On April 26, the weather was sunny.
Today, Jingu Stadium is particularly lively. With crowds as vast as the sea, the sound of gongs and drums filling the air, and cheers resounding everywhere…
The first-year players from the Seidou baseball team are not newcomers to cheering for the main team. Even seeing the enormous scale of the crowd before them still feels incredible.
This is Jingu Stadium! Just the stands on the first and third base sides can hold tens of thousands of people. For ordinary games, there's no need to open the outfield stands; just the first and third base stands are enough.
But today, the outfield stands of Jingu Stadium were opened from the very beginning. Seidou's team members arrived early, and at first, there weren't many people in the outfield stands at all.
The teammates thought the organizers were making a fuss over nothing; it really wasn't necessary.
To their surprise, fifteen minutes before the game started, the crowd surged in like a tidal wave, coming in wildly.
Before long, the outfield stands were filled to a considerable extent.
This scene could rival that of Koshien.
"It's magnificent!"
Kuki Youhei stared in awe at everything before him, wondering when he would get to enjoy such treatment.
"This is a grand battle!"
Hirota, however, was unfazed.
He had cheered for Sawamura from the stands many times and had a deep impression of the large events in which Sawamura participated.
Not to mention Koshien; even at Jingu Stadium, last year's final between Seidou and Inashiro Industrial was even more exciting than this.
That said, Hirota's heart was also a bit stirred.
Previously, he had been watching Seidou's games from the outside, not feeling it too deeply. Now, as a part of Seidou, the eagerness in his heart was almost unbearable.
At this moment, he and Kuki Youhei shared the same thoughts.
They wondered when they would have the chance to wear Seidou's uniform and stand on this field.
Surely the feeling then would be vastly different from what it is now.
Aside from the first-year students of Seidou who came specifically to watch the game today, there were also quite a few scouts from other prestigious teams.
Several teams had been keeping an eye on Seidou's games, missing none of them.
Now, that number has more than doubled.
Among them were quite a few professional scouts.
It was unclear who they were there to scout.
In addition to these people, there were also two full teams in the stands.
They were the other two teams in the top four: Teito High School and Yakushi High School.
Teito sent their team leaders, Kengo Inui and Mukai Taiyo, along with their Coach.
Yakushi High School was here too.
Almost their entire team was there, led by Yakushi's Coach, Todoroki Raizou, and his proud student, Sanada Shunpei.
Additionally, star players like Akiba, Mishima, and Todoroki Raichi were also present.
The arrival of these players caused quite a stir around, especially for Todoroki Raichi, who received cheers that echoed loudly.
This guy truly became famous in Koshien. Not only does he have the strength of a top-tier batter, but he also boasts the reputation of one.
Despite being just a second-year, if you ask who the strongest batter in high school is now, his name would probably be the most frequently called.
Besides him, another person stood out remarkably. He was tall, over 190 centimeters, making him particularly noticeable among Yakushi High players.
This guy wasn't one of Yakushi's main players before; he was merely a freshman. However, he was now sitting with the main lineup instead of with the newcomers.
Even though he hadn't received a Main Force jersey number, he had already earned a Main Force status.
Not everyone is as patient as Coach Kataoka. After returning from Koshien, he had delayed filling two slots for a long time.
In contrast, Inashiro Industrial and Yakushi High, who also went to the spring Koshien, immediately filled those two slots after returning to school.
Thus, their freshmen had no opportunity to showcase their talents and could not possibly be promoted at this time.
If those freshmen had enough strength and luck, they might only get a chance to play at the Kanto Tournament.
In contrast, Seidou's two newcomers were much luckier.
Thanks to Coach Kataoka's foresight in keeping those two slots, they could participate in the spring tournament as substitutes.
"This is a rare opportunity; we must cherish it!"
Before the match started, Sawamura suddenly said this without any context.
For some reason, Yuuki Masaki and Nishiyama both understood that Sawamura-senpai was speaking about themselves.
"We won't let the Coach and Senpai down," Nishiyama replied respectfully.
"Not letting us down requires more than just words," Sawamura smiled, pointing toward the dugout of Ichidaisan.
"We need to hit that guy's pitches out!"
Yuuki and Nishiyama followed the direction of Sawamura's finger and saw Ichidaisan's ace.
'Amahisa Kousei!'
Recently, Amahisa's reputation has been booming.
