Smoky B.B. 3

(1)
Left text: April... the start of everything!!

Enjiro: So!?

Enjiro: Are you glad you entered Benten!?

Hayata: Well... after hearing that whole story... // I think it's nice to team up with you once again.

Box: Benten High School / First year student / Haimura Enjiro
Box: Benten High School / First year student / Kazami Hayata

Enjiro: It's the revival of the golden battery of Toyosawa Middle school, huh?
Hayata: I'm not too sure about myself~~ // Well, I guess at least you'll be treated like the ace of the team.

[T/N: in baseball the terms "battery" refers to the combined effectiveness of the pitcher and the catcher as a set.]

(2)
Enjiro: Hmm... // Treated like the ace of the team, right...

Komado: Sorry to make you wait!

Enjiro: Oh? You're the perfect example of fine feathers make a fine bird.
Box: Benten High School / First year student / Kuhou Komado

Enjiro: Wasn't Benten supposed to be a pretty traditional school!?
Komado: Didn't you read the pamphlet I send you!? // Well, there are a lot of beauties on Benten!
Enjiro: Oh, is that so?

Enjiro: That's not good Komado-chan, then you lower the average mark.
Komado: And you raise Benten's average mark of shitheads, Enjiro!
Hayata: She has gotten used to him already.

(3)
Box: Kanagawa-ken // Benten High school

Enjiro: Alright.

Box: Join the baseball club.

Enjiro: Let's go!

Box: The first day!!

Text: Dreams... ambitions... it all starts from here!!
Title: Smokey B.B. / Chapter 3 Join the club

(4)
Captain: Ugh, this year there aren't a lot of new members.
Coach: I tried my best though. (To scout some.)

Captain: Now that you say it, // where is that first year that was scouted personally by our director!?
Coach: You mean Haimura Enjiro!?

Coach: Who know!?

Coach: I heard he'll come later...

(5)
Director: Both of you // Welcome to Benten...

Director: I'm the director, // Kuhou Daimon!!

Hayata: I'm Kazami Hayata. // Hey, introduce yourself.

(6)
Enjiro: Hi~~ // I'm your guardian angel, // Haimura Enjiro!!

Hayata: Hey Enjiro, he's the director. He's like your boss. // The first time you meet your superior...

Enjiro: I have to compliment his necktie!! // I love its color.
Hayata: (No, that's wrong)
Komado: Get used to it, papa... You have no choice but to get used to it.

Director: Well, let's go into the main point.

Director: Haimura-kun... Seeing that I'll recompense you for your work, you are no longer just a normal amateur baseball player!! // Of course, you're not allowed to talk about this to anyone else. // Treat it as a top secret mission.

Director: You have only one goal.

(7)
Director: To make Benten dominate the Nationals!! // That's the only condition to cancel your debt of // one hundred million yen!!

Enjiro: So, how's the competition in Kanagawa!?
Komado: It's the fiercest competitive area... there's the so-called demons of Kanagawa.

Komado: Benten always ranks within the best 16 of the prefecture. // The best 8 schools are // powerhouses with monster-like strength!!

(8)
Director: To be frank... the best 8 // are like a wall Benten can't overcome. // First of all I want you...

Director: to break down that wall.

Director: I also tried to scout other people... but it didn't work out. // That's not all there is to it... // but I asked the coach to treat you as an ace player.

Enjiro: Hey, hey, why did you decide that... //
Director: Don't you like to be ace!?
Enjiro: No, that's not the case.
Director: Then there's no problem, right...

Director: There are still some other things I need to discuss with you, but... ......anyway

(9)
Director: A welcome...

Hayata: What!?

(10)
XXX: Hey, where are you aiming!?

XXX: Hey, Kitazato!!
Enjiro: Oh~~

Enjiro: He has a great punch... // That hearty welcome bouquet...

Enjiro: Because of him, you can leave it in the vase. // I have to go now... // I'm already very late for my first day of club activities!!
Director: A...Ah.
 
(11)
Komado: Will it really be alright like this, papa!?
Director: Is this about hiring a high school amateur baseball player!? // He is flawless... we didn't have any other options but taking him to begin with.

