Gamble Fish 20

Chapter 20

91

Title: Fight 20 A Prepared Strike

Crowd: What an amazing break!!
Crowd: Is Shirasagi's rumored ability real!!?

92

Asahina: Unbelievable...!! I've never seen a break that intense even from the top male players...
Asahina: Did he use some kind of trick!? Or...is this his real ability!?

Gokijima: Nee heh heh...That's the power of the "Gokijima Custom"!!
Gokijima: Even if she's the world champ, that'll make that 15 year old girl piss her pants!!
On hat: Noguchi Billiards

Natsumi: This exhibition match is the game of "Nine-Ball"!!
Natsumi: It's a popular game in which the nine balls are hit into the pocket in order starting with the 1-ball.

93

Natsumi: But this time there are three conditions...
Natsumi: besides the formal rules of Nine-ball.

Natsumi: The first is "Running Out".
Natsumi: That means to hit all the balls from 1 to 9 in by oneself.
Natsumi: It's also known as a "Break Run Out" and even the pros can only pull it off about 40% of the time!!

Natsumi: The second is "Break Nine"!! It means to get all 9 balls in with one's break shot.
Natsumi: It has a success rate of just under 3%, so it's an even tougher condition!!

Natsumi: And the last on is "Winning 3 Games"!!
Natsumi: The first to clear all 3 of those conditions is the winner.

94

Natsumi: Now each contestant will do their "banking".
Natsumi: They will hit the ball and the one closer to the cushion in front of them goes first!!

Asahina: ...I can't let him do that power break of his.
Asahina: I have to win the banking...!!

Mizuhara: I-is this okay, Gokijima!!?
Mizuhara: The entire match could be decided by this banking...

95

Gokijima: Shut up, mushroom head!! My plan is perfect.
Gokijima: As long as that damn kid gets a decent shot, that is!!

Gokijima: This is a nanotech-made super-fine fiber used in magic.
Gokijima: It's strong and so thin it can't be seen with the naked eye.

Gokijima: In the confusion before the match...
Gokijima: I stuck it to the end of her cue!!

96

Gokijima: If I pull the thread at the right time when she goes for her shot, it'll screw up the power of her shot!!
On hat: Noguchi Billiards
Gokijima: She'll think she fucked up from being shaken by that damn kid's break... It's the perfect scenario!!

Natsumi: Okay, begin!!

Mika: Wait!!

97

Mika: Rio!! Use this cue!!

Asahina: Mika...That cue is...
Mika: I know.

Mika: It's your best cue that you only use in normal matches.
Mika: You won the world championship with this cue.

Mika: Even though this isn't a normal match...
Mika: this is a battle that we must win!!

98

Mika: Shirasagi is a gambler who deceived a magician.
Mika: You can't let your guard down or let your heart waver the tiniest bit!!

Asahina: You're right, Mika...I was underestimating Shirasagi.
Asahina: I'll fight to the death as if this were the final match of the world championship!!

Gokijima: P-Pgiii!!
Gokijima: You damn bitch!! You switched out your cue!? Why did that rich bitch have to do that!!!

99

Mizuhara: Th-the plan has already failed!!!
Mizuhara: Tomu...

Natsumi: Tomu-senpai...what are you going to do!?
Natsumi: O-okay, start!!

100

Mizuhara: It's okay...Tomu practiced until he was half-dead!!
Mizuhara: There's still a chance of a miracle occurring!!
Gokijima: A miracle...?

Mizuhara: All right!! It's just off the cushion...

101

Crowd: Asahina gets to go for the break!!
Crowd: Wooow!! It's just a few millimeters from the wall!!
Crowd: So that's the ability of the world champ!!

Mizuhara: Ughh...
Gokijima: Miracles are miracles because they don't happen often.
Gokijima: In a true battle of skill, the world champ will win!!

Gokijima: This is bad...That little girl got the break...But this isn't over yet!!

102

Natsumi: The first game is finally starting. And Asahina gets the break!!
Crowd: Asahinaaaa!!
Crowd: Go for it, Asahina-senpai!!
Crowd: Finish this all at once!!

Gokijima: Okay!! Mushroom head's research was right...
Gokijima: Her break position is from the left corner...the opposite side of the kid!!

Tomu: The special cue, the nanotech thread...
Tomu: and this is Gokijima's third plan...

103

Gokijima: Got it, kid...?
Gokijima: First, on the day of the match, I'll dress up as a merchant and sneak into the school.

Gokijima: On the pretext of changin' out the felt, I'll put this on.
Mizuhara: What is it?

Gokijima: "Rack Spot Stickers"

Gokijima: You put them on the felt so the balls will always be put in the proper spot.
Gokijima: They're even used in proper matches.

104

Gokijima: I'm sure you already know that break nine is something that doesn't happen very often, right?

Gokijima: But if you put these special stickers on, just like magic...
Gokijima: It happens 100% of the time!!

Gokijima: At first glance they look like the normal stickers, but they perfectly shift the locations.
Gokijima: The 9-ball normally doesn't move when you break, but with this it heads perfectly to the corner pocket.

Gokijima: See?

105

Mizuhara: A-amazing!!
Gokijima: Nee heh heh!!
Text right of Gokijima: Eheh eheh
Gokijima: It's a secret arrangement I thought up from my many years as a hustler. They're the "Gokijima Stickers"!!

Tomu: ...It's interesting, but it's a double-edged sword.
Tomu: What if I lose on the banking and Asahina gets the break?

Gokijima: Heh...that's what the nanotech thread's for, right?
Gokijima: But even if the break is taken from you, don't worry.

Gokijima: Because I'll tell you something...
Gokijima: "Break Nine" will be impossible for that little girl!!

106

Tomu: ...She has the personality of a king.
Mizuhara: Eh?

Tomu: Even after showing her that power break, she's perfectly reclaimed her calm.
Tomu: Tsukiyono had top-level magic skills, but her mentality had openings I could take advantage of.

Tomu: But she possesses a tough mentality that she's cultivated over all the matches she's played.
Tomu: In all ways, she's a top-level champion...!!

107

108

Natsumi: Asahina delivers a magnificent and powerful break shot!!
Natsumi: That's the kind of power that any male player would be proud to have!!

109

Gokijima: Bu hee hee!! It's useless!!!

Gokijima: The "Gokijima Stickers" are made for hitting from the right corner like the kid does!!
Gokijima: If you hit it from a different corner, you won't get "Break Nine"!!

Gokijima: You can see the proof!!
Gokijima: The 9-ball has barely moved at all!!

Gokijima: Eh?
Text above Gokijima: Eheh?

Gokijima: Wha...?

110

Natsumi: Asahina gets B-"Break Nine"!!!
Gokijima: O-oh my goodness...!!!