HunterxHunter: Reborn With Crazy Potential

As I approach him, the old man grins and says, "Hey, long time no see! I've been wanting to talk to you, so I asked Lippo if I could take over your final test. Forget that boring gauntlet he had planned I'm going to test your mental skills the best way... With games! If you win, you may pass."

The old man's excitement is so copious, that he looks like a child eager to play. I take a seat, and it quickly becomes clear that I will be playing as black, and he's going to be taking white. As I settle in, we start the initial setup.

I glance up at him. "Hey, can we chat after the game? I'll probably need to focus if I'm going to beat you, old man."

"Sure," he replies, a playful gleam in his eye as we begin.

 The board is wide open. There are no fixed starting positions, and we get to choose where to place our pieces within our three ranks. I take my time, analyzing every piece, and carefully considering where to position each one. My Commander goes at (1,1), near the corner but well protected by the other pieces. It's a bit conservative, but I don't want to leave myself exposed too early.

 Gramps places his Commander at (9,9), all the way across the board. There's something off about it, though. Something doesn't feel entirely safe. I keep placing my pieces with precision, making sure everything has a purpose. My Gold goes at (1,3), another defensive move. The Samurai follows at (2,3), building a structure that can evolve into something more. I spread my pieces out, ensuring flexibility.

 Gramps places his pieces quickly, almost recklessly. Like he's tossing them down without a second thought. Then, he places his Catapult right in the center at (5,5). Not a terrible spot, but it's way too exposed for my liking. Catapults are immobile and vulnerable to attacks. It feels like a trap. I'm not rushing, though. I place my Pawn at (1,2), and my Spy follows at (2,2). Gramps places his Spy at (8,8), and his Pike at (9,4). It's almost as if he's daring me to make a move.

 I finish placing my pieces, having built a solid foundation. I've got a plan, but Gramps's pieces seem scattered and chaotic with no real structure. It's as if he's leaving things up to chance.

 Now that we're done with the initial placement the real game can begin. I'm Black, so I go first. I move my Pawn from (1,2) to (1,3). Simple, but solid. Gramps responds by moving his Pawn from (9,8) to (9,7). I move my Samurai from (2,3) to (3,3), reinforcing my position. It's a defensive move, but it keeps my options open. Gramps moves his Catapult from (5,5) to (4,5). Wait he's leaving it exposed! It's in my range now, and I could strike.

 I pause. I could go for it, but I'm not going to rush. I'll wait for the right moment. Instead, I move my Gold from (1,3) to (2,3), maintaining my defensive posture while advancing. Gramps moves his Lance from (9,6) to (8,6), spreading his forces out. But the Catapult is even more exposed now. It's like he doesn't care.

 I move my Spy from (2,2) to (3,3), keeping it ready to jump over anything that comes my way. Gramps moves his Bow from (9,5) to (8,5). He's spreading his pieces around, but they're becoming more vulnerable. I can't get too greedy, though. I need to stay cautious. No mistakes.

 Gramps's strategy is starting to worry me. I can't quite figure out what he's aiming for, but it feels reckless. He moves his Pike from (9,4) to (8,4). It's a forward move, but why would he push something like that with no backup? I shift my Samurai from (3,3) to (4,3), maintaining control of the board.

 I need to keep my options open, but I also need to keep an eye on Gramps. He moves his Bow from (8,5) to (7,5). He's advancing without a clear strategy. I move my Catapult from (2,4) to (2,5), cautiously keeping things tight. Gramps moves his Lance from (8,6) to (7,6), trying to break through. It's an attempt to catch me off guard, but I've seen this kind of move before. It's not going to work.

 Then Gramps makes a bold move. He pushes his Catapult from (4,5) to (4,6), putting it right in the center of my territory. It's a huge risk. If I capture that Catapult, I'll be in a great position to strike. I lean back for a moment. His pieces are spread too thin, and his strategy is all over the place. He's hoping I'll make a mistake, but that's not going to happen.

 I carefully move my Pawn from (1,3) to (1,4), building momentum in my corner. Gramps moves his Pike from (8,4) to (7,4). Very interesting.

 Without hesitation, I move my Spy from (3,3) to (4,4), leaping over his Catapult. But instead of just capturing it, I stack my Spy on top of his Catapult. This creates an immediate double threat. He'll either have to sacrifice his Catapult or risk losing his Spy to my next move. Gramps hesitates, clearly thrown off balance by my stacking strategy.

 Then, Gramps does something unexpected. He captures my Samurai with his Pike at (7,4), stacking his Pike on top of my Samurai. The game is getting complicated fast and with this much complexity who knows who will win?