"This is troublesome!"
On the pitcher's mound, Hoshitaru watched as the runner at first base, Kuramochi Youichi, was eager to steal the base.
And now, standing in the Batter's Box, was another player showing signs of restlessness—Kominato Haruichi.
He had a headache, literally. Two big ones.
This could almost be considered one of the best scoring situations for the Seidou High School baseball team.
It's no surprise that Kuramochi is called the engine of Seidou High's offense.
He's the leadoff hitter, and after him comes the second batter, Kominato Haruichi, a star player whose batting skills are renowned nationwide.
The coordination between these two alone is enough to give any pitcher a headache.
And even if someone miraculously manages to dodge their combination, they would still have to face the big Ace, Sawamura Eijun, and the fourth batter, the Hero of Seidou, Miyuki Kazuya.
In fact, as long as Kuramochi successfully reaches base at the beginning, the chances of Seidou High School not scoring are few and far between.
And now, they are facing such a dangerous situation right from the start.
But that's not the most troublesome part.
What really worries them is the recent error.
During practice, Kuchiki had been able to catch even the meteor-like pitch with ease.
But today, in the actual game, the first time he tried to catch the ball, he made an error…
This is quite awkward.
Can they still use that pitch?
That has now become an unknown factor.
If they continue to use it, and Kuchiki is unable to overcome the psychological shadow of his previous mistake, what if he makes another error?
If they stop using it, his pitching ability will be significantly reduced.
Will he still be able to suppress the mighty Seidou High School's players?
Hoshitaru found himself in a dilemma.
He truly didn't know what decision to make.
What would be the best option for them?
"Time!"
Given the complex situation, it was necessary to take a moment and align their thoughts.
Although the game had just started, the probability of conceding a run in the first inning seemed quite high.
Considering the opponent is the nationally famous powerhouse, Seidou, the chances of them scoring are extremely slim.
A single run could very well decide the outcome of the game.
To avoid becoming too passive, it wasn't unreasonable to start thinking about tactics in advance.
All the teammates were gathered together, and Hoshitaru, standing at the center, appeared calm.
"It's my fault!"
Kuchiki lifted his face mask, looking ashamed.
"Don't say that, everyone makes mistakes sometimes."
"Don't let it bother you. Just focus on catching the next one."
His teammates immediately comforted him.
The nine of them had been together since their first year, working hard together up to this point.
Although his teammates said so, Kuchiki still felt deeply embarrassed.
Earlier, he had been afraid!
When facing the ball thrown by his teammate, he instinctively wanted to avoid it.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but ever since Hoshitaru had made it into Koshien, it was like a wild beast released from its cage in the zoo.
His overall strength had increased significantly.
Even the most basic fastballs were now much more powerful than before.
Not to mention other pitches!
Almost every type of pitch he was good at had evolved to a different extent.
This had already become clear when they played against Seijitsu in the past.
And now, it was more intense than ever.
But he has to do his best too.
For his friends and for himself!
He must work hard to bridge the gap and not add extra pressure on Hoshitaru and the others.
"Trust me, next time the pitch comes, I'll definitely catch it."
Kuchiki vowed confidently.
"Don't be so serious, you're not acting like yourself."
Hoshitaru smiled and reassured him.
"I know everyone is nervous, I feel the same. Up until just now, my hands were still trembling when I threw the ball. Although we had set the goal of making it to Koshien, it's only after getting here that I truly realize how far we are."
"I used to think that after so many years of silent hard work, our team had become very strong. Remember when we played Seijitsu? We completely dominated and made it into the top 16."
"But this opponent is different."
As he spoke, Hoshitaru turned his gaze toward the on-deck circle.
The teammates followed his gaze.
They could see the person they had only seen on television before, the so-called "Demon King" Sawamura Eijun.
Now, he was standing right across from them, and they were playing on the same field.
Just thinking about it made the teammates feel an inexplicable surge of excitement.
Unknowingly, they had made it to this point.
Even just a month ago, if someone had told them that they would make it to Koshien and face off against Seidou High School, they wouldn't have believed it.
What a joke!
There are thousands of high schools across the country, and only about 15 teams at most would even have the chance to face Seidou High School.
What gave them the privilege to have such an opportunity?
Although they knew that if they kept winning, they would eventually face Seidou High School, they never thought they would make it this far.
They never imagined that what they had once dreamed of had now become a reality.
Today.
They had achieved their dream.
They were now facing Seidou High School, the most famous and powerful baseball team in high school, in Koshien.
The teammates' emotions were complex.
They wanted to do well, to show everyone the results of their three years of hard work and growth.
But the pressure coming from the other side was immense! It didn't give them any opportunity to strike back.
It even made them feel a strong illusion.
They might not be their opponents after all!
Under the subconscious influence, the players felt their bodies had become much stiffer compared to before.
Simply put, this was the manifestation of inexperience.
Although they had won against Seijitsu. They had no idea how strong they had become.
It wasn't until after the game that they realized just how strong they had become.
But now that they faced Seidou High School, they had a better understanding of their own strength.
With their current strength, if luck is on their side, they might even have a shot at the championship.
But in terms of strength, making it to the top four or eight would be a more realistic goal.
Carrying this mental burden, they faced Seidou High School.
They soon realized how difficult it was.
And at this moment, they no longer had the spirit of newborn calves. The mental pressure had naturally become much heavier.
"We are the grass. It's only natural that our strengths can't compare to theirs. But do we just admit defeat like that?"
Every time Hoshitaru spoke, it felt like he was glowing.
His teammates looked at him like devout followers, seeing their god in him.
Their eyes were filled with dependence and trust.
"Seidou High School's baseball team isn't just a normal giant rock; they are like the legendary granite, the hardest stone. But so what? Don't forget, we are the vibrant grass. Even if they are granite, to survive and see the sunlight, we will definitely push them aside."
Listening to Hoshitaru's metaphor, his teammates could almost visualize the scene.
The solid granite is being pushed aside by the grass.
"Exactly!"
"That's it!"
The teammates all echoed, agreeing with him.
Hoshitaru was absolutely right. They were grass, so how could they give up so easily?
Although they were never as solid as their opponents, they had something the opponent didn't have.
That was the indomitable spirit and resilience.
As long as they could tie down Seidou's players, they would do whatever it takes to bring them down.
"What happened just now doesn't matter. I believe you can catch the next one."
Finally, Hoshitaru turned his gaze to Kuchiki and said seriously.
Kuchiki nodded firmly.
Yes.
He had to do it. No matter what!
He could not allow the Seidou High School players to continue being so arrogant.
With just one timeout, the momentum of Kanetsu-Norin High had changed drastically.
Seidou High School's players couldn't guess what they had discussed on the mound.
But judging by the energy they were now exuding, they could somewhat tell that something had changed.
Whether they had returned to their true nature or whether they had devised a new plan, the Seidou players had no idea.
What they could do now was to make sure they didn't waste Kuramochi's chance to reach base.
And do their best to secure that one run.
In today's game, both teams' Aces were the reliable, powerful type.
If all went as expected, this would be an intense pitching battle.
In such a fierce pitching duel, the team that scores first will undoubtedly take the initiative.
…
T/N: Well, That's it for now.
Thank you all for reading!
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