"Let's have a good game." ×2
Both teams greeted each other, then bowed to the umpire. The match officially began.
Horikita Manabu: "Heads!"
Katsuta Musashi: "Tails!"
The umpire flipped the coin.
It spun several times in the air before landing on the back of his hand.
Tails. The umpire signaled that Aoba would bat first.
Horikita Manabu had hoped to strike first, but with Takashi not on the field, it didn't really matter.
After all, Aoba's entire strategy revolved around Takashi.
"I'll go over the tactics one more time."
As he walked back to the mound, Horikita Manabu tried to review the plan again, but Sudo Ken cut him off impatiently: "Same thing every day. Haven't you said enough?"
"We're just playing an Aoba without Takashi. Why would we even need a strategy?"
Horikita Manabu frowned at Sudo Ken.
If it weren't for his excellent athleticism, he wouldn't even want to be teammates with someone like Sato, who was all brawn and no brains.
"President, Sudo-kun's got a point. It's just Aoba without Takashi. All we need is a light touch, and the game will be over."
Nagumo Miyabi smiled warmly and patted Horikita's shoulder, signaling him to relax.
"Tch."
Sudo Ken was a troublemaker.
He didn't appreciate Nagumo Miyabi's friendliness at all.
Horikita Manabu glanced at Nagumo again, clearly dissatisfied with his laid-back attitude.
But after seeing Koenji Rokosuke admiring himself in the mirror, Kanzaki Ryuji lost in thought, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka calm as ever, Kakeru Ryuen yawning with one hand in his pocket, and Yamada Albert fanning himself with his massive hand… he gave up.
This group had no unified purpose.
Some joined to face Takashi. Some were after more class points. Some wanted to prove they deserved to lead Class A. Some had been forced into it.
With so many conflicting motives, unity was impossible.
Before, they could still come together because they had a common enemy—Kitahara Takashi.
Now that that enemy was gone, their internal problems began to surface.
Right now, the Advanced Nurturing team was like a star-studded Real Madrid—no true leader, no one willing to follow orders.
Everyone thought they were a genius. "Why should I listen to you?"
Unlike Aoba.
Aoba's captain might be Katsuta Musashi, but everyone knew that Takashi was the real backbone of the team.
As long as Takashi was there—even if he wasn't playing, just quietly sitting—the team had confidence… wait.
Is that your plan?
In a flash of realization, Horikita Manabu glanced at the Aoba players and then suddenly turned his head toward Takashi in the bullpen.
Takashi was also watching the field, and their eyes met precisely.
You're going to play, aren't you?
Exactly.
Both were smart enough to know what the other was thinking with just a glance.
Takashi tapped his temple with his fingers.
Baseball wasn't just a battle of strength—it was psychological and tactical too.
Was there a rift between Takashi and the coach?
Sure. But when a championship was within reach, anyone would set aside personal grudges.
So what if you know?
Takashi raised his right eyebrow at Horikita, eyes full of challenge.
Even if you say it out loud, would they believe you?
His injury was real.
His fight with the coach last game was real.
And because all of it was real, it made perfect sense for him to be benched, right?
This isn't a video game. You can't push through everything with sheer willpower.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't know if Takashi would play because he was considering the very real physical risks.
But he wasn't Takashi, and didn't understand the fierce desire beneath that handsome exterior.
Takashi was someone who clawed his way up from the bottom—a test-prep kid from a small town who wouldn't let any opportunity go to waste.
Even if it meant fighting to the death, he'd fight.
Horikita Manabu understood that.
But so what?
Would Koenji Rokosuke, Kakeru Ryuen, or Nagumo Miyabi listen to him if he said so?
You're cunning.
That's how we tacticians play the game.
After one final exchange of glances, Horikita Manabu turned around and said calmly, "Let's go."
In this round, Takashi had won.
But the real game was just beginning.
As expected, Takashi—you really are something else.
As he walked toward first base, Horikita Manabu's body trembled slightly.
Was it fear?
No, it was excitement.
The thrill of facing a worthy opponent.
…
"Top of the first inning, Advanced Nurturing takes the field. Today's starting pitcher is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."
"A brand new face."
"Come to think of it, Advanced Nurturing has been rotating pitchers all tournament."
"First round was Yamada Albert, second round was Nagumo Miyabi, third was Horikita Manabu, fourth was Kanzaki Ryuji, and now we have Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."
"Looks like every one of them can pitch."
"What an unbelievable team—completely opposite from Aoba."
Ichiro Suzuki's comment drew agreement from Ohtani Shohei.
Advanced Nurturing had practically everyone pitching. Meanwhile, Aoba was milking Takashi like a workhorse.
"But none of them match up to Kitahara."
Sakurajima Mai spoke firmly.
In this match, her assigned role was to play the contrarian to Ichiro Suzuki.
One of them would act as a supporter of Advanced Nurturing, and the other would support Aoba—only that way would the broadcast stay interesting.
Even if no one said it aloud, deep down Sakurajima Mai was on Takashi's side.
Dragging an entire team forward on his own—this kind of lone-hero image was attractive not just to men, but also to women.
"Takashi is one of a kind."
Shohei Ohtani nodded deeply in agreement, and even Ichiro Suzuki, who was supposed to argue the opposite, nodded silently.
Takashi was simply not in the same league as them.
Just speaking of his pitching alone—it felt like he was throwing from another dimension.
"Now then, let's see how Ayanokoji handles the first pitch."
Standing atop the mound, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at Noda Yusei, remembering how he knocked a fastball from Chukyo's third-year ace Kabei Kota out of the park last game.
Even though it might've been because the opponent was tired, there was no denying his strength.
Strange.
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