Osaka Kiryu High School Baseball Team.
The feeling they present to the Seidou High School Baseball Team right now is very peculiar.
Even without using their brains, if they just think with their toes, the players from Seidou High School's baseball team can still sense the malice from the other side.
Before going up to bat, many of the team members had doubts in their minds.
What exactly is the other side trying to pull?
Although they didn't believe that a first-year rookie could cause them much trouble, the example of Sawamura from before, plus the fact that the other side successfully outsmarted the Seihou High School team, made them unable to avoid suspicion.
As long as the other side isn't a fool, there must be some trick up their sleeves that they don't know about.
Could the Osaka Kiryu High School baseball players be fools?
A team that can become one of the top national powerhouses, a team that has performed the best in Koshien over the last 30 years, even before Seidou High School's baseball team fully rose, had always been the team with the most victories in Koshien.
Could the Coach of such a team be a fool?
Could the Ace player from such a team be a fool?
Could a player who plays a main role in such a team be a fool?
Of course, that is impossible.
Since the other side couldn't possibly be fooled, the only reasonable explanation left is that Osaka Kiryu High School's baseball team must have some other hidden plot.
This is not a malicious assumption from Seidou High School's baseball team members, but rather, it is the only reasonable explanation.
Coach Kataoka saw the hesitation of the players about to take the field.
Three-time national champions, a legendary consecutive victory streak...
Even though Seidou High School's baseball team had seen quite a bit by now, such enormous honor still made these young players uneasy.
In fact, it wasn't just them. Even Coach Kataoka himself, when alone, felt both anxious and excited.
As someone who had developed players for Seidou High School's baseball team and now serves as their Coach, he genuinely hoped Seidou High School's baseball team would continue to grow.
But because the honor was so great, it made the players momentarily unable to adjust. The closer they got to the goal, the more they worried about losing.
They were truly afraid that they might mess something up at the last moments.
Whether it was internal or external.
Everyone deep down was extremely apprehensive of the idea.
If everything went according to plan without any unexpected incidents, the players might have a steadier mindset.
For example, if they were facing their old rivals, Seihou High School, instead of Osaka Kiryu High School today, the players would probably feel much more comfortable.
That opponent was familiar to them, and the style of play was something they knew well.
But now, someone unexpected has emerged, and they've eliminated Seihou High School, which they considered a major rival.
This unexpected turn of events left the players unprepared.
They didn't even know what attitude to adopt to face this situation.
As for detailed information about the other team, Seidou High School's baseball team had absolutely no knowledge.
There was no doubt that this cast a deep shadow over their road to the championship.
The players were both uneasy and worried.
They really didn't know how to clear the bad emotions they were feeling right now.
As the Coach of the team, Kataoka couldn't just watch this happen.
He specially called all the players together and honestly shared all their current difficulties.
"What kind of team has the Osaka Kiryu High School baseball team become? We know nothing about them. Just like when we faced Hoshitaru before, we can treat them as a completely new opponent to handle."
"Of course, considering they are a traditional powerhouse, they may be even harder to deal with than the Kanetsu-Norin team led by Hoshitaru. This is also a huge challenge for our team."
After saying this, Coach Kataoka calmly observed his players.
He felt good.
Although several of Seidou High School's players were clearly uneasy, none of them showed signs of avoiding the challenge.
In fact, two of them even appeared eager to step up.
One of them was his big star, Sawamura.
He really enjoyed tough baseball games.
But as Seidou High School's baseball team and his personal skills improved, fewer and fewer opponents caught his attention.
He was filled with passion for the game, but not every match gave him the same enjoyment.
It seemed that Sawamura was really looking forward to this game.
He would probably be treated to a good match.
The other player, much to Coach Kataoka's surprise, was Kuramochi Youichi.
This summer, Kuramochi had been performing as if he had leveled up.
Even Coach Kataoka, who personally taught him baseball, was amazed by his progress.
When did this guy grow into such an outstanding player?
His performance on the bases couldn't even be described as surprising.
It was almost miraculous!
When people watch manga or exciting match highlights, they might think stealing bases is an easy thing.
It seems like if you pick the right moment, you're guaranteed to score or successfully reach base.
But is that really the case?
The truth is, it's not.
The success rate of stealing bases is very low.
Without teammates' support, it's almost impossible to succeed.
But Kuramochi, however, can steal bases almost without anyone's help.
This kind of thing, aside from him, probably no one else could replicate.
Kuramochi, whose skills had skyrocketed, was eager to test his strength.
This wasn't hard to understand.
The performance of these two players could only be described as special.
It wasn't enough to make Coach Kataoka feel completely reassured.
What truly reassured him was the attitude of the other players.
Some were uneasy, some anxious, some worried about what might go wrong.
Although this feeling wasn't widespread, each of them had at least a little of it.
This is natural.
It's like buying a lottery ticket—knowing you probably won't win, but still getting excited at the drawing.
What if you win?
Almost everyone thinks like this: what if they win?
