The tryouts held by Ichidai Third High School were due to Coach Tahara's sudden whim.
The results were disastrous.
How could players who hadn't even graduated from middle school match Ichidai Third's regulars?
Omae and Manaka were already in the rotation by summer. Several others had made the first-string now. Although they were all first-years, their strength had reached the level of starters in a powerhouse school. They could even hold their ground against Koshien teams.
Facing such a team, how could a group of middle schoolers compete?
After five innings, the score was 13-0.
And that was with Ichidai Third holding back. Otherwise, the score would have been even more despairing.
Why hold back? The reason was simple: many of the players being tested were Omae and Manaka's juniors. With such a large lead, they felt uncomfortable bullying them further.
The Assistant Coach couldn't bear to watch any longer. He approached Tahara.
"Coach, if this continues, I don't think anyone will be selected."
Although Ichidai Third had already recruited excellent rookies and the team was complete, tryouts were a tradition. They couldn't go back on their word. If no one was selected, how would they explain it to their cooperative schools?
"Don't worry, Junyi boy. The truly impressive Boys are saved for last; the ones before are just extras."
"But even if the last batch is the best, facing Manaka and Omae, they probably won't be able to do much, right?"
Tahara glanced at his assistant, making him uncomfortable.
"Our team is already complete. Too many recruits isn't necessarily a good thing. I never intended to select anyone from this game."
"Then what is the point?"
"Although Manaka Boy has grown a lot and has Summer Tournament experience, if he becomes the Ace now, he might struggle. I prepared this game specifically for him."
By competing against former teammates, Manaka would realize his own growth. That was Tahara's true intention.
"Coach, you truly put in a lot of effort."
The Assistant Coach gave a dry laugh and stepped back. If he had known the plan, he never would have accepted those gift boxes. Originally, the Coach never interfered with tryouts; the Assistant Coach was in charge. Who would have expected this?
The participants had no idea Ichidai Third had no intention of recruiting. The goal was simply to make them retreat in the face of difficulty.
The first two batches were already disheartened. The huge gap in strength made them realize their abilities were only enough to dominate in middle school. It was too early to enter a powerhouse high school.
The Ichidai Third players also whispered among themselves. Facing their former juniors, they had to play ruthlessly.
"Are we being too excessive?"
"I don't know, but the greatest respect for an opponent is to go all out."
Omae, with four at-bats, one home run, two hits, and four RBIs, was already showing the demeanor of a slugger.
Manaka, the main pitcher, smiled. "I don't think those juniors see it that way."
The third substitution was completed.
The new players were those who had already made names for themselves in middle school. This included Zhang Han, Takami, Sasaki, and Amahisa.
They shared two traits: their teams had reached at least the regional top four, and they were key players. They were the regional stars of their era, though there was still a gap compared to the national-level stars featured in magazines.
"The real show is starting!"
As the third batch entered, the game heated up.
Zhang Han was assigned to First Base. Earlier, Ono Binchi had listed three positions for him: Pitcher, First Base, and Outfield. This increased his leverage, as these were all positions Zhang Han had played.
Coach Tahara scanned the field. He wondered if any of these Boys could change the situation. Although he had told his Assistant that he wouldn't recruit, if a truly excellent player appeared, he would not refuse!
Only players who performed under these circumstances were qualified for an exception. Adding a strong player impacts the team balance. Unless that player's potential was enough to make Ichidai Third even better, Tahara would not easily recruit them.
Top of the sixth. The middle school team was pitching.
The one on the mound was Amahisa.
Tahara and his Assistant frowned. They had considered recruiting Amahisa before, but his reputation was unacceptable. Even a famous coach like Tahara had no confidence managing such a troublemaker. With the team on the verge of winning, the Ace gave up? What use was such a player?
Ichidai Third had given up on him, but unexpectedly, Amahisa came to them himself.
The game resumed.
Ichidai Third's ninth batter stepped up. The white ball flew over immediately. The trajectory was clear, and the batter didn't wait. He swung.
Just as he was about to make contact, the ball drew a sharp arc and dropped into the catcher's mitt.
The bat and ball brushed past each other, missing completely.
"Pop!"
"Strike!!"
Everyone fell silent.
Before this, Ichidai Third had been dominating. Unexpectedly, after Amahisa took the mound, the situation reversed instantly.