History FanFic / TheNeverendingRoad

** Koyo's biggest fear was his son's decisions or lack thereof when it comes to his career. All his life, Akira had been told he was to bring Japan back to greatness again and to fill in his father's footsteps in the Go world. He also feared that his son might've been doing [[WellDoneSonGuy Go out for his father's love]] mixed with a genuine love for the game. He worried he might have failed his son despite his best intentions.

* TheAce: In their age group, Akira Touya and Hikaru Shindou. As a result of this, they were put in a separate category from the others, straining Hikaru's relationships with other lower dans. It doesn't help people get jealous of their treatment.

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Downplayed about Hikaru and Akira. They are still teenage boys who still have a lot of growing up to do but the wisdom they gave to their fellow go peers is much needed. Despite people putting them on a pedestal, the pair knew they can make mistakes and that the lower dans have the capability to catch up to their level. In fact, they especially advised the latter because they know the potential is just now bubbling after people work past their issues. Nase, who is a couple of years older than Hikaru, found Hikaru interesting romantically and in pursuit of his heart currently.

** Not even the Princes of Go are exempted from this. Akira experiences this due to the fact in the media he has always been his father's son and so is not judged solely by his own hard work. Meanwhile Hikaru, in his own way, lives in the shadow of his mentor, Sai, whom everyone praised; while people are suspicious of his relations with Sai, only two know Sai was Hikaru's teacher.
* RankUp: Increasing ranks becomes harder after the Otaei system is rescinded (mirroring real life Go ranking changes), however, the new system also automatically promotes both Akira and Hikaru to 7-Dan as a result of getting into a League and the rules being retroactive.

* MotivationalLie: A well-intentioned one. Hikaru lied to Honda about Yashiro's excitement about Honda's game.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Spectators watching Hikaru play notice a golden light when he played an especially wonderful move. Given that the supernatural exists in this world, it's ambiguous.

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Downplayed about Hikaru and Akira. They are still teenage boys who still have a lot of growing up to do but the wisdom they gave to their fellow go peers is much needed. Nase, who is a couple of years older than Hikaru, found Hikaru interesting romantically and in pursuit of his heart currently.

* RedBaron: Hikaru is dubbed the [[spoiler: Judan]] Slayer to his displeasure. Recently another name has popped up, courtesy of Zama Oza: Wizard of Go.

* CurbStompBattle: Hikaru and Akira doled these out so easily that Waya thought with a little bit of envy that Akira and Hikaru could grip over the type of victory rather than the strength of the said match. Some people were thankful that they were promoted and would be seeded.

* TheDreaded: PlayedForLaughs about Shigeko from Waya. Even just from Hikaru's teasing, Waya ''loses'' it.

* AchievementInIgnorance: The fact he became a pro go player in three years did not sink into Hikaru yet. Yes, he acknowledged he was being called genius and all those RedBaron titles bestowed on him despite his displeasure but he never truly gets his achievements mean that much in the Go world. From an outsider's perspective, he did not have a mentor, only played in a school go club prior to insei-hood, and already climbed to the level of Akira Touya in just ''three years''.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Spectators watching Hikaru play notice a golden light when he played an especially wonderful move. Given that the supernatural exists in some form, it's ambiguous.