September had arrived, and the weather was gradually beginning to cool.
Although the Autumn Tournament wouldn't officially begin until the end of the month, the preliminary group qualifiers were already underway.
October and November would host the main tournament, so September was devoted to both training and the qualifying matches.
Many of Seido's newly promoted First String players still lacked experience, making every practice session especially important.
As in previous years, the team held a special intensive training camp.
Although it wasn't as demanding as the summer camp, the workload was still substantial.
One of the biggest changes was batting practice.
Now that Ushijima Wakatoshi could pitch with both his right and left hands, the number of practice sessions had increased significantly.
Previously, batting practice against him was held every other day.
Now...
It was held every day.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, he pitched right-handed.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, he pitched left-handed.
Only Sundays were different.
That was Ushijima's recovery day.
Every Sunday, he went for a massage to relax his muscles and shoulders, allowing his body to recover from the week's heavy workload.
He never pitched on Sundays.
"Ever since Ushijima started throwing batting practice every day..."
"Everyone's batting average has improved considerably."
"The only exception is Maezono, who's still lagging behind."
"Everyone else is batting over .300 now."
Rei Takashima spoke while looking over the latest practice statistics.
Coach Kataoka silently nodded.
The team's training environment had never been better.
Much of that was thanks to Ushijima Wakatoshi.
He had become the standard everyone else chased.
Outside Seido's baseball field...
More and more visitors gathered every day.
Ever since Seido captured the Summer Koshien championship, professional scouts had been arriving in droves.
Most of them came for one reason.
Ushijima Wakatoshi.
They observed his daily routine in meticulous detail.
The more they learned...
The more astonished they became.
Every single day, Ushijima completed:
At least 210 bullpen pitches
A 20-kilometer morning run
1,000 practice swings
200 base runs
500 batting-practice pitches to his teammates
His workload was almost unbelievable.
A complete circuit around all four bases measured approximately 109 meters.
Ten laps equaled just over one kilometer.
One hundred laps came close to eleven kilometers.
Two hundred base runs...
Totaled nearly twenty-two kilometers.
Combined with his morning run...
Ushijima covered roughly forty kilometers every day.
His 1,500 total swings and hits were also the highest on the team.
The scouts carefully monitored his physical condition.
When they learned he visited a massage therapist every Sunday to maintain his body...
They were even more impressed.
Despite being only a first-year...
He already understood the importance of recovery and injury prevention.
Only after witnessing all of this did everyone truly understand why Ushijima had become so dominant.
His success wasn't simply talent.
It was the result of relentless dedication.
"Haa... Haa... Haa..."
In one corner of the practice field, Ushijima quietly continued his extra swings.
Originally...
He had been the only player who stayed behind after practice to train alone.
But gradually...
Kominato Haruichi joined him.
Then Toujou.
Then Kanemaru.
Soon afterward...
Takatsu from the Second String also began quietly practicing beside them after completing his regular training.
The sight placed enormous pressure on the second-year players.
Yet at the same time...
It filled them with confidence about Seido's future.
If nothing unexpected happened...
Ushijima.
Haruichi.
Toujou.
Kanemaru.
Takatsu.
Those five would undoubtedly become the core of Seido's lineup by their third year.
After all...
None of them ever slacked off.
"Three straight Summer Koshien championships..."
Miyuki wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"...They might actually pull it off."
Shirasu nodded.
"We won't have that chance."
"The most we can accomplish is back-to-back Summer Koshien titles."
"But they..."
"They have a real opportunity to win three straight."
He paused before smiling.
"If we work hard enough..."
"We can still achieve three consecutive Koshien championships."
"We already have this Summer."
"If we win next spring..."
"And then next summer..."
"That'll be three in a row."
Kuramochi grinned.
"If we can't win three straight Summer Koshien titles..."
"Then let's win three consecutive Koshien championships instead."
Maezono laughed.
"I'm all for that."
Meanwhile...
On the hillside overlooking the practice field...
The retired third-year seniors quietly watched their juniors continue training.
"...I don't have any regrets."
Isashiki squatted on the grass with his elbows resting on his knees.
"But..."
"Watching them train so passionately..."
"I really want to go down there and join them."
His eyes never left the field.
Especially...
Ushijima.
Seeing him lead the team through another exhausting practice made Isashiki miss those days even more.
Unfortunately...
They had already retired.
There was no longer a place for them on that field.
Kominato Ryosuke smiled faintly.
"Yeah..."
"For some reason..."
"I still can't let go."
He looked toward Ushijima.
"If only he'd been in our class."
"That would've been amazing."
"We could've trained alongside him for three full years."
"And honestly..."
"If it hadn't been for this kid during the past six months..."
"We never would've improved this much."
"Nor would we have completely conquered Koshien."
Then he laughed softly.
"Now I'm even more jealous of Haruichi."
Yuki Tetsuya smiled.
"My regret..."
"...will simply be inherited by my younger brother."
Chris looked at him in surprise.
"Your brother's coming to Seido?"
Yuki nodded.
"Yes."
"After watching this year's Summer Koshien..."
"Especially after seeing Ushijima carry the team on his back from the pitcher's mound..."
"He became even more determined to enroll at Seido next spring."
Isashiki laughed.
"I bet every middle school baseball player who watched Koshien this year felt the same way."
Everyone nodded.
Who wouldn't?
Ushijima's performance had been unforgettable.
Kominato smiled.
"In the end..."
"It was our persistence that created the comeback opportunity."
"We fought all the way into the twelfth inning."
Masuko nodded.
"And Isashiki's hit..."
"It was second only to Ushijima's game-winning home run."
Everyone understood exactly what he meant.
If Isashiki had been retired...
Yuki would have come to bat next.
Komadai Fujimaki would undoubtedly have walked him.
That would've placed runners on first and second.
With Ushijima batting behind him...
They almost certainly would've issued another intentional walk to load the bases.
Even with the bases loaded...
Masuko would've been the next batter.
Because Masuko lacked speed...
Komadai Fujimaki could confidently defend against a squeeze bunt or force a double play.
However...
Once Isashiki reached base...
Everything changed.
Walking Yuki became unavoidable.
After all...
Yuki ranked second in home runs during the Summer Koshien.
They simply couldn't afford to pitch to him.
That decision loaded the bases...
Which ultimately gave Ushijima the opportunity to end the game with one swing.
In hindsight...
The moment Isashiki reached base...
Seido's victory had already become inevitable.
"I'm thinking..."
Isashiki suddenly spoke.
"Should we hold our retirement game earlier than planned?"
Chris shook his head.
"Let's wait."
"The team needs to focus on preparing for the Autumn Tournament."
"They're still adjusting the new lineup."
"We'll hold our retirement game after the Autumn Tournament is over."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
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