<48> Heavy Artillery!!!

Chapter 48: Heavy Artillery!!!

The cheerleading squad of Nada High School's baseball team had quite a few young, pretty girls.

They were particularly protective of Nada's players, especially their ace.

When they saw that the ace pitcher of Nada High School's baseball team had allowed the opposing team to load the bases, their pretty faces immediately tensed up with worry.

"Is Noma okay?"

"All those baseball brutes got on base!"

"What are we going to do?"

Faced with the worried looks of her friends, the leader of the cheer squad—a tomboy with a white headband tied around her forehead—enthusiastically waved her hand.

"Don't worry, we have to trust Noma. Besides, in baseball, when your team is in a disadvantageous situation, intentionally walking players to load the bases is a standard tactic! We're up against Seidou High School's baseball team, and even though they've declined a bit, they're still one of the top powerhouse teams in the nation. Noma is just giving it everything he's got."

This big sister's words carried a powerful sense of conviction.

At the same time...

In Seido High School's dugout, the players also stood up nervously.

On the surface, their team's offensive position looked incredibly favorable!

But was that really the case?

Deep down, the players of Seido High School's baseball team knew they didn't have a 100% guarantee of success.

They were well aware that the game had reached a critical turning point.

"Will we charge ahead and completely crush the opponent? Or will they turn the tide and save their team with a decisive play? It all comes down to this next showdown!"

Back in junior high, Furuya had joined his school's baseball team specifically to learn how to play the game. He quickly became a key player in the lineup. After more than two years of playing baseball, Furuya felt he had gained a decent understanding of the sport. He could tell this was a crucial moment in the game.

However, as he glanced at his nervous upperclassmen, Furuya realized that what he thought he knew about baseball was probably just surface-level knowledge.

In reality, compared to the other players on his team, Furuya's understanding of the sport was still at an elementary school level. He was far from truly being a professional.

This wasn't because Furuya was slow to catch on—it was mainly because the baseball environment he had been in before was more for recreational fun than professional training.

"I still have a lot to learn!"

Furuya widened his eyes and focused intently on his teammate, Masuko, standing in the batter's box. In his mind, he kept running through scenarios, wondering how he would handle the situation if he were on the mound, facing off against this monstrous hitter.

"I'd probably use a rising fastball to confuse him..."

As Furuya thought this, Nada High School's ace pitcher had already taken action. He summoned all his strength and threw the ball to the inside corner.

It wasn't a breaking ball, but a sharp fastball. Noma's intent was clear—he wanted to force Masuko back, to make him retreat.

As long as Masuko stepped back—even if he didn't fully retreat but showed the slightest hesitation—it would be Nada High School's chance to capitalize. They could seize that moment and get their first out.

However, the ace pitcher of Nada High School had clearly miscalculated.

Facing a fastball that seemed to be aiming straight at him, Masuko's eyes didn't waver in the slightest.

The message he sent to Nada High School's pitcher was clear: even if the ball hit him, he wouldn't back down an inch.

Even if it became a hit-by-pitch situation, he absolutely wouldn't dodge.

"Damn it, this guy!"

Feeling an overwhelming sense of pressure, Nada High School's ace pitcher hesitated for a moment.

Walking Yuki, Seido's cleanup hitter, was that really the right decision?

It felt like none of Seido High School's players were easy to deal with. No matter who he walked, the remaining batters wouldn't let him off the hook.

"I can't back down. If I retreat mentally, the battle's already lost. I have to throw, and make sure they have no escape!"

Nada High School's ace kept repeating this mantra in his mind, over and over, until his gaze hardened with renewed determination. Only then did he finally release the pitch.

"Ughh!!"

The moment the ball flew toward the plate, Masuko's eyes lit up.

He took a step forward, shifted his weight, and swung the bat with full force.

Whoosh!!

The sound of the bat cutting through the air startled Nada's catcher, who was positioned behind the plate.

"How can this guy be so powerful?"

His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.

But before he could fully comprehend what was happening, Masuko's bat made solid contact, sending the ball flying.

The pitch had some movement...

But the break wasn't sharp enough to avoid Masuko's bat.

Crack!

The white ball was launched into the air.

Everyone, from the fans in the stands to the players on both teams, stared intently at the ball.

They watched as it soared nearly 100 meters, crashing hard into the outfield grass.

Nada's outfielder sprinted with all his might, but he was still a step too slow.

All he could do was leap desperately as the ball bounced, pinning it beneath him.

"It hit the ground…!"

Seeing this, the players of Seido High School and their supporters erupted in excitement.

"It hit the ground!!!"

The ball had flown nearly 100 meters, landing in the far outfield.

Even though the ball was eventually pinned down by Nada High School's outfielder after it bounced, it was still an extremely long hit.

The three runners on base sprinted toward home like the wind.

"Safe!"

The first to reach home plate was Ryosuke Kominato.

He was immediately followed by the mustached Jun Isashiki!

Even Yuki, who had been on first base, rounded second and third, charging toward home plate.

The reason he dared to make such a bold move was because the Nada High School outfielder had made an error on his throw back to the infield.

The throw, from such a long distance, was off-target.

That unavoidable delay of over two seconds was all Yuki needed to race from third base to home.

"Three runs!!!"

"Heavy artillery!!!!"

At that moment, the entire stadium erupted.

Especially the diehard fans of Seidou High School's baseball team—they were flushed with excitement, wildly waving their arms in celebration.

"4-0!..."

"Masuko, you're amazing!!"

It wasn't just the fans in the stands who were thrilled. Even Furuya in the dugout was watching with dry-mouthed excitement.

He had always dreamed of becoming the cleanup hitter for the team—being the soul of the batting order.

But now, all of a sudden, he found himself deeply intrigued by the role of the fifth batter.

Being the one to clear the bases didn't seem too bad either.

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