Chapter 85: His Second

"Kuramochi! Kuramochi!!!"

"It's unbelievable! Kuramochi, who already made an astonishing performance earlier, has outdone himself again!!"

The commentator was shouting hoarsely, narrating the remarkable scene that just occurred on the field.

It's no wonder he was so excited—what Kuramochi just did was truly amazing.

It wasn't just the commentator who was fired up. A lot of people in the stadium were beyond excited.

Even the Seidou High School baseball team members were bubbling with excitement, their adrenaline through the roof.

When Kuramochi returned to the dugout, his teammates surrounded him.

"Nice job!"

"Five kills, super combo!"

"Who's next?!"

Yeah, who's next?

Who could stop the Seidou High School baseball team now?

No one. Absolutely no one.

The Seidou High School baseball team was performing flawlessly.

Even their own teammates couldn't find anything to criticize.

In sharp contrast to the excited Seidou team, the players of Hoshiryu High School, led by their battery duo, Nanami and Hosho, seemed bewildered.

They looked at the Seidou High School players as if they were staring at a group of unknown creatures.

It wasn't that they weren't trying. Throughout the game, the Hoshiryu players had shown their skills.

It's just that, when compared to Seidou High School, there always seemed to be a gap.

At this point, they felt a bit helpless. They really wanted to say something.

It wasn't that they weren't trying, it was just that their opponents were too strong!

Considering Kuramochi's previous performance—forget it, even if any team in the country faced him, who could block that?

Even if they were slightly better than Hoshiryu High School, the most they could achieve was forcing Seidou High School to waste one out.

The result wouldn't change!

Whenever Seidou had a chance to score, they'd take it.

Fujio, a senior reporter from Baseball Kingdom Magazine, gave a very objective evaluation of Seidou High School.

'The greatest strength of the Seidou High School baseball team didn't lie in their batting or base-stealing.'

'It was in their efficiency!'

Whether it was their defensive or offensive efficiency.

Their efficiency made all other teams in the country feel ashamed.

Previously, the team that had struggled most with Seidou High School, Kanetsu-Norin, had 17 hits in one game but only managed to score 4 points.

This would never happen with Seidou High School.

In fact, in today's game, Seidou High School's hits didn't exceed Hoshiryu High School by much.

Seidou High School had 4 hits, while Hoshiryu had 3.

In terms of raw performance, both teams' Aces had completed their missions excellently.

But Seidou High School's hit-to-score conversion rate was astonishingly high.

They scored 4 points off just 4 hits.

Every time they reached base, it turned into a run.

The Hoshiryu High School baseball team, while similar to Seidou in style, still fell short.

With similar hit numbers, Seidou had a clear lead in the score.

Hoshiryu High School had 3 hits, converting into only 2 points.

Compared to Seidou High School, Hoshiryu's efficiency was already quite good.

In fact, they were among the top teams in the country in that regard.

But their opponents were just too good.

And so, the score on the field was 4-2!

And anyone familiar with baseball could now clearly sense it.

Seidou High School's offense had only just begun.

The game was far from over.

The next batter to step up will be Sawamura.

Kuramochi's stunning performance had almost everyone cheering for him.

At least 80% of the audience in the Koshien stadium stood up.

They gave their applause to Kuramochi!

It was as if they couldn't show their respect for Kuramochi Youichi without doing so.

What an unbelievable performance!

The audience felt that Kuramochi truly deserved this applause.

The applause lasted for over 30 seconds.

It wasn't until Kominato Haruichi finished his at-bat that the applause finally stopped.

Amidst the applause, Nanami threw the ball from his hand.

The opposing team's energy was now low, and Kominato Haruichi gave up on continuing farce.

He wasn't like his brother, Kominato Ryosuke, who could be completely focused on this kind of play.

Haruichi had his own ambitions and goals.

For example, he planned to hit the ball flying toward him as hard as possible.

Kominato Haruichi thought this and then did it.

He raised his bat high and swung hard at the incoming ball.

Paak!

The moment the bat made contact with the baseball, Kominato Haruichi realized.

He had been careless!

And this saying applied perfectly to his opponent.

Although he had been pushed to the brink by Kuramochi, the opponent's strength hadn't diminished.

On the contrary.

During his match with Kuramochi, Haruichi felt that his opponent had elevated his game.

The pitching now seemed simpler and more efficient.

From the on-deck circle, Sawamura's expression changed.

He felt the same as Haruichi.

Nanami had taken another step and evolved again!

In this very game, on this very Koshien field, this guy had evolved twice.

Though it was unclear whether he could maintain this form after the game, his performance in this match had already reached the top national level.

He was now comparable to Narumiya and Hongou.

Snap!

"OUT!!"

The baseball was hit and landed straight into Nanami Haruka's mitt.

One Out and no one was on base.

Hoshiryu High School, which had been on the brink of despair, came back to life thanks to this excellent performance.

Their ace had not been defeated yet.

Even though the two-point gap seemed insurmountable to Hoshiryu's players, they knew it was impossible to catch up.

Even if there were opportunities, Seidou's players would never let them close the gap.

Before the crisis arrived, Sawamura would certainly be called to pitch.

Despair!

It filled the hearts of every Hoshiryu High School player.

At this moment, they were longing for a hero.

A hero who could turn the tide and continue leading them forward.

