Chapter 48: The Upcoming Event
"Practice games? In the last two days?"
In the cafeteria, after a grueling day of training, the Seidou High School baseball team gathered for their meal. A new piece of news circulated among them: Coach Kataoka had decided to announce the schedule for their final practice games. As expected, the information was well-timed, particularly for Miyuki and the others.
It was already known that the summer training camp would end with a series of exhibition matches against strong teams, both local and from other regions. This was a long-standing pre-season tradition. However, the opponents had remained a mystery until now.
"The four practice games include Inashiro and Osaka Kiryu, huh? Wow, that's impressive," Karumochi remarked, chewing thoughtfully.
"Heh, isn't it great? Plus, there's Kazuga High. These three schools will definitely test us and evaluate the effectiveness of our training camp," Ryousuke responded with a smile.
"Uh, Ryou-san, there's also Shuhoku High..."
"Oh, really? Sorry, I didn't notice that."
Ryousuke's casual correction elicited a wry smile from Karumochi. After all, Shuhoku was a second-tier team, and Ryousuke's nonchalant attitude about it was a bit surprising.
Naturally, Karumochi kept his thoughts to himself. Having partnered with Ryousuke for two years, he knew his senior's personality well. Ryousuke and his brother were as different as night and day in terms of demeanor.
"Saturday morning is Osaka Kiryu, afternoon is Kazuga, and then Sunday is Shuhoku, Inashiro, and the three-way match including Seidou High," Miyuki said with a grin.
"Eh?"
Miyuki's announcement drew puzzled looks from everyone, including an astonished Eijun, who was caught off guard by the mention of Kazuga High.
"Kazuga High? Four practice games? Isn't there only supposed to be three in the original story?"
"Is that so?" Tetsu glanced around at Eijun, Furuya, Tanba, and Kawakami, then nodded in understanding.
As the realization dawned on them, everyone understood the new arrangement. With only four pitchers on the first team, it made sense that each one would pitch in one of the games.
"Well, this is interesting."
"Heh, Coach's plans are always full of surprises."
"Could this be the final test for selecting the jersey numbers?"
"Maybe," someone mused.
As they processed the new schedule, their focus shifted to the four pitchers. Aside from the ever-cool Furuya, the other three, including Eijun, showed varying degrees of unease.
"Ha, Tanba, looks like your chance is finally here. This might be Coach's final test for you four. Perform well and secure that ace number!" Isashiki, known for his straightforwardness, slapped Tanba's shoulder enthusiastically.
Tanba, who had been sipping soup, coughed in surprise. Isashiki's words revealed a flicker of determination in Tanba's expression.
"Yeah, Tanba-san, give it your all!!!"
"Heh," Ryousuke chuckled softly, "Don't let the juniors outshine you."
Ryousuke's comment, as always, was sharp and to the point. It made both Furuya and Eijun slightly uncomfortable. After all, every pitcher aspired to the ace number.
Furuya, however, remained more reserved, without showing overt signs of competitiveness.
On the other hand, Eijun maintained his calm demeanor, keeping his thoughts to himself as he ate his meal quietly. He had no intention of commenting on the matter.
Eijun, despite the awkwardness of the situation, didn't let it bother him too much. Securing the ace number in his first summer was an unrealistic dream. Realistically, achieving such a feat as a freshman in the crucial summer tournament was unlikely, and he still had room to grow compared to Tanba.
The issue of trust among teammates also played a role. In the original story, Tanba's performance had been portrayed as unreliable.
However, never underestimate a pitcher who has endured two and a half years of grueling high school baseball training. Such a pitcher can unleash extraordinary skills and energy when pushed to the edge, demonstrating high-angle curveballs and precise control.
Moreover, Eijun knew that he was already honing his forkball. While his fastball might lack some strength, his overall abilities were commendably at a national level for a pitcher.
With such a senior around, Eijun understood that the ace number wouldn't be his battlefield until after this summer tournament. By then, he would have developed various skills, boosting his control and strength significantly, marking the true beginning of his journey.
For now, he thought it best to focus on his current role—becoming one of the team's main pitchers and getting as much playtime as possible was the most practical goal.
Eijun contemplated this quietly to himself.
"No, wait!!!!"
Suddenly, Eijun's expression changed as he recalled something critical. He quickly glanced over at Tanba, who was not far away, smiling awkwardly while chatting with Isashiki and the others.
As he lowered his head swiftly, his face showed a mixture of concern and realization.
At this moment, Eijun remembered an important event from the original story before the official matches.
That event was the injury of Tanba during the match between Seidou and Shuhoku in the tri-school practice games!
The repercussions of this incident were both advantageous and detrimental to Seidou. From Eijun's current perspective, the disadvantages seemed more significant. Having Tanba, the team's ace in his senior year, injured before the tournament could be a substantial setback.
How should he handle this situation? If not addressed properly, this issue could cast a long shadow over the summer games…
Eijun deeply felt the complexity of this problem internally.
During this moment, no one else noticed Eijun's unusual expression—except for one person.
Sitting beside Eijun, Haruichi subtly picked up on Eijun's shifting demeanor.
"Eijun-kun?"
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