Chapter 285: The Last Chance

Back at Seido, Huangqian Yangyi was still thinking about Narumiya Mei.

"Stop thinking about it, guessing won't do you any good," Miyuki said helplessly.

"I've got it!" Huangqian Yangyi suddenly said.

Hearing this, everyone around looked over; Miyuki had already mentioned their chance encounter with Narumiya Mei on the bus, and everyone had been speculating about what kind of tactics the other side might have.

"Got what?" Kominato Ryosuke asked.

"I know why Narumiya Mei is different this time compared to before."

Huangqian Yangyi looked up, "In the past, Narumiya Mei would always trade barbs with me, but not this time, and everyone on Inashiro, including Narumiya Mei, has an air of fighting with their backs to the wall."

"And then?" Miyuki asked.

"Because this time, it might be their last chance!" Huangqian Yangyi said.

"Last chance?"

"What do you mean?"

Everyone wore an expression of confusion.

"Harada Masatoshi, he's a third-year!" Huangqian Yangyi said in a low voice.

Hearing this, those who understood already understood, while those who didn't still looked blank.

At this moment, Chris, one of the smart ones, spoke up: "After this summer, the Catcher Harada Masatoshi will retire, and at Inashiro, there is currently absolutely no one capable of taking over his position."

"That's right, there are many catchers, but there is no one at Inashiro who can coordinate well with Narumiya Mei and fully bring out his abilities!" Miyuki said.

Hearing the two's analysis, the others also reacted.

Huangqian Yangyi continued, "Narumiya Mei is a proud person at heart, and a bit flighty; he has a very aggressive personality on the Pitcher's Mound. A pitcher with such personality and talent cannot coordinate well with anyone who isn't an equally talented catcher."

"Even though Narumiya Mei's personality has become much more stable now, once Harada Masatoshi retires next year, the new catcher who takes over at Inashiro will lack the ability and skill, and Narumiya Mei's pitching prowess won't be fully unleashed; at that point, Inashiro's strength will drop significantly."

"Therefore, this year is when Inashiro is at its strongest, and it is also their last chance to defeat our Seido and enter Koshien!"

After Huangqian Yangyi finished speaking, all the team members looked at one another; Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai also looked at each other. To be honest, neither of them had thought of this issue.

Put that way, Inashiro is likely going to fight them with everything they've got this year.

"Everyone go back, change your clothes, and get some good rest. Come to the meeting room tonight for a meeting!" Coach Kataoka said loudly.

After the team members dispersed, Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai immediately returned to the office; they had more ideas regarding the upcoming match against Inashiro.

There was one day left until the start of the finals. The next day, while the Seido Baseball Club was training, a small pickup truck pulled into the Seido parking lot.

Before long, a tall, stout man pushed open the driver's side door and stepped down.

"Nanjo! You old fool, hurry up and get down here to move the stuff!" the stout man shouted.

The man sleeping in the passenger seat was startled awake, looked at the familiar scenery outside the window, and immediately pushed the door open and stepped down.

"Tsk, it's only been a few months since I left, but it feels like it's been a long time," Nanjo Taishi said with great emotion.

"Are you sick or something? Hurry up and come over to move it!"

"Dong, what's the rush? The underclassmen must still be training right now; it wouldn't be good to go too early and disturb them."

"Bullshit! Tomorrow is the finals; the First String guys must be doing individual training right now, and that kid Huangqian is probably sleeping on the grass again."

"That's your prejudice; Huangqian has always been diligent. Hey, right, do you want to have a duel with him later and see if you, now a professional player, can score off him?"

Hearing Nanjo Taishi's words, Dong Qingguo glared at him fiercely. A duel with Huangqian Yangyi?

It would be embarrassing to lose, and if he won... uh, he probably couldn't win; that bastard kid's pitching is top-tier even in professional baseball.

"You're scared."

Seeing Dong Qingguo not speaking, Nanjo Taishi poked at his heart without hesitation.

"Ha? I'd be scared of that brat?!" Dong Qingguo felt guilty, and his voice grew louder.

"Fine, fine, not scared, not scared."

Nanjo Taishi said as if coaxing a child.

Dong Qingguo felt his blood pressure spike instantly.

Just then, Nanjo Taishi leaned in a bit closer, looked Dong Qingguo up and down, and frowned: "Dong, have you... put on weight?"

"Go to hell!"

His blood pressure exploded.

On the field, Huangqian Yangyi was conducting pitching practice, with Chris as the Catcher.

10 Four-seam Fastballs, 10 Two-seam Fastballs, 10 Forkballs, 10 Sliders, 10 Circle Changeups, 10 Palmballs.

After one round of pitching, Chris stood up with satisfaction, "Let's stop here. Get some good rest today; for the remaining time, just look over the data on Inashiro's batting lineup."

"Don't worry, Senior, I know who's who among that Inashiro crowd even with my eyes closed," Huangqian Yangyi said.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside.

Fujiwara Takako jogged to the Bullpen and found Coach Kataoka, who was observing the pitcher's training there.

"Coach, Senior Dong and the others are here," Fujiwara Takako said.

"Hm?"

"Who?"

"Who's here?"

Everyone in the Bullpen turned their heads in unison.

"Senior Dong Qingguo, and Senior Nanjo Taishi," Fujiwara Takako said.

Hearing this, everyone stopped what they were doing; they hadn't expected Senior Dong and Senior Nanjo to return to the school the day before the finals.

"Go take a look?" Huangqian Yangyi turned his head and said to Chris.

"Let's go." Chris nodded.

The two who had finished their training walked out of the Bullpen together with Coach Kataoka.

"Who are you guys talking about? Who's coming?" Sawamura, not understanding the situation, asked Miyuki across from him.

Miyuki smiled, stood up, and took off his glove, "Let's stop here; training is about done."

Ono Hiroshi, off to the side, also finished Furuya Satoru's pitching practice.

Walking out of the field, Huangqian Yangyi saw Tanba and Miyauchi Keisuke standing by the roadside, and Isashiki Jun was there too; not far away, Dong Qingguo and Nanjo Taishi were carrying things and heading this way.

"They really came; I thought I was being lied to," Isashiki Jun looked very happy.

"How come there are only two people? I thought all the seniors had come back."

"What are you thinking? Don't other people have school or work?"

"Haha, the others don't matter, it's just a pity that Senior Jiantian Youxiang didn't come back."

More and more people gathered by the roadside, and Dong Qingguo and Nanjo Taishi also quickened their pace.

"Hey! You bastards, don't you know to come and help?"

From far away, Dong Qingguo's familiar roar carried over.

"That won't work, Senior, we have a game to play tomorrow; what if we get injured helping you move things?"

"Huangqian, that's you! Come over here and help!"

"No!"

"Come over here!"

"No!"

Before they had even walked close, the two of them started bickering.