Chapter 445: Strategy Meeting and Countermeasures
Seidou High School — Seishin Dormitory — Coach Kataoka's Office
At that moment—
Right after the meeting in the cafeteria ended,
Seidou's four top staff members tacitly gathered in Coach Kataoka's office.
Director Ota, as usual, wore his ever-present cheerful smile.
After all, today's game had ended in a big win. Not only that, but the victory came from the pitcher he favored most as the starter. It was only natural for him to be in a good mood.
However, that cheerful expression only lasted a few seconds.
Once inside the office—
Director Ota's smile completely vanished, as the atmosphere in the room was anything but light.
Whether it was Coach Kataoka or Ochiai, even Rei Takashima, who stood to the side with her arms folded in front of her, all wore serious, heavy expressions.
It felt as though Seidou hadn't won the game at all.
The tension made Director Ota, who had been about to happily break the ice, swallow his words and quietly stay off to the side.
"Seiko's batting lineup is a lot stronger than we anticipated."
The silence hung in the air for quite a while.
Just as Director Ota couldn't bear it any longer and was about to speak—
Rei Takashima adjusted her glasses and said with a sharp tone. Their lineup was one built on sheer power, and right now, among Seidou's pitching staff, there wasn't a single one who could confidently shut them down.
This had already been mentioned earlier.
Whether it was Sawamura, Furuya, or Kawakami—
All three pitchers had their own strengths and weaknesses when facing Seiko's lineup.
And with the semifinals and finals scheduled back-to-back, any of the four remaining teams were sure to be thinking not just about the next match, but also about the one beyond that.
For the players, they had to focus solely on the match right in front of them.
Or rather—
They must focus only on the upcoming game before thinking about the future.
Total concentration was non-negotiable.
It was absolutely forbidden for players to be distracted by thoughts of a future game while the current one was still undecided.
But the coaching staff was different. For a prestigious team, the coaches had to maintain a broad perspective. In such a tight schedule, planning out player rotation and match strategy was essential.
Choosing the right lineup for the right timing—
That was the head coach's responsibility.
In other words—
Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai had a critical issue to consider:
What to do in the finals after winning the semifinals.
Both Yakushi and Inashiro were powerful opponents.
And on top of that, the semifinal matchup itself was already against a tough school.
That's why the room had been filled with such tension earlier—Kataoka and Ochiai silently staring at each other, weighing the situation carefully.
"Personally, I recommend starting with Sawamura. In terms of overall ability, presence within the team, and the sense of stability he's shown recently, Sawamura is the most suitable option. While I do have concerns about the finals, Seiko is not a team we can afford to underestimate."
Despite the gravity of the situation, both Kataoka and Ochiai maintained calm expressions. Ochiai even appeared to be casually scrolling through his phone. But anyone watching closely—
Would've noticed—
His gaze was completely unfocused.
It was clear that the crafty old fox wasn't looking at the screen at all.
Rei Takashima felt that a decision needed to be made immediately.
So she stepped forward and voiced her opinion first.
Director Ota opened his mouth, intending to say something—but then, as if remembering something, a flicker of realization passed through his eyes.
In the end, he shut his mouth and obediently stood off to the side in silence.
Rei Takashima's words seemed to finally stir the two "lords" seated on the office sofa.
A glint of light flashed across Coach Kataoka's sunglasses.
And Ochiai finally, albeit reluctantly, set down his phone and returned to what he did best. He narrowed his eyes, twirled his mustache thoughtfully, and rhythmically tapped his fingers.
The man was positively oozing style.
"The batting lineup is powerful, the defense is solid. And though their two main pitchers might appear exploitable, as a whole, Seiko is a formidable opponent. If we're careless in our choices, a loss becomes highly probable. Even with the perfect strategy and lineup, the odds are basically fifty-fifty."
Ochiai's eyelids lifted ever so slightly as he spoke—his words, while sounding intelligent, were full of fluff and devoid of any real substance.
Yet Coach Kataoka, seated across from him, nodded gravely as if the speech had profound meaning, his expression deadly serious.
"In terms of approach, leaning on power might be the most effective strategy," Kataoka said calmly.
"But from a stability standpoint, if this turns into a slugfest, we'll be at a disadvantage."
Ochiai's eyes glimmered slightly, and he spoke with a subtle smile.
"Offense and defense are both crucial in baseball. But in this case, I think we need to prioritize one to maximize our chances."
"But…"
"Or perhaps it's more like…"
The moment Rei Takashima broke the silence, the two baseball veterans dove headfirst into a heated discussion.
Only… the content of their exchange was so layered and abstract that Director Ota, standing off to the side, found himself completely lost.
Weren't they just deciding on the starting pitcher?
Why did it have to sound so mysterious and complicated?
Director Ota's head began to ache.
Still, when he stole a glance at Rei Takashima, who maintained a stern expression and occasionally nodded in agreement or sank into thoughtful reflection as she followed the conversation,
he wisely put on a face that said:
"Yes, I totally agree."
Whether he understood it or not was beside the point. At the very least—well, you know how it is.
"So, Coach Kataoka, are you planning to take them head-on?"
Ochiai, for once, dropped his lazy demeanor and looked seriously at Kataoka, his tone sharpened ever so slightly.
Kataoka paused for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"In terms of matchup, it fits. Plus, he's in good condition right now. We can always adjust for the finals if needed. That has to be factored in too, don't you think?"
Kataoka turned his head and met Ochiai's gaze.
A flash of insight sparkled in Ochiai's eyes before he gave a slow nod.
"Alright then. In that case, let's go with your judgment and plan the lineup accordingly."
"Yeah, let's lock this in for now," Kataoka said, his expression firm and resolute.
Off to the side, Rei Takashima's eyes showed a glint of agreement, though tinged with a trace of hesitation.
But after a brief moment of consideration, she also nodded.
"Alright, I'll go inform Miyuki-kun. He'll need to start preparing."
"Thanks for that."
Kataoka gave her a small nod.
Rei opened the office door and quietly left.
Silence once again settled over the room.
Kataoka stared blankly into space, his face solemn and unreadable.
Ochiai picked up his phone again and resumed scrolling with great interest.
Which left just one man—Director Ota—standing there with a thoroughly confused look on his face, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Seriously… after all that talk, what exactly did they decide?
Why did it feel like he was the only one who didn't get it?
Who's starting?
What lineup?
What strategy?
Would it have killed them to just say it clearly?
This wasn't how riddles were supposed to work!
The autumn breeze blew with a slight chill, and Director Ota was left standing there, defeated and disoriented—utterly lost in the wind.
--------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky