Chapter 85: A Promise To Come Back

"Hello, let me introduce myself, my name is John Walter."

The person who arrived was none other than Walter, the Coach of the Dream Team.

No matter what he was really thinking, or what plans he had in mind, he couldn't possibly give up on inviting Sawamura.

Regardless of whether Walter's team had the resources to bring Sawamura in, Walter believed it was absolutely necessary to invite him.

He was confident that even if the board members knew about this, they wouldn't object.

It was a profitable deal.

Even if, after signing Sawamura, he couldn't use him in his team, or the team couldn't afford Sawamura's salary, none of that mattered.

Just sign him up first. Later on, they could sell him to other teams for a profit.

Professional baseball is a world of capital. In this world, there is no good or bad.

There is only profit and loss.

Of course, Walter couldn't say any of this in front of Sawamura.

When Walter approached Sawamura, his reasons were still very dignified.

On one hand, he said he saw potential in Sawamura. On the other hand, he painted a bright future for him.

"I believe a team from your country must have already contacted you, or perhaps you've privately reached an agreement with them."

This guy was like an old fox, with an ability to read people's hearts.

At first, Sawamura had already decided not to pay any attention to what the old man said.

He would remain polite and enthusiastic, but not reveal anything.

This was the behavior rule his Agent had given him.

As long as he followed this rule, there would usually be no issues with the media. During negotiations, it was better to delay things and think carefully before making any decisions.

There was no harm in that.

But now, the old fox's words had caught Sawamura's attention.

In the end, Sawamura wasn't someone with deep schemes.

When someone hit the nail on the head, he couldn't keep his calm.

He wasn't able to keep a straight face when his thoughts were revealed.

Seeing Sawamura's reaction, Walter's smile became even more obvious.

"I think you've already realized that the level of high school baseball can no longer meet your requirements for improving your skills. To be honest, I've done some research on baseball in your country. In my opinion, baseball in your country is still far behind the Major Leagues.

"Don't even compare it to the Major Leagues—there's also a gap with the Minor Leagues. If you're aiming for the peak of the baseball world, entering the Minor Leagues or even the Major Leagues sooner would definitely help you more."

Walter spoke like a devil seducing Sawamura's restless heart.

Before competing against the Dream Team, Sawamura couldn't have cared less about these words.

He wasn't someone who had never played in the Minor Leagues and Major Leagues. What difference would it make if he improved his skills?

However, after facing players from the American Dream Team, Sawamura realized:

A good opponent is extremely helpful in improving one's own abilities.

If he had started playing baseball in America from the beginning, today's game with the Dream Team would have been far easier for him.

Without using his Level 4 breaking balls, he couldn't even get past Bill and O'Connor.

Even though these two were indeed outstanding, Sawamura believed he shouldn't have struggled so much.

Even before his regression, Sawamura had never had such a hard time facing those two.

There was no way his efforts would lead to worse results than his past self, right?

Of course, that was impossible.

The only reasonable explanation was the environment.

It was similar to the game of chess.

If you always play with poor players, even your excellent skills will decline.

Compared to that, the pressure in his home country was obviously much lighter than in America.

At the high school level, there was a balance. You could say both sides had their own features. Since Sawamura was so accustomed to the style of his home country, it was inevitable that he felt awkward facing American players.

But once he entered professional baseball, the huge skill gap would definitely affect Sawamura's growth.

Should he go to Nippon Professional Baseball for a different kind of baptism? Or directly aim for the Major Leagues?

The choice Sawamura had originally made in his heart now became uncertain.

Both options had their pros and cons.

"I can't answer you right away. I need time to think it over."

In the end, Sawamura gave this response.

Walter smiled understandingly, without a trace of a scheming businessman on his face, and said kindly:

"Young man, this is your life, and you should make the choice yourself. If one day you want to come to my side and cooperate with me, I'll be here with open arms, waiting for you!"

Walter stood up and left, without the slightest hesitation.

In contrast, Robert was different.

For the remaining hours, he clung to Sawamura like a piece of gum.

Sawamura knew exactly what this guy was trying to do, but since he already had a suitable agent in mind, he couldn't give Robert any hope.

He could only turn a blind eye and pretend not to notice.

After a bit of trouble, he was able to meet with Chris, have a meal together, and talk for a bit.

While it was completely different from their initial plans, there was nothing they could do, Seidou made a big wave in America so they were under a lot of attention.

Moreover, all of them were busy with tight schedules, so this was already the best they could do.

Nevertheless, seeing Chris talking about his time in the MiLB almost brought Sawamura to tears.

One of his biggest regrets was his Shisho not having a career in Pro Baseball, seeing him talk about the things he wanted to do without having to worry about his injury made him feel like a dream come true.

After a while, Chris wished him luck in the Summer Tournament, said his goodbyes, and left.

Seidou's team also had to go their own way.

Under Robert's tearful gaze, the members of the Seidou High School baseball team boarded the plane, leaving America.

This trip to America was so rushed that the team didn't even have time to properly enjoy themselves.

This was something rare in their past trips.

In previous events, no matter where they went, after all the games were over, the Coach would usually give them a few hours of free time.

They would go around, buy some souvenirs, and explore the area.

However, due to the intense training schedule of the Seidou High School baseball team, they hardly ever had the opportunity to participate in such activities.

Although the players willingly committed to the training schedule, Coach Kataoka, who also taught second-year students, didn't want to leave too many regrets for the team during their high school years.

His thinking was different from that of an average Coach.

