Chapter 277: Killing Intent
"What's wrong, Naru?"
Right before the start of the ninth inning, Harada noticed Narumiya staring at him with a strange expression and asked impatiently.
"No, it's just… Yassan looks like he cares a lot about that old match, so I got curious! Like—what was the score between your team and that bastard back then~?" Narumiya asked with a playful grin.
The second-years preparing to take the field turned their heads with curiosity, and even the third-years glanced over. Everyone wanted to know.
"Enough already! This isn't the time to talk about that!" Harada continued fastening his gear.
"That just makes me more curious!"
Narumiya puffed his cheeks, face flushed with excitement. It looked like he had already forgotten the home run Sendo hit off him earlier.
"That really is something I'd rather not remember…" Harada sighed.
Narumiya, however, had zero intention of letting him off, staring with sparkling eyes.
"10–2. We scored two runs, but honestly the other team was going easy on us by then! Otherwise it would've been even worse. That guy—Sendo—was their ace and cleanup. Four at-bats, four extra-base hits. Six RBIs. I seriously don't want to remember it!"
If Narumiya hadn't looked like he was mentally recovering, Harada would've never said this much.
"Ace?" Narumiya's ears perked up.
Harada looked at him silently.
"Cleanup? Wasn't he only in fourth grade then!? Yassan actually got beaten up that badly Unbelievable!" Narumiya huffed, clearly in tsundere denial.
The others were also doubtful—this story sounded too wild.
"Ah, but the team he was on was insanely strong. We had no chance at all! He only pitched three innings, but once he went full power, no one could touch his pitches. And a fourth-grader throwing in the upper 110 km/h range, with four-quadrant control… It's no surprise he was the ace."
"Wild Cats never puts fourth graders on the first string. And upper 110s? That's threatening even for middle-schoolers! Plus four-quadrant control?"
Narumiya looked at Harada with a "you can't fool me" expression.
"…No way," Carlos muttered.
He was actually starting to believe it.
" Wild Cats Coach didn't let him pitch much because of his age, but yes—everything I said is true. He went from complete beginner to first-string in two weeks.
Became the ace and cleanup in the third week. My memory might be slightly off, but it's about right. But after we played them, he moved away. I'm pretty sure he quit baseball afterward. I have no idea where Seidou even dug him up! Back then, that match almost made me give up baseball. After that, I actually dreamed of forming a battery with him!
Honestly, if three years ago I knew he would go to Seidou… I probably would've gone there too! Even though I already knew Chris was going to Seidou.
But I had forgotten all of this long ago, and lost all trace of him. It was only when I saw Coach Nakanashi's ridiculous outfit just now that everything came back."
Hearing Harada's words, Narumiya's pout grew bigger and bigger—he was clearly jealous.
When Chris's name came up, Shirakawa reacted faintly—after all, he had followed that senior for two years. Gentle and strong.
"Nakanashi-sensei? I'm curious about this 'ridiculous outfit,'" Carlos asked.
Harada pointed toward the stands—Narumiya, puffed-cheeked and jealous, nearly blew air out of his nose.
Then he tried his best to keep his expression from collapsing.
"What is that supposed to be…?"
Carlos stared at the man wearing a Seidou uniform, holding a megaphone, with a big number 8 slapped on his chest—trying to reconcile that sight with one of the strongest youth coaches in the region.
"Hey! Get a grip! This is the crucial moment!" Harada barked at Narumiya.
"I know! Actually… now that I heard that story, I feel a lot lighter. Let's go."
Narumiya suddenly became serious.
The others could only smile helplessly and follow.
....
"Finally the last inning, huh? Feels like we've been playing forever," Sendo sighed as he watched Inashiro take the field.
"True. This game has been absolutely insane. There were several moments I thought we were done for," Miyuki added.
"What is it?"
Miyuki noticed a faint smile on Sendo's face.
"No, it's nothing."
"No way—that doesn't look like 'nothing.'"
