Chapter 253: A Nationwide Sensation!!
"Thank you for the game!"
"Thank you!!"
As players from both teams bowed to one another in mutual respect, The West Tokyo finals officially came to a close.
On the side of the victors—Seidou High School—
Their players were all beaming with joy, their faces lit up with triumphant smiles.
In contrast, the players from Inashiro Industrial…
Many of them still had tear stains on their faces, and some were still crying openly.
Especially the third-years—
In their final year of high school, having fought their way to the West Tokyo finals…
They had come just one step short of boarding the train to Koshien.
And with that loss, their high school baseball journey came to an end.
The emotions they felt at that moment were impossible to put into words.
It was no surprise that they were devastated.
And yet—despite the heartbreak—
The players from Inashiro still offered Seidou their heartfelt blessings.
"Since you've beaten us, you'd better not lose at Koshien!"
Inashiro's players had full confidence in their own strength.
Had they made it to Koshien, they believed they would have made a real impact.
Now that they were out, They placed that same expectation on Seidou, the team that defeated them.
If Seidou had the power to beat them,
Then they'd better show that same strength on the national stage.
Hearing Inashiro's words, Seidou's players felt a heavy weight settle in their chests.
Their relationship with Inashiro was complicated.
They were rivals—fierce competitors—
But in another sense, they were comrades from the same region.
They all carried the pride of West Tokyo,
And represented one of its three great powerhouse schools.
Seidou's captain, Yuuki, nodded solemnly.
"We will. You can count on it."
It wasn't just his promise—
It was the collective vow of the entire Seidou team.
When they stepped onto the field at Koshien,
Even if it meant giving every last ounce of energy they had, They would fight to become national champions.
Not just for themselves—
Not just for Seidou's glory—
But also for all the rivals they had defeated along the way.
"We will win it all! We swear it!!"
Hearing those words, smiles returned to the faces of Inashiro's players—
Even through the sadness.
Their hearts, though heavy, finally felt some relief.
"We believe in you!!"
The atmosphere between the two teams was warm, filled with respect and shared passion.
But just as that peaceful moment settled in—
Inashiro's cleanup hitter and captain, Harada,
Suddenly stepped forward.
He asked to speak with Furuya alone.
Seidou's players didn't want to jump to conclusions or make assumptions—
But the truth was, their first-year ace meant everything to them.
After all, it wasn't for nothing that they'd thrown Furuya into the air after the game.
Not even their own coach had received that kind of treatment.
So when Inashiro's captain asked to speak with Furuya alone, some of Seidou's players couldn't help but feel a little on edge.
Could it be that Harada, unable to accept the loss, was planning to do something reckless?
It wasn't that they wanted to think that way…
But caution was always a must—even if the worst wasn't likely.
These thoughts came naturally to Seidou's upperclassmen.
But given the situation, it felt awkward to directly reject or stop him.
While the second- and third-years were still unsure of how to respond—
Furuya stepped forward on his own.
"It's fine. If senpai wants to ask something, go ahead."
His openness and calmness made the others feel a twinge of guilt.
Had they been too guarded? Too suspicious?
Harada was caught off guard by how straightforward Furuya was—
And he let go of the idea of pulling him aside.
He smiled, relaxing a little.
"I just wanted to ask... why did you choose a fastball for the final pitch?"
It wasn't just Harada who wanted to know.
That question was on the minds of many Inashiro players.
Even Narumiya Mei, who'd been silently brooding with his head down, perked up and looked over when he heard it.
Clearly, he was just as curious.
Surrounded by the inquisitive gazes of the Inashiro team, Furuya gave a small, sheepish smile.
Now he understood why Harada had wanted to ask in private—
Once he answered, someone was bound to lose face.
"At that point... I didn't have enough strength left to throw breaking balls."
The Inashiro players stared at him in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.
What?
From their perspective, even after the mid-game pitching switch with Sawamura,
Furuya had looked sharp and unstoppable on the mound.
He showed no signs of fatigue.
He was still throwing heat, still commanding breaking balls with ease.
Sure, some of them had suspected…
After all, with a pitching style that explosive, it was hard to believe he wasn't burning out.
Even among themselves, they'd questioned it.
But Furuya's performance left no room for doubt.
He looked invincible.
His velocity had continued to climb, breaking records.
His breaking balls came out smooth and deceptive.
They had suspicions—but never proof.
If only they had known.
Maybe they couldn't have changed the final outcome,
But at the very least, they might have made that last inning a different story.
Harada exhaled, giving a wry smile.
"We were completely beaten by the two of you."
He glanced at Furuya and then at Miyuki.
To outsiders, nothing had seemed off.
Even to their opponents, no weakness had shown.
But those two—Furuya and Miyuki—they clearly knew exactly what was going on.
And despite the situation, they stayed composed, held their ground…
And gave Inashiro no opening to exploit.
Now that's real skill.
Harada was convinced—once those two youngsters made it to Koshien, They'd shine even brighter on the national stage.
