Seeing the panicked look, Yusuke could only do as he was told, sliding towards the 3rd base plate as fast as he could.
Daichi’s throw was immaculate, reaching its downward trajectory by the time it reached Satoshi’s glove. All the 3rd baseman had to do was swipe at Yusuke in one fluid motion.
Tap
Satoshi showed the ball in his glove to the umpire, appealing that he had tagged the player before he got a hand to the bag.
There were a few seconds of silence as everyone looked at the umpire.
“…Out!”
A cheer erupted from the crowd and the Osaka players. Whatever momentum they had lost from the previous at-bats was instantly taken back with interest.
“Nice throw Daichi!” Satoshi called out from his base, giving a small applause in appreciation.
If the ball had been thrown even a little higher, it was possible that he wouldn’t have made it in time thanks to the added movements that would have been needed to tag the runner.
Coach Hanada saw the entire play and couldn’t help but smile wryly. He had backed Yusuke’s legs, not expecting such a magnificent throw from the catcher.
There was no way that he could have pulled it off if the base steal was a surprise, which meant that he had to have known or at least suspected beforehand that Yokohama would try to run.
Either way, he could only accept defeat in this situation.
“Nice run Yusuke, don’t mind.”
The coach patted Yusuke’s shoulder on his way back to the dugout. It was great base running, but even better fielding.
All of a sudden, Yokohama were now 2 outs and none on base. They were in a significantly worse position than just a single play ago.
With that last swing, Naoki was also at two strikes which meant that one more strike would end the innings.
Yatsuo wiped the sweat upon his brow before collecting the rosin bag off the ground. He had to admit that he never would have been able to make such an accurate throw from home plate to 3rd in such a situation.
His earlier tantrum seemed rather silly when seeing how talented Daichi was.
‘Alright, one more out.’ He thought.
Daichi returned to his position and crouched down, asking for a two-seam inside and low for the next pitch. Even if the guy didn’t swing, they were still up in the count.
Yatsuo nodded and begun his wind up.
DING
Naoki managed to get his bat on ball, however it was only a grounder towards 3rd base.
Satoshi easily scooped the ball off the ground and launched it towards 1st base, beating Naoki with ease.
“3 outs! Changeover”
And just like that, the 2nd innings was over for Yokohama.
Ken put his cap on and was about to head up onto the field before he felt a tug on his arm.
He turned back to see Ai who was holding onto his uniform.
“Do your best Ken. Show your brother how hard you’ve been working.”
Her voice was soft, yet it felt warm.
Ken couldn’t help but smile at those words, she had been there for him throughout all of the tough training. She knew how hard he worked and how much this match meant to him.
Hearing those words from her only further stoked his fighting spirit.
“Yeah, it’s time to go show just how much I’ve improved.”
With that, he grabbed his glove and made his way onto the field. His heart was beating loudly in his chest, yet it wasn’t out of anxiety, it was due to anticipation.
Ever since he declined the scholarship and decided on Yokohama, this match had been in his mind. Every tough training session when he felt he was about to give up, his consciousness would manifest this scenario, giving him the strength to continue.
As he approached the mound, each footstep felt lighter than the last. It was as if his shackles were being removed with every step, filling him with strength.
All those nights he spent alone in his apartment, clutching his shoulder in pain, his tears falling to the floor as he lamented his cruel fate.
Closer and closer he moved towards his destination, shedding his old wounds and displacing all of the ties he had to his previous life. All the guilt, worry, anxiety seemed to culminate, only to be discarded with each step as he approached the mound.
The moment he took his position, he felt a wave of peace overcome him.
His mind was empty, his conscience clear. He didn’t care if this was all a dream, or reality in this moment. Ken closed his eyes, basking in the peaceful moment, the calm before the storm.
‘This…’
‘This is the real me.’
“Batting 4th, Catcher, Daichi.”
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd, showing just how much of a fan favorite Daichi was to the Koshien spectators.
Like Ken, he had many home runs under his belt during this tournament, in addition to an almost immaculate catching record.
Ken took a deep breath in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. Upon doing so his eyes snapped open, shining brightly a moment after being uncovered.
He stared down at the person who had become his brother in this lifetime, his one true friend. The baby face looked different than it was in the past, seeming more cheerful and full of life.
The two versions of Daichi overlapped, one with a sullen tone wearing a fake smile, and the other bright and innocent, radiating fighting spirit.
[Showdown activated: Target Daichi Takagi]
[Limit Break has been activated]
Mika’s monotonous voice spoke up in side of Ken’s mind, drawing him to the present.
The moment he heard her voice, the apathetic Daichi disappeared, revealing the bright and cheerful one who was awaiting his pitch with an excited expression.
Ken suddenly his heart soar as his body filled with strength. A wide grin subconsciously appeared on his lips as he stood in opposition to his brother.
“Let’s do this.”
Sorry for leaving you all on a cliff… Once again.
I enjoyed writing this chapter. Even though I’ve mentioned it before, I still felt like Ken was suffering from imposter syndrome.
Only now when he faces his brother can he finally accept that this version of himself if the true one, fully leaving his past life behind.
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Mass release count: 23 chaps
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