Seido High School's overwhelming performance in their first game immediately put every powerhouse on alert.
That very night, teams with championship ambitions began studying Seido in depth.
One day later, the second round began.
Seido's match was scheduled as the final game of the day, so the team spent the morning watching other matches on TV at the hotel before heading to the stadium in the afternoon.
Today's opponent—
Konan High School from Osaka.
A private school built on speed, proudly carrying the motto:
"Speed is Justice."
They were no pushovers either—frequent Koshien participants, with recent finishes in the Top 8 (Summer) and Top 4 (Spring).
A powerhouse.
But even among powerhouses… there were levels.
Top of the First Inning — Seido Offense
Kuramochi Yoichi stepped up first.
Instead of attacking immediately, he observed two pitches before attempting a bunt.
Out.
Konan's defense reacted instantly—clean, fast, precise.
Even though the play was close, Kuramochi was thrown out.
"They're good at handling bunts," Kanzaki Ryou remarked casually from the dugout.
Konan wasn't just fast—they understood speed.
They knew exactly how to deal with players like Kuramochi.
But—
Before they could celebrate—
Kominato Ryosuke stepped in.
And turned the at-bat into a nightmare.
11 pitches.
Foul after foul after foul.
Each one chipped away at the pitcher's stamina and patience.
"Damn it…!"
By the end of the battle, Konan's ace looked ready to explode.
And then—
Tap.
An infield single.
All that effort… just to let him on base anyway.
Isashiki Jun followed with a hit.
One out. Runners on first and second.
Then came Yuki Tetsuya—
A deep hit to left field.
Bases loaded.
Kanzaki Ryou stepped up.
No hesitation.
CRACK!
A long hit tore through the outfield.
Two runs scored instantly.
Yuki advanced to third.
Kanzaki stood on second.
Miyuki followed with a clean single to left.
Yuki scored.
But—
Kanzaki was thrown out at third.
"Tch… shouldn't have pushed it," Kanzaki muttered as he jogged back.
Two outs. Runner on first.
Masuko Toru stepped in—
And blasted a home run.
Two more runs.
By the end of the inning:
5–0.
Bottom of the First — Konan Offense
Furuya Satoru took the mound.
His blazing fastballs immediately put pressure on Konan's lineup.
Across three innings, he allowed only one run.
Seido's offense didn't slow down.
Hit after hit.
Run after run.
By the time the game reached the ninth inning—
24–3.
Furuya, Tanba, and Sawamura had each allowed one run.
But the gap was already insurmountable.
Top of the Ninth
Two outs. Runner on third.
Kanzaki stepped up once more.
BOOM!
Another home run.
His third of the game.
His seventh of the tournament.
His 50th high school home run.
Even Coach Kataoka, sitting in the dugout, couldn't suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
Let him hit… let him build his record.
In his mind, Kanzaki's future was clear.
A pitcher throwing over 160 km/h—
That kind of arm wouldn't last long in professional baseball.
In that world, pitchers were expendable.
But a batter?
A batter could build a long, brilliant career.
This was why he had been carefully reducing Kanzaki's pitching workload.
Final Score: 26–3
Another overwhelming victory.
Seido advanced to the Top 16.
That Night — Team Meeting
"Good work today," Coach Kataoka began.
"We're now in the Top 16. The next match determines entry into the Top 8."
The room grew tense.
Then—
"The starting lineup for the next game…"
Everyone straightened.
"First batter. Shortstop—Kominato Ryosuke."
…What?
The room froze.
Even Ryosuke himself blinked in surprise.
Kanzaki immediately glanced at Kuramochi—
Who was already smiling.
Ah… I see.
"Second batter. Second baseman—Kominato Haruichi."
Now it clicked.
Kanzaki leaned back, a faint grin forming.
So that's your plan…
Coach Kataoka had taken advantage of this round—
A slightly weaker opponent—
To grant them something special.
A moment they could never forget.
The Kominato brothers.
Standing together.
On the Koshien field.
Ryosuke, normally sharp and composed, fell silent.
Haruichi clenched his fists slightly.
This wasn't just strategy.
This was something more.
Kanzaki clicked his tongue softly, amused.
"Coach… you really are something."
A man who looked strict and unyielding—
Yet quietly fulfilled the dreams of his players.
A true—
Dream maker.