After winning the game, Coach Kataoka Tesshin met Takumi face-to-face for the first time.
Despite pitching and batting continuously, and constantly using Sharingan and Spiral Ball Rasengan, Takumi was utterly exhausted. If not for his sheer willpower, he might have already collapsed on the ground.
Yet, standing before the coach, he was still incredibly nervous.
The coach would directly decide his fate for the coming months.
If promoted, he would have more opportunities to play.
He had already won one game and needed only five more victories to awaken his next skill.
How could he not be nervous?
After all, opportunities for the Second String players were extremely limited.
"Yamamoto Takumi!" Coach Kataoka Tesshin called out firmly.
"Here!" Takumi replied promptly.
Hearing his answer, the coach nodded approvingly.
He respected straightforward young men like him.
Hesitation on the field only brought trouble.
"Starting tomorrow, you will train with the First String," he announced decisively.
"Yes, coach," Takumi responded eagerly.
Though he had expected it, the news still filled him with exhilaration.
As always, the coach showed true courage when it mattered most.
The First String of Seidō was currently short on pitchers, especially those capable of helping the team win.
But after all, he was still a first-year rookie, and he didn't have only advantages.
By Seidō's standards, he clearly wasn't fully qualified for the First String.
His usual training was basically at the bottom—the last place in the Second String.
Even though Seidō lacked pitchers, those promoted had to at least keep pace with the team's progress to earn important roles.
Just like his own promotion from the third string to the Second String.
Although his performance in the third string wasn't outstanding, it was still acceptable.
Upon entering the Second String, no one gossiped.
He was qualified in training and possessed a unique skill.
Able to help the team win during games.
Isn't it natural for such a player to be promoted?
But now, he was clearly unqualified.
Promoting such a player to the First String would be fine if no problems arose, but once they did, the responsibility would be immense.
Coach Kataoka Tesshin, however, disregarded all this and directly promoted him to the First String.
After saying this, Coach Kataoka turned and left.
A group of first-year rookies immediately swarmed around him like stars orbiting the moon once the coach walked away.
"That's amazing!"
"I didn't expect you to be promoted to the First String so quickly."
"Even though your usual training isn't great, you played perfectly in today's game."
"Being promoted based on this game alone— even the second- and third-year seniors can't argue with that."
The second- and third-year seniors, especially the third-years,
were undoubtedly anxious about the First String roster spots at this time.
If they failed to make the main roster, they would have to prepare to leave the team.
After working hard for three years, facing this battlefield without achievements, who would truly be willing to give up?
His promotion now wouldn't just make the third-year seniors in the Second String envious.
He would likely push someone else out.
If that person was a second-year senior, it might be easier to accept, but if it was a third-year senior, one could imagine how harsh that would be.
It was precisely because of this pressure that his first-year teammates comforted him like this.
After all, the team's victory comes first.
Whoever can help the team win, whoever can help the team reach Koshien—that's what truly matters.
That player should remain on the First String.
If seniority were strictly followed,
there would be no second-year players on Seidō's First String, let alone Miyuki Kazuya.
He had already replaced a senior.
After all, the Summer Tournament roster is limited to just twenty players.
They simply couldn't accommodate more.
The same applied to Takumi's promotion to the First String.
"Congratulations, Takumi-kun," Kuramochi Yōichi said warmly.
After the others had left, he approached him. Aside from the brief moment he was substituted in as a pinch runner near the end of today's game,
He hadn't had the chance to showcase his skills.
With barely half a month until the Summer Tournament draw,
the tournament was imminent. Aside from Takumi's recent promotion,
no one else had the opportunity to join the First String.
If not for his special circumstances and the team's urgent need for pitchers, he might not have been selected at all.
"Don't be discouraged—you'll be promoted soon too," Takumi reassured him.
Originally, whenever they were together, Kuramochi Yōichi always walked ahead, waiting for him.
Now, it seemed the roles might reverse.
"After joining the First String, I heard there will be a week of special training. Have you prepared your dormitory?" Kuramochi Yōichi asked suddenly.
Takumi looked puzzled. "My family rented a house near the school. I'm a day student."
"During the special training, even day students have to stay in the dormitory. I heard that from the seniors," Kuramochi explained confidently.
Clearly, he had given this a lot of thought beforehand.
He did it not for Takumi, but for his own peace of mind.
He had clearly prepared to join the First String.
However, he had too few chances to showcase his skills on the field today—
so few, in fact, that he wasn't chosen to play at all.
"Welcome to the First String, partner!" Miyuki Kazuya greeted him warmly.
As they chatted, he approached with a knowing smile.
He had already guessed that Takumi would be promoted to the First String.
As the catcher in today's game, he knew better than anyone how formidable Takumi's performance had been.
For their current team, this was undoubtedly a windfall.
They absolutely could not afford to miss the chance to claim this prize.
As for himself, he also served as a substitute on the First String.
If he could build a strong partnership with Takumi, the pitcher, and form a solid bond,
he might gain more opportunities when competing for a position in the future.
It wasn't just desire—it was necessity.
Even he wasn't confident he could wrestle the position back from that player.
He had to find another way.
"If you don't have a place to stay during training camp, you can stay in our dormitory. I'll talk to the two seniors…" he offered tentatively.
Hearing Miyuki Kazuya's suggestion, Kuramochi Yōichi immediately bristled.
"Do you even know what 'first come, first served' means?" he snapped. "Besides, I've already spoken with the seniors, and they all agreed. Starting today, Takumi-kun is a member of our Room 5."