"Yah!!"
Isashiki Jun let out a roar, deliberately mimicking Azuma Kiyokuni's shout as he swung his bat.
Bang!
A sharp line drive screamed toward right field.
"First base!" Osaka Kiryu's catcher shouted instinctively.
"Ya—hahaha!"
Isashiki Jun was already sprinting at full speed. By the time the ball landed and before it could even be thrown back, he was only a few steps away from the bag.
He stomped onto first base and let out an excited roar.
Behind him, Kanzaki Ryou advanced decisively to second, while Azuma Kiyokuni pushed forward without hesitation to third.
Two outs. Bases loaded.
On the mound, Matsugi Musashi felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest.
He was confident he could deal with Seidou's next batter, Yoshikawa Junpei—but every inning felt exhausting. Seidou's pressure never seemed to let up.
He glanced at Azuma Kiyokuni standing on third base.
Steal? Impossible.
With Azuma's build, that was never a concern.
At the batter's box, Yoshikawa Junpei felt even more pressure than Matsugi.
So far in this Koshien, whether at bat or in right field, he had barely left any impression.
Score…
Koshien semifinals—if I can't bring Azuma home now, what was the point of coming here?
Matsugi raised his arm and delivered the pitch.
"Strike!"
"Strike!"
Two strikes came quickly.
Yoshikawa clenched his teeth, unwilling to accept it.
On the mound, Matsugi sneered slightly.
So what if the bases are loaded? You still won't score.
This pitch will finish it.
The third pitch—a sharp inside two-seam fastball.
Yoshikawa swung a fraction early.
The ball was fast, heavy, and vicious. With his batting level, the only way was to seize the timing and swing with everything he had.
Whoosh—
Bang!!
The ball exploded off the bat and shot into the outfield like a laser.
Yoshikawa's eyes lit up.
At the same time, Azuma Kiyokuni charged for home, not daring to slow for even a moment.
"Ahhh—!!"
"SAFE!"
The umpire's call rang out clearly.
Azuma crossed home plate safely.
Run scored!
Matsugi froze for a moment.
He never expected Seidou's eighth batter to break through—and right into an unmanned gap.
Bases were still loaded.
Matsugi turned his head and saw Kanzaki Ryou standing on third base, smiling calmly.
That smile instantly irritated him.
I'll never let you score.
Whoosh!
Nanjo swung and missed.
"Strike!"
Whoosh!
"Strike!"
Slap!
"Strike!"
Three pitches.
Strikeout.
The top of the third inning ended with Seidou adding another run.
Bottom of the Third Inning
The score stood at 4–1.
Osaka Kiryu, now trailing by three, launched a fierce counterattack.
The second batter reached base.
The third batter, Wada Daisuke, crushed a deep hit to center field, advancing the runners.
Then the cleanup hitter, Tahara Kazuki, followed with another long hit.
Nanjo struggled desperately on the mound, but the bases were loaded once more.
A grounder broke through the infield—
Osaka Kiryu scored.
Bases still loaded.
The sixth batter was finally retired, but the seventh batter followed with another hit, scoring yet another run.
Only when facing the eighth batter did Nanjo finally secure the third out.
In a single inning, the score gap shrank to one run.
Both teams were burning with tension.
This was no longer a cautious match—it was a head-on clash.
Top of the Fourth Inning
Shida Shota was struck out.
But Kominato Ryosuke sparked the offense with a clean hit down the third-base line.
Yuki followed, getting on base.
One out. Runners on first and second.
Then—
Azuma Kiyokuni.
Matsugi's changeup was just a bit too slow.
Bang!!!
The ball soared into the stands.
Home run!!
Three runs scored in an instant.
Azuma's Koshien home run count rose to three, and Seidou extended their lead once more.
"Azuma!!"
"HOME RUN!!"
"Monster!!!"
The stadium boiled over.
Azuma laughed wildly as he circled the bases, his voice echoing across the field.
When he returned to the dugout and saw Kanzaki Ryou holding a bat, he slapped his shoulder hard.
"Kid—wasn't that amazing?! Hahaha!"
"Amazing," Kanzaki nodded seriously. "That one was priceless."
Kanzaki stepped into the batter's box, eyes focused.
If not a home run, at least get on base.
Whoosh!
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
Kanzaki froze slightly.
He had been walked.
Even he hadn't expected that.
From everything before, Matsugi was clearly a proud, aggressive pitcher, yet now he chose to avoid him.
Standing on first base, Kanzaki watched as Tanaka Wataru and Isashiki Jun were retired in succession.
The game marched on.
Fourth inning.
Fifth inning.
Sixth inning.
By the end of the top of the seventh, the score had climbed to 12–9.
At the plate, Kanzaki Ryou had already added another hit and a home run.
"Kanzaki… it's up to you next."
In the dugout, Nanjo sat slumped on a chair, towel covering his face, voice hoarse.
Just six innings—and his pitch count had long exceeded one hundred.
Constant pressure. Constant traffic on base.
He was exhausted—physically and mentally.
Kanzaki put on his pitching glove and nodded.
"Don't worry," he said calmly.
"This game is already over."
"Hmph, confident as ever," Azuma chuckled.
"He's always been like that," Shida Shota laughed. "And that's exactly why he's reliable."
Coach Kataoka looked at Kanzaki.
"Are you ready?"
"I've been ready for a long time," Kanzaki smiled. "Honestly, I'm already impatient."
"…Good. Go."
"Yes!"
Bottom of the Seventh Inning
Seidou substitution announced:
Pitcher: Kanzaki Ryou
Catcher: Miyuki Kazuya
Left fielder: Araki Keita
As Kanzaki stepped onto the field, thunderous cheers erupted.
Seidou fans shouted his name in unison.
Without even realizing it, a shared belief had taken root in their hearts—
As long as Kanzaki Ryou stood on the mound,
Seidou would never lose.