01x09 - A Savage Scenario

[bunniefuu]

Whoa, look!

Ain’t that Volg Zangief?

He came back to Japan?

Yeah, color me surprised.

He’s still in top form despite his absence.

Hello there. It’s nice to meet you all.

U-Uh, yeah.

Nice to meet you.

You’re free to use any of our equipment.

I’ll introduce you to someone in America whom I know and trust once I get a hold of him.

Until then, you can do your workout here.

Thank you very much!

Let’s ask Volg tomorrow!

There’s no better sparring partner for the Sawamura fight!

He’s got both the technical skills and the guts! He’d be perfect!

I’m against it.

I know I shouldn’t say it, but he’s not one of us.

The only ones who should help Senpai are those closest to him.

Well, he has a good point.

Leave your feelings out of this!

You want Ippo to win, don’t you?

Those two are really intense.

He’s still going?

I guess a one-time quitter like me is nothing like an active boxer.

You know we’re right, Itagaki!

Think about Ippo.

H-Hi there!

What’re you doing, Volg?

I’m polishing it. They told me to make it nice and shiny.

Nice and shiny?

Who said that?

Team Aoki!

They’re gone!

Hey! What are you making our guest do?

W-We thought he was a new member!

You dipsticks! He fought Makunouchi-
senpai in a very close match!

Where’s your respect for him?

Come on, you know there’s no ill will.

That’s not the point here!

So we should respect him?

H-Here.

It’s how to beat the Dempsey Roll.

Senpai... is now in your hands.

Do it as a favor to us too.

Can you please take him on?

I realized only a short while ago

that I’m not nearly as conditioned as I was before I retired.

I’m not even sure if I can last a single round.

Then all you have to do is one round!

Will that do Makunouchi any good?

You’re the only one who can do it!

Please, just think it over.

Makunouchi is very tough.

I won’t be of any use to him.

Still...

His friends are very worried about him.

Makunouchi is also very anxious.

But why?

Sawamura.

Is he the one making Makunouchi so terrified?

I’m home!

I’m back too!

Good job today!

Huh?

Sawamura.

Not only does he scare Makunouchi...

Makunouchi can’t possibly beat him.

I just need

enough stamina to last three rounds.

I’ll put into practice what’s written here.

The Sawamura Scenario...

is undoubtedly something straight from hell.

The Dempsey Roll is useless against him.

Makunouchi will be buried along with that move.

If that’s the case...

Then I...

will bury him!

Volg’s about to leave?

Yeah.

He’s found someone in America.

He’ll be with my coach’s friend, Hama Dankichi-san.

Since he’s a world-class trainer, Volg-san must be psyched.

He’s been training day and night for the past week.

It’s almost as if he's got a fight coming up.

Volg-san!

Ma’am!

I’ve finished making supper, so I came to get you.

Thank you very much.

Ippo told me that you’re going to America.

Thanks for taking care of me for all this time.

Will you be okay by yourself in America?

Can you speak English?

I’ll be fine.

I owe Makunouchi and his coach a huge debt of gratitude.

They found an American contact for me very quickly.

Really? Good luck, Volg-san.

Now let’s go home and have dinner.

Of course!

Let’s go, Wanpo.

You’ll miss him too, right, Wanpo?

Yes.

I must leave this place quickly.

This place is simply too warm and welcoming.

Oh, there you are!

You came to get him too?

Umezawa-kun said he’s about to starve to death.

That’s not good!

We're running home!

You’re not beating me!

I’ve been training for a whole week!

I guess I’m still not conditioned.

But time’s running out.

I have to do it.

I must thank you by showing you the Sawamura Scenario.

I won!

I have a favor to ask... Makunouchi.

A favor? What can I do?

Volg-san...

I was wondering why they called us here so damn early in the morning.

So Volg asked him to be his sparring partner, eh?

Will he beat the Dempsey?

His flight for America is scheduled for today.

So this is his goodbye gift?

He wouldn’t be out for blood if that were so.

It looks like he finally got back

the desire to challenge the strong, just like a real boxer.

You may begin.

H-He’s fast!

The White Fang?!

Whoa! Is he fighting for real?

A Gazelle Punch!

Ippo’s also dead serious!

The third round.

Indeed...

Indeed, he’s able to go on longer than me.

I can’t withstand his punches anymore.

Volg-san...

He’s swinging from one blind spot to another.

And he’s using those recoils to aid his hard punches.

I-Is this the Dempsey Roll?

I-Is he going to beat it?

You know he can’t!

He’s too worn out to make it happen!

His guard!

sh*t! He’s wide open!

Don’t do it, Ippo!

He’s in a blind spot.

