They… are Seidou?
The Coach of Kashiwagi High School watched the confrontation on the field with a look of doubt.
There was no denying that the players of Seidou High School's baseball team had performed excellently at the start of this match.
The first-year rookie batting first and the second batter, Toujou, successfully got on base one after another.
Their performance was undeniably outstanding!
However, to claim that they got on base purely due to their individual excellence would be somewhat biased.
From the perspective of Kashiwagi High's Coach, the primary reason for this crisis was that his own pitcher was having issues with his condition.
As for Seidou's players, their performance so far was merely standard.
It didn't seem as overwhelming as they had initially imagined.
"Is it just my illusion?"
The game had only just begun, and Seidou's players still had the absolute upper hand.
But this was just the Coach's personal feeling—far from concrete evidence.
To confirm his suspicions, he needed to observe further.
He watched closely.
At the same time, he signaled his players on the field, instructing them to stabilize themselves.
"No matter who the opponent is, didn't we already prepare thoroughly beforehand?"
"No need to rush—just play steadily and showcase your true strength!"
Though the Coach spoke with ease, it was not as easy for the players on the field to relax.
After allowing consecutive hits, Kashiwagi's Ace pitcher was already feeling anxious.
He knew his current condition was poor and that he needed to adjust immediately—otherwise, the consequences would be disastrous.
But keeping calm under such circumstances—how could it be that simple?
Those who could remain composed no matter the crisis, no matter the situation…
Which of them wasn't a true Ace of a powerhouse school? A famous star player?
Even they, at times, struggled to suppress their emotions.
Let alone Kashiwagi High's Ace!
Compared to those star players, his composure was still lacking.
So, even though he knew he needed to calm himself down to face the upcoming batters—
He simply couldn't do it.
'A great opportunity!'
For Haruichi, this was an opportunity too rare to miss.
If he let it slip, he wouldn't deserve the title of the Devil Brother.
Whoosh!
Just as Kashiwagi High's pitcher released the ball—
Kominato Haruichi swung his bat immediately.
Paak!
As if precisely calculated, the bat struck the baseball firmly, sending it flying.
Under the excited gazes of Seidou's players and the stunned expressions of Kashiwagi's team—
The baseball landed between the first and second baseman, slipping past them both and heading for the outfield!
This run was in the bag!
Seeing this scene, Seidou's teammates were all secretly delighted.
Seidou was about to score its first run—there was no doubt about it.
Lee-Hyun dashed home safely.
Seidou took the lead with the first run.
And it wasn't over yet!
Toujou, who had been on first base, had already judged, even before Kominato's hit landed, that it would drop and result in a base hit.
So, without hesitation, he sprinted immediately!
He flew past second base and aimed straight for third.
Kashiwagi's outfielder wasn't just standing idle. The moment he saw Toujou charging for third, he reacted quickly.
He threw the ball toward third base.
Toujou reached third just a moment earlier.
But he didn't stop!
Because at that moment, Kashiwagi's third baseman made a critical mistake.
When catching the ball, he failed to secure it—causing it to bounce out of his mitt.
Perhaps Kashiwagi's players were too nervous—or maybe they wanted to win too badly…
Unknowingly, they had made the most foolish of errors.
And Toujou did not let the mistake slip.
He sprinted forward, dashing toward home plate.
At this moment, Kashiwagi's third baseman felt like banging his head against a wall.
No matter what, he did not want to see Toujou score because of his error.
So, he desperately picked up the ball and threw it to home plate!
In his desperation, Kashiwagi's third baseman truly pulled off a brilliant play.
He swiftly picked up the ball and threw it to home plate with pinpoint accuracy.
His movements were fluid, clean, and incredibly fast.
For Kashiwagi High to have made it to the Chiba Prefecture Top 4, they may not have been overwhelmingly strong, but they definitely had skill.
This detail alone proved it.
Because of the third baseman's stellar play, Kashiwagi's catcher managed to receive the ball ahead of time.
At this moment, Toujou was still five to six meters away from home plate.
Five or six meters seemed far, but for a full-speed runner like Toujou, it was just a matter of fractions of a second.
There was no time for the catcher to return to home plate properly.
His only option was to twist his body and attempt to tag Toujou mid-run.
But could it really be that easy?
Seidou's players had been thoroughly trained in every aspect.
Stealing home was one of their key focuses in training.
At full speed, Toujou forcibly adjusted his running trajectory—dodging the catcher's mitt by mere centimeters.
Then, he swung back around and stomped hard on home plate.
"SAFE!!!!"
Following Lee-Hyun's score, Toujou also made it home beautifully.
Seidou had secured their second run.
The score was now 2-0.
At this moment, Kashiwagi High's Coach finally felt at ease.
