Chapter 502: The Battle Heats Up
Narumiya Mei's home run shook Sanada's control, causing a slight dip in his command.
Capitalizing on this rare opportunity, the fifth batter Yabe quickly delivered a hit to right field, safely reaching first base.
Still, Sanada was Sanada.
A veteran on the mound, with one of the calmest temperaments even in the original timeline, he wasn't the kind of pitcher to be rattled by a single hit.
After a quick reset, he allowed no further chances.
The sixth batter, Tadano, went down on strikes.
The seventh and eighth batters were also neutralized. Even with attempted steals putting pressure on the bases, Sanada's focus remained unshaken.
In the end, Inashiro only scored one run that inning.
But even with just that, Narumiya Mei's overwhelming strength was now etched clearly into everyone's minds. Dominant on the mound and explosive at the plate, he wasn't just the ace, cleanup hitter, and captain—he was single-handedly carrying Inashiro on his back.
"No wonder he's called the Prince of Tokyo..."
"That loss in summer really pushed him to a whole new level, didn't it?"
"Now it's Yakushi that's being overwhelmed."
The audience couldn't help but murmur in awe.
Narumiya had already been terrifying during the summer. Now, he was practically untouchable.
His commanding presence and mature leadership had grown even stronger. He wasn't just playing well—he was embodying the spirit of a captain, leading his team with poise.
Just as everyone was deep in admiration, a loud commotion broke out from the first base dugout.
"I told you, you can't keep up with me! So just follow my lead already!"
"No, Mei-san! I will catch up! I can see your back now, and I'm going to become the catcher worthy of you!"
"Huh?! Worthy of me? Don't get ahead of yourself, Itsuki! You're still leagues away!"
"I said I'll work hard and—"
"Nope, nope. You'll never catch up in this lifetime!"
Narumiya's prideful rant, complete with exaggerated arm-flailing, drew surprised chuckles across the stands.
"Well, that didn't last long."
It was classic Narumiya—cool and dominant one second, bratty and petty the next.
From the stands, Eijun chuckled.
"Narumiya-senpai is still such a kid sometimes," he said, watching Mei bicker with Tadano, a fond glint in his eyes. That familiar arrogance, now paired with true leadership on the field—it was endearing in its own chaotic way.
This contrast was what made Narumiya Mei so uniquely effective. Since the summer loss, he had transformed. He wasn't just dragging his team forward—he was binding them together.
While Yakushi might still boast the better team cohesion, Inashiro clearly had the edge in individual talent.
Compared to the disjointed Inashiro of the original fall tournament, this version of the team was far more refined—and it was all thanks to Narumiya.
Back on the field—
"Whoosh!"
"Smack!"
"Strike three! Batter out! Three outs—change sides!"
Narumiya's strong showing wasn't going unnoticed. It lit a fire in Yakushi's ace, Sanada, who tightened his grip on the ball.
The battle was just getting started.
Beneath Sanada's seemingly open and cheerful smile was the same indomitable will that refused to lose.
Narumiya Mei's home run in the fourth inning only stirred that primal competitiveness further.
Top of the 5th inning.
Aside from allowing Carlos to reach first base on an infield hit, Sanada cleanly shut down the rest of Inashiro's lineup once again—denying them any further opportunities.
Meanwhile…
With Yakushi's lineup now entering their second turn at bat and having adjusted to Narumiya's pitching, this time, Raichi Todoroki wouldn't go down so easily.
Stubborn tenacity, feral instincts, and terrifying bat speed—on his second at-bat, Tadano Itsuki, the young catcher, truly felt the overwhelming pressure radiating from Yakushi's cleanup slugger.
The scariest part?
It looked like Raichi could connect with every single pitch.
For the first time in the tournament, Tadano found himself at a loss when deciding what pitch to call. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead—proof of the immense pressure weighing on him.
"Itsuki, don't hesitate," Narumiya called out from the mound, radiating the unshakable authority of an ace.
"Call the pitch you believe in—we're the ones in the lead."
Reassured by his pitcher's composure and command, Tadano nodded. The count was full—two balls, three strikes.
At this crucial juncture, Tadano gritted his teeth and called for the changeup—Narumiya's most refined pitch, and the hardest for batters to read.
Whoosh!
Unfortunately…
Though the pitch itself was perfect, the drop and trailing motion made it hard for Tadano to handle.
Raichi swung and missed—but the ball slipped past the catcher's mitt, bouncing behind the plate.
A passed ball.
Raichi seized the chance and sprinted safely to first base.
In the stands, both Miyuki and Eijun shook their heads slightly. While it was just a rare lapse, the truth was clear:
Only Raichi in Yakushi's lineup posed such a level of threat.
Coach Todoroki, having already shifted Yakushi's offensive strategy, made the most of Raichi's on-base chance. Sanada managed to sneak an infield hit, and a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third base.
But that critical final hit—just didn't come.
Narumiya's overwhelming presence on the mound once again shut down the opportunity. Raichi was left stranded on third.
With that, Inashiro entered the mid-game phase holding onto a slim one-run lead.
Yakushi failed to score—but in that inning, Coach Todoroki had clearly identified the ceiling of Tadano's current abilities.
Unlike the confident ease of the earlier innings, Narumiya now began to feel the pressure.
That invisible constraint, the sense of not being able to fully unleash his power, while the opponent slowly tightened the noose—it began to wear on him.
As the game grew tighter, the battle between the two teams became increasingly intense.
The heat of competition had officially reached its boiling point, electrifying the stadium with a new level of tension.
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