Road to be the Best Chess Player in the World!-Chapter 454: Wijk Aan Zee, Here We Go!
Wijk Aan Zee. A small village near the coast of the Netherlands, a place where the rich people often used to relax on holiday. It was a beautiful site, with the sandy beaches, dunes, and a charming seaside environment, enough to bring inner peace to its visitors.
However, for any chess lover, this was a completely different place from those original descriptions. No, this was one of the holy lands of chess, the village that had been holding a bloody battlefield for the best players in the world every year. Hell, some people even said that this was the Wimbledon of chess, the place where a legendary story would be born for the future era.
The moment Sheva took a step into that village, he could also feel the thick atmosphere in the air. Even though it was quite chilly with the winter air still piercing through his bones, the smell of gunfire was so strong in the resort where they lived.
"Urgh... Look at those gazes... If I didn’t know better, I would think they are going to pounce you, Shev..." Bagas grunted, shuddering from the cold before tightening the shawl around his neck.
"Yeah, I am just a newcomer after all..." Sheva replied with the same low tone, trying to hide his shaking voice.
"Huh... I think we both know that it is not the reason, Shev." Bagas snorted sarcastically.
Sheva couldn’t say anything about that, as, indeed, he knew why some people were looking at him strangely. After taking sides with Hans and scolding Magnus a few months ago, he was still under scrutiny for being in the same league as a cheater, and to make it worse, Hans really took the case to a completely different level by filing a $100 million defamation lawsuit against several parties, including Magnus, claiming they conspired to harm his chess career.
It was a crazy turn of events, making Hans the biggest villain in the chess world right now. And as an ’accomplice’, Sheva would definitely be dragged into the same mud for some time in the future.
"Just get ready, because they are going to be unnecessarily strict with you," Bagas whispered.
Sheva’s face darkened as he nodded, "Don’t worry, I have already prepared for that."
The gloomy atmosphere around them was palpable, and for anyone who didn’t know about their relationship, they would think that Bagas and Sheva were in the middle of a conflict. Fortunately, someone familiar suddenly approached with his sunny smile, enough to break the awkwardness while also returning the atmosphere back to a neutral one.
"Shev! Bagas! You finally arrive!"
"Pragg?!" Both teens turned around in surprise. "You are also staying here?!"
Yeah, the one who just greeted them was Pragg, the Indian prodigy who was also their friend. Sheva and Bagas knew that Pragg would also be playing here, but it was a nice coincidence that they would be in the same resort.
"Yes, me, my sister, and mom will stay here. Gukesh and Arjun will also be here, but they still haven’t arrived yet." The boy said.
It was crazy that the three Indian prodigies would play in the same section in one of the best tournaments in the world, and with their ’Four Horsemen’ title, Sheva could envision that they would wreak havoc in the next two weeks.
Speaking of Gukesh and Arjun, though, Sheva couldn’t help but sigh, wondering how they could improve their rating that fast.
’It has only been a few months, yet they both have already crossed 2720. Hell, even Pragg himself is still stuck at 2680!’
Indeed, if people saw Gukesh and Arjun’s rise, they would be in utter shock. However, Sheva didn’t have the right to feel that way. Hell, he was the most ridiculous one among all the prodigies, becoming a GM only one year after starting to play chess. His achievement was something that even a video game didn’t dare to dream of, and that was also why people thought he was in cahoots with Hans.
"Well, I am just saying hello here!" After chatting a little bit, Pragg was finally about to leave. "I still haven’t unpacked my luggage yet, and my sister will definitely nag me for that later! Anyway, let’s meet later the other day and practice together, okay?"
"Sure! Good luck with your tournament!"
"Thanks! You too!"
Seeing Pragg leave, Sheva couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. Somehow, the tension on his shoulder that had been hanging around since he stepped into this village started to ebb away, and while he was not completely at peace, at least this state was far better than before.
"It is good, huh?" Bagas nudged his hips a little, noticing his best friend’s mood change. "At least, not everyone is alienating you."
The corner of Sheva’s lips twitched slightly upward as he nodded. "Yeah, you are right. I don’t have to pay attention to the scrutiny around me, because I also have those who are supporting me."
"Atta boy!" Bagas grinned, slapping his back quite hard. "That is the right mentality! No need to care about Magnus or the other people who talked shit about you! Heck, they didn’t even know you, for God’s sake!"
Sheva nodded silently, finally feeling relaxed for the first time today. Indeed, while he tried his best to act nonchalant, the boy was quite afraid that somehow, his stupidity a few months ago would bring hostility from those top players from all over the world. However, besides a quick glance and some curious gazes, no one seemed to really care about him.
He finally understood the big principle of the internet era. People might scold each other in the online world, but once they met, they all would turn into a bunch of awkward and double-faced dudes who put politeness on a front while grumbling behind their backs, yet never dared to talk frankly on the face.
"Anyway, even though some people still talked shit, you know what to do, right? Just like your best friend said..." A mischievous smile suddenly curled on Bagas’s face. "Just let your chess speak for itself!"
