<273> The Second Home Run at Koshien!

Chapter 273: The Second Home Run at Koshien!

The white baseball soared across the sky...

Tens of thousands of eyes in the stadium were locked on that ball.

Contrary to what many expected, it didn't drop after a certain distance — instead, it kept flying, slicing through the air, overcoming all resistance. It flew well over 100 meters before finally beginning its descent, as if it had exhausted every ounce of its strength.

A sleek black figure sprinted toward the deepest part of the field.

As the ball began to fall, a gleam lit up in his eyes.

"This is my moment to shine. Be grateful, Jack!"

In Seidou's dugout, the players felt a chill run down their spines when they saw that silhouette.

"So fast?"

"He's just as fast as Carlos — maybe even faster."

That Black outfielder was clearly maximizing every bit of his athletic advantage.

"With that kind of speed, why isn't he running track?"

Some Seidou fans even blurted out such thoughts.

But just when everyone thought he was about to make the catch — just as the outfielder believed the ball would land in his glove — the unexpected happened.

The ball was descending, yes — but not straight down. It followed a graceful arc through the air.

Watching its trajectory, the outfielder's expression turned from confidence to horror.

"Oh my God!!"

He leapt with all his might — but the ball still soared far over his glove.

All he could do was helplessly watch it fly over his head.

Thud!

The ball landed in the outfield bleachers and bounced out.

Fans in the stands scrambled toward it like a tidal wave.

"It's mine!"

"I knew it would land right here!"

The outfield bleachers erupted into chaos.

But no one on the field cared.

All eyes returned to the diamond.

"It's gone! Another monster home run! This is Furuya's second homer at Koshien — making him the tournament's current home run leader. With this, he's also the RBI leader, now totaling seven. This powerhouse Seidou team lives up to the hype!!"

The commentator's voice thundered across the stadium.

In Seidou's dugout, players erupted in cheers.

Before the game, they hadn't taken this opponent, Saint Dorf, too seriously.

But now that they were face to face, they realized: this team was not like previous opponents. Saint Dorf was no Ichizen.

Ichizen had a few tricks up their sleeve, but they didn't have the depth.

Just breaking their momentum early on was usually enough for Seidou to seize victory with ease.

But Seidou's current opponent—St. Dorf—was different.

Their overall strength was formidable. The individual skill levels of their players could rival, if not match, Seidou's own main roster. On top of that, their team had undergone specialized overseas training.

With both talent and tactical development on their side, even after just a few exchanges on the field, Seidou's players could already sense this team was no pushover.

And yet, Seidou managed to take the first run.

Now, with Furuya blasting another home run, the score jumped to 3–0.

Gaining such a strong early lead gave Seidou's players a huge boost of confidence. It allowed them to face the rest of the match with a calm, assured mindset.

Of course they celebrated.

When Yuuki and Furuya returned to the dugout, the team immediately surrounded them like they were heroes returning from battle.

"Awesome! That's our captain!"

"You're seriously a monster—seven RBIs already! Are you trying to break a record?"

No one on the team knew the exact record for most RBIs in a single Koshien tournament, but the fact that Furuya already had seven—after just one and a half games—made them feel he might really break one.

An incredible new record!

"Two home runs already. You're totally stealing the spotlight from us upperclassmen."

Though they joked, their smiles were sincere. That homer wasn't just a point on the board—it was a statement. It gave the whole team security and reminded them just how important Furuya was to them.

They were genuinely grateful—and lucky—that this prodigy had chosen to join their school.

Furuya, overwhelmed by their praise, just smiled sheepishly, unsure how to respond.

In stark contrast, the St. Dorf dugout felt like it had been plunged into the dead of winter.

Their coach, Mitsuki, sat with arms crossed, silent.

No one dared breathe too loudly.

Only the team manager, Aoi Shingetsu, stared intently at Furuya, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"So this is Furuya Satoshi..."

Though she had read plenty about him before the game, seeing him in action was a different experience entirely.

Furuya wasn't striking in a traditional, handsome way—but on the field, it was as if he radiated light. Just by standing there, he naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

Even Shingetsu found herself drawn in.

"This is bad... With an opponent this strong, and falling behind by this much so early..."

Just as Shingetsu was about to say something more, Mitsuki, who had been silent and stern the whole time, suddenly snapped.

"Shut up!!"

Though she was usually feisty, Shingetsu immediately fell quiet. Her older brother still held some authority over her, and seeing him genuinely angry left her no choice but to obey.

After scolding his sister, Mitsuki's expression changed.

"I was planning to save this for when we faced the Cosmos or Nishikawa teams… but it looks like we'll have to bring it out early!"

They were hiding a trump card.

The moment Mizuki said this, even the bench players—until now sullen and quiet—began to visibly relax.

It was clear: whatever this card was, they believed it would turn the tide in their favor.

"No one's on base now. Let's shut them down!"

Mitsuki flashed a signal, and Jack, the tall black pitcher, nodded in response.

Conceding three runs right off the bat was nowhere near the start Jack had envisioned—but rather than cracking under the pressure, he only became more intense, more savage.

