Chapters 13-16 Summary

In Chapter 13, Uragami admits to a kind of hero worship that he has for the Master. Once he attained the rank of Master of Go, Uragami explains, he was expected never to lose, and the Master came to believe this of himself, too. He has been in retirement for five years, but has been lured into playing the match with Otake, probably partly by the large fee offered by his newspaper, Uragami admits, but also, he thinks, because of a highly competitive drive. Especially complicated rules are drawn up for such an important match, and Uragami hints that these rules are partly to blame for the Master's tragic end.

More conflict ensues when, on the morning of the day when play is to begin in Hakone, the Master asks that the game be moved to a different inn. Rains and floods...