Bottom of the eighth inning—Seido High School's offense.
One out. Bases empty.
Just moments earlier, Seido High School's fourth batter, Azuma Kiyokuni, had blasted a two-run home run to flip the game on its head. The scoreboard now read 5–4, with Seido taking the lead by one run.
That single swing was a devastating blow—both to Ichidai Third High School as a whole and to Manaka Kaname on the pitcher's mound.
Before this, Ichidai San's greatest confidence had come from their slim one-run advantage. In baseball, strength matters—but luck matters just as much. With only two innings left, anything could happen. As long as they held that lead, there was always a chance.
Many Ichidai San players had been clinging to that thought, gritting their teeth and enduring.
Six outs.
Just six outs, and victory would be theirs.
But now, that belief was gone. The score had been reversed. Ichidai San was behind. Worse still, Seido High School Baseball Team's offense wasn't finished.
The fifth batter—Yuuki Tetsuya—stepped into the batter's box.
Judging from Yuuki's earlier performance, he was no easier to handle than Azuma Kiyokuni. Even when Kameshima had still been on the mound, he had struggled to contain him.
Three at-bats.
Two hits.
A terrifying batting average of .666.
Even against Ichidai San's ace, Yuuki had been relentless. Facing Manaka Kaname, who had just taken the mound under immense pressure, the outlook was even bleaker.
In the stands, spectators were nearly unanimous in their judgment. Ichidai Third High School was in serious trouble this inning. Yet Manaka Kaname did not collapse as everyone expected.
After giving up the home run, he had been stunned—so stunned that for a brief moment, his mind went blank. He genuinely didn't know what he should do next.
That sense of powerlessness was impossible to describe.
At that critical moment, it was Director Tahara who snapped everyone awake with a furious scolding.
"The game isn't over yet! Why are you all standing around like you've already lost? If anyone wants to give up, get off the field right now! Isn't there still an offensive chance in the ninth inning? Or are you saying that once you fall behind, you don't even know how to play baseball anymore?!"
He sent Miyakawa to the mound to relay his words. Miyakawa repeated the message word for word, his tone calm and steady. Yet those words struck Ichidai San's players like thunder.
Especially the third-years.
None of them were willing to let their high school baseball careers end like this. Their eyes reddened, and their expressions hardened with resolve. Thinking it through carefully, there was no reason to despair yet.
Seido appeared to hold an overwhelming advantage—but was that really the case?
Not necessarily.
Hidezawa had already thrown more than 140 pitches. He was clearly at the end of his strength. Whether he could even survive the final inning was an open question.
Even if he did, his velocity and power would inevitably decline. With that realization, confidence began to return to the Ichidai San players. Facing a fatigued Hidezawa and Seido's uncertain relief options, scoring runs was not impossible.
The key was simple.
They could not allow any more runs in this inning.
If Seido continued to score now, then even if Ichidai San mounted a comeback in the ninth, catching up would be nearly impossible.
Cruel—but realistic.
Ichidai San's players quickly grasped the situation. They shifted into full defensive mode, determined to protect the score at all costs. When facing Yuuki Tetsuya, they did not retreat.
They chose to confront him directly. At first glance, it seemed reckless. But on closer inspection, they had no other choice.
Seido High School's batting lineup was simply too terrifying. It wasn't just the core batters. Even the lower lineup had been producing RBIs.
Perhaps it wasn't obvious at first, but as they reflected on the game, Ichidai San's players deeply realized just how extraordinary their ace had been.
There wasn't a single batter in Seido's lineup who allowed a pitcher to relax.
From the leadoff hitter to the ninth batter, their strength varied—but none were weak. There wasn't a single batter they could confidently say they would get out easily.
That was why Kameshima's performance stood out even more.
He had lasted a full seven innings under this pressure—and had still left the mound with Ichidai San leading by one run. Thinking about it now felt unreal.
The same logic applied to Manaka.
Walking Yuuki was simply not an option.
Behind him were Zhang Han, the wildly unpredictable Isashiki Jun, and Miyuki—who had already driven in runs against Kameshima.
So who do you choose to face?
Isashiki Jun seemed the weakest on paper. But precisely because of that, he was the most dangerous. Even from absurd batting positions, he could still make contact.
In this situation, would Ichidai San dare to gamble?
Absolutely not.
With no alternative, they could only face Yuuki head-on.
"Whoosh!"
Manaka Kaname released the pitch. Behind the plate, the catcher felt a surge of relief. Manaka's rhythm hadn't been broken.
The pitch had a tricky angle—clean, sharp. Even if it was hit, the infield should be able to stop it. Before the relief could fully settle in his chest, he saw something unbelievable.
A thunderous swing exploded forward.
The bat slammed heavily into the white ball, sending it screaming off at terrifying speed.
How could it be that fast?!
The catcher instinctively wanted to shout a warning to Omae at third base. But before he could open his mouth, the ball had already crossed more than twenty meters, screaming toward third.
Omae was Ichidai San's star third baseman. His status on the team was no lower than Yuuki's. He was the one who had delivered the earlier go-ahead hit.
A powerful hitter.
A first-class defender.
He stood at third base like an iron wall. The moment he saw the ball coming, he moved. Fast—undeniably fast.
But the ball was faster.
Before Omae could reach the landing point, the baseball slammed violently into the ground and shot past him.
Even after the bounce, its speed remained terrifying. By the time it touched the ground again, it had already reached the outfield. A single, violent hit tore straight through Ichidai Third High School's defense.
Yuuki, standing in the batter's box, acted as if he'd done nothing special. He casually dropped the bat and sprinted.
First base.
Then smoothly on to second.
One out.
Runner on second.
A perfect scoring position.
Seeing this, Seido's players turned their gazes toward Zhang Han, who was calmly walking toward the batter's box.
Their hearts filled with a mixture of envy and anticipation.
This guy…
Every time there was a chance to shine, it always seemed to be his turn.
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