This was a direct challenge to Azuma Kiyokuni.
The strongest batter in Tokyo.
And not just Tokyo.
Across the nation, Azuma Kiyokuni was already considered one of the top batters of his generation, a powerful contender for the title of best high school hitter in the country. What made his reputation even more frightening was the fact that Seido High School had not yet appeared on the Koshien stage. Azuma himself had never stood under that sacred summer sun.
Even so, his name had already spread from region to region.
That alone was enough to make people understand how terrifying he was.
This was not hype. This was not an exaggeration. This was a living legend in the making.
And now, the pitcher and catcher of Nioh Gakusha had no choice but to face this legend head-on.
If they had any other option, they would never have chosen this path.
Their hearts pounded violently, like drums being struck again and again. Every beat echoed with unease. Their palms were damp with sweat, and their breathing had grown shallow without them even realizing it.
The most tragic thing for Nioh Gakusha was not that they were facing Azuma Kiyokuni.
It was that, given the current situation, this was their best option.
They could not walk him freely. They could not afford to load the bases. They could not retreat.
Although they had shouted slogans before the game, and although their director had delivered an inspiring speech that reignited their confidence, reality was still reality.
The Nioh players were no longer timid.
But courage alone did not erase the gap in strength.
Deep down, they understood it very clearly. Compared to Seido High School, they were still lacking. And when standing across from a monster like Azuma Kiyokuni, that gap felt even wider.
Even so, they could not back down.
When the moment came, they had to face him.
Even if their legs trembled. Even if their throats went dry. Even if they had to grit their teeth until their jaws ached.
They had to throw the ball.
For a pitcher with pride, being able to stand on the mound and challenge a batter like Azuma Kiyokuni was not just pressure. It was also a rare opportunity.
Kawauchi inhaled deeply and steadied himself.
Then he threw his most confident pitch.
The baseball left his hand with sharp rotation, flying straight toward the inside of the plate. From the angle, it almost looked as if it were aimed directly at Azuma's body.
Kawauchi had already thrown several hit by pitches in this tournament. His reputation was far from clean. Even so, he continued to challenge the inside corner relentlessly.
This pitch was no exception.
It scraped along the edge of the inside strike zone, clinging to the boundary with frightening boldness.
In the Seido dugout, Zhang Han frowned.
"He dares to throw an inside pitch to Azuma senpai," he muttered quietly. "Should I admire his courage, or mock him for not knowing his place?"
His eyes never left the field.
He watched as Azuma Kiyokuni's body shifted, muscles coiling like a steel spring under tension. The next instant, Azuma swung.
The swing was terrifying.
It felt as if it could sweep away the entire world.
"Boom!"
The sound exploded through the stadium as the bat met the ball.
"Ping…"
Strictly speaking, it was not a perfect hit. The ball did not land cleanly on the sweet spot. But the metal bat's wide surface compensated for the slight error. Combined with Azuma's monstrous strength, the result was inevitable.
The baseball was smashed outward with overwhelming force.
"Whoosh!"
The pitch that came in at an ordinary speed left the bat like a cannonball.
In the blink of an eye, it crossed nearly one hundred meters, soaring high before crashing heavily into the left field stands.
"Thud!"
The sound of the ball landing echoed like a hammer striking the heart.
In that moment, the fragile momentum Nioh Gakusha had built was completely extinguished.
Just like that.
With a single swing.
As Azuma Kiyokuni circled the bases, the rhythm of the game shifted irrevocably into Seido High School's hands.
The difference in strength between the two teams had already been clear. Now, with Seido dictating the pace, the gap felt insurmountable.
The game had only just begun.
And yet, for many people, the outcome already felt decided.
"Home run!"
"Total score, one to zero. Seido High School leads!"
The live commentator's voice rose with passion, filling the stadium.
But it was quickly drowned out.
The cheers from Seido's supporters surged like a tidal wave.
"Azuma! Azuma!"
"Azuma Kiyokuni! Azuma Kiyokuni!"
They shouted his name again and again, voices overlapping in thunderous unity. To them, Azuma was no longer just a player. He was a hero. An idol. The embodiment of Seido's path to victory.
At this moment, no one else mattered.
Azuma Kiyokuni stood at the center of everything.
In the Seido dugout, the atmosphere was equally explosive. Helmets were slapped. Gloves were pounded together. Excited laughter and shouts filled the space.
Almost everyone was fired up.
Almost.
Zhang Han leaned back against the bench, arms crossed, watching with a complicated expression.
Recently, the third year seniors had been playing as if they were using some kind of cheat code. Every time the opportunity seemed like it would fall to him, they solved the problem themselves.
They got on base. They scored. They ended innings before he even had a chance to swing.
It was impressive.
And extremely frustrating.
"Fifth batter, first base, Yuuki Tetsuya."
Yuuki stepped toward the batter's box.
On the mound, Kawauchi and the catcher were still visibly shaken from Azuma's at bat. Their movements were slower. Their communication dragged on. Nearly thirty seconds passed before the next pitch was thrown.
Azuma's home run had left a deep scar.
Was it a coincidence?
Or had Seido already figured out something?
Calling it coincidence felt like an insult. Home runs were not accidents. But admitting that Seido had already uncovered their weakness was something Nioh Gakusha could not accept.
Lost in his thoughts, Kawauchi finally threw the ball.
Even in poor condition, his training showed. The pitch was sharp and aggressive, targeting the inside corner.
"Whoosh!"
Yuuki stepped forward smoothly and swung without hesitation.
"Ping…"
The ball was struck cleanly, tracing a low arc that slipped past the second baseman's reach before bouncing into the outfield.
Normally, this kind of hit would be manageable. It landed early, and an outfielder should have been able to cut it off.
But the speed was too fast.
Before the outfielder could reach the second bounce, the ball had already shot deeper, rolling toward the back of the field.
A simple single turned into an extra base hit.
Yuuki ran hard and slid into second base.
Safe.
No outs. Runner on second.
The pressure on Nioh Gakusha increased instantly.
Now, it was Zhang Han's turn.
The pitcher and catcher of Nioh Gakusha looked as if they were drifting in a haze. The pitches that had once seemed so dominant had completely lost their edge against Seido.
It had taken only one inning.
Just one.
And they were already on the brink of collapse.
Now, they still had to face Zhang Han.
Seido High School's sixth batter.
A first year rookie.
And yet, in this tournament, he had already risen to prominence.
In the eyes of many, he was no longer just a promising newcomer. He had already been placed alongside Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki Tetsuya.
Facing such a batter, with a runner on second base.
Just thinking about it made one's heartbeat quicken.
For Nioh Gakusha, it felt like standing on the edge of a cliff.
And the wind was starting to blow.
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