Before making a decision, Harada glanced at the bench!
Coach Kunimoto raised his chin.
There's no need to worry about their intentions being detected during such exchanges; prestigious families of this caliber place great importance on the security of their Signals.
The catcher would glance at the bench almost every few balls.
It's absolutely impossible for the Signals to be cracked; that's something professional competitions have been doing for years.
A professional and Kouya family like Takano would never make such a mistake.
The game went into Extra Innings, and the two sides were still locked in a stalemate. The Batting Second had the advantage, but the final score depended on the battering line.
In a duel between a pitcher and a batter, the longer the game goes on, the more advantageous it is for the batter. No Hit or no-runner situation is usually a rare occurrence, like Inside-the-Park Home Run.
Therefore, even with so many balls disrupting the batter, it cannot be said that the pitcher has an advantage.
After all, this is the sixth round, and there have been five and a half rounds of direct confrontations. The round where they were guaranteed a win was also going to be decided.
Adding to the sight of Narumiya Mei's all-out pitch against Captain Tetsu in the preparation area, Ball Trajectory saw far too many different Sendou.
That's why Harada Masakatsu didn't know whether what he was doing was right or wrong.
Because if this at-bat doesn't achieve the desired result, then the game really depends on luck.
The desired result is a strikeout, being stopped by the defense and getting outs; the worst, but acceptable result is a single.
Narumiya Mei's form is a double-edged sword. If he goes on a confident duel and ends up with a solid hit, Harada can't imagine the consequences.
Therefore, this pitch is crucial. It would be best to get the batter out, but a lucky hit would also be acceptable, as long as no runs are allowed. Anything else is a bad result, including being hit out of bounds.
A hit that relies on luck is really hard to predict. After all, the stadium is so big. If it goes into the fair zone, there's nothing you can do if the ball doesn't land well. Harada isn't so arrogant as to think Sendou will definitely miss. After all, what he wants is a ball that goes into the Strike Zone.
As for out-of-bounds shots, Harada can only gamble and hope that his Fastball will improve in the future.
If even that doesn't work, he really doesn't know how long this at-bat will last. Most likely, Narumiya Mei's shot will be completely disused, or he'll simply miss and get hit.
Harada felt like a hero challenging a demon king. Clearly, Inajitsu was the King and Seidou High School was the challenger. This was definitely not a good experience.
But that's just how it is; after a long run, the power hitter will inevitably give people this feeling.
" Ya-san! I know you're worried!"
You're the catcher!
Therefore, there is more to consider!
But my thoughts are very simple!
Win the Head-on Showdown and avenge that defeat!
I feel like I can do anything right now!
Don't worry, the ball definitely won't be hit!
"The hero defeats the demon king, that's destiny!" Narumiya Mei smiled as she looked towards home plate, which gave Harada immense courage.
"Let's go!"
"Cry!"
You are not alone in this fight!
"Instead, we should all go and solve it!"
"Even heroes need companions!"
The defensive lineup behind Narumiya Mei also had different ideas, but no one backed down and they were all full of Fighting Spirit spirit.
" The Sendou!"
"Fight back!"
"Go!"
"If it's you, you can hit it!"
"To be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen a fighter like you!"
Stay calm no matter what the situation.
But right now, I have absolutely no reason to lose!
My state even made me feel like a god!
So, I'm sorry!
"Please, lose here!"
"Puff!"
" The Sendou!"
"Cry!"
"Akila-kun!" (This is Rei-chan!)
"Akila!"
"Defeat him! Cry!"
The moment Narumiya Mei stepped forward, countless people had all sorts of thoughts and shouts in their hearts.
Only the Inajitsu Infielders and a few pitchers and catchers knew that this ball would decide the game; Seidou was completely unaware and could only pray that every ball would be their last.
"Pfft!" (Replay...)
"Call!"
"Disappear!"
"Here it comes! Changeup!" The entire Seidou bench exclaimed inwardly, watching the figure in the Batter's Box with immense tension.
"Oh no! This ball is a bad ball!" Just by looking at the trajectory of the ball, Harada judged that it might be a bad ball. As for whether it would not change, he dared not think about it...
So Harada was prepared to deal with the Rebound Ball.
A strike pitch is very close to the ground when it reaches home plate and enters his glove, while a ball is almost always Rebound Ball.
"Huh? It moved? To that bad ball? That's suicidal!!"
"He should stop when he realizes it's a bad ball!" Harada only noticed Sendou starting to swing out of the corner of his eye after watching the ball, and could only come up with this explanation.
