Chapter 119: A Name That Shook Tokyo
"Nice!!! Captain!!!"
"Another run!!!"
"Haha, Tetsuya, you're too reliable!!!"
"Yuuki-kun!"
"Seidou, Seidou, Seidou!"
"Keep going, keep going, Masuko-senpai!!!"
Tetsuya Yuuki's home run ignited a surge of adrenaline in Seidou High's team, raising their momentum even further, while simultaneously extinguishing any remaining hope Yakushi High had.
On the mound, Sanada stubbornly stood tall, but if you looked closely, you could see his right hand, resting on the brim of his cap, trembling slightly.
The home run had directly and severely impacted Yakushi's pitcher.
Raichi sat alone in the corner of the dugout, his face showing unprecedented dejection, completely lifeless—an expression that didn't resemble the usual Raichi at all.
On the field, in the dugout, and even in the stands, most of Yakushi High's members had a look of despair on their faces.
Almost 99% of the audience—no, practically the entire crowd—sensed that Yakushi's fate was sealed.
Yakushi High's defeat was inevitable.
Even Coach Todoroki lowered the brim of his hat in resignation.
Though there was still one inning left and the score difference was only three runs, Coach Todoroki could no longer deceive himself.
The game had reached its end, and any resistance would be futile.
It's over…
Coach Todoroki glanced up at the clear blue sky, letting out a bitter sigh in his heart.
And the rest of the game proceeded just as he had feared.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Seidou High, fueled by Yuuki's home run, completely broke down Sanada's defenses.
After holding Seidou scoreless for four innings, he could no longer turn the tide in the eighth.
Following Yuuki's home run, Masuko delivered a powerful hit to the center field fence, reaching second base.
Then, Miyuki capitalized on Sanada's fatigue, seizing the opportunity with a clean hit to left field.
No outs, runners on first and third.
Sakai followed up with a sacrifice fly to the outfield, adding another run for Seidou.
When it was Eijun's turn to face Sanada for the third time, Sanada's weakness was fully exposed as fatigue overtook him.
Eijun successfully landed a hit, leaving Seidou with runners on first and third with one out.
Seidou High's relentless offense was too much for Sanada to handle. The strain on his left leg had reached its peak.
Sanada's figure on the mound wavered, and by the end of the bottom of the eighth inning, Seidou had tacked on four more runs, widening the gap to a six-run lead.
As the game entered the final inning, Eijun and Miyuki allowed no chances.
With a dominant stance, they quickly secured Yakushi's remaining three outs.
Whoosh
Pop
"Strike! Batter out! Three outs, game over!!!"
"OHHHH!!! We won!!!" Kuramochi shouted.
"We've made it to the semifinals!!!"
"Haha, Jingu Stadium, here I come! This time, I'm going to conquer you completely!!!"
"We won!!!"
Seidou High's players, along with their cheering section and the bench, erupted in celebration at that moment.
Even Director Ota was so overwhelmed that he began flailing his arms with excitement.
Coach Kataoka, typically stoic, allowed a faint smile to appear at the corners of his mouth.
But the atmosphere on Yakushi's side was entirely different.
When the umpire's voice echoed across the field, Yakushi High's players could no longer hold back the sorrow welling up inside. Their tears and sobs came suddenly, unexpectedly.
Raichi stood motionless in front of the dugout, his expression blank.
So this is what defeat feels like?
He realized then that baseball wasn't just about joy.
This piercing pain…
Tears began streaming uncontrollably down Raichi's face as his emotions overwhelmed him.
His own shortcomings, his lack of strength.
Coach Todoroki approached, gently patting his son on the shoulder. He didn't offer any words of comfort, understanding that letting it out now was the best thing for Raichi.
"Raichi, let's line up."
Coach Todoroki's quiet voice reached Raichi's ears.
With tears still falling, Raichi nodded silently and mechanically walked toward the center of the field.
Raichi, this is an invaluable experience for you. Your future is vast and full of potential. I hope this moment becomes the stepping stone for your growth, Coach Todoroki thought as he watched his son's slightly hunched figure walk away.
"Line up!"
"Salute!"
"Thank you for the game!!!"
Clap clap clap clap
Thunderous applause filled the stadium, honoring both the victorious champions and the defeated underdogs.
"You played really well, Raichi, don't cry!"
"There's still the Autumn Tournament! We'll look forward to seeing you perform even better then!!"
"Keep fighting, Yakushi!!!"
The final score: 9-3. Seidou High's overwhelming victory.
With this dominant win in the quarterfinals, Seidou High secured their ticket to Jingu Stadium, advancing to the semifinals!
And for Eijun Sawamura, this game cemented his reputation, making his name resound throughout all of Tokyo.
Facing Yakushi's lineup, which had defeated the powerhouse Ichidaisan High, Eijun pitched six consecutive innings from the fourth inning onward, leaving a lasting impression.
Not allowing a single run and permitting only one batter to reach base, Eijun's terrifying dominance on the field was clear. After this match, there's no doubt that he's now at the top of every powerhouse school's radar in Tokyo.
From here on, every team they face will surely develop strategies specifically designed to take down Eijun.
To defeat Seidou High, they must overcome this formidable barrier.
Eijun Sawamura—Seidou's true ace.
That was the consensus among all spectators.
"Next time… next time, I will definitely beat you!!"
Raichi's resolute voice, with his tear-stained face, etched itself deep into Eijun's mind.
The rough texture of Raichi's hand, so close to reaching victory.
Watching Raichi's stubborn figure walking away, still teary-eyed, Eijun's expression turned more serious than ever.
I won this game, but the next one… who knows what the outcome will be.
"He's going to be even tougher next time, don't you think?" Miyuki suddenly said as he stood next to Eijun, also watching Raichi's retreating form.
"Yeah, I feel the same," Eijun nodded slightly and responded quietly.
Raichi Todoroki—the strongest hitter of this generation, a true prodigy. For the next two and a half years, he would be Eijun's greatest rival.
"Let's go. We've got a few days to relax now," Miyuki stretched, his tone casual as he loosened up.
"Two more games… just two more, and we'll be there."
Eijun clenched his fist—semifinals, finals.
Inashiro Industrial, Narumiya Mei… here I come!!
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