July 31st.
The day of the Summer Tournament finals—nothing short of a festival for high school baseball fans across Tokyo.
Just a day earlier, East Tokyo had already crowned its champion. As expected, Teito High School secured the ticket to Koshien.
Now, at Tokyo's largest stage—Jingu Stadium—the West Tokyo final was about to begin.
Seido High School vs. Inashiro Industrial High School.
Two titans.
Two rivals.
For years, these two teams had stood like towering mountains over West Tokyo. Since last year, Seido had repeatedly defeated Inashiro in multiple tournaments, claiming championship after championship. Every clash between them had been intense, leaving audiences breathless.
And at the center of it all—
The Aces.
The undefeated Overlord.
The Prince of the mound.
Today, they would meet again, fighting for a single Koshien ticket.
Would the Overlord continue his dominance?
Or would the Prince finally claim his revenge?
No one knew.
But everyone was waiting.
Nearly an hour before the game, Jingu Stadium was already packed to the brim.
Fans filled every seat, their cheers echoing through the stadium even before the players appeared. Seido supporters shouted for back-to-back championships, while Inashiro fans roared for revenge.
The energy in the air was electric.
Major media outlets had gathered in full force—TV crews, reporters, sports journalists—all setting up their equipment, ready to capture every moment of this showdown.
Compared to the East Tokyo finals the day before, the scale of attention here was on an entirely different level.
Many even called this match an early Koshien final.
That alone spoke volumes about the strength of both teams.
In West Tokyo the so-called "demon division" powerhouses clashed relentlessly. Unlike East Tokyo, where one dominant team stood above the rest, West Tokyo was a battlefield where only the strongest survived.
And today, only one would remain standing.
In the stands, familiar faces from various schools had gathered.
Players from Yakushi, Sakurazawa, Ichidai Third High, and Sensen were all present, watching closely. They had already experienced firsthand how terrifying Seido and Inashiro were.
This match… was on another level.
Not far away, members of Teito High School sat together.
"This atmosphere is way more intense than our game yesterday," someone muttered.
"Of course," said Inui Kengo calmly. "This is Seido vs. Inashiro. Watch carefully, Taiyo. There's a lot you can learn from both pitchers today."
"Got it, Senpai," Mukai Taiyo replied, eyes fixed on the field.
Elsewhere, the Yakushi team was also watching.
"Tch… the attention here is insane," Sanada Shunpei said with a faint smile.
Beside him, Mishima Yuta's eyes sparkled.
"So many reporters… and those over there scouts, right?!"
His excitement was impossible to hide.
This—this was the stage he dreamed of.
Meanwhile, outside Jingu Stadium…
Seido's team bus had just arrived.
A crowd of fans had already gathered, forming a wall of cheers.
"Seido!!!"
"Kanzaki!!!"
"Miyuki!!!"
The players waved briefly before heading inside the stadium.
Inside the locker room…
"This feels even more intense than last year," Kuramochi muttered.
"Heh, I'd say it's even more pressure than the Koshien finals."
"Which means more attention," someone added. "If scouts notice us, we might even go pro."
As his teammates chatted, Kanzaki Ryou quietly changed into his uniform.
He sat down.
Closed his eyes.
Focused.
Today's match would not be easy.
Inashiro wouldn't give up runs easily.
And neither would Seido.
Coach Kataoka stood at the center of the room.
"Finish preparing. Use the restroom if needed. Eat something. There's still time."
His gaze swept across the team.
"Get your bodies ready and face this game with everything you have."
"YES!!"
Miyuki walked over and sat beside Kanzaki.
"It's rare to see you this serious," he said with a grin. "Nervous?"
Kanzaki opened his eyes slightly.
"It's the finals. Of course I am."
Then he smirked.
"I've been waiting for this game."
Miyuki chuckled. "Same here."
After a pause, he asked:
"What do you think would've happened… if I had gone to Inashiro?"
Kanzaki didn't hesitate.
"Three straight years as runner-up."
Miyuki rolled his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me."
"You think you and Narumiya could beat me?" Kanzaki shrugged. "No way."
"…You're ridiculously confident."
"Am I wrong?"
Miyuki fell silent for a moment.
Then smiled.
"Forget the 'what ifs.'"
His eyes sharpened.
"We're winning today."
Kanzaki stood up.
"Obviously."
Outside—
The sun blazed overhead.
The crowd's excitement reached its peak.
And then—
The players emerged.
From both dugouts.
Step by step.
Onto the field.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"They're here!!!"
"SEIDO!!!"
"INASHIRO!!!"
The roar of the crowd shook the stadium.
Brass bands played.
Cheers collided.
The final battle…
Had begun.