At third base.
Watching Shibata slowly move toward home plate, Horikita Suzune's expression was solemn.
0 out, runners on first and third.
Until this moment.
Horikita Suzune finally realized she could do nothing.
Was it a matter of strength?
No.
On paper.
Class C was clearly much stronger than Class B.
Why was that?
In reality.
The old Class C.
Had simply benefited from a "version" that prioritized individual strength.
Now, encountering a game that emphasizes team coordination.
They found it to be so powerless.
People do change.
But on a class-wide scale, not many have changed.
Furthermore.
There was Hikiagaya fanning the flames from the sidelines from time to time.
Bang!
At that moment.
Yonezu Haruto hit another base hit.
The ball flew straight toward first base, almost a foul, brushing past Miyake Akito.
The three standing in the outfield.
Koenji had no reaction.
Kushida Kikyo and Onodera were moving, but their speed was too slow; Hirata also hurriedly chased after, hoping to salvage the situation.
Simultaneously.
Now.
I'll take this point without hesitation.
Shibata's eyes lit up.
He accelerated at full power toward home plate, reaching it with a slide.
"Second base!"
Also at this time.
Hearing Horikita Suzune's shout, Hirata intercepted the ball with his glove, turning back to attempt a tag at second base.
Only to find Yonezu Haruto and Kanzaki Ryuji already standing at first and second base, the two of them preparing to answer questions.
Though Kanzaki Ryuji's strength was average.
He excelled in stability.
He wouldn't have dazzling performances, but he rarely made mistakes.
Leaving things to Kanzaki was enough to put one at ease.
"The point is valid!"
"Yay! Next, it's up to you, Sumida-kun."
"Oh, no problem, leave it to me with confidence."
Shibata and Sumida high-fived in celebration.
Watching the scene, second baseman Ike Kanji was full of anxiety.
"Sudo, what the hell are you doing? Get serious for me!"
"I know..."
Sudo said through gritted teeth.
In the past, he definitely would have snapped back.
Did Ike think he didn't want to be serious?
0 out.
Runners on first and second.
The next batter is the fourth batter with the strongest hitting ability, Sumida Makoto, followed by Ichinose Honami, who has the right to reach base directly.
How many points would they lose?
The hearts of the entire Class C were in their throats.
If they lost too much, they would fall back to Class D.
Thinking of this.
The members of Class C felt some fear; they were absolutely unwilling for things to turn out that way.
Having experienced a period of extreme lack of money.
Hikiagaya indeed could not empathize with Class C's obsession with reaching Class A.
"Everyone, don't be nervous, there's still a chance."
Horikita Suzune hurriedly comforted everyone.
Although she was the third baseman, Horikita Suzune was still observing the whole situation.
Kanzaki Ryuji had already started answering the question, while Yonezu Haruto seemed to be encountering some difficulty.
Given the function f(x) = 2x^3 - 3x^2 + 5x - 1, find f'(x), the derivative of f(x).
Yonezu Haruto suddenly felt a headache.
This problem wasn't hard.
While he couldn't guarantee finishing it within three minutes, he should usually be able to do it.
But at this moment.
Yonezu Haruto felt his mind was a mess.
Just moments ago he was concentrating on the game, and now he had to force himself to calm down and solve a problem.
It felt as if he were halfway through urinating and then forced by someone to hold it back; it was extremely uncomfortable.
He had originally thought.
As long as one was proficient in both literary and martial arts, they should rarely need to use a proxy answerer.
Now he realized.
This exam seemed even harder than he had imagined.
It tested each person's ability to regulate themselves even more.
After hesitating for a few seconds.
Yonezu Haruto directly applied for a proxy answerer, calling over Ando Sayo.
It wasn't that he couldn't solve it.
But what if he timed out, or answered incorrectly?
That would count as a failed base-reach.
Although Shibata's score would count, his base hit would be considered a failed base-reach.
"Sorry, Ando-san, my brain is a bit busy right now, I'll have to trouble you."
"You're welcome, this is exactly why we exist, let me see what the problem is."
Ando Sayo took the tablet and began to answer.
Watching the scene from a distance.
Horikita Suzune let out a slight sigh of relief.
Just having athletic ability wasn't enough; this could also give Sudo and the others more time to adjust their mindset.
Soon.
The answering time ended, and Ando Sayo answered correctly with ease.
The game began again.
Gazing at Sumida standing in the batter's box, Sudo's expression was equally solemn.
He was the pitcher.
The ace pitcher of Class C.
It couldn't go on like this; some change had to be made.
It was 27.5 meters from the pitcher's mound to home plate.
With his near-sightedness of less than 1.0.
Ayanokouji's glove had already become somewhat blurry, with the edges showing a slight double image.
However.
It didn't matter.
As long as he aimed for the center, this bit of near-sightedness wouldn't have a big impact.
Thinking of this.
Sudo suddenly gripped the baseball in his hand and hurled it out.
Simultaneously.
The information on the scoreboard was also updated.
153KM.
"Ball."
Dammit, why? Calm down, me.
Sudo took a deep breath, his fingers gripping the returned baseball with slight force.
"Ball."
"Ball."
"Ball."
"4-ball walk."
Sumida somewhat helplessly tossed down the bat and jogged toward first base.
Shibata and the others all had chances to perform.
He also really wanted to show off a bit.
Unfortunately.
He didn't know if Sudo was just failing to deliver, or intentionally avoiding a duel with him.
At the same time.
Kanzaki Ryuji and Yonezu Haruto also moved to the next bases; Yonezu requested a proxy answerer again.
Immediately after.
It was Ichinose, who had the right to reach base directly; she went to first base without needing to hit, and Kanzaki also easily snatched a point.
2 to 0!
0 out, bases loaded!
The gap was suddenly pulled wide, and it was a bases-loaded crisis.
If it continued like this.
It would be an easy point-scoring journey for Class B.
Feeling the oncoming pressure.
Horikita Suzune's face also looked a bit unpleasant, and fine sweat overflowed from Sudo's forehead.
This was only the fourth inning.
Originally, this amount of exercise would be nothing to him.
But the massive pressure.
Still made Sudo feel slightly tired.
Basketball and baseball indeed have many things in common, but they also have a major difference.
Basketball requires intense physical confrontation.
The higher the emotions, the better.
However.
This point does not work in baseball.
Baseball requires more precise control.
The more excited the emotions, the harder it is to throw the ball into the strike zone.
Soon.
Lifting the bat and walking onto the batter's box, looking at the solemn-faced Sudo, Hikiagaya let a smile appear at the corners of his mouth.
Although he was ranked as the sixth batter.
In reality, the hitting abilities of the three following him were all above his.
Thinking that the later batters would be easier to deal with would be a big mistake; Beppu and the others indeed couldn't compare to Shibata, but they weren't too far off.
Class B's highlight was balance.
This wasn't the end yet.
If not handled well.
It would instantly be the turn of Shibata and the others again, starting an infinite point-scoring journey.
Hikiagaya's expression was solemn.
Ayanokouji and Koenji were two unstable factors.
It's better to strive to end the game early.