Chapter 436: After the Game
A powerful closer utterly dominated the mound.
With his sharp, fast splitter and the daring pitch selection from Miyuki, Furuya also introduced his recently learned slider into real game action for the first time. By then, Ouya High's morale had already plummeted. Even at their peak, they likely wouldn't have stood a chance against Furuya.
Furuya was their kryptonite—a pitcher who could nullify the approach of technically skilled, contact-oriented lineups. Without the power to counter his blazing fastballs, these batters and their teams couldn't put together a single successful hit against him.
Previously, teams could exploit Furuya's control issues. But now, that's becoming increasingly difficult. As his control improves and his pitches become more refined, Furuya's low-zone heat will inevitably leave most teams helpless in the future.
"Whoosh!"
"Thwack!"
"Strike!"
Furuya had clearly learned his lesson from the previous game.
Appearing in the late stages as the closer, his presence was an undeniable affirmation of Kataoka's strategy. His mindset was in the right place, and Miyuki's guidance was spot on.
Together, they not only capitalized on Furuya's strengths but also used the opportunity to hone his control and slider. On the surface, it might have looked like Ouya High still had some fight left, but that was merely an illusion.
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
"Bang!"
"Foul!"
Ouya's batters swung desperately, overcompensating with raw force. They had lost their timing, their angles, and, most importantly, their composure. Their inner turmoil did not escape Miyuki's sharp eye.
Similarly, on the mound, Furuya closely followed Miyuki's lead, delivering each pitch with precision and focus.
Furuya embodied the saying: learn from setbacks and grow stronger. Like Sawamura, he turned his challenges into valuable lessons and experiences, molding them into his strengths.
In that regard, Furuya is undoubtedly one of the future's elite pitchers.
This time, though he didn't endure the heartbreak of a summer tournament loss, he faced a different situation—Sawamura had taken the lead, leaving Furuya to play catch-up.
Furuya understood one thing clearly: if he didn't work harder, he wouldn't just lose his claim to the ace number; he might not even see playing time or retain his jersey number at all.
After the devastating loss against Ugumori, Furuya quickly came to terms with the reality of the situation, even amid the temporary collapse and slump that followed.
While he might lack social and emotional intelligence in other areas, when it comes to baseball, Furuya's self-reflection and analytical abilities are remarkably strong.
In today's game against Ouya High, witnessing Kawakami's performance drove home a crucial point for Furuya: if he didn't push himself harder, if he allowed himself to wallow in self-pity, it wouldn't take long for him to lose his place on this team.
Throughout these games, Furuya has shown undeniable mental growth. He has started to grasp a fundamental truth about baseball: it's a team sport of nine players, not a one-man show.
Observing Sawamura's and Kawakami's pitching, Furuya came to fully understand this principle.
Today, given another chance by the coach, Furuya poured all he had learned into the final three innings, embracing his newfound understanding of the game. With that, Furuya finally began walking the right path.
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
A thunderous sound echoed through the stadium.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the final play unfolded.
"Center field!"
Miyuki leaped to his feet, shouting toward the outfield.
A weakly hit ball floated toward center field, its arc languid and effortless. Eijun and Tojo had already stationed themselves, waiting.
"Thwack!"
Tojo extended his glove and securely caught the ball.
"OOOOOOOOH!"
The entire stadium erupted in a thunderous roar.
"Out! The game is over!"
In the end, Ouya High never found their breakthrough.
In the dugout, Wakabayashi gripped his bat and cap brim tightly.
"In the end, I just wasn't good enough to beat those damn elite schools… And it wasn't even their full strength…"
He gritted his teeth, his thoughts spiraling. Losing meant everything else was meaningless. In the end, a game isn't judged by how exciting it was. It's simply about winners and losers.
And losers are destined to leave the stage.
"But I don't want to leave…"
His arms hung limp at his sides. A single tear streaked down his cheek, his body trembling.
The once-proud ace pitcher finally lowered his head.
"The final choice was a fastball. Power pitcher Furuya Satoru allowed Ouya High no opportunities over three innings. With a strikeout on the last batter, he secured the final out. The score: 9–1. Seidou High wins this game in dominating fashion, advancing smoothly to the semifinals!"
"Haha, we won!"
"The Final Four, here we come!"
"Hmph, Jingu Stadium, once again, we'll conquer you!"
"Great pitch, Furuya."
"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"
In the dugout, the Seidou players cheered. In the stands, the third-year alumni rose with a roar.
At that moment, Seidou High reveled in victory.
"Looks like we don't need to worry anymore," Yuuki nodded lightly.
"Yeah, it's their time now," Chris replied with a smile.
"Just two more games."
"Yeah, two more games."
"Hey, I've got an idea. How about we call all the third-years to come watch the semifinals and finals? Tetsu, Chris?"
"Sure, sounds good to me."
"Haha, let's go talk to them when we get back."
"Wow, after watching these kids play, I suddenly feel like swinging a bat again."
"Dammit, I want to play a game!"
Laughter filled the stands. Joyful alumni. The king never falls, no matter who leaves. The king's goal, the king's journey, will always reach for those lofty stars and the endless ocean.
"Line up!"
"Salute!"
"Thank you for the game!!!!"
Tokyo Autumn Tournament, Fourth Round, Game One.
Block A, Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium, Field Two.
Seidou High vs. Ouya High.
The first quarterfinal matchup ended in a 9–1 blowout. Seidou High claimed victory with a crushing lead, becoming the first team to reach the semifinals at Jingu Stadium.
They are now two wins away from claiming the Autumn championship and securing their place in the Spring Koshien.
The mighty Seidou is just two victories from reclaiming their summer dominance.
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