It must be said that this guy was indeed talented. Although he hadn't achieved particularly dazzling results yet, he already exuded the aura of a top-tier pitcher.
Seeing Amahisa Kousei like this, neither Nishiyama nor Yuuki hesitated, each filled with a high fighting spirit.
"By the way, who's that guy sitting in the front row from Yakushi? He's so tall!"
Kuramochi noticed something strange; instead of focusing on their current opponent, he shifted his gaze to a corner of the stands.
Indeed, that person's figure was quite striking. Although the players from Yakushi High weren't particularly short, they were definitely above average.
Yet compared to that figure, they paled in comparison. Even when everyone was seated, he stood a head taller than those around him.
Standing out so remarkably, it was impossible not to notice.
Nishiyama followed Kuramochi's finger and looked over, showing a look of surprise.
"It's him!"
"Really? You can see him clearly from this far away?"
Kanemaru looked at Nishiyama in disbelief.
He doubted whether his eyesight was failing him; he couldn't see who was in that crowd.
If it weren't for the team uniforms' color, he wouldn't even realize it was a group of people and not individuals.
How did Kuramochi and Nishiyama identify him?
Nishiyama shook his head with a bitter smile. "I can't see clearly, of course. But with that height and build, it must be that guy. I didn't expect him to join Yakushi."
"Who is that guy?"
He hated vague hints; since he knew, shouldn't he consider those around him who were clueless?
"The Big Samurai, Igarashi Sora!"
"The lineup sheet has arrived."
Five minutes before the match, both sides exchanged lineup sheets. As the Captain, Miyuki Kazuya left the team and went to do rock-paper-scissors with Ichidaisan's Captain, Adachi Hiroki.
Looking at the opponent's lineup sheet, the players of Seidou were stunned.
Before the game, they had considered many possibilities. Given that both teams might encounter each other in the summer tournament, there was a considerable chance Ichidaisan would choose to give up this match.
However, seeing the lineup sheet handed over by the opponent, all the players of Seidou understood.
It seemed they had been overthinking.
Ichidaisan clearly had no intention of holding back their strength; they sent out their entire main lineup.
On the other side, Ichidaisan's coach, Tahara Toshihiko, also received the match-up sheet of Seidou.
Looking at the familiar names one after another on the sheet, Coach Tahara Toshihiko was very clear that Coach Kataoka must be thinking along the same lines.
Today's game absolutely cannot be lost.
Before the match, they had also made various hypotheses. Among those, the most frequent one was keeping the powerhouse Sawamura while substituting for their second pitcher, Furuya.
Doing so would clearly benefit Seidou.
The first point is that it could, to a certain extent, preserve Seidou's strength.
Seidou had already achieved all its strategic goals.
Having dominated the nation in the Spring Koshien, Seidou earned the qualification to directly participate in the Kanto Tournament.
According to the Kanto Tournament regulations, teams that reached the top four in the spring Koshien could directly participate in the Kanto Tournament.
Seidou was the Champion, so they could participate directly. As the runner-up, Inashiro Industrial High School was also eligible to participate in the Kanto Tournament, even though they were eliminated in the first round.
As for the seeded slots, Seidou had already secured them when they reached the top 16.
Now, apart from the rather trivial pizza crust Championship of the Spring Tournament, it seemed Seidou had no reason to continue competing.
In this context, preserving strength seemed quite reasonable.
But evidently, Seidou did not plan to do so.
They too displayed a full offensive stance.
"Coach Kataoka, you're really strong now. But the boys under me are no longer the same!"
"Are you ready to accept the challenge, boys?"
"Yes!"
The players from Ichidaisan were all full of energy.
They would show their fighting spirit in this match!
"Yes!"
The players from Sankou High School brimmed with fighting spirit.
"Very good! Get ready to play!!!"
The Sankou High School players prepared as the Seidou captain returned.
"You won? Really?" Kuramochi stared at Miyuki in disbelief.
This guy's record for winning the Rock-Paper Scissors had been dismal for years; he had hardly ever won in them. His luck had been terrible.
If it weren't for that unfortunate streak last year, Seidou High School wouldn't have faced such an early exit.
"What nonsense! I'm just lucky!"
Miyuki shrugged off Kuramochi's disbelief, even making a scissor hand gesture as if to emphasize his point.
His carefree attitude eased the tension around him. If the captain was this relaxed, what did it mean?
It meant he was confident in their victory.
To be honest, given the current strength of Seidou High School, defeating Sankou High School didn't seem that daunting.
