Chapter 166: Nishinomiya City, Koshien
From the perspective of Tokyo, on the other side of Mount Fuji lies a large and well-known city: Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture.
This city holds national recognition and is even famous across East Asia for one main reason: it is home to Hanshin Koshien Stadium, a revered location in the baseball world.
Koshien Stadium was built in 1924 and has undergone numerous expansions, repairs, and upgrades over the years.
Today, it covers a vast area of 39,600 square meters and can accommodate over 50,000 spectators.
Although the stadium is widely known as the home ground of the Hanshin Tigers, a professional baseball team, its true fame comes from hosting the annual Japanese High School Baseball Championship tournaments in spring and summer.
This is why Koshien Stadium is known as a sacred place in the hearts of high school baseball players throughout Japan and East Asia.
On August 2nd, the atmosphere in Nishinomiya City began to buzz with excitement as crowds from across the country flocked in.
All these visitors shared a common purpose: to witness the grand spectacle of the National High School Baseball Championship.
Besides the 882 young athletes preparing to compete, countless baseball fans gathered in the city, driven by their love of the game and the dream of experiencing this iconic event.
On August 4th, near Koshien Stadium, a quaint yet charming inn stood out with its picturesque scenery.
Notably, this inn featured a large backyard and was close to a public baseball field.
This was the place where the Seidou High School baseball team would stay.
That day, the Seidou team members arrived by bus, ready to settle in.
The players were assigned to four-person rooms, while the coaching staff received single rooms.
The Seidou High administration had been particularly generous this time, approving additional funds for the trip.
They ensured the players would have excellent accommodations and meals, with a specific request to coach Kataoka to spend what was needed to keep the players in top condition.
The goal was to help the team rest well and maintain peak performance for the upcoming games.
The school leaders even began discussing improvements to the home field and enhancements to the players' benefits and living conditions if the team could achieve a high ranking at Koshien, such as reaching the semifinals.
"Wow, we can see Koshien Stadium clearly from here," exclaimed Haruichi, opening the window of his room.
He gazed at the distant Hanshin Koshien Stadium with a mix of awe and excitement.
Beside him, Furuya, having just put down his luggage, also glanced toward the stadium.
Though his expression remained stoic as usual, the glint in his eyes hinted at his inner excitement and anticipation.
The Koshien roster allowed for only 18 players, and Haruichi, with the number 20 on his back, initially feared he might not make the cut.
However, Coach Kataoka made the decision to include Haruichi, opting to drop another infielder instead.
There were two main reasons for this choice: First, the current Seidou roster did not have many first- or second-year players, and giving Haruichi the experience of Koshien would benefit the team's future, especially as they prepare for a roster overhaul after the summer.
Second, Coach Kataoka valued Haruichi's natural batting talent and defensive instincts, particularly for the infield's crucial second base-shortstop combination.
If Haruichi could fill the gap left by Ryousuke after he graduates, Seidou's new lineup would be much stronger defensively.
With the growing prowess of Eijun as a pitcher, this transition would solidify the team's core.
Additionally, Haruichi had proven his worth as a pinch hitter during the regional summer qualifiers, maintaining a perfect batting success rate in his appearances, making him an immediate asset to the team's lineup.
Before Seidou High departed for Koshien, Coach Kataoka held a final indoor meeting.
He made a crucial announcement: two infielders were removed from the first team roster, making room for Haruichi, who was assigned the number 17.
Haruichi was genuinely delighted by this news. Despite the disappointment of the two players who were cut, they still managed to put on a brave face.
They understood that in a prestigious program like Seidou, it's inevitable to prioritize the development of core players for the next generation.
As Haruichi gazed out the window, Eijun joined him, staring at the magnificent Koshien Stadium in the distance.
The iconic venue, once a distant dream, was now within his reach.
His heart surged with excitement.
He was finally here, at the sacred ground he had longed to stand on.
Reflecting on the powerhouse teams they would face—Osaka Kiryuu, Yokohama, Teito, Komadai Fujimaki, Hakuryuu High, and Seiho High—Eijun clenched his fist with determination.
"I will conquer every single one of you and stand at the very top!" he vowed silently to himself.
As the trio continued marveling at the sight of Koshien, a voice that seemed to miss the gravity of the moment interrupted them.
Eijun turned around to find his senior, the ever-cheeky Kazuya, leaning against the doorway with a lazy smile.
Initially, the plan was to have Eijun share a room with his fellow first-year players for better bonding.
However, Miyuki had other ideas.
For reasons unknown, he volunteered to join their room, suggesting this change directly to Rei Takashima, the team's manager.
To Eijun's surprise, Takashima immediately agreed without hesitation.
Eijun couldn't help but feel tricked as he glanced at Miyuki's mischievous grin. He had a bad premonition about the days to come.
"I'm doing this for your own good. You first-years are still kids in many ways, so I decided to look after you," Miyuki teased, as if reading Eijun's thoughts. He gave an exaggerated sigh, acting as if his kind intentions were misunderstood.
Eijun could only respond with a wry smile. "Thanks, Miyuki-senpai, I guess."
"Haha, no need to thank me. It's a senior's duty, after all," Miyuki replied with a laugh.
Eijun felt exasperated.
This guy sure knew how to make the most out of any situation. He thought, Give him a little sunshine, and he'll shine brightly on his own.
Meanwhile, back at Seidou High's campus, a familiar figure strolled onto the field with hands behind his back.
He observed the spacious grounds of Seidou's baseball field with a look of satisfaction and deep contemplation.
"Hmm, not a bad place at all," he muttered, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
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