Sai's Disappearance
Recently, the hottest topic in the community was the conclusion of Steins;Gate.
Though the final scene didn't show the male and female leads getting married, it ended with Kurisu holding the brooch Okabe gave her, which was enough to satisfy many readers.
The result? Even those readers who once cursed the Porter on a daily basis started praising him.
But amid all this excitement, Daniel couldn't find joy.
He felt a lingering sadness about Hikaru no Go.
Daniel had a bad feeling.
Sai had defeated Tōya Meijin, fulfilling his thousand-year wish.
So, what was left for Sai to do now?
Hikaru no longer needed Sai's guidance. Though Hikaru's skills weren't yet at the highest level, his talent—a talent even Sai envied—would eventually lead him to the peak of the Go world.
This story had always been about Hikaru, not Sai.
So, in the chapters to come, the focus would likely shift to Hikaru's career in professional Go. This would render Sai's role less significant. What would Sai's purpose be moving forward?
As a spirit tied to the world by his passion for Go, once his mission was fulfilled, Sai's existence should logically come to an end. This is a common trope for ghosts in both fiction and tradition—they pass on after achieving closure. In Japan, this concept is known as reaching enlightenment or "passing on peacefully."
Thinking it through, Daniel saw only one possible outcome—Sai would disappear.
To Daniel, Sai's disappearance was inevitable.
But he still hoped he was wrong.
Trying to calm his unease, Daniel bought the latest issue of the manga and rushed home to read it.
When he saw the scene where Hikaru's grandfather's warehouse had been broken into—though the ancient Go board was still there, the bloodstain on it had begun to fade—Daniel's suspicion grew stronger.
"Sai, let's play a game of Go," Sai said quietly to Hikaru.
Hikaru grumbled, "Come on, I'm really tired, okay?"
But after rubbing his shoulders, Hikaru relented and agreed. "Fine, fine. But make it quick, alright? I really need to sleep after this."
In Hikaru's room, the two sat across from each other, but to an outsider, it would seem as if Hikaru were playing alone. He was using the legendary "one-hand Go" technique, placing his own stones with one hand and placing Sai's stones where Sai's fan indicated with the other.
Watching this scene, Daniel couldn't help but feel nostalgic. It reminded him of the early days of Hikaru no Go, when Hikaru first started learning under Sai's guidance.
It hadn't been that long ago, yet it still felt deeply nostalgic.
But despite the familiar movements, Hikaru no longer needed Sai's guidance.
He could now play Go on his own and understand the game fully.
As Daniel continued reading, his eyes welled up.
In the manga, Sai's form was gradually fading. His long journey, in pursuit of a divine level of skill, had finally come to an end.
If Tōya Kōyo had existed for Sai's sake, then Sai had existed for Hikaru's sake. Now that Hikaru had grown strong enough to no longer need him, Sai's time had come to pass on.
However...
"Hikaru... Hikaru? Can you hear me, Hikaru?" Sai's voice wavered. "Strange... Hikaru, I'm so happy!"
Realizing his impending departure, Sai smiled—a bittersweet smile full of both joy and sorrow.
Daniel thought Sai might try to wake Hikaru up, but instead, Sai gently called out, then quietly vanished without another word. His departure was so quiet that Daniel almost didn't notice.
Yawning, Hikaru waited, but hearing no response, he urged, "Hey, it's your turn."
"It's your turn, can't you hear me, Sai?"
Hikaru continued speaking without noticing anything unusual.
It wasn't until there was no response at all that Hikaru finally looked up.
A breeze fluttered the curtains, and in the empty room, Hikaru sat alone.
The figure that should have been sitting across from him had disappeared...
Hikaru blinked, looked around in confusion, and called out, "Sai?"
But he would never hear that voice again.
Before him lay a half-played game—one that had just begun, but would never be finished.
Daniel found his throat tightening, as if a stone were lodged there.
His eyes fixed on Hikaru's expression of bewilderment and helplessness as he called out, "Sai?"
How did Hikaru feel when Sai disappeared?
If it hadn't been for Sai, Hikaru might never have pursued Go in the first place.
Though the two had often bickered, their bond was complex and special.
For Hikaru, Sai was a secret only he knew—a bond shared in quiet understanding, almost like a friendship between kids who share an unspoken secret.
Sai was also like both a mentor and a friend to Hikaru.
The only one who was always there for Hikaru—whether he was happy or sad, no matter where or when—was Sai.
So, when Sai vanished, Hikaru was left in shock and confusion.
Many diehard fans of Hikaru no Go couldn't hold back their tears at this moment.
...
"What's going on? Is Sai really leaving?"
"No way! Sai is such a great character, why does he have to leave?"
"Is this just a fake-out?"
"I'm not sure... I just hope it's not real!"
"That sneaky Porter! I thought he'd turned over a new leaf after Steins;Gate, but here he is pulling the same tricks in Hikaru no Go!"
"Maybe it'll have a happy ending like Steins;Gate. Everyone, don't jump to conclusions yet!"
"Even though Hikaru made so many rash decisions before, it doesn't seem right for him to not even get a chance to say goodbye. Isn't Sai disappointed? Isn't Hikaru?"
"Let's get this post trending and let the Porter know how we feel!"
In just one day, the thread reached five thousand replies.
On social media, fans who had read this week's issue flooded the Porter's comments with complaints once again.
He dared to write Sai out of the story! Readers were furious.
The next day, Picca Comics' office was swamped with letters filled with fake knives—an old tradition among enraged fans.
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