Gamble At Go:Lf

Johe buzzed with excitement, a wide grin plastered across his face. "Who’s got an idea? Where we goin’?!"

Bontly's eye sparkled, his hands clenched into fists. "Oh! I had a wonderful idea—!"

Johe quickly cut him off with an exaggerated hand gesture, "Hold it, hold it! You’re gonna love this!" He pumped his arms in the air, shouting with all the enthusiasm of a child. "We’re gonna go bet on golf!"

Tackle, standing a few feet away with her arms crossed, sighed audibly. "Golf? Really?"

Shinku was unconvinced. "The CGA Championship? It’s today?"

Johe's face lit up like a beacon. "Ooooh, you watch golf too? Yeah, we’re gonna go, and we’re gonna bet!" His excitement was contagious, but Shinku wasn't easily swayed.

"Are you crazy?" Shinku asked, frowning. "Buying tickets at the entrance is gonna cost a lot, and you want to bet on top of that?"

"Don’t worry," Johe waved a dismissive hand, "we’ll make it all back next week. Just live a little, man!"

Tackle huffed, turning her gaze to the side. "Johe, if you’re gonna be dumb, pay for my ticket too. My bytes aren’t worth that."

Johe groaned, but his enthusiasm didn’t waver. "Ugh, fine. Whatever." He turned to lead the way to his motorcycle. "Let’s go, everyone!"

They arrived at the spectacle.

The sound of their footsteps echoed in the large, bustling parking lot of the CGA Championship, a sprawling golf course designed for the elite of the digital age. The area around the course was packed with computers, all eager to place their bets, watch the match, or simply enjoy the festivities.

As they walked toward the entrance, a floor announcer’s voice boomed from nearby speakers. "Welcome, welcome, to the Computer Golfing Alliance Championships! Today, Burtan Yamashi is facing off against Robin Rotorick, with a grand prize pool of 500,000,000 bytes and growing!"

Johe beamed, a gleam in his eyes. "This is it! The big leagues! Let’s make some money, guys!"

They arrived at the kiosks, where they were greeted by a cold clerk. "Welcome, please scan your tickets for entry."

"How’s it going?" Johe asked the computer, attempting to charm it. "We’re cybersecurity officers, any chance for a discount?"

The computer laughed, a mechanical chuckle. "No discounts here, sir. Full price only, we profit over here."

Johe’s enthusiasm faltered for a second, but he rallied quickly. "Alright, alright. How much for a ticket?"

“I can charge what I feel,” the computer replied. “If all of you are cybersecurity officers then how’s 2,100 bytes a ticket?! I know you’ve got money!”

Johe’s eyes lit up. "Hey, not bad!" He handed over the required bytes, and the computer handed him the tickets. "You guys gonna bet?" it asked.

Johe’s grin widened. "Oh, hell yeah! Can I place a bet here?"

The computer pointed to a line of bettors snaking off in the distance, shouting at the screen as they held up bytes. "You’ll need to head to the betting line over there. It closes in ten minutes."

Johe groaned, shoving some bytes at Bontly. "Here, Bont! Pay for the redhead’s ticket!” He dashed off toward the betting line, leaving Bontly at the kiosk confused.

Shinku couldn’t help but notice the massive crowd gathered around. The room was full of anticipation. "I’ve never heard of a company willingly encourage price gouging," Shinku muttered under his breath, receiving his ticket from the kiosk.

The computer blinked at him, confused. "What’s that?"

"I set a block on my account so I won’t dip below my rent threshold," Shinku muttered to himself, rolling his eyes. "No extra spending for me today."

The computer halted Shinku before he walked off. "Would you like our subscription chip for future updates on arena events?"

"No thanks," Shinku replied, walking off to catch up with Tackle.

Inside the arena, the scene was like a festival. The floor was crowded with people yelling excitedly, food vendors everywhere, and giant digital screens showcasing the current match.

Bontly had joined Johe in the betting line, clearly intrigued, asked, "So, who are you betting on, Johe?” Johe was vibrating with excitement. "Man, oh man, where do I even start?! I’ve been prepping for this for THREE MONTHS!"

Bontly blinked, trying to follow. "Uh… okay?"

"Okay, listen to this," Johe continued, pointing dramatically, "Yamashi is a legend! His stats are impeccable, but Rotorick? You can’t ignore the underdog! But screw it, I’m betting on Yamashi!" He elbowed Bontly with a grin. "You go for Rotorick, and we’ll compete. All in, baby!"

