[373] Ugumori High School

Chapter 373: Ugumori High School

Staring into Miyuki's pupils, Eijun could discern a mix of scrutiny and a teasing smile.

Eijun couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.

Miyuki-senpai's train of thought was truly something.

Though he knew that Miyuki's words were largely in jest, he still couldn't help but sigh.

Off the field, this captain of Seidou High hardly seemed to take anything seriously for more than a few seconds.

"Alright, alright, I know you're serious about your ace responsibilities," Miyuki said, smiling knowingly. "But don't you think you should put more trust in your teammates? I mean, I believe Furuya's growth is going to surprise you. Sawamura, that guy sees you as the goal he must surpass in life. If you don't stay focused, he's going to catch up to you—maybe even surpass you."

A meaningful smile spread across Miyuki's face as he spoke to Eijun.

"Alright, that's it for practice today. Be mindful of the fatigue in your shoulder. Don't forget what Chris-senpai taught you. I have some data to process, so I'll head off now."

Watching Miyuki gather his things and leave, Eijun frowned briefly before letting out a slow breath.

Maybe he was overthinking things based on what he remembered from the original story.

There really wasn't any need for it.

They had overcome the challenges of the summer tournament, after all.

As Miyuki had said, Furuya was no longer the same Furuya from that summer tournament. With different outcomes this time, it was only natural that their paths would diverge, changing the course of events.

Perhaps his worries really were just baseless concerns.

A thought flickered through Eijun's mind: "This is just the original plot. There's no need to take it too seriously. Just like in summer, I don't need to dwell on it too much. It's just a nostalgic trip down memory lane, with everyone's fighting spirit igniting all at once. Hmph, this time, I won't even give them a chance to have that big moment!"

Eijun hummed softly to himself, striding out of the indoor training facility with a spring in his step.

Meanwhile, in a certain part of East Tokyo, at Ugumori High School...

In the Ugumori High baseball team's dedicated club room, all the varsity players and their seemingly omniscient manager, Matsubara Nao, were gathered, engrossed in watching a game video on the television.

The footage was from the first game of the autumn tournament—Seidou High versus Teito High. Stacked beside the TV were several tapes labeled "Seidou," clearly indicating that all these recordings were of Seidou High's matches.

"Whoosh... Pop... Strike! The batter is out! Game over!"

The video froze on the scene of Eijun throwing the game-winning pitch. Matsubara Nao, seated in a wheelchair, casually pressed pause before turning to his teammates with a smile.

"Now that you've watched it, what do you think?" Matsubara asked lightly.

"This lineup, that defense—they're amazing," said Kondou Daiki, Ugumori's center fielder, his tone filled with wonder.

"Especially Seidou's ace. He kept Teito High's lineup completely in check. That last run was practically a defensive error. Scoring off of his pitching won't be easy," agreed Nishizawa, the second baseman.

"But more than that, their batting lineup—wow! Nearly everyone can hit for power. The leadoff guy is so fast, and their ace, Sawamura Eijun, is batting third! His batting power and their cleanup hitter Miyuki's skills—if we can't contain those two, our defense is going to get wrecked," said Inubushi Kouta, the sophomore first baseman and fifth batter, his face grim.

"Seidou High's strength is just monstrous," someone muttered.

"Yeah, even a team as strong as Teito High ended up getting mercied early," another agreed.

"Much as I hate to admit it, Seidou is terrifyingly good," said Umemiya Seiichi, their ace pitcher. Despite his delinquent-like demeanor, his voice carried a note of caution. Yet his expression remained oddly relaxed and light-hearted.

"Haha, even you're scared, Sei?" someone teased. "I thought nothing could faze you."

"Exactly, Sei's supposed to be fearless," another teammate chimed in.

As soon as Seiichi's words landed, many of his Ugumori High teammates turned to him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement, as though they'd discovered something new about him. Their teasing came quickly.

"You guys are unbelievable."

"Oooh, Sei's getting all flustered!"

"Hahaha!"

The atmosphere was light and relaxed.

The earlier remarks about Seidou High's strength, their concerns, and their admiration all seemed to come from a different group entirely.

They acted as if their next opponent was just an ordinary school.

There was hardly a trace of pressure coming from this team. Even Matsubara, seated at the head of the group, smiled gently.

Clap, clap, clap.

Of course, as the de facto manager of the team, Matsubara had to bring a little order back to the discussion. This strategy meeting was no laughing matter.

While the mood might be light, the reality was undeniable.

Seidou High's strength was formidable.

Matsubara knew their chances of winning were less than one percent. But for that slim chance, Ugumori High was willing to give 110 percent effort.

"You're all absolutely right—Seidou High is without a doubt the strongest team in this tournament. As the national champions of the summer tournament, many believed that their offensive power would drop significantly after the third-years graduated. And that's partially true: compared to their original lineup, their new lineup isn't as strong overall. However, one player's outstanding performance has made it seem as if their current lineup is just as formidable as the previous one. That player is Seidou High's Ace Of Diamond—Sawamura Eijun.

"Without question, as the winning pitcher of the summer tournament, he's now Seidou High's ace and also their third batter. This player is the undisputed centerpiece of Seidou High. If we want to defeat them, there's no getting around him."

Matsubara pressed a button on the remote, and the TV displayed an image of Eijun proudly standing tall on the mound, in a victorious pose.

Speaking in a solemn tone, Matsubara conveyed these points with grave seriousness. All of Ugumori High's players listened attentively, their earlier lightheartedness replaced by a focused determination.