Chapter 59: <59> Battle for the Seniors’ Dignity
Chapter 59: Battle for the Seniors' Dignity
Before the players took the field, the Seido High School baseball team gathered together.
The players formed a circle, placing their captain, Tetsuya Yuki, at the center.
Seeing this, the fans in the stands became noticeably excited.
"Is it happening?"
They seemed to have been anticipating this moment for a long time.
"It's happening, it's happening! I thought the Seido players weren't going to do this anymore."
"Well, that's in the past. For the last few years, Seido's luck hasn't been great. Although they had strong teams every year, they always fell just short of reaching Koshien. But this year is different…"
"With the addition of strong newcomers, making it to Koshien should be within reach. They might even go further and dominate the nation."
To the fans in the stands, it seemed like the Seido players' actions were entirely due to Furuya's impact. With such a powerful rookie joining the team, Seido now had genuine confidence in their ability to dominate nationwide.
But in reality, the fans' speculation was only half correct.
The Seido players were indeed reacting because of Furuya.
But it wasn't because Furuya's arrival promised a brighter future for the team.
It was because they had read the reports from the press, and they were envious!
Rewind to the day before.
The Seido players were deep in thought as they looked at the newspaper their team leader had brought back.
"Monster Rookie Emerges, Who Can Compete?"
"155 km/h - Sixth-Ranked Pitcher in Koshien History."
"The Fastest Pitcher Today is a Freshman!!!"
"With the Lead of a Super Rookie, Seido's Rise is Imminent…"
Nearly all media coverage focused heavily on Furuya's role in the team.
The second- and third-year players were reduced to mere backdrops to showcase Furuya.
Even with the broadest mindset, facing such discussions and unanimous praise from the reporters didn't sit well with Seido's senior members.
All the credit went to Furuya!
What about them?
What was everything they had done at Seido for?
In response to such evaluations, it was already a testament to the seniors' maturity that they didn't directly express their displeasure toward Furuya.
In another team, a scandal about seniors bullying a talented junior might have already broken out.
While the seniors didn't bully Furuya, you couldn't expect them to be friendly with him.
Most of them simply ignored their younger teammate, and Furuya's popularity on the team plummeted to freezing levels.
"Aren't you worried about this?"
Even someone as thick-skinned as Sawamura had noticed the situation. He couldn't resist asking Furuya.
Being isolated for excelling in the team?
Just thinking about it gave Sawamura a chill.
Yet Furuya seemed completely unbothered by it all.
"Does worrying help?"
"Seems not…"
Sawamura found himself at a loss for words.
"This issue belongs to the seniors. I trust they'll handle it well."
"But if they don't…"
"I honestly don't think that kind of thing will happen. Worrying unnecessarily is pointless. If it does happen, we'll deal with it then."
Furuya had confidence in the integrity of the Seido High School seniors.
Moreover, as he himself said, if any situation arose, he believed he could handle it well.
While Furuya, as a player, seemed unconcerned about the situation, the team's manager and coaches couldn't ignore it.
Having realized the tension, Director Ota hurried to inform their coach, Kataoka, about the situation.
"What should we do?"
Director Ota was nervously wringing his hands and pacing back and forth.
"The next two matches are crucial for us. Winning the Kanto tournament holds significant prestige. If personal issues among the players affect their on-field cooperation…"
"You can have confidence in our team's players," said Rei Takashima, the assistant manager, who seemed much calmer than Ota.
"That may be so, but what if…"
"There's nothing to discuss. If any player makes such a mistake, we have no choice but to bench them. If necessary, we can call on the second or third strings."
Despite her gentle appearance, Rei Takashima was firm and decisive when it came to serious matters.
"Isn't that a bit too harsh?"
Ota clearly wasn't comfortable with Takashima's suggestion.
"It's for their own good. If they don't realize this early on, they'll face even more significant challenges down the road."
Seeing no way to persuade his assistant, Ota could only hope for support from their coach.
"What do you think…?"
If Coach Kataoka sided with Rei Takashima, Ota wouldn't have anything left to say.
"It's good to make them realize this! Understanding their own worth and Furuya's value will help our team progress further. Inform Furuya and everyone else that in the next game, Furuya will not be pitching; he'll play as an outfielder and seventh in the lineup."
Coach Kataoka's decision seemed to accommodate both Ota and Takashima's viewpoints.
However, in reality, his approach was even more assertive than Takashima's.
"The semifinals are tomorrow, right?" Ota asked uncertainly.
Since the team had failed to reach Koshien, Seido had been without a significant title for quite some time.
Though the Kanto tournament isn't as prestigious as Koshien, winning it would greatly reduce the pressure on Coach Kataoka and the entire coaching staff.
"It's decided!"
Coach Kataoka declared resolutely.
It was clear that he had made up his mind and wouldn't back down.
Contrary to Ota's concerns, the first-string players of Seido High School from the second and third years were incredibly enthusiastic upon hearing the news.
From their perspective, this was clearly a battle for their dignity.
Under the spring sun, Captain Yuki pointed to his heart.
"Who are we?"
"Seido, the champions!"
"Who's shed the most sweat?"
"Seido!"
"Shed the most tears?"
"Seido!!"
"Are you ready to fight?"
"Yes～～"
"With our school's pride in our hearts, we have a single goal"
"The national championship!"
"Lets do this!!"
"Yeahh!!!!"
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