Eight to zero.
That was the final score.
Kaido High School crushed Ikuei High School with overwhelming force.
In truth, if Kaido's players hadn't eased off the gas after securing a comfortable lead, the gap could have been even larger.
When the final siren sounded, signaling the end of the game, the members of Yakushi High School remained seated in the stands.
No one spoke.
Their expressions were unusually solemn.
The strength Kaido High School had displayed today far exceeded their expectations.
Their tactical execution was flawless.
Their teamwork was impeccable.
Their offense was a relentless barrage that never seemed to stop.
Their defense was disciplined, precise, and nearly airtight.
And their pitching staff...
It was deep enough to make anyone despair.
No matter how they looked at it, Kaido High School had virtually no obvious weaknesses.
Without question, they were the strongest opponent Yakushi High School had encountered since arriving at Koshien.
If they could maintain this level of play, they would undoubtedly be one of the favorites to win the entire tournament.
Perhaps even the strongest team remaining.
Facing an opponent like that placed tremendous pressure on everyone.
"Thank goodness we came to scout this game."
Todoroki Raizo let out a long breath.
For the first time all day, he looked somewhat relieved.
"If we had gone into the semifinals without seeing this firsthand..."
He shook his head.
"The result would've been obvious."
"We would've been crushed."
His words snapped the players out of their daze.
Everyone immediately looked toward him.
Their eyes were filled with expectation.
Surely Coach had already thought of a solution.
Right?
"We're lucky."
Raizo continued.
"Seeing our opponent's strength beforehand is incredibly valuable."
"Now we can prepare targeted strategies and training plans."
As he spoke, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Whether it came from the summer heat or the pressure Kaido had placed on him was difficult to tell.
The players waited eagerly.
One second.
Two seconds.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Nothing.
Raizo remained silent.
"...That's it?"
Nakanishi Daiki finally couldn't take it anymore.
"Coach, everything you just said is obvious!"
"The important part is what we're supposed to do!"
"Give us something practical!"
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire group froze.
The level of disrespect in that statement was astonishing.
Todoroki Raizo's eye twitched.
A vein bulged on his forehead.
Then another.
Grinding his teeth, he repeatedly reminded himself:
"The world is beautiful."
"I must remain calm."
"Violence solves nothing."
Three seconds later—
He vanished.
At least, that's what it looked like to Nakanishi.
Before the poor boy could react, Raizo had already appeared in front of him.
Then—
BONK!
A perfectly executed fist landed squarely on top of Nakanishi's head.
"OWWWWW!!"
Tears immediately filled Nakanishi's eyes.
He squatted on the ground, clutching his head.
"It hurts! It hurts!"
Nearby, Kitamura Kou silently covered his face.
He turned away.
He couldn't bear to watch.
You deserved that.
The rest of the team wasn't much better.
Instead of helping Nakanishi, they looked at him with amused expressions.
Some were even trying not to laugh.
Ironically, his foolish antics had a positive effect.
The heavy atmosphere surrounding the team lightened considerably.
The pressure remained.
But at least nobody looked completely defeated anymore.
That Night – Team Hotel
As usual, the Yakushi players gathered together after dinner.
Tonight's meeting was especially important.
Their next opponent was Kaido High School.
And every piece of information mattered.
"Ahem."
Todoroki Raizo cleared his throat.
"Akaishi."
"Give us your report."
"Yes, Coach."
Akaishi Osamu opened his notebook and quickly flipped to the appropriate page.
"I don't think I need to explain Kaido's offensive strength."
"We all saw it today."
"However, there are several players who deserve special attention."
He glanced at his notes.
"Sengoku Masato."
"The fourth batter."
"And Sato Toshiya."
"The fifth batter."
"These two are especially dangerous."
"Their batting ability is at least on Raichi's level."
"And in terms of consistency..."
Akaishi adjusted his glasses.
"They may actually be better."
The room instantly became quieter.
"Besides them, there are also Kusano, Yakushiji, and Mayumura Ken."
"None of them can be underestimated."
"A lineup centered around these players would rank among the best in the country."
Several players unconsciously swallowed.
The pressure was mounting.
However, Akaishi's expression became even more serious.
"But compared to their batting lineup..."
"The truly troublesome part is their pitching staff."
The room fell silent.
"Kaido has more than five pitchers capable of serving as an ace on most high school teams."
"Among them..."
"Naoki Enomoto and Mayumura Ken stand at an entirely different level."
Akaishi deliberately paused.
Then he slowly looked around the room.
"They are pitchers capable of competing with Narumiya Mei."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Everyone looked as if they had been struck by lightning.
Their faces turned pale.
Cold sweat appeared on their foreheads.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Two pitchers on Narumiya Mei's level?"
"On the same team?"
"Akaishi, that's not funny..."
"Mom..."
One player nearly burst into tears.
"I want to go home."
"Koshien is terrifying."
"Can we really beat a team like that?"
Yakushi High School had come all the way to the semifinals by fighting fearlessly.
They had overcome powerhouse after powerhouse.
Every victory had strengthened their confidence.
But now—
That confidence was beginning to crack.
The pressure was suffocating.
Heads lowered.
Shoulders slumped.
The energetic atmosphere that usually defined Yakushi had disappeared.
For the first time since arriving at Koshien...
Many of them felt as though they had already lost before the game had even begun.