"Don't underestimate your opponents!"
Coach Kataoka, wearing sunglasses, wore a serious expression.
"Let's start strong today!"
"The opponent is formidable—a giant team that can match our pace. Especially their new Ace, whose strength is impressive. If our pitching falters, it will be tough to score hits against him."
From the very beginning, Coach Kataoka gave high praise to Amahisa Kousei. This compliment made the players of the Seidou High School baseball team feel quite embarrassed.
It is like they had already lost to Sankou High School.
Is this a joke? It's hard to say. The players of Seidou High School still had confidence in their victory. Not to mention, even if Amahisa Kousei had an extra head and three arms, the friends in the Seidou baseball club were confident they could take him down one limb at a time.
Of course, Coach Kataoka didn't really intend to undermine the morale of his proud students or the prestige of Seidou.
It was just a habit from being a language teacher that made him subconsciously adopt a structure of first holding back, then praising.
After a long string of compliments, he finally got to the point.
"Although the opponent's strength should not be underestimated, they are not the type that is stable from the very start. You all understand what I mean, right?"
Coach Kataoka earnestly stared at his proud students.
The Seidou baseball players nodded vigorously, understanding exactly what he meant and knowing what to do next.
Why did Miyuki choose to attack first?
With his cunning nature, he must have his own plans. While it's hard to guess all of them, one very important point is clear.
He wanted to take advantage of Amahisa Kousei's shaky start to give Sankou High School a strong blow right from the beginning.
This idea can't be said to be anything but ruthless.
But now, as the two sides compete, Miyuki's approach is completely understandable. To be merciful to your enemy is to be cruel to oneself. If one must choose between the two, it's better to be cruel to the enemy.
"First batter, shortstop, Kuramochi-kun!"
The game officially began, and stepping into the Batter's Box for Seidou was their lead-off hitter, Kuramochi Youichi. Although the lineup had changed significantly after the new team formation, the lead-off position remained unchanged.
In any case, this is the position that suits Kuramochi Youichi best. No one in Seidou would challenge him for it—mainly because no one could.
As Kuramochi stepped into the Batter's Box, Coach Kataoka's earlier words replayed in his mind.
-"Tomorrow's game, we'll start two new players at once. This is certainly for the team's benefit, but the risks are not small…"-
Coach Kataoka had shared many grand statements, but few stuck in Kuramochi's memory.
However, one thing he remembered very clearly was Coach Kataoka's last piece of advice.
"I hope you can take charge of the game from the beginning and ease the pressure on the two freshmen!"
Coach Kataoka's care for the two freshmen was sincere. To allow them to play lightly, he didn't hesitate to put pressure on the other players.
At this moment, Kuramochi wasn't thinking about any of that. He couldn't help but recall when he first became a member of the team. Each time he played, he felt incredibly nervous, while the Senpais around him offered comfort and encouragement.
"You're doing great!"
"Go for it!"
"The days of comfortably catching balls are long gone; if you think like that, you won't survive here…"
In the end, all those memories coalesced into Kominato Ryosuke's cold smiling face.
Yes, cold. Despite his smiling demeanor, his chill penetrated to the bone.
Just thinking about it sends shivers down his spine!
Although he said it bluntly, every time he played, the Senpais put in extraordinary effort. They helped him adapt quickly to his current position, and because of their consecutive victories, Kuramochi's confidence grew stronger and stronger...
'The Senpais back then were probably also advised by Coach Kataoka to act this way, right?'
Reflecting on this filled Kuramochi with a profound sense of mission.
Everyone's opportunities for growth are different. Some come naturally, while others advance by leaps and bounds by chance…
There is another type, like Kuramochi now, where his mindset has undergone a complete transformation.
He realizes he's no longer the Kohai who needs to catch up to the Senpais.
He is now a third-year Senpai who wants to support the new Kohais at Seidou.
This realization and sense of mission can transform a player fundamentally.
And that's who Kuramochi is now.
Originally, his idol was the switch hitter, Kazuo Matsui, who could hit from both left and right boxes.
With Kazuo as his target, he was naturally used to batting from both sides.
But now, Kuramochi has naturally given up on his long-held ideal.
He stands focused in the left-handed Batter's Box, closely watching Amahisa Kousei on the pitcher's mound. The reason for this is quite simple.
He has realized that batting from the left side gives him a higher success rate in reaching base than batting from the right.
