Devil's Luck

Chapter 23: Walk on Water?

Zenkichi looked at his team in the pool, playing the fourth and last game, with a sense of pride and satisfaction. It was the cavalry battle and with Shiranui having, unexpectedly, 11 points in the third game for catching 11 eels they were just three points behind the swimming team as they got 13 points.

The final game, Cavalry Battle, was something Shiranui came up with when she stumbled across Aso Tanzaku, the main announcer of the inter-club swim meet, during their break.

Medaka wanted the final game to be a surprise and told Aso that she would have to come up with whatever game to end the event. Unfortunately however, she didn't manage to come up with a single one. Just when she was about to go to Medaka and ask her for advice, she came across Shiranui.

And somehow, in some way, they hit it off quickly and became friends.

Something only Zenkichi had managed to do and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Anyone would figure out how the two girls became fast friends.

Back to the game. Cavalry Battle is a game of three participants; with one rider and two horses. The rider has to wear a headband which your opponent has to take in order to get a point. If, however, your headband is taken or if you fall into the water–you lose. In this game of Calvary Battle in the pool, the points won't be based simply on how many headbands you get, but by the quality of the headbands you take. If you take the headband of a high ranking team, you get more points. 1st gets them 16 points, 2nd 15 points, 3rd 14 points, and so on.

As of right now the ranking scores are as follows:

1st: Swimming Team – 48 points
2nd: MMA Team – 45 points
3rd: Track Team – 44 points
4th: Art Team – 44 points
5th Karate Team – 43 points
.
.
.

Zenkichi didn't join for the last game is because of two reasons.

One is because he's wary that Takachiho or someone from his group won't do anything fishy during the game that might not only endager him but his team and everyone else in the pool as well.

And another, well, they said that they have a strategy on how to win this with Nabeshima as the front horse, Shiranui at the back, and Medaka as the rider. Which, honestly, they don't look like they have except for Medaka planning to fight against the swimming team head on because of some view on money and how they don't treasure their lives more.

Now you might be wondering, Zenkichi, how in the hell is Shiranui supposed to support Medaka with her height? Now, that's the thing, she isn't.

"Fight on~ Kurokami, you can do it!" Shiranui, wearing thick black shades, happily cheered on as she leisurely sat back on her floater that Nabeshima held on with her hands behind her back with Medaka standing on her palms.

Nabeshima looked calm, closed eyes and a serene cattish smile. But with a closer inspection, veins popping around her forehead, it was clear she was angry.

Zenkichi sweatdropped, wondering if Nabeshima would come after either Medaka or Shiranui after the event.

Though she doesn't look as angry and bloodthirsty as Kikaijima-san when she and Medaka engage in battle a few seconds after the game begins.

Zenkichi observed them for a brief moment and came to a conclusion,

'...Unpredictable. With physical abilities, Medaka wins by a long shot as Kikaigima looks like she's struggling to keep herself from being dragged away by her hands. But the key isn't from the rider but the horses. If they don't cooperate well then it'll be their literal downfall.'

He let out a sigh. 'And seeing how Shiranui is leaving all the heavy lifting to Nabeshima-senpai, yeah, it's a miracle that Medaka hasn't fallen out of balance or Nabeshima-senpai had given out from holding up two people.'