Genshin Impact: Joining the Genius Society Chapter 44: Kamisato Ayaka: “Ei? How did you get so big?”

"Checkmate!"

Su Ran’s face lit up with excitent as he declared victory, while Kamisato Ayaka sat across from him with a rather sour expression.

In the span of just two hours, they had already played seven rounds.

The first was a teaching ga, where Ayaka had patiently shown him the rules.

By the second, however, Su Ran’s progress was astonishing—he managed to hold her, the genius of shogi, to a draw.

At first, she hadn’t been serious.

But by the third ga, Ayaka no longer dared to underestimate this god who had only just learned to play.

She went all out, intending to prove one thing— that Kamisato Ayaka was no pushover.

And then... she was thoroughly crushed.

From the fourth ga onward, she poured her heart into every move, treating Su Ran as a true rival.

But she still underestimated his strength.

The mont he treated shogi as a puzzle to be solved, just like his research challenges, the board beca trivial to him.

What had been a tough battle beca sothing he could solve at a glance.

And with each loss, Ayaka’s composure cracked further.

"Lord Su Ran... may I ask again—was this really your first ti playing shogi?"

After several defeats in a row, she was ready to swear off shogi for life.

Who learned a ga in two hours and could utterly trample soone who had trained from childhood?

"I have no reason to lie to you. This is my first ti in Inazuma, so naturally it’s also my first ti playing shogi."

Her crumbling expression was delightful to him.

Perhaps it was precisely because she was so confident in her own skill that losing so miserably left her this shaken.

The more of a genius one was, the less willing they were to accept defeat.

"But I’ve trained since I was young... how could I lose so easily?"

If it had been after a few more rounds, she wouldn’t feel so powerless.

But aside from the first teaching ga, she hadn’t won a single one.

Even gods should play fair, shouldn’t they?

"Because your heart was unsettled."

"My heart... unsettled?"

Her eyes widened in confusion.

"I’m a genius. I learn quickly, no matter the subject. I’ve already grasped this ga, but you kept treating as a beginner."

But... you are a beginner!

Ayaka wanted to retort.

Yes, he wasn’t clumsy, his learning ability was frighteningly high— but two hours of practice still made him a novice, didn’t it?

Still, she understood what he ant.

He was telling her: Don’t treat as a novice. Treat as a master.

And that thought only crushed her spirit further.

Because what truly hurt wasn’t just losing at shogi— it was facing his monstrous talent head-on.

"Shall we play another round?"

Su Ran extended the invitation.

If she refused, her spirit might truly shatter.

If she accepted, perhaps he’d go easy on her this ti.

Ayaka stared at him, expressionless.

"Lord Su Ran... do you find it amusing to keep bullying ?"

"I won’t deny it. But honestly... you’re beautiful when you play."

The sincerity in his words reached her ears clearly.

She gazed at him intently— and in the end, it was as if she laid down her arms.

"If it is your wish, Lord Su Ran, then... one more ga."

Behind her, Raiden Makoto thought to herself:

...This girl is even easier to coax than Ei.

This ti, with her heart calr and Su Ran deliberately holding back, Ayaka finally managed to scrape out a narrow victory.

"Phew..."

Yet the win brought little joy.

She could feel it—Su Ran had eased up considerably.

Anyone else might not notice, but after losing so many tis, the change was obvious to her.

"Even if you wanted to help regain my confidence, Lord Su Ran, there was no need to go so easy on ."

If he wanted to throw a ga, he could have done it more subtly.

Instead, giving her such a clean victory only left her empty inside.

"Bullying girls is never a good thing."

Su Ran put on the air of a gentleman, as though he hadn’t just trounced her rcilessly.

"...For those words to co from your mouth, now that’s rare."

Ayaka didn’t believe him for a second.

Hadn’t he just said a mont ago that his favorite pasti was bullying her?

Now he was saying bullying girls was wrong? Contradictory much.

"May I play a round?"

The voice from behind made Ayaka stiffen.

She turned—and saw a gentle smile.

"General?" she asked cautiously.

"No. My na is Makoto, not the ’Shogun’ you speak of."

Facing Ayaka directly for the first ti, Raiden Makoto finally realized: this was a true young lady of high birth.

Her manners, her poise— in every respect, she surpassed Ei.

Even her beauty was exquisite.

No wonder she was Su Ran’s object of pursuit.

"Lady Makoto, please sit."

Ayaka quickly gathered herself.

So this was the gentle Raiden the Shogun had spoken of.

"Thank you."

Makoto knelt gracefully onto the cushion Ayaka had just vacated.

She reset the pieces on the board, then looked at Su Ran.

"I know a little shogi myself. Might I have the honor of a ga with you, Mr. Su Ran?"

"Of course. When a beautiful young lady asks, it’s hard for to refuse."

If playing with Ayaka had been one-sided domination, then surely this millennia-old goddess would provide a true challenge.

He welcod it.

As the two began their match, Ayaka turned toward the other Raiden present.

"General?" she whispered.

"I am Ei."

Lady Ei?

Ayaka blinked.

Just yesterday, she had held Ei in her arms, small enough to cuddle.

And today... she was taller than Ayaka herself.

"Lady Ei... how did you get so big...?"

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