More than a week after the game with the third-year seniors, the New team Seidou has managed to address most of their issues.
As for Sawamura, he temporarily abandoned his plan to master the Level 5 Breaking Ball in a short time and decided to focus on perfecting the Cutter Ball instead. For now, perfecting the Cutter Ball should suffice.
Miyuki got used to the new Cutter Ball after receiving more than a dozen pitches.
"You really are a monster!" Sawamura exclaimed, he could only give a thumbs-up to Miyuki.
"You're the real monster here!" Miyuki replied with an annoyed smile.
Compared to Sawamura, he felt he was just an ordinary catcher. Sawamura had mastered this pitch completely within a week—his control was as precise as his Straight and his signature Moving Balls.
'To master such a fearsome pitch in just a week? If Sawamura isn't a monster, I can't even imagine what a true monster would look like.' Miyuki shuddered.
With the addition of the new Breaking Ball, Sawamura, the team's Ace, had completed all necessary preparations. Now, he just needed to wait patiently for the Fall Tournament to begin.
It wasn't just Sawamura; during this time, the players of Seidou High School's baseball club had also addressed the issues they previously exposed. The true effects would only be confirmed in actual games, but they were fully prepared.
The day for the draw quickly arrived.
Teams that participated in the preliminaries were grouped into sets of four. These teams would compete in a round-robin format, and the team with the highest points at the end would win.
Thus, only the most formidable teams made it to the draw. They had eliminated three-quarters of Tokyo's teams to reach this stage. The remaining teams would be grouped and made a draw to determine the final winner.
According to the rules, the Tokyo region had one and a half spots for the spring Koshien. The champion of the Tokyo tournament would automatically qualify for the spring Koshien. The runner-up would compete with the runner-up teams in the Kanto for a chance.
Seidou High School naturally aimed for the championship. As the newly crowned national champion, settling for second place and fighting for a spot in the spring tournament with the other teams was unacceptable.
Time flew by without pause.
Today was the draw day.
Miyuki insisted that Sawamura accompany him. The previous day, after their training, Miyuki had expressed this request. Sawamura had outright refused, questioning why he should go to the draw and be surrounded like a spectacle.
Miyuki, however, was adamant. "On that day, usually the Captains and Aces of each team go. Sanada, Mei, and that person you're so concerned about, Mukai, might all be there."
"They can enjoy being the center of attention if they want. I have no interest in that!"
The Tokyo competition wasn't a show where people just stared at each other with spark in their eyes like it was an Anime.
Miyuki sighed and stopped insisting.
Sawamura thought the matter was settled.
Unexpectedly, that night, Kuramochi, who shared a room with Sawamura, gave him a thorough 'lecture'.
"As a Kohai, the most important thing is to be respectful!"
"Ahhhhhh!"
So the next day, Sawamura, Miyuki, and Kuramochi—representing Seidou High School—went to the draw.
"Hyaa-ha-haa!"
Kuramochi seemed exhilarated as if he had just been released from a long confinement.
"Why drag me along? You should've just asked him to come. Are you nervous about being a Captain for the first time?"
Miyuki looked embarrassed. "Is it that obvious?"
Sawamura was surprised. From his memories, Miyuki had always been an unshakable figure. He hadn't expected Miyuki to have such much pressure from being the Captain.
Before his regression, Sawamura had been so focused on improving his own skills that he overlooked many things.
"Alright, I'll go with you!"
Miyuki didn't want Seidou's front to appear weak, so he dragged Sawamura along.
Sawamura, understanding Miyuki's predicament, decided to help.
At the venue, people had already gathered.
As the reigning champions, Seidou High School was among the last to arrive. Similarly, Sankou, Inashiro, and Teito had also arrived late. Prominent players, especially Captains and Aces, were generally well-known stars, and early arrivals could attract unwanted attention.
Despite the star-studded scene, Seidou's trio still caused quite a stir upon their arrival.
"The Seidou team is here!"
Before everyone could enter the stadium, a swarm of reporters rushed to the scene.
At the gate, the Seidou trio stood out: Miyuki in the center, with Sawamura and Kuramochi flanking him.
"Sawamura!"
One reporter exclaimed quietly.
'What a surprise!'
'This is huge news!'
For the reporters, securing an exclusive interview with Sawamura Eijun could lead to promotions, salary increases, and career success.
It's not that Sawamura has reached a level that impacts their careers.
It's just that rarity makes things valuable. So far, Sawamura Eijun has given very few interviews.
This is astonishing for a player dubbed the Maou in middle school who helped his team win the Koshien Championship in his first year of high school.
Imagine the level of interest in this topic!
Now, as Sawamura entered through the gate, reporters rushed forward like cats scenting fish.
"Sawamura-kun…"
"I'm from TV Tokyo…"
"Excuse me…"
Their actions naturally created a stir at the scene.
Miyuki and Kuramochi were visibly panicking.
Though they were also nationally known stars, they had never experienced a scene like this with Sawamura, which resembled the grand arrival of a major star.
"Sorry, the draw is about to start. Please let us pass!" Sawamura said, bowing deeply with his hands together.
His polite demeanor and no-argument tone caused the surrounding reporters to automatically step aside, creating a clear path for the trio.
'So this is why they arrived late!' the reports thought.
As the reporters cleared a path, Sawamura, Miyuki, and Kuramochi walked through as if they were soldiers awaiting review.
Seidou High School's entrance suddenly seemed more grand.
Miyuki was very satisfied with the outcome.
'Indeed! My decision to bring Sawamura was correct—no, it was incredibly right.'
"You're quite impressive!" Kuramochi said with rare admiration.
Sawamura shrugged. "I said I'd be treated like an animal in a zoo here. It's really pointless."
Had it not been for this reason, Sawamura wouldn't have minded contacting the Captains and Aces of Tokyo's strong teams in advance.
"Aren't you handling it well?" Miyuki murmured.
"Don't joke. I've polished this skill for many years."
Kuramochi's admiration was slowly turning into annoyance, seeing Sawamura's casual attitude.
'Even if you're a real superstar, you don't need to act like this, do you?'
The three moved smoothly through the venue. Initially, they wanted to find a corner, but considering the attention, they opted for the center.
The central area was already crowded, so even if the reporters wanted to, they couldn't sit there.
They had to return to the area in front of the podium.
Once there, someone stood up and said with a grin, "As expected of a National Champion! Can you shake hands with me? Maybe I'll get some of your luck."
The person extended his hand.
Miyuki and Kuramochi exchanged glances.
The comment sounded polite, but had its share of 'thorns.'
What does he mean?
"Of course. But who are you?" Eijun asked with a smile, shaking the person's hand.
…