At Jingu Stadium, players from both teams were crying openly.
The difference was clear.
The Inashiro Industrial High School players cried over defeat.
Especially the third-years. This loss marked the end of their final Summer Tournament, and they felt they had disgraced Inashiro's proud name. Their sobs were the heaviest.
Among them, Narumiya Mei was the most devastated. The young ace lay sprawled on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
"If I had been a little stronger… if I hadn't let Seido score so many runs… maybe the outcome wouldn't have been like this…"
This was the first time Narumiya Mei had lost a game because he was outmatched in strength.
The impact on him was impossible to overstate.
Hearing his broken murmurs only made the other Inashiro players feel even more ashamed. If Narumiya Mei hadn't taken the mound later in the game, no one knew how badly Seido might have crushed them.
Yes, he had given up two runs due to mistakes.
And Zhang Han's home run, upon reflection, had been completely avoidable.
But Narumiya Mei had also clawed back two runs for the team.
That was enough to make up for his errors.
If anyone was to blame for Inashiro's loss today, it could be anyone but Narumiya Mei.
Compared to his mistakes, his contributions were far greater.
On a baseball field, who could guarantee they would never make an error?
As long as one's contributions outweighed their faults, those mistakes were forgivable.
Narumiya Mei was clearly such a case.
On the other side, the Seido High School Baseball Team cried tears of joy.
They were overwhelmed with emotion. Who knew how much they had endured before this tournament?
For years, they had been unable to break through the barriers formed by the other two powerhouse schools. This year, they hadn't been favored either.
Before the tournament even began, one of their leaders, their main catcher Chris, had been injured.
The outside world doubted them constantly.
Even within the team, many players were unsure about their future.
In such a crisis, could they really rise above it all?
When the tournament brackets were announced, they learned they would have to defeat Ichidai Third High School and Inashiro Industrial back-to-back.
That night, Coach Kataoka couldn't sleep.
Neither could many of the players.
From that night onward, the Seido players cast aside their worries and devoted themselves fully to preparing for the Summer Tournament.
At first, they shouted slogans that shook the heavens.
But deep down, no one truly dared to imagine the future.
They treated every match as if it were their last.
Then they defeated Ichidai San.
And now, they had defeated Inashiro.
Without realizing it, the Seido High School Baseball Team had already toppled the two great mountains that had been pressing down on them for so long.
It felt as though all the dark clouds had finally dispersed.
Looking up, the sky was brilliantly clear.
"We won! We finally won!"
Not only the players, but even Manager Ota was crying uncontrollably.
He was deeply moved. These children were incredible.
And of course, there was their director.
Coach Kataoka had finally proven himself. He no longer needed to explain anything to the principal or the dean.
By defeating Inashiro and advancing to the finals, Seido already had one foot in Koshien.
"There's still one more game," Coach Kataoka said sternly. "Don't get careless."
Though his expression was serious, the smile at the corner of his eyes betrayed him.
He was thrilled. Extremely so.
After years of training and perseverance, they had finally reached this point.
Yet the closer victory became, the more cautious he had to be.
After all, there was still one opponent left in the finals.
Only by defeating them could Seido truly secure their place.
That said, neither Coach Kataoka nor the Seido players truly took the final opponent seriously.
Their two greatest rivals had already fallen.
The mountains were gone.
Would they really fear Nioh Gakusha?
It sounded like a joke.
It was like the story of the Foolish Old Man who removed the mountains. After painstaking effort, the two massive peaks blocking his way were moved to the sea.
All that remained was a small mound.
Could that possibly stop him?
This was exactly how the Seido players felt. And that was why their tears flowed so freely.
They didn't realize it yet, but their mindset had undergone a profound change.
In the past, Seido had lacked confidence, especially when facing powerhouse schools. That inferiority had always lingered.
But now, after defeating Ichidai San and Inashiro Industrial one after another, their confidence had surged. Not blind arrogance, but confidence built on real strength and proven results.
They now believed they could face any opponent head-on.
No matter who it was, they believed they could win.
Nioh was even less worth worrying about.
After the game, both teams gathered at the center of the field and bowed to each other.
The Inashiro players wiped away their tears, shook hands with the Seido players, and offered their congratulations.
Most of them, when they reached Zhang Han, simply patted him on the shoulder without a word. They were seniors. He was a junior. That, in itself, was encouragement.
Zhang Han smiled brightly, determined not to disgrace Seido.
"You're ridiculously lucky, kid," Carlos said, gripping Zhang Han's hand tightly. "Making it to Koshien in your first year."
Zhang Han returned the grip with an even wider smile.
Did Carlos really think he was still the Zhang Han from a year ago?
After special winter training with Coach Ono, followed by months of hellish training at Seido, his body had changed drastically.
Even while focusing on pitching and maintaining flexibility, his grip strength had increased dramatically. Thick new calluses had formed where his fingers met his palm.
For a moment, neither side gave way.
Carlos looked at him in surprise, muttering under his breath. What kind of training had this guy gone through in just six months?
His strength had improved unbelievably fast. Even his overall physique had grown stronger.
Was Seido High School really that incredible?
He had chosen Inashiro over Seido. Had that been a mistake?
The thought flickered briefly before Carlos pushed it aside. He believed in Narumiya Mei and he believed in his own judgment.
Wins and losses for now didn't matter.
They were still supporting the third-years. They weren't the main characters yet.
When they reached their second and third years, they would have their real showdown.
Carlos didn't believe for a second that the luxurious lineup they would form would lose to Zhang Han and Miyuki.
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