Seido advanced smoothly, breaking into the West Tokyo Tournament's top four.
After the game ended, the Ichidai Third High School players didn't even cry.
They were too exhausted. Completely spent—both physically and mentally. There was no strength left for tears.
In today's game, they had truly given everything they had. Their performance was undeniable; no one could say they played poorly. And yet, the final result stood before them like an immovable wall.
Six to four.
They swallowed the bitter taste of defeat by a two-run margin. No one felt unconvinced.
In the ninth inning, many spectators had believed Ichidai San might still turn the tide. And in truth, they did have a chance. If only their luck had been a little better. If only Hidezawa had thrown a few more shaky pitches.
Anything could have happened.
But then what?
Even if they had tied the score—or even taken the lead—could they really have stopped Seido High School Baseball Team's offense afterward?
Don't forget, Seido was the home team. They still had one more offensive inning in reserve. Of course, one could argue that with a bit more luck, Ichidai San might have secured three outs without conceding any runs.
But how many ifs could there be?
Heaven wasn't Ichidai San's godfather. It wouldn't grant every wish. The final score reflected nothing more than the difference in strength.
Seido High School Baseball Team defeated Ichidai San for one simple reason, They were stronger.
When both teams lined up to salute each other after the game, Kameshima dragged his weary body forward and shook Azuma Kiyokuni's hand.
"We lost fair and square," Kameshima said quietly. "I have no complaints. In the next game, do your best. Don't let Inashiro take advantage."
His words were sincere. And precisely because they were sincere, Seido's players found them hard to accept. Azuma Kiyokuni's expression darkened.
"You don't need to remind me."
Before the tournament even began, both Seido and Ichidai San had harbored varying degrees of envy, jealousy, and resentment toward Inashiro Industrial.
There was no helping it.
That team was simply too detestable.
For several consecutive years, Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team had been the strongest force in West Tokyo. Before this tournament started, at least half the fans believed Inashiro would be the one to go all the way.
That alone would have been tolerable. What made things worse was their luck.
The quarterfinals and semifinals were scheduled back-to-back. In such circumstances, tournament groupings could decide everything.
Meeting a strong team early—even if you won—was often a Pyrrhic victory. You wounded the enemy, but crippled yourself in the process.
Strength would inevitably drop the next day. Worse still, many trump cards would be exposed prematurely.
And then—what if you had to face another powerhouse?
Seido and Ichidai San had endured exactly such a hellish schedule.
In contrast, Inashiro's opponents were not weak—but compared to these two, they were far less punishing. Inashiro had been able to preserve their ace, rest properly, and calmly prepare for the semifinals.
After Seido's victory, they barely had time to celebrate before this headache-inducing reality loomed over them.
Inashiro Industrial.
They had just climbed over one mountain—only to find an even taller one standing before them.
"You're not losing confidence, are you?" Kameshima asked.
"Don't talk nonsense. How could I lose confidence? Hah…" Azuma shot back.
His tone was defiant—but that very defiance betrayed his unease.
"No need to be so pessimistic," Kameshima said calmly. "This year's Inashiro isn't as invincible as people think. If anything, next year's Inashiro will be far more troublesome…"
As captain, Kameshima viewed things differently from ordinary players.
But his words fell on deaf ears. Azuma didn't listen.
Kameshima could only stop talking.
His feelings were complicated. He didn't want the team that defeated him to fall to someone else. More importantly, Seido was genuinely a great team—one he didn't want to see eliminated within Tokyo.
Still, Seido had many issues. In this game alone, Hidezawa had thrown 153 pitches.
Tomorrow's match?
No one could say how that would turn out.
"When you get back," Kameshima added quietly while shaking hands, "don't forget to ice it."
He hadn't planned to say anything to Hidezawa. But in the end, the words slipped out.
Hidezawa was momentarily stunned.
Then he nodded—and looked straight at Kameshima, meeting his gaze without flinching.
"I won today's duel."
His voice was steady. Serious. Kameshima froze for a moment, then smiled wryly and nodded.
"That's right. You won."
One hundred fifty-two pitches.
Holding a powerhouse like Ichidai San to just four runs. Hidezawa's performance today could no longer be described as merely "excellent."
Kameshima had remained composed when shaking hands with Azuma and Hidezawa.
But when he met Miyuki and Zhang Han, he was shaken.
The talent and potential these two displayed went far beyond his expectations.
Seido's new generation was terrifying.
Next year might still be manageable—Seido's foundation was weaker, while Ichidai San had depth and accumulation.
But the year after that?
When Miyuki and Zhang Han fully matured—
Would Ichidai San still have anyone capable of standing against them?
They might only be able to rely on Hoshida and Amahisa.
After returning to school, underclassmen gathered around Kameshima to comfort him.
Unexpectedly, he was remarkably open-minded about missing Koshien in his final year.
Instead, when he mentioned Seido's two first-years, he looked seriously at Hoshida.
"With players like Miyuki and Zhang Han in your year," he said, "I'm honestly worried. What will you do then?"
Hoshida and Miyakawa lifted their heads, eyes burning.
"We won't lose."
"That's good," Kameshima replied with a smile.
On the other side, Seido High School Baseball Team thanked the audience, boarded the team bus, and left.
There was no time to linger.
The semifinals would be held tomorrow afternoon.
And their opponent had already been decided.
11–2.
Inashiro Industrial, preserving their ace, crushed their opponent in seven innings and advanced with overwhelming dominance.
Their strength remained as terrifying as ever. The Seido players immediately began preparations.
Meanwhile, footage of their battle against Ichidai San spread rapidly online, causing a massive stir.
Not just in Tokyo, but across the entire country. People were beginning to realize something.
The former national powerhouse—
Seido High School Baseball Team—was on the road to revival.
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