"Really, it's nothing. I just suddenly remembered something I want to do. But right now… Let's just enjoy the game. A match this amazing… you might only get one in your entire life."
Sendo patted his friend's shoulder.
"Yeah, that's true…"
Even though he was curious, Miyuki agreed wholeheartedly.
Back-and-forth lead changes, plays you rarely ever see all packed into one game—how could anyone not feel excited?
The neutral spectators had been screaming for ages.
Some with weaker hearts were clutching their chests trying to calm down.
As spectators, they were lucky.
As participants—maybe even luckier.
For many people in the stadium, this would become a once-in-a-lifetime memory.
And because it was so precious—
Neither team wanted to lose.
....
"And taking the mound for the final inning—as expected! Ace pitcher Narumiya Mei! Though they're trailing by one, the difference is only a single run! To stake their hopes on the bottom of the ninth, he absolutely must shut them down here!"
The announcer explained as Inashiro's pitcher-catcher duo warmed up.
"Of course! There's only one ace!"
Sakurazawa's ace, who had been crushed by Inashiro earlier, had turned into Narumiya's fanboy—no, fan man.
"But won't he be bothered by what happened earlier? Getting taken deep like that…"
"No idea. But he stabilized pretty well afterward. Still, I didn't expect Narumiya Mei to give up this many runs! As expected of a championship match. So this is what a powerhouse lineup looks like."
The "honor students" whispered among themselves as warmup time ended.
....
"Top of the ninth! Seidou High on offense!
Ninth batter—pitcher Kawakami!"
"Please, Kawakami-senpai!"
"Nori!"
"You got this!"
"For them to let Kawakami hit… that means they're committing the bottom of the ninth to him as well? Well… they really don't have a choice," Mine murmured.
"Sendo! You look way too relaxed," Sawamura said, approaching.
"What's up?"
"Then come to the bullpen! Stand in the batter's box and face my pitches!"
Sawamura said with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
"Oi oi, don't tell me you actually think you'll get to pitch in this game?" Miyuki teased from the side.
"I don't know! But this match is so intense, how can I just sit in the dugout and watch? I want to participate too!"
Sawamura showed his burning desire for the finals—his longing for the mound.
"I see. That's fine then. Having preparation is always good. Sharpen your weapon properly." Sendo said.
"Yeah!"
Sawamura nodded firmly. His golden eyes shone with a focus completely different from his usual goofy self.
You've awakened too? Good.
That feeling alone is enough, Sendo thought.
He understood Sawamura well. Sawamura needed pressure—only under strong pressure could he simulate real-game conditions. And Sendo, standing in the batter's box, was the perfect source of that pressure.
At this moment, the aura surrounding Sendo was like a dense, crushing force.
Even the senior catcher Miyauchi felt the oppressive atmosphere the instant Sendo stepped into the box.
And even Sawamura, dense as he usually was, felt the overwhelming pressure from the batter's box before he even threw his first pitch.
This was nothing like the relaxed Sendo sitting in the dugout earlier.
If I can pitch my best even against Sendo…then I'll definitely get stronger!
"Whoosh!"
POP!
"!"
Sendo looked at the cutter that hit his chest-high target perfectly and whispered praise.
(Sendo was standing in the right-handed batter's box.)
"Give me another—inside-out fastball. While we're here, show me everything you've got."
Sendo began guiding Sawamura.
…
"Whoosh!"
POP!
"Strike!"
"Batter out!"
On the field, Kawakami had just been struck out.
Just as Harada had predicted, hearing about his past actually helped clear Narumiya's mind. His negative emotions were gone.
"Nice, Naru!"
"Narumiya!"
"Yosh!"
"Amazing!"
"To pitch like this after everything that happened earlier… what incredible mental strength," Mine remarked.
"First batter! Shortstop—Kuramochi!"
"Run with everything you have! Don't stop running! Go, Kuramochi!"
