The middle schoolers at the sight before them froze with their gazes widened. "Hey…" asked Ezekiel gulping, "Did you even see the ball?"
Kenzo blinked his eyes alongside Helios.
"What was that?" Adam rubbed his eyes, "It was as if, Alan threw the same delivery as Seraph throws."
"No… it was even faster than that. And, much faster than he even threw against Me." added Ryan as Feng stood baffled.
"Unbelievably remarkable." commented Xavier. "To think he would be able to do something like this as well…?" Heber uttered stunned.
Cassiel grasping his notebook stared at Seraph with his expression widened, a strong sense of rivalry blazing in his eyes.
"(183.1 km/hr.…) is the approximate speed of Alan's delivery right now." calculated Nagi.
"So no difference since the last time hun…" said Ren. "It seems so… but to use it against a middle schooler who can't even counter fast balls…?" asked Noah troubled.
"This isn't something to be worried about, Alan wasn't aiming for his wicket in the first place." told Isa. "Yeah… it was just to show him the true power of his fast delivery. As if warning him that there are people even better than him." continued Aaron.
"But to think Alan wouldn't improve in this prospect is kinda surprising." Senri eye Kazuna who stared silently.
"Yeah… I find it quite surprising too." endorsed Aigou. Zach gaze fixated onto Alan, he clutched his hand tightly into a fist whispering, "No you're wrong… instead, he has become terrifying."
"Huh?" asked Orion complexly.
The high schoolers including Rauