"Clang!"
Akaishi Osamu's determination allowed him to connect with Narumiya Mei's fastball—but the hit lacked power. The ball didn't travel far and was easily handled by Inashiro Industrial's defense.
Back in the dugout, Akaishi lowered his head slightly.
"Kou… sorry. I couldn't keep the offense going. I wasted the chance you created."
Kitamura Kou immediately understood what he was feeling. Instead of comforting him directly, he casually tossed his catcher's glove at Akaishi's face.
"Idiot. Stop overthinking and gear up. At this rate, we'll be back on defense in no time."
And just as Kou predicted, despite the efforts of Yutaka Yamauchi and Keisuke Kobayashi, Yakushi failed to get another hit off Narumiya Mei.
"Although they allowed a hit and walked the fifth batter, Mishima Yuta, Narumiya held firm and stranded him at third! Now the momentum shifts—Inashiro Industrial High School sends up their cleanup hitter, Masatoshi Harada! Can they launch a counterattack like Yakushi did?"
In Inashiro's dugout, Narumiya Mei finally let his frustration explode.
"Damn it! Damn it! What kind of joke is this?! That bastard!"
He slammed the bench repeatedly, venting everything he had bottled up. No one stopped him—they simply let him cool off.
After a while, he stepped back out, rolling his shoulders.
"Ahh… that feels better."
Shirakawa Katsuyuki glanced at him coldly.
"What exactly feels better?"
Narumiya dropped into his seat, crossing his arms.
"I've calmed down. The game's not over—we haven't lost. And I'm not chasing a perfect record anymore."
Shirakawa narrowed his eyes slightly. "Didn't expect you to say something that reasonable."
Coach Kunitomo spoke calmly from behind them.
"Harada… as Narumiya's partner, you understand that pitcher best. I only have one piece of advice—don't think as a captain or catcher right now. Step up as the fourth batter. Fight him as a hitter."
Harada nodded, his gaze firm.
"…Got it."
Then he turned to Narumiya.
"If you want revenge, take it back at the plate."
Narumiya stood up immediately, fire burning in his eyes.
"You don't have to tell me. I'll teach that brat a lesson he'll never forget."
On Yakushi's side, before heading out, Kitamura Kou spoke to Akaishi.
"Akaishi, I'm going all out this inning. We shut them down here."
Akaishi's expression hardened.
"Leave it to me. Even if I have to block it with my body, I won't let a single ball get past."
Kou chuckled lightly, trying to ease the tension.
"Hey, don't make it sound like a life-or-death battle. Relax a bit."
"In the bottom of the fifth inning, Inashiro Industrial comes to bat! Cleanup hitter—catcher, Masatoshi Harada!"
On the mound, Kitamura Kou exhaled slowly, gripping the baseball tightly before raising his arms.
Behind the plate, Akaishi Osamu crouched low, eyes sharp and focused. This time, he wouldn't make a mistake.
In the batter's box, Masatoshi Harada unleashed his full presence. As one of West Tokyo's top three hitters, he had his own pride to defend.
Bat raised. Eyes locked.
The duel began.
"BOOM!!!"
The pitch exploded out of Kou's hand—over 150 km/h, tearing through the air toward home plate.
Harada didn't hesitate.
No thoughts. No doubts.
If it comes, I hit it.
"WHOOSH!"
He swung with full force.
"THUMP!!!"
"Strike!"
He missed.
The ball slammed into Akaishi's glove—but this time, Akaishi held firm. Even as the ball rattled wildly inside the mitt, he secured it cleanly.
The radar flashed:
153 km/h.
From the on-deck circle, Narumiya grinned.
"That's it, Masa-san!"
He could feel it—Harada had changed. No hesitation. No restraint. Just a clean, decisive swing.
In this moment of crisis, Harada shed every role—captain, catcher, cleanup hitter.
He became something simpler.
A batter.
A man enjoying the challenge against a powerful pitcher—free from pressure, free from expectations.
Harada reset his stance, his aura growing sharper.
On the mound, Kou felt that pressure—and smiled.
"So I'm not the only one evolving…"
His blood surged.
"Good. Let's enjoy this."
"BOOM!!!"
Another pitch tore through the air.
Harada swung again—
"THUMP!!!"
"Strike two!"
Missed again.
154 km/h.
The crowd fell completely silent now, all eyes locked on the duel, afraid to miss even a second.
"BOOM!!!"
"PING!!!"
"Foul ball!"
151 km/h.
The battle stretched on.
Five pitches exchanged—neither side giving an inch.
Even though the last few pitches didn't exceed 152 km/h, the sheer intensity of the duel was enough to leave everyone breathless.
Masatoshi Harada was proving exactly why he was Inashiro's ace batter.
And Kitamura Kou… was meeting him head-on.