[367] The Starting Lineup and Trouble

Chapter 367: The Starting Lineup and Trouble

"That concludes all the information on Nanamori Gakuen."

At Seidou High School, inside the Seishin Dormitory, the entire First String team had gathered as usual before their upcoming second-round match. As previously mentioned, neither Coach Kataoka, Coach Ochiai, nor anyone else at Seidou considered the upcoming opponents to be particularly threatening.

However, that was merely a strategic underestimation.

When it came to tactical preparations, Seidou High School was meticulous in analyzing every detail.

This was a defining trait of any powerhouse team.

For instance, in the original story, Inashiro Industrial was unexpectedly defeated by Ugumori High in the Autumn Tournament. Many attributed the upset to Inashiro's arrogance—assuming that as the summer tournament's runner-up, they didn't need to worry about a mere regional top-16 team.

But that wasn't the case.

A prestigious school like Inashiro Industrial, especially under a coach like Kunitomo, would never allow arrogance to cost them a match.

Strictly speaking, in that particular game, no one on the Inashiro team underestimated Ugumori High—not even Narumiya Mei, who took his opponents seriously, including Ugumori's ace, Seiichi Umemiya.

Instead, their loss stemmed from a common issue that arises during team transitions.

The responsibility dynamics within the team shifted, individual talents stood out, but cohesion was lacking.

Narumiya exemplified this problem. In the second part of the manga, during the Seidou vs. Ichidaisan High match, a similar situation unfolded.

In that fateful inning where Furuya crumbled and gave up five runs, his struggles mirrored Narumiya Mei's struggles in the Autumn Tournament.

Narumiya's own words after the game confirmed this.

His defeat wasn't due to underestimating the opponent, but rather his overwhelming sense of responsibility after the departure of the third-years.

He wanted to carry the team on his own, yet his chosen approach led to confusion—perhaps even a degree of blind stubbornness.

From a different perspective, one could argue that Kunitomo deliberately allowed this to happen.

In the end, the truth is simple.

Elite teams that consistently dominate never lose because of something as trivial as arrogance or overconfidence. The same applies to Seidou High School.

Even if they strategically downplayed Nanamori's threat, their data collection, player scouting, and tactical analysis were nothing short of thorough. Under Coach Kataoka's leadership, there was no room for complacency.

After all, even a lion that looks down on a rabbit will still use its full strength to hunt it.

As part of Seidou's scouting team, Watanabe had put in significant effort to gather every possible detail on Nanamori Gakuen.

Once Watanabe finished presenting the key players to watch, Coach Kataoka stepped forward. As per routine, he swept his intense gaze across the gathered players, his presence alone exuding pressure.

After a brief pause, he finally spoke.

"I won't waste words. You all know what needs to be done. Just one thing—win."

"Yes, sir!"

The response was immediate, loud, and full of determination.

"The starting lineup remains unchanged except for one adjustment. Kawakami will be the starting pitcher. Sawamura, you'll take left field."

"Understood."

Both Kawakami and Eijun responded simultaneously. Kawakami, ever the quiet and unassuming player, couldn't help but show a hint of excitement.

As a backup pitcher, he had always been dependable, but deep down, he harbored the same ambition as any pitcher—to stand on the mound. Getting the opportunity to start in the second game was a major milestone for him.

Eijun, on the other hand, showed no reaction of surprise. He was used to rotations. Besides, he had absolute confidence—when the team faced trouble or when the stakes were highest, he knew he would be the first choice.

That was the confidence of someone who trusted in his own abilities.

"Also, starting at third base—Kanemaru Shinji. Batting eighth, third baseman, Kanemaru Shinji."

It seemed Coach Kataoka had started making a conscious effort to develop the first-years.

After all, there weren't many opportunities for real-game experience left. If they didn't invest in the younger players now, Seidou could find itself in a precarious position next year.

At that moment, as Kataoka finished his announcement.

Kanemaru, seated below, was momentarily stunned. But in the next instant, his face lit up with unmistakable excitement, and he quickly responded in a loud voice, "Yes!"

"You finally made the starting lineup. Congratulations, Shinji."

Sitting beside him, Tojo was genuinely happy for his close friend. If he was getting his first starting opportunity, then a second one would surely follow.

As teammates who had come to Seidou from Matsukata Senior League together, Tojo had always hoped that Kanemaru would gain Coach Kataoka's recognition and receive more opportunities to play.

"Yeah, finally... finally, my chance has come. I'm going to give it everything I've got!"

Kanemaru's voice was filled with pure excitement. He was determined to make the most of his first starting opportunity.

"That's all. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir!"

Nanamori Gakuen wasn't much of a concern. In the original timeline, they had been completely crushed by Seidou. Though the exact score was unclear, it was certainly a double-digit win.

After all, it had been a five-inning mercy game.

And more importantly...

That match had played a significant role in my story.

After the meeting ended, Eijun stepped out of the cafeteria, his mind drifting back to that game from the original timeline. In his previous life, that had been the first time he started on the mound. It was also the game where he finally overcame his fear of inside pitches.

Miyuki's words after the game had stuck with him: "You've finally stepped onto the starting line for the ace battle."

But that was the past.

Now, this Seidou team was far stronger than in the original story. Against Nanamori, it was bound to be a complete one-sided game.

The real problem was the match after that—Ugumori High.

In terms of strength, they weren't to be underestimated. They had at least made it to the top 16 in the summer East Tokyo tournament. Their ace and cleanup hitter, Seiichi Umemiya, was the heart of the team.

But the most important factor was—

That team seemed to possess a protagonist's ability to trigger miraculous comebacks.

They had nearly pulled off an incredible turnaround from an impossible situation.

Honestly, when watching that game in his previous life, many Ace of Diamond fans must have been shocked by how deeply the author had leaned into flashback storytelling.

The entire team had a collective flashback sequence, and then—somehow—they managed to score four runs in a single inning against the powerhouse pitcher Furuya.

It was the kind of dramatic moment that only a story's main characters could pull off.