Chapter 476: Seiko Match – Power of Suppression
Majestic and commanding.
Not to be underestimated.
Ogawa Tsunematsu's thunderous home run had ignited Seiko High's momentum—but at the same time, it sparked something else.
It pushed a certain genius pitcher further along the path of growth.
A battle-hardened will, forged through real game situations.
A display of sheer power and determination.
The crowd was reminded once again: Within Seidou's pitching rotation stands a first-year right-hander who refuses to be a mere substitute—Furuya Satoru.
...
"Whoosh!"
"Smack!"
"Strike! Batter out! Three outs! Change!"
"Powerful and unshaken—after conceding a home run, he came back even stronger! Striking out the 7th and 8th batters, and even though Masu-kun landed a weak infield hit, the inning was closed cleanly! Unyielding on the mound, Seidou's power pitcher, Furuya Satoru, shuts the door! Seiko held to just one run!!"
"Nice pitch, Furuya!"
"Well done, Furuya-kun!"
"That's the spirit, keep it up!"
"Power arm! Power arm! Power arm!"
Thunderous cheers erupted.
The tension that had gripped Seidou's fans and players finally began to ease.
From the stands, Yuuki, Chris, and others nodded with satisfaction.
Not far off, in the Inashiro dugout, Carlos, and Yamaoka exchanged amused glances.
Narumiya Mei simply clicked his tongue.
On Yakushi's side, Raichi's eyes burned with crimson fire—eager to step up and swing.
Sanada, Akiba, and the others smiled knowingly at his battle-ready aura.
...
On the stage of the semifinals,
Furuya finally showed the world not only his dominant physicality, but the mental growth that defines a true power pitcher.
...
"Furuya, that guy…"
Back on the bench, Eijun looked at him—calm and composed, his usual unreadable self.
A smile crept across Eijun's face.
He had been ready to go up on the mound himself just moments ago.
After all, whether a pitcher has truly grown or not—
Can only be proven in real games.
...
On Seiko's bench, however, a tinge of regret lingered.
That had been a golden opportunity.
"No worries, no worries! I'll hit another one later! In the ninth inning, I'll smack a walk-off homer!"
Ogawa Tsunematsu still carried himself like the king of the world.
Pounding his chest confidently, his voice boomed with bravado.
His antics drew laughs from his teammates.
"Haha! Don't steal all our jobs, Tsunematsu!"
"Yeah, seriously—your job is pitching! Let us handle scoring runs!"
"One homer's enough, man—don't hog the spotlight!"
"Wait, idiot! We're the away team—how the hell can you hit a walk-off?!"
Their dugout lightened up with laughter.
Seiko coach gave a small nod.
"Seidou may still be leading, but the game has evened out. It's only a one-run difference. This is far from over—don't lose focus."
"Yes, sir!!"
"The rest is up to you, Tsunematsu—shut them down!"
Coach Oga's eyes locked on his pitcher.
The rest of Seiko's players turned toward Ogawa.
Given Seidou's ace was still waiting in the bullpen and their current pitcher was in top form, it was unlikely either side would explode offensively.
This could become a low-scoring battle.
And in such a game, the pitcher's role becomes paramount.
Ogawa pounded his chest again with pride.
"Don't worry! Leave it to me! I won't give up even a single run!!"
The little—no, big—chunky pitcher declared with full force.
...
"Bottom of the 3rd inning, Seidou High's offense. Batting first, shortstop, Kuramochi-kun."
"Go, Tsunematsu!"
"Kuramochi, teach that guy a lesson!"
"Cheetah-sama! Use your legs again this inning!"
"Tsunematsu, get him!"
"Suppress them! Shut them down, Tsunematsu!"
"Kuramochi!!!"
...
"Tsunematsu, be careful. This guy's fast. Even an infield grounder, and he might still beat it to first base. Don't you dare throw him something easy to hit."
Behind the plate, Masu's expression was stern as he gave Ogawa Tsunematsu a warning.
Ogawa nodded seriously.
He was confident—maybe even a little arrogant—but he wasn't stupid.
He had seen Kuramochi's speed from the very first inning.
He knew—if Kuramochi got on base, their defense wouldn't be able to contain him.
The only option here was to stop him cold. Ideally with a strikeout—or a flyout.
...
"PLAY!"
The umpire's sharp voice rang out.
And in an instant, that bulky frame moved—
Like a giant shadow blotting out the sky.
"Boom!"
A gust of wind swept across the mound as Ogawa planted his foot and whipped his left arm forward.
"Whoosh!"
Still favoring his fierce inside pitching.
Ogawa never used the outer corner to fight—it was just bait.
With his poor control, his best strategy was to exploit his natural pitch weight and aggression—
Inside fastballs were his battlefield.
As the pitch streaked in—
Kuramochi's eyes sharpened.
"Tap!"
His right foot slammed forward.
"Swish!"
The metal bat cut through the air with all his strength.
"Clang!"
A loud crack rang out.
"So heavy!"
The shock from the bat vibrated through his hands—
Even Kuramochi had to admit—This freshman lefty from Seiko was no joke.
"Whizz!"
"Thud!"
The power of the pitch was overwhelming.
Kuramochi barely managed to redirect it, doing everything he could to avoid popping it up.
"Foul ball!"
The ball ricocheted down the third-base line and curved out of bounds.
Second pitch—spiral ball.
Same strategy as before.
Bring out the best of Tsunematsu's arsenal.
Minimize his weaknesses, highlight his strengths.
That was the only way to truly suppress Seidou's lineup.
"Ussu!"
Tsunematsu grunted and nodded firmly.
"Whoosh!"
His thick arm whipped forward again, generating a powerful gust as it cut the air.
The glowing pitch shot toward the plate like a dart of light.
Kuramochi watched closely—
The spiral ball.
The moment the ball neared the plate—
Kuramochi realized it.
A reverse-breaking pitch, completely different from a curveball.
He adjusted his elbow slightly.
Gathered all his strength—
And swung with everything he had.
"Swish!"
"Clang!"
Another thunderous crack.
The moment the bat met the ball again—
Kuramochi's expression shifted drastically.
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