At this moment, Chris—who had been quietly taking notes nearby—spoke up as well.
"Our strategy today is built around relief pitching. As long as Nanjo suppresses Inashiro's lineup for the first four innings, his mission will be complete. There's no need for him to 'save' the cutter ball for later."
Hearing this, Ota immediately understood. He nodded, then walked forward to guide Nanjo Taishi back to the bench.
"You were amazing out there, Nanjo! That cutter ball gave Inashiro quite a scare!" Ota praised excitedly. His worries earlier were genuine, but Nanjo's performance was equally inspiring.
"This is only the first inning," Nanjo replied calmly, showing neither arrogance nor overconfidence. "The real challenge starts now."
He knew better than anyone that the first inning's ease came only because Inashiro hadn't expected his new cutter.
Now that they'd seen it, things wouldn't be nearly as easy.
Nearby, Kanzaki Ryou's eyes lit up.
"Nanjo-senpai's pitches looked sharper than before. Even his speed went up a little," Ryou muttered, impressed.
"It's definitely better than before," Miyuki agreed. "Mastering a new pitch can boost a pitcher's confidence. Sometimes that alone changes everything."
Ryou nodded. That made sense. A pitcher's mindset affected everything—control, speed, precision, rhythm.
For months, Nanjo Taishi had carried the pressure of being Seidou's Ace while constantly hearing criticism:
"Barely adequate."
"Not reliable."
"Good, but not good enough."
Even if teammates told him not to care, the harsh words still left a mark. Pressure built up. Confidence wavered. One stumble, and he'd crumble mentally.
His high-speed slider alone wasn't enough. Against powerhouse teams, relying on one pitch was suicide.
But now?
Now he finally had a second usable breaking ball.
A real weapon.
A pitch he could trust.
And with that came confidence.
With a cutter ball added to his arsenal, Tanaka's pitch-calling also gained more depth. The uncertainty it created would boost the effectiveness of Nanjo's high-speed slider as well.
In the bottom of the first inning, Inashiro's Ace pitcher Matsumoto Takumi delivered a flawless performance, retiring three batters in a row.
"He didn't throw a single fast forkball."
"He knows that we prepared for it, so he didn't show it once."
"Smart move… that totally fooled us."
Even Yuuki Tetsuya—Seidou's strongest second-year batter—was struck out with ease, leaving everyone feeling the pressure.
Fortunately, in the second inning, Nanjo Taishi continued his excellent form. Though he allowed a few hits when facing Inashiro's core lineup, he still managed to shut down their offense with solid pitching and tight team defense.
The game remained locked at 0–0 until the third inning.
Then came the turning point.
In the top of the third, Inashiro's cleanup hitter blasted Nanjo's cutter ball deep into left field, reaching second base.
Inashiro kept pressing and eventually scored two runs before Nanjo finally recorded three outs.
But Nanjo returned to the dugout calm and composed—his determination still burning strong.
"Nanjo, you're on fire today. The old you wouldn't have handled giving up runs this easily," Azuma laughed.
"The past is the past. Now is now," Nanjo replied, joking lightly.
His teammates exchanged looks. They never expected such a shift in Nanjo's attitude.
Was confidence from learning a single new pitch really this strong?
"It looks like getting the Ace number won't be so easy for you," Miyuki whispered, nudging Kanzaki Ryou with his elbow.
Ryou simply shook his head.
"Seidou's Ace isn't an ordinary spot. Nanjo-senpai must have been practicing that cutter for a long time. It's only natural he looks this sharp today."
Miyuki snorted and smiled.
He had been hoping to pressure Ryou a bit, but this guy didn't feel pressure at all.
In fact—
Ryou just believed he could surpass anyone.
And he would.
"Let's go. It's our turn to warm up," Ryou said, heading toward the bullpen.
It was already the bottom of the third. After the fourth inning, Nanjo was scheduled to move to the outfield, and Tanba Koichiro would take the mound.
If they lost more runs, Ryou might be called even earlier.
Meanwhile, Tanba's mood was extremely tense. Watching his teammates fight valiantly on the field, he felt pressure welling up inside.
"We need to score…" Tanba muttered, gripping his towel nervously.
If he entered the game while they were behind, the pressure might crush him.
Fortunately, Seidou's lower lineup delivered—scoring one run to tighten the gap.
Then, in the fourth inning, both teams scored again, tying the game at 3–3.
According to the plan, Tanba should have been called in now.
But Coach Kataoka didn't move.
Nanjo Taishi was still pitching well. His stamina hadn't dropped. His mentality was strong. And even against a team like Inashiro, giving up runs was normal.
What mattered was composure, fighting spirit, and the ability to attack fearlessly.
That was the true Ace's quality.
Tanba watched anxiously from the bullpen, waiting for his name to be called…
But it never came.
Nanjo blinked in surprise as Coach Kataoka turned to him.
"Nanjo," the Coach Kataoka called.
"Yes!" Nanjo stood immediately.
"Keep going. The fifth inning is yours as well."
Nanjo's eyes widened. Then—
"Yes!!"
His voice trembled with excitement.
For the first time since he became Ace half a year ago…
The Coach Kataoka was placing real trust in him.
And every senior around him felt that emotion deep in their chests.
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