Faced with the disapproving stares from the fans in the stands, the players of Sensen High School were clearly under immense pressure.
"How about we just raise the white flag and surrender?"
"Let's just tell the umpire we all got food poisoning and forfeit the game—"
Among the Sensen High players, a teenager with rimless glasses proposed this half-jokingly.
Although Sensen's players weren't as eccentric-looking as those from Seiko Academy, they still stood out from the average crowd due to their physique—broad, strong builds that leaned more toward the chubby side than the athletic.
"Great idea. Why don't you go do that, Nitta-kun?"
Immediately, Nitta shook his head like a rattle drum.
He was only joking to vent his nerves. There was no way he'd actually do it.
He, Nitta, still had some pride to uphold.
"Enough nonsense. Let's focus on playing our game."
Their coach, standing at the front, looked shockingly average—neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin. His face lacked any defining features, and he didn't exude the aura of a typical coach. He wasn't ugly, but he also wasn't memorable in any way.
He was the kind of person you'd easily lose sight of in a crowd. A supervisor with a low presence—yet he led Sensen High to solid results.
West Tokyo is a well-known battlefield in high school baseball.
For them to repeatedly make it to the quarterfinals in such a fiercely competitive region was no fluke.
It was thanks entirely to this unremarkable supervisor's unique coaching style and ability.
With his calm encouragement, the players gradually settled down.
Their hearts were clear as mirrors.
Their coach was right: no matter the opponent, they still had to give it their all on the field.
Even if their chances of winning were slim—they were playing Seidou.
Facing Seidou, and standing on the stage of the Summer Tournament… for Sensen, this might be their one and only chance to shine.
Just as the Sensen players started calming down and preparing to face Seidou—
The door to Seidou High's locker room opened.
Leading the way was Azuma Kiyokuni, followed by Yuki, Yoshida, Tanba, Zhou Hao, Chris...
As the players of Seidou High emerged one by one, the crowd collectively drew a breath.
Only then did everyone truly realize the kind of lineup Seidou had this year.
"I know a lot of them!"
People who originally thought they didn't know much about Seidou suddenly discovered—
They recognized a surprising number of players from Seidou's lineup!
Seidou High was on fire this year.
Even fans who had never followed them before found themselves staring at the roster, thinking, Wait, I've seen him before!
And it wasn't just big names like Zhou Hao, Chris, or Azuma.
Even players like Yuki, Yoshida, and Koichiro Tanba were gaining popularity for one reason or another.
The fans who had specifically come to support Seidou were naturally familiar with the players.
But even casual spectators, or those supporting other schools, began to realize just how many of Seidou's players they recognized.
What did this mean?
Even in professional baseball games, most people could only name a few superstars.
But with Seidou—people found they could match names to faces far more than usual.
Was Seidou's current team really that popular?
Fans stared at the players stepping onto the field with anticipation and curiosity.
Even the journalists were no exception.
Reporters who had been covering Seidou recently noticed something:
Their articles about Seidou always got clicks.
Readership was rising. Magazine sales even ticked upward.
They knew the reason wasn't just because the players were skilled, or because they were handsome, or had explosive plays.
The story of Seidou High this year was just too compelling.
Once a top-tier baseball powerhouse, Seidou hadn't made it to Koshien in years.
A fallen titan.
And now?
They were rising again.
A dynasty poised to return.
And the centerpiece of it all… was a first-year.
With so many explosive storylines converging—how could readers not be hooked?
Journalists felt like they barely had to lift a finger. There was no need for flowery language or dramatic writing.
Just faithfully reporting Seidou's story was enough to capture everyone's attention.
And in the audience…
Were not just fans and reporters—
But rival teams, too.
"Hey, look who's here!"
Just before the game began, a group of teenage boys in sharp uniforms entered the stadium corridor.
Their presence caused a stir almost instantly.
Fans turned to look.
And when one of them recognized who they were, he practically dragged his friend in excitement.
"What's the big deal—" the friend muttered, annoyed.
But the moment he saw the group clearly—especially their jerseys—
His eyes widened.
"Inashiro Industrial High!"
This time, Inashiro didn't just send a scout or representative.
Their entire main roster had come in person.
They were here for one reason—to scout Seidou High School.
"The match isn't even over yet, but Inashiro already has their eyes on the next round."
"Obviously. Seidou's been dominating the tournament. No one's even come close to stopping them."
With no real resistance in their path so far, Inashiro—the team most favored to win a ticket to Koshien—was getting serious.
And just as Inashiro's players arrived—
Another team followed close behind.
A group of players in crisp white uniforms made their way in behind them.
"Who are they?"
"Do you recognize those uniforms?"
"I do—that's a team from Kanagawa. Oh my god—"
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