Compared to the lively and jubilant atmosphere in Yakushi High School's area, the side of Inashiro Industrial High School was much quieter.
Almost every player clenched their teeth, desperately trying to hold back the tears welling in their eyes.
But they couldn't.
The tears flowed freely, impossible to stop.
They had lost.
As the favorites to win Koshien, they had fallen in the final of the West Tokyo qualifiers.
Before the Summer Tournament began, they had been full of ambition—to return to Koshien, to wash away last year's regret, and to fulfill the dream they failed to achieve.
And yet—
They fell at the very last step.
That figure on the mound, wearing number 18, stood like an immovable wall.
No matter what they tried… no matter what strategy they used…
They couldn't break through.
Their powerful batting lineup—
Looked completely powerless in front of Kitamura Kou.
No hits.
No runs.
Nothing.
He was like a towering mountain, standing in their path—
Crushing their hopes of reaching Koshien.
"Masa-san… if we played again, we would definitely win. If it were a best-of-three… we'd win for sure. Damn it… why did I…"
Narumiya Mei couldn't continue.
He lowered his head, his voice breaking as tears fell uncontrollably to the ground.
Masatoshi Harada clenched his fists.
He felt the same frustration—but what could he say?
Mei had already done everything perfectly.
It was the lineup that failed to respond.
"Alright, Mei," Harada said quietly. "That's enough."
"Pull yourself together."
"If you want revenge… then train harder than anyone else. Build your new team. Work well with Itsuki."
His voice steadied.
"And take it back in the Autumn Tournament."
The rest of Inashiro's players didn't collapse like Mei.
After all, they were champions.
Even in defeat, they maintained their composure.
But deep down—
They all made the same vow.
Next time… we will win.
Coach Kunitomo stood quietly, watching his players.
He offered no comfort.
Losing was painful—
But more important was what came after.
Reflection.
Training.
Revenge.
That mindset was why Inashiro had dominated West Tokyo for so many years.
Both teams lined up in two rows and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for the game!"
Afterward, they turned toward their respective stands and bowed again, thanking the cheering squads and supporters who had come to watch.
The stadium erupted once more—
Thunderous applause echoing through the air.
With the blare of the siren—
The match officially came to an end.
Despite the loss, Masatoshi Harada approached Kitamura Kou.
The very player who had shut them down completely.
He extended his hand.
"Congratulations on your victory," Harada said. "I wish you the best at Koshien."
Kou accepted the handshake firmly.
"Thank you. We'll do our best."
Harada smiled, confident as ever.
"You're strong. But be careful."
"Next time… our ace might surprise you."
Kou didn't back down, returning the same confident smile.
"Then I'll look forward to facing Inashiro again."
"But next time… we'll still win."
Narumiya Mei had yet to recover.
He only shook hands briefly with Kou before turning away, still unable to fully face the result.
Perhaps—
This loss would linger with him for some time.
Soon, the post-match interviews began.
Unsurprisingly, one name came up again and again—
Kitamura Kou.
"Coach Kunitomo," a reporter asked, "what are your thoughts on Yakushi High School—and especially Kitamura Kou, who pitched a complete game today?"
Coach Kunitomo paused briefly before answering.
"I have to say… Yakushi High School has created a miracle."
The reporters were stunned.
They hadn't expected such high praise.
The venue fell silent as everyone waited for him to continue.
"To be honest," Kunitomo said calmly, "if Inashiro were given the same tournament path as Yakushi, we couldn't guarantee we'd advance so smoothly."
"However—Yakushi is not without flaws."
He continued evenly:
"Their defense has clear weaknesses."
"They rely heavily on first-year players."
"They've only had a short time to develop cohesion."
"Their pitching depth is thin—only two reliable pitchers, and one cannot complete a full game."
"Their bench depth is also lacking."
He paused slightly.
"That's why I call it a miracle."
A ripple of shock spread through the reporters.
This wasn't just praise—
It was a blunt, analytical breakdown.
"In a tournament like Koshien," he continued, "with its tight schedule, these weaknesses will become fatal."
"And now that this tournament is over, every opponent will study them thoroughly."
"They won't be able to surprise anyone the same way again."
He concluded calmly:
"To be honest, I'm not optimistic about their chances at Koshien."
The crowd buzzed with disbelief.
This was far from the polite response they expected.
But Kunitomo wasn't finished.
"I'm not saying this to belittle them," he added.
"On the contrary—I admire them."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Especially Kitamura Kou."
"He is undoubtedly among the top players in the country."
"His pitching, batting, and defense… far exceed what a first-year should be capable of."
A brief pause.
"I'm curious how a player like him remained unknown before high school."
"And I envy Coach Todoroki for having him."
Then—
He added firmly:
"But our ace is no less capable."
"I look forward to meeting Yakushi again in the Autumn Tournament."
"Thank you."
With that, Coach Kunitomo turned and left, ignoring the stunned reporters behind him.
As for Todoroki Raizo—
A former professional, he handled the interviews with ease.
Deflecting questions, praising Inashiro's strength, and skillfully avoiding giving away too much—
He navigated the reporters effortlessly.
The game was over.
But the story between these two teams—
Was far from finished.