Didn’t you say you were just using me as a substitute?

Is this how Taogu will go?

Kensuke Amatani slowly opened his eyes and said solemnly, "Ushiku, you go up."

"Coach, I..."

Ushikubo Shuri was like a student who was called out and stood up. He lowered his head and did not dare to look at the coach.

Perhaps every boy has fantasized about being like Takashi Kitahara, walking through the dark and narrow player tunnel, step by step towards the bright stadium, standing in the spotlight, and performing brilliantly at the Koshien Stadium witnessed by more than 50,000 people, causing thunderous cheers.

There is hardly any boy who does not desire this scene to happen to him.

Everyone wants to be Kitahara-san, but when it really comes to their turn, how many dare to take this step?

Not to mention someone like Takashi Kitahara who came forward, some people don't even have the courage to turn on the camera lens and face themselves. Asking them to go on stage to give a speech is like asking for their life, and they are so timid.

Not to mention having them perform in front of more than 50,000 people.

Again, if you are not born for such big scenes, the pressure of the field is enough to crush a person.

This is what happened to Ushikubo Shuri at the moment. No matter how many times he simulated it in his mind, when it was his turn to play, he instinctively wanted to escape.

Kitahara Takashi has raised the audience's threshold too high. If he doesn't perform well, he will be criticized.

Apart from anything else, Kitahara Takashi's current fans will criticize him to death.

Our brother took you to the semifinals, asked you to pitch a ball and defend a few innings, but it was either windy or rainy, right?

How dare you go on stage when you are so bad?

Are you worthy of us Gege carrying you all the way?

"Don't you have confidence?"

Seeing that his disciple didn't even have the courage to go on stage, Kensuke Amatani roared in anger.

"..."

Ushikubo Hiiragi lowered his head, too ashamed to say a word.

He really didn't dare to go on stage.

In this situation, whoever takes the stage will take the blame.

If you take the blame, you will be scolded.

Not only him, but several players in the bullpen kept silent.

"If you don't go up, do you still expect Beiyuan to continue throwing? Now, I order you to get up immediately."

Amaya Kensuke Hongwen roared.

Ushikubo Hiiragi gritted his teeth, lowered his head and walked out of the bullpen, ready to replace Kitahara Takashi.

*

"I admit that Kitahara Takashi is very powerful."

In the VIP stand where the air conditioning was free, Kaguya Shinomiya spoke softly.

"But, after all, one person's power is limited."

After these three games, she did make a slight change to Kitahara Takashi, as small as the size of her hair.

But she still doesn't think Qingye can win the championship.

Because the era of individual heroes is over.

As for miracles?

Sorry, Kaguya Shinomiya never believed that such a thing would happen.

"Hayasaka, nothing will happen between you and him."

Shinomiya Kaguya said this because she didn't want Hayasaka Ai to leave her, and also out of consideration and concern for her safety.

The Shinomiya family and the Hayasaka family have long been connected. Hayasaka Ai knows too many secrets of the Shinomiya family. Based on Shinomiya Kaguya's understanding of her family, it is impossible for them to let Hayasaka Ai leave.

If Kitahara Takashi really wants to be with Hayasaka Ai forever, he can only accept marrying into the family.

Shinomiya Kaguya didn't have much contact with Kitahara Takashi, but she didn't think Kitahara Takashi was the type of person who would be inferior to others.

Moreover, the Shinomiya family's practice of marrying into the wife's family is different from the traditional practice in island countries. In other families, as long as you behave yourself and work honestly, they will more or less appreciate your hard work when you are old, and will let you enjoy your old age even if you are no longer of any use to them.

But if you marry into the Shinomiya family, not only will you have to work for them for the rest of your life, but you will also be kicked out when you are no longer of any use.

Shinomiya Kaguya really cares about Hayasaka Ai, but it is also true that Hayasaka Ai can't listen at this moment.

"Respect..."

She looked at the boy on the pitcher's mound with concern.

Everyone was discussing the competition, but she was just concerned about Kitahara Takashi's health.

At this time, Hayasaka Ai was not the only one who had the same idea as her, but also Doma Mai, Ryuju Momo, Koyasu Tsubame, Kashiwagi Nagisa, and Katsura Kotonoha.

*

In the live studio, Mai Sakurajima said with regret: "Contestant Kitahara is leaving the stage."

"There's nothing we can do about it."

As a pitcher himself, Ichiro Suzuki can empathize most with Kitahara Takashi at this moment.

He looked at Beiyuan Zun with a look filled with regret and sorrow, as if he was looking at a hero at the end of his life: "He really tried his best."

With my shoulder in this condition, there is no way I can compete.

Every time he raised his hand, he felt a tearing pain, and his strength was definitely greatly reduced. In the short term, it would be basically impossible for Kitahara Tsutomu to exercise again.

No matter how dazzling Kitahara Tsutomu was before, losing is losing.

The loser eats the dust.

People will sympathize with the losers, but sympathy cannot change the outcome.

The match will not be stopped or postponed due to Kitahara's injury.

