The next morning, August 4th, Kanzaki Ryou woke up early and headed to the cafeteria, where he ran into Yuki Tetsuya, who was preparing to attend the draw ceremony.
"Yuki-senpai, you've got this. Make sure to draw something decent," Kanzaki said with a grin.
Yuki smiled wryly and shook his head. "I'll try… but you know my luck."
Kanzaki chuckled. "Doesn't matter who we get. We'll crush them anyway."
"I'd still prefer a bye," Yuki replied honestly.
At Koshien, there were no seeded teams—everything depended on luck. One bad draw could pit two championship-level teams against each other in the very first round.
Even Seido wasn't exempt.
If fortune truly turned against them, they might have to face powerhouses like Osaka Kiryu, Seihou, Teito, Hakuryu, or even Komadai Fujimaki one after another from the start.
At that point, they might as well pack up and go home.
"A perfect draw isn't necessary," Kanzaki said casually. "As long as we avoid the strongest teams in the first couple of rounds, that's enough."
Yuki nodded. That was realistic. Avoid early clashes, conserve stamina, and give the younger players a chance to gain experience.
After a quick meal, Kanzaki took the four first-years out for a walk around the stadium. By the time they returned to the hotel, Yuki had already come back from the draw.
"Well? How'd it go?"
"Who's our first opponent?"
The team gathered around him immediately.
Yuki didn't keep them waiting.
"Our first-round opponent… is Naruto High School from Tokushima."
There was a brief pause—then a collective sigh of relief.
"That's not bad."
"No strong teams early on."
"Looks like a middle-tier draw."
Even Yuki allowed himself a small smile.
Kanzaki, meanwhile, had already pulled out his phone and skimmed through Naruto High's data.
"Yeah, not bad," he said. "A decent warm-up."
Naruto High School was a public school with limited resources but a solid foundation. They had appeared in Koshien multiple times, with their best result being a Top 8 finish five years ago.
Their style was textbook small-ball baseball—bunts, steals, and relentless pressure.
Their captain, Moriyama Ryo, played shortstop and was known for his wide defensive range and clean double plays.
Their ace, Kuroda Shota, was a sidearm pitcher with a max velocity of 141 km/h. His strength wasn't power, but control and intelligence, relying heavily on sinkers and pitch sequencing.
Their cleanup hitter, Shimazu Yu, specialized in contact hitting, with excellent bat control and a high on-base rate.
"They'll try to wear us down," Kanzaki summarized. "Lots of bunts, lots of movement. But…" he smirked, "they don't have enough firepower."
In short—they lacked the ability to deal decisive damage.
Coach Kataoka stepped forward, holding the draw sheet.
"The game is scheduled for the afternoon of the 7th," he said firmly. "From now on, training will focus on maintaining condition. No unnecessary strain."
He paused before continuing.
"The temperature will exceed 30°C. Hydration is critical. Whether in training or in the game—take care of your bodies."
"Yes, Coach!"
"The managers will distribute Naruto High's player data tonight. Memorize it. Be fully prepared."
"Yes!"
"Dismissed."
Outside, once the draw results were released, discussions spread quickly.
Many were surprised to see Seido avoid strong opponents in the first three rounds.
Some even called it "the luck of a champion."
But on the other side—
At Naruto High School, the atmosphere was completely different.
Silence filled their meeting room.
Their opponent… was Seido.
The reigning Summer and Spring champions.
An undefeated powerhouse.
A team led by Kanzaki Ryou—the so-called overlord of high school baseball.
"…We're done."
"Why did it have to be Seido?"
"First round elimination…"
No one could hide their despair.
Captain Moriyama Ryo clenched his fists, wanting to say something to rally his teammates—
But no words came out.
Against Seido… what chance did they really have?
Over the next two days, Seido continued light training while thoroughly analyzing Naruto High.
Finally, the night before the game—
Coach Kataoka stood before the team.
"Everyone's here, right? I'll now announce tomorrow's starting lineup."
The room instantly fell silent.
This was it.
"Lead-off batter, shortstop—Kuramochi Yoichi."
No surprise there.
"The second batter… Second Base—Kominato Haruichi."
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Then—
All eyes turned toward the quiet red-haired first-year sitting at the back.
Haruichi himself looked stunned.
He had hoped for a chance to play at Koshien someday—
But he never imagined it would come this soon.
A/N: Naruto High School seems good name 😂.