Sawamura's Magic fastball was hit out just like that!
Renji successfully reached base.
One out, runner on first.
Perhaps the current situation gave the players of the Komadai Fujimaki High School baseball team an illusion they shouldn't have had.
The team's previously low morale suddenly surged.
From the stands, occasionally, you could hear their supporters shouting words of encouragement.
"Great job, Renji!"
"Hongou, you can't fall behind now!"
"Don't waste the opportunity your partner created for you!"
"Hit that ball with everything you've got!"
"The Demon King isn't all that impressive!"
"He's just another guy!"
"He's just a regular person!"
"Let's take him down right now!"
Renji's success on-base gave these guys a chance to vent.
From his position behind the plate, Miyuki heard these harsh words, yet he didn't show any signs of serious concern.
He knew his partner too well. Sawamura would never be so easily defeated.
On the contrary, at this moment, Miyuki found himself more worried about the players from Komadai Fujimaki High School.
They clearly had no idea who they were provoking or the terrifying entity they were dealing with.
Having teamed up with Sawamura for so long, Miyuki was well acquainted with some of his habits.
He knew very well that Sawamura, at this point, was absolutely furious.
Although Sawamura usually laughed off things and appeared carefree, there was undeniable pride deep inside him.
He might not care about most things, but when it came to baseball, no matter how small the matter, he would never compromise.
The Demon King, Sawamura, genuinely loved baseball.
When it came to baseball, Sawamura was incredibly petty.
If someone insulted him this way, and he didn't retaliate, then he wouldn't be Sawamura.
Miyuki had to admit, he really understood his partner well.
Sawamura was furious right now.
To put it simply, he was a little embarrassed and angry.
In his entire life of playing baseball, ever since coming back to the past, Sawamura had been outwardly loud but was actually cautious and meticulous in everything.
Now, one goal after another was being achieved.
Of course, he had played a role in achieving these goals, but the larger reason was that Sawamura knew how to strategize and lead the team forward steadily.
Whether it was his old teammates from Akagi Middle School or his current teammates from Seidou High School.
One obsession after another was being solved in Sawamura's heart.
This made Sawamura realize something clearly.
As long as he continued to play the game steadily, everything he wanted would eventually be within reach.
But now, after encountering Renji, Sawamura realized just how naïve he had been.
No matter what, the opponents he faced were never going to surrender easily.
No matter how dire their situation was or how slim their chances of winning were, these guys were all thinking about how to turn things around.
They weren't just going to pitch and field.
Even during their offense, they had no intention of holding back.
If there was even the slightest possibility, these guys would give everything they had, battling Seidou High School's baseball team until the very end.
Realizing this, Sawamura knew his responsibility well.
This was the final game of Koshien, and also the last step for the reigning champions, Seidou High School Baseball Team, toward their legendary title.
If they won this game, the disgrace of the previous five or six years—when Seidou had failed to even make it to Koshien—would be forgotten.
Maybe some people would still remember it as a joke, but who cared?
As long as people remembered Seidou High School's recent achievements, then all the shame from the past would no longer seem so shameful. It might even be seen as a real-life lesson in perseverance.
Life was indeed quite strange!
Especially on the field—winning in the end could cover up a lot of things.
Facing the Komadai Fujimaki High School Baseball Team, Sawamura had a lot of patience.
He really wanted to compare himself with this opponent, to have a friendly rivalry.
As long as Seidou High School's team could win, nothing else seemed that important to Sawamura.
Because right now this will be the last time he will play with his Senpais, and he wanted their last game together not to be edgy.
They could enjoy the game with ease and joy.
But now, the players from Komadai Fujimaki had shown their threatening strength.
Though this display was largely due to Sawamura's own carelessness.
He had been too arrogant, underestimating high school baseball players.
Players who made it to the top in high school already had professional-level skills.
He shouldn't have underestimated the Komadai team, nor should he have underestimated Enjo Renji.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been this hit.
Since the hit had already happened, Sawamura wasn't going to avoid responsibility.
He would face this reality.
Not only face it, but he would also give everything he had to win this game.
He would go all out!
When Sawamura struck this pose, Miyuki's heart skipped a beat.
Looking at the situation, Seidou High School's baseball team had a firm grip on the initiative, and it seemed unnecessary for Sawamura to do this.
Moreover, if Sawamura really went all out, considering that he had pitched the entire previous semifinal game, his stamina was a concern.
'This is the last game. There's no time to worry about that,'
Sawamura's gaze was sharp, his attitude resolute.
Faced with such a partner, Miyuki could never refuse.
'Since you've made up your mind, then go for it!'
If everything went smoothly, they would only be a few outs away from winning this game.
At this point, even if Sawamura went all out, his stamina shouldn't be a big problem.
In the Batter's Box, Hongou's eyes never left Sawamura.