"Let's see who's the next reliever..."

Suzuki Ichiro stopped talking halfway through his speech and widened his eyes.

Mai Sakurajima, who was sitting next to him, had her cherry lips slightly parted.

*

When Kensuke Amatani was about to replace Kitahara Takashi with Ushikubo Shuri, he saw Kitahara Takashi with a ferocious expression, biting the top edge of his jersey with his mouth, putting his knees on his armpits to stabilize his arms, and then slowly turning his arms with his other hand to pull his arms back to their original position.

"Kacha!"

The close-up sound recording equipment clearly captured the crisp sound of the joints.

After manually restoring the dislocated shoulder, Kitahara Takashi was sweating profusely and his face was pale, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

After a while, Kitahara Takashi slowly straightened his back and waved to the catcher, signaling him to throw the ball over.

After a brief moment of surprise, Kensuke Amatani quickly ran onto the pitcher's mound and asked Kitahara Takashi, "What are you doing?"

"What do you want to do?"

Kitahara Takashi pointed at Ushikubo Shuri who was about to take the stage, and looked calmly at Kensuke Amatani.

"Are you planning to replace me?"

"Yes, in your current condition." Before Kensuke Amaya could finish his words, the whole audience exclaimed.

Kitahara Takashi grabbed Amatani Kensuke's collar with his right hand, and with a terrifying look in his eyes, he asked, "Who gave you permission to replace me?"

"Remember this: this team was brought to the semifinals by me, Kitahara Takashi."

"Even if I lose, it will only be at my hands."

“No one else is eligible.”

It was the first time that Kensuke Amatani saw Kitahara Takashi like this, and he was so scared that he couldn't speak for a moment.

Kitahara Takashi usually gives people the impression of being elegant, easy-going, friendly, easy to talk to, and able to take a joke.

Even if he was not accepted by the players in the team at first, Kitahara Takashi would be able to get along with them if they took the initiative to show goodwill towards him later.

In front of the media cameras, Kitahara Takashi acted ignorant of the immensity of the world.

But privately, in reality, Kitahara Takashi is a very easy-going person. At least that's the impression his classmates have of him.

Normally, he would never refuse requests from teachers or classmates.

Kitahara Takashi embodies the public's stereotype of a good student.

It seems that he is such a person.

But is this really the case?

But only a few girls like Yukinoshita Yukino, Hitomi Yozakura, and Nari Kamikawa can see through the surface and see the true character of Kitahara Takashi.

Paranoid.

Kitahara Tsutomu knew better than anyone that once he went down, Qingye would be finished.

Kitahara Takashi doesn't want to lose!

Never give up!

I have persisted until now, why should he be the one who loses?

For Kitahara Takashi, losing at the finish line is no different than losing at the starting line.

There is no difference between second and last place.

Kitahara Takashi's personality is that if he does something, he either doesn't do it at all, or he does it to the best of his ability.

Kensuke Amatani stared at him blankly for a moment, then flew into a rage: "I'm the coach."

In high school, the coach's orders are absolute.

No one can be above it.

Kitahara Takashi was simply provoking him now.

"I told you to get off, Kitahara Takashi, did you hear me?"

Kitahara Takashi's eyes were stubborn, he didn't move a step, staring at Amatani Kensuke: "I'll say it again, I won't go down."

Don’t even mention that Kensuke Amatani is a coach.

Today, even if he is the Hokage, he will not go down.

The two stared at each other, and for a moment, neither of them could give up their persistence.

Kensuke Amatani took a few deep breaths, knowing that he couldn't convince Kitahara Takashi, so he turned to Ushikubo Hiiragi and shouted, "Ushiku, come up!"

Kitahara Takashi pointed at Ushikubo Shuri and roared, "Come up with me and try to take them one by one?"

Ushikubo Shuri looked at his coach, then looked at Kitahara Tsuyoshi who was as furious as a lion. He was not willing to come up in the first place, and Kitahara Tsuyoshi was really scary now. In the end, the balance in his heart tilted towards Kitahara Tsuyoshi, and he stood there silently without moving.

He expressed everything without moving.

"you!"

Kensuke Amatani didn't expect that even Ushikubo Shuri started to disobey him.

Kitahara Takashi ignored him. He turned around, looked around at the Aoba students deployed in various positions, and said loudly:

"You guys are the team that should have been eliminated in the first round."

"I was appointed in a critical moment to take over the position of the team's ace pitcher!"

"It was me who led the private Sobu High School you defeated, defeated Shuka, and defeated the top seeded Osaka Toin, all the way here."

Beiyuan Zun gasped for air, took a deep breath, and continued, "Whether it's the promise made in midsummer or the dream you don't want to end, I will help you realize it all."

"Because I'm Kitahara Takashi!"

"As long as I'm here, you won't lose. You are the strongest!"

On the court, the young men stared at Kitahara Tsuyoshi in a daze, with an uncontrollable emotion boiling deep in their hearts.

My throat feels itchy and I always want to shout something.

"Kitahara!!!"