I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 140: When the Demon Blade is Drawn

"Attaching at the corner would have been the safer choice, but this Clamp is undoubtedly a powerful move!"

Everyone could feel the sharpness of Black’s move, its piercing intent sending chills down their spines.

"This move not only clamps down on White but also expands Black’s territorial potential. It leaves White with no breathing room!"

"But more importantly—since White played a One-Space High Approach, and Black responded with a Two-Space High Clamp..."

The spectators felt their mouths go dry. They didn’t dare think further.

Because they had already heard it—

The sound of a long blade being unsheathed.

The sound was faint—yet terrifying.

"A Clamp?"

After a brief moment of thought, he reached into his Go bowl and gently placed a stone.

Clack.

Column 7, Row 4—Large Knight's Move!

But just as White's stone touched the board, Su Yiming immediately followed—placing his move right beside White's approach stone!

His move carried the weight of thunder.

Clack!

Column 5, Row 5—Attach!

"This...!"

The entire room collectively swallowed hard.

"This is… the Demon Blade!"

The Demon Blade had been drawn!

Even though some had anticipated this move, actually seeing it land sent shivers down their spines.

"What kind of game is this turning into?!"

The lower side had barely settled after the Great Avalanche, and the board seemed to be stabilizing. But now—within just ten moves—the game had spiraled into absolute chaos once again.

A One-Space High Approach met with a Two-Space High Clamp—this was the Demon Blade!

Many had perished beneath the crushing weight of the Great Avalanche, just as many had been slashed apart by the razor-thin frosted edge of the Demon Blade.

And now, this blade had been unsheathed.

Even the glint of its frosted steel was enough to send chills down their spines.

This joseki was notorious for its complexity.

Its variations numbered in the thousands, making it one of the most intricate sequences in all of Go.

Even the player who initiated the sequence could end up being devoured by it.

That was why it was called—

The Demon Blade.

Among the three most difficult josekis in Go—the Great Avalanche, the Demon Blade, and the Large Diagonal—even one appearing in a game was enough to terrify most players.

But in this game...

The Great Avalanche had just unfolded—

And now, the Demon Blade had followed.

"Why...?"

Pu Weize couldn't understand it.

"Black had already secured thickness on the lower side. Why risk everything to force this brutal fight against White?"

"Neither player can afford a single mistake. The position is razor-thin—even a slightly slow move could result in a complete collapse."

Ma Zhengyu's eyes remained locked on the board, his heart pounding.

"The fight in the upper left... is a fight for the entire board."

"Whoever wins here—wins the game!"

Qiao Anli, barely breathing, kept his gaze fixed on the board.

The game had already completely shattered his expectations.

"Black’s Attach is the strongest move possible. Now, three Black stones are surrounding White’s High Approach. There is no escape."

"Unlike in the Great Avalanche, White must fight back this time."

Taking a deep breath, Qiao Anli forcefully suppressed his anxiety.

He could already feel the tension slicing through the air like a blade.

"If White hesitates, it’s over. Black won’t just gain influence—"

"White will be slaughtered under the Demon Blade."

Yu Shao stared at the board.

For a long time, he didn’t move.

Then—

At last—

He reached into his Go bowl.

Clack!

Column 5, Row 6—Hane!

The crowd held their breath.

The storm had begun.

White had no choice but to fight back.

Faced with Black’s triple Clamp, White had no room to retreat—

He met the Demon Blade head-on.

He had no choice but to counterattack!

Su Yiming’s pupils slightly contracted.

Then—

His expression changed subtly.

"It’s here!"

Despite being trapped in the most brutal joseki in existence, Su Yiming was—

Utterly calm.

He stared at the board, expression unreadable.

His mind was rapidly calculating the possible variations.

A fight under the Demon Blade was bound to be brutal.

Even as the one who initiated it, Su Yiming knew—

He had no guarantee of survival.

"The Demon Blade does not only kill the opponent—"

"It can kill the wielder as well."

"This is a battle with no retreat."

"Whoever survives... wins everything."

Su Yiming took a deep breath.

His expression became eerily calm.

But beneath that calm—

An unwavering resolve was taking shape.

"No mistakes. Not even a slow move. One hesitation, and I’ll be crushed."

"But... the same goes for him."

His gaze hardened.

"I must cut into his weakest point—strike the fatal blow!"

"No matter what—this battle must be fought to the very end!"

Without hesitation, Su Yiming reached into the Go bowl.