After Renji reached base, the players from Komadai Fujimaki weren't fools.
They knew very well that Sawamura would surely be furious.
Now was the real test for them.
Thinking about Sawamura's serious side, even Hongou couldn't avoid feeling a little intimidated.
But no matter how reluctant he was, he knew this was their last chance.
Someone had reached base!
This kind of scenario had already been practiced countless times behind the scenes by the Komadai Fujimaki players.
They had been preparing for a game against Seidou High School, or more precisely, for a showdown with Sawamura.
In Hokkaido, where there was heavy snowfall for most of the year, they couldn't practice outside all the time. When it snowed heavily, they would gather indoors to discuss various baseball tactics.
As the most powerful team in high school baseball today, Seidou High School Baseball Team was naturally the primary study subject for the Komadai Fujimaki team.
Having lost to Seidou in Koshien before, they had been even more determined to study their opponents.
As ambitious players, they would never give up on their research into the Seidou players.
The situation before them now was a result of all their hard work.
Hongou, holding his bat high, stared intently at Sawamura on the mound.
In his mind, he recalled what his Coach had said.
Sawamura, the Demon King, was the most representative player of their generation. His strength could only be described as legendary.
Even with all their preparations, their chance of hitting a ball from Sawamura was no more than 30%.
Considering it was Sawamura, a 30% chance was already extremely rare.
Any more would be unrealistic.
'Here it comes!'
'Throw the ball to me!'
At that moment, Hongou felt almost as if he had been empowered by some alien force.
Without any reason, he instinctively felt that he could hit the ball out of the park.
On the mound, Sawamura felt an unusual sense of threat.
There was no reason for it, and no evidence to support it.
But he felt it in his gut—his next pitch might very well be hit out.
It was a strange feeling, but one that often turned out to be true.
In all the games Sawamura had played, both before and after his regression, this sensation had appeared more than once.
And most of the time, it had proven accurate.
Under these circumstances, Sawamura couldn't afford to be careless. He had to stay sharp and focused for the upcoming challenge.
Hongou Masamune, as far as Sawamura remembered, had incredible skills. Not just as a pitcher, but as a batter as well.
However, Sawamura believed that Hongou hadn't fully awakened as a hitter during his high school days.
He didn't seem like a particularly strong opponent.
With Sawamura's current abilities, he was confident he could silently deal with Hongou.
But that gut feeling told him Hongou was dangerous.
That sense of danger locked onto him.
If Sawamura didn't act quickly, the consequences could be severe.
Realizing this, Sawamura's expression darkened.
Though he had no time to waste and felt uneasy about the showdown, there seemed to be no other option.
As the ace of the team, it was his duty to step up.
Even if it meant being hit, so what?
Even if the ball was hit, so what?
Sometimes, the pitcher couldn't avoid the confrontation.
Just like now, they couldn't avoid it.
Faced with the dangerous Hongou Masamune, Sawamura stood tall, unafraid, and decisively threw the ball.
'Fast!'
The speed was incredible!
It was like a flash of white light crossing the distance in an instant.
Hongou, standing in the Batter's Box, seemed to be possessed.
As soon as he saw the ball coming, his body reacted instinctively, without his brain processing the movement.
His body just acted naturally.
Ping!
The bat and ball collided, sending the ball flying out of bounds.
"FOUL!"
Miyuki, behind the plate, furrowed his brow.
The pitch Sawamura had just thrown, both in speed and angle, was absolutely top-tier.
By all rights, a pitch like that should have been almost impossible to hit.
But in this encounter, Hongou had easily made contact with the ball, sending it flying far.
If the ball hadn't gone Foul, it might have been a hit.
'When did this guy get so strong?' Miyuki wondered, feeling unsettled.
Was there something he had missed during his investigations that led to this situation?
On the mound, Sawamura's eyes were clear.
He understood Hongou's abilities well and trusted his sixth sense. He wasn't surprised by the outcome.
In fact, the fact that the ball hadn't been hit out was a blessing for Sawamura.
Things were never smooth sailing.
If they couldn't stay true to themselves, how could they make it to the end?
The more dangerous the moment, the more intense the reactions would be.
With this mindset, people would react in the most authentic way.
On the mound, Sawamura wasn't distracted by what others thought.
Realizing that he could suppress Hongou, he also understood that his sixth sense wasn't always accurate.
No, more like, it was just a warning.
'And winning or losing, still depends on me!'
His fighting spirit soared.
WHRROOSH!!!
On the second pitch, he used his Level 4 breaking ball.
The Vanishing Ball!!
Despite Hongou Masamune's current state, almost as if empowered by some supernatural force, facing Sawamura's Level 4 breaking ball, he still made a mistake.
"STRIKE!"
"STRIKE!!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!!"
…