Kuramochi's older-brother mode activated—terrifying as always.
"Left-handed box again? But this is the end for you!"
Narumiya glared arrogantly at Kuramochi from the mound.
"The team going to Koshien…will be us. Not you guys relying on luck!"
"Ku~! Whoosh!"
POP!
"Strike!"
"First pitch slider! Swing and miss! Kuramochi didn't even touch it!"
"Fastball! Fastball! Give me a fastball!"
"It's time…"
Lift leg.
"To turn your dreams…"
Step forward.
"…into despair!!"
"Whoosh!"
POP!
"Strike!"
"Damn it!"
Kuramochi's eyes widened as he slammed his bat into the dirt beside home plate.
"See?! This is the difference in strength!"
"Come on!"
"Shut up."
Narumiya sounded irritated that Kuramochi still had fighting spirit.
Crack!
"Foul!"
Kuramochi barely managed to foul off an outside pitch.
"Still relying on guts? That has limits."
"Whoosh!"
"Damn!"
POP!
"Strike!"
"Batter out!"
For the first time, Kuramochi felt absolute helplessness in his own swing.
The despair stabbed deeply into his heart.
All he could do was walk back in shame.
"Second batter! Second baseman—Kominato Haruichi!"
"Haru!!!"
…Yeah. Like Sawamura was ever going to stay obediently in the bullpen forever.
"Go! Lucky boy!"
"Hit it!"
"Make contact!"
"Go, Narumiya!"
"Naru!"
"Another wooden bat? How many bats did you bring for me to break today?"
Narumiya grew more arrogant with each pitch, his confidence rising dangerously.
All the blows he suffered earlier had pushed him into peak form.
If no one disrupted his rhythm soon, the momentum would swing heavily against Seidou.
Kominato once again stepped close to the plate, same stance as before—this time targeting the outside corner.
Going for the outside? Fine, I'll give it to you.
Narumiya saw right through him.
But Narumiya didn't just want to beat him—he wanted revenge. He wanted to crush the first-year who dared hit his pitch earlier.
He shook off Harada's signs repeatedly.
"Oi! Naru, are you seriously throwing that?" Harada stared directly at him.
"What are you thinking, Yassan? Of course I am! And isn't now the perfect time to check the condition of this pitch, since it's been unstable?"
Narumiya replied firmly.
"…Can't help you, huh. If you can't control it, I will hit you."
Harada warned.
Satisfied, Narumiya showed an emperor-like smile.
He and Kominato stepped at the same time—
"Whoosh!"
"A… changeup!"
CRACK!
Kominato barely touched it, but—
POP!
"Out!"
A weak pop-up to second. No height, no force—an absolutely powerless ball.
"Final pitch—a deciding changeup! Three outs, change sides!!!"
The announcer shouted.
"AHHH!!!"
"Yoshaaaa!!!"
"Great pitch!!"
"Narumiya!"
The cheering section exploded.
Narumiya didn't even bother looking back—he simply walked off the mound with cold composure.
This inning, Narumiya displayed the true difference between the two teams.
"Narumiya completely shut down Seidou's attempt to extend the lead! He has created the perfect setup for his team to tie the game—or even win with a sayonara!"
"Great job!"
"Beautiful!"
"Naru-kun!"
"Fantastic pitching!"
The audience and teammates praised him sincerely.
Of course, Narumiya didn't blush at all.
Minus points.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a huge applause to the ace pitcher who has thrown all nine innings!"
"Narumiya-kun!"
"Naru!"
But Narumiya's eyes held only killing intent.
No satisfaction.
No joy.
No pride.
Just cold, sharp killing intent.
Even Sawamura and Furuya were shaken.
This… this is an Ace.
The same thought rose uncontrollably in both of their minds.
At this moment, all the pressure shifted to Seidou.
If they could hold the bottom of the ninth…they would go to Koshien.
But that pressure alone was terrifying.
Kawakami was already being crushed by it.
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