And when they find out they didn't win, even though they know the odds are against them, they're still disappointed.
When Seidou High School's baseball team is on the verge of greatness, the sudden appearance of a team like Osaka Kiryu High School makes them uneasy and upset.
That's completely normal!
It's a natural human reaction.
But in the eyes of the players, Coach Kataoka didn't see even the slightest trace of confusion.
Although they weren't sure how the process would unfold, each of these players, without exception, firmly believed in one thing.
They will win this!
No matter what happened during the match, they were confident that in the end, the team to come out on top and emerge victorious would be none other than the Seidou High School Baseball Team!
They had the confidence and determination.
It was just that the opponent was so unexpected that they had difficulty adjusting their mindset for a moment.
After nodding silently, Coach Kataoka's tone changed.
Before, his words had been as firm as steel, exuding a sense of unyielding strength.
It felt as if what he said was the truth, and everyone had to comply.
But now.
His tone softened, albeit just a little.
This change left the players of Seidou High School's baseball team in awe.
They looked at their Coach in disbelief, wondering what had gotten into him.
If Coach Kataoka knew what they were thinking, he would definitely give them a piece of his mind and make them understand why flowers bloom the way they do.
"I am honored to be your Coach, and I sincerely thank you all for choosing Seidou High School. The glory of Seidou High School's baseball team is thanks to the efforts of your predecessors, but the main contributors are still all of you! It's because of you that we have dominated Koshien consecutively and are now aiming for a three-peat. I truly believe in this, and I ask you to believe in yourselves. Your abilities are really strong. It's not just a matter of one or two unexpected players showing up that can shake us."
When Coach Kataoka said this, his words were firm and full of conviction.
The players of Seidou High School's baseball team were all fired up.
They believed what Coach Kataoka said, and they believed it with all their hearts.
They were truly outstanding!
Although they'd always felt that way themselves.
Even though in every difficult match they had won, it was always Sawamura who stood out in the end.
Of course, we're talking about those tough matches, the ones where the opponents were tough.
It was only natural that they would crush regular opponents.
But if no one could provide stable support to Sawamura, could he alone have achieved such brilliant results?
The answer, of course, is no.
Although they may not be as irreplaceable as Sawamura, there's one thing that must be admitted.
They were also very talented.
Otherwise, Seidou High School's baseball team wouldn't have accomplished such great feats.
Now, Coach Kataoka himself had acknowledged their abilities and positions.
The players felt more confident than ever.
"THE SECOND MATCH OF THE KOSHIEN SEMIFINALS, SEIDOU HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS OSAKA KIRYU HIGH SCHOOL, OFFICIALLY BEGINS!"
With the commentator's announcement, the match finally started.
Seidou High School took the field first. Kuramochi had already put on his gear and was ready to bat.
Sawamura looked curiously at Coach Kataoka beside him.
Today, Coach Kataoka gave Sawamura a very unfamiliar feeling.
If his thoughts weren't so crazy, Sawamura would even suspect that someone had swapped out their Coach!
In his memory, Coach Kataoka wasn't incapable of saying such tender words.
But he usually only said such things to players who were about to retire.
Coach Kataoka sincerely thanked those players for their contributions.
He truly believed that even players who hadn't played a single game were crucial to the team's foundation.
Without these foundations, Seidou High School's baseball team would be like a castle built in the sky—beautiful but fragile.
Just like those up-and-coming schools that rise to fame, they might excel while their star players are there, even defeating powerhouse teams.
But once those star players retire or get injured, the team would collapse.
It's because Seidou's baseball team has these foundational players that they've continued to rise and grow.
Currently, although some players were nearing retirement, they hadn't yet left, and some were even just in their first or second years.
Coach Kataoka's sudden declaration of such a heartfelt confession left the players confused.
None of them could understand the true meaning behind his words.
Sawamura himself was also somewhat at a loss.
In his memory, Coach Kataoka only showed such tenderness toward retiring players.
He never treated anyone with such consideration, even when Sawamura later became famous in the Major Leagues and returned to Seidou.
Although Sawamura clearly felt Kataoka's attentiveness, outwardly, there was no change.
He was still the same serious, strict Coach.
Why, then, was he suddenly making such a declaration?
In Sawamura's mind, Coach Kataoka had always felt like an elder figure, someone very dignified.
Because of this, he had unintentionally overlooked one thing.
That Coach Kataoka, after all, was just an ordinary person.
As an ordinary person, it was inevitable for him to have his own emotions and desires.
Just like the players of Seidou High School's baseball team, the closer they got to victory, the more uneasy they felt.
Coach Kataoka was no different.
When he saw his players' problems, he understood them clearly and quickly formulated a plan.
But when it came to himself, he was just like his players.
He was nervous too.
Because of this, his voice even changed.
This was the true nature of Coach Kataoka's tenderness.
Originally, Kuramochi's attitude was already impatient.
He couldn't wait to step on the field and face the opponent.
After hearing Coach Kataoka's heartfelt words, his burning spirit is now ablaze!
