Chapter 537: Forever banned! A suicidal challenge!

Facing Natsume Chikage’s clear-headed and irrefutable counterattack, as well as Konoe Hitomi’s seemingly flat but heavy-as-a-mountain questioning, Shinohara Shingo’s face turned blue and white, and fine beads of sweat even seeped out of his forehead.

He realized that he had been completely defeated in reason and logic, and continuing to entangle would only be more embarrassing.

However, the shame and anger of being stripped of his disguise in public and having his purpose exposed, as well as his deep-seated jealousy and hostility toward Natsume Chikage, made it impossible for him to swallow this breath no matter what.

Driven to a corner, with no way to retreat, he finally chose the most unreasonable and ugly way—breaking the jar.

"Enough!"

Shinohara Shingo roared low, attracting everyone’s attention.

He stared fixedly at Natsume Chikage:

"Your tongue is sharp, I can't beat you in words!"

"But it has come to this, you want me to just let it go, pretend nothing happened? Reconciliation? Let you go? I tell you, absolutely impossible!"

"Listen, Natsume Chikage! Now there are only two paths in front of you—"

"Either, you negotiate an 'appropriate' bet with our baseball team and solve it in a man’s way!"

"Or..."

"You, and those people around you that you care about, in the remaining three years of high school, as long as you don't agree for one day, don't even think about having a good day!"

As soon as these naked threats were spoken, the student council room was in an uproar.

Those girls who supported Natsume Chikage were so angry that their faces turned pale, and they scolded one after another:

"Shinohara Shingo! This is a naked threat! It’s intimidation!"

"What’s the difference between this and school bullying?! It’s too much!"

"Vice President! Konoe-san! You all heard it! He is publicly threatening a classmate!"

Even other student council members who had maintained a neutral or wait-and-see attitude frowned, showing disapproval.

The coldness finally flashed in Konoe Hitomi’s eyes, which were always calm and waveless.

She furrowed her slender brows slightly, her red lips parted, her voice not high, but carrying an invisible pressure:

"Shinohara-kun, I can’t pretend I didn't hear what you just said..."

However, just as she was about to continue.

A slender and steady hand suddenly raised, stopping her calmly and firmly.

It was Natsume Chikage.

After hearing the people around him being threatened, the calm on his face was finally broken, replaced by a cold anger.

He stepped forward half a step, tit-for-tat with Shinohara Shingo, without any retreat.

"Since you have already said this to this point, and done things to such an ugly degree..."

"Then good, I won't let you go easily either."

"I accept your challenge."

Shinohara Shingo was stunned for a moment, then an unbelievable ecstasy erupted in his eyes, almost unable to hide his laughter.

He succeeded!

This cunning guy was finally forced to agree!

As long as Natsume Chikage agreed to a duel in baseball, he would definitely win!

His talent was favored by several professional scouts and was regarded by the school as an ace to impact Koshien!

Dealing with an outsider, wasn't it easy?

Shinohara Shingo forcibly suppressed the corners of his mouth that were almost reaching his ears, trying hard to maintain an "angry" expression, and asked impatiently:

"You agreed? Good! Whatever conditions, just say it!"

Natsume Chikage said coldly:

"The bet can be according to what you initially proposed."

"If I lose, I voluntarily drop out of Private Moonlight."

"But—"

His tone turned, and the chill became even stronger:

"Since your current behavior has completely deviated from the spirit of sports and tarnished the word 'competition'."

"Then as the loser, you must also pay an equal and permanent price."

"If you lose, not just you, Shinohara Shingo, but all the baseball team members who followed you to boo and pressure here today..."

Natsume Chikage’s gaze swept over the baseball team members behind Shinohara Shingo whose faces began to turn pale, and said word by word:

"All of you, drop out of Private Moonlight."

"And, from now on, you are forever banned from participating in baseball sports!"

"At the same time, you are forever banned from harassing me, or anyone around me, in any way!"

Nakajima Satoshi was shocked, shocked by Natsume Chikage’s words about the 'spirit of sports,' and fell into a long silence.

And those few baseball team members who originally just followed Shinohara Shingo to boost momentum and boo were even more pale, sweating on their foreheads, and their eyes were full of panic.

They just wanted to support their captain, and by the way, vent their dissatisfaction with public opinion, and never thought about gambling their studies and the sports career they loved!

Someone couldn't help but tremble and speak, wanting to retreat:

"W-wait... Shinohara-senpai, I..."

"Shut up!" Shinohara Shingo turned his head suddenly, glared at the member who spoke, his eyes fierce and full of warning.

He turned his head back, looked at Natsume Chikage, and agreed without hesitation, as if he had won:

"Fine! As you say! If we lose, everyone drops out, lifetime ban from playing baseball, and never harass you or anyone around you!"

Those baseball team members were like mourning, their faces like dead ash, but under Shinohara Shingo’s accumulated prestige, they didn't dare to refute anymore, and could only swallow the bitterness and fear back into their stomachs.

Shinohara Shingo was full of confidence now, only feeling that victory was in his pocket, and he couldn't wait to finalize the details:

"Then, the specific competition method..."

Natsume Chikage raised his hand again, interrupting him:

"Wait, I haven't finished yet."

In Shinohara Shingo’s puzzled gaze, Natsume Chikage’s gaze fell on the baseball glove that the other side had been holding in his hand, and was now clenched tightly because of excitement.

"If I win."

"This baseball glove of yours must also belong to me as a 'trophy'."

Shinohara Shingo heard this, paused, his face darkened, and a flash of heartache and anger flashed in his eyes.

This glove was not an ordinary glove.

It had accompanied him for many years, from green to mature, experienced countless training and competitions, soaked with his sweat and belief, almost part of his baseball career, the embodiment of his "faith."

He naturally knew that after Natsume Chikage won against Nakajima Satoshi last time, he took away the bat that Nakajima regarded as a treasure as a trophy.

Now, this guy actually had his eyes on his most precious glove?

Really... arrogant to the extreme!

Not knowing whether to live or die!

Shinohara Shingo sneered in his heart.

Really thought that by luckily winning against Nakajima Satoshi, that trash, he was qualified to covet his things?

Whatever.

To make you willing to compete, just a glove.

Like a girlfriend, just change another one!

Anyway, his ultimate goal was Yukimura Suzune, only she was irreplaceable!

"Hmph!" He snorted coldly, forcibly suppressing his anger, his brain turning fast, "Gambling the fate of other members, and now even wanting my glove as a trophy... Fine! But on my side, I must also add conditions, only then is it fair, isn't it?"

Natsume Chikage seemed to have expected it, shrugged his shoulders, and said calmly:

"Say it."

Shinohara Shingo’s eyes flashed with a calculating light, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

He knew a "common sense" in baseball: players with excellent hitting talent often find it difficult to become excellent pitchers at the same time.

This is because hitting and pitching have significant differences in body coordination, force application, and even nerve types, and can be said to be going in opposite directions.

On the field, almost all fielders can serve as hitters, but pitchers who can stand on the mound and dominate the game are rare, requiring more unique and harsh talents.

Not everyone is like Shinohara Shingo, a rare genius who can balance both sides, capable of destroying the opponent's defensive line with powerful hits while also leaving batters in despair with precise and rapid pitches.

Shinohara Shingo said in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible pride:

"The content of this competition must be changed."