(It's impossible to think of so many complete thoughts; I only think of a few keywords. I've filled in the rest to save me from explaining later.)
In the final moment, Harada actually felt a sense of relief, since this ball was going to have no result.
"H...!" (beginning of exhalation)
"Boom!"
Just as Harada was about to take a breath to face the troublesome Rebound Ball, a flash of white light disappeared before his eyes.
"Ping!!!"
Harada's pupils widened instantly.
"Why? Why would I react to this kind of Rebound Ball..." In just a moment, Harada had only this thought left.
However, although Narumiya Mei's Changeup now enter the glove very close to the ground, and Sendou is standing at the very back, almost not much closer to the glove, Harada overlooked the guy's long arms and bat, which is longer than the average person's...
Even if he stands at the very back, he can still use his long arm and long stick to move the hitting point forward when he can wait for the Changeup to start changing.
Although the ball was very close to the ground, it was enough for Sendou to Lifting Hit.
Sendou's long arms and bat length are the easiest things to overlook, except for opponents who are used to them, especially for experienced guys like him who aren't particularly quick-witted.
This blow made Harada, in his daze, recall the attack Sendou had delivered six years ago.
The sound of the bat hitting the ball in his mind transformed into another sound, just like it had been six years ago. He didn't know it then, but now he did—it was the sound of a dream shattering.
"Center! Left field!" After a moment of hesitation, Harada called out the receiving position, even though it was no longer needed.
As Narumiya Mei was hit, a grain of sand was slightly lifted by Sendou's bat and squinted into his eyes. He endured the pain and turned to look at the flying white ball.
" The Changeup got hit! That shot went really far!"
The center forward is retreating rapidly!
"Yoshi!"
"Catch it!"
"Break them through, you bastards!"
When the ball had just flown out and it was impossible to judge where it would land, but everyone knew it would be very far away, both players were shouting wildly.
Inajitsu still has Carlos to rely on.
The Yakushi High School basketball court!
"What?! This commentator, do you even consider the feelings of the radio listeners?!"
"He's trying to pique my curiosity by saying things he can't even judge the situation with," Raizo Todoroki retorted.
The other players completely ignored him. Raichi put his bat in front of him, hugged his legs, and sat obediently on the ground.
"Oh!!!"
A huge cheer came from the radio, making Raizo Todoroki even more eager.
Whether it gets caught or lands on the ground, the audience will cheer, right?
They could only wait for the end!
"I should have watched the live broadcast on TV!" Raizo Todoroki said speechlessly.
The others watched him speak, and while they agreed with what he said, they wanted to complain even more.
"You're the one who said listening to the radio wouldn't interfere with training!!!" Mishima thought to himself.
They're inside!!!
The very top of the left outfield grandstand!
In the top of the 12th inning, with no outs and runners on second base, a massive two-run Home Run that spanned the entire outfield stands!
Seidou High School is leading by two points!!!
A few seconds later, as the cheers from the audience gradually subsided, the radio broadcast the commentator's frantic voice.
You can imagine how excited the commentator was!
"Really?!"
Didn't we just say how terrifying that Changeup was?
"How did they do that?" Mishima exclaimed in surprise!
Countless people wanted to ask him the same question, but the catcher at home plate was the one who most wanted to know.
"You're kidding me!!!" Harada stood there dumbfounded, only able to utter these two syllables.
(In Japanese, "lie" and "talk" are homophones, so you can think of this word as very versatile; it's used to express similar meanings, such as lying or deceiving.)
"Oh!!!"
"Ah!!!"
"He did it! That bastard!!!" Kanemaru hugged Senior Maezono, and the two of them cried and shouted.
A similar scene was unfolding on the bench, where Jun-san was hugging Tanba and crying her heart out!
Hahaha!
They're from a completely different dimension than us!
"That guy now!" Miyuki was so excited that he didn't know how to start, and finally he could only express his excitement with a laugh.
The girls were hugging each other, while Rei-chan clenched her fists in front of her chest, leaning forward slightly, as if she was using all her strength to express herself.
She really wants to let off some steam! Holding back an orgasm like this must be really uncomfortable for her.
After all, she's a mature woman, so she has to hold back. (That gesture when she won the Autumn Tournament was so cute, Rei-chan! )
"Hahaha! Well done! You brat! Hahahaha!" Azuma Kiyokuni cried too!
The dream he passed on to future generations is finally within reach!
