I Thought I Was Dead After Getting Stabbed While Protecting a Girl From a Random Attacker, but a Goddess Gave Me a Special Reward and Brought Me Back to Life in My Original Body—Now, All These Girls Are Coming on to Me!? - Chapter 41: The Battle Finally Begins

Chapter 41: The Battle Finally Begins

“All right! Let’s get fired up! First, warm-ups. Do them carefully to avoid injuries!”

“Okay!”

Finally, on the day of the semifinals, we had the second match of the day, so we warmed up in the space next to the stadium while the previous match happened.

I paired up with Tsutsumi-kun and warmed up my body thoroughly.

“I wonder if I’ll get a chance to play today…”

“Who knows… Tsutsumi-kun, you have a good chance, don’t you? You made such great plays.”

“No, that was just luck! I was really just fortunate…”

“You can’t make a play like that with just luck.”

In the game I pitched, there was a right field fly.

No doubt, that play required perfect judgment of the hit, reaction, fielding—everything had to align.

Having an outfielder who can make plays like that late in the game gives the team a huge sense of security.

“…If you say stuff like that, I get embarrassed, so stop it…”

Oh, I apparently said what I thought out loud.

It’s not something I’d mind others hearing, so no problem.

“Both of you, how’s your condition?”

“Captain, Mabuchi-senpai. Good work!”

“Good work!”

“Today’s match will definitely be tougher than ever. We’ll need both of you to play, so prepare well.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Oh my, are you intimidating the underclassmen before the match?”

The person who appeared while we talked was the manager, Kuroki-senpai.

At Kuroki-senpai’s words, Tsutsumi-kun’s face paled, and he protested.

“Intimidating? No way! W-We’re really well taken care of…”

…Tsutsumi-kun is super serious.

I figured he wouldn’t get that kind of joke, but it’s funny in its own way, so it’s fine.

“…I’m sorry about that.”

“Minase aside, Tsutsumi won’t get those kinds of jokes, so be careful.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Thanks to this conversation before the match, I naturally relaxed my shoulders.

This shows the seniors’ skill or kindness, I suppose.

It’s not quite like usual, but this might help me face the match with a bit less tension.

“You’re back at it again, Nogata-kun?”

The person who appeared and ruined the mood wore the uniform of our opponent, Nanasei Academy High School—a guy with black-rimmed glasses who looked extremely serious.

“…What do you want, Arai?”

“What do I want? Come on, we’re closer than that, aren’t we?”

“I don’t recall ever being close to you.”

“So cold. How about it, Madoka-san? Instead of this rude guy, why not come to me?”

“I don’t recall giving you permission to use my first name.”

“Ugh, that dishonesty of yours is your only flaw, you know.”

This guy seems to have some history with Captain Nogata and the others.

Even without that, his behavior is far from friendly.

…Maybe something happened in a previous match.

“Since you’ll lose to us pathetically and retire today, shouldn’t you butter me up now?”

“…Sorry, but we’ll win. We’re not giving in to you.”

“Ha, ha, ha! What’s that? The guy who got hit by me last year and humiliated his seniors is talking big!”

“I’m not the type to make the same mistake twice.”

“…Hmph. Bark while you can. Madoka-san, if you don’t want to sink with this loser, you’d better come to me soon. I’m always waiting.”

“I politely decline.”

“…Well, I’ll take my leave.”

With that, the black-rimmed glasses guy walked off, cutting through the air with his shoulders.

…What was that guy’s deal?

“Sorry, my fault you got tangled up with a weirdo.”

“W-What was with that guy? He was incredibly rude.”

“Last year in the semifinals, he came in as a pinch-hitter late in the game and hit the winning run. Since then, he messes with us every chance he gets.”

“Not just Nogata, but that guy probably has a thing for Kuroki. That’s why he’s like that, right?”

“I’ve told him multiple times I’m not interested…”

The seniors have it rough.

Well, today we’ll make sure to win big, and that’ll put that guy in his place.

“We’ll do our best to help the team win, even if it’s just a little.”

“M-Me too! I don’t know if I’ll get to play, but I’ll give it my all!”

“…We’ve got some great underclassmen.”

“Right. As seniors, we’ve got to step up for our pride.”

“I’ll tighten up my focus too.”

