CLANG!!!
Facing Narumiya Mei's full-power pitch, Kitamura Kou—now fully immersed in the Zone—unleashed a thunderous swing.
The baseball shot off the bat like a laser beam.
It tore past Narumiya's head—barely a meter away—and screamed toward center field.
Narumiya didn't even have time to react, the faint smile still frozen on his face.
BOOM!
The ball slammed into the center-field wall and ricocheted back at high speed.
Kamiya Carlos Toshiki, who had been charging forward, was forced to abruptly stop and turn around to chase it.
Meanwhile, the Inashiro fielders rushed toward the bouncing ball.
But Kitamura Kou—
Had already rounded second base.
And he wasn't slowing down.
He sprinted toward third with everything he had.
Carlos, relying on his speed, was the first to reach the ball.
"Carlos! Throw it home!!!" Masatoshi Harada's urgent shout rang out.
Carlos looked up—
Kitamura had already passed third base and was charging straight for home, showing no intention of stopping.
All the frustration Carlos had built up exploded in that moment.
"You brat—don't get cocky!!!"
With a roar, he hurled the ball with all his strength. The veins on his arm bulged as he released it—and the force sent him stumbling to the ground.
"Whoosh!"
Harada caught the ball cleanly in front of home plate.
He locked his eyes onto Kitamura, who was rapidly closing in.
Kitamura suddenly stopped—
Then feinted toward third base.
Yoshizawa Hideaki rushed in from third to cut him off, while Watanabe Shinmi and Shirakawa Katsuyuki also converged.
They were going to trap him.
Seeing the danger, Kitamura took a few steps back toward third—
But suddenly turned and sprinted toward home again.
"Now!"
Harada immediately threw the ball to Yoshizawa and charged forward himself.
Yoshizawa caught it and, while running, tossed it right back to Harada.
The catcher charged straight at Kitamura.
At that critical moment—
Kitamura slowed down slightly.
Then—
He feinted left.
Harada reacted instantly, moving to block him and extending his glove for the tag.
But that was the trap.
Kitamura suddenly ducked right—
Barely slipping past Harada's glove.
For a split second, he gained half a step.
Harada reacted just as fast.
He twisted his body and lunged back, stretching his glove toward Kitamura.
Kitamura stumbled and fell—
But using the momentum, he pushed himself forward, scrambling to his feet just enough—
And lunged toward home plate.
Everything happened in an instant.
Had Harada tagged him?
No one could tell.
Kitamura lay on the ground, breathing hard, eyes fixed on the umpire.
The entire stadium fell silent.
Even the viewers in front of their screens held their breath.
Then—
"SAFE!!!"
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Kitamura shot to his feet, clenching his fist and roaring, his voice echoing throughout the stadium.
In the stands—
Tsukishima Wakaba jumped up in excitement, hugging Tsukishima Aoba tightly.
"Aoba! Did you see that?! An inside-the-park home run! Kou is amazing!"
Aoba, unable to maintain her usual cool demeanor, shouted back:
"Yeah! That move to shake off the catcher was incredible! Wakaba, you really picked the right guy!"
Tsukishima Ichiyo and Tsukishima Momiji laughed along, equally thrilled.
Wakaba lifted her chin proudly, her smile as bright as the sun.
"I told you—give Kou time, and he'll become the best pitcher in Japan."
She paused, then grinned even wider.
"No… the best in the world. And when that happens, Aoba, you won't be able to take him from me!"
For once, Aoba didn't argue.
She simply looked away, unable to meet Wakaba's eyes.
The stadium erupted.
Cheers thundered like an explosion.
"If there were a roof, it would've blown off!"
"That was insane! You don't see inside-the-park home runs like that!"
"I thought he was out for sure when they surrounded him!"
"Inashiro's in trouble now—they gave up a run and still haven't gotten a hit off Kitamura!"
"Is Yakushi really going to take down all three West Tokyo powerhouses?!"
"Yakushi! Yakushi! Yakushi!!!"
The momentum had completely shifted.
The commentator's excited voice rang out:
"Narumiya Mei, who had been dominant until now, finally gives up a run! That long hit to center field breaks his scoreless streak! And Yakushi High School's offense isn't over yet! With no outs, the next batter is Mishima Yuta!"
"Can Narumiya Mei overcome this crisis?"