The partnership between Hidezawa and Miyuki made the Seido High School Baseball Team truly understand what reliability meant.
They had experienced something similar in the game against Ichidai Third High School, but that had been the first time. Back then, everyone had felt as if a ticking time bomb was lodged in their chests, never knowing when it might explode.
They played all the way to the end under that constant tension. It was only after the final out that they were finally able to relax.
Looking back now, they realized that Hidezawa really was different.
This was the second time. And compared to the first, it felt far more reassuring.
After all, there was already a successful example. They were simply following a proven path.
This time, the teammates were much more confident.
Many of them had already privately concluded that they would win this game. Even if they didn't score another run, victory should still belong to Seido.
Of course.
If there was a chance to score more, they wouldn't show mercy. For example, right now was an excellent opportunity.
"Fourth batter, third baseman, Azuma Kiyokuni!"
The batting order reached Seido High School Baseball Team's core hitter, their cleanup batter.
Although Azuma had been struck out earlier, anticipation for his performance hadn't diminished in the slightest. That was the charm of a true powerhouse batter.
No matter what had happened before, the moment he stepped into the batter's box, expectations naturally followed.
Under the gaze of everyone in the stadium, the showdown began.
Facing Seido's cleanup hitter, one of the top batters in the country, Narumiya Mei showed no hesitation. He stepped forward and challenged Azuma head-on.
"Bold."
Azuma Kiyokuni was like an angry volcano, ready to erupt at any moment. He had never forgotten the humiliation of that strikeout. Now that he had a chance to answer back, how could he not go all out?
"Strike!"
"Ball!"
"Ping!"
"Foul!"
The baseball was blasted straight out of the stadium.
A collective sigh rippled through the stands.
What a shame.
If that pitch had been just a little more inside the strike zone, it would have been a real home run.
Azuma would have avenged his earlier strikeout on the spot. But since it was out of bounds, it only counted as a strike.
Two strikes now.
"Go, senior!"
"Azuma, knock it out!!"
Cheers erupted from Seido's dugout.
The upperclassmen were all eagerly waiting for Azuma's next swing.
"Haha… haha…"
Inside the batter's box, Azuma Kiyokuni wore a sinister smile. He looked like a villain straight out of a movie, plotting something terrible.
Despite already being down to two strikes, there wasn't the slightest hint of pressure on his face.
On the contrary.
The aura he gave off made it feel as if he was the one pressuring his opponent. The situation on the field reflected that as well.
That last pitch had been unlucky, turning into a foul, but blasting it out of the stadium was still blasting it out. The momentum was undeniable.
Seido's cheers grew louder than Inashiro's.
"No matter how proud you are," someone muttered, "it's still two strikes."
Narumiya Mei's expression didn't waver at all. His eyes were sharp, locked firmly onto Azuma Kiyokuni.
"Whoosh!"
The decisive forkball screamed toward the plate.
Up until now, Narumiya Mei's decisive pitch had never truly been hit. That was precisely why he had been able to recover so quickly.
He had lost to Zhang Han not because his strength was inferior, but because he had fallen into a trap. He had challenged Zhang Han with a fastball—the pitch Zhang Han was best at—and paid the price with a home run.
It wasn't a fair fight.
To Narumiya Mei, that was being ambushed before he could even set his stance.
If you were capable, then stand your ground and fight properly.
That mindset was exactly why he could return to the field so quickly and continue battling Seido.
Narumiya Mei had absolute confidence in his decisive pitch.
Here it comes.
The instant Azuma Kiyokuni saw the ball, his eyes gleamed dangerously. He had been struck out by this forkball before. He knew its trajectory well.
Calculating the timing and position, Azuma swung with everything he had.
"Boom!"
As the bat cut through the air, it felt as though the space in front of the batter's box had been sucked dry.
Behind the plate, Harada felt his breathing falter.
For a moment, he nearly suffocated.
"What kind of monster is this…?"
Staring at Azuma, a massive question mark formed in Harada's mind.
"Ping!"
The white ball shot off the bat and flew deep.
This time, it didn't sail out of bounds.
It stayed fair.
Did he hit it out?
Harada's heart shook.
Since partnering with Narumiya Mei, they had faced many strong opponents, especially in practice games.
This was the first time Narumiya Mei's forkball had been driven this far.
Previously, batters could at most make contact, and the ball would drop quickly into the infield.
This one, however, was already flying toward the deep outfield.
It looked like it might even leave the park.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire stadium, a figure sprinted toward the landing point and caught the ball cleanly.
"Thwack!"
"Out!!"
Azuma Kiyokuni was retired by a spectacular defensive play.
The fielder was Carlos, the substitute outfielder who had just entered the game.
"Oh my god, he's way too fast!"
"And Azuma's luck is awful. First a strikeout, now this. Does that mean he didn't get a single hit off this first-year?"
In Seido's dugout, Coach Kataoka and Manager Ota exchanged looks, unsure what to say.
Azuma had managed to square up Narumiya Mei's decisive pitch like that. That alone was more than acceptable. It was hard to ask for more.
And yet, he still didn't get a hit.
"Hits really do depend on luck sometimes," Manager Ota said awkwardly.
Compared to defense and pitching, hitting wasn't just about skill.
Luck mattered too.
Just like now.
Azuma Kiyokuni had gone hitless against Narumiya Mei in two at-bats.
It had nothing to do with ability.
Pure luck.
One out, nobody on base.
The batting order moved on to the fifth batter.
Yuuki Tetsuya stepped up to the plate.
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