Bontly’s eye widened with a mischievous gleam. "Sure, let’s do it!"

Meanwhile, Shinku and Tackle had found seats by the side, watching the game unfold. Shinku glanced at Tackle, her baseball cap pulled low. "Where’d you get that hat?"

Tackle smirked. "Picked it up off the ground after an angry bettor threw it. It’s hot out here, and I needed some shade."

"Fair enough," Shinku chuckled.

Simultaneously, Johe and Bontly joined them both, ready for the match to start. Anticipation rose in the crowd as the first golfer, Yamashi, stepped onto the field, greeted by the deafening chant of his fans.

"Ya-ma-shi! Ya-ma-shi!" the crowd roared.

Johe jumped up with his fist raised. "Let’s go, Yamashi!"

Tackle rolled her eyes.

Yamashi, a computer wearing a red polo and black golf shorts, adjusted his golf club with precision. Shinku, sensing opportunity, activated the commentator chip in his ear that he received at the gate. The voice of the announcer flooded in. "Welcome, everyone! We’re starting off with a par-3 hole, surrounded by tight spinning sand bunkers and challenging hazards. Yamashi, the fan favorite, steps up to the tee!"

The crowd went silent as Yamashi took his swing. The ball flew perfectly, landing precisely on the green. The announcer’s voice boomed. "And that’s a flawless shot! Just another day for the Super Striker himself!"

Johe, hyped, shouted, "Let’s gooo! I’m gonna make some bank! I can feel it!"

The action was fast-paced, and they quickly found themselves surrounded by vendors offering everything from snacks to balloons.

“Just slide it into my mouth and the transaction will go through, babe!” The clerk preached.

"Hell yeah, I need a rush!" Johe shouted as he bought drinks for everyone, while Tackle disapproved.

"Stop being a pansy, Shinku!" Johe urged, holding out his card for the next purchase.

"Fine," Shinku sighed, swiping his card reluctantly.

The clerk walked away with a cheerful farewell, "See you soon!" as they were charged for ridiculous items. Tackle was clearly annoyed by the wastefulness of it all.

As the match continued, tension built around the course. Rotorick, the dark horse of the competition, approached hole 5. "A split fairway with three difficult obstacles," the announcer explained. "Will Rotorick pull through?"

Johe leaned forward, grinning. "He’s not gonna land that! Rotorick never lands those!"

But then, the impossible happened. Rotorick took his shot, and the ball soared through the air, landing perfectly. Johe’s jaw dropped. "Nooooooo!"

The crowd’s mixed response—boos and cheers—was drowned out by the sound of Johe’s devastation. "It’s still even!" he tried to rally. "Yamashi will win! He’s the greatest!"

Bontly watched. "Sure, if you say so."

The final hole arrived. Yamashi took his shot, only for the ball to veer off course. Johe’s heart skipped a beat. "No way, this can’t be happening..."

The silence in the stadium was palpable as Rotorick prepared for his final shot. With a swift swing, the ball flew through the air, landing with a dramatic clunk. The announcer’s voice rang out in disbelief. "And that’s a hole-in-one for Rotorick!"

Johe fell to his knees, his voice a comical wail. "Why?!"

“Yay!” Bontly clapped.

Tackle smirked. "You’re such a primadonna."

Bontly, on the other hand, grinned from ear to ear. "Wait… does this mean I won?"

As the group left the arena, Johe was still mourning his loss, his shoulders slumped. Bontly, on the other hand, was practically glowing with pride.

Tackle, instigating a reaction from Johe, turned to Bontly. "So, how much did you profit, huh?"

Bontly couldn’t contain his grin. "I bet everything—800,000 bytes—and now I have 3 million!"

Johe, horrified, clutched his chest. "Ow! My heart!" he cried dramatically.

Bontly excitedly, shareed. "I can buy whatever I want now. This is the best day ever!"

Johe groaned. "The horror."

“Way to go Bontly!” Tackle shouted.

Johe painfully shared. "So, what’s next? Anyone have plans? Shinku?"

Shinku gestured no with a cheerful look. “ I’m ok, I just want to enjoy the day with you all.”

“How about Bontly! He is our winner! You choose, buddy!”

Bontly’s eye sparkled with excitement. "Oh, boy! Actually, since I was created, I’ve always wanted to see where I came from. Now that I’m an officer I should finally be able to do it!”

Shinku’s curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Bontly smiled, his voice full of wonder. "I want to see…the Mother Computer. Can you take me please?!" The most excitement the group having ever heard from the brute.