"I'll be watching your games at Koshien. I'm looking forward to it!"
As a rival, he and his team had lost their ticket to Nationals.
By all logic, the players from Inashiro should've felt some bitterness.
But in that moment, especially for Harada—
He had let go of all resentment.
His eyes were already fixed on a higher goal.
"Next time we meet… we're getting our revenge!!"
At those words, Narumiya Mei—who had been trembling in silence—finally stilled.
The "Prince of Tokyo" had regained his composure.
His eyes blazed as he looked toward Seidou, filled with renewed determination.
Then, with those parting words, he turned and walked away, exuding cool confidence.
The rest of Inashiro's core players followed his lead.
Their well-wishes had been delivered.
Now, they would treat Seidou as their new rival in training—
Just as Narumiya had declared: they would get their revenge, someday.
For the second-years of Inashiro, that chance would come soon.
But for Harada and the other third-years—
This was the end.
Their high school baseball journey had officially come to a close.
No matter how much they longed for one more chance, They would never again have the opportunity to stand on that field as players.
Seeing the distant, almost wistful expressions on Inashiro's third-years—
Yuuki suddenly spoke up.
"As long as we keep playing, we'll meet again someday."
Harada and the others were visibly moved by those words.
He was right.
As long as they didn't give up on baseball,
Whether in university leagues—or even in the pros—
They'd have another shot at facing each other again.
"Definitely!"
The two teams exchanged smiles, as if sealing an unspoken promise.
And just like that—
The match was officially over.
But for Seidou's players, one thing was certain:
This was only the beginning.
They could already sense it—
They were about to become known across the country. Maybe even make national headlines.
As one of Japan's elite baseball programs,
Everything that happened at Seidou naturally drew attention.
Now, after six long years, they had finally earned a spot at Koshien.
That alone was massive news.
There was no way the media would let a story like that go.
And on top of that—
In their final against Inashiro, Seidou had delivered an unforgettable performance.
Seventeen strikeouts. In one game.
That stat alone was enough for the sports press to write about for days.
And it wasn't like their opponent was weak.
This wasn't some no-name team—
This was Inashiro Industrial, one of the strongest in the nation.
A team that consistently dominated at Koshien.
A team with top-tier offensive power.
Yet Furuya had struck out 17 of their batters.
How could that not shake the baseball world?
Of course—
To the average fan, the technical significance might not be obvious.
And in this game—
There was one number, even more direct and shocking, that would shake the entire nation.
Furuya's fastball clocked in at 159 km/h.
In the history of high school baseball, that speed ranked among the top five ever recorded.
And let's not forget—Koshien has over a century of history.
To break into the top five in that context—what did that mean?
Even without explaining, anyone with a shred of understanding could figure it out.
And more importantly—
The one who threw that pitch… was just a first-year.
A first-year rookie.
What did that imply?
Everyone knew the answer: unlimited potential.
In other words, Furuya's future was something no one could possibly predict.
He was destined to become not just a national sensation, but someone who would capture the world's attention.
As Seidou's main players, the team wasn't made up of wide-eyed amateurs.
They'd seen enough to know exactly what kind of storm this game would stir up.
And they could already feel the ripples forming as they left the field.
Even after the game had ended—
Even after the final out—
Fans in the stands refused to leave.
Their eyes were still locked onto the Seidou players—
Following them as if trying to memorize every detail.
In that moment, it was clear:
The aftermath of this match would be extraordinary.
What they didn't expect, though,
Was just how overwhelming it would be once they stepped out of Jingu Stadium.
Outside, a massive crowd was waiting.
The outer edges were lined with fans—eager and passionate.
The game was long over.
The Seidou players had already changed out of their uniforms.
But the fans stayed—
Their eyes fixed on the team, waving signs and banners with all their might.
"Good luck!"
"Make waves at Koshien too!"
"I'll be cheering you on in Hyogo!!"
Their heartfelt cheers were loud and sincere—
And deeply moving.
But even those passionate fans couldn't get near the front.
The very front rows had already been taken—by dozens of reporters.
With long lenses and recorders in hand, their eyes gleamed like they'd struck gold.
When they spotted Seidou's players,
It was as if they saw stacks of prize money walking toward them.
"Coach Kataoka—!"
"Furuya-kun, a quick word—!"
As soon as the players appeared,
The media swarmed in, their questions firing like machine guns.
The reporters and fans surrounded them like a swirling storm—
And at the center of that storm stood Seidou High School.
Up until this point, the players had only suspected they'd become a hot topic.
But now, seeing it with their own eyes—
There was no doubt.
They were famous.
Of course, the spotlight burned brightest on Furuya, who fielded the most questions.
But as his team—
As the squad that made it to Koshien and represented West Tokyo—
Seidou's name now rang out loud and clear across the nation.
With all the representatives for this year's Koshien announced, fans began debating—
Who were the favorites to win it all?
Opinions varied. Arguments flew.
But one thing was clear:
Seidou High School—thanks to their explosive performance and nationwide buzz—had become the tournament's hottest contender.
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