Director: I am the one to blame!! // However we've been in debts since my grandfather's generation, I didn't think of a repayment plan and now Benten is on the brink of bankruptcy // If we miss this chance, it's over for us.

Director: I think it's unforgivable what I do to you and the baseball club. // I would be glad if I could end it all by hanging myself. // But unfortunately that won't change Benten's situation.

Director: All I can do is to bet Benten's fate on Haimura Enjiro. // Then... I'm sure everything will work out.

Komado: Yes.

(12)
Komado: Listen, Enjiro.

Komado: Remember, discipline is strict in the baseball club. // So, behave well!! And don't use sarcasm!
Enjiro: I don't, I...am a poor talker.
Komado: Liar!

Komado: Hurry, hurry!!
Enjiro: No, don't hurry. // You can't just enter the grounds without stopping.

Enjiro: Excuse me.
Komado: Yipes, you're scaring me!! (With good manners.)

Hayata: Finally...

(13)
Hayata: We're back!! //Enjiro.
Enjiro: Alright, this feels great!!

XXX: Hey, you are Haimura, Kazami and our aspiring manager Kuhou, right!?

XXX: The coach is looking for you!!

(14)
Coach: So. // Which one of you is Haimura?
Box: Baseball club coach / Muro Shouhei

Enjiro: This one here is Kazami, he aspires to be a catcher. // The girl is Kuhou, the daughter of the director... and by the process of elimination
Hayata: Hello.

Coach: Haimura... I'll say this straight...

Coach: You start in the reserve team!! // ...that's it.
Komado: What!?

(15)
Komado: Hold on a sec. I would like you to use him as an immediate asset.

Coach: Ah... // The director also told me to treat him as an ace.

Coach: Sure enough, our team doesn't have a pitcher great enough to be called our pillar yet... // But... I can't use him as an example for the other club members.

Coach: This is a private school where boys gather who kept playing baseball no matter the circumstances.
XXX: (Come and get me! // My legs feel dead! // Attack!)
Coach: They all have a lot of pride.

Coach: He's a guy who's identity is a mystery, yet became the favorite of the director // If I'd give him any special treatment and just hand over the ace number...

(16)
Coach: the team would collapse.
Komado: But... it's almost summer

Enjiro: Hey... shut up, Komado. // I'm fine with it!!

Enjiro: No person in this world would want to be offered // the ace number by the director and his daughter!!

Enjiro: Because then it would just be a mere number. // No one would read it as "ace".

Enjiro: The ace is to be acknowledged by the whole team // as the best player!!

(17)
Coach: Alright!! // Looks like he understands...

Coach: Well then, teach us how to improve. // Go for it.
Enjiro: Got it.

Coach: Hmm, Haimura...

Box: A rookie that enters with too much show // will likely be avoided by the upperclassman...

(18)
Coach: All the more because he's the favorite of the director. // He would be killed with kindness.

Coach: Eventually even you'll agree this was the right choice...

Coach: If you aim to be the ace.

Coach: You'll have to convince everyone with you own strength. // Haimura!!

(19)
Coach: It could take you one or two years...

Coach: Well... do your bes---

(20)
Coach: He... // the way he swings his arm...

(21)
Coach: Is it Smokey!?

(22)
Coach: What... // ...that.

Coach: Hold on...... // Why did such a person come to our school? // (Why didn't you tell me...)
Komado: What!?

Coach: He should go to a powerhouse, a powerhouse!! // To "Sagamidaihongou" or "Yousui" or so--- // I... used to be a fielder!!

Coach: Just after I said all those cool things, my position----!!
Komado: Well... I heard our coach was popular for some reason or another...

Komado: But no matter what, our coach was right. // Enjiro!!

Komado: Your present goal is // to be acknowledged by everyone!!

(23)
Enjiro: You're mistaken... // isn't that just today's goal!?

XXX: Ha ha...

XXX: Aren't you the one who's mistaken!? Seeing that you'll be quitting the baseball club today. // You're just a hired mercenary after all.