"Don't be careless! The competition isn't over yet!" Azuma Kiyokuni, who was rough around the edges but meticulous, reminded himself.
"Yosh! That's more like it! There's no one you can't beat!"
"This is the man I've set my sights on!" Ozawa thought to himself.
This "liking" is most likely related to baseball!
"Oh!!!" Captain Tetsu shouted as he ran the bases in his deep tenor voice.
"Senior, we're in the lead again!"
Sendou, who hadn't run the bases, took off his helmet and held it with one hand, as if the Headless Horseman were supporting his own head, revealing a relaxed and gentle smile.
He then threw the helmet directly at the first base coach behind him.
While the senior was still completely bewildered, he was engulfed by a huge cheer.
The cheers were deafening, shaking the heavens and the earth, and everyone present seemed to have gone deaf and could not hear anything.
No longer expressionless, and no longer caring whether Harada heard him, he simply smiled and slowly ran the bases, enjoying his time.
Coach Kunimoto, on the bench for Inajitsu, looked up at a 45-degree angle, his face covered in sweat and disbelief. He slowly closed his eyes, as if accepting the current situation.
Head Manager Hayashida next to him was similar, except he was staring blankly at the field, while most of the substitutes on the bench seemed somewhat dazed.
The situation on the field was similar. The infield and outfield defenders all covered their faces with the brims of their hats, letting Captain Tetsu sprint past them and Sendou jog past them.
In front of Harada, whose gaze was blank, the figure number one was still staring at the sky, motionless.
The confidence I had before has turned into a lifeless silence. The more confident a person is, the greater the blow they will suffer when their confidence is destroyed.
When they saw such a perfect Changeup, they felt they were invincible.
They, Inajitsu, will carry the momentum of continuously suppressing the fourth and fifth batters and take the game in one fell swoop.
Given the situation at the time, the game might have indeed been won in one fell swoop, but...
They never dreamed that after the fourth batter barely made it to base...
"It seems this match is over. Inajitsu, as one of the top teams in the country and the King of West Tokyo, possesses unparalleled resilience and confidence, like a powerful dragon."
However, Sendou-kun broke the King's spine with his baseball bat, and shattered it to pieces!!!
Narumiya-kun is indeed the best pitcher of this era, but now I just hope he can still be on the field in the fall.
The more brilliant a genius is, the more unparalleled their confidence in being able to defeat anyone.
However, after Sendou-kun's devastating at-bat, everything will collapse. This blow is devastating to him. No one would be surprised if Narumiya-kun gave up baseball because of it, just like Egawa back then.
This is the terrifying aspect of this on-the-spot elimination system: players can unleash unexpected strength due to fluctuations in their performance, or they can drag the whole team down when they are in poor form.
That's why winning is so difficult, and winning consecutive championships is even more so.
This Sendou-kun was sitting on the mat was not on the same level as anyone else, as if he existed in another dimension.
No, it's probably more than one dimension apart.
Although he was just in a great form today, Sendou-kun's true strength is probably only at the level of the few at-bats before he struck out.
But today's match was enough to prove just how high his ceiling is.
"A truly extraordinary monster is about to emerge in Japan!" Mine Fujio exclaimed amidst the frenzy of the crowd.
Of course, his statement about the end of the competition is based on the assumption that Inajitsu cannot recover; the actual outcome will depend on how things turn out in the end.
Now, time belongs to Seidou High School.
Tens of thousands of people in the stadium had their eyes focused on Seidou's bench, cheering for them.
Looking at this group of boys making a ruckus.
This was really the result of a lot of build-up! It all started with that practice game back in elementary school, which was the prelude to this Home Run. The idea of Harada hearing the sound of his dream shattering in this game was the inspiration I had when I was writing the elementary school storyline. I think it's really cool!
In fact, the lengthy descriptions of the matches and psychological changes are all meant to detail how Narumiya Mei and Sendou reached their peak performance.
This is one of the two foreshadowing elements in the final.
The reason I haven't written from Sendou's perspective but Inajitsu's is because Sendou's perspective would contain too many spoilers, and writing from that angle wouldn't be enjoyable. I'll unravel the mystery first, and then reveal the mystery from Sendou's perspective.
Just how strong was Sendou in this batting match? You could say that the outcome was already decided the moment Sendou stepped into the Batter's Box and Inajitsu chose to fight it out.
Remember what I said about the ultimate ability of the Sendou? This is the first time it has been triggered, and even I don't know if it will trigger a second time.
I'm taking this opportunity to ask for your votes.
I've said a bit too much, so goodnight.