Defeating Inashiro meant that Seido had essentially secured half a ticket to Koshien in advance.
The remaining half was little more than a formality.
Even so, neither Coach Kataoka nor the Seido High School Baseball Team dared to relax in the slightest.
Especially Kataoka.
On a baseball field, nothing was ever guaranteed. Teams overturning themselves through arrogance was nothing new. Examples of "capsizing in a ditch" were everywhere.
Because of this, Kataoka rejected all interview requests, allowing the players to focus entirely on preparing for the final.
He ignored reporters completely.
Even when interview requests came through the principal, the dean, and even members of the school board, Kataoka refused them all.
Although the school leadership felt somewhat indignant about this, they weren't truly angry.
Their goal was the same as Kataoka's.
Get the baseball team to Koshien.
Everything else could wait.
Kataoka explained that the team hadn't reached the finals in years, and their current mental state was fragile. At this stage, they couldn't afford distractions. Their attention had to be solely on the final.
After thinking it over, the school leaders agreed.
He made sense.
More importantly, they didn't dare issue mandatory orders. If the team really did fail at the last step, who would take responsibility?
The principal and dean would likely have to resign.
The school board wouldn't suffer real losses, but they would surely be cursed behind the scenes by Seido supporters.
Forget it.
Interviews could wait until after they won the final.
That was how they were convinced.
The bus sped along and finally arrived at the gates of Seido High School.
As the players stepped off, they were greeted by classmates and school leaders who had gathered to welcome them.
They were celebrating Seido's advance to the finals.
Although Kataoka had strongly opposed it, teachers and students still came spontaneously. As a traditional baseball school, even those who weren't part of the club were genuinely happy to see the team rise again.
At least now, they wouldn't have to feel awkward when boasting in the future.
Before, when they said, "I study at Seido, a baseball powerhouse," people would roll their eyes.
"They haven't been to Koshien in years. A powerhouse?"
Now, with the team's resurgence, they could finally point back and retort.
"Who says we can't make it to Koshien?"
"Clap clap! Clap clap clap!"
Applause rang out, followed by waves of congratulations.
"Coach Kataoka, that was amazing!"
"Azuma, that home run was beautiful!"
"We finally took down those two annoying teams!"
"This time, we're definitely going to Koshien, right?"
"Yuuki, we're counting on you!"
"Miyuki, great job!!"
"Hidezawa, you really look like an ace now!"
Players who had shined naturally received the most praise.
In contrast, substitute players and those who hadn't stood out much were far less noticed.
Zhang Han at least received a few cheers, with people praising his performance.
Isashiki Jun and Kominato Ryosuke, however, only received greetings from familiar classmates.
Both wore stubborn expressions.
Next time.
Next time, they would definitely show everyone they weren't pushovers.
It took quite some time before the crowd finally dispersed.
"Don't get carried away," Kataoka said. "We still have one more game."
The players felt a little deflated.
Was this really the time to say that?
Wasn't being happy the most important thing right now?
Still, although they felt slightly disappointed, their expressions remained firm. When Kataoka spoke, they responded without hesitation.
"Yes!"
Azuma Kiyokuni patted his stomach and scratched the back of his head.
"Haha, Coach, don't worry. It's just Nioh Gakusha, right? They can't cause much trouble…"
The others nodded in agreement.
To be honest, they didn't believe Nioh Gakusha posed much of a threat either.
Nioh was strong, yes, but the gap between them and the three powerhouses was obvious.
And Seido was now ranked first among those powerhouses.
"Hidezawa," Kataoka said, turning to him, "do you feel any discomfort in your shoulder?"
Hidezawa lifted his arm and rotated it, then shook his head.
"I'm just tired. There's no pain or discomfort."
"Good."
After enduring two consecutive high-intensity games, the final was scheduled a week later.
Seido had enough time to recover.
Especially Hidezawa.
As the ace, he had pitched for two straight days, throwing nearly three hundred pitches in total.
Even with his stamina, those games had drained him completely.
Without proper rest, continuing would be impossible.
Thinking of this, another concern surfaced in Kataoka's mind.
West Tokyo was full of strong teams.
Even outside of games against the major powerhouses, matches were still demanding. The physical toll on the players was enormous. Hidezawa had managed only because his teammates supported him so well.
But what about the future?
Relying solely on one ace pitcher in such a packed schedule was unsustainable. They needed to prepare one or two reliable relief pitchers. This would not only ease the ace's burden but also allow for more flexible tactics.
And this was only the regional tournament. Once they reached Koshien, they would face three intense games in a single week.
Sometimes even three games in five days.
Stronger opponents.
Greater pressure.
A denser schedule.
Compared to the regional tournament, Koshien would place even heavier demands on pitchers.
The issue of relief pitchers had to be addressed as soon as possible.
Kataoka's gaze shifted to Tanba. He frowned slightly.
Then his eyes moved to Zhang Han.
The third-year relief pitcher simply didn't have enough presence.
The real hope lay with these first- and second-year players.
It seemed time for a serious conversation.
Zhang Han noticed Kataoka looking at him and politely raised his hand with a smile.
Kataoka turned away without a word.
Just as the team was about to enter the school grounds, someone suddenly rushed out from the main gate.
He ran straight in front of the team, completely blocking their path.
The players were startled.
Including Kataoka, there were more than twenty Seido players present, with an average height close to 1.8 meters.
Who would dare rush out and stop them like this?
Zhang Han sneaked a glance and saw a young man barely over 1.6 meters tall, weighing less than a hundred pounds.
Where did this guy come from?
This was way too reckless.
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