Chapter 278: The Final Rally for Both Sides
"That look in his eyes… It was like he didn't even acknowledge my existence! So that is the true power of the No.1 left-handed pitcher in Kanto…"
Kominato Haruichi thought to himself, recalling his previous at-bat.
When Narumiya finished pitching and simply walked off the mound without even glancing back, Haruichi felt a surge of frustration in his chest.
"Seeing that expression on Naru… that's a first for me.
Victory won't be handed to us so easily."
Miyuki, fully geared up, spoke with rare seriousness.
"It means his desire to win has reached its peak. Everyone has a reason they cannot afford to lose.…It's just that most people eventually have to accept defeat—whether they want to or not."
Sendo added from beside him.
In Miyuki's original story, he had no one to talk to during games—everything stayed in his mind.
But now, he wasn't alone anymore.
"Hey, you're not about to say some unlucky crap again, right?" Miyuki shot back.
"What?"
"Like 'it's fine even if we lose' or something!"
"How could I? I was just thinking of changing my hairstyle! …IF we lose the game."
"…HEY!"
Miyuki was speechless. He ended up saying the bad omen anyway!
"Don't tell me… something like Tanba-san's style…?"
"That's absolutely impossible! I can't handle a hairstyle that elite!"
"Hahaha! Why not? It's full of intimidation! You're already a terrifying hitter!
Uh…"
He stopped as the seniors glared daggers at him.
He realized he may have gotten carried away.
"Good thing they don't know what we're talking about," Sendo whispered.
"You have NO right to say that! YOU started this stupid topic!"
"Sou ka?" (Is that so?)
"OF COURSE!" Miyuki snapped—there was no way he'd let Sendo pretend ignorance.
"…So what hairstyle are you changing to?"
Miyuki asked, curiosity overpowering logic.
Sendo stared at him, feeling like something was very wrong here, but he couldn't pinpoint what.
"So, you think we're going to lose?" Sendo teased.
"Probably. If we're talking pure strength… in our current condition, if we can't survive this inning, we'll get reversed. Even if we force extra innings, it'll be dangerous. But…Baseball is a sport where miracles happen, right?"
Miyuki smiled.
As a second-year, Miyuki could still analyze the situation calmly.
The third-years were full of fighting spirit, but many had lost sight of the actual game situation.
"You're right… And I'm sorry for this, but for Sawamura's sake…I hope the game ends here."
If Sawamura had to pitch, it meant Kawakami had failed—meaning either a crisis or extra innings.
But judging from the flow of the game, this moment was Seidou's highest chance of winning.
The two troublemakers—Sendo and Miyuki—both shifted their gaze toward Narumiya.
"Hmph. Come at me anytime, you two."
Narumiya sensed their stares and shot back a proud, emperor-like glare.
This was supposed to be Inashiro's offense, but somehow the atmosphere made it look like Seidou was the one attacking.
Even Coach Kataoka, watching Narumiya, looked nervous—sweat forming on his forehead.
"Shirasu!!!"
Coach Kataoka suddenly shouted with a completely different tone—loud, forceful.
"Hai!"
"Get ready to enter! You're switching with Furuya—go take right field!"
At the final inning, Kataoka revealed his resolve.
"Hai!!!"
Shirasu had been waiting for this moment.
Imagine—Seidou actually let a player of Shirasu's caliber sit almost the entire game.
This team was ridiculously stacked.
The decision made sense.
Leaving Furuya in meant keeping offensive power (he had two hits) and the option to return him to the mound… But if his defense failed again, Seidou might lose the chance to hit back.
Furuya's fly-ball judgment was still too raw.
They could not gamble here.
With Shirasu entering, Seidou's outfield became an iron fortress.
Shirasu → Sendo → Isashiki
Three elite defenders with cannon arms and pinpoint accuracy.
Unless it was a proper hit or a perfectly placed blooper, no team could break through this outfield wall.
"…"
Furuya's face went visibly dim after hearing the decision.
"Kawakami!!!"