Even a one-percent improvement at this moment is enough for his ambition to overshadow his desires.
'As the lead-off hitter for Seidou High School, a Senpai to the first-year Kohais, and the vice-captain of the baseball team.'
'I have the responsibility and obligation to get on base now.'
Kuramochi's change in mindset was quite sudden. Apart from himself, even the teammates he spent day and night with at Seidou didn't notice anything unusual.
Let alone the opponents from Sankou High School.
The strategy they prepared was still based on Kuramochi's previous characteristics.
In the dugout of Sankou High School.
Coach Tahara looked intently at Amahisa Kousei on the pitcher's mound.
"Amahisa boy!"
"You should be well aware of the opponent in front of you. Recently, his momentum has been quite high. And once he gets on base, this guy's threat level increases tenfold."
Against such an opponent, he must not be allowed to reach base!
Coach Tahara had carefully studied all the lineups of Seidou High School many times. Even if he didn't say it, Amahisa Kousei knew what he should do now.
Given Kuramochi's speed, once he truly gets on base, he will become a very troublesome presence.
That sense of threat is not even lower than that of Sawamura, the third batter of Seidou, and Miyuki, the fourth batter.
'Yet, as long as this guy doesn't reach base, his threat level isn't strong. After all, he's not an outstanding batter.'
'At least for Amahisa boy, Kuramochi in front of him doesn't seem too challenging.'
In the battle space between the two, everything around them vanished. At this moment, Amahisa Kousei was fully focused, staring unblinkingly at Kuramochi in the Batter's Box.
For some reason, Kuramochi's movements seemed to pause for a moment.
'Perhaps the long standoff caused him to lose focus for a brief moment, his mind wandering.'
'Here's the chance!'
Amahisa didn't miss this opportunity. Realizing that Kuramochi might not be fully concentrated, he threw the ball in his hand without hesitation.
Whrroosh!
The ball flew like a sharp arrow, instantly hitting the inside corner of the strike zone.
Unlike previous games where he often had starting issues, Amahisa seemed to have no such problems today.
His mental focus was high, and the quality of his pitching was excellent.
In the dugout of Seidou High School, the experts observed.
Seeing the opponent's pitching momentum, their eyes instinctively narrowed.
They all realized that today's game might not be as easy as they previously thought.
In some ways, Amahisa resembles Furuya of Seidou. Once such a pitcher hits their stride, their threat level skyrockets.
'And this guy is even more stable than Furuya.'
Even when Furuya reaches peak performance, he can occasionally waver or become unstable.
Amahisa Kousei is completely different. Once he gets into the zone, his performance only intensifies without any instability.
In the stands, is the team from Yakushi High School.
Having previously competed against Sankou in the Fall Tournament, they had an even better understanding of Amahisa Kousei.
"Today's game may not be so easy for Seidou!" Sanada remarked with great emotion.
Once Amahisa gets into full swing, his threat level is definitely on par with Tokyo Prince Narumiya.
At that point, it won't be easy for Seidou to score.
Just as his words hung in the air, the situation on the field shifted.
Kuramochi changed from his previous dozing demeanor, readying himself for the incoming baseball.
He appeared somewhat dazed before, but now his eyes were clear, showing no signs of distraction.
Watching the ball approach, Kuramochi recalled everything he endured during his winter training.
He couldn't pursue power like other batters—not because he lacked strength, but because his style didn't suit powerful swings.
So all he could pursue was speed.
He needed to speed up his swing.
It wasn't until the baseball reached him that Kuramochi's arms finally moved.
Quickly, he swung the bat with a speed that shocked even him, faster than he had ever swung before.
He decisively connected with the incoming baseball.
Pang!
The bat hit the ball with perfect timing—not too fast, not too slow.
The ball, which had previously shown a slight break, was now sent flying in irregular spins due to Kuramochi's powerful swing.
Ultimately, the ball flew over the head of the shortstop.
The shortstop of Sankou jumped desperately, trying to intercept the ball.
But it was too late.
Before he could reach the peak of his jump, the ball flew past his mitt.
It then landed in the outfield.
Kuramochi, taking advantage of this hit, ran all the way to second base.
His advance was not due to speed, but entirely thanks to his batting prowess.
This powerful display left the entire Jingu Stadium in a moment of silence.
Then came a wave of cheers.
"KURAMOCHI!"
"KURAMOCHI!!!!!!"
"CHEETAH!!"
…