Chapter 85

Short Summary
Saikawa sells Tokuchi and three minor league players to the Galalians. One of minor-leaguers, Kurai, is thrilled to have been picked until he overhears Saikawa saying he’s only selling the minor players to disguise the amount spent on Tokuchi.

Long Summary
Kinosaki shows Tokuchi a newspaper with an interview from the Owner, and asks him if it’s true. Sakaiwa is selling three of his most promising minor players, along with Tokuchi, to another team. This is news to Tokuchi, but he says it must be true.

The minor team players are all excited by the prospect of going to the highly esteemed Galalians. The players are convinced Tokuchi’s hanging around so he can choose which three players go with him, and work hard to impress. Kurai continues to get picked on by the other players, who force him to do all the chores so they can dedicate more time to practising.

Tokuchi asks why Kurai's not playing. The others tell him he has no ability in baseball, but has stayed on the team because he does all the tasks nobody else wants to. Tokuchi watches Muruwaka attempting to bat again, and says it’s ‘amazing’ that he manages to swing late on every pitch.

The players ask Tokuchi if it’s true he has influence on who gets picked, but Tokuchi doesn’t answer and instead asks them if they’d be happier with the Galalians. The team reply there’s not one person who would pass up the opportunity, as even the Galalians' minor team is better than the Lycaons' pro. Tokuchi asks Kurai his opinion, but the other players laugh, saying he has no chance.

All the members continue to play well throughout the practice apart from three; Kurai, Muruwaka and Sugadaria, who has spent the day listening to the racing broadcast again.

After practice, Kurai cleans up the field and Tokuchi stays behind. He comments to Kurai about the team making him clean up, but Kurai says he doesn't mind. He asks Tokuchi, “Have you ever asked yourself what’s the point of me being alive?’ He assumes Tokuchi hasn’t as he's talented, but explains he himself has always performed poorly at everything in life and has been constantly ridiculed for it. When he got to middle school, he barely attended any classes and wasted his time near a river. He was skimming rocks one day when a teacher, whom Kurai describes as the guy who ‘saved’ him, approached and noticed how well he threw. He didn’t admonish him for missing school, but instead encouraged him to become a baseball pitcher. Kurai tells Tokuchi it was the first time somebody had praised him. On his graduation day the teacher, Minimata, had gotten him a baseball glove and written ‘you will become Japan’s #1 pitcher’ on it. Kurai says he’s an idiot for letting the words maintain his hope.

The next day, it’s announced through the newspaper that the three players chosen to go with Tokuchi to the Galalians are Muruwaka, Kurai and Sugadaira. The minor team question Tokuchi's decision, but he says they were mistaken in thinking he had any part in choosing the players for the trade. Kurai approaches Tokuchi, asking him if he’s allowed to be happy about this, and Tokuchi tells him there’s clearly someone who saw value in him.

Later, Kurai sits in the Lycaons stands holding his glove, and promises Minamata-sensai that he’ll work hard and become a great pitcher. He happens to see his coach talking to someone and recognises the Owner. He gets closer and hears Sakaiwa saying the Galalians have spent a lot of money buying ace players from other teams, a practice criticised by fans of baseball. They didn’t want the public knowing they’d spent 2 billion yen to acquire Tokuchi, so Saikawa suggested he throw in three ‘shitty players’ to disguise it. The coach laughs that their three most useless players came in handy and Sakaiwa says the Galalians will probably dispose of them after the current season ends.

Characters

 * Tokuchi Toua
 * Kurai
 * Sugadaira
 * Muruwaka
 * Saikawa: Owner of the Lycaons
 * The Coach of the Lycaons' minor team