLR, I'll wait at the parking lot—we're leaving today!"
"This is too exaggerated—how could something like this happen?"
Someone said incredulously: "Although once you win a title it's yours, and in principle how you handle it is your freedom, but these are titles won through such hardship! And the association actually agreed—what will other players who climbed up through the title qualifiers think?"
"Actually, it's not so bad."
Someone shook his head: "The title matches are over—once you win, the title is yours for the year. Even if the title changes hands, other players can still challenge the new title holder in next year's tournament to win it back. It doesn't affect the fairness of title matches, just changes who the challenger faces."
"But what's more outrageous is that both agreed to this—they're really going all in! Who wouldn't want to hold a title longer?"
Someone clicked his tongue: "Title changes usually happen a year later when new challengers emerge—meaning even if you play terribly that year, you're still the title holder. But they..."
"No wonder people say Su Yiming resembles Shen Yi!"
Someone nodded in deep agreement, awed: "The last time I heard of something this outrageous was reading about how Shen Yi offered his entire fortune to anyone who could beat him, just to find an opponent."
"If they're willing, there's nothing more to say. Anyway, we'll be busy now—start drafting the article." Someone else shook his head: "Overtime it is!"
"Pierre, let's go, hurry hurry!"
"Coming!"
"Did you bring the DSLR? And lenses! Bring a spare lens!"
Because of this association announcement, the entire Paris Go Daily office became a flurry of activity—people constantly rushing in and out, phone rings coming one after another, the noise overwhelming.
......
United States, California.
"Deciding title ownership?"
Ma Dong looked at the computer screen for a long time before slowly saying: "How capricious..."
"Master Ma Dong, who do you think will win?"
Beside him, a chestnut-haired young man in his early twenties stared intently at the announcement on the TV screen, unable to resist asking.
"Whoever wins."
Ma Dong shook his head: "Summer's coming—world tournaments will start one after another. No matter who wins, it doesn't change the fact that they'll both be our formidable opponents."
"True."
The young man took a deep breath: "After losing both challenge matches before, we must make our mark in the world tournaments this time!"
"China has Yu Shao, Su Yiming; Japan has Iwakami Shunichi, and Korea, Europe... new talents are emerging everywhere. This year's world tournaments won't be calm."
Ma Dong took out a cigarette case from his pocket, lit one and took a deep drag before slowly exhaling: "Such turbulent times—I feel the Go world's landscape is about to change."
"Where will we stand under this tide of the new era?"
......
"In seven days!"
"The Twin Stars Cup!"
"Yu Shao and Su Yiming will face off in two games deciding each other's title ownership!"
This news spread across the world with lightning speed, immediately causing shockwaves everywhere!
The internet exploded—"Twin Stars Cup" shot to the top of search trends in less than half a day, with views surpassing a hundred million!
Even official news outlets in many countries reported on this tournament!
Holding a tournament specifically for two players was unprecedented, already groundbreaking. That the results would determine title ownership made this earth-shattering news!
Moreover, after Yu Shao and Su Yiming's stunning defeats of Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan to claim their titles, the uproar from the National Champion and Great Go Player matches hadn't even settled yet.
Now with the Twin Stars Cup emerging, the topic instantly reached fever pitch!
Online, people sharply divided into two camps—one believing Yu Shao would win, the other backing Su Yiming—already arguing fiercely.
As days passed, the Twin Stars Cup's popularity only grew.
Though technically a domestic tournament, its impact rivaled world championships, with global internet buzz centered on "Twin Stars Cup."
If this was the reaction abroad, domestically was even more intense—Chinese internet was flooded with "Yu-Su" content. On Go forums, some even called the Twin Stars Cup the "Immortal-Demon Cup" in a nerdy twist.
Because Yu Shao's Go was bizarre, often producing unexpected devilish moves, excelling at crushing opponents in complex fights with ghostly precise calculations—fierce and unrelenting, giving off demonic energy.
While Su Yiming's Go was free and unrestrained, excelling at central sky battles, peaceful yet strategic—neither bizarre nor aggressive, deploying righteous formations like an immortal's array, radiating celestial aura.
One demon, one immortal—their opposition couldn't be starker, showing how eagerly netizens anticipated this clash!