Shun approached the coach as soon as he was called, and the two moved a bit away from the rest of the Shoto players before Coach Yamada spoke again.
"So, did you find anything?" - Coach Yamada asked in a calm voice, though the glimmer of hope in his eyes was unmistakable, as he awaited another of Shun's miraculous discoveries.
Stay connected with empire
Shun noticed the tired eyes of the man in front of him, and hearing such a direct question, he quickly understood that Coach Yamada had spent the entire night reviewing footage of Hokuto's games but hadn't found anything that could make a difference in the match. Shun let out a sigh. Even with the help of the system, he hadn't discovered anything, but he couldn't help respecting his coach even more after seeing the time and effort the man had dedicated to trying to help Shoto win.
"Sorry, Coach. I didn't find any flaws or tells in their pitcher. Also, their catcher has adjusted his calls, and I couldn't identify any patterns anymore." - Shun said calmly, though a bit dissatisfied with himself for not being able to find anything to help his team.
Coach Yamada observed Shun quietly. Although he had hoped for a breakthrough, he knew it was unrealistic to expect Shun to uncover tells for every pitcher they faced. Remaining silent, he waited, understanding that Shun wasn't finished yet.
"To be honest, Coach, Hokuto is a tough opponent, but they're the kind of team that relies on brute strength. Offensively, their top four batters are extremely dangerous, but the rest of the lineup is at most decent. On defense, they have a solid fielding unit, but the real challenge is their national-level battery." - Shun explained calmly. Even though he hadn't found any tells, it was clear he had a deep understanding of Hokuto's strengths and how their team operated.
"So, how do you think we should pitch against them?" - Coach Yamada asked seriously, looking directly at Shun.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"Well, in my opinion, we should use all three of our pitchers today." - Shun replied without hesitation, leaving Coach Yamada a bit surprised.
"What are you thinking?" - The coach quickly asked.
"Well, ideally, each pitcher would face Hokuto's batting order just once. That way, we minimize the risk from the top of their lineup. But since that will be tough to pull off, I think our best option is to start with..." - Shun explained his plan in detail, specifying who should start the game and how long they should stay on the mound. Coach Yamada nodded as he listened, unable to deny that Shun's strategy made a lot of sense.
Shun then spent the rest of the morning practicing batting with his teammates until Shimizu arrived on the field and called everyone for lunch. The Shoto players immediately dropped everything they were doing and ran toward the food as if they hadn't eaten in years. After the meal Shimizu had prepared the day before, everyone was excited to enjoy the delicious food the club assistant had made. The Shoto players ate while chatting animatedly, but with each passing second, they could feel their anxiety and nervousness growing.
After lunch, the players quickly tidied up the field, putting away the balls, bats, and pitching machines before gathering in front of the bus and boarding one by one. Soon, the bus carrying Shoto Junior High's baseball team was on its way to the stadium where the Kanto tournament semifinals would take place.
---
Meanwhile, at the baseball field of Hokuto Junior High School, a similar scene was unfolding. All the Hokuto players were gathered in front of the bus, but instead of boarding, they were all staring intently at the white-haired boy standing in the middle of the circle.
"Today, we're going to crush Shoto Junior High!" - Sugawara shouted from the center of the circle, leaving his fellow third-years stunned by his lack of decorum.
"YEEEAHHH!" - The younger Hokuto players cheered loudly, clearly energized by their captain's declaration. Meanwhile, Kohei simply looked at Sugawara with an odd expression. That manic friend of his was truly... unique.
'You'd better not disappoint me, Shoto' - Kohei thought to himself with a slight smile. Ignoring his teammates' excited shouting, he casually walked to the bus door, boarded the vehicle, and quickly picked the seat he wanted.
"Hmph! Blue-eyed idiot, you'd better be ready to be destroyed! Hahaha!" - Outside the bus, Sugawara was laughing like the maniac he was, watching his teammates enthusiastically declare they would annihilate Shoto's team. For this game, Sugawara wouldn't accept anything less than a crushing victory.
After a while, with the shouting subsiding, all the Hokuto players boarded the bus and took their seats. Soon, Hokuto's bus was also on its way to the stadium, ready for the Kanto tournament semifinals to begin.
Thus, the third showdown between Hokuto Junior High School and Shoto Junior High School was about to begin. A clash to settle this rivalry once and for all, only one team could emerge victorious and advance to the finals. On one side stood the reigning champions, and on the other, their greatest challengers. The Kanto tournament semifinals were about to become the stage for one of the summer's greatest games.
---------------------
Please read the author's thoughts. It's important.