Chapter 102

Short Summary
Tokuchi gives up another run to Amami. The man who can awaken Kurai’s abilities finally arrives.

Long Summary
In the sixth inning, Kurai gets put on first base while Tokuchi pitches. Tokuchi calls to him and tells him Mihara wants him to be right next to the audience’s booing as punishment for being useless.

The Secretary assumes Tokuchi pitching from the start must mean he’s tired; he can’t risk relieving Kurai with runners on base and wasting more of his stamina. The Secretary compares the stats from previous games and finds the speed of Tokuchi’s pitches this match have become a lot less varied- his slow balls are no longer so slow and his fastballs no longer so fast, meaning his ball control is worsening. Tokuchi gets three outs in the fifth inning, though he gave up two hits and a runner got to third.

Across town, an unknown man worries to himself that Tokuchi’s in trouble. He finds a taxi driver and asks him for a lift to the Lycaons game. The driver replies it's a long drive and the match might be over by the time they get there.

Tokuchi gets through the seventh inning still without letting a run in, but the variation of his pitch speed has become even narrower. His salary is now -333.333 million. Oikawa calls him on the phone and urges him to put Kurai and Sugadaira back on the bench, but Tokuchi says their true abilities have ‘almost awakened’. Oikawa is still sceptical these abilities exist, but Tokuchi says all that’s left to do is wait for the man who will trigger this awakening. His only problem is whether or not his stamina will hold up until then.

Now in the eighth inning, Tokuchi pitches against esteemed batter Amami Taiyou. Amami hits it and gets all the way round to home, making it Tokuchi’s third earned run. He now owes the Owner 1.1333 billion yen.

The unknown man asks the driver if they’re there yet. Puzzled, the driver wonders why he couldn’t tell from the big sign over the stadium then realises the man is blind.

Tokuchi gets four balls against the next batter and the bases are now loaded. The infielders gather round the mound. The blind man finally makes his way into the arena and calls out for Kurai. Kurai sees him and recognises Minamisa-sensai, the teacher who encouraged him to start pitching.

Characters

 * Tokuchi Toua
 * Saikawa
 * Saikawa's Secretary
 * Oikawa
 * Amami Taiyou
 * Kurai
 * Minamisa-sensai