Chapter 250: The Final Battle
After Sendo's graceful escape, Manager Ota was left staring, half in awe.
He actually thought Sendo hadn't realized how ridiculous he looked.
"Pfft—!" Rei finally couldn't hold it in anymore after Sendo left.
Even Coach Kataoka smiled and shook his head.
Strictly speaking, the look itself wasn't that funny—two Pikachus perched on his forehead above his eyes made it more of a "cute" style.
But because Sendo's usual image was so calm and mature, the contrast made it hilarious—like a powerful CEO suddenly appearing in cartoon alligator pajamas.
....
Meanwhile, over at Inashiro Industrial, there were two people who barely slept that night: Narumiya Mei, and Coach Kunitomo.
Seidou's pitching rotation plan was already clear.
During the day, Inashiro had scheduled free batting practice—four pitchers were assigned to mimic Seidou's four, hoping to help the starters adapt quickly and break through Seidou's pitching staff as soon as possible.
It was almost exactly as Seidou had predicted.
Facing a relay of four pitchers—even if each had weaknesses that could theoretically be exploited—time was the real problem.
There simply wouldn't be enough at-bats for every hitter to adjust by the second round.
Seidou was hoping two pitchers could carry the whole game, while Inashiro needed to find a way to defeat four within nine innings.
And just as Sendo had said, Narumiya couldn't possibly suppress Seidou's lineup for the entire game either.
So, from Inashiro's perspective, they weren't necessarily the ones in control.
Last night had been about preparing for Seidou—but tonight, the one keeping Coach Kunitomo awake was Sendo himself.
It wasn't that Kunitomo fully understood Sendo's abilities—his case was too unique to judge from a distance.
But Sendo's batting results and speed spoke for themselves.
Even without knowing the details, it was obvious to the naked eye—Sendo was dangerously strong.
Kunitomo had already ordered every one of Sendo's at-bats to be compiled and reviewed, analyzing each swing repeatedly.
And what he found shocked him— Sendo almost never missed a swing.
He'd never struck out.
That alone was enough to sound the alarm.
More than that—though Sendo often swung at pitches out of the strike zone, his timing and accuracy were uncanny.
Combined with his speed, and the lack of detailed data on him,
Kunitomo concluded that Sendo would be the biggest variable of this final.
Based on his traits, Kunitomo drafted several contingency plans for different in-game situations—
not about pitch sequences, but field tactics—ways to reduce Sendo's threat, especially after he got on base.
He knew the real test would be during the game,
but this was the framework—the foundation for what would later become known as the "Sendo Protocol."
Over a decade later, this same system—originating from Coach Kunitomo's analysis—would be studied, refined, and modified by analysts and strategists across Major League Baseball.
Its purpose wasn't to completely stop Sendo,
but to slightly suppress his destructive impact in the batter's box and on the basepaths.
Several of its more infamous clauses were so restrictive that even Sendo himself would later complain—they drastically reduced his home runs, hits, and stolen bases.
In truth, the "Sendo Protocol" worked not by limiting him directly, but by restricting his teammates to limit his opportunities.
It became accepted fact that Kunitomo was the originator—because several tactics from his version remained unchanged throughout Sendo's entire MLB career, used again and again until his retirement.
Of course, that also had to do with Sendo choosing to retire while still near his peak.
The "Sendo Protocol" wasn't entirely a curse, though—because of it, Carlos, his close friend, spent years as Sendo's teammate in the majors.
In fact, Carlos joined the MLB club that signed Sendo specifically to counter the protocol's effects.
But that's a story for later.
....
July 31st — Meiji Jingu Stadium, Tokyo.
The game was set to begin at 1 PM.
Even before the teams entered, the stands were filling up—row after row, in orderly crowds.
Among them were many familiar faces to Sendo:
Higashi Seikoku, who had come at Sendo's invitation;
Sasaki, his little fanboy; Ozawa Mutsuko; Coach Nakanishi; Coach Sakaki, whom he hadn't seen in ages; the Sawamura family; Wakana; Sendo's grandparents; and even his parents—arriving with a group of entertainers from their company.
When Coach Sakaki learned that Sendo had joined Seidou, his feelings were complicated.
