[137] The Inashiro Match - The Furious Prince!

Chapter 137: The Inashiro Match - The Furious Prince!

The white flash soared through the sky, illuminating the furious expression on the Tokyo Prince's face as he stood on the pitcher's mound.

Narumiya's disbelief was evident as he stared at the ball rocketing over the infield, clearing the outfield without any sign of slowing down.

Inashiro's left fielder, Sugi, and center fielder, Carlos, sprinted back, yet no matter how fast they moved, they couldn't match the speed of the ball overhead. Even if they did, it would be too late.

Narumiya clenched his left fist tightly, his eyes wide open.

Smack!

In an awe-inspiring moment, the ball landed in the bleachers beyond the fence, sparking an eruption from the crowd.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

The stadium thundered with cheers, nearly shaking its foundations. The ecstatic shouts from Seidou's fans contrasted sharply with the stunned expressions on Inashiro's side.

"A home run! With a runner on third, Seidou High seizes this golden opportunity. Third batter, Isashiki Jun, hits a two-run homer to left field! Seidou strikes first, taking two crucial points from Narumiya Mei, a pitcher who hadn't given up a single run in the tournament so far!"

"What a start! This game is already on fire!"

"Three batters, and all of them swung at the first pitch! Seidou is going all-out with their aggressive play!"

"This is what a final should look like—intense, thrilling, and with unstoppable energy!"

The celebration continued on the field as Seidou players cheered, and Isashiki Jun, his right fist raised triumphantly, circled the bases with a roar. The spectators, visibly moved, were caught up in the intensity of the moment.

In the dugout, Eijun wore an expression of pure joy, taken aback by how his suggestion had been accepted by Coach Kataoka—and even more astonished that Isashiki had succeeded in hitting a two-run homer right from the start.

On Inashiro's side, players were in shock, some wondering, Did Mei really get taken deep? Was it a mistake pitch? Or…

As worried glances shifted to Narumiya, the only composed figure was Coach Kunitomo, who, though outwardly calm, had a glint of ice in his eyes that hinted at his true feelings.

"Time out!"

Inashiro's catcher, Harada, instantly called a timeout, aware that the previous play had been carefully calculated by Seidou.

Otherwise, even a power hitter like Isashiki wouldn't have been able to crush Mei's pitch like that.

The priority now was to regain control of the game's rhythm—panicking here would spell disaster.

"Mei, about that pitch…" Harada began, walking to the mound to meet his pitcher. Before he could finish, Narumiya lifted his head, eyes blazing with anger but oddly laced with a cold clarity.

"They anticipated that pitch, didn't they?"

"…Yes, they did."

Surprised by the fierce yet calm determination in Narumiya's gaze, Harada nodded. The Tokyo Prince gritted his teeth and muttered icily, "Seems I underestimated these Seidou guys."

"Don't worry, Harada-san," Narumiya continued, his calm demeanor returning despite the fury simmering beneath. "I know exactly what to do next."

This was Narumiya Mei—the ace of the team, and a pitcher capable of remaining cool-headed even when provoked.

His ability to stay composed, even in the face of infuriating adversity, was precisely why he had earned the right to be Inashiro's ace and occasionally, to throw with unrestrained flair.

Because he always knew exactly what to do in crucial moments!

The aura of a true champion radiated from him, catching the attention of Eijun, who watched from the dugout with a renewed focus. As a fellow pitcher, Eijun instinctively understood that the Prince was now furious, and that from this moment on, they were facing the true Tokyo Prince.

Just as Eijun's instincts foretold, Narumiya had set aside any hint of underestimation. Despite giving up two runs, he confronted Seidou High's core hitter, Tetsuya Yuuki, with the authority and composure of Inashiro's ace pitcher.

Every pitch exuded a commanding presence.

Narumiya showed no intention of backing down—not even a step. His fierce determination and assertive approach left Seidou High's lineup fully aware that this pitcher would not be shaken by a single home run.

Though his control wavered slightly, resulting in a walk that allowed Yuuki to reach first, Narumiya immediately recalibrated. When Seidou's fifth batter, Tooru Masuko, stepped up, Narumiya wasted no time in striking him out with three decisive pitches, securing the second out.

Next came Miyuki Kazuya. Although Miyuki had been reminded by Eijun to be cautious of Narumiya's change-up in this first at-bat, he still struggled to adjust to the fired-up Narumiya's pitch variations. After fending off a few pitches, Miyuki was ultimately overpowered by a slider, grounding out to third base.

Inashiro's third baseman, Yoshizawa, fielded the grounder smoothly, throwing out Miyuki at first.

Smack!

"Out!"

"Three outs! Change sides!"

In this moment, the proud ace pitcher was a towering presence, one that seemed almost suffocating in its intensity.

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