"Hai!"
"Believe in your own baseball! Stick to your style—pitch with everything you have!!!
You can do it!"
"Hai!!!"
Hearing his coach's affirmation, Kawakami regained some spark.
At least he no longer looked like a man questioning his own existence.
"And… Sawamura!"
"Huh? Hai!!"
Sawamura jumped—he thought his chances were gone.
"Keep preparing! Stay ready to pitch anytime! Be ready for extra innings!"
"Hai!"
Even though they intended to bet everything on the ninth inning, they had to prepare for more.
No surrender—no matter what.
"I won't disappoint you, Boss—!"
Sawamura started, but Coach Kataoka had already turned away.
"LISTEN UP!!! They will fight with everything they have to score!!! Treat even a single out with utmost caution!!! Until the VERY last moment—you are NOT to relax! UNDERSTOOD?!"
"Hai!!!"
Hearing the voices of his players, Coach Kataoka finally softened his expression.
"Based on pure strength, Inashiro is superior this year…That's what I believe. And yet…you all pushed them this far! Eight runs! Not in their wildest dreams would Inashiro imagine Narumiya Mei giving up eight runs!"
Coach Kataoka smiled.
The seniors glanced at Sendo—and smiled with overflowing confidence.
"Hold your pride and confidence high…and walk onto that field with your heads up!"
As soon as he finished, the seniors' smiles grew stronger.
Haruichi—encouraged by Ryosuke—also recovered his smile.
Warmth filled the air.
But Sendo knew what terrifying power lay beneath this warmth.
He surveyed the dugout—the atmosphere was relaxed, fearless.
This was the demeanor of a true powerhouse.
Although…
Ota, fists pressed against his chest, mouth gaping in excitement, looked more like a kid than any of the players…
"Man… Koshien, huh…? I don't really know what's in Koshien…But…I want to keep playing with the seniors…I don't want their summer to end here…Just that alone…Makes it impossible to lose this game!"
Sendo lifted his head toward the blazing sun.
Despite the 30-degree heat, he felt… a refreshing breeze.
It was the warmth of playing alongside teammates.
"LET'S GO!"
Tetsu roared.
"OH!!!"
And Seidou began preparing to take the field.
....
"The National High School Baseball Championship!
West Tokyo Regional Final! Seidou enters the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead! Only this half-inning remains! Let's give a thunderous round of applause to Seidou's defense taking the field!!!"
"OOHHHH!!!"
Clap clap clap clap!
"Fire yourselves up!"
"It's the final inning!!!"
The crowd and the Seidou managers sent their cheers in full force.
"YAAAAHHH!!!"
Isashiki roared, pumping himself up along with the team.
"Don't let your guard down!" Kuramochi reminded Haruichi once more.
"Hai!"
"Keep your head in the game!"
"Ugah!"
"Get that first out, Kawakami!!"
Tanba-senpai, big brother of the pitching staff, shouted loudly.
At this moment, not a trace of his former timidity remained.
"The team that wins…" Oowada began.
"…is going to Koshien!" Fujio finished.
"We've come all this way! Just go and get it—Koshien!!" Zaizen clenched his fist.
Azuma, usually full of bravado and girth, was unusually nervous—none of his usual smug aura in sight.
As an OB who could only watch, the feeling was completely different from being a player.
All he could do was cheer and worry.
It was a strange, almost bittersweet sensation.
"Player substitution for Seidou High School! Eighth batter, Furuya, is replaced by SHIRASU! Eighth batter, right fielder—Shirasu! Right fielder Isashiki moves to left! Third batter, left fielder—Isashiki! That is all!"
The stadium announcer broadcasted the substitutions as required, and because the stadium was simply too large for everyone to hear without it.
…..
"Just like Seidou, they're starting from the bottom of the order!"
"If a runner gets on base… the game outcome becomes unpredictable!
And Inashiro's leadoff man has an insanely high on-base rate—totally unlike Seidou!"
The Honor Student Trio discussed nervously.