He was happy—Seidou might finally soar—but also regretful for not having recruited him himself.
He had wanted to say, "I was the one who found him first… and I chased him for so long…"
But after learning why Sendo chose Seidou, all he could do was sigh at fate's irony.
Sakaki knew that even if getting Sawamura meant also gaining Sendo, he couldn't have convinced Sawamura—after all, he didn't have a genius catcher like Miyuki on his team.
As before, Fumino led the Sawamura family, Wakana, and Sendo's group to Seidou's cheering section.
A funny moment almost happened—Sawamura's grandfather and his group nearly walked into Inashiro's cheering section instead.
Thankfully, Fumino caught them in time before disaster struck.
As for Sendo's parents—they didn't even announce where they were sitting.
But fate has a sense of humor.
When Sendo's father, Ichiro Sendo, entered the stadium, he happened to run into Coaches Nakanishi and Sakaki.
"Coach Nakanishi, it's been so long!"
"Yes! What a surprise to see you here. You came back just for this?"
"Of course—my son's made it to the finals! How could a father not come back to see that?"
"You've got a point! Oh, by the way—this is Sakaki Eijirou, the head coach at Hōdai University, soon to return to high school coaching. He pursued your son for years—and he's one of the men who led Seidou High to Koshien, making it one of West Tokyo's 'Big Three.'"
"This is my wife, Reiko Sendo, and some of our staff from overseas," Ichiro introduced proudly.
Reiko bowed politely.
"I'm Reiko Sendo—pleased to meet you."
Ichiro then introduced the group of male and female entertainers behind them.
They didn't quite grasp how legendary the two coaches were, so they didn't react much—just smiled politely.
"What a rare opportunity—shall we enter together?"
"I'd love that! You know I'm not well-versed in baseball—please explain as we go?"
"Haha, leave it to me!"
Behind them, the entertainers marveled at the enormous stadium.
When they heard that their boss's son would be playing in front of nearly forty thousand people,
their curiosity skyrocketed.
And when Coach Nakanishi pulled out his aibo (megaphone robot mascot), the whole group exchanged worried looks—fearing for their eardrums.
Before the game started, Coach Nakanishi gave them a simple rundown of both teams.
He explained that Inashiro had advanced to Koshien 14 times in 10 years, was Seidou's nemesis last summer, and was aiming for back-to-back summer championships.
Then he detailed Seidou's rise—even showing them yesterday's newspaper articles.
Both Sendo's parents and the visiting staff from overseas were shocked by the level of attention and intensity this game drew.
They were even more surprised to learn that Japan's entire Summer Tournament was single elimination—
one loss, and you're out.
And that in Koshien, there were no seeds—meaning even championship contenders could face each other in the first round.
Combined with the scorching August heat,
they couldn't help but sigh at the sheer brutality of Japanese high school baseball.
Hearing again who Coach Sakaki was, they realized just how legendary the man truly was.
While a certain "Sendo fan club" enthusiastically explained his feats, the crowd in the stadium surged—and by the time the game neared, nearly every seat was filled.
Meiji Jingu Stadium could hold 39,733 spectators—
and that sight alone left Sendo's entourage speechless.
Even though they'd expected a full house, actually seeing it was another experience entirely.
For many of them, it was their first time in a venue of this scale—and it felt almost magical.
....
"Then—Seidou will bat first, Inashiro will field second. Any objections?"
"None!"
Under the watchful eyes of the umpires, both captains agreed on the order and shook hands.
Then they returned to their teams to prepare for entry.
"Let's go!!"
"Yeah!!!"
As the sound of metal spikes echoed through the player tunnel, the crowd near the entrance began to roar.
"They're here!!!"
"SEIDOU BASEBALL TEAM!!!"
"Sendo!!"
"Yuuki!!"
"SEIDOU!!"
"Isashiki!!"
"Sendo!!"
"Tanba!!"
"You've got to make it this year!!"
"Kataoka-san!!"
"Sendo!!"
"Yuuki!!"
"Sendo!!!"
On the other side—
"INASHIRO INDUSTRIAL—STRONGEST IN TOKYO!!"
"NARUMIYA!!!"
The roar of both cheering sections filled the air—
the final battle had begun.
"Mei!!"
