Chapter 449: The Purpose Behind It
First Base Side – Starters' Dugout
"Technically, you're the starting lineup, so it should be a given that you're expected to win. But this time, things are a little different. You're up against Sawamura on the mound. You, more than anyone, should know exactly what kind of pitcher he is. So I won't waste time on unnecessary words—first, just get used to his pitching. Alright?"
Ochiai sat lazily on the bench, twirling his little mustache. His tone was casual, as if he didn't really care, but his eyes betrayed a quiet sharpness.
He spoke to Miyuki and the others seated before him.
"That's it?"
Even someone as bold as Kuramochi couldn't help feeling a little unsettled when faced with Ochiai's unnerving presence, which somehow always gave off a quiet, dangerous pressure—especially when he narrowed his eyes like that.
"Yeah, that's it. Winning or losing is ultimately up to you, isn't it? Honestly, I don't think you guys can crack Sawamura in just five innings. But who knows—maybe you'll surprise me."
Ochiai's lips curved into a faint, almost sinister smile.
The look made Maezono, Kuramochi, Shirasu and the others exchange awkward glances. No one knew how to respond.
This coach really was cold.
And wasn't he the one who usually gave incredibly precise advice?
Why was he saying practically nothing useful now?
Kuramochi and Maezono were baffled.
And more than that, they were starting to get annoyed.
What did he mean by "low chances of winning"?
What did he mean by "can't break through Sawamura"?
Sure, they all acknowledged Sawamura's strength as their team's ace, but that didn't mean they were ready to just roll over.
This was baseball—they'd never give up without a fight.
You could tell just by looking at Furuya standing in the crowd, radiating this intense "I'm gonna take him down" energy.
Even the usually shy and polite Haruichi was clenching his fists with quiet determination.
He'd made up his mind, too—he was going to face Sawamura head-on.
In that moment—
Ochiai's thoughts couldn't help but drift to a simple, honest conclusion:
"So young…"
Unnoticed by the others, his gaze drifted casually across the team, pausing briefly on Miyuki.
When he saw the slight, knowing smile tugging at Miyuki's lips, he sighed internally.
"This captain… really is something special. He catches on so quickly."
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Third Base Side – Backup Dugout
While Ochiai's cryptic words had fired up the starters, on the backup side, Coach Kataoka addressed the team in his signature passionate tone.
Or maybe—"motivational speech" was more accurate.
"Good—those are the faces I want to see. Looks like you're mentally prepared. I'll be calling signs like it's a real game, so go out there with the mindset to win. Beat them down!"
His voice was filled with fire and intensity.
Kataoka never failed to express his fiery spirit in everything he did.
Shoji, Seki, Kijima, Yamaguchi and the others responded with fierce grins.
"OOOOHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Their powerful cheer seemed to shake the entire field.
Across the way, the starters all wore a variety of expressions as they heard the cry.
This—was the difference in leadership style.
And the impact was clear.
More importantly—
From the starters' perspective, their opponents weren't just a bunch of backups.
...
"Sawamura."
Just before the game began and the two teams took the field—
Coach Kataoka called out to Eijun personally.
"Yes, Coach!"
Eijun jogged over to him, eyes full of determination.
"Do you know why I assigned you as the starting pitcher for the backup team?"
Coach Kataoka's sharp gaze held a hint of gentleness as he posed the question, his tone casual, as if simply seeking Eijun's thoughts.
"To refine… and to challenge."
Eijun pressed his lips together, then gave a faint, calm smile as he answered concisely.
Those five simple words—
Made the corners of Kataoka's mouth lift ever so slightly, a flash of approval and pride glinting in his eyes.
As expected from the player I've placed my faith in.
Not only was Eijun gifted in baseball—
His understanding and reaction were on a whole other level. Few others could match him in that regard.
"Good. I'm glad you understand. Then… I'll leave them to you."
There was unmistakable trust in Kataoka's eyes as he spoke.
"Yes, sir. I understand, Coach."
Eijun looked steadily into Kataoka's eyes and gave a firm nod, answering in a deep and confident voice.
At first, Eijun hadn't fully understood why he'd been put on the backup team's starting lineup.
But after a bit of quick thinking—
And hearing Kataoka's words to the team before the game—
He began to see the bigger picture.
Seidou had been winning match after match. Apart from a brief stumble against Ugumori, they'd steamrolled most of their opponents.
That created a subtle but undeniable sense of arrogance creeping into the team.
Unlike the original timeline, where Seidou had been desperately clawing toward a shot at the nationals—
This Seidou had already reestablished itself as a powerhouse during the summer tournament.
Right now—
Seidou was at risk of peaking early and tapering off.
But these things couldn't be said outright.
The upcoming opponents in the semifinals and finals were on a whole different level compared to the earlier teams. They couldn't afford to be complacent.
So this match was a carefully crafted response:
A live-game environment for hands-on preparation.
A chance to reassess the current status of all 20 first-team players.
A trial run for potential lineup and tactical changes ahead of the final rounds.
And just as importantly—
A chance to use the starting lineup's batters to sharpen Eijun's pitches and command.
And, inversely, to use Eijun's presence and dominance to humble a few starters who might've gotten too comfortable.
To achieve those last two goals—
Kataoka had even gone so far as to split up the battery of Miyuki and Eijun, assigning the ace to the backup team.
In short—
This intra-squad match was designed to accomplish many goals at once.
Eijun might not have figured out every detail of Kataoka's plan.
But he could guess the shape of it.
And surely—
On the other side, Miyuki had already seen through most of it.
This wasn't just a match to determine a winner.
Its true purpose—
Was to polish some players, shake up others, and ultimately raise the overall strength and cohesion of the entire team.
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