Chapter 211: The Koshien Finals

Seido's third game at Koshien ended in a commanding 11–0 victory over Seiho.

Not long after the game concluded, the tournament bracket was updated.

The first three rounds had finished.

The Elite Eight had been decided.

In the quarterfinals, Seido's fearsome batting lineup once again overwhelmed its opponent.

Even so, their rivals refused to go down easily.

The game became a hard-fought nine-inning battle before Seido finally emerged victorious.

That win secured their place in the semifinals.

There, Seido looked almost unstoppable.

Led by Ushijima Wakatoshi, they crushed their opponents with overwhelming dominance.

His pitching left the opposing lineup in complete despair.

At the same time, his bat continued to make history.

By the end of the semifinals, Ushijima had already blasted double-digit home runs during this year's Summer Koshien.

Now...

Only one challenge remained.

Komadai Fujimaki High School.

The Koshien Finals.

The day of the championship game finally arrived.

It immediately became the center of attention for high school baseball fans across Japan.

Long before the first pitch, Koshien Stadium was already packed to capacity.

Not a single seat remained empty.

After all...

Seido had reached the championship game without allowing a single run throughout the tournament.

That feat alone had already become the biggest story of this Summer Koshien.

Inside Ichidai Sankou's cafeteria...

Every player was gathered around the television.

At Inashiro Industrial...

The entire baseball club watched in silence.

Yakushi High was no different.

The players crowded around the TV, unwilling to miss a single moment.

Former Seido players also arrived at Koshien.

Not just last year's seniors...

Even graduates from two and three generations earlier had returned.

It had been six years since Seido last reached the Koshien Finals.

No alumnus wanted to miss this historic moment.

Many supporters even traveled from across Japan to cheer them on in person.

Among the crowd...

Ushijima Wakatoshi's parents had flown in from Dragon Country.

Several media outlets from Dragon Country were also broadcasting the game live.

After all, this was the first time a high school player from mainland Dragon Country had become one of the biggest stars in Japanese high school baseball.

Near the dugout...

Seido's first-string players formed a circle.

Captain Yuki Tetsuya stood in the center.

He placed his left hand over his heart.

One after another...

The rest of the team did the same.

Yuki looked at everyone.

Then he pointed his thumb toward his chest.

"Where are we from?"

"The Kings of Seido!!"

The players answered with a deafening roar.

"Who shed the most sweat?"

"SEIDO!!"

"Who shed the most tears?"

"SEIDO!!"

Their voices echoed throughout Koshien.

The entire stadium fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into thunderous applause.

Even viewers watching from home felt their blood boil.

Among the alumni, Azuma Kiyokuni, Uesugi, Nitta, Tokuchi, and many others smiled proudly.

They knew this chant better than anyone.

But hearing it echo across Koshien...

As former Seido players...

Filled them with indescribable pride.

Yuki raised his voice once more.

"Are you ready to fight?"

"OOOOH!!"

Every player answered without hesitation.

"We carry the pride of Seido on our shoulders."

"Our goal..."

He paused.

"...is to conquer the nation!"

His eyes swept across every teammate.

"We've reached the final battlefield."

"So tell me..."

"What are we going to do?"

"CONQUER OUR OPPONENTS!!"

"Take the field!"

"OOOOH!!"

The moment Seido charged onto the field...

The crowd exploded into cheers.

Not to be outdone, Komadai Fujimaki answered with a thunderous team chant of their own.

The atmosphere instantly reached its peak.

Both teams lined up along the baselines.

Among Komadai Fujimaki's players...

One person stared directly at Ushijima.

His gaze was sharp and unyielding.

Ushijima met it head-on.

Neither of them looked away.

Hongo Masamune.

A first-year.

Just like Ushijima.

Like Furuya, he also came from Southern Hokkaido.

Ushijima had already heard plenty about him.

A fastball that consistently reached 145 km/h.

Outstanding command.

Exceptional composure.

Unlike Ushijima, Hongo maintained precise control even at maximum velocity.

And Komadai's greatest strength wasn't just their ace.

They possessed one of the deepest pitching staffs in the country.

Four pitchers capable of taking the mound.

A terrifying luxury in a long tournament.

The championship game...

Had officially begun.

Komadai Fujimaki batted first.

Ushijima calmly stepped onto the mound.

The roaring crowd faded into the background.

His focus rested solely on the batter in front of him.

Although he wasn't throwing at his maximum velocity...

Every pitch carried incredible life.

His fastballs painted the corners.

His breaking balls snapped violently across the zone.

Watching from Yakushi High...

Sanada couldn't hide his admiration.

"He's as steady as ever."

Another teammate nodded.

"Yeah."

"He gets into rhythm almost immediately."

"And unlike many pitchers..."

"He doesn't fade as the game goes on."

"He can maintain this level from the first inning all the way to the last."

Meanwhile, Raichi Todoroki happily peeled a banana while watching.

"Three up, three down..."

"He's amazing."

Sanada silently clenched his fist.

If Yakushi couldn't overcome Seido...

They would never stand on this stage.

At Inashiro...

Narumiya Mei and the others also watched the game intently.

Back at Koshien...

The championship quickly turned into a pitching duel.

The reason was simple.

Summer Koshien was a brutal tournament.

The opening ceremony had been held on August 7.

The championship game was played on August 20.

Within just two weeks...

Teams had to survive six high-intensity games.

Some were played on consecutive days with almost no time to recover.

By the time the finals arrived...

Only the strongest teams remained.

Ushijima's stamina and recovery were exceptional.

But the rest of Seido's lineup wasn't superhuman.

Fatigue had begun to accumulate.

Komadai Fujimaki was in the same situation.

Neither side was willing to give an inch.

On the mound...

Ushijima completely shut down Komadai's batting order.

But on the other side...

Komadai's ace was equally dominant.

Hongo Masamune.

A first-year with a 145 km/h fastball and pinpoint control.

Even Ushijima struggled against him.

Although Ushijima possessed incredible hitting ability...

A professional-level fastball wasn't something anyone could drive consistently.

The first showdown between the two prodigies immediately became the highlight of the game.

Pitch after pitch.

Neither side backed down.

Nine pitches...

Ten...

Finally—

Hongo unleashed a devastating forkball.

Ushijima committed to the swing.

The baseball disappeared beneath his bat.

Thwack!

"Strike three! You're out!"

The umpire's call rang through Koshien.

"YOSHIIIIII!!"

Hongo pumped his fist and let out a thunderous roar.

The entire stadium erupted.

Even the Seido players couldn't help feeling surprised.

But no one blamed Ushijima.

This was the Koshien Finals.

Only the strongest remained.

Anyone capable of reaching this stage was extraordinary.

For Hongo...

Striking out Ushijima Wakatoshi was a statement.

For Ushijima...

It was a reminder.

As he walked back toward the dugout, he clenched his fists tightly.

He had misread that final forkball.

But next time...

He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.