Chris's eyes lit up.
There was pressure on him—immense pressure.
Logically, his body had already recovered. Even if he couldn't immediately reclaim the starting catcher position, he should at least have equal opportunities with Miyuki Kazuya.
But reality said otherwise.
In nearly every crucial game, Coach Kataoka still chose Miyuki.
On the surface, it was to protect Chris—to prevent overexertion and avoid risking his recently healed body.
But wasn't that just another way of saying…
He was the second choice?
Now in his third year, no matter how much he respected his junior, Chris couldn't help but feel competitive.
His biggest shortcoming was clear—
With runners on base, his batting wasn't as explosive as Miyuki's.
In every other aspect, they were evenly matched.
In some areas, Chris was even better.
And now—
No outs.
Runners on second and third.
A perfect opportunity.
If Miyuki were standing here, he would definitely deliver.
So how could Chris allow himself to fall behind?
Fortunately—
The pitch came exactly where he wanted it.
As the baseball flew toward him, Chris didn't even blink.
His grip tightened.
The moment the ball entered his zone—
He swung.
Ping!
The instant the bat connected, Chris knew.
This is solid.
He dropped the bat and sprinted.
Across the field, the Akiha players and supporters froze.
"Don't tell me… it's getting through again?"
By now, they were almost conditioned to expect the worst.
Then—
They saw it.
The ball traced a clean arc before dropping into the field.
Akiha's fielders rushed desperately toward it—
But they were a step too late.
"It got through!"
The Seido supporters erupted.
This outcome was even better than they had hoped.
The ball hit the ground and rolled away.
Runners surged forward.
Chris didn't stop—he pushed all the way to second.
Safe!
Score!!!
"Seido scores their fourth run!"
The scoreboard shifted again.
4–0.
Still no outs.
Runners on second and third.
"Seventh batter—Third Baseman, Masuko Toru!"
Masuko stepped up like a raging bull, nostrils flaring, breath heavy.
His eyes locked onto the pitcher with unwavering intensity.
The moment the pitch came—
He would swing.
No hesitation.
Akiha's players felt the pressure immediately.
This man—
Was dangerous.
Even as a lower-order batter, his sheer physique screamed power.
"Make him chase!"
The catcher quickly gave the signal.
The Akiha Ace's eyes lit up.
This was their chance.
He wound up and fired.
Whoosh!
The ball cut through the air.
Masuko's gaze sharpened.
As it approached—
His bat roared forward.
Boom!
Ping!!
The ball soared high—
Deep into the outfield.
But this time, Akiha was ready.
The outfielder had already positioned himself early.
As the ball descended—
He caught it cleanly.
Pa!
"Out!!"
Finally—
After all that pressure, Akiha secured their first out.
Their players and supporters began to smile in relief.
But that relief didn't last long.
At the exact moment the catch was made—
The runner on third broke for home.
The ball had been caught deep in the outfield.
There was no way to throw it back in time.
Not even for professional players.
Isashiki Jun dashed across the plate.
Safe!
"Score!"
"Seido scores their fifth run!"
Masuko hadn't aimed for a hit.
He had chosen the most reliable method—
A sacrifice fly.
The scoreboard updated again.
5–0.
Before this game, some had questioned Seido's offense.
They claimed that against strong pitchers like Hakuba Academy's Ace, Seido struggled to produce runs.
But now—
No one dared to say that anymore.
Because right before their eyes—
Seido's batting lineup was overwhelming their opponent.
Akiha High had made it to the semifinals.
That alone proved their strength.
Luck might have played a part—
But no team survives nine innings on luck alone.
Their Ace wasn't weak.
Their team wasn't weak.
And yet—
Against Seido, they were being completely crushed.
The pressure was relentless.
The momentum unstoppable.
And the score—
Had already reached 5–0.
The scoreboard now read 5–0, and Seido still had a runner on second base.
With one out and a runner in scoring position, just a single clean hit could bring in yet another run.
From the stands, the murmurs grew louder.
"Watching them score like this… I feel like even I could go up there and get a hit."
"Don't get it twisted. Akiha High School Baseball Team isn't weak—it's just that their strength lies in overall balance, not their Ace."
"And that kind of team is exactly what Seido High School Baseball Team crushes the hardest."
To truly stand against Seido, there were only two viable paths:
Either possess overwhelming all-around strength like Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team or Osaka Kiryu High School Baseball Team…
Or rely on an elite Ace and airtight defense—like Hakuba Academy, with Kazama anchoring the mound.
Without either of those?
Collapse was inevitable.
Teams like Teito High School Baseball Team, Ichidai San High School Baseball Team, and Kohoku High School Baseball Team had already proven that.
And now, Akiha was walking the same path.
On the field, the duel continued.
Facing Seido's eighth batter, Shirasu, Akiha's Ace pushed himself to the limit.
Seven pitches.
Each time the ball entered the strike zone, Shirasu managed to foul it off, refusing to go down easily.
The crowd couldn't help but take notice.
Even Seido's own fans were surprised.
"Who is that guy?"
"He's solid… really solid."
Shirasu wasn't flashy—but he was reliable in every aspect.
Still, even he felt the pressure.
Compared to the earlier batters who had overwhelmed the pitcher, Shirasu understood clearly:
This Ace wasn't weak. Not at all.
On the eighth pitch—
Ping!
The ball bounced sharply off the ground, only to be cleanly fielded by Akiha's defense.
"Pa!"
"Out!"
Two outs. Runner on second.
Akiha's players finally exhaled.
That 5–0 deficit had been suffocating them.
Now, with two outs secured, they were just one step away from ending the inning.
"Ninth batter, pitcher—Furuya Satoru!"
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
This first-year rookie had already stunned everyone with his pitching.
But at the plate?
He hadn't shown anything remarkable.
At least—that's what Akiha believed.
On the mound, their Ace locked eyes with Furuya, confidence slowly returning.
Two outs. I've got this.
He drew a deep breath and fired.
"Swoosh!"
"First-year brat… don't think pitching is everything. Let me show you how we do things."
The pitch cut through the air with precision.
Even Seido's dugout stiffened.
Despite everything—the hits, the runs, the pressure—
Akiha's Ace hadn't broken.
His pitch was still sharp.
Still dangerous.
And then—
Furuya moved.
No hesitation.
No buildup.
Just a single, explosive swing.
BOOM!!
The sound alone made the catcher's heart skip.
Before anyone could react—
Ping!!!
The ball was gone.
Soaring high.
Far.
Farther—
Until it cleared the field entirely and slammed into the center-field stands.
Silence.
Then—
"It's OUT!!!"
A home run.
A two-run blast.
The Seido dugout froze.
"…What just happened?"
"…Did that really just happen?"
Even Yuki Tetsuya hadn't managed a home run against this pitcher.
And yet—
A rookie.
A pitcher.
A player not even known for batting—
Had crushed it over 100 meters.
The scoreboard flipped again:
7–0.
On the mound, Akiha's Ace felt his hands tremble.
They were one of the final four teams in the Kanto Tournament.
They had fought their way here.
And now?
They were being completely overwhelmed.
In just one inning.
Meanwhile, Furuya showed no sign of excitement.
No celebration.
No reaction.
He simply dropped the bat and began running the bases.
Calm.
Indifferent.
As if this result…
Was only natural.
"Two-run home run!"
"Scored by—Furuya Satoru!!!"