The next morning, Kanzaki Ryou woke up feeling as if his entire body were filled with lead.
The fatigue from the first day of training camp had already surfaced.
Turning his head, he saw Arima Kazusa barely managing to walk, needing someone to support him down the stairs, as well as the other first-years who looked like they were spending all their remaining strength just to reach the classroom.
Kanzaki suddenly felt… fortunate.
At least he could still walk on his own.
After arriving in class, Kanzaki lasted less than thirty minutes before collapsing onto his desk and falling into a deep sleep.
In classrooms throughout the school, the situation was exactly the same.
Every single member of Seido's first string was asleep.
For the teachers who had taught at Seido for many years, this scene was nothing unusual.
It was tradition.
After school, everyone returned to the baseball field.
The second day of hell had begun.
When training finally ended, Sawamura, Furuya, Kominato, and Arima lay flat on the ground in a neat row.
"Heh… among these guys, only Sawamura has passable stamina," Miyuki said while rotating his sore shoulders.
"The others—especially Furuya. If this were a real game, he probably wouldn't last many innings."
"Agreed." Kanzaki Ryou nodded.
Then he added casually, "Isn't Furuya from Hokkaido? Can he even handle Tokyo's summer heat?"
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone's gaze shifted toward Furuya Satoru, who was lying motionless like a corpse.
Even Coach Kataoka frowned slightly.
He hadn't considered that issue before.
If this kid suffers heatstroke during a game…
Coach Kataoka quietly made a decision.
From now on, he would deliberately increase Furuya's training under the blazing sun.
If he couldn't adapt, that problem had to be exposed early.
Days passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, it was the seventh day.
After school, Kanzaki Ryou dragged his exhausted body out of the classroom and happened to run into Kawakami and Ono.
Unlike Kawakami, who looked utterly drained, Ono Hiroshi who had been squeezed out of the first string was still energetic, assisting with training every day without complaint.
"Kanzaki-san, want to walk together?" Kawakami asked with a weak smile.
Kanzaki nodded.
He glanced back at Miyuki and Kuramochi, who were still sleeping at their desks.
Forget it.
Let them suffer.
"Aren't you going to wake them?" Ono Hiroshi asked.
Kanzaki's lips curled upward.
"What? Don't you want to watch a good show?"
"…I do."
"Then let's go."
The three exchanged mischievous smiles and left.
At the field, they changed clothes and lined up.
Coach Kataoka counted heads, then frowned.
"There are two missing. Where are Miyuki and Kuramochi?"
Everyone subconsciously looked toward Kanzaki Ryou.
After all, those three were inseparable.
Kanzaki remained calm, just about to make up an excuse—
When Miyuki and Kuramochi appeared at the gate, scratching their heads with awkward grins.
"What are you dawdling for?! Run!!" Coach Kataoka roared.
The two sprinted forward at full speed.
Thump!
They slid into a kneeling position in perfect unison.
"Sorry!!!"
"After training today, ten extra laps!" Coach Kataoka said coldly.
"Yes!!"
Both of them felt their hearts shatter.
Ten more laps.
They were already running twenty every day.
This was basically a death sentence.
When Miyuki returned to the line, Kanzaki whispered:
"Serves you right."
Miyuki poked him angrily.
"You didn't even wake me up!"
"I did. You wouldn't get up. Not my problem."
Miyuki rolled his eyes.
He was absolutely certain Kanzaki had done it on purpose.
Training continued into the evening.
The first string was pushed to the brink.
"You first-years! Are you dead?! If not, keep running!" a senior shouted.
"Furuya! What kind of wobbling mess is that?!"
"Arima! Stop leaning on people!"
Kanzaki glanced over.
Arima Kazusa really looked like a zombie, one hand hanging off Furuya's shoulder as he staggered forward.
Calling it running would be generous.
Walking was more accurate.
Base running finally ended.
Next was the last item of the day—
Fielding practice.
Bang!
"Uh!"
Masuko Toru rushed forward and caught the bouncing grounder.
Bang!
"Again!"
Isashiki Jun caught another ball, chest heaving, but eyes blazing.
"Good spirit," Ochiai Hiromitsu murmured, stroking his mustache.
Seido's training intensity over these days had far exceeded his expectations.
This wasn't just training anymore.
It was tempering willpower.
"They are very spirited," Coach Kataoka said beside him.
Ochiai turned his head.
Coach Kataoka was rolling up his sleeves.
Then—
he stepped onto the field.
"You step aside. I'll hit."
"Yes!!"
Coach Kataoka took the bat.
"First-years, rest on the sidelines!"
Sawamura and the others fled like pardoned prisoners.
"Ready!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Coach Kataoka relentlessly fired balls into the field.
No one had time to breathe.
Catch—throw—move—repeat.
Watching from the sidelines, Sawamura clenched his fists.
Even after all this…
He still couldn't keep up with the seniors.
"Monsters…" Furuya muttered.
Compared to them—
his stamina really was lacking.