Compared to the jubilant atmosphere in Yakushi High School's dugout, the mood in Hakuryu High School's dugout was noticeably heavier.
"We miscalculated."
Coach Sasaki glanced warily at Todoroki Raizo, who was grinning so broadly that even his back teeth were visible.
"We never expected them to have something like that hidden away."
"No wonder they were able to defeat so many powerhouse teams as a dark horse."
"They really do have an endless supply of hidden cards."
Still, now wasn't the time to dwell on mistakes.
The most important thing was stabilizing the team's emotions and preventing them from being overwhelmed by Yakushi's sudden counterattack.
Sasaki's gaze swept across his players.
"What are you afraid of?"
"We're still ahead."
"Tanaka fought and bled for this game."
"Are you planning to visit him with news of a defeat?"
The players who met their coach's eyes instinctively lowered their heads.
Then they remembered Tanaka's blood-covered face.
The way he had stubbornly refused to leave the field despite his injuries.
Slowly, they raised their heads again.
Determination burned in their eyes.
"What's there to fear? They're just high school players like us!"
"Exactly! Even if they score one run, we can score four!"
"We're still leading!"
"Even if it costs us everything, we'll bring victory to Tanaka-senpai!"
"Let's fight!"
Sasaki nodded in satisfaction.
As long as his players still possessed that fighting spirit, Hakuryu still had a chance to laugh last.
Besides—
Their true ace hadn't even taken the mound yet.
His eyes drifted toward the corner of the dugout.
A figure sat there quietly, a towel draped over his face.
Cold.
Silent.
Waiting.
Just seeing him there brought Sasaki a sense of reassurance.
Yakushi's momentum hadn't completely turned the game around.
Todoroki Raizo immediately continued pressing the attack.
He sent in Masuda Atsushi, a player with solid all-around batting skills who had yet to appear in the tournament.
The exhausted Sanada Shunpei was withdrawn from the game, and Masuda stepped in as a pinch hitter.
The goal was simple:
Tie the game through another surprise attack.
And the move worked.
Taking advantage of Ono Shintaro's fatigue and slight loss of focus, Masuda connected cleanly with an outside Slider that had drifted too much toward the middle of the plate.
The ball shot into the field, allowing him to reach first safely.
Following Akaishi's success, Fukuda Daiki decisively laid down a sacrifice bunt after falling behind in the count.
Two outs.
Masuda advanced into scoring position.
Yakushi's rally continued.
Unfortunately, it ended there.
Although Yamauchi Yutaka managed to put the ball in play, Hakuryu's second baseman—his fighting spirit reignited—made a desperate diving stop.
Smack!
"Out!"
"Three outs! Side retired!"
Top of the fifth inning.
Yakushi made another defensive adjustment.
Masuda Atsushi was taken out after completing his assignment.
Ota Isao entered as the new center fielder.
And finally—
Kitamura Kou took the mound.
The moment everyone had been waiting for had arrived.
Coach Sasaki immediately put one of his preparations into action.
He sent up a little-used second-year player with solid all-around batting skills.
The plan was straightforward.
Kitamura Kou had only just entered the game.
There was no way he could have detailed information on every reserve player Hakuryu possessed.
A surprise attack might work.
If it succeeded, great.
If it failed, it was still preferable to letting Ono Shintaro bat after exhausting himself on the mound.
After all, Sasaki intended to unleash Hakuryu's ace later in the game.
On the mound, Kitamura Kou and Akaishi Osamu held one final discussion.
"Akaishi."
"The current situation doesn't allow us to give up another run."
Kou glanced around the field.
"You know how shaky our defense can be."
"The safest solution is simple."
"Strike out every batter."
"From now on, that's the mindset I'm pitching with."
Akaishi looked at him helplessly.
"Even if I tried to stop you, you wouldn't listen anyway."
"And honestly..."
"This probably is our best option right now."
"The next hitter is Mima Soichiro."
Kou smiled brightly.
"Before I face him, I want to warm up a little."
He extended his glove toward Akaishi.
"You won't let a pitch get past you, right, partner?"
Akaishi sighed.
Pitchers really were troublesome creatures.
Still, he tapped his glove firmly against Kou's.
Then he turned and walked back toward home plate.
Only his reliable back remained visible.
"Ever since that passed ball..."
"I've been catching 160-kilometer-per-hour pitches from the pitching machine every single day."
"Throw as hard as you want."
"I'll catch it."
Kou watched his partner's back.
During this period, he had witnessed all of Akaishi's hard work.
Compared to his previous life, Akaishi was now much stronger.
His batting had improved.
His receiving skills had improved.
His overall game sense had improved.
Putting everything else aside, Todoroki Raizo truly excelled at developing hitters.
Far better than the old coaches Kou remembered from Seishu Academy.
Then Kou shifted his attention to the batter.
The hitter was glaring at him as if Kou had murdered his entire family.
The sight only made Kou grin wider.
He loved seeing that confidence.
Even more—
He loved seeing the expressions those same batters made after being struck out.
It was a slightly twisted hobby of his.
"I'm really looking forward to this."
Kou smiled.
Then he fired the baseball toward home plate with roughly eighty percent of his full power.
BOOM!
The ball exploded from his fingertips.
Like a bullet, it screamed toward the inside corner.
The batter's pupils contracted violently.
Before the game, Hakuryu had specifically practiced against a pitching machine set to 160 km/h.
Everyone had been confident.
Everyone believed they could handle Kou's fastball.
But standing in the batter's box was completely different.
The pitch was only around 150 km/h.
Yet the pressure it generated was far greater than any machine.
The baseball seemed enormous.
Like a giant boulder crashing toward him.
Instinctively, he swung.
No timing.
No target.
Just pure survival instinct.
THUMP!
"Strike!"
The swing missed completely.
"That's terrifying..."
Cold sweat covered the batter's body.
He stared at Kou in disbelief.
The pitcher didn't even look particularly strong.
How could someone with such a lean frame throw a pitch like that?
Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his stance again.
One thought dominated his mind.
If that pitch hit him—
He might genuinely end up in the hospital.
BOOM!!
The second pitch roared toward the plate.
Again, it attacked the inside corner.
The batter reflexively swung.
THUMP!!
"Strike Two!"
The scoreboard flashed.
151 km/h
The speed had increased.
The batter's face paled.
Then came the third pitch.
BOOM!!!
The baseball seemed less like a baseball and more like a monster escaping from a nightmare.
The batter swung desperately.
THUMP!!!
Silence.
Then—
"Strike Three!"
"Batter out!"
Without allowing the hitter to make contact even once, Kitamura Kou recorded a clean strikeout.
His first batter on the mound—
Retired.