[158] The Battle of Mount Tengu – Inashiro vs. Seidou

Chapter 158: The Battle of Mount Tengu – Inashiro vs. Seidou

Top of the ninth inning – Seidou High School's last chance to attack

This was Seidou High School's final chance to attack in the top of the ninth inning.

If they couldn't score here, they would either be struck out by Inashiro Industrial in the bottom of the ninth or the game would go into extra innings to determine the winner.

In front of Seidou's bench, all the starting players stood silently, surprisingly calm.

There was no sign of anxiety, despite being in the final stretch of the game.

Instead, the atmosphere was relaxed, and every player had a natural expression on their face, as if the tense mood from the previous inning had been a mere illusion.

Of course, there were emotions brewing inside, but for now, everyone maintained a composed demeanor.

"Swing as you've always believed you should," the coach said. "Effort never lies. Every step you take, every swing, is your most genuine expression. Now go and win this game!"

"Yes!!!" Eijun and the others responded loudly in unison.

"The final inning is here!!!"

"We have to score one point!"

"Yuuki!!!"

"Let's go, let's charge!"

"One point! Just one point!"

"Charge!"

"Seidou, Seidou, Seidou!"

The last inning of the game. With Inashiro Industrial still having a chance to attack in the bottom of the ninth, no matter if they win or lose, they had to fight for that one crucial run.

The defense could be dealt with in the bottom of the ninth.

For now, the most important thing was to score at least one run from Inashiro's ace, Narumiya Mei. This one point was everything Seidou High School was betting on.

"Top of the Ninth Inning, Seidou High School's attack, 6th batter, catcher Miyuki-kun!"

They were old rivals from middle school. They were also partners who had mutual respect for each other's abilities.

In Narumiya's eyes, Miyuki was possibly the strongest catcher among their peers, and in Miyuki's view, Narumiya was still the best left-handed pitcher in the country—someone who had once been invincible in youth baseball.

This was a relationship built on mutual admiration.

Miyuki wanted to prove he had made the right choice. Narumiya wanted to prove that defeating a team as strong as Seidou was the greatest thrill.

Their eyes met, sparks flying between them.

This time, he was determined to defeat him!

The same resolute fire was reflected in both of their gazes.

"!!!"

Harada, without glancing to the side, caught a glimpse of Miyuki's position out of the corner of his eye, and his fingers subtly moved.

Narumiya nodded slowly.

"Whoosh."

With a swift motion, a flash of white light shot from Narumiya's hand.

The cold, gleaming pitch headed straight for Miyuki's eyes.

A fastball down the middle?

No, it was a forkball!

Miyuki's pupils constricted sharply. His stance, which he had already opened up, abruptly stopped. He shifted his weight, lowered his center of gravity, and swung his bat with all his might.

"Whoosh!"

"Thud!"

At that exact moment, Miyuki had missed the optimal swing timing. The ball slid right into Harada's glove.

"Strike!!"

Had Narumiya changed his pitch selection here?

Miyuki glanced at Harada with a troubled look, his heart racing in anxiety.

Harada, keeping a neutral expression, silently signaled Narumiya on the mound with another sign.

"Whoosh."

Another flash of light zoomed in, threatening the plate.

Miyuki's eyes sharpened. Hesitating, he knew he was wasting another opportunity. With determination, he decided to take a chance. His stance widened as he gripped the bat tightly, preparing for his swing.

"Whoosh."

The bat was swung with all his might.

"Bang!!!"

A sharp crack rang through the air as Miyuki felt the impact reverberating from the bat.

With a sharp grunt, Miyuki leaned forward, exerting all his strength as he forced the bat down.

"Whoosh."

The ball ricocheted off the ground, slamming into the dirt.

"Thud!"

Yamaoka, the first baseman, was caught off guard, but quickly dove in the direction of the incoming ball. His glove stretched out, and for a brief moment, the ball and the glove almost met, separated by mere millimeters.

The ball flew past, and Yamaoka's face shifted in surprise.

"Foul!!!"

Miyuki gritted his teeth, a flash of regret crossing his eyes as the umpire's call echoed.

The sound of the umpire's judgment made Yamaoka breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, it was a foul."

At the plate, Harada raised an eyebrow, glancing at Miyuki with a subtle, inscrutable expression.

The guy had seen the forkball on the first pitch and still dared to swing that boldly. It seemed he had underestimated him.

But it didn't matter now—he had pressured him enough. Mei, keep pushing him, keep throwing to those spots.

"Whoosh."

"Thud."

"Bang!"

"Foul!!!"

"Whoosh."

"Thud."

"Ball!!!"

"Strikeout, strikeout, you're catching up, Miyuki!"

"Mei, keep pressuring him. Don't rush it."

"The count is in our favor, Mei."

"Miyuki-kun, we're counting on you."

"Let's go."

Miyuki, with intense resolve, held tight to his bat.

Narumiya's pupils flared with a haunting red light at that moment.

As Narumiya raised his left hand, the air thickened with tension.

On the batter's side, Miyuki instinctively gripped the bat tighter.

"Boom!!!"

Miyuki's right leg shot forward, kicking up a cloud of dust as he got ready.

"Whoosh."

A flash of cold light shot toward him, bringing an overwhelming aura that seemed to freeze the air around him.

The pressure from the pitch was suffocating—its biting coldness sank deep into his bones.

In that instant, Miyuki's eyes widened, caught by a sense of dread.

"Whoosh!"

For a brief moment, Miyuki faltered in his stance. The momentum shifted, and for that split second, Narumiya had already outclassed him mentally.

"Thud!!!"

"Strike! The batter is out!!!"

The sharp collision echoed as Narumiya secured his victory over Miyuki, claiming his 26th out of the game.

Miyuki stared blankly at the mound, where Narumiya stood, composed but with an undercurrent of storm-like intensity. He bit his lip, feeling a small trickle of blood.

Without realizing, he lowered his head and walked off the batter's box.

Miyuki's strikeout sent shockwaves through Seidou High School. His failure to get on base meant a devastating blow to Seidou's chances of scoring in this inning.

Soon after, the dreamlike performance of Sakai followed, and he too was easily struck out. Three pitches, three strikes—he had no chance to fight back.

Narumiya casually took his 26th out, dominating the game.

"Ohhh! Great pitch, Mei!!!"

"Two outs, two outs!"

"One more, just one more!!!"

"Let's go, Mei!!!"

The calm of the winner, the anxiety of the loser—Seidou High was now just one step away from the precipice.

"Eighth batter, pitcher, Sawamura-kun."

Miyuki's gaze was steady, his expression calm.

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