Gamble Fish 17

Chapter 17

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Title: Fight 17 Gokijima Custom

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On window: Internet Billiards Comics Darts

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Guys: That kid's still at it...
Guys: He's been practicing the center shot for three days straight without sleeping.
Guys: He has the form of an amateur; that's ghastly.

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Gokijima: Okay, you can take a 10 minute meal break.
Gokijima: After eating, do another thousand shots.

Tomu: All I need is a quick break...
Gokijima: Hya hya hya!! Are you tryin' so hard yer not even hungry?
Gokijima: Well, just keep tryin' till you die.

Natsumi: Tomu-senpaaai, how's it going?
Mizuhara: We bought what you asked for!!
On bag: Drug Market

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Mizuhara: Okay, we got compresses for your back and shoulders, painkiller, and bandages.
Tomu: Thanks a lot, Mizuhara...
Natsumi: Oh, my!! Your hand!!
Natsumi: You shouldn't push yourself this hard when you're not completely healed yet!!

Mizuhara: Well? Have you figured it out yet? The match is in 5 days.

Tomu: Not really...
Tomu: All I've been practicing is hitting the target ball straight on to knock it diagonally into the corner pocket.

Mizuhara: Can he win against the world champ Asahina Rio by practicing that?
Gokijima: Not a chance!!!
Gokijima: Not even a god could go from an amateur to a pro in 5 days.

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Mizuhara: Don't joke around!!
Mizuhara: Then how can you make him practice day and night!!
Natsumi: That's right!! Let's leave, senpai.
Natsumi: We were wrong to trust a hustler!!

Tomu: I have no choice but to trust him...
Tomu: There's no way I can defeat Asahina in an honest match.
Tomu: I have to borrow the wisdom of a hustler who's an underground pro.

Gokijima: Nee heh heh...So you get it, you brat.
Gokijima: If you play fair, your odds of winnin' are 0%.
Gokijima: But if I help you out, there's a slim chance of somethin' happenin'.

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Natsumi: But...you said it was impossible even for a god!

Gokijima: Heh...Hustlers are even better than gods.

Gokijima: Simply put, you don't have to get as good as a pro.
Gokijima: You just have to pretend to be a pro during the game.

Mizuhara: Pretend to be pro?
Gokijima: Brat!! Take this cue.

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Tomu: It's heavy!? What is this cue...?

Gokijima: This'll be easier than just explainin' it.
Gokijima: Do a break shot with it!!

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Gokijima: No, you idiot!! Aim from here!!
Gokijima: The theory pros use is to do a side break from the edge!!

Gokijima: Aim for the very front of the 1-ball and don't get confused by the angle of the rail.
Gokijima: Why do you think you were practicin' the center shot, idiot!!

Natsumi: Mgh...How can he call Tomu-senpai an idiot!!
Mizuhara: C-calm down!!

Gokijima: Aim for the center of the cue ball!! You don't need to hit it very hard!!

SFX in last panel: *click*

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People: Wh-what was that loud noise!?
People: Was it that kid's break!?
People: I thought something had exploded...

Mizuhara: W-wow...Most of the balls went in!!
Tomu: This is...

Gokijima: Look at the grip.

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Gokijima: There's actually high pressure compressed air in the cue.
Gokijima: The impact of touchin' the cue ball acts as the trigger and the cue jumps forward instantaneously.
Gokijima: It's the same concept as an air gun. The cue moves at more than 100 kilometers an hour!!
Gokijima: Not even the top pros can do even half that.

Gokijima: The metal used so it can withstand that kind of power makes it a bit heavy...
Gokijima: but this is the cue that'll give you a break shot that even the world champ'll pale at, the "Gokijima Custom"!!

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Natsumi: But that's cheating...Mngh.
Gokijima: Shhhh!! Not so loud, idiot!!

Gokijima: Nine-ball's a game where the more power you got in your break shot the better.
Gokijima: And getting that many balls in at once gets you that much closer to running out.
Gokijima: And showin' your opponent what you can do once before the match will put the pressure on 'em!!

Mizuhara: Wow...What an amazing cue!!
Mizuhara: That's a hustler for you, Tomu!!

Gokijima: You like it?
Gokijima: The rental fee's two million up front.
Mizuhara: Eh!!?

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Gokijima: And if you win, I'll be needin' another two million afterwards!!
Mizuhara: What!? That's not what you promised!!
Mizuhara: You said you'd coach him to pay for your debt from losing that million yen match!

Gokijima: Promised!? Like I care about that, idiot!!!
Gokijima: Gokijima-sama the hustler works for cash not promises!!!

Gokijima: Anyway, you can get me the two million for the cue right away, right?
Gokijima: You go to that elite school and were able to pull a million yen outta your pocket.

Gokijima: But I'm not really expectin' to get the two million I get if you win.
Gokijima: But I'm gonna get what I can get.
Mizuhara: Gh...you damn cheapskate!!

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Gokijima: Hunh!!?

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Gokijima: H-hey, now. What're you doin'!?
Gokijima: That's not just a normal cue...That's dangerous!!?

Tomu: I don't like to gamble using gimmicks like this.
Tomu: There's the danger of them breaking down and then I'm S.O.L.

Tomu: And being able to break well with this is pointless if I can't do anything from there.
Tomu: This match has three requirements: break nine, running out, and winning three times.

Tomu: When gambling, it doesn't matter if you're an adult or a kid...It's like you're fighting for your life.
Tomu: It's the same for you, right, Gokijima-san?

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Gokijima: O-of course. I'm serious!!
Gokijima: I have plenty of other tricks!!

Gokijima: And that cue isn't some cheap piece of shit; it won't break easily!!
Gokijima: So put it down, okay!?

Tomu: Fine. I'll pay you the 2 million right before the match.
Tomu: What other plans do you have for me?
Gokijima: W-well, let's see...

Gokijima: You, mushroom head!!
Gokijima: Gather information on his opponent.
Gokijima: Get videos of her matches of course, but get everythin' from her personal history to who her friends are as well.

Gokijima: Girl, spread a rumor throughout the school!!
Natsumi: A-a rumor?
Gokijima: That's right!! A rumor that this brat actually has hidden talent as a billiards player!!

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Gokijima: I'll get all sorts of things ready for you.
Gokijima: But I won't let you threaten me again, you damn brat!!

Mizuhara: Hey, Tomu...Are you really going to pay him 4 million yen?
Natsumi: Then there's no point in even winning!!
Tomu: It's fine.
Tomu: And anyway, if I don't pay 2 million up front, I can't use that cue.

Tomu: You can control people who only act when there's something in it for them if you have money.
Tomu: I have an idea of how to deal with him after the match.

Mizuhara: Uh...
Mizuhara: "Deal with" him...!? I have a bad feeling about that!! Tomu isn't someone who just does as someone tells him to.

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Tomu: And it's not like all I'm doing is paying.
Tomu: I'm getting something, too.
Mizuhara: Eh?

Mizuhara: Getting what...?

Mizuhara: Ah!! This is...

Tomu: 5 more days...!!!