"Game over! The score is 14 to 2, Seido High School wins. A five inning mercy rule victory!"
The moment the game ended, a roar exploded from the stands. Seido's supporters were practically glowing with pride.
Before the tournament began, whenever people talked about West Tokyo, they spoke of Inashiro Industrial this, Ichidai Third that. Seido, supposedly one of the three great powerhouses, had been quietly pushed out of the conversation.
How could Seido's fans tolerate that?
As loyal supporters, they hated the disrespect. But as the saying goes, a clever housewife cannot cook without rice. If the team's conditions were poor, the fans had nothing to stand on either. Their anger was real, but the critics weren't wrong. Based on recent years, Seido's odds looked bleak. Compared to the two juggernauts, their chances were almost nonexistent.
During the spring, both Inashiro and Ichidai had nearly finished their adjustments. Their offenses and defenses were solid. People even said that if they reached Koshien, placing in the top eight or top four would be easy. With a bit of luck, they could win the entire thing.
Seido's situation, on the other hand, was much more chaotic. They had more problems than the other two powerhouses, and right before the tournament, their main catcher and core, Chris, got injured.
When it rains, it pours. That was Seido for a while.
Under those circumstances, how could Seido's fans stand proud? The answer was simple: they couldn't.
But today, everything changed.
Musashi High might not even rank in the top twenty of West Tokyo, but Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area in the world, overflowing with talent. Competition is brutal. Even a twentieth ranked team is not weak. Powerhouses usually need seven innings to finish them, and if luck is bad, they might have to play all nine.
This is just the nature of the region. But today, Seido shattered that standard. The team everyone looked down on made a statement.
Miyuki, the new catcher, appeared like a savior and flawlessly took over Chris's role. And that wasn't even the most shocking part.
Their offense—fourteen runs in five innings against a decent Musashi team—was terrifying.
Yes, luck played a role. But good luck only becomes results when you have the strength to seize it. And today, Seido proved they had that strength. Given even a small chance, they could capitalize.
"Seido! Seido!!!"
"Azuma, that's thirty nine home runs!"
"Yuuki, I'm coming to your games again!"
"Tanaka, work hard as captain or someone might replace you!"
"Hidezawa, you're in the zone today!"
"The first years did great!"
"So cool!!!"
After the game, Seido's players lined up and bowed to the stands, thanking their supporters. The fans responded with sincere cheers.
Even though most people didn't yet know the names of the two first years, the blessings they received were warm and genuine.
Saying the game was won by the two of them would be an exaggeration. They both played very well, but they hadn't single handedly decided the match. Still, without them, Seido would never have won this spectacularly.
This fact was clearest among the scouts from other schools.
At the start of the game, they had been arrogant, convinced their directors were overreacting. Yes, Seido was a powerhouse, but a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. This camel, though, looked so thin it seemed only bones were left.
What was there to scout?
But by the end, every expression had changed. No one looked down on Seido anymore. Some even felt admiration for their own directors, who had foreseen what they themselves had not. This summer, the West Tokyo bracket had gained one more true contender.
"Ichidai, Seido, Inashiro. All three powerhouses ended up in the same half. The winner gets decided before the finals… this is a first."
Fujio, senior reporter for Monthly Baseball Kingdom, tapped his notebook with his pen. If the other two teams heard this news, he knew it would cause a stir.
Ichidai Third High School.
"What? You said Seido ended the game early with a twelve run lead?" Director Tahara asked in disbelief.
Their own opponent today was weaker than Musashi, yet they had needed seven full innings to win. How did Seido finish it in five?
"The batting lineup led by Azuma Kiyokuni was far too strong. They broke down Musashi's pitcher completely! Even after Musashi switched pitchers, nothing changed."
Director Tahara chuckled. "Looks like this year's Seido under Kataoka shouldn't be underestimated."
On the other side, Inashiro Industrial.
A first year already promoted to the first string listened to the chatter around him, a faint, unreadable smile forming.
Miyuki. You didn't disappoint. You rose even faster than I expected.
Uniform No. 2. Main catcher. How enviable to earn such an important number so quickly.
He himself was still a substitute.
Uniform No. 18. Pitcher, Narumiya Mei.
Tossing the ball in his hand, his eyes gleamed with interest.
Round Two was over. Only four more games remained until they faced Seido.
Don't lose.
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