Chapter 18: Silent Swordsman

Upon noticing that the opponent was showing signs of trouble, Shiratsu immediately made a decision, preparing to act quickly and decisively.

Although he still didn't know the exact reason, the pitcher from Nanakyo High School was throwing the ball in a strange manner.

It made it difficult to precisely pinpoint the release point.

However, one thing was certain:

The type of pitch that was coming toward him was almost always a fastball.

As long as he could predict it correctly, he still had a chance to hit it.

In this regard, Shiratsu, who had already honed various techniques to a high level, was undoubtedly the most suitable person for the job in the Seidou High School baseball team.

Even though it was his first time facing this situation, Shiratsu had some confidence.

Perhaps it was his constant practice with monsters that had broadened his perspective.

To put it bluntly, even if Fujita's fastball didn't reach 150 km/h, it wouldn't be much of a problem for Shiratsu.

Furuya, Sawamura!

From the Batter's Box, both of their fastballs were beyond human standards.

At the very least, beyond the standards of high school players.

During practice, the regular members of the Seidou High School baseball team were able to hit their pitches.

Of course, the breaking balls might still be a problem.

Especially Sawamura, if he really unleashed a breaking ball, very few people could hit it.

Furuya's breaking ball was also something that most people couldn't even come close to hitting.

Even the Seidou teammates, who practiced with them every day, found it difficult.

But normal fastballs, especially fastballs when the location is clearly identified.

They were still confident they could hit those.

At least Shiratsu had that confidence.

Although the opponent's pitching was strange, overall, it was still just fastballs.

They could even hit Sawamura's fastballs, let alone this little kid in front of them.

Shiratsu's confidence soared, and he made up his mind to hit the ball.

He absolutely could not let the opponent's morale bounce back.

Whether from his appearance or private interactions.

Shiratsu always gave the impression of being calm, unhurried, and steady.

He rarely seemed overly fixated on anything.

But in reality, this third-year student from Seidou High School had a strong sense of responsibility.

When he felt that something was his responsibility, he would act without hesitation.

Just like now, he had decided to face the opponent head-on, thinking with that kind of resolve.

Ping!

After the bat struck the baseball, the baseball bounced and landed in the gap in the defense.

Shiratsu immediately dropped his bat and sprinted to first base.

At the same time, Furuya, not idle, also ran toward the next base.

Even after the opponent replaced their Ace pitcher, the Seidou High School baseball team's offense didn't stop.

"Nice batting!!"

"As expected of Shiratsu, reliable in crucial moments."

"So cool!!"

From the Seidou High School baseball team's dugout, cheers erupted.

The new pitcher that the opponent had just brought in still put some pressure on the Seidou team members.

Especially after the opponent showed an unusual pitching style, the pressure only increased.

Although they didn't believe the opponent would cause much trouble.

The time for the substitute players to take the field was definitely getting shorter.

The better the opponent performed, the shorter the time for the substitutes to play.

After all, without an absolute advantage, Coach Kataoka wouldn't substitute players.

And if Coach Kataoka didn't substitute, how could they get a chance to play?

The teammates in the dugout were worried, their hair almost turning gray with anxiety.

If they couldn't crack this kid soon, wouldn't their opportunity be reduced by several innings?

The opponent showed signs of trouble, but Shiratsu quickly snuffed it out.

For the regular players, they just found it satisfying to see Shiratsu perform well.

As expected, Shiratsu was reliable.

But for the substitute players waiting for their turn, Shiratsu was like an angel with a halo.

So awesome!

With no Outs and players on first and third bases, Seidou High School was leading by four runs.

Shiratsu had just dealt the opponent a heavy blow.

Although it might not make them completely collapse, it was bound to affect them somewhat.

In this situation, the chance for attack was practically laid out before them.

And the next player stepping into the Batter's Box for Seidou was also a very reliable one.

The seventh batter, Toujou.

Although Toujou's pitching ability was somewhat lacking, as a batter and an outfielder, he had extraordinary talent.

