"Did you see that…? He wore weights on his arm as well?!" asked Feng and Heber shocked.
"Unbelievable…" whispered Poseidon in disbelief as Xavier stared. "To think all the balls he delivered up until now were suppressed with hidden weights…?" Cassiel gulped. Ryan stared wordless.
"There were more…?" he thought speechless. "Now it feels as if I was just played by…" said Helios slightly disappointed. Kenzo and Adam eyed Seraph silently.
Seles sitting straight interrupted, "I don't think that's the case…" The middle schoolers glancing listened, "Alan… would never reveal his arm weights. He never once did that before, not even in practice matches so forget about the real ones. However, this time… facing Seraph he didn't had the choice but to do so. You see, Seraph in your eyes might be a spin returner however, the style he used to return the last two balls, which was by leaving his wicket wide open and aiming for harsh returns and boundaries, is only used when countering fast balls…" he explained.
"That means, Seraph knows how to counter fast delivers as well?!" asked Ezekiel surprised. "That might be the case however, very slightly. Since, he bowls fast deliveries he might also have knowledge on countering them. Because, someone who changes the game has to have that vision." Seles told.
"So Alan is solely focusing on delivering Seraph fast balls just like he wanted him to?" asked Gabriel.
"Yeah… it's a battle between, Alan's fast deliveries and Seraph's tactical returns against them in fact being a spin returner..." whispered Cassiel.
Xavier gazing at the sight realized, "Ah… so it's just like that time hun."
"Nagi." called Rauf. "Hm?" Nagi asked back. "Alan's arm weights… how much do they weigh?" Rauf asked. Kazuna, Noah and Senri with Ren and Zach who were suddenly curious turned around to face Nagi who turned the pages of his journal.
"From my latest research, a single weight Alan holds is up to 5.5lbs. And, since, he holds 10 of them in a single arm which combines up to 55lbs (pounds) or 25kg. The exact same amount which he's carrying on his wrist. If we were to combine both weights of arm and wrists it would be up to 110lbs or 50kg on both arms. Which means… lifting a whole punching bag or six watermelons single handedly." he told.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" asked Aaron as ground left beneath his feet.
"Is he crazy?!" asked Aigou in shock.
Orion along with Noah stood with their mouths reaching their feet.
"You are not pulling my leg or are you Nagi?" asked Haruf with a sweet smile of disbelief. "Sigh… I don't provide false information about something serious. Feel free not to believe it, if you don't feel like." Nagi claimed stern.
"I don't know why… but I believe it." Senri said. The highschoolers upon his words stared at him.
"Unlike how Alan left for America, a long time has passed since then. Just like we were confused before about what might've happened to him back at America to change him so much. This might be a pushup amongst it. Don't you think so?" he assumed.
"Yeah… it must be." endorsed Ren. Zach and Isa eyeing each other nodded. "But… it feels much stranger now. As if… Alan is a completely different person, judging from his capabilities." replied Elias.
Aaron patting his back consoled. Kazuna however gazed at Alan restless tapping his finger on his knee incessantly.
Alan twirling the ball smiled, "Ah… feels a little light for some reason." Rushing towards the pitch, he bowled again with the same speed as before. However, as soon as the ball left his grip, it went swiftly towards Seraph with the speed of blazing fire. Seraph slightly taken aback smirked.
"So fast?!" claimed Luka and Aryan together. But as if not scared even by an approaching lion, Seraph once again stepped forward slamming his bat onto the ball which creaked upon the impact.
A silent smirk casing his lips he once again returned the ball with a dot hit. Alan taking a deep breath, picked the ball up beaming wildly. "And, here I thought you would aim for a boundary or a six." he assumed.
Seraph glancing at him whispered, "As if I would let you read me that easily. Your ball was really fast, just like I predicted… however, it's still not enough. Come, I'll make sure to return even faster deliveries than this."
