One Outs 4

One Outs, Volume 1, Chapter 4, (pp. 93~121)


<93>
=Huh!?
=You told Kojima-san about that gambling ring!?

Chapter 4: Pride

=...Yes
=...Was that bad?
=You moron
=Why do you always have to worry Kojima-san like this

=Where are you going...?
=Out looking!
=For Kojima-san!!


<94>
Chapter 4: Pride


<95>
=I knew it

=Hey!

=This again!?
=It's not another huge bet, is it!?

=400,000 bucks

=This is ridiculous...!
DASH!
=Where do you think you're going!?

=The man wanted a match. Straight up...

=Don't do anything stupid


<96>
—First pitch

ZWUSH

TUG


<97>
BWHOOSH


<98>
KA-RAA—CK

[x3]*rabble*


<99>
[x5]*rabble*
=What the...?
=...It got away from him?

=Hey...
=Just to make sure
CLANK...

=Anything in this box is a strike...
=Right...?

=Yeah...

=Huh
SMIRK
=For a second there I thought maybe this game had a different strike zone or something

=Not nearly as good as last time!!

=Even a guy like him
=Is losing his nerve facing a hitter as good as Kojima-san

2nd pitch


<100>
THUD

=Hey
=Maybe you wanna throw some practice pitches


<101>
=There's nothing on them
=And they're not even remotely close to being strikes

=This is going nowhere

=Don't need it
=Waste of time

3rd pitch

WWHIR


<102>
THWUCK


<103>
OHHHHHH
=3-0...

This is going nowhere
This is the pitching of the man who's never lost?

His velocity has increased slightly
But he still hasn't gotten close to the strikezone

=Phew—
=Finally gettin' in my groove

=Here's the real take
=Mister

=Ha! What "real take"
=Now he's just acting up!!


<104>
=Whaddya think?
=Huh...?

=He's all over the place
=I understand how he could be nervous facing such a great hitter

=But if he can't even throw strikes
=The outcome seems pretty obvious

="Obvious"
=...Right

4th pitch

BWUSH


<105>
=Strong high and inside
=So any old pitcher would aim low and outside if it's down to the last pitch

=But... He plays differently

=Because it's the last pitch, the batter is only thinking about how to handle the pitches he has trouble with
=That moment

He grows unaware of the possibility of getting a pitch he can handle with ease

=He uses that consciousness...//Carelessness...
=To his full advantage


<106>
I could tell what had happened at first

An instant feeling of emptiness...

He...
Dared to throw me a pitch up and inside.

What kind of pitch was it...?

A fastball
Nothing special, maybe around 60mph


<107>
BWUSH
THUP


<108>
ZWUSH

BWHIRR


<109>
=Never up high
=Especially not on the inside part of the plate

=Keep everything low
=Got it!?

=Hey!

=I heard you like stuff up and inside!

=I'll be careful

=That idiot


<110>
=I mean, the man Toua chose was a clean-up hitter in college
=There were even some major league scouts after this guy
=No doubt the toughest opponent he could've picked

Toua... Was able to judge all that in an instant

OHHH

OHHHHHHH

=Just so you know
=If the batter hits anything that bounces on the infield, they lose//Meaning... Getting ground outs is the key to winning this game


<111>
ZWUP

=Too high!!
=Definitely a ball!!

=He's walked him
=It's over!!


<112>
GRUCK

GA-CHUU—CK


<113>
=Fo...
=Foul—!?
OHHH

[x2]OHHH

=Why did he...?
=Purposely foul a pitch that was out of the strikezone?
OHHHHHH


<114>
='Cause everyone in the crowd bet on Toua to win

=Huh?
=E...Everyone!?
=Yep...
=A big humiliation for Kojima...

=That's why he wants to flaunt his own ability
=He doesn't want to win by drawing a walk
=He wants to whack Toua's pitches

=He wants to show
=How much more skilled he is


<115>
=I see...

=Well...
=If you wanna know what I think

=He's full o' shit

=What!?
=You don't understand! This is about Kojima-san's confidence and pride as a professional...
=Why can't he realize...
=That pride or what not is what's dragging him into even deeper shit

=This is all a trap

=A trap?


<116>
5th pitch

GRIIICK


<117>
OHHHHH
=YEEEAH
=Now it's 3-2!!

=The entire crowd betting on Toua
=That whole thing
OHHHHH

=Was a setup

=Huh!?


<118>
=All the guys promised they'd bet their money on Toua
=In exchange for getting their hands on some of that 400,000

=That way, Kojima would act stubborn
=And run the count down on his own


<119>
This guy...

=Knew he was going to get a full count from the very beginning!!

=Well? That wake you up a little?

=Hah-hah...
=True, getting to 3-2 may have been Toua's plan, just like you said
=But that doesn't mean he's going to win


<120>
=In the end, Kojima-san is just way too good for him
=It's obvious from how those 5 pitches turned out

=The crowd knows it, and they're secretly starting to panic
=They've realized Toua's got no chance

=Really?
=Doesn't look like that to me
OHHHH

[x?]TOU—A

OHHH

=Hey
=Looks like your arm's all warmed up now


<121>
=C'mon
=Don't run

=Toss one in the strikezone

=Hah
=That's some confidence there, really

=It's coming... Next... Toua's ultimate pitch...