His hitting skills ranked among the top five on the Seidou High School baseball team.

His hitting power and accuracy were also among the best.

Though his overall strength was a bit weaker, he was already a regular player for Seidou.

His position in the first team was much more secure than Kanemaru and Asou.

Although he wasn't satisfied, still dreaming of being a pitcher, Toujou knew that his only strength now was his bat.

With no Outs and runners on first and third, this was undoubtedly a great scoring opportunity.

Toujou wasn't planning to miss it.

Though his position was relatively stable, no one had guaranteed that he wouldn't be replaced.

Especially with the new first-year players, who were all watching eagerly.

There were also four pitchers on the team.

Does that feel like too many?

One plays and the other three are just sitting idle in the dugout.

Such a waste?

So, the outfielders' positions weren't completely secure either.

With that in mind, Toujou knew that scoring a run was crucial.

Just as he was preparing to face the opponent head-on and hit the ball, Coach Kataoka signaled from the dugout.

'Bunt!'

No Outs, runners on first and third.

In this situation, having Toujou face off against the opponent wasn't necessarily a bad idea.

But the pitcher's previous performance had given Coach Kataoka an uncomfortable feeling.

Although Shiratsu had successfully hit the ball into the gap, it lacked power and speed.

If Coach Kataoka's judgment wasn't wrong, then Shiratsu's swing had been delayed.

If that were the case, they would have to reassess the opponent's pitcher's abilities.

This didn't feel right like they were being stalked from the shadows.

Coach Kataoka didn't like that feeling.

So, he ordered Toujou to bunt, and focus on getting a run first.

Toujou, after receiving the signal, nodded slightly and assumed a bunting stance.

Ping!

Toujou wasn't just good at hitting but also mastered all kinds of offensive techniques.

Hitting the ball wasn't too difficult for him.

The baseball rolled after being hit.

Maezono, seizing the opportunity, successfully returned to home plate, helping Seidou High School to score their fifth run.

The opponent, in turn, managed to record their first Out.

Score: 5-0!

As soon as Hanagata saw the score, he felt a sense of helplessness.

It's over!

Completely over!!

Five runs were like five huge bullets, sharply striking Nanakyo High School's chest.

Each shot was fatal. Each shot could end someone's life.

If it weren't like this…

Hanagata wouldn't have shown such a desperate expression.

With his personality, if it weren't for being pushed to the brink of hopelessness…

He would never show such a face.

As long as there's hope, even the slightest, he would cling to it and never give up.

Similarly, if even Hanagata felt it was hopeless, it's easy to imagine what kind of dire situation the Nanakyo High School baseball team is in right now.

Their players were all feeling down.

Only Fujita, the pitcher on the mound, was still somewhat oblivious, having just come on, despite giving up runs. He was looking at the Nanakyo High School lineup with the ambition of a rookie bull.

But Hanagata didn't stay depressed for long.

Though victory seemed nearly impossible now, the game wasn't over yet.

No matter how difficult it was, they had to stick it out for these 9 innings.

Their hometown friends must be sitting in front of their TVs, watching them play; they couldn't afford to embarrass themselves.

After exhaling deeply, Hanagata started to encourage his teammates again.

It was clear that he still had a great influence on the Nanakyo team.

Hanagata's words gradually calmed his teammates down. They adjusted their mindset and faced off against the Nanakyo High School team once more.

Standing in the Batter's Box now was Kanemaru.

Under the spotlight, Kanemaru was extremely excited.

He was always a player who thrived in the limelight; the bigger the stage, the better he performed.

This was Koshien, and every cell in Kanemaru's body was thrilled.

He loved this feeling of being in the spotlight.

Only in such games could he show his true strength.

It was an amazing feeling!

It felt as though he had become the center of the universe.

In this atmosphere, he felt invincible.

"Is he getting a bit too excited? Is he okay?"

Kanemaru's smug expression made the Nanakyo players in the dugout worry.

