Road to be the Best Chess Player in the World!-Chapter 499: The Test (I)

’Um?! How could their stats be this low?!’ Sheva was taken aback when he read the information on the interface. Hell, he even double-checked it, wondering if the system showed some errors or not. Unfortunately, the result didn’t change, so he couldn’t help but ask, ’System, can you give me some explanations?’ 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

[What explanation, Host? Their stats are as clear as daylight.] The system answered in its usual cold voice.

’I mean, yeah, I know, but can you explain why they are so low?’ He asked again, trying to push his luck.

[It is because those are exactly their current stats, Host.] The system answered again. [You are getting used to the statistics of those top players, and even Claudia Marisa’s stats are already within the range of IM. You forget that the grassroots player exists, Host, and they are still in that category.]

Sheva was stunned once again, but after that, he began to reflect on his career so far. ’Indeed, I have been spoiled with all of the sponsorships I received, and that privilege allows me to skip from the gruesome grassroots phase that everyone has to pass through. Maybe, this is the system’s way to let me experience the suffering of those people, huh?’

This time, the system didn’t send any answer, but Sheva had already filled everything inside his mind, getting convinced that his theory was right. If anything, though, this only made him more excited, as this was one way to let him give back something to the country.

"Oh, well, since the introduction is over, let’s play some games right now!" He clapped his hands, startling the three teenagers out of nowhere. Seeing their shocked expression, his smile spread wider as he added, "What? Even though I have already watched some of your games in the past, I still don’t know your current situation. Let me assess it directly, and you will also be able to experience how strong a GM is. A fair trade, right?"

The excuse was reasonable, and it was enough to ignite the teens’ fighting spirit. "Fine, this is going to be interesting! Brother Sheva, please give me your guidance!" Nayaka licked his lips excitedly, rolling his sleeves a little to show his seriousness.

"Hey, that’s not fair! I want to play with Brother Sheva first! I am his biggest fan!" Devi complained.

"Uh... I also have never played against Brother Sheva before, so I would like to have a shot first, is that okay?" Duta added, wanting to join the fun as well.

Seeing that those three were enthusiastic over the challenge, the smile on Sheva’s face grew bigger. At least, instead of wilting against a player stronger than them, they were all eager to charge forward, which showed their strong mental fortitude.

"Okay, since Nayaka is the one who sits first, he will also be the initiator. Once he loses, Devi will follow, and after that, Duta, since you have already experienced my guidance in the past, be patient and let the other two do it first. Is that fair?"

The three teenagers stared at each other for a moment, and even though Devi was reluctant to let the first round be Nayaka, she still accepted the suggestion, respecting Sheva’s thought here.

"Don’t embarrass yourself, you hear that, Brother Nay?!" The girl glared, using her fist to threaten the older boy playfully.

"Ha! Who do you think I am?!" Nayaka snorted.

Within a few seconds, a chessboard was set up immediately, complete with the time clock and all the pieces on the table. Both Duta and Devi dragged two chairs so that they could observe the game better, waiting for Sheva to make the move.

"Okay, since it is to assess your ability, the best way to do it is by a rapid game," Sheva explained. "Ten minutes game without any increment, just show your best. Don’t think too much about anything outside the board, and try to show your best here!"

That was the signal for Nayaka to start the game, and with the white pieces in front of him, the boy didn’t hesitate to make the first move. To Sheva’s surprise, the boy didn’t go for any ordinary opening, but decided to start with a bang. He let the knight jump to F3 square, initiating the Reti Opening, which was definitely quite an advanced opening.

’Interesting...’ Sheva smiled, glancing sideways toward the boy. Gone were all the playfulness and excitement that Nayaka showed, and right now, his mood shifted into a serious mode where the boy scanned the whole chessboard with his laser eyes. ’He wants to bait me and let me take the initiative to attack? Does he have the confidence to launch a counterattack?’

Yeah, Sheva himself didn’t think that Nayaka would go for this opening. After all, the Reti System required the white player to have a strong defensive ability, since they would basically let the black player gain a strong initiative in the center. The chance to counterattack would only appear in the ninth or tenth move, and that was if the opponent wasn’t really that familiar with Reti.

The reason why Sheva doubted the boy was that he knew Nayaka’s defensive stat was just 35, the lowest among the three teenagers. It was funny, honestly, that the difference between Nayaka’s offensive and defensive stats was so large that it looked like they didn’t appear in the same person.

Of course, Sheva wouldn’t go all out in this game. No, the purpose here was to let him see Nayaka’s current ability, so beating the boy was never a priority. If anything, Sheva held back a lot, not even attacking Nayaka whenever the boy made mistakes, and he even deliberately created a chance for the boy to launch a counterattack.

However, much to Sheva’s frustration, Nayaka didn’t really show any ambition to attack. Yeah, no matter how many blunders he made, the boy in front of him would only ponder for a moment with a big frown on his face before finally shaking his head, as if rejecting the idea of going bold.

In the end, Sheva had enough, and when the opportunity came, he made a bold move while smirking at the boy in front of him. ’Now, what are you going to do?!’