(…Even though these rookies had the nerve to underestimate the Big Predator Kuramochi…)
Sure, compared to Narumiya he wasn't as strong…
but at Sakurazawa he'd absolutely be the cleanup hitter.
"Win here!! You guys can do it!! Damn it!!!"
At some small shop, Hirakawa from Ichidaisan No.3 yelled at the TV.
Among the "Big Three" of West Tokyo, everyone knew Inashiro was the true reigning powerhouse.
Partly out of shared rivalry, partly because Seidou had knocked out Yakushi (their common enemy), many neutral supporters were cheering for Seidou now.
"HEY—CHEER PROPERLY!"
Furuya, overflowing with murderous aura, was about to explode again—and immediately Bonked™ by Oni-san with a megaphone.
Meanwhile, Inashiro, like Ryonan from Slam Dunk, was deep in meditation.
"So? Do you already have the image of victory in your mind?"
"Yes!"
Coach Kunimoto's brilliance shone here.
Meditation did more than boost confidence—it had a bit of mysticism to it.
It calmed the heart, steadied the mind.
A simple and highly effective method.
"Kawakami is a pitcher we're familiar with! As long as we keep applying pressure, he'll eventually crack. He has never experienced pitching in a situation where a single pitch decides the fate of the game. Just keep the pressure on! And that first-year pitcher won't appear here. No chance. We don't need two runs—JUST ONE is enough! Prioritize getting ONE RUN!
If this game goes to extra innings, it will be OUR victory!"
"YES!"
Coach Kunimoto knew…from here on, everything depended on his players.
Behind them, Inashiro's girl managers clasped their hands in prayer.
After all, they were the ones trailing.
It had to be said—this group of managers was cute, and strangely uniform in type…totally unlike Seidou's diverse manager trio.
Above all—there were so many of them.
"Bottom of the ninth! Inashiro's offense! Ninth batter—Pinch hitter! Right fielder, Yabe!!"
"For the sake of their consecutive summer titles!
Last year's champions now take their final stand!Inashiro's last attack! Standing in the batter's box—their substitute weapon—second-year YABE!!!"
Inashiro had boosted its offensive power.
Only the #8 and #9 positions needed pinch-hitters, and defensive substitutions afterward weren't a problem.
"YOSSHAAA! Let's go!!"
Yabe shouted to hype himself up.
Furuya heard the provocation and instantly started leaking aura again—BONK Oni-san corrected him.
In Inashiro's dugout, the cheers rose.
Narumiya, face filled with killing intent, recalled the coach's instructions:
One run. One is enough.
His fighting spirit flared explosively, like a god of war descending.
"Absolutely… We will NOT end here! We will NOT fall here—!"
"FIRST PITCH! HE'S BUNTING!"
"WHOOSH!"
CLINK!
"SAFE BUNT!"
"THIRD BASE!"
Miyuki made the call instantly.
"It doesn't matter HOW—we just need a runner!
If we can just create a chance…!"
Yabe was clearly lost in his own heroic fantasy world.
Considering how arrogant he usually acted, his internal monologue would shatter many worldviews.
He dove toward first—
The crowd fell SILENT.
Masuko at third stared blankly at the ball in his glove
then at Yabe diving dramatically face-first into the bag.
Yabe lifted his head—also blank.
"Yabe… so close!" the first-base coach whispered.
"It was… foul."
Yabe returned to the batter's box with all the confidence in the world—and glared at Kawakami.
"…Ignore that."
Kawakami turned away.
He wasn't dealing with this clown.
Though he did appreciate the fighting spirit.
Kawakami didn't know whether to relax or be more nervous.
But—
"WHOOSH!"
POP!
"Ball!"
"Whoosh!"
POP!
"Strike!"
With Miyuki's game-calling, Kawakami quickly took control of the count.
SWING!!
"Damn!"
"STRIKE! Batter out!"
Everyone thought they were sending a deadly weapon.
Instead, they sent comedic relief.
…Though he DID have amazing energy.
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