Now it was Seidou's sixth batter stepping up to the plate.

Despite the three-run lead, Seidou wasn't about to take their foot off the gas. They weren't the type to recklessly go all-out and burn their stamina. But one thing was certain: they were determined to win this game. No matter what.

Even with the scoreboard in their favor, St. Dorf hadn't backed down. Their players remained fiery, still eager to fight to the very end.

That kind of defiance was exactly what Seidou refused to tolerate.

The more their opponents struggled, the more fiercely they would strike back—until the opposition was completely crushed.

Standing in the batter's box, Masuko clearly understood this mission.

Gripping the bat tightly, raising it high over his shoulder, he locked his eyes on the pitcher.

He was ready. The moment Jack threw the ball, Masuko would swing without hesitation.

"Bring it!!"

The intensity in Masuko's gaze visibly shook the St. Dorf players.

This was only the sixth batter.

Logically, you'd expect the quality of hitters to taper off by now. No team could have every batter hitting at cleanup-level, right?

But Masuko's powerful build, his muscular frame, and the overwhelming aura he radiated—none of it fit "normal logic."

From Seidou's leadoff man to their sixth hitter, every single one had either brutal skill or a unique trait that made them terrifying.

There was no "easy out."

Jack licked his lips with his thick tongue, eyes flashing like a predator's.

"Yes… this is what makes baseball fun!"

With that thought, he launched into his full motion.

Whoosh!!

The white baseball tore through the air.

At the plate, Masuko looked like a raging titan.

"Let's go!!!"

With a roar, he swung.

Muscles bulging, the bat ripped through the air like thunder.

Behind the plate, the St. Dorf catcher went pale just watching it.

He was already a fair-skinned white guy, but there's a difference between pale skin and going completely white in the face.

And the moment the bat cut through the air, Saintdorf's starting catcher felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest.

Something's wrong!

But by the time that thought crossed his mind, it was already too late.

Ping!!

Everyone saw it— the white baseball was launched violently off the bat.

All that talk about "not making it past the infield"?

What a joke.

With a swing that fierce, the ball soared over 70 to 80 meters before hitting the ground and bouncing.

"Foul ball!"

It was unfortunate that it went wide of the line.

Otherwise, it would've been a clean and devastating extra-base hit.

In the Saintdorf dugout, hearts collectively skipped a beat.

Especially for their coach, Mitsuki.

If he'd only been suspicious before, now he was absolutely sure:

Their pitcher Jack is no match for Seidou.

"They figured out the ace from Ichizen in the first inning last time too. Looks like little Jack isn't going to be spared either," murmured Shingetsu.

Unfortunately, she said it loud enough for everyone in the dugout to hear.

"I told you to shut up, didn't I?" Mitsuki shot her a glare—though frankly, it lacked any real intimidation.

Shingetsu simply turned away and ignored him.

"There was an article that once claimed Seidou had the strongest offense in the nation… looks like it might be true after all," their assistant coach muttered cautiously.

"Oh, so you guys are real good at analyzing things. Why don't you go manage the game if you're so smart?" Mitsuki snapped.

Instant silence.

Both the teacher and Shingetsu clammed up immediately.

"Tch…"

Mitsuki clicked his tongue in frustration. Saying obvious things was easy. What mattered now was how to end this nightmare of an inning.

"Jack!!"

Up on the mound, the Black pitcher didn't need to be told twice—he could already feel his coach's patience wearing thin.

"I got this!!"

Whoosh!!

Another pitch screamed out of his hand.

In the batter's box, Masuko gripped his bat tighter.

He was wielding the biggest, heaviest metal bat they had.

Sure, it looked like Seidou had already figured Jack out—but that wasn't entirely true.

Their ability to push Jack to the edge came down to one person: Furuya.

While Yuuki had muscled his hit out with brute strength…

…it was Furuya who had analyzed Jack's pitching and pinpointed the weakness.

Right after scoring that home run, Furuya had returned to the dugout and handed Masuko the team's largest bat.

"The drop angle isn't sharp. If your swing has enough power and you attack early, you can knock the ball straight out."

That was Furuya's advice. Masuko had followed it.

And the result?

So far, so good.

If Masuko could get on base, Miyuki behind him would likely drive him home.

Right now, the score was 3–0. But if they stretched it to 4–0 or 5–0…

…Saintdorf would start to crack.

Masuko admired how detailed and precise Furuya's read of the game had been.

And now, it was his job to turn that analysis into results.

The next pitch came flying in—Masuko didn't hesitate.

Ping!

The ball made contact and bounced off the dirt.

Masuko blinked.

Huh? Was it just him, or had the ball's spin gotten even tighter?

A Saintdorf infielder rushed up, scooped it cleanly, and—

"Out!!"

Three outs. Side retired.

The top of the first ended with the score locked at 3–0.

"Bottom of the first—Saintdorf comes up to bat."

As their batters began warming up, there was a confident spark in their eyes.

They clearly believed in their offense.

But then the crowd's attention collectively shifted—

To the figure stepping onto the mound for Seidou.

And all around the stadium, a single question echoed.

"Wait… why him?"

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