Road to be the Best Chess Player in the World!-Chapter 556: The Second Round Recap!

"So…"

"…So, what?"

"…Urgh… Are you going to make me say it?! Come on, just give me your best 'I told you so'!"

It was after Claudia's game was over, and now, the little girl was so infuriated by the indifference that Sheva showed. Not like the girl didn't deserve it, of course, what with how much of an asshole she acted around Laysa yesterday. Still, knowing was one thing, but liking it was definitely another.

Sheva himself just let out a long sigh, muttering, 'This is way too early to deal with this shit, right?'

After all, he just left the venue a few minutes ago, and while he won this second round, the thrill of the battle was still there, and he was really in need to ease his mind. Fortunately, there was a small, cozy bakery outside of the hotel, so he had already planned to go there before the third round began.

Or… Well, that was the plan, before Claudia saw him and decided to barge in uninvited.

"Oh, well, what can I do here, Ia?" Sheva sighed tiredly. "It is not like I have never warned you to curb your tone, right? Especially for Laysa. Now that you have already opened that tiger mouth of yours, what can I say? Just get ready to receive the other end of it from Laysa later." Sheva shrugged, showing his stance before the war could start.

Claudia gnashed her teeth angrily, knowing full well that Sheva was right here. She racked her brain, not wanting to receive the teasing from Laysa later. Unfortunately, just like the game against Medina before, no matter how hard she thought, everything seemed to meet a dead end here, so many roads without a destination.

'…Tch, her mocking shouldn't matter that much here. Also, the more she talks, the more I would be satisfied to beat her in the future. I am sure that with how small the tournament is, we will meet each other sooner or later. I really cannot wait for that day to happen…'

Later, Medina came to say hello, and she also didn't forget to tease Claudia and him a little bit.

"You know, I can see her improvement, but her style is not mature yet. She is still full of hesitation. It seems that your teaching skills are still not up to your real skills, Sheva." She smiled while also ruffling Claudia's hair with a rare fond smile on her face.

"Sister Medina, don't do that, please!" Claudia complained, still in a sour mood. After all, she had just lost against the older woman, so it would be strange if she was happy to be treated like this.

"Well, with only one and a half months of training, even I cannot do that much, you know?" Sheva sighed helplessly. "It is good already that she can improve, but the best training is still a real combat situation. Also, it is you who is her opponent, Sister, and you seem to be determined to snatch the ticket for the World Cup, so it is no wonder she is not your match here."

Claudia huffed once again, this time while also giving a stinky glare at the boy. While she could admit that, it didn't mean she was happy to hear that her defeat was unquestionable.

They chatted for a while, trying to catch up with each other as they hadn't met each other for a while. In the end, though, the older woman rose from her seat, deciding to leave first to prepare for the next round.

"Good luck, you two! Also, Sheva, let's go together to the World Cup next September!"

She said it like it was not an empty promise, but the woman intended to bleed to realize this. It was clear at this point that she was prepared to take over this tournament more than ever, and she had already proven it by securing two wins out of the two games she played.

However, her path wouldn't be so easy. Alongside her, the Mongolian veteran IM, Batkhuyag Munguntuul, was also able to sweep the first two games easily. Then, there was also Irene, who still hadn't finished her second round inside the venue, and if Anna and Laysa were able to rise after a surprising draw in the first round, they would also be formidable opponents for Medina.

Still, Sheva admired her determination, and while Claudia just huffed silently, the girl had to admit that Medina had a great chance to snatch the win in this tournament.

After that, it was Laysa who came out of the building, and her bright smile as she danced around cheerfully instantly sent a shudder through Claudia's spine. True enough, the moment she saw them both, the girl didn't hesitate to come, and the first thing she mentioned was a jab to Claudia.

"Oh! What do we have here? Someone with only one point? Hey, hey, what happened? Did you lose or what?!"

The exaggerated surprise, combined with a huge grin spread from ear to ear, was enough to rub Claudia the wrong way. However, Sheva had to give a hat's off to her, at least, for her control over her emotions. It seemed that after contemplating last night, Claudia realized that after her cruel remark yesterday, she had to be ready to receive the end of it.

"Stop teasing my sister, Laysa…" Anna's voice suddenly followed, sounding so tired of this nonsense.

When Sheva turned around, he could see that the big sister also had a bright smile, so he couldn't help but ask, "So, you both won your game?"

"Ha! Of course! Who do you think we are?!" Laysa laughed, patting Claudia's shoulder to add more salt to the girl's wound.

"It is not an easy process, but in the end, my opponent slips in the last second, giving me an opening to defeat her," Anna explained softly. "Also, Laysa, don't poke her too much. You know she is about to explode, right?"

True enough, Claudia's face was so dark that Sheva was afraid she would pass out in anger. Fortunately, Laysa knew her limit here, and she left the little girl alone after teasing her relentlessly. Then, once they all sat there, their phones suddenly rang simultaneously, and without even looking at them, all four of them knew what that meant.

"The pairing is out!"

-Author's note-

Hey, everyone! Thank you for supporting my story! I have written a new one with the hope of getting a contract for that story as well, the title is 'The Rise of the Iron Wall!'. It is a football story, so if you like, please give your support by adding it to your collection and giving your power stone to that story! Thanks!