Volume 13 Chapter 234-4 Shirogane Aqua, Men Who Have Been Declared Excluded from Combat
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
From the next inning on, both teams will be making pitching changes.
Tenga-senpai, our pitcher, shifts to first base; Nobu-san, who was at first, heads to left field; Hajime steps into the designated hitter role.
Now we’ve got 4 BERYL players across the infield.
From here on, it’s a back-and-forth battle──one strategic switch after another, clutch hits, and pinch hitters switching in.
The game’s a relentless seesaw.
The heat peaks in the fifth, 6th, 7th, and 8h innings──a sweat-inducing, pulse-pounding clash that keeps everyone on the edge.
”Yukari, go for it──hit the big one!”
”Yukari-senpai, you’ve got this! Keep fighting!”
Top of the ninth, score tied at 10-10.
Two outs, bases loaded.
Kohina-senpai, our cleanup hitter, steps into the batter’s box.
Just before she swings, Kohina-senpai turns to me──her bat raised──eyes locking onto my position at shortstop.
”Aqua! It’s all or nothing──show ’em what you’ve got!!”
”Got it──let’s do this!”
Kohina-senpai’s challenge? I’ll rise to it. No holding back.
”Pitching subbed out for Utsumi Hayato──Shirogane Aqua takes over at shortstop!”
Utsumi-san stays on the mound, and I step into the shortstop spot I was covering earlier.
The crowd roars──spectators on both sides watching this undeniable duel between teacher and student.
I fire a 140 km/h fastball, the kind that leaves the bat ringing.
Despite options like a fork or split, I stick with straight heat, teasing the edge of control.
Speed climbs──mid-140s, then hitting 150 km/h.
As I ramps up to 155, I drive Kohina-senpai into a full count.
Finally, I ring her up with a blistering 160 km/h fastball, striking her out.
”Aqua-sama, SLB awaits! Hop in──don’t slow down!!”
”Rabbits, Swallow Claws, or Doyz──starting spots are wide open for you!”
”Kohina Yukari’s pick of Aqua-sama, knowing full well what’s coming──she’s got guts.”
”And Aqua-sama, ignoring the pressure, keeps her focus──no shortcuts, no slips.”
”Oh… it’s 5 o’clock. Morning’s already here.”
”Everyone, just… think of Kanon-sama──just for a moment.”
The next rally begins with Rihito-san, who came in as fifth batter.
Rihito-san, who just smashed a home run earlier, gets pitched carefully by the reliever, the Prime Minister.
Yet, with stubborn resilience, he fights through the at-bat and earns his place on first with a gutsy hit against Tsuwabuki-san, who’s taken over as the 6th.
Hajime, batting 7th, followed suit, but Kujaku, in the 8h spot, struck out after a long struggle.
Two outs, runners on first and second… And now Maruo’s up, after getting out in the bases-loaded situation thanks to Iria-san’s super play.
”Aqua-san, watch! I’ll definitely get the run to you!!”
”Alright! I’m counting on you!!”
I slapped Maruo on the back as he headed up to bat.
And he lived up to the expectations, hitting a fantastic line drive over Iria-san’s head, loading the bases.
At this point, the pitcher, the Prime Minister, was replaced by Iria-san, who had no control but could throw a fastball.
”Let’s do this, Aqua-kun!”
”You got it!!”
Iria-san was throwing fastballs over 90 miles per hour, right down the middle.
But thanks to her slightly wild pitches, it was harder to hit than I thought.
I swung and missed, and now I was down 2 strikes.
Here comes Iria-san’s blazing fastball, right into the strike zone to decide the game.
”Damn it!”
The moment the bat connected with the ball, I knew this was just going to be a weak fly ball.
Should I try to control my swing and aim for a hit?
Or foul it off and go for it on the next pitch?
No, chances like this don’t come around often in life.
If I’m Shirogane Aqua, I have to seize this chance, this single pitch, and finish it off!!
That’s what Shirogane Aqua is all about!!
”UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!”
Akio-san always said…
The muscles you’ve trained won’t betray you.
Weapons are meaningless.
In the end, all you can trust is your own body, your own power!!
I forced it, using pure power to send Iria-san’s fastball soaring over the fence.
”UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!”
”Sayonara, Grand Slam Home Run!!!”
”Aqua-sama always pulls through, huh?”
”Kohina Yukari and the others on their team did their best too.”
”Man, that was fun!”
”So you guys, remember Kanon-sama a little bit…”
I ran back to home plate, and my teammates and I embraced in celebration.
Then, we lined up and bowed to the opposing team, congratulating each other on a hard-fought game.
Man, that was one hell of a game.
Suddenly, Agewa-san storms in, face twisting with panic.
”Prime Minister! What’s all this chaos?! I don’t care about that right now! Aqua-sama──where is he?!”
Huh? Me?
I’m right here!!
Agewa-san spots my face, breaks into a broad, relieved smile.
”It’s a boy! Both mother and baby are perfectly healthy!! Twin babies!!”
I exchange looks with 2 senpai colleagues nearby, surprised.
”Wooow! They’re born! They’re here!”
”C-Calm down, rookie! Congrats… really, congratulations!”
”Yeah, breathe deep! And──congratulations again!!”
Everyone around starts offering their good wishes, and I nod, grateful.
I thank them back.
”Lift him up!!”
Somehow, on the Prime Minister’s command, I get hoisted from both sides──like, simultaneously.
”HURRAY!”
”HURRAY!”
No way I should be celebrating right now!!
Seriously, I should’ve known──this wasn’t the time for baseball!
I scramble, change my dirty clothes, disinfect quickly, then bolt toward Kanon.
”You did amazing, Kanon!! Thanks, really──thanks a ton!!”
”Y-Yeah…!”
I praise Kanon, then turn to look at the newborn twins.
Kanoa, Anon──thank you for coming into this world.
You’re both incredible!
I let myself hold my own babies, tears brimming with emotion.
It’s… overwhelming.
Who’d have thought──my past self would’ve never imagined I’d have a family, let alone hold children.
”Everyone──me──I’ll do my best. From now on, I’ll keep pushing even harder.”
”Hehe, Aqua, you don’t need to push so hard now. Just… relax. This is enough.”
Huh, really?
My wife, she’s way too kind…
”Kanon, you truly did your best. Now, rest up──just relax now.”
”Yeah… see you later.”
I give Kanon one more gentle word, then step away, leaving her to her recovery.
Now, with a press conference coming up, I know I’ve got a busy day ahead.
I tighten my resolve, head back to where my baseball friends are waiting, eager to share this incredible moment.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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