Then, for the third pitch, Tanaka Wataru quickly gave the sign.
Tanba smiled faintly, then threw the baseball. At first glance, this pitch looked identical to the vertical-drop curveball from earlier.
The Ichidai Third High batter thought so too.
Another vertical-drop curveball? You're underestimating me!
The same pitch. The same trajectory. As the cleanup hitter of Ichidai Third High—famous throughout Tokyo—he believed they were treating him lightly.
He swung forcefully, aiming precisely for the trajectory of the vertical-drop curveball.
Bang!
—No! I didn't get it!
It wasn't until the ball crossed the plate that he realized…
It's not a vertical drop — it's a curveball!
He had hit beneath the ball. The white sphere shot straight upward.
The batter looked helplessly toward the sky.
"So close…"
Pop!
The ball dropped neatly into Tanba's glove.
"Out!"
The umpire's voice signaled the end of the top of the fourth inning.
Outside Jingu Stadium
Kanzaki Ryou was lifted onto the ambulance. Beside Takashima Rei and Chris were Ryou's younger sister Kumiko and his older sister Mami.
"Ni-chan! Are you okay?"
Kumiko clung to Kanzaki Ryou's hand, eyes red and trembling.
"I'm fine. It's just a hit to the waist. Nothing serious," Ryou said, enduring the throbbing pain. He didn't want her to worry.
And he wasn't lying—though it hurt a lot, the medical check confirmed no serious internal injuries. The hospital trip was just for a more detailed exam.
"Kumiko, don't cry, okay?" Ryou said gently, wiping her tears.
Kumiko sniffed, still staring at the swollen bruise on his waist. "Mm…"
"Oh man, what a bad first impression. Kumiko finally comes to watch a game live and sees her brother like this," Ryou joked self-deprecatingly.
"No way! Ni-chan is the coolest!" she protested with a pout.
Mami noticed Ryou's stiff smile and gently pulled Kumiko back.
"Let him rest. We can talk later."
At the hospital, after the examinations, the doctor returned.
"His internal organs are fine. But the muscles in his lower back are damaged. He'll need at least two weeks of rest."
"Doctor… can he recover in half a month?" Takashima Rei asked tensely.
The doctor hesitated, then nodded.
"Fifteen days is the conservative estimate. It could be faster—or longer."
Rei and Chris exchanged heavy looks. If he recovered in fifteen days, he might still make it to Koshien. If not…
Seidou might have to play without Kanzaki Ryou.
"Don't worry," Ryou said with a grin. "I recover fast. Maybe I'll be back even sooner."
"Ni-chan! Rest properly! No training!" Kumiko scolded.
"Yes, yes. I'll listen to you."
After some treatment, Ryou insisted on returning to the stadium. No matter what happened, he needed to be there until the end.
Takashima Rei and Chris tried to stop him, but eventually relented.
"Kumiko, quick! Turn on the game!" Ryou urged.
Kumiko opened the broadcast.
"Not bad… 4–1 already?" Ryou muttered.
Chris listened for a moment, then summarized:
"After Tanba came in, he shut down Ichidai's cleanup. Bottom of the fourth—Kominato got on base, then Yuki blasted a two-run homer."
"Manaka struck out three straight, including Azuma."
"In the fifth, both sides scored one run each."
"In the sixth, both had runners on but failed to score."
Ryou clicked his tongue.
"Hurry! Let's get back!"
Jingu Stadium — Seventh Inning
For Seidou, Tanba Koichiro and Tanaka Wataru were replaced by Nanjo Taishi and Miyuki Kazuya.
Ichidai Third High also changed pitchers. Manaka Kaname, exhausted and losing control, stepped down.
Taking his place was their ace freshman—
Amahisa Kousei.
Wearing headphones and chewing gum, Amahisa sighed inwardly.
Sending me now? Even if I shut down Seidou, we're probably losing anyway. What a waste of effort. I wonder how Kanzaki Ryou is doing… Oh yeah, what pitch should I throw first…
In three seconds, he'd mentally written an essay.
Top of the Seventh — Ichidai on Offense
Miyuki and Nanjo jogged onto the field.
"Senpai, we'll need to be aggressive," Miyuki said.
Nanjo nodded firmly.
"Kanzaki Ryou entrusted you with the game. I'll pitch exactly as you call it. Let's win this—for him."
Miyuki crouched behind the plate.
The batter was the same one who hit the line drive that struck Kanzaki Ryou.
Accident or not—
Miyuki hadn't forgiven him.
I'll strike you out. No other outcome.
First pitch: inside four-seam fastball.
Pop!
"Strike!"
The batter flinched. Miyuki smirked.
Second pitch: inside cutter.
The batter swung—
Whoosh!
—completely missing.
Good. Two fastballs to cement the image. Now… let's finish you.
The high-speed slider. Nanjo Taishi's sharpest weapon.
Nanjo inhaled, exhaled, then threw with full commitment.
Whoosh—!
A perfect arc flew toward the batter.
He swung desperately, the bat grazing the ball—
Pop!
The slider drilled into the outside corner.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
Revenge accomplished.