"You can't win, you do know that, don't you?"
"...I... suppose you're right."
The other chuckled as he took another sip of his drink. Morosely, Akira considered his pieces for a few long moments, then sighed and tapped his king general, signalling his defeat.Â
"You're not very good at this, are you, Kawaguchi-kun?" the human elder, now greying at the temples and possessing a bit of a pot belly, chortled at the dragon's poor choice of tactics in their game.
"Not as much as I'd thought, apparently," the dragon responded with a small smile, still brooding over the game. Without further ceremony, the board was packed up and returned to the shop, and Akira discreetly made for the lake.
An hour or so of walking in peaceful silence was suddenly interrupted by an implosion of youki up ahead, near the borders of his territory. With a growl, he launched into a sprint, hand on the hilt of his blade as he made for the source of the commotion.