CHAPTER 344: CHAPTER 194: THE PERFECT CURTAIN CALL (PART 2)

Because the next player stepping up to bat is named Lin Guanglai.

"High school career home runs totaling 100, the first and only in history; Summer Koshien, four home runs in a single game, eight in a single tournament, 15 in total, the first and only in history; spring and summer combined home runs, scores, batting average triple crown winner—in terms of both statistics and influence on the games, Lin Guanglai is undoubtedly the strongest hitter in high school baseball in the past 94 years!"

For many who follow Takayama, they only know that Lin Guanglai is very talented and strong, but they don’t have a clear concept of how strong.

When the commentator lists Lin Guanglai’s achievements and titles over the past three years, many spectators realize what kind of extraordinary presence this player about to take the field truly is.

Every one of these achievements is something that 99% of high school baseball players can’t achieve in their lifetime, yet Lin Guanglai has collected these honors one by one.

During the time Lin Guanglai walks from the waiting area to home plate, Fujinami Jintaro on the pitcher’s mound becomes serious.

The first time he heard the name "Lin Guanglai" was the summer he had just entered Osaka Tsubaki.

That summer, the breakout star Lin Guanglai faced Nihon University Three in the regional finals without a hit and hit four home runs at Koshien Stadium, making every baseball fan in Japan remember him—at that time, Fujinami Jintaro had just been selected for the team roster as a backup, and his team was eliminated in the local tournament’s third round.

When he truly saw him in reality, Lin Guanglai had just won the Senbatsu High School Baseball Tournament and was treated as a Koshien superstar wherever he went; meanwhile, he himself hadn’t even been to Koshien once.

Even after leading the team to defeat Waseda Jitsugyo this spring and eventually winning the Senbatsu, Fujinami Jintaro still did not consider himself victorious over his rival—because in the semi-finals, which was labeled as a classic match, he gave up a home run in the first at-bat, something he still couldn’t let go.

Fujinami Jintaro considers Lin Guanglai his rival, but he’s not sure if the opponent sees him as an equal—you see, for Fujinami Jintaro, none of that matters now.

Now, Fujinami only knows one thing: If Osaka Tsubaki wants to push the game into extra innings, and if he wants to defeat Lin Guanglai head-on in this confrontation, then at least in this upcoming at-bat, this pinnacle of high school baseball is his target to conquer.

"Lin, in the next at-bat, I will definitely strike you out," Fujinami Jintaro mutters to himself.

The distance between the waiting area and home plate isn’t far or near; Lin Guanglai walks at a steady pace, and the camera follows him forward—in an anime, this journey alone would take four or five episodes to cover all of Lin Guanglai’s mental journeys.

But for Lin Guanglai himself, for some reason, his mind is very clear at this moment, with no chaotic thoughts, only one determination:

"In the next at-bat, I must hit the baseball out of the park!"

Bottom of the ninth inning, two outs. The final showdown between the two best talents of this generation in their last game of high school is here—in terms of drama, discussion, and fate, this Summer Koshien final has reached its peak.

No spectator in the stands can sit quietly; to ensure they don’t miss any exciting moment, they stand from their seats—first there’s one, then two, three, ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand...

The various broadcasters airing the game experience a spike in viewership. The already high ratings due to the hyped-up showdown hit a new peak.

At this moment, almost all of Japan’s attention is focused on this 13,000 square meter field, centered on these two young men standing between the pitcher’s mound and the batter’s box.

"Play Ball!" The chief umpire points toward the pitcher’s area, officially starting the thrilling showdown.

On the pitcher’s mound, Fujinami Jintaro closes his glove, takes a deep breath, and swiftly throws the ball—in such moments, hesitation is the enemy; having already discussed the pitching strategy with the catcher, Fujinami Jintaro throws the baseball decisively.

"Thud!!!"

The baseball is struck by Lin Guanglai’s swing, soaring high into the sky, finally sailing past the foul pole into the right-field stands, sending the audience into an uproar.

Only after visually confirming that the ball indeed made it into the stands does Fujinami Jintaro relax: Was there a pitching error? Yes, but the deviation was no more than one ball position—yet it was this tiny mistake that almost allowed Lin Guanglai to blast it out of the park.

In the batter’s box, Lin Guanglai feels regret for not keeping the ball fair: He had decided to swing at the first good pitch before the at-bat started, and the last pitch was in his favored hitting zone—missing that chance, who knows if there will be another scoring opportunity?

Quickly, Fujinami Jintaro throws a second pitch, a beautiful breaking ball targeting the inside corner of a left-hander—for Lin Guanglai, it’s not hard to hit a single off such a pitch, but a home run would require immense luck. Choosing not to gamble on probability, he lets the pitch go.

"Strike!" The chief umpire raises his right hand, making the call; simultaneous with the cheers and chants arising from Osaka Tsubaki’s field, the bench, and the stands.

With two pitches thrown, the count is 0 balls, 2 strikes, and Lin Guanglai has been pushed to the edge of a cliff. Every subsequent pitch is life or death.

It’s important to know that Waseda Jitsugyo and Osaka Tsubaki’s biggest difference lies in the depth of their lineups: Even if the starting nine can barely compete evenly with Osaka Tsubaki, the players sitting on Osaka Tsubaki’s bench are much stronger than Waseda Jitsugyo’s. As the game drags on, if it reaches extra innings, Waseda Jitsugyo will definitely be at a disadvantage.

Clearly, Lin Guanglai does not want the game to go into overtime.

On the third pitch, Fujinami’s control falters, the fastball drifting to the upper right corner of the strike zone, a ball.

The fourth pitch, a slider aimed outside, Lin Guanglai swings and fouls it off.

The fifth pitch, sixth, seventh, eighth... In the fierce exchange, Fujinami Jintaro’s 3 strikes advantage is entirely eaten away by Lin Guanglai.

The count stands at 3 balls, 2 strikes, a full count.

Regulating his rapid breathing and reconfirming the pitch signal, Fujinami Jintaro nods heavily towards Mori Yuuya crouching in the catcher’s box, then raises his leg, builds up power, twists, and hurls his arm—

His full attention focused on the baseball, facing this must-hit fastball, Lin Guanglai responds in kind:

Loading the bat, building strength, twisting, swinging with full force!

"Thud——!!!"

At the moment the baseball is struck, Koshien Stadium erupts into a festive atmosphere: For those spectators who have watched countless baseball games, there’s probably no one who understands better what the crisp sound just now signifies.

Towards right field, covering this area is Mizuhara Gakuto, still chasing the ball, knowing the hope is slim, but his steps don’t stop—"What if? What if a miracle happens? What if heaven favors our Osaka Tsubaki?"

In the infield, the tall and handsome teenager is sprinting wildly, his swift strides leaving the Pacific Ocean breezes behind.

When the baseball lands in the stands, all Waseda Jitsugyo players instantly rush out from the dugout—surrounding their captain, who has just returned to home plate, they unanimously lift him high into the sky.

"A new summer, a brand-new legend!"

"The 94th National Championships, final game, Lin Guanglai’s walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth!!!"