The next day, across major drama forums and fan groups in Great Zhou, the hottest topic wasn't the plot of last night's 'Hikaru no Go' Episode 8.
Instead, it was the evolution of the Go match within the episode that had fans buzzing.
In various 'Hikaru no Go' fan groups, the Go masters were all speaking up. On several platforms, even professional Go players were uploading videos, their faces brimming with excitement as they broke down the depth and brilliance of that move.
"Was it really that amazing?"
"I don't get it. That move was probably just for dramatic effect, right? Can it really be called a 'Divine Move'?"
"Who knows! But a pro player I know watched that match last night and was all in. Said it's not something a human could come up with. He even said—he used to think writer Jing Yu only beat Su Lin and Zhou Zhengguang (both 9-dan) by using surprise tactics like invading 3-3 early. But after watching 'Hikaru no Go', he said if Jing Yu is capable of thinking up a move like that, then losing to him would be completely expected. Even without the element of surprise, those two 9-dans wouldn't have stood a chance."
"Seriously? Just one game was enough for him to draw that conclusion?"
"He was just that excited, man!"
"Even pro player Chu Qi, 7-dan, posted on social media with the game record from the episode and captioned it with just three words: 'The Divine Move.' I was speechless. I've never really understood Go—I just watched 'Hikaru no Go' for the story. But now it feels like even the matches in the show are on a completely different level."
"Yeah, tons of pros are posting about this match today. Too bad I don't have the skill to appreciate it properly. Otherwise, I'd probably be just as hyped as they are…"
Jing Yu, naturally, had been following the discussions around 'Hikaru no Go'.
"Thankfully, there are still plenty of people in Great Zhou who understand Go—not like the drama production crew, where no one could grasp the beauty of that move."
It was like finally solving a complex math problem that had stumped you for decades—ten, twenty years—and then suddenly, one day, the solution just clicked. That moment of joy… That's what Jing Yu hoped more people would get to experience. Only then would the fan points he spent to redeem that game record feel worth it.
If it were just about viewership ratings, the presence or absence of that match wouldn't have made much difference.
"Teacher Jing Yu, you're famous now!"
Cheng Lie burst into the room, beaming with excitement.
"Last night's 'Hikaru no Go' Episode 8—Hikaru's 'Divine Move'—was reported on by dozens of Go magazines and journals in Great Zhou today. Some even said it's the most beautiful game in the Go world this year! Even the head of the Great Zhou Go Institute said in an interview this morning that Sai's skill level and characterization in the show were entirely believable."
Jing Yu blinked. "Great Zhou Go world? I'm not even part of the Go scene. I'm not even a professional player."
Cheng Lie waved that off. "Who cares about the details?"
"The point is recognition! That's what matters!"
"A Go drama that's actually acknowledged by the official Go community—that's as high an honor as you can get. Aren't you thrilled?"
Jing Yu chuckled. "Happy? Sure. But it doesn't really matter to me whether they recognize it or not. I know very well that every match in 'Hikaru no Go' was designed to fit the characters and the story. I took this project seriously."
Cheng Lie nodded, but pressed further.
"Still… the way you've crafted these games with so much thought and effort—someone has to understand them! Most of the 'Hikaru no Go' fans in Great Zhou can't appreciate the depth of these matches. Only the professionals can see the genius behind that 'Divine Move'. Their understanding gives your move real meaning."
Jing Yu shot him a look. "You're talking so passionately, but didn't you say you didn't understand it either?"
"Doesn't matter!" Cheng Lie laughed. "Just because I don't understand it doesn't mean I can't feel it."
"I just need to see how the pro players are reacting on social media to know how brilliant your move was. One comment really stuck with me. A netizen said, 'Those pro players must be thanking their lucky stars that Jing Yu's passion lies in screenwriting. Otherwise, Great Zhou Go would've had to face a true demon king.'"
"That's just exaggeration!"
"Is it, though?" Cheng Lie smirked. "Maybe the Go world escaped a boss-level threat—but now your peers in the screenwriting world are the unlucky ones. If we're going full anime logic, wouldn't this be… the Choice of Steins;Gate?"
He grinned mischievously.
Over the next few days, while 'Hikaru no Go' maintained its usual popularity in the TV world, its impact on the Go world exploded.
Thanks to Episode 8's "Divine Move," the show had truly broken into the professional Go scene.
More and more Go figures were being drawn to the show because of that match alone.
By Wednesday, media outlets that had nothing to do with the 'Hikaru no Go' production team began showing up for interviews.
These were journalists from Go-themed programs, all trying to uncover the story behind Jing Yu's genius move—how he came up with it, and if he had played it against anyone.
But their efforts were mostly fruitless.
Still, some information leaked: it was said that Jing Yu rarely played Go with others, both in the production crew and in real life… and yet, he somehow possessed such incredible skill.
Once these tidbits were reported—
The legend of the 'Hikaru no Go' began spreading rapidly among fans.
More and more viewers fell down the rabbit hole, convinced that Jing Yu was being guided by an unseen Go spirit—that this 'Divine Move' was the result of a supernatural match between him and some higher existence.
Just like how Hikaru and Sai played match after match in the drama.
Even internationally, in Go communities abroad, that particular game was stirring up discussion and debate.
But the true impact of this match went beyond fandom.
If 'Hikaru no Go' were to be nominated for awards in the future, the judges wouldn't just look at viewership numbers anymore.
Here was a Go drama—praised not only for its storytelling, but for its authenticity, recognized and admired by professional players at home and abroad.
That combination of entertainment and professionalism was rare.
Across Great Zhou, 'Hikaru no Go' was even triggering a renewed surge of interest in learning Go.
And with Jing Yu's past accomplishments—having once ranked in the world amateur Go rankings—
The title of "Strongest Amateur Go Player: Jing Yu" was now widely circulating in Great Zhou's Go community.
Multiple media outlets ran deep-dive features on him—especially YunTeng TV and the ever-opportunistic JinHui TV, eager to ride the wave.
Here was a man known as the strongest amateur Go player, who had now created the highest-rated Go drama in the country.
All the speculation and attention surrounding Jing Yu was, in turn, feeding back into the growing popularity of 'Hikaru no Go'.
But by the time Friday rolled around, the frenzy had started to subside.
After all, pro Go players made up only a tiny portion of the drama's audience. No matter how genius that game record was, most viewers simply couldn't appreciate it.
As the buzz died down, people's attention naturally shifted back to the drama's main storyline—
Now that Sai had witnessed the Divine Move—what would happen next?
Still, before Episode 9 aired on Sunday, most of Jing Yu's fans had already redirected their attention elsewhere.
Their focus now?
The final episode… of 'Steins;Gate'.