<57> Tremble, Strong Opponents!

Chapter 57: Tremble, Strong Opponents!

The Seido High School baseball team secured victories in two matches and successfully advanced to the semifinals.

News of the kingly revival of Seido spread like wildfire and became widely known.

However, the Seido team members themselves were the last to realize the extent of their image.

Even after holding a press conference, they hadn't anticipated their sudden rise to such fame.

Even teams outside the Kanto region, when interviewed by reporters and asked about their thoughts on Seido's resurgence and the sudden emergence of the first-year super "monster," responded very cautiously.

A fastball exceeding 150 km/h, thrown by a player who had yet to reach his peak.

This meant that when they eventually faced Seido High School and Furuya, they might encounter a different, even more formidable version of Furuya.

Under these circumstances, the renowned star players and officials from the country's top powerhouse teams naturally refrained from making bold statements.

Otherwise, if they were to encounter Seido and end up being defeated soundly, they'd have to endure a significant blow to their reputation.

As for the other three strong teams that advanced to the Kanto tournament, they didn't rise to the reporters' provocations either.

Their responses were measured and careful—not aiming for praise, just avoiding mistakes.

Inashiro Industrial, another strong team from West Tokyo that advanced to the Kanto tournament alongside Seido, also made it to the semifinals.

Initially, they didn't pay much attention to Seido's matches.

As a strong school in the same area and being rivals from West Tokyo, they were familiar with each other.

Even with the occasional appearance of a powerful first-year player, Inashiro Industrial hadn't initially seen their fellow rival as a significant threat.

However, things quickly spiraled out of control.

With Furuya's sudden rise and Seido's impressive performance, the coach and players of Inashiro Industrial couldn't help but take notice.

Even though their semifinal opponent wasn't Seido, they shifted their focus from their own opponent to discussing Seido instead.

A handsome young man put down the newspaper he was reading and dismissively commented, "The pitch speed is only a few kilometers faster than mine—what's so impressive about that?"

The name of this handsome young man was Narumiya Mei.

He was also the ace of the Inashiro Industrial baseball team.

The other Inashiro Industrial High School players felt a silent relief hearing their ace speak.

When it came to raw pitch speed, however, even with all their trust in their ace, they knew he might not match up to Furuya.

This wasn't about underestimating their own team or overvaluing the opposition—it's just that the numbers spoke for themselves.

You could doubt many things, but simple statistics like pitch speed were indisputable.

However, speed was all Seido's first-year "monster" had on them.

In terms of overall capabilities, they certainly didn't believe Furuya outshone their own ace.

When it came to comprehensive skills, they firmly believed their ace was superior.

"Exactly, it's no big deal!"

With this mindset, Inashiro Industrial players brimmed with confidence. It was as if they were assured that when they faced Seido again, they'd swiftly outmaneuver them.

Despite being fierce rivals and one of the three major powerhouses in West Tokyo, the two teams were in starkly different positions.

Seido High had struggled in recent years, criticized due to their inability to reach Koshien.

Inashiro Industrial, on the other hand, thrived, dominating not only in Tokyo but also performing exceptionally well at Koshien.

In such circumstances, the Inashiro team couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority over Seido, which helped elevate their game on the field.

But now, this sense of superiority was challenged. The players had to reassess their mindset.

Just as confidence was running high, a sudden sound of knuckles cracking filled the air.

Upon hearing it, the Inashiro players immediately fell silent, almost reflexively.

They knew very well who had just arrived.

"It's good to have such a mindset!"

It was their coach who had come. He spoke in a calm tone, not criticizing his players but rather praising them.

Yet, the more he said this, the more uneasy the players felt.

They understood their coach well. If he really intended to praise them, it wouldn't start with words like this. His opening compliment was merely setting the stage for more critical advice.

The players remained tense.

Sure enough, a trace of anger surfaced on their coach's typically stoic face.

"The biggest mistake in a match is getting carried away with ourselves. It's great to be positive, but you must also have the strength to back it up. Otherwise, the more you talk here, the more you'll lose in the actual game."

The coach's words were sincere yet stern.

Inashiro's players couldn't utter a word in opposition.

"A 150 km/h fastball—without professional training, hitting it is impossible. That goes for us as well. In this situation, what we must do is find a way to win. Whether it's dragging out the game, tiring them out, or any other strategy. As long as it's within the rules and effective, it can be used. He can't pitch the entire game, which is our chance to win."

True to his role, the coach's words reassured Inashiro's players, giving them genuine confidence to face Seido.

Meanwhile, similar scenes unfolded at Hakuryuu High from Gunma Prefecture and Kokai U Sagara High from Kanagawa Prefecture.

Especially for Kokai U Sagara, who were Seido's next opponents, they had been preparing meticulously.

----------------

If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Shu_21