CLANG!!!
A sharp, explosive crack echoed across the stadium.
For a split second, it felt like the entire field had shaken.
Every eye turned upward.
The baseball rocketed into the sky like a blazing comet, carving a perfect arc across the heavens.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
Unstoppable.
THUD!
The ball slammed directly into the scoreboard.
The impact sent a dull vibration through the air.
For a moment, the stadium fell silent.
Then—
The stands erupted.
Cheering.
Applause.
Roars of disbelief and excitement.
Sengoku Masato, the fourth batter of Kaido High School, casually raised his hand as he rounded the bases.
Head high.
Composed.
As if this kind of thing was routine.
"Unbelievable!!"
"Their reputation is real!"
"This is Kaido High School—the reigning powerhouse from Kanagawa, last year's Koshien runner-up!"
"The kings of high school baseball!"
"And they've already started their assault from the first inning!"
"Their batting lineup is a storm!"
"An unstoppable tidal wave!"
"And it's still going!"
Before the commentator could even finish—
CLANG!!!
Another thunderous crack exploded through the stadium.
The ball launched into the sky again.
Higher.
Farther.
And then—
It disappeared beyond the field entirely.
Like a second shooting star cutting through the night.
"ANOTHER ONE!!"
"TWO HOME RUNS IN A ROW!!"
"SATŌ TOSHIYA—SECOND YEAR CATCHER—MAKING HIS FIRST START OF THE TOURNAMENT AND BATTERING THE OPPOSITION!"
"THIS IS HIS FIFTH HOME RUN OF THIS KOSHIEN!"
"Kaido High School's offense is a disaster zone for pitchers!"
The commentator's voice was nearly drowned out by the crowd.
The stadium itself felt like it was shaking apart.
Ikuei High School's pitcher stood on the mound in disbelief.
Four runs.
In the first inning.
And the inning wasn't even close to over.
Yakushi High School stands
At first, the Yakushi students were still smiling.
"Nice swing."
"Wow, that's a good hit."
"Pretty strong, huh?"
They spoke casually, still riding the confidence of their previous victory.
After all—
If Kitamura Kou or Todoroki Raichi were lucky, they could do the same.
Right?
But as the inning continued…
Their expressions slowly changed.
The smiles faded.
The casual chatter disappeared.
One by one, their eyes sharpened.
Their posture stiffened.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't just "strong."
This was something else entirely.
A level beyond expectation.
A lineup that didn't just score—
It destroyed.
"This offense… it might be even scarier than the top three teams in West Tokyo."
"If they had a pitcher like Narumiya Mei…"
Nakanishi Daiki's fat trembled as he swallowed hard.
Then he shook his head violently.
"No, no, that's impossible."
"How could someone like Narumiya Mei just… appear anywhere?"
"He's not like a grocery item you can just pick up—ha… haha…"
His forced laughter sounded increasingly weak.
"That's not necessarily true."
Akaishi Osamu spoke quietly, eyes fixed on the field.
"Kaido High School has been the undisputed king of Kanagawa for years."
"Their reputation is on par with Inashiro Industrial."
"They've been improving every year."
"Last year, they nearly won Koshien."
"They recruit nationwide."
"And talented players are lining up to join them."
He paused.
"So statistically… it wouldn't be surprising if they produced a pitcher on Narumiya's level."
"NOOO!!"
Nakanishi clutched his head.
"My dream of Koshien is turning into a nightmare!"
"I thought Seihou and Hakuryu were tough…"
"But this next opponent is even worse!"
"What are we supposed to do?!"
"Kou! What do we do?!"
He leaned in dramatically toward Kitamura Kou, face filled with panic and desperation.
Like a stray dog begging for help.
"Get away from me."
Kou frowned and pushed his face aside without hesitation.
"You're disgusting."
"Hey, don't be like that~"
Nakanishi immediately tried to lean in again, grinning as if nothing happened.
His fear from earlier vanished instantly.
"Quiet down, both of you!"
Todoroki Raizo's voice suddenly exploded.
Veins bulged on his forehead.
He rubbed his temples hard.
"You two are way too noisy!"
"Sit down and watch the game properly!"
"Analyze Kaido High School seriously!"
"Think about how we're going to face them next!"
His frustration was obvious.
Not just from the chaos—
But from the overwhelming pressure Hakuto's performance had placed on him as well.
"Tch…"
Nakanishi muttered under his breath.
"We're not even as loud as the crowd…"
"Authoritarian… dictator…"
But his voice was so quiet, even Kou barely heard it.
And for once—
He didn't sound confident at all.