Chapter 472: Seiko Battle — Sharp Blades
Caught in Midair
The moment Ogawa Tsunematsu leapt and made the catch, both Eijun and Miyuki, who had been advancing, realized the danger.
Their expressions changed instantly.
They twisted their bodies and scrambled back toward their respective bases.
"Tsunematsu! Throw to third! We can turn a double play!"
At home plate, Masu quickly seized the opportunity and shouted toward Ogawa.
Right on cue, Ogawa rolled once on the ground, then sprang up and flung his left arm forward.
Whoosh!
The ball shot out.
Just before Eijun could touch third base—
Clap!
Seiko's third baseman caught the ball cleanly.
"Out!"
Eijun's frustration was written all over his face as he was called out.
"Double play! Three outs! Change sides!"
"What a brilliant defensive sequence! On a strong inside fastball, Seidou attempted a squeeze bunt, but the ball popped up and was caught perfectly by freshman lefty Ogawa Tsunematsu, leading to a double play! With no outs and runners on second and third, Seiko's crisis was completely neutralized by this incredible freshman, ending Seidou's powerful first-inning attack!"
"Ohhh, that freshman really pitched beautifully!"
"Wow, I thought they'd at least give up one run—didn't expect him to shut it down completely!"
"That lefty's fastball must've hit 145 km/h!"
"Amazing. This game's only getting more exciting."
"Seidou's powerhouse batting lineup against Seiko's aggressive hitters."
"Haha! What a fiery opening inning—this is gonna be good!"
As Ogawa secured the double play and got Seiko out of the inning, their dugout erupted in cheers. In the stands, spectators were also visibly impressed.
To shut down Seidou's lineup so smoothly—this chubby lefty had delivered a completely unexpected surprise.
On the stands, players like Yuuki, Chris, and other alumni showed disappointed expressions.
Just one more hit...
If they could've landed that one big blow against this relief pitcher, the outcome might've been very different.
But there are no "ifs" in baseball.
Even Coach Raizou and Coach Kunitomo narrowed their eyes in response.
Raichi Todoroki looked particularly intrigued.
That pitch—I want to hit it.
In the Seidou dugout on the first base side—
"My apologies."
Back on the bench, Shirasu took off his helmet and spoke softly with a regretful tone.
If he hadn't popped that ball up, the double play wouldn't have happened.
He couldn't help but blame himself a little.
"Don't worry about it, Shirasu-senpai. It's only the first inning. Besides, we've already taken control of the game."
Eijun, changing into his fielding gear, said with a smile.
"Exactly, Shirasu. Don't stress it."
"We'll make that guy pay next time!"
Kuramochi, Maezono, and the others joined in to reassure him.
"Even though we're in the lead, it's only a 2-run difference. There are still eight innings to go—don't let your guard down."
Coach Kataoka addressed the team with a calm but firm tone.
"Yes, sir!"
While Seidou's side carried a sense of lingering regret, the mood in Seiko's dugout was one of relief and celebration.
They had braced themselves for possibly giving up one or even two more runs. But their freshman pitcher held strong and shut down Seidou without allowing a single score—delivering an incredible surprise.
Smiles spread across the faces of the Seiko players.
If they could hold off Seidou under those conditions, the rest of the defense should be manageable. Now, only one thing remained—a simple but critical task: score runs.
And in that, Seiko had absolute confidence. They weren't planning to lose to anyone.
"Top of the second inning, Seiko's offense. Batting fourth, first baseman—Nagata!"
Ping!
Thud!
Like a ferocious beast unleashed.
With thunderous steps and an overwhelming presence—
The cleanup hitter of Seiko's power lineup, Nagata, stepped into the batter's box. The moment his foot hit the dirt, the surrounding atmosphere shifted.
A suffocating pressure radiated from him.
Even on the pitcher's mound, Furuya felt his breath catch for a second.
"Let's go!!"
"Crush it, Nagata!"
"Come on, cleanup hitter—bring us back into the game!"
"Send it flying! Send it flying!"
Nagata, Seiko's fourth batter—pure, raw power.
A terrifying slugger who could blast the ball out of the infield with just the slightest contact.
A monster who had already hit nine home runs in this tournament.
He must not connect solidly. If he gets a read on the pitch—if he finds the sweet spot—Furuya, you saw what happened to Maki of Sensen in that last game, didn't you? You know what's at stake.
Miyuki's eyes were grim as he looked toward the mound.
Furuya gave a firm nod in return.
In the outfield, Eijun, Tojou, and Shirasu all stood on high alert.
Nagata's stats were simply too fearsome. He was easily one of the top three most dangerous hitters in the Tokyo Fall Tournament. No amount of caution from Seidou would be excessive.
"Be careful, Miyuki-senpai… Furuya…" Eijun murmured, golden light flickering faintly in his eyes.
"And now, after shutting down Seidou's furious opening assault, Seiko sends out their cleanup hitter to take the plate! Can Seiko capitalize on this opportunity? Or will Seidou once again dominate the inning like they did in the first?!"
"First pitch—here it comes!"
With the umpire's signal—
Furuya's eyes sharpened, a piercing gleam flashing across them.
He raised his arm high, then swung it down with explosive force.
Whoosh!
A flash of light ripped across the sky.
At the plate, Nagata's eyes flared wide. His mouth opened into a fierce grin, exuding unstoppable energy.
Fwoom!
As the ball roared toward him, he unleashed all his strength. His body twisted, muscles coiling as his arms brought the metal bat screaming through the air.
BOOM!
Like a thunderclap echoing across the stadium, the bat sliced through the zone—air tearing violently around it.
But—
At the last instant, the ball veered by just a hair's width.
It slipped past the ferocious swing and landed squarely into Miyuki's mitt behind the plate.
Clap!
"STRIKE!"
A blistering pitch.
The Seidou battery radiated an overwhelming fighting spirit.
And yet—lingering in the air was the terrifying force behind Nagata's swing.
The threat hadn't passed.
The beast had only just begun to roar.
--------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky