HikaGo #171 Chapter cover shows Touya Kouyo meditating before a goban as light hits him from one side, very nice. We see Kouyo talking to So Chanwan, who is one of if not the best Korean player, they talk about how fun the team game was and how it was too bad they didn't play each other. But that it was good they both won, even though the team game was a 2-2 tie. They are in a very nice Go salon/cafe and So comments that it's nice it's early so they can talk together without being hounded by the public. Kouyo asks if So stayed in China an extra day so they can talk and So says yes and that they didn't get to talk much when Kouyo came to his house in Korea because it was all about Go. Kouyo thanks So for the hospitality during that day and So says to think nothing of it and says he was surprised when he heard Kouyo went to a public salon and played. Kouyo says that it was fun playing everyone there. (I assume this is when he also played Ko Yonha) So then comments that Kouyo has changed since his retirement and Kouyo just says that he has more free time to live as he likes now. So then talks about the discussion he had the night earlier with Kouyo's opponent in this team match, Chen Shuumin 8-dan. Chen says that he played Touya 3 years ago while Touya was at his best after winning his 4th title and as expected he lost big. But that in the 3 years since, Chen has gained strength and joined the top pros. And that Touya has retired and was playing his first official game in a year. Chen was looking forward to showing Touya his new gained strength but he says he felt the same thing as 3 years ago as he lost. At this point some guys walk in to play go and notice the two top pros talking. So mentions that he also agrees that Touya has gotten stronger and Touya thanks him for saying so. That now that he's retired, his strength is the only thing he has now. So then says he plans on asking the Korean Go institute to allow Kouyo to enter the tournaments as a guest pro. If allowed, Touya could enter any Korean tournament, Kouyo says he'd gladly do it. But in exchange, So asks Kouyo to tell him why he retired and what his goal is. Kouyo says his goal is to find the strongest hand in Go and that nothing surpasses that joy. So agrees but asks if there is something else. Kouyo pauses for a moment and says he's waiting for a rematch with a certain player. Kouyo says that for this player too, his strength is his only symbol of existence and that Kouyo is currently trying to gain strength for the rematch. Kouyo looks around and sees that everyone in the salon is looking at them and comments that they are all waiting for Touya and So to start playing. The board is brought out and So asks who this player is but that's the last we see of the scene. We then go to Japan where Kosemura and another guy are arguing about what Ko Yonha said. The other guy can't believe it but Kose says that all the Koreans were cold to him. They comment that they can't publish this story and shouldn't tell anyone but Kose sees Shindo and yells his name. Kose runs over to him and tells him to beat Korea. Hikaru says he wants to beat all the teams but Kose starts telling about how it was said that Shusaku was nothing and a person of the past. Hikaru is stunned and asks if Koreans really said that. Kose says yes and that they disrespect Japan. The other guy grabs Kose and tells Shindo that not all Koreans are like that and the one that said it was just Ko Yonha. Hikaru repeats the name in his head and remembers that it's someone who will appear in the Hokuto cup. the end