Smoky B.B. 7

(1)
Girl: Aah, Ikki took the other side. // He's always had a weakness for baseball freaks, huh~~
Text: Staring at a fierce battle, a third pole!?
Title: Smokey B.B.

Girl: Hey... don't jump to conclusions while acting as a spectator from up here... // let's go downstairs.

Girl: Tora-chan, please settle this matter... // You're the captain, right!?

Tora: I don't...
Girl: (Eek!)

Tora: (settle, huh?) feel like... leaving everything up to Kitazato.

Girl: The wind... huh? (As expected)

(2)
Text: A chance for the sunken diamond......!!
Title: Smokey B.B / Author: Komiyama Kenta / Artist: Kawada Yuuya

Enjiro: ...the guy with the weird hair. // You... why!?

Title: Chapter 7 Snake VS Smoke

XXX: Ikki!! // Why the hell are you siding with that bastard!!

Ikki: I don't think he's a bad guy... // Actually, I think he's a baseball freak...

(3)
Ikki: Don't misunderstand me, Haimura.

Ikki: I don't fully acknowledge you yet.

Ikki: Don't you guys want to know!? // Whether he's just a shithead...

Ikki: Or the savior of Benten who'll destroy the wall // between us and the Koshien tournament...?
XXX: Well, but...

Sakamaki: He he...

Sakamaki: I agree, I'd like to observe him a bit longer too.
XXX: Sakamaki-san! // Kitazato-san, what should we do!? (Well, well---!!)

(4)
Kitazato: So, the fools got excited just thinking about the Koshien tournament!?

Kitazato: Haimura isn't that much of a gem.

Kitazato: Fine, I'll knock you down myself, // Haimura.

Enjiro: Get in position already. // I'll feed you a nice throw. (Hurry up.)

Hayata: Enjiro... be careful! // I don't believe he's a great pitcher, but // as a batter...

(5)
Hayata: This atmosphere is // dangerous!!

Enjiro: Come to think of it, I haven't thanked you yet.
Ikki: Just call me Iiki.

Enjiro: Thanks, Ikki-senpai. // Because of you

(6)
Enjiro: I can give him a taste of all courses!!

XXX: Strike!

Hayata: Alright.

(7)
Hayata: For the time being, Ikki-san is filling up the huge space between the shortstop and the third base. // Like this, Enjiro has more leeway in the courses of his throw.

Ikki: Hey, I don't mind if you're throwing it to both sides now, but

Ikki: I'd... like some time to prepare. (I want to do a good job.)

Enjiro: No need to... I already really appreciate you're here at all... // so just closely watch the outcome of the match from there!!

Ikki: Hmm... a special seat, huh!! (Oh, well.)

Kitazato: Sure enough, he's great...

(8)
Kitazato: But... // he's not better than I expected.

Kitazato: We were knocked about by the monsters of Kanagawa's demon. // More than you, we've seen straight balls until we got sick of it!!

[T/N: straight balls = a fast ball, a direct (fast) throw over the plate.]

Kitazato: We got a taste of the wall that I couldn't overcome as a pitcher... // and the enormous gap in power between our teams until we got sick of it.

Kitazato: The "Koshien"...
XXX: Ball!

[T/N: ball = any pitch that comes outside of the strike zone, unless the batter swings at said pitch, then it's a strike.]

Kitazato: Our dream... was forgotten at some point of time.

Kitazato: Before we knew it, // we aimed for a smaller goal.

(9)
Kitazato: I wish to end my last summer... standing on the pitching mound... // That's all! I don't care whether it's Benten victory or loss.

Kitazato: I don't care about what happens to them!!
XXX: Nice!! You can see it!!

Kitazato: You cannot change Benten!! // Even you can't safe Benten!!

Kitazato: Because...

(10)
Kitazato: you'll leave that mound to me, Haimura!!

XXX: Amazing... (both of them)

(11)
XXX: This... who'll win!?

Sakamaki: If I knew that, // we didn't have to play baseball, idiot!!

Sakamaki: But... it's been a while since I last saw that face. // His batting style.

Sakamaki: Kitazato has // an unique C-zone!!

[T/N: C-zone = Cut-zone // Cut = to deliberately foul off a pitch.]

(12)
XXX: An unique C-zone!?

Sakamaki: He will hit a foul ball on purpose, // except when it's a risky course or a course he likes. // Cut-zone.

Sakamaki: But, having a technique to deliberately foul off a pitch is really important. // Because even if you're driven into a corner, you can retry as many times as you want... // You just wait for the right throw... // and make sure to hit it perfectly... (Aah, Ibata. Hit already!!)
TV: Foul. // Foul. // Foul. // Foul.

Sakamaki: He's a snake. // He'll catch Haimura at some point.

Hayata: This reminds me of the words some sports player once said... // "A sport isn't something that completes your personality..."

(13)
Hayata: "It's something... // that will reveal your personality."

(14)
Kitazato: Is that all you've got, Haimura... // The fielding time in 9out is already long enough as it is.

[T/N: fielding = defense.]

Kitazato: It's the same with a boxer, when one round takes 9 minutes. // You lost your concentration long ago already. // It's clear that you are talented, but...

Kitazato: You're not as good as I thought!! // I know monsters who exceeded expectations // like those of us going to the Koshien tournament!!

Enjiro: Damn, that Komado. // How is Benten a middle-ranking private school?

Kitazato: They are a wall you can't overcome, no matter what you try...

Enjiro: Damn...

(15)
Enjiro: I want to see.

Enjiro: I want to try.

Enjiro: I want to continue // playing high school baseball!!

(16)
Sakamaki: The end of the plate...

Sakamaki: Wait, Kitazato!! // That's a smokey form......

(17)
Sakamaki: It's Close Fire!!!

(18)
Sakamaki: He penetrated Kitazato's zone. // At a great velocity and angle... // that's Close Fire.

Ikki: The gear... // is still going up! // You!

(19)
Kitazato: This guy...

Komado: Strike, batter out!!

Kitazato: He's better... than I expected.

Text: Exceeding his own chain and the expectations of others...!!

Smokey B.B. Chapter 7 / End