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The story started with the scene with Akari, Hikaru's childhood playmate, and Hikaru, aged twelve, sixth grade, in his grangfather's attic, trying to find something that might be sold for extra pocket money (Hikaru was rather money-minded here) when he found an old GO chess. He spotted some blood stain, which no one else saw and... a ghost appeared before him. ... ...

Hikaru soon got to know that this ghost was Fujiwarano Sai, a Go master who had commited sucide in hia grief of an unfair game. He believed he was unable to reincarnate because of his imperfect Go mastery. He pled Hikaru to play Go, but the latter had no interest in it... unless Sai helped him in his studies.

Unable to resist Sai's pleadings, Hikaru attended a Go introductory class. There he met (Mr) Shirakame sensei. However, due to his bad attitude to a fellow classmate, Akota san (Mr), he was chased out of the class by Shirakame sensei. But in order to please Sai, Hikaru went to a Go club where he met Toya Akira. Since Akira was his age, the rest in the club were mostly middle-aged or elderly, Hikaru chose him for his (actually Sai's) opponent.

In the game, Sai's magnificent playing easily won Akira. However, Akira was no ordinary boy. He was the only son of Toya Koyo who was the top Go professional player in the world. Being cultivated in his father's care, Akira aspired to be a Go master like his father. Although young for his age, he was already a very good player and few could match him. In his defeat, he believed that Hikaru was the opponent he had been seeking and started to purue Hikaru. Hikaru, however did not know this.

The next day, Hikaru, in order to gain Sai's help in a surprise test, went to a Children Go Competition. He had been told of this competition previously by the owner of the club, Ichikawa san (Miss). There Sai easily spotted a mistake in a game between two boys which Hikaru spoke aloud of and thereby interrupted their game. Hikaru was taken by the person in charge and was scolded. However, this aroused Toya Koyo's and Ogata's attention. (Ogata was a student of Toya Koyo and a professional player too).

Meanwhile, Akira, who was waiting for Hikaru everyday at the club, got to know from Ichikawa san that Hikaru might go to see the competition. He met Hikaru outside the doors, where Hikaru was chased out and challenged him to a game.

Once more Sai won the game. Akira was depressed. The path to be like his father seemed no longer the best way for him, seeing Hikaru so mercenery. Hikaru left the club quietly.

On another day, Hikaru was spotted by Ogata sensei (Mr) and was dragged by the latter to see Toya (Akira's father). Toya wanted him to play a game with him. Hikaru placed the seeds as Sai told him but he was amazed by the way Toya placed his every move. As if being enchanted, Hikaru placed his seed the way Toya sensei did... Suddenly he felt confused and ran away. Ogata san asked for his teacher's comment. Toya replied, 'If he was really that strong, we will meet again soon."

Hikaru, on the other hand thought that Sai had tried to possess his body to play when the latter pointed that he was so attracted by the style of Toya and the seriousness displayed by Akira that innerly he wanted to play. Hikaru, half believd his words...
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Japanese (Explanation)
In the Japanese culture, 'Mr', 'Miss' and 'Mdm' were replaced by 'san' behind. So if you see 'Ichikawa san', it's the same as 'Miss Ichikawa'. There is no differentiation of 'Mr', 'Miss' and 'Mdm' in Japanese culture.

Also, in Japanese culture, you call people normally by their surname like, Toya, Ogata, Akota... Only people you are very familiar with or people much younger than you, do you call them by their name. Here we use it for 'Hikaru', 'Sai', 'Akira' and 'Akari'.

For the people older than you, you cannot call them simply by their surname. You have to add a 'san' behind like 'Akota san'. This is for politeness and respect.

Meaning:          Sensei - Teacher
                          Dan - In the Go World, a professional player will be called with his level like:
                                     Ogata ku dan (Ogata level 9)
                                     Shirakame nana dan (Shirakame level 7)
                                     The maximum level for professional player is 9. 'Level 10' is something like a
                                    title in the Go world. Akira's father had this title.