[73] First Match, Maimon West High School

Chapter 73: First Match, Maimon West High School

Back at the resting area, Eijun did not mention his encounter with Todoroki Raichi to anyone.

After all, at this moment, only he knew that Yakushi High School was destined to become a major dark horse this summer.

In the original story, while Yakushi High School certainly posed a significant challenge to Seido High School during the quarter-finals, Eijun believed it was better to face Yakushi than to encounter Ichidaisan High School.

As one of the top eight teams in this spring's tournament, Ichidaisan High's strength was indisputable.

In terms of batting line strength, Yakushi's lineup featuring Todoroki was probably on par with Ichidaisan High's.

However, due to injuries restricting Sanada Shunpei's pitch time, coupled with Yakushi's overall defensive weaknesses—which led to critical mistakes at key moments—Ichidaisan High certainly had an edge in overall quality.

Thus, as Eijun concluded, if it weren't for Sanada's mental collapse at the start, followed by an injury that forced him out of the game, it was likely that Yakushi's status as a dark horse would not last long against the powerhouse that was Ichidaisan High.

After all, the pros and cons of Yakushi were very evident: their strengths were clear, but their weaknesses were even more glaring, and seasoned powerhouses like Ichidaisan were not easy to deal with.

From this, Eijun reached a conclusion.

Ichidaisan High's strength was definitely superior to the current Yakushi High. Even if Yakushi were to outperform in hitting, in every other aspect, Ichidaisan had the flexibility to dominate Yakushi.

This was a matter that required no further consideration.

Eijun was aware of the dynamics at play. While he could worry about the quarter-finals, he felt there was no need for excessive concern. He trusted that given Seido High School's current capabilities, the biggest rival this summer was still Inashiro Industrial.

The legendary figure behind that rivalry was—of course—the Prince of Tokyo, Narumiya Mei!

However, that didn't mean that Eijun would take Yakushi lightly. If they let their guard down, being upset by Yakushi was entirely possible.

But comparatively speaking, for Seido High, the greatest obstacle remained Inashiro Industrial.

Without overcoming them, Seido High would never reach the sacred land they aspired to.

Moreover, before encountering Seido High, Yakushi would inevitably have to face Ichidaisan.

After the match schedule was released—with arrangements mirroring those in the original story—Eijun felt completely at ease.

As long as the schedule remained the same.

Then when Yakushi defeated Ichidaisan, Seido High—led by Coach Kataoka and all the players—would naturally heighten their alertness, so there would be no need for Eijun to say much.

After waiting outside Jingu Stadium for their team bus, Seido High successfully left the stadium and returned to their school.

Since Seido High was a seed school in the tournament, they didn't need to participate in the first round and could advance directly to the second round.

This meant that, relatively speaking, the prestigious schools like Seido High would have a slightly more relaxed schedule, as they wouldn't face any strong teams from the same region before the quarter-finals.

This was a special arrangement made by the tournament organizers.

Of course, this didn't apply to dark horses.

In West Tokyo, where Seido High was located, the first round of the tournament quickly came to an end. Seido High soon discovered who their first-round opponent would be.

Even though they wouldn't encounter formidable schools in the early rounds, being a prestigious institution like Seido High, they, like most strong teams, approached any opponent—regardless of their strength—with full seriousness in the official matches.

This included reconnaissance before their matches, and they would never underestimate a lesser-known or public school. Of course, there was a bit of psychological superiority, but that was human nature.

Unless the opposing team displayed surprising strengths during their scouting.

For example, in the original work, Yakushi High attracted the attention of Seido High—along with the entire Tokyo region—by defeating Ichidaisan High.

Similarly, in line with the tournament schedule, Seido High conducted their routine scout on the two schools set to compete against them.

The results soon came in.

Maimon West High School, a public high school in the West Tokyo area, had historically been eliminated in the first or second rounds. Based on the gathered data, they did not seem to pose any threat at all.

At the Seido High dormitory, the cafeteria meeting room gathered twenty members of the first string, along with coaching staff and members of the scouting team, including Chris.

"That's all the information on Maimon West High School."

Chris closed his notebook and spoke with a gentle expression.

He then looked towards Coach Kataoka, who nodded with a stern demeanor, signaling for Chris to step aside.

"Even though our first opponent is a public school and not very strong, you must give it your all to defeat them. There can be no complacency; unwarranted arrogance will only lead to your own downfall. Do you understand!?" Coach Kataoka said coldly to everyone.

"Yes!!!!"

All responded loudly, their hearts tightening. They well understood their coach's character. If there was any sign of neglect or lack of focus during the match, they could very well find themselves on the bench, just like before with Masuko and Tanba.

Due to poor performance or serious mistakes that shouldn't have happened during the game, they had been sent down to the second string.

On this point, Coach Kataoka certainly meant what he said.

"Well then, I will now announce tomorrow's starting lineup." Coach Kataoka paused before continuing.

His statement instantly brought several players to display looks of anticipation, with a sense of restlessness filling the room.

Eijun also widened his eyes; honestly, the fact that Tanba wasn't injured was undoubtedly beneficial for the team as a whole.

However, when it came to the two freshmen pitchers, although Eijun was reluctant to admit it, the lack of injury meant that their chances of contributing weren't as high.

Getting a spot on the first string and the opportunity to play essentially depended on their abilities and the recognition of their potential by Coach Kataoka.

However, as previously mentioned, Tanba's injury undeniably increased the odds and opportunities for the freshmen duo to appear on the mound.

Now that Tanba was healthy and still wearing the ace's number, how many chances would they get to pitch? This was a testing moment for Coach Kataoka.

It was also something Eijun felt uncertain about.

After all, a pitcher can only truly prove their worth when standing on the mound.

Therefore, regarding the upcoming regional tournament against Maimon West, knowing who would start was a significant signal.

It would provide insight into how Coach Kataoka intended to manage the four pitchers this summer!

-------------

If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky