The Stand User Of The Daily World

Chapter 108: The Only Opportunity

"Well then, who goes first?"

Kirari asked, glancing at the two people on either side of her.

"Fujii-senpai can go first. After all, this is a game I'm particularly skilled at," Itsuki said with a smile, graciously offering the first move.

It seemed like a sacrifice, but in the game of Double Concentration, going first didn't offer much of an advantage.

Shunsuke glanced at Itsuki, who appeared to be staring intently at the table, seemingly a bit anxious.

In reality, she was taking the opportunity to memorize the cards!

"No need, Itsuki-chan should go first. It's important for both sides to feel involved," Shunsuke replied.

"My, how considerate of you, Fujii-senpai. In that case, I won't hold back," Itsuki responded with a playful tone.

—This arrogant bastard dares to underestimate me like this? You've already lost, you know that?

On the surface, she wore a cheerful smile, but inwardly she was cursing. At this school, appearances were everything, and everyone excelled at maintaining their facades.

"Hmm, which one should I pick?" Itsuki pretended to be indecisive, looking left and right as if torn between choices. In reality, she was still busy memorizing the cards!

Her family owned one of the most prominent toy manufacturing companies in Japan.

These cards were specially crafted from a production line she controlled—marked with subtle patterns that appeared on the card backs when exposed to heat.

The markings were tiny and inconspicuous.

Even if you handed them to an average person and asked them to spot the differences, it would take at least a minute or two.

Moreover, the patterns quickly vanished, fading completely within three minutes after losing heat, leaving no evidence behind.

To maximize the effectiveness of these marked cards, Itsuki always lined her bag with heat packs, ensuring that the cards were primed for use the moment she took them out.

To others, they appeared as unopened, ordinary playing cards.

Using these marked cards, and carefully avoiding encounters with true experts, Itsuki had maintained an undefeated streak, thoroughly enjoying her victories over weaker opponents.

However, this time there was an added step—handing the deck over to the president for inspection.

This process had already consumed most of the three-minute window, making it challenging to memorize all 52 marked cards in the remaining time.

Naturally, Itsuki couldn't afford to waste a single moment.

But this was a card game she had rigorously trained for.

In the brief exchange of words, she managed to memorize all 52 marked cards.

If she wanted to dominate even among weaker players, this level of memory was a necessity.

Confidently, she revealed a normal card—the 7 of Clubs.

Itsuki knew perfectly well where the other 7 of Clubs was, but she couldn't risk being too blatant about cheating.

Instead, she reached for a different card. Just as she was about to flip it, Shunsuke spoke.

"Itsuki-chan, this is your one and only chance. I'd advise you to treasure it."

"…Fujii-senpai, that's so sudden. What are you talking about? I don't understand," Itsuki replied, her hand pausing mid-movement before she continued to reveal the card—a 3 of Diamonds.

Placing both cards back face down, Itsuki wore a troubled expression.

"It's nothing. I just thought, since you gave up your chance to win, you won't have any complaints when you lose, right? Well then, I'll start now."

Shunsuke smiled as he froze time.

Glancing at Itsuki, whose expression had started to stiffen, he swiftly flipped over all the marked cards, memorized their locations in a single second, and then returned them to their original positions—all within the blink of an eye.

When time resumed, Itsuki's slightly open mouth betrayed her shock.

Shunsuke casually revealed the 7 of Clubs, then its matching marked pair.

"That makes a pair," he said, placing the matched cards aside.

Next, he flipped over the 3 of Diamonds.

"No…" Itsuki murmured as Shunsuke revealed another 3 of Diamonds, forming yet another pair.

"Impossible…"

Pair after pair after pair…

Shunsuke didn't stop, swiftly pairing over a dozen sets of cards in quick succession.

By this point, even the audience watching through the cameras began to notice something was off.

"This… this has to be cheating, right?"

"The probability of getting a pair on the first try is 1 in 102. The second is 1 in 101, the third 1 in 99, and the fourth 1 in 97. He's already done this over a dozen times. Statistically, the odds have reached astronomical levels…"

"So it's definitely not just luck."

The students murmured among themselves, and Itsuki's expression twisted into one of disbelief.

"Y-You! How do you know? This is my first time—"

"Your first time? Really?"

"Huh?"

"Itsuki-chan, when you gamble with cards, don't you always use this same set of marked cards? You didn't even think to switch them out? How careless."

Shunsuke brushed it off with a nonchalant tone, spouting a plausible excuse as if it were fact.

In truth, he had no time or interest in monitoring low-level players.

If he had that much time, he'd rather play hide-and-seek with Runa.

But now was the time to act impressive, so his mouth continued moving on its own.

"Of course, I can understand why, Itsuki-chan. Changing the patterns sounds easy, but making adjustments on the production line is a major operation. So, sticking to the same set of marked cards for a while makes sense to me."

"However, understanding is one thing. This is how you treat me? Do you think you have the right to speak to me like this? Hmm?"

Effortlessly completing all 54 pairs, Shunsuke lifted his head, his expression twisted into a theatrical grimace as he stared down Itsuki.

Having spent so much time at this school, he'd naturally picked up a flair for exaggerated expressions—when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

"Eek!"

Itsuki shuddered, her entire body stiffening as she clamped her legs together tightly, suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to pee.

Shunsuke frowned. "Eek?"

"Please forgive me!" Itsuki blurted out, dropping into a perfect dogeza on the floor.

"Pathetic," Manyu remarked, adjusting his glasses. "To be so thoroughly defeated in a gamble you proposed yourself—clearly, Sumeragi doesn't have the composure required."

Midari Ikishima sneered from the side. "Hey, hey, don't act like this has nothing to do with you. Who was it that recommended someone like her into the student council in the first place?"

Manyu shot her a sideways glance. "I will handle this matter myself."

"But the damage to the student council's reputation isn't something that can be easily undone," Yuriko Nishinotouin added, her usual neutral demeanor giving way to a troubled expression that hinted at discontent.

Known for her belief in self-preservation, she rarely took sides in student council matters, but this situation clearly bothered her.

"Ahaha, come on now, everyone! Let's not look so grim," Yumemi Yumemite interjected, trying her best to diffuse the tension. "Fujii-san is also a member of the student council now, isn't he? So, this was just a gamble between council members. When you look at it that way, it's not such a big deal. Gambling has its winners and losers, after all, and the student council still stands above ordinary students."

Just then, there was a knock on the door to the student council room.

The heavy door muffled the sound significantly, and only Sayaka, who was standing closest to it, noticed. She frowned slightly but didn't bother to respond.

A moment later, when no one moved to open the door, it was abruptly pushed open with a loud "bang." Yumeko Jabami stepped in, turning the door handle herself, with Mary Saotome following behind her.

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