One out.
Runner on second base.
The Seido High School Baseball Team's next batter stepped forward.
"Fifth batter, first baseman, Yuuki Tetsuya."
Yuuki wasn't a talkative person. In a group, he might not say a single word from start to finish. If no one spoke to him, he could easily fade into the background.
But no one ever ignored him. Not because he was loud. But because his presence was impossible to overlook.
Although Yuuki didn't speak much, he was extrely easy to read. You could almost tell what he was thinking just by looking at him. His emotions were written plainly on his face, without any attempt at concealnt.
In a way, he was very simple.
And precisely because he was simple, he was terrifying.
At the very least, the pitcher-catcher duo of Ichidai Third High School had already been ntally scarred by Yuuki Tetsuya in this ga.
They had managed to deal with Seido's middle lineup.
They retired Azuma Kiyokuni.
They got Zhang Han out. They even forced Zhang Han into a double play.
But when it ca to Yuuki, they had no solution at all.
In today's ga, they had faced Yuuki twice. And both tis, he had delivered clean base hits.
The boy who, just one year ago, swung blindly and relied on brute force had now transford into a terrifying batter who could confront them head-on and still hold the advantage.
Judging purely from results, Yuuki Tetsuya was winning. With a runner already on second base, it was now his turn to bat. For Ichidai Third High School, this was a severe trial.
Just from the frequency of their defensive shifts, it was clear how wary they were of him.
In Seido's dugout, soone else was feeling uneasy.
Isashiki Jun.
As Yuuki's classmate and one of only two second-year players holding a regular First-string position, the two of them should have been equals.
At least, that was how it used to feel.
But now?
There was no comparison.
Yuuki had beco the undisputed representative power hitter of Seido High School Baseball Team.
After this ga, his reputation within Tokyo would likely explode. If the dia picked it up, he might even beco a nationally known player like Azuma Kiyokuni. And that would be without even stepping onto the Koshien stage.
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It was enviable. Painfully enviable.
This was the life of a protagonist.
In contrast, Isashiki had beco a regular partly due to luck. Not because his strength was overwhelming, but because Seido lacked a more reliable option for center field.
He had been chosen by circumstance.
Like picking the tallest person in a group of short ones.
Even after joining the First-string, he did get hits. But compared to the third-years, compared to Yuuki, and even compared to the two first-year monsters…
The gap was obvious.
"Since you've already made look this dim," Isashiki muttered, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "you'd better keep shining!"
His emotions were complicated. But his support was genuine. And he wasn't the only one.
In the dugout. In the stands.
All the second-year players placed their hopes on Yuuki. They stood up together and cheered loudly.
Yuuki Tetsuya.
The cheers poured into him like fuel.
His fighting spirit surged, almost bursting from his body. He fixed his gaze on the pitcher's mound, eyes locked onto Kashima, waiting.
Waiting for the ball.
"That stance of his… it's really annoying."
Heavy pressure descended on Kashima. He hadn't noticed it before. But now, he could clearly feel the oppressive presence Yuuki brought.
It was like standing in a field of thorns. Sothing sharp constantly brushed against him, making him restless and uncomfortable.
Suddenly, Kashima rembered sothing.
An upperclassman had once said it to him with great emotion, back when he was a first-year chasing after his seniors.
"Compared to players already at the peak, the ones catching up from behind are more unsettling."
At the ti, Kashima hadn't understood.
Now, he did.
Soone like Yuuki Tetsuya, who ca roaring from behind, was more troubleso than soone like Azuma Kiyokuni.
At least Azuma had already reached his peak.
Yuuki was still climbing.
"But I'm not old enough to be retired yet."
Kashima clenched his teeth.
His fingers tightened around the baseball.
Then he threw.
"Whoosh!"
The pitch scread forward, reaching the plate in an instant.
The catcher's heart leaped.
He didn't swing!
The ball had already passed halfway, and Yuuki still hadn't moved.
They might get ahead in the count.
Just as that thought surfaced—
A flash.
"Ping!"
The bat whipped through the air and struck the ball cleanly.
The baseball shot off at a terrifying speed.
Ichidai San's fielders didn't even have ti to react. They could only watch the white blur tear past their line of sight.
Fortunately.
It landed foul.
If that ball had stayed fair, Seido would have taken the lead on the spot.
"Foul!"
But even so, the impact was massive.
With just one swing, Yuuki sent shockwaves through the entire stadium.
Only then did people truly realize how terrifying Seido's fifth batter had beco.
For Kashima, this was a heavy blow.
At this point, he had to admit it.
Seido High School's batting lineup had surpassed Ichidai Third High School's.
Aside from his gyroball, his other pitches were no longer enough to suppress Seido's core hitters.
At least for Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki Tetsuya, they wouldn't work.
Thinking of this, Kashima's gaze shifted slightly.
To Zhang Han.
The boy waiting calmly behind Yuuki.
That list probably had to include him too.
"Whoosh!"
Kashima made his decision.
He threw the gyroball.
This pitch carried his resolve. He was betting everything on it. If this didn't work, Ichidai Third High School's run would end here.
"Ping!"
Thankfully, heaven hadn't abandoned them yet. The gyroball still showed its terrifying power.
Yuuki, facing it for the first ti, could only barely get the bat on the ball.
The baseball bounced weakly into the infield.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
Because Azuma Kiyokuni was already on second base, disaster was avoided. Otherwise, Yuuki's fate would have mirrored Zhang Han's from the previous inning.
A double play.
Two outs.
Runner on second base.
Ichidai Third High School was one out away from ending the inning.
And that final opponent was—
"Sixth batter, shortstop, Zhang Han."
In the stands, Ichidai Third High School's supporters erupted.
They no longer cared about unwritten rules like only cheering for the batting team. They shouted for Kashima with everything they had.
And Zhang Han…
Had no choice but to face Kashima's gyroball.
For the second ti.
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