Most of the voices calling Narumiya's name were girls.
Kuramochi and Isashiki were probably crying in the bathroom out of sheer jealousy.
"Inashiro Industrial—Strongest in Tokyo!!"
That same die-hard fan shouted it twice for good measure.
"Mei!"
"Ayaa!"
"Carlos!"
"Take us there—Koshien!!"
"Please, Coach Kunitomo!!"
"Do your best, Mei!!"
Well… with an ace like Narumiya Mei on the mound, it was impossible for anyone else to steal the spotlight.
But looking around the stadium as a whole—Sendo's popularity was still unmatched.
The "monster batter" truly commanded the crowd's awe.
Countless neutral fans had come specifically to watch his batting in person.
The cheers for Sendo alone could rival an entire team's fanbase.
"Please lead the team to Koshien again this year!"
"Kataoka-san!"
"Sendo!"
"Inashiro!"
"SEIDOU!!"
Even Ichiro Sendo and his wife were overwhelmed by the sheer noise and energy of the stadium.
They had never imagined it could be this intense.
Meanwhile, both coaches stood facing each other near the dugout and exchanged respectful bows.
"There are so many spectators today!" Kominato Haruichi exclaimed.
"Well, of course—it's the finals! And this stadium seats nearly forty thousand people. Last game just had fewer fans, that's all," Sendo explained calmly.
"Snnnfff!"
Suddenly, Sawamura took in a huge breath of air through his nose, startling Haruichi into jumping.
"Hm?" Sendo caught the movement from the corner of his eye—and immediately had a bad feeling.
The seniors in front of them hadn't noticed a thing.
The three first-years looked at each other—
and simultaneously covered their ears.
"WE'RE—GONNA—WIN!!!"
The next second, every senior in front of them flinched in pain.
"Don't shout in people's ears, idiot!!!"
Kuramochi clamped one hand over Sawamura's mouth and pointed furiously at him with the other.
"I-I couldn't help it…" came the muffled reply through Kuramochi's grip.
"The weaker the dog, the louder it barks," muttered Isashiki, delivering a sharp karate chop to Sawamura's head.
"Pay attention, baka yarō!" Jun-san scolded, his voice slightly softer than usual.
"Furuya, it's hot today—don't drink too much water or you'll slow down!"
Miyuki called out a reminder, worried that the high temperature and Furuya's intensity might drain him too quickly.
"Tanba-san, Kawakami-san, start warming up early!
Make sure to loosen all your joints properly.
It's already 35 degrees out—this kind of heat can cause dehydration or even cramps!
You two as well!" Sendo added, speaking like a second coach.
"Got it! Do your best up there! Since we're batting first, you'd better be ready too when your turn comes!" Tanba said with a grin.
"Don't worry. Besides, it's not like I'll even bat in the first inning," Sendo replied casually.
"Baka! How many times have I told you not to say unlucky stuff like that?! You will bat—just wait and see!" Jun-san grabbed him in a headlock and shouted.
....
On the other side, Narumiya Mei was yawning.
"Miyuki… this is the showdown you were so excited for, right? I told you—you'd regret it if you lost!
And you—just wait! I'm gonna make you cry on that field!"
Narumiya glared across the diamond at Miyuki and Sendo, his thoughts brimming with intensity.
Moments later, both teams lined up neatly in front of their dugouts.
....
"Welcome to the National High School Baseball Championship—West Tokyo Regional Final!
Under the blazing midsummer sky, the players now take the field!
Challenging for their second consecutive summer title, the reigning champions—Inashiro Industrial!
And seeking revenge for last year's loss—Seidou High School, aiming to return to Koshien for the first time in six years!
Two of Japan's most prestigious baseball powerhouses—which of them will seize victory today?"
The announcer's passionate voice boomed as the players lined up.
"Let's go!" both captains shouted at once.
"Yeah!!!"
Sawamura bolted out first—racing ahead just so he could be the one to lead the charge.
The crowd erupted—forty thousand fans clapping in unison, the sound alone enough to make anyone's blood race.
"Bow!"
"Please take care of us!!!"
Before forty thousand spectators, both teams exchanged their greetings.
The substitutes returned to their benches—and at last, the Final Battle began.
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