Morio Shigeta, a B2-ranked professional shogi player within Kai Shimada’s workshop, shares a competitive history with Shimada as peers. His stern demeanor and piercing gaze contrast with a reserved exterior that fractures only in familiar settings, where he wields razor-sharp sarcasm. Volatile clashes with Harunobu Nikaidō dominate their interactions, erupting into heated confrontations over strategic分歧 that test Shimada’s attempts to mediate workshop order. During matches, their mutual glares intensify—a phenomenon Shimada dubs “raising face pressure”—as tactical disagreements boil into visible tension.

Shigeta’s shogi approach thrives on relentlessly aggressive tactics, championing the Ranging Rook opening with stubborn precision. Though Nikaidō voices open disdain for his methods, Shigeta’s steely concentration and unyielding adherence to his style compel grudging acknowledgment. Outside the board, his bluntness routinely crosses personal boundaries—appropriating Shimada’s bath unannounced, disparaging his culinary efforts—fueling simmering interpersonal friction.

Rei Kiriyama’s entry into the workshop sharpens the group’s competitive edge, with Shigeta’s presence heightening strategic debates to a fever pitch. Shimada’s interventions during clashes between Shigeta, Nikaidō, and Rei often force premature adjournments, leaving unresolved tensions crackling in their wake. Within these collaborative yet combustible dynamics, Shigeta’s role epitomizes the clash of opposing philosophies, where rivalry and reluctant coexistence shape the workshop’s delicate equilibrium.