Bottom of the fifth inning.
Inashiro's offense.
Kanzaki Ryō stepped onto the mound, eyes calm.
The game had passed the halfway mark.
Score: 0–0.
At times like this, impatience was the greatest enemy.
Both Seido and Inashiro had explosive lineups. As the game progressed, the pressure to score would only grow stronger—pushing batters to perform beyond their limits.
That was why late-inning comebacks were so common.
Pitchers, on the other hand, would gradually wear down—fatigue building, focus slipping. It became harder and harder to suppress a lineup the way they could early on.
Kanzaki had managed his stamina well.
His pitch count was still under forty.
But—
Now he was facing Inashiro's core.
Their hunger to score was on an entirely different level.
He couldn't relax.
At the plate, Harada Masatoshi stood quietly, eyes fixed ahead.
Second at-bat.
At this pace, he might only get three chances the entire game.
I can't waste this one.
I have to get on base.
Behind the plate, Miyuki smiled faintly.
"…You're really determined."
He adjusted his mitt.
"But I'm not letting you."
Signal given—
Inside cutter. Edge of the zone.
On the mound, Kanzaki nodded.
Even though Harada was crowding the plate, he showed no hesitation.
If you can hit it… then go ahead.
He lifted his leg—
And fired.
Whoosh!
The ball shot straight toward Harada's body.
Harada's eyes widened.
This is hitting me—!
His body instinctively wanted to dodge—
But he forced himself to stay.
A hit-by-pitch meant a free base.
He couldn't back down.
And then—
At the last moment—
The ball bent.
Pop!
"Strike!"
Harada froze.
"…Slider?"
Cold sweat ran down his back.
That pitch had been designed to look like a hit-by-pitch—
Only to break back into the zone.
His gaze snapped toward Miyuki.
You bastard…
They had used his determination against him.
Twisting it into a trap.
How dirty…
Miyuki smiled sheepishly, like an innocent bystander.
"Hehehe."
"…Disgusting," Harada muttered, shivering slightly before turning away.
In Inashiro's dugout, frustration exploded.
"Those scumbags…!"
Even in the on-deck circle, Narumiya bared his teeth.
"Kazuya's the worst… always messing with people's heads!"
Meanwhile, Seido's bench was grinning from ear to ear.
Back on the mound, Kanzaki caught the return throw.
He saw Miyuki's next sign—
…and clicked his tongue softly.
Tsk. Ruthless.
Miyuki only chuckled in response.
Second pitch.
Whoosh!
Another inside pitch—
But this time—
A blazing fastball.
The sheer speed and force made it feel like it was coming straight at him again.
Harada held his ground.
"Ha!!"
He swung—
But just a fraction too late.
Pop!
"Strike!"
Harada exhaled sharply.
Again…
He had been played.
Behind the plate, Miyuki's smile deepened.
First time—brave.
Second time—hesitation.
Third time…
It breaks you.
Third pitch.
Harada steadied his breathing, forcing himself to calm down.
He raised his bat again.
Kanzaki smiled faintly.
"…Still hanging in there. As expected of Inashiro's captain."
After two inside pitches, any normal pitcher would go outside.
But—
Miyuki's call wasn't normal.
Wicked…
Kanzaki delivered.
Whoosh!
Harada's pupils shrank.
Inside again—!
This one was closer to the zone.
I can hit this!
"Ha!!"
He swung with everything he had—
And instantly realized—
Wrong—!
The timing was off.
The speed—
Too slow.
Changeup.
Pop!
"Strike three!"
"Strikeout!"
Silence.
Then—
Harada lowered his bat slowly, irritation boiling beneath the surface.
This wasn't just a strikeout.
He'd been completely toyed with.
"…Nicely done," he said coldly.
Miyuki looked up, smiling.
"Thanks for the compliment, Harada-senpai."
"Hmph."
Harada turned and walked away.
The more he looked at Miyuki—
The more annoyed he felt.
As he passed Narumiya, he spoke quietly:
"Don't crowd the plate too much. They won't hit you—but you're the ace. Don't take unnecessary risks."
"…Got it."
Narumiya nodded.
He had already realized—
That approach didn't work here.
Against Kanzaki and Miyuki, trying to limit inside pitches only invited more of them—
Along with endless tricks.
Stepping into the batter's box, Narumiya glared forward.
Miyuki could practically feel the resentment radiating off him.
"Yo. Your turn."
"Hmph! I'll get revenge for Masa-san!"
Narumiya tightened his grip on the bat, locking his focus onto Kanzaki.
Miyuki gave the signal.
No hesitation.
Whoosh!
First pitch—
Pop!
"Strike!"
Narumiya swung and missed.
He gritted his teeth.
"…A changeup?!"
His grip tightened around the bat.
"Damn it… you're not even setting it up?!"