A stone snapped onto the board.

Clack!

Column 6, Row 5—Extend!

It was not a retreat.

It was not backing down.

It was a move that fortified his position—while setting up a deadly counterattack.

This move—

Prepared for the upcoming assault on White’s two central stones.

Yu Shao immediately responded.

Clack!

Column 4, Row 4—Push!

White had shifted the fight.

Instead of passively defending, he was launching a counterattack on Black’s Small Point!

The initiative was shifting back and forth.

The first to slow down—

Would be the first to fall.

"This... is the Demon Blade!"

Pu Weize could hardly stay still.

"Since the moment White played the High Approach, and Black played the Two-Space High Clamp, every single move has been a knife’s edge!"

The battle was relentless.

The board was painted in blood.

"Even with Black's thick shape in the lower left, under the Demon Blade, he must tread carefully. White is in danger—but so is Black!"

Now, it was Black’s turn to move again.

Su Yiming studied the board intently, then quickly reached into his Go bowl and placed his next move without hesitation.

Clack!

Column 6, Row 3—Jump!

"A Jump..."

Yu Shao remained silent, his gaze locked onto the board.

He didn’t move immediately.

Seconds passed.

Finally, after the entire room waited in anticipation, Yu Shao reached into his Go bowl. The crisp sound of stones colliding echoed as he picked up a white stone—

And then—

Clack!

Column 5, Row 4—Push!

The room froze.

Every single person stared blankly at the board.

Then, almost involuntarily, the spectators leaned forward, their eyes wide with shock.

"This..."

They couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Their minds went completely blank.

"Push?!"

Even Su Yiming, upon seeing this move, sat stunned for a moment, unable to react.

"Did he really... just push through?"

The entire hall fell into absolute silence.

If White's Stand move in the Great Avalanche was shocking—

Then this Push in the Demon Blade was utterly incomprehensible.

At least with the Stand, White had only conceded slight thickness to Black—but had avoided the full avalanche sequence altogether.

But now, in the upper left, the Demon Blade was already in motion.

A single mistake would shatter everything—leading to instant decimation.

And in this particular position, where the Demon Blade joseki had been extensively researched, there was only one correct move—

Hane at the corner.

This was the only proper response.

After the Hane, both sides would enter a series of highly complex variations—

A violent clash centered around a capturing race, spreading across nearly a quarter of the board.

But—

Instead of the Hane—

Yu Shao had chosen to Push?

"This is... a crude move."

On the surface, White’s Push looked aggressive, as if trying to capture a large corner.

But—

If Black simply connected, he would immediately gain influence, securing a stronger outer position—leaving White at a clear disadvantage.

"He really chose to push...?"

Su Yiming stared at the board, mind racing through variations.

After a moment, he took a deep breath, reached into the Go bowl, and played his move.

Clack!

Column 6, Row 4—Connect!

This Connect was almost forced—a direct punishment for White’s move.

Now, Black was ready to launch an all-out attack, intending to trap White and destroy him.

But Yu Shao—

Did not hesitate.

Clack!

Column 5, Row 3—Push again!

"He pushed up again...?"

Su Yiming remained calm, continuously analyzing the board.

"If I cut here, White ataris, I connect, White hanes, I block, White plays a Tiger’s Mouth… Black still maintains outside influence, but while the lower-left thickness extends toward the center, the upper-left fight remains local."

"So... should I Hane?"

Without further hesitation, Su Yiming reached for another stone.

Clack!

Column 5, Row 2—Hane!

Seeing this move, Qiao Anli blinked in surprise.

Then, his expression suddenly changed.

He frowned, falling into deep thought.

"Why not cut? The cut is the obvious move. If it were me, I wouldn’t hesitate to cut White apart—but instead, he chose to Hane?"

Then—

Suddenly—

Qiao Anli’s body stiffened.

A realization hit him all at once.

His breath caught in his throat.

And then—

He inhaled sharply.

"I see it!"

"The cut may look like the best move at first glance, but... after White ataris, Black connects… White actually has a brilliant Jump!"

"That single Jump will limit Black’s expansion and severely disrupt his influence!"

For a brief moment, Qiao Anli was completely speechless.

"Did he even see that?"

"Even though Black would still be ahead after White's Jump, he still chose the more precise move—the Hane!"

He felt a chill run down his spine.

"He’s too strong..."

"He’s not giving White even the slightest opening."

"He’s going to hunt White down—mercilessly."