They all looked concerned, feeling that Kanemaru's exuberance was a bit unsettling.

Toujou, who had just left the field, was more relaxed.

From the moment they got to know him, the more tense the situation, the bigger the stage, the better Kanemaru played.

'You must really enjoy this kind of stage, right? If you do, then show your strength! Shinji.'

Toujou looked at Kanemaru, eagerly awaiting his performance.

Kanemaru, brimming with excitement, swung his bat with great enthusiasm.

When the baseball came flying towards him, he didn't hesitate for a second and swung.

Seeing Kanemaru swing on the first pitch, the Nanakyo players in the dugout were startled.

The pitcher Nanakyo had just switched to had some serious skill.

Shouldn't they observe a few more pitches in such a case?

On the one hand, it would increase the number of pitches the opponent threw, and on the other hand, they could observe their opponent's tactics before taking action.

But Kanemaru didn't take the safer route. He decisively swung.

It seemed a bit reckless, not calm at all.

The worried teammates couldn't help but stand up from the dugout.

Although they were leading by 5 runs, the more runs they could score in the first inning, the better.

In this situation, the teammates didn't want Kanemaru to get out so quickly.

Under their watch, Kanemaru's bat hit the baseball hard, sending it flying.

The ball wasn't in the best location, but it landed in the area along the first baseline.

This position could be intercepted by either the first baseman or the second baseman.

Seeing the direction the ball flew, the Nanakyo players in the dugout, instead of being upset, showed excited expressions.

Though the ball's landing wasn't ideal, the speed at which it left the bat was incredible!

It was like a flash of white light, piercing through the air in an instant.

It caught the opponent completely off guard.

What was originally a harmless ball quickly became a powerful weapon.

'Good!'

At second base, Shiratsu was already excited.

Even though the position wasn't ideal, this ball would definitely land, and with that speed, the chances of it becoming a hit were very high.

It was a chance!

He was already standing on second base, and a good hit—no matter how simple—was enough to send him back home.

No time to hesitate, he had to move!

As the ball was struck, before it even hit the ground, Shiratsu sprinted toward third base.

But after just a few steps, he had to slam on the brakes.

Right as the ball was about to land, a figure suddenly appeared.

The figure spread out fully, catching the baseball in his mitt just before it hit the ground.

When Shiratsu saw this, he had already run almost ten meters. Due to the momentum, he ran another two meters before finally stabilizing himself.

Once he stabilized, Shiratsu immediately turned around and started sprinting back toward second base.

The ball had been caught, and he had to return to second base.

As Shiratsu sprinted back, the fielder who had caught the ball quickly rolled forward with his body after making the catch, then immediately stood up.

After getting up, he threw to second base, and the second baseman was already there waiting.

Snap!

The second baseman, who had already retreated to second base, effortlessly tagged Shiratsu out as he ran back.

Nanakyo High School, who had been defenseless and unable to fight back against the fierce attack from Seidou High School's baseball team, suddenly erupted.

They managed to get a double play in one fell swoop.

Combined with the earlier short bunt and walk by Toujou, they had now ended the first inning.

The score remained 5:0.

The first round of Seidou High School and Nanakyo High School's battle came to a halt.

At the very end of the first inning, Nanakyo suddenly unleashed their strength.

Like many dark horse teams, once they showed some good performance, their entire momentum changed.

The team, once lifeless, suddenly became full of energy.

In Seidou High School's dugout.

Sawamura hadn't received any instructions from Coach Kataoka, meaning he was still slated to pitch in the upcoming innings.

While changing his pitching gear, his gaze landed on Hanagata, the player who had just made that double play.

The Twelve Rising Talents!

To Sawamura, this was an ancient history from a few years ago.

He never expected the opponent would have such defensive skills.

That kind of play was enough to result in a double play.

Such defensive skills would rank in the top three even in Seidou High School's baseball team.

Opponents with this kind of defense were certainly worthy of respect.

"Though right now, it's just a double play, don't you think you're being a bit too flashy?"

…