7O3X Fastest Finger First (ナナマル サンバツ)

We know that Akutagawa Ryuunosuke,

who looked up to Natsume Soseki as his mentor,

is considered the greatest short story author in modern Japanese literature...

Sequential Control Circuits Practical Applications

Just who was that girl, anyway?

I took the book she left behind because it looked like it was hers, not a library book,

Quiz Bowl Buzzer Lamp Circuits

but these marked pages have piqued my curiosity.

Is she involved in quiz bowl, too?

Koshiyama.

Koshiyama!

Uh, yes, sir!

Are you listening?

U-Uh, yes, sir.

Then, briefly explain the signature qualities of Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's works.

R-Right...

"Briefly explain"? How vague an instruction can you get?

Is he talking about how most of Akutagawa's works are based on classics?

No, they had deep roots in Western literature of the time, too...

What's the problem, Koshiyama?

I'm just not good at organizing my thoughts and putting them into words.

If you'd asked a more specific question, I could have answered it easily...

See? This is what happens when you don't listen in class!

No, I do know!

Yeah, for example...

If you phrased it more like a quiz bowl question...

That idiot.

Do you think this is a joke?!

I-I'm sorry!

Question 5: "Buzou vs Miyaura! Ding!"

Gone!

Gone!

Gone!

Gone...

My prized book...

Did that kid who shared his lunch with me pick it up?

Wonder if he's still at school...

Marina, where are we going again?

The roof for voice projection practice.

What was that you said about quiz bowl?

You're hilarious, man.

Er... I, uh...

Are you so buddy-buddy with Fukami Mari that she influences you that much?

It's no laughing matter.

Why did I say that?

Seriously, you're so embarrassing!

You're just making trouble for quiz bowl circle members like Fukami-san and me!

What, you're in the quiz bowl circle, too?

That's right! Just like Fukami-san!

And I'm the class librarian, just like Fukami-san, too!

So he's not the one who's buddy-buddy with Fukami-san—

Anyway, I should get to practice.

He wasn't even listening...

Hey, you're both still in here!

Let's get to quiz bowl!

Today, we have...

...a joint practice with another school's quiz team!

Joint practice?

Which school?

I haven't heard which one it is,

but isn't it exciting?

Maybe it's Asagaoka Girls' High School?

Um, you two go on ahead.

I'm gonna stop by the faculty office.

Roger! We'll be waiting for you, Koshiyama-kun!

Fukami-san really perks up when there's any mention of quiz bowl.

Though, I guess I can't talk...

Am I going to think of everything in terms of quiz bowl soon, too?

Quiz bowl is scary...

Joint practice, huh? I wonder which school they're coming from.

"Small Classroom B"?

Where's B?

Dunno.

It's the room your quiz team uses.

"Quiz team"? Does he mean the quiz bowl circle?

That's actually active?

Uh, never mind. Thanks.

I guess quiz teams aren't that well-known at any school.

Ours is a little more recognized than that, though.

I should've told them to wait for me when I went to the bathroom.

Pardon me.

There he is!

R-Ragnarok!

M-Mikuriya-kun! Why are you here?

Oh... The joint practice?

Yes! Hurry up and show me where "Small Classroom B" is!

S-Sure...

What's going on with your school's quiz team, anyway?

No one even knows about it.

So the school was Miyaura?

Well, I guess they're only in the next town over.

Does this mean I'll get to see Mikuriya-kun's super fast buzzing again?

I can't wait!

Wait, we use a calculator! What're we gonna do?!

What's with this guy?

Small Classroom B

Yo. Sorry I'm late.

Hey, Mikuriya. That was a long bathroom break.

I got lost!

It appears everyone's here now.

As requested, these are our new members.

Maruyama.

Mukai.

Kiyosumi.

Mikuriya.

Also...

Wow!

Look! Real buzzers!

It's not a calculator!

It's so cool to see real buzzers!

Uh, that's what grabs you?

I will now announce today's quiz rules.

No one's listening...

Well, buzzer systems are of primary concern to every new quiz team.

They're not sold just anywhere,

and not every school has a set that's been passed down through years like ours.

That's true.

All I have is...

this single button.

Huh? Why do you have just that one?

Wow, a white button...

Someone gave me this a long time ago...

But it's missing its cord. It's broken.

I only keep it, out of sight like this,

Click Click

to keep myself familiar with the feel of the button on a daily basis.

Click Click

Yikes...

Scary...

That's so cool!

That's cool?!

Anyway, aren't we gonna some quizzing?

It'll be dark soon.

All right, let's move the desks.

Today, we'll have a team match between the two schools.

Though, we could have played free, as well...

"Free"?

"Free batting."

It's a buzz-in match

where you don't set any rules, or if you do, they're simple ones.

Since we're all here for a joint practice session,

why not have a team match pitting the schools against each other for the fun of it?

Just like those TV quiz bowl shows.

A team match, huh?

Wait, what about Mikuriya-kun?

I'm not playing.

The gulf in skill is too big, I guess? Wouldn't want to mess up your game.

He's so full of himself.

Why did he even tag along?

Oh... That's too bad.

Are you nuts? He'd pulverize us!

This isn't the place for my match against you.

As I was saying, I will now explain the rules.

This will be a "fastest finger" contest. You'll have five seconds to deliberate.

For every correct answer, you earn one point.

For every incorrect answer, you lose one point.

Miyaura

Buzou

The first team to ten points wins.

Those rules are meant to test our team's cohesion.

You'll each have a buzzer,

but the whole team will have the right to answer.

In other words, after buzzing, anyone on your team can answer.

Can we confer?

No. No conferring.

Also...

If two players give the same answer simultaneously,

it will automatically be treated as an incorrect answer, so be careful.

In general, it's best if the person who buzzes in is also responsible for answering.

Ashiya-san and I came up with the questions, based on those used in past quizzes.

Hey, this might be our chance!

I just need to buzz if I know it, right?

But if I guess wrong, the team loses a point...

I need to be careful.

We'll start with the buzzer test.

Sasajima-senpai said not to focus on winning and losing,

but in a match like this, the team that doesn't focus on being victorious can't win.

That's exactly it! Quiz bowl is...

Miyaura vs Buzou

a competitive world!

It's not a calculator!

It's not a calculator!

It's not a calculator!

A calculator?

Question.

Lincoln said, "Government of the people, by the people—

Gettysburg!

Lincoln said, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people" in a famous speech delivered in which Pennsylvanian city? Gettysburg

Correct.

The name of the city where the speech was given?

Buzou

Miyaura

Question.

Italian for "small goose"—

Ocarina!

Correct.

Italian for "small goose," the instrument invented in the 19th century by Giuseppe Donati is known by what name? Ocarina

Yes!

Awesome!

I think Fukami-san may win this for us all by herself...