Despite the attack from that mysterious guy, it actually made our team bond even stronger.

Even the seniors must feel shaken by such an unexpected event. As underclassmen, we need to support them properly.

Finally, the curtain rises on the semifinals.

Wow!

In the semifinals, the number of spectators increases dramatically.

In the other semifinal earlier, as expected, Oomagari High School advanced smoothly.

To face Oomagari High School in the finals, we first need to beat Nanasei Academy High School in front of us. Let’s-inverse focus on that.

As I returned to the bench after the greetings, I looked at the stands and saw Kanade, Makoto, and Yuna, along with my parents and Sakuya.

I waved to the six of them, and they noticed and waved back.

With their cheers fueling me, I’ll do my best to shine.

In the first inning, the pitcher on the mound for the opponent was that obnoxious black-rimmed glasses guy, Arai.

Arai, a tall pitcher with a long wingspan, throws the ball downward with force.

His pitch speed is around 140 km/h, but his unique form makes it feel faster.

He also uses cutters and two-seam fastballs that move subtly at the last moment, so it’s not easy to hit him.

Our leadoff batter, Kourugi-senpai, struggled against the power of the downward pitches and couldn’t hit the ball forward.

Still, he managed to make Arai throw eight pitches.

Unfortunately, he got jammed by an inside two-seamer and hit a grounder to second.

The second batter, Yanagi-senpai, showed signs of a safety bunt on the first pitch.

“Ball!”

As expected of Yanagi-senpai, he uses techniques to throw off the opponent and gain a favorable count.

However,

Clang!

When Arai throws accurately in the zone, the ball’s power prevents strong hits.

Yanagi-senpai, hitting the ball with the tip of the bat, sent a weak grounder to second. Two outs.

The third batter, Mabuchi-senpai, stepped up.

From here, our middle lineup has the skill and power to hit the ball despite Arai’s strength.

The first pitch came.

Crack!

A sharp hit rolled toward right-center. A long-hit course.

“Go! Run!”

Mabuchi-senpai sprinted to second base, creating an immediate big chance.

The fourth batter stepped up.

“Captain! We’re counting on you!”

“Nogata-senpai! We’re relying on you!”

Captain Nogata stepped into the batter’s box and stared at Arai on the mound.

Arai stared back at Captain Nogata, undaunted.

The first inning already brought a critical moment.

The first pitch, a fastball inside. Nogata-senpai let it pass for a ball.

It was a close call, but Nogata-senpai judged it well.

The second pitch, a fastball outside. It hit a tough spot for a strike.

Then the third pitch.

Crack!

He hit it solidly, but the ball just went foul down the third-base line.

Hitting the ball well from the first at-bat shows promise.

The fourth pitch, an outside two-seamer.

The ball curved slightly at the last moment, but Nogata-senpai judged it well for a ball.

Two balls, two strikes.

The fifth pitch was the moment of truth.

Arai wound up big and threw.

It was a fastball, slightly off the mark. If it’s the captain…!

The next moment,

“Ugh…!”

Nogata-senpai’s full swing missed the ball completely.

“Strikeout!”

He couldn’t capitalize on the first-inning chance.

But that last pitch…

“A forkball, huh?”

“He didn’t throw that at all last year or even until now, right?”

“Yeah. A secret weapon he saved up.”

I see…

A hidden trump card.

But, in a way, seeing his secret weapon in the first inning is fortunate.

I believe the seniors will figure out how to hit it from here.

Now, defense. Naturally, Captain Nogata took the mound.

Nanasei Academy High School, perhaps targeting Nogata-senpai’s right arm, lined up many left-handed batters.

I heard they excel at data-driven baseball, but to counter Nogata-senpai so blatantly…

Well, baseball isn’t that easy to win with just that.

The first pitch, Nogata-senpai started with his signature curveball.

The batter lost balance and swung at air.

The second pitch, a fastball low and inside.

After that curve, the batter couldn’t swing. Two strikes.

The third pitch, a fastball right on the outside corner.

The leadoff batter couldn’t swing and struck out looking.

A perfect start. He’s really fired up.

“Number two, pitcher, Arai-kun, number 1.”

Now, the second batter is the rival, Arai.

In batting, Arai has the upper hand so far.

How will this matchup go?