In their hopes, the hero did indeed appear.

Nanami Haruka, without saying anything unnecessary, showed with his actions that they weren't out yet, and they still had a chance.

This spirit inspired every player of the Hoshiryu High School baseball team.

They felt alive again and ready to continue fighting against Seidou High School.

The game wasn't over. It wasn't time to give up.

In this atmosphere, Sawamura stepped up to the Batter's Box.

The players of Hoshiryu High School, newly reignited with fighting spirit, fixed their eyes on him.

"My luck really is terrible!"

Sawamura couldn't help but feel bitter.

It seemed that every time it was his turn to bat, the opponents were always especially fired up.

Just like now.

Just a moment ago, the Hoshiryu High School team had been completely dominated by Kuramochi.

And yet, they had somehow found their footing again.

They were glaring at him, clearly plotting ways to get him out.

Sawamura felt a sense of admiration.

This team from his hometown was showing great resilience.

He felt proud!

After all, they were the strongest golden generation from Nagano Prefecture, and they hadn't brought shame to Nagano.

Even so, Sawamura had no intentions of holding back.

His thoughts were clear: eliminate the opponent.

He lifted his bat high, his eyes cold as he stared at the opposing pitcher.

When the pitch came, he would strike it down without mercy.

He wanted to show his hometown team just how brutal the world of baseball could be.

Sawamura thought with a bit of malicious intent.

The reason he thought this way wasn't entirely out of ill humor.

Back when he was visiting home during the New Year and chatting with Hosho and the others, Sawamura had once jokingly raised the question.

"Should I go easy on you when we face off?"

Despite the lighthearted tone, Hosho had firmly refused.

"The greatest respect for an opponent is to give it your all."

Sawamura had initially joked, but Hosho's serious response left him at a loss for words.

That was likely the true intention of both Hosho and Nanami You.

They cared more about fairness and wished Sawamura to face them with the same attitude as any other opponent.

"Well, I won't hold back then!"

With one out and no one on base, Sawamura lifted his bat and gently swung it, preparing.

His swing followed a rhythmic motion, as though it could break the opponent's defense in an instant.

Standing in the Batter's Box, the feeling of pressure from Nanami was even more pronounced.

The terrifying pressure seemed to weigh heavily on him, creating a sense of helplessness.

No wonder Sawamura was so feared!

Although Nanami You and Sawamura had become familiar with each other, every time Sawamura stepped up to bat, he felt a unique intensity.

Sawamura seemed to always be evolving.

With Nanami's skills, he couldn't even keep track of Sawamura's figure now.

It was terrifying!

The overwhelming sense of fear sent a surge of energy through Nanami You's body.

He gritted his teeth and pushed through the pressure.

It was unbearable, very uncomfortable.

For a moment, Nanami even felt like he was about to be overwhelmed.

But he managed to hold on, struggling through the pressure.

No matter how strong his opponent was, he had not lost his will to fight.

'I've made it through!'

Sawamura's body and mind were now immersed in a strange state.

Applying pressure to Nanami was beneficial to him.

It seemed to make Nanami hesitate longer before pitching.

This gave Sawamura a chance to enter his state more easily.

Once in the Zone, Sawamura saw the world around him shift dramatically.

The sounds of the crowd cheering grew distant until they were barely audible.

His opponent was as strong as ever.

Before entering this state, Sawamura hadn't realized the full extent of his opponent's power.

But now, he could sense an aura around Nanami that was almost comparable to Narumiya.

Though it wasn't stable yet—meaning it only surfaced when Nanami was in peak condition—it was undeniably impressive.

Even so, it was already an extraordinary level of strength.

Sawamura had to treat him seriously.

This was a tough opponent—extremely tough.

To hit his ball out of the park, Sawamura would have to give it his all.

Sawamura raised his bat high, ready for the pitch.

'It's coming!'

After waiting for what felt like seven or eight seconds, Nanami couldn't hold back any longer and threw the ball.

It came in perfectly!

In Sawamura's eyes, the pitch was perfect.

It wasn't too fast, nor too slow—just within his optimal hitting range.

The pitch had a subtle, unusual movement.

Sawamura understood: it was a Cutter with an additional subtle break.

Before, he might have been confused, struggling to figure out how to counter it.

But now, he didn't need to worry.

He could feel the ball's movement clearly and even guessed its trajectory.

'Now!'

Even as the ball came at him, Sawamura had already calculated the right moment to swing.

With both hands gripping the bat firmly, he swung it in a wide arc, sending the ball flying.

PAAAAAKKKKK!!!!

The ball barely changed course as it neared Sawamura's hands, but with his powerful swing, it didn't matter.

It was blasted out of the park!

Watching the ball fly out of the field, Hosho, the catcher, didn't seem that surprised.

It might be hard for others to believe, but when Nanami decided to face Sawamura head-on, Hosho had already suspected.

'This ball could very well be a home run.'

Sure enough.

The baseball soared out of the field.

"It's Out!! It's OUT OF THE PARK!!!"

The announcer screamed, holding his microphone high as if wanting the whole world to hear the cheers from the Koshien stadium.

This was Sawamura's second home run of the game.

It also expanded the score for the Seidou High School baseball team to 5 Runs.

...

T/N: As always, Thank you all for reading!!

See you Tomorrow!

Until then, take care!

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