His earlier doubts—were indeed unfounded.
Even if Seidou had mostly sent first-years into today's game, with only two regular starters—
This was still Seidou. No doubt about it!
If they weren't Seidou, how could they possibly overwhelm Kashiwagi this much?
To the point where Kashiwagi could barely even fight back!
Score: 2-0.
Situation: No Outs, runner on first.
After hitting a base hit, Kominato stopped at first base—without advancing further.
This, too, was part of Seidou's style.
When playing and they are behind, they never give up. As long as there's a chance, they seize it without hesitation.
But when they have the advantage, there's no need to risk it unnecessarily.
If they simply play steadily, victory is in their grasp.
After winning Koshien in both last summer and this spring, Seidou had gradually accumulated their own winning formula.
"Always aim for the next base, never give up when behind; never get reckless when ahead."
As Seidou continued their smooth performance, Kashiwagi finally began to relax.
Their Ace pitcher's gaze changed.
Now, he was ready to unveil his secret weapon—one he had been saving for the summer tournament.
And against such a formidable opponent, what better time to test it out?
As a third-year pitcher, he had been preparing for the upcoming summer tournament.
He had originally planned to keep this as his secret weapon for the summer tournament.
But now, facing such an interesting opponent, he might as well reveal it a little earlier.
After all, they weren't even in the same area as Seidou High School.
Moreover, their goals were entirely different from those of Seidou High School's baseball team.
Seidou, as the reigning two-time Koshien champion, had only one goal from start to finish.
And that was to defend their title and reign supreme!
For Seidou High School's baseball team, any result other than achieving that goal would be considered a failure.
Kashiwagi High School, however, did not have such grand ambitions.
Their biggest dream was simply to make it to Koshien.
Even achieving this modest goal was far from guaranteed.
But that didn't mean they wouldn't fight for it with everything they had.
Before that, getting a chance to face the reigning champions, Seidou High School's players, and gaining a clearer understanding of their own abilities was an invaluable opportunity.
That was why, in this practice match, Kashiwagi High School's Ace pitcher had already made up his mind to unveil his new trump card.
However, he never expected that he would have to use it so early—and against an opponent different from the one he originally had in mind.
He had planned to save his decisive pitch for a showdown against Miyuki Kazuya.
Seidou's reputation as the king was truly well-earned.
A group of first-year players alone had already put them in such a tough spot.
Facing Yuuki Masashi, the freshman cleanup hitter, Kashiwagi High School's ace decided to unleash his decisive pitch.
After securing two strikes, he decisively threw it.
Whoosh!
"STRIKE!"
"FOUL!!"
One pitch was called strike, and another was hit foul.
Despite feeling tired and unwell, with both arms trembling with every movement,
Yuuki Masashi believed he had grasped his opponent's pitching rhythm.
He had already gotten used to the pitcher's trajectory and variations, so if the next pitch came into his strike zone—
He was confident he could send it flying.
Here it comes!
Watching the baseball approach, Yuuki stood firm like a mountain.
No matter what, he had no intention of letting this pitch get past him.
'Hit it!'
As the ball flew toward him, he decisively swung the bat.
But the ball's break exceeded Yuuki's expectations.
Just before reaching his strike zone, the baseball suddenly slid to the side.
This unexpected change left Yuuki completely off guard.
He could only watch as his bat and the ball missed each other entirely.
Snap!
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
Although the result was difficult to accept, the reality was undeniable.
Yuuki was Out—cleanly and completely.
He had been struck Out!
In Seidou High School's dugout, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Despite how effortlessly Toujou and Haruichi had performed earlier,
It was clear that for the rest of their first-year players, taking down this opponent wouldn't be as easy as they had imagined.
"No wonder they're one of Chiba's top four. They do have some real skill. That must be their hidden trump card."
Coach Ochiai stroked his small beard and muttered in contemplation.
The rest of this game might be a tough battle for Seidou High School.
Before the match, they hadn't conducted any analysis on their opponent.
Even the lineup decisions had been made at the last minute.
Because of that, Seidou High School's overall combat effectiveness had inevitably taken a major hit.
'And on top of that, the players' current conditions…'
Coach Ochiai sighed and shook his head.
As expected, things played out exactly as he had predicted.
The fifth batter, Yui Kaoru, hit a weak ground ball to the infield.
Kashiwagi High School's players seized the opportunity.
The third baseman, who had made a costly mistake earlier, quickly scooped up the ball and threw it to second base.
Then their second baseman relayed the ball to first base.
"OUT!!"
"OUT!!!"
A beautifully executed double play!
After conceding two Runs, Kashiwagi High School finally stabilized the situation by securing three outs.
The teams switched offense and defense.
…
T/N: Well, That's it for now!
As always, Thank you all for reading!!
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