For himself, for the team, and for his Coach, Kataoka.
He was determined to score!
When Kuramochi stepped into the batter's box, his goal was already very clear: he had to get on base, no matter what.
Kuramochi, with his eyes fixed on the pitcher's mound, was eager to see what kind of pitch this first-year pitcher would throw.
Having leveled up, he now naturally exuded a certain aura.
Under the pressure of this aura, the opponents could clearly feel the immense pressure coming at them.
From the catcher's position, Takami Hakumatsu looked at Kuramochi deeply, lost in thought.
'The legendary Seidou High School baseball team really lived up to its reputation.'
Even if it was not the great Ace Sawamura, and the brilliant Miyuki, even those who hadn't quite reached the level of top-tier stars were no easy opponents.
Their strength was formidable!
With such powerful support, the aura they naturally carried had already reached a terrifying level.
In the Seidou High School baseball team's dugout, Miyuki watched Osaka Kiryu's catcher, Takami Hakumatsu, with a thoughtful expression.
He never expected that the secret weapon of the Osaka Kiryu High School baseball team would actually be their catcher!
In baseball, there are two positions that are absolutely not easily changed.
Although changing other key players would significantly impact the team's strength, these two positions were especially critical!
Changing these could directly decide the outcome of the game.
These two positions were the pitcher and the catcher.
The pitcher, relatively speaking, was easier to manage.
As long as they had excellent skills, they wouldn't suffer too much during the game.
And as long as the catcher guided them well, they would be able to unleash their full power.
In professional baseball, a team has around 30 players.
It's not that difficult to accumulate a dozen pitchers.
In such matches, switching pitchers is very common.
In student baseball, however, it's not as easy to have so many excellent pitchers in one team.
This makes pitcher changes relatively rare.
Additionally, there can be a significant difference in skill between the ace pitcher and the others.
This makes switching pitchers even more difficult.
The other key position, the catcher, is even harder to replace than the pitcher.
Generally speaking, it takes at least 2-3 years to develop a qualified catcher.
While excellent pitchers can sometimes become aces as first-year players, and it's not uncommon for second-year players to become aces, catchers are usually third-year players unless there is an exceptionally talented player.
In the past, although Osaka Kiryu's ace pitcher was lacking, their catcher, Takano, still had decent skills.
Though not at the national top-tier level, in Miyuki's eyes, Takano was still a first-rate catcher.
It was just that his potential hadn't fully shown because his previous teammates didn't perform well.
But now, Takano had been moved to first base.
At catcher, the one who replaced him was Takami Hakumatsu, who had hit a home run in the previous game.
This arrangement was quite intriguing.
It was just that since the catcher position wasn't as high-profile as the pitcher's, people subconsciously overlooked Takami Hakumatsu and focused all their attention on the first-year pitcher, Morishita.
But to insiders, this substitution was even more unbelievable than the change of pitcher.
If, in this situation, the Osaka Kiryu High School baseball team didn't have any other plans, no one on the Seidou team would believe it.
There had to be some ulterior motive.
Although the Seidou High School baseball team couldn't quite guess what that plan was, it was already very clear that the opponent had a plan.
"Be careful, Kuramochi!"
Miyuki looked at his teammate with unease.
He could feel that Kuramochi was in an extremely intense state.
It was like he was ready to explode at any moment.
If this were a normal situation, this would undoubtedly be a very good sign.
Aggressive play was the Seidou High School baseball team's style.
But now, in such a strange game, Kuramochi's aggressive approach might actually backfire.
Miyuki had a bad feeling.
And soon, that bad feeling came true.
Whoosh!
Facing the incoming baseball, Kuramochi decisively swung his bat.
He hit it!
He could clearly see the direction and angle of the ball coming toward him.
Even though it was his first time facing this first-year pitcher, Kuramochi was confident he could hit it.
Ping!
As expected, the baseball was knocked away by his bat.
'Great!'
Kuramochi silently cheered, and then he shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
His speed was incredible, like a running leopard disappearing in the blink of an eye.
His speed was fast, but Osaka Kiryu's team didn't react slowly either.
Yuuta, who had been moved to third base, dived sideways and caught the ball in his arms.
The Seidou team's members in the dugout were all excited.
Although the opponent had successfully blocked the ball's flight path, Yuuta had fallen, and it would take time for him to stand up and throw the ball back.
In this time-sensitive situation, the Seidou players had absolute confidence in their teammates.
When it came to speed, Kuramochi had never lost.
But before they could cheer, they witnessed an unbelievable scene.
Despite already being on the ground, Yuuta managed to throw the ball from a half-squatting position.
The baseball flew like a laser through dozens of meters of space and landed in Takano's mitt at first base.
Snap!
"OUT!"
Kuramochi, barely missing first base, was eliminated.
Looking at Kuramochi's frustrated face, the captain of Osaka Kiryu, Takano, who had originally been the catcher, suddenly grinned at Kuramochi, showing a wide smile.
"We're really strong too, boy!"
…