It was the top of the eighth inning, and Nanamori was at bat.
Takumi's powerful pitching had completely extinguished their hopes of extending the lead.
Even though their coach and players no longer spoke of it, deep down they knew it was impossible to get hits or runs off him.
At this point, their only hope was to maintain their current advantage.
Their team's Ace, Midori, was also nearing his limit.
No matter how reluctant they were, they had to bring in a relief pitcher.
Nanamori's relief pitcher was a well-built player. By appearance alone, he could easily outshine their own Ace.
But on the field, looks meant nothing.
As he stepped onto the mound, he was extremely nervous.
His body shook uncontrollably, trembling like a leaf.
"Iida-kun!"
The coach's voice rang out, steady and reassuring.
The relief pitcher swallowed hard and struggled to regain his composure.
"Coach?" he whispered hesitantly.
"I know how nervous you must feel, being sent out at a moment like this," the coach acknowledged gently.
Even in previous official games, their relief pitcher had never appeared so unsettled.
But today's game was different.
They had staked everything on this match; losing was not an option.
Besides, they were still leading by three runs. Their chances of winning were high.
Yet the greater the lead, the heavier the pressure weighed on the relief pitcher.
How formidable were those Seidō players on the field?
Iida had seen it with his own eyes.
Even now, the memory stirred a lingering fear within him.
And he hadn't even played in the earlier games.
Not to mention stepping onto the field and truly battling the opponent.
Their team's Ace, Midori, could bear the pressure, but that didn't mean he could.
At that moment, Nanamori's coach's voice flowed like a warm spring, soothing his body and melting away his tension and unease.
"We're leading now, and the opponent is just starting their batting order over," the coach encouraged softly. "You don't have to be afraid; their hitting isn't as strong as you think. Just play with your usual strength, and you'll hold on until the end."
"Even if you have some bad luck and give up one or two runs, it's alright. Just don't lose your cool!"
If possible, Nanamori's coach really didn't want to send their relief pitcher onto the field.
The gap in skill between their relief pitcher and their Ace was too great.
But it was unavoidable.
Even a top national powerhouse like Seidō couldn't produce an outstanding Ace every time. Though they ranked among the top four in West Tokyo, they were still just an ordinary school.
Having a powerful Ace was already a stroke of luck.
Hoping their relief pitcher could match their Ace was like wishing to win the lottery—the odds were better with the lottery.
"I'll give it my all!" the relief pitcher vowed solemnly.
He had never faced such a situation before. It felt as if the entire team's hopes rested on his shoulders.
Most players couldn't handle such pressure.
It wasn't impossible for them to completely collapse on the field.
But he was different.
Though he lacked confidence internally, his pitches held great skill.
Takumi had activated his Sharingan.
Seeing the ball approach, he swung decisively.
Ping!
The ball was hit well, but just as he started running, Nanamori's second baseman arrived a step early and securely caught it.
Smack!
"Out!"
One out, no one on base.
Nanamori's coach's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Though their relief pitcher wasn't on the same level as their Ace in pure pitching skill, that didn't mean Iida's pitching lacked its own unique strengths.
He might not be a powerhouse, but he was undeniably dependable.
"We're determined to win this game today!" the coach declared firmly.
Seidō's second and third batters who came up next failed to produce good results.
The balls they hit seemed well controlled, landing right into the fielder's gloves.
Three consecutive outs.
The score remained 2–5.
The game had reached the ninth inning, and Seidō was still trailing by three runs.
This setback was undoubtedly devastating for the team.
Especially knowing that Nanamori's relief pitcher was unusually strong.
It would be extremely difficult for them to overcome him.
Nanamori's coach wore a relieved smile.
Although they had been caught off guard by Seidō's secret weapon, the final outcome still looked promising.
He glanced toward the home plate umpire, eager to catch a glimpse of Coach Kataoka Tesshin's reaction.
To his disappointment, Coach Kataoka's face remained unchanged, as if this were nothing more than a trivial matter.
"Go ahead and pretend! I don't believe you can truly be this calm inside." he muttered with a sly grin.
The coach was cunning, yet he knew the players were only sixteen or seventeen.
They couldn't possibly be this composed, could they?
With that lingering thought, he shifted his gaze toward Seidō's dugout.
Despite being three runs behind and the chances of a comeback were slim, the atmosphere in Seidō's dugout showed no hint of despair.
It wasn't that they were all elated.
They were simply gathered, constantly discussing strategies.
The players about to bat were even more determinedly warming up.
Seeing this, Nanamori's coach felt one thing clearly: their opponents had no intention of giving up.
Even with slim odds, they intended to fight to the very end.
'This is Seidō!' he thought, admiration and caution mingling in his mind.
'Though they haven't performed well in recent years or made it to Koshien, they still hold the title of a top national powerhouse.'
A tight knot formed in his chest.
After all, the team they faced was only Seidō's second string.
What about their first string?
Even if Seidō was underperforming, as a top national powerhouse, they were no team Nanamori could take lightly.
In the top of the ninth inning, Takumi once again took the mound.
His opponents had given up resisting, making it easy for him to record outs.
Soon, three outs were made, and the sides switched offense and defense.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, it was Seidō's turn to bat.