Alan shaking his head headed back once again. Suddenly halting in between he called in a light musical cheer, "Boy~" "Returning my fastest balls? You aren't up to that level yet, so don't get ahead of yourself. After all… you aren't the only idiot who wants to become the world's fastest baller…" he claimed looking at Zachariah who stared back.
Seraph hearing his words stood with his gaze blackened. "You seem to be mistaken Alan. Not to get ahead of myself? There is not a single moment a game changer thinks that…" he replied with a ruthless sneer taking over him for a second.
"Scary…" Alan shrugged his shoulders smiling, soon walking back. "I wanted to shake him a bit but looks like it won't work, he is trying to shake me instead sigh~ moreover, he is right… I can't read him at all and he is confident on that. I don't get it why, but facing him, all my assumptions fail to prove themselves." he thought.
"Ah, Just forget it!" Alan scratched his hairs releasing all his thoughts, once again running towards the pitch.
Reaching the popping crease, he released the ball towards Seraph who traced it stern. With a handful of pressure the ball blazed towards him. Grasping his bat tightly, he stepped ahead.
"If I would be in your place right now… I would regret moving at all!!" Alan warned. Hearing his caution Seraph was instantly alerted. Staying on his place he glanced at the ball which on the tap of the ground lunged over to his shoulder. He instantly dodged it.
"Haha!!" Alan jeered annoyed. "A bouncer?!" asked Xavier puzzled.
Seraph looking at the ball which was in the wicketkeeper's glove turned towards Alan who stood overconfidently carrying a careless grin. "Better watch out little brat…" Alan warned. "That was close! If Seraph hadn't dodged it, he would've gotten hurt!" Feng shrieked.
"Be careful, Sera! Sera!" Adam warned worriedly. "Playing dirty hun?" uttered Ezekiel cross. "I don't think that's the case, if he wanted to then, he wouldn't have warned Seraph that moment." Xavier debated.
"So Alan's losing his cool now, hun? Rather than seeing Seraph's personality change. We are witnessing someone else showing their true colors." Gabriel sneered. "Wasn't he famously known as the calmest player?" he mocked peeking at Seles.
Kenzo staring at the pitch denied, "You're wrong… he is calm. Do you think someone with that much power and confidence will lose himself at this moment? Instead, he is trying to break Seraph's confidence."
"Yeah… didn't you notice, Seraph hasn't used a single move of his, until now." Cassiel pointed. Hearing his words, the middle schoolers sitting above grinned proud. "Haha! Since our captain is just the best!!" claimed Xander.
"Yeah our captain is the strongest!! He didn't even had the need to reveal his move before him!' Aryan and Zac exaggerated.
"Come on! Adam you cheer him as well!" called Luka.
"Yeah! Way to go! Sera, Sera is the best! The world's strongest!" Adam cheered alongside them.
Xavier and Poseidon, eyeing Ezekiel and Feng smiled while Azazel, Gabriel and Kenzo sighed. Seraph looking at the middle schoolers beamed facing Alan once again. "Really… he is indeed persistent. Never in my life was I pushed back this much after Xavier… If I be careless for even a second the tides might change. After all I am not a pace ball returner." he thought. Tapping his bat, Alan traced who advanced.
"Looks like, he won't deliver anything instead of fast deliveries. Well I guess I played enough. Now it's time to change it hun… the game that is!" he thought determined.
Gazing at the fast ball which approached, he tapped his bat stepping forward. "He is leaving the crease again?!" asked Noah confused. "I think he doesn't want to learn, what if it's a bouncer once again. Does he want to get hurt so badly?" sighed Orion.
"It isn't… and he knows that." whispered Zach not daring to blink an inch. Seraph eyeing the ball smiled, the ball however changed its placement in between his legs.
"Oh no! It was an in swinger! The ball will hit the wicket!" called Adam nervously. Seraph at that moment stepped back, raising his bat he pushed the ball upwards for a light catch.
"Oh drat! He hit it wrong!" shrieked Azazel. "Alan will definitely catch it!" Heber clutched the rail alarmed.