Such leisure time could never completely make up for the players' regrets, but it was the best Coach Kataoka could offer within his capabilities.

While trying to make sure his players lived well, his position as both a Coach and a teacher motivated him to ensure they didn't miss out on too much.

However, this time, the trip to America was different.

They had to play two games each day, and by the end of the matches, everyone was exhausted.

Originally, after the game against the Dream Team, Coach Kataoka planned to give the players a brief break.

But because of the media interviews and the excitement surrounding the game, those plans had to be scrapped.

Plus, aside from Sawamura, most of the players couldn't speak English fluently.

Although they had been learning English, their knowledge was limited and not practical for communication, which often led to awkward conversations.

With tight schedules, heavy tasks, and the language barrier, Coach Kataoka made the tough decision to cancel the leisure plans.

"After the Summer Tournament and the Fall Tournament, we'll have some rest. I'll apply for a training camp in America," he promised.

Seeing the regretful look on their faces, and considering their hard work during this time, even the tough Coach Kataoka couldn't resist.

In the final moments, he made a suggestion that thrilled everyone.

After the autumn tournament, the players would have their second break.

He decided to bring everyone to America for training.

"Remember, only if we achieve good results in both the summer and autumn tournaments will we go!"

A little reward after a bit of discipline.

Coach Kataoka was a master at this kind of motivation.

However, this opportunity made the players ecstatic.

Coach Kataoka wasn't setting extra conditions. In fact, it was only if the players performed well that he would have the face to request it from the principal.

If Seidou High School's baseball team were to fail in both tournaments, even if Coach Kataoka raised this request, the school would probably refuse.

This was the reality—brutal and unavoidable.

Once on the plane, Sawamura put on his eye mask and immediately fell asleep.

The game against the Dream Team had drained him significantly.

For the first time, Sawamura realized that reaching the legendary level in baseball might not be an easy path.

Allen, Conrad, Bill, Mike, Carlisle, Lincoln...

The faces of these players kept flashing in Sawamura's mind, as if on a revolving lantern.

If he couldn't defeat them one by one, he wouldn't be able to reach his desired goal.

Moreover, these players were improving much faster than Sawamura had anticipated.

Not only them, but the situation in Japan was similar. With Sawamura's dominance in the field, players of his generation were all being pushed to improve in response.

After receiving this stimulation, they either chose silence or exploded with growth.

It was clear that none of them were the type to stay silent.

So their strength continued to erupt and grow.

Sawamura believed that after facing American players, their abilities would skyrocket even further.

It was already a time when various forces were vying for supremacy.

After the disturbance, this era became even more brilliant.

To avoid becoming a victim of this era, Sawamura had to push himself even further.

His mind kept replaying these thoughts as he drifted into a fuzzy sleep.

The night in America was daytime in Japan.

As news spread that Seidou High School had tied with the Manhattan Dream Team, everyone in Japan who had been following the event knew about it.

Many people stayed up late, watching the live broadcast of the match.

Once the news spread completely, it caused an uproar.

The Dream Team was a legend, a symbol.

In many people's hearts, their status was irreplaceable.

But now, history has been rewritten.

The American Dream Team wasn't invincible, and Allen, the Holy Son of Baseball, was not necessarily the world's No. 1 player.

Overnight, it felt as though the entire worldview of many people had drastically shifted.

After this change, the Seidou High School baseball team became the biggest beneficiary.

Of course, they also became a thorn in the side of every other team aiming for Koshien.

The next morning, as soon as they woke up, urgent meetings were held at Inashiro, Yakushi, and Sankou.

They were more anxious than other powerhouse schools.

Why? Because in the upcoming summer, they would be competing against the Seidou High School baseball team for a spot in Koshien.

The rules for the Summer Koshien were completely different from those for the Spring Koshien.

There were 49 regions, each with only one spot.

In West Tokyo, with over 100 schools, there was only one qualifying spot.

It was a brutal battle—either you win, or I do.

In this intense competition, no one dared to hold back.

Aside from them, another group was also extremely excited.

This group was the Demon King's Imperial Guard and the Red Heart Brotherhood.

In the past, if anyone asked who the top player in Japan was, though Sawamura was the most famous, his support wasn't the strongest.

This led to many arguments between the Demon King's Imperial Guard, the Red Heart Brotherhood, and other fans.

After much debate, there was still no definitive answer.

Though Sawamura had been the most outstanding player among all high school students over the past year, his success was heavily influenced by the team he played for.

Would his performance be as remarkable if he wasn't on the Seidou High School baseball team?

That remained a big question.

Also, other players were also strong, and when facing Sawamura, they didn't back down.

No professionals had ever stepped in to speak for Sawamura, leaving the Demon King's Imperial Guard and Red Heart Brotherhood to argue tirelessly.

In the end, nothing was conclusively decided.

But this time, things were different. The famous American coach Walter directly said that Sawamura was the best player in the world for his age.

He was No. 1 in the world!

Could he possibly be ranked second when he returned to Japan?

That was just a joke.

With such a strong ally backing him, the players were absolutely thrilled.

They felt that the time had come to give their Demon King the recognition he deserved.

"Japan No. 1! World No. 1!!"

That was Sawamura's new title, and of course, it had the restriction of being for players under 18.

Among players under 18, Sawamura had already reached this level.

This title was finally accepted by the vast majority of fans across Japan.

...

T/N: Now we are going back to Seidou!

Anyway, Thank you all for reading!!

Have a good day people!

You also can check my Patre0n for extra Chapters.

patre0n /ColdColt

There are +170 Chapters there.