"Takumi-kun, you're already getting the celebrity treatment! Haha!" Yōichi teased with a wide grin.
Though a flush of embarrassment crept over him, he genuinely felt happy for his friend.
Before this, Takumi had been under immense pressure.
After his promotion to the Second String, he ranked at the bottom in all their drills, which inevitably stirred resentment among the favored elites.
"Why was this kid, who can't do anything right, promoted to the Second String?" some muttered bitterly.
"Do they think the Second String is a dumping ground?" others scoffed.
Even if these seniors never voiced their disdain directly to his face, their whispered complaints still filtered through to both him and Yōichi.
In those moments, Yōichi felt like picking a fight with the seniors.
He would go through fire and water for his friend.
But the problem was—what good would a fight do?
The practice results spoke for themselves; he couldn't find a valid defense even if he wanted to.
Now, everything had changed.
Takumi stepped up to the plate as the team's cleanup hitter, scored the team's only run, and barely saved their face.
Even if some seniors still dismissed it as luck—like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse—they couldn't openly criticize him anymore.
He had become a hero to the team.
If they truly doubted him, they could try facing Manaka Kaname's pitches themselves.
Not only his teammates but even classmates asked him about that practice game.
The baseball team's influence in the school exceeded his imagination.
Though he was still just a Second String player at the time, having shown only a glimpse of his potential,
he had already become the center of attention.
After that practice game, the attitude of the Second String seniors toward him shifted.
Before, they would talk behind his back but neither took him seriously nor considered him as a rival.
But now, things were different.
If his performance was just a flash in the pan, so be it—but if he could maintain that level of hitting.
Next time Coach Kataoka Tesshin came to inspect, Takumi might just stand out.
Persistent effort always pays off.
Five days later, Seidō welcomed another group of visitors who had traveled a long way.
They arrived by bus, stopping right outside Seidō's baseball field.
"Is there a practice game scheduled today?" the First String players asked, eyeing the scene.
Second String practice games rarely involved such a grand arrival.
After all, no team had unlimited funds; even if they had a dedicated bus, it would usually be reserved for the First String.
Hearing the question, a handsome man with Western features frowned and shook his head. "No. Because of yesterday's practice game, Coach Kataoka told us to practice freely today."
After a hard-fought match, the coach often allows players some rest.
This was no exception, even for the prestigious Seidō.
However, the players were fiercely competitive. The more rest they had, the more eager they were to use it to pull ahead of their teammates.
As a result, most of the First String players were already out on the field.
But they were all practicing on Field A, while Field B was deliberately left empty
One of the hallmarks of Seidō—one of the country's most prestigious—is that they have two luxurious outdoor fields.
Both are exact replicas of professional stadiums.
"It's not for us; it's for the Second String's practice game," someone remarked.
"Wow, this team is impressive—the Second String even gets a bus?" another exclaimed in surprise.
The players buzzed with excitement, exchanging whispers.
As they talked, their attention shifted to the visitors disembarking from the bus.
They especially took note of the school name emblazoned boldly on their chests.
"Nanamori Academy?!" one called out.
"Nanamori Academy?!" another echoed.
"I've never heard of them before. Where did this team come from?" someone asked curiously.
"They're one of the top four teams in West Tokyo, with considerable strength. It's said they have a real shot at making the finals this year!" the handsome man with foreign features explained confidently.
"You know all this?" a group of players blurted out in disbelief.
Even if he was good at gathering intel, knowing about the Tokyo champion was one thing, but how could he be so well-informed about the top four in West Tokyo?
The handsome man scoffed arrogantly, turning his head away and brushing off the question.
"The top four in West Tokyo should be the ones chasing us, right?" he retorted confidently.
Keep in mind that West Tokyo is fiercely competitive, and the Seidō has been unfortunate these past two years. At best, they've only made it as far as the regional finals—usually among the top four or top eight.
Compared to the top four in West Tokyo, they didn't seem much stronger.
"Although this team isn't a powerhouse, their strength shouldn't be underestimated. I hear they have a Second String as well," the bespectacled teenager chimed in with a knowing smile.
"Miyuki-san, are you saying we originally invited their Second String, but they sent their First String instead?" Azuma Kiyokuni asked incredulously.
"I never said that; that's just your speculation, Azuma-san," Miyuki Kazuya replied coolly.
Miyuki Kazuya, the bespectacled teenager, was the rising star of Takumi's generation.
He had only recently joined the team and was directly promoted to the First String as a substitute.
His guess was spot-on.
The Seidō Second String hadn't anticipated that their practice game opponent would be one of the top four teams from West Tokyo—let alone that they'd be facing their star players.
"Are we just unbelievably unlucky? We just went up against Ichidaisan, and now we're facing one of West Tokyo's elite," someone muttered anxiously.
"And with their best players, no less!" another added, voice tinged with disbelief.
"It's no big deal; the tougher the challenge, the easier it is to shine. Haha!" Yōichi chimed in confidently.
His expression perfectly embodied the saying, "The bigger the storm, the bigger the fish."
Yōichi was always so positive and optimistic.
As he said, if they couldn't perform well against such a strong opponent, what right did they have to catch Coach Kataoka's attention and earn promotion to the First String?
Hearing this, Takashima Rei smiled warmly and nodded in agreement. After joining the team, she told to him, "That's right—the more important the game, the stronger your performance must be. The First String will send two players to support us, and our coach will act as the chief umpire."
This was Coach Kataoka's usual tactic.
As chief umpire, he could closely observe each player's performance on the field.
The Second String players felt their hearts stir upon hearing this.
Although the Summer Tournament hadn't started yet—and the draw date was still nearly a month away—they didn't have much time left.
After all, Seidō couldn't wait until after the draw to finalize their roster; the list had to be submitted beforehand.
If the Second String players failed to stand out this time.
Then, at least until the end of this year's Summer Tournament, they would lose their chance to become regulars.
The fact that two players originally from the First String were helping out only confirmed this.
Today's game wasn't just a practice match—it was a final battle for survival.
Perform well, and they'd enter the First String.
Perform poorly, and they'd return to the Second String to keep working hard.