Beyond just rewards, Kaoru had discovered that the Wish Machine itself sometimes took interest in his wishes.
For instance, it would occasionally agree to certain requests in exchange for deducting wishes—meaning his next fulfilled wishes wouldn't yield rewards, essentially trading portions of his "salary" for the company's "assets."
That said, the Wish Machine rarely accommodated Kaoru's requests.
Proposals like hypnosis apps, NPC modes, or invisibility cloaks were firmly rejected, often accompanied by scolding.
Perhaps because such shortcuts would drastically reduce the difficulty of earning rewards.
This inconsistency left Kaoru puzzled about the machine's logic—wouldn't efficiency dictate the opposite approach?
[Are you certain?]
For the Wish Machine, a simple chess match hardly qualified as a proper request.
"Let's begin. Best of five games. If it's a draw, we'll play additional rounds until there's a winner." Kaoru turned his phone screen toward Sakayanagi.
"I didn't bring a board—we can use this app."
"No, I have a chess set. It's in the cabinet beside you—please take it out." Sakayanagi pointed with her cane toward the small cupboard.
As a chess enthusiast, she naturally kept her own board and pieces.
"I wouldn't resort to using AI," Kaoru grumbled, though he obediently retrieved the chess set.
Sakayanagi Arisu watched as he arranged the pieces on the board, her eyes reflecting his every move with a faint trace of confusion.
From their previous two matches, Kaoru's skill level had clearly been inferior to hers—like that of an amateur newcomer.
Even if he had practiced for a month or two, could that really have allowed Kaoru to improve so drastically?
If that were the case, what did her lifelong experience and technique amount to?
Losing to Kaoru in this regard would mean her natural talent was lacking?
Sakayanagi refused to believe it.
Even if Kaoru had improved, he still couldn't surpass her.
And yet, she had instinctively been wary of the possibility that he might use the latest AI.
"Though I don't know where your confidence comes from, your courage is commendable. This time, I hope you won't resort to cheap tricks—it'd be best if you defeat me fair and square."
Though she spoke these words, Sakayanagi didn't for a second believe she would lose.
Her tone was utterly composed, carrying the lofty ease of someone who knew victory was assured.
This was her domain.
Kaoru was merely a challenger—and the stronger the challenger, the more exhilarating it would be for her to triumph.
Except, Kaoru had something better than AI.
He had the Wish Machine.
[Fine, I'll humor you and play this foolish human game.]
The Wish Machine agreed to Kaoru's terms.
As the pieces settled into place, the match officially began.
Kaoru took white, Sakayanagi took black, with the former making the first move.
Under the Wish Machine's guidance, Kaoru moved his white pieces without a single thought of his own.
At first, Sakayanagi remained composed, calmly responding to Kaoru's plays.
She didn't even bother getting out of bed, using her cane to direct Kaoru in moving her pieces for her while internally assessing just how much he had improved in this short time.
She noticed that Kaoru now had a solid grasp of openings, calculating several moves ahead—something that mildly surprised her.
But only mildly.
[I must say, she truly is a genius. From the very start, she's perfectly predicted every move ahead—all of which will lead her straight to irreversible defeat.]
Kaoru played expressionlessly.
The reason he disliked invoking the Wish Machine wasn't just the price he had to pay—it was also because the thing had a habit of spewing trash talk.
Meanwhile, as the game progressed into the midgame, Sakayanagi's expression grew increasingly serious, her brow furrowing slightly.
[Oh-ho, she's actually thinking before moving now.]
[Unbelievable. She's so bad at this, I'll crush her like a bug.]
[Honestly, I'm surprised you've lasted this long. Don't worry, it'll be over soon.]
[You're a disgrace to chess. I'd rather play against my refrigerator.]
[Ah, she's getting frustrated now. Go on, bring your king out for a stroll.]
[Is it ending already? This is my first time playing this stupid game, and I thought you were decent. Turns out, this is all you've got.]
Under the Wish Machine's command, Kaoru decisively captured her king.
The first match was over.
"I… lost?" Sakayanagi panted, her face was full of disbelief.
Throughout the game, she had remained completely silent, her mind wholly occupied with figuring out how to counter Kaoru's moves.
Looking back now, she realized she couldn't keep up with Kaoru's train of thought at all.
His unpredictable moves sometimes made her wonder if he had made a mistake, only to find out he had already calculated five or six steps ahead.
What was even more absurd was that Sakayanagi noticed Kaoru never hesitated or paused to think.
The moment she made a move, he would react instantly.
"Another round?" Kaoru reset the pieces, his gaze settling on Sakayanagi.
Facing his eyes, Sakayanagi suddenly felt indignant.
Could he surpass her in just a month or two?
Impossible!
"Heh, let me see Mitoma-kun's true skill." Sakayanagi found her defeat hard to accept, and deep down, she struggled to acknowledge that Kaoru's talent might be even greater than hers.
The second round began, with Sakayanagi taking the first move.
[You should make her show her real skill. I don't want to play casual games with her anymore.]
[Pathetic move. Did you think that would save your knight? Hah, wasted effort—it's gone.]
[Hope you're having fun, because your rook is next.]
[Can you relay my words to her? Tell her she's made too many mistakes—she went wrong from the very first move. I don't see any chance of her winning.]
[Oh, so you were thinking about your next move. I thought you were just daydreaming about what to eat later.]
No matter how hard Sakayanagi tried to turn the tide, her advantage crumbled.
She was pushed into retreat before even reaching the midgame, her king cornered with no escape, forced to watch as Kaoru delivered the final checkmate.
Sakayanagi's mind was in a daze.
The match had been filled with too many things she couldn't comprehend—one moment she thought it was a trap, the next she saw an opportunity.
By the end, she suddenly realized she had already been led into a dead end.
"A-Again."
Without realizing it, Sakayanagi had risen to her feet, determined to give it her all this time.
Kaoru, however, didn't mind.
He couldn't read the board anyway—he left everything to the Wish Machine.
At least the Wish Machine was having fun, even if its trash talk was a bit noisy.
[Again? What else can you do besides daydream? Surely not play chess?]
[Stop lying to yourself. That move was wrong—just wait, I'll take your queen next.]
[Idiot. You're the easiest fish to hook. I'll trade this pawn for your queen. Mad yet?]
[Hahaha, someone's not happy here.]
[Time's almost up. It's over. You played like a baby otter learning to walk… Wait, was I just playing against an aquatic animal?]
Following the Wish Machine's commentary, Kaoru's rook charged straight for Sakayanagi's king, leaving her frozen as she stared at her own fingers.
The third match ended with Kaoru's complete victory.