Chapter 3

Short Summary
Kojima goes to the One Outs field to play for having the $40,000 debt written off, but Tokuchi increases the bet to $400,000. The spectators all put their money on Tokuchi.

Long Summary
At the One Outs field, Kojima arrives, having been told by Nakane about his lost bet. He pays the current batter to let him go ahead of him. The betters all put their money on the pitcher, Jack, but Kojima hits his pitch out the park. Another pitcher, Pedro, steps forward wanting to play him. Kojima is told by a spectator that this pitcher was in the major leagues and will be much harder than Jack, but again Kojima hits his pitch to the outfield. A spectator finally recognises Kojima. Pedro calls Kojima the ‘real deal’ and offers him his winnings, but Kojima slaps it out his hand and accuses everyone there of disrespecting baseball by using it to gamble.

Tokuchi Toua appears and guesses Kojima is here for him. Tokuchi makes it clear he didn’t threaten or scam Kojima’s companions, and Kojima challenges Tokuchi to a game. If he wins, Tokuchi will write off the remaining debt. But Tokuchi increases the bet tenfold, wanting 400,000 dollars if he wins. Kojima accepts the bet, and tells him there is zero chance of him losing to Tokuchi. He claims baseball to be sacred to him, and gets pissed off by people like Tokuchi who look down on it. He tells Tokuchi that he is unjustly treated like ‘some kind of genius’ and isn’t worthy of praise.

To Kojima’s surprise, the onlookers all place their bets on Tokuchi. Tokuchi says it’s because he has no credibility, just slick words.