Shirazawa had already made up his mind.
Seeing the determination in his partner's eyes, Oishibashi gritted his teeth and nodded. He understood Shirazawa well—there was no way his Ace would do something like this without a reason.
Oishibashi rose from his crouch and positioned himself tight against the strike zone, completely sealing it off.
The moment the crowd noticed this setup, a wave of tension spread through the stands. Many spectators subconsciously held their breath.
Ever since the Seido High School Baseball Team's match against the Seibo High, an uneasy feeling had lingered in everyone's hearts. No one expected that fear to materialize so quickly.
The Ace of Seibo High School Baseball Team, Shirazawa, was intentionally walking a batter—on the stage of the Koshien Finals.
This wasn't an ordinary game.
In the stands sat not only fans, but also professional scouts and veteran coaches.
What kind of impression would this leave?
An Ace lacking confidence? Afraid to face his opponent at the most critical moment?
People could already imagine the whispers.
"I never thought a player with his reputation would do something like this."
"Doesn't this just prove how strong Seido really is?"
Sarcastic remarks rang out from Seido's supporters, but the sharper the words, the clearer their unease became.
If Seibo weren't truly dangerous, why would anyone care?
Yuki, standing in the batter's box, slowly narrowed his eyes.
He understood exactly what Shirazawa was trying to do.
And he hated it.
But unwillingness alone couldn't change reality.
On the surface, Shirazawa looked calm, expressionless. Inside, however, excitement surged.
Seeing the stunned faces in Seido's dugout filled him with satisfaction.
You think you've already won?
Not yet.
He knew this decision might affect his future reputation—but that was a problem for later.
Right now, he simply refused to let Seido feel like victory was already in their hands.
Baseball was a team sport. The bases existed for a reason.
A hit like Zhou Hao's would normally ignite Seido's momentum. But if no one crossed home plate, that hit would mean nothing.
As long as Seido failed to score, both teams remained at the same starting line.
Shirazawa lifted his arm.
"Snap!"
"Ball!"
The mood in Seido's dugout darkened further.
They understood Shirazawa's confidence all too well.
He believed that only Seido's three core batters truly posed a threat.
The others?
Not enough.
And painfully, even Seido's own players couldn't deny that logic.
Shirazawa threw another pitch.
Yuki, who had been waiting quietly for the intentional walk, suddenly moved.
He extended his body, gripping the bat with one hand, and lightly tapped the ball with the tip.
"Ping!"
Both Shirazawa and Oishibashi froze.
He… swung?
There was no need for Yuki to do this. He only had to wait.
But he chose otherwise.
"Reckless!"
The first baseman rushed forward, scooped up the rolling ball, and stepped back onto first base.
"Out!"
"Third base!"
The sudden shout snapped him back to reality.
When he turned, a blue-and-white figure streaked past like a cheetah.
"Safe!"
One out. Runner on third.
Only then did Seibo realize what they had overlooked.
Zhou Hao's speed.
The stadium erupted.
At first, even Seido's supporters didn't fully understand Yuki's intention—but that no longer mattered.
He had done his job.
"Yuki! Yuki!!"
The cheers made Shirazawa's heart tighten.
Of all people… Yuki?
The most orthodox, by-the-book player on Seido's roster.
And yet, at the most critical moment, it was Yuki who broke the stalemate without hesitation.
That realization sent a chill down the spine.
The professional scouts and coaches in the stands saw even more.
"Outstanding baseball IQ."
"That's a true Seido player."
Everyone knew the gap between Seido's core hitters and the rest of the lineup.
Seido knew it. Seibo knew it.
And these observers saw it most clearly of all.
With Zhou Hao now on third base, the possibilities multiplied.
Azuma Kiyokuni stepped into the batter's box, smiling brightly.
"Hehehe… bring it on!"
But Shirazawa and Oishibashi didn't give him a chance.
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Four balls—intentional walk!"
One out. Runners on first and third.
Seido's supporters groaned.
Had Yuki's move been meaningless?
Shirazawa was clearly set on walking two batters in a row, forcing a high-pressure situation.
But unlike the uneasy Seido fans, Seibo's players looked tense—fully alert.
They stared at the next batter.
"Fifth batter—Shimoi Teru."
This time, Shirazawa attacked.
"Whoosh!"
The ball shot forward like a beam of light.
Shimoi Teru, who had been ready to swing for power, suddenly choked up on the bat.
"Bunt!"
Before Seibo could react, Azuma Kiyokuni had already broken into a sprint.
"So bold!"
"Aren't they afraid of a double play?!"
They weren't.
Shimoi Teru wasn't just a power hitter—he was Seido's best bunter.
"This is a squeeze play!"
"With bases loaded, defenders hesitate—that's the trap!"
Intercept Azuma, and Shimoi reaches safely.
Deal with the bunt, and Zhou Hao scores.
One mistake—just one—and Seibo would collapse.
The professional scouts nodded silently.
This was elite-level strategy.
No breathing room at all.
"Ping!"
The ball bounced forward.
Zhou Hao exploded off third base, launching himself toward home like an arrow.
Oishibashi's pupils shrank.
Too fast!
In just a breath, Zhou Hao was already in front of him.
Too late—
Shirazawa sprinted forward, swatting the ball with his glove.
"Oishi!"
"Snap!"
The throw slammed into Oishibashi's mitt.
He lunged toward Zhou Hao.
From the Sharingan's view, every movement slowed.
Zhou Hao twisted his body, barely slipping past the glove.
The entire stadium fell silent.
Then—
Oishibashi dropped his glove instantly.
At the same time, Zhou Hao's hand touched home plate.
All eyes turned to the umpire.
Pressure crashed down on him like a mountain.
After a brief hesitation—
"Out!!"
Two outs. Runners on first and second.
A heavy blow struck Seido.
Now the core batters were dealt with.
With Shirazawa in this form, scoring would be extremely difficult.
Extra innings loomed—and that was the worst possible outcome for Seido.
"Sixth batter, catcher, number two—Chris."