Now!

There you are!

I can see your right hook, Makunouchi!

The kid can't stop the momentum of his recoil!

This is the...

Sawamura Scenario!

Ippo!

Crap! He’s foaming at the mouth!

Senpai!

Don’t move him! Get a wet towel!

He can’t ask for a better parting gift. We thank you.

Makunouchi, I know you will come back from this.

It ain’t easy making your way up in America, so prepare yourself.

I’ll speak for Ippo and thank you.

Thanks very much!

Kick a*s!

I’ll be back.

Ma’am, thanks for everything you did for me.

Take these with you.

They’re charms for a safe trip, good health, and constant victories.

Here.

Can you do me one last favor?

Sure, anything you ask.

Can you say, “udachi tebe, synok”?

Wh-What’s that?

That sure is an odd request.

Udachi tebe, synok.

Did I do it right?

Volg-san?

Spasibo... mat.

Oh yeah,

what did those words mean, anyway?

That’s Russian, right?

Yeah... they’re some magic words you say in Japan to feel better.

Really?

Udachi tebe, synok.

Spasibo, mat

Too bad Ippo couldn’t see you off.

It’s fine. He saw me off the last time I left anyway.

But...

There's no need for goodbyes this time.

Even if we’re an ocean apart, I know we’ll meet again.

As long as we’re both still boxing, I know it.

I’ll make sure Ippo hears that!

That must have been devastating.

It went so far beyond reckoning
that even I was surprised.

So the Dempsey Roll is dead, huh.

Yeah, but there’s one more thing.

Something even more shocking.

What’s that?

That counter gives back twice the destructive power as the Dempsey.

Volg was very much aware of that.

Volg was kind enough to just match up the timing with the punch.

H-He just matched them up?

He went easy on you.

You were knocked out cold by a mercy punch.

You know Sawamura will not be that merciful.

He will punch using his full strength.

Then what’ll happen to you?

If your move is the only thing he'll do in,

then all you have to do is regain
consciousness and start all over again.

But what if the very unthinkable happens?

What if you never regain consciousness again?

Is Senpai still on the roof?

That must’ve been a real blow.

He found out exactly how he’s going to lose.

It might have been better if he’d never known.

Who’d wanna fight a match knowing that’s waiting for him?

But he can’t back out now.

Of course he won’t!

Senpai won’t let it end like this!

Volg-san even sparred with him hoping he’ll rise to the occasion!

Well...

You have a point.

Will he stand the pressure, though?

It’s a lot, even for him.

That was a very sobering parting gift from Volg.

Kid?

I’ll do everything I can do!

Whatever doubts I have, I'll try to erase some of them with all the training I can think of!

If I do that, I’ll fill myself with renewed hope!

You’ll find hope in this situation?

Yes!

Now that I know how he’ll beat me, it should be easy to come up with a counterstrategy!

If that’s not true, then Volg
did all that work for nothing.

That’s right!

He’s just bluffing, trying to maintain his empty bravado.

But if he didn’t, he would be completely consumed by crippling fear.

There is a way.

But...

I’m not telling him.

That would make those tough
legs of his scream out in pain.

He’ll need to go past the movable limits of normal human joints.

That punch will take years off his life as a boxer.

I’m not sure if I should tell him that secret later on in his career.

This is certainly no time to waver.

But that’s not an easy decision to make.

You must be feeling lonely

now that Volg ain’t around.

Yeah.

You’d have liked the look he sported when he left.

He looked like a real winner.

He even said he’ll come back to see you.

Probably when you're both world champions.

World champions?

Maybe in America. It’s not an
easy thing to achieve here.

It’s just a matter of time as long as you both keep winning.

So you better win your next title defense, you hear?

I want to win.

I want to win, but...

I still don’t see that happening.

I might not even have a ghost of a chance.

No matter how much I run, I’m still anxious.

I'm only thinking of the negatives!

I’ve been pulling these tires for quite a while now.

I know I need to build up my legs.

But how is that the key?

Stop doubting!

The coach always makes you do these things for a reason!

But...

He knocked me out cold with just one punch.

Will every counterpuncher use that move?

All they need to do is get the rhythm down.

My rhythm is easy to gauge.

Then that rhythm...

needs to change!

The recoil was so great that a sudden stop puts too much load on my hips and knees.

But...

This is it!

I’m sure this is exactly what my coach wanted me to do!

If I can build up my legs to withstand that force...

That pathetic little move will be utterly pulverized.

Tell me if it’s really pathetic during our fight.

There...

Sawamura-san will see a Dempsey Roll that’s a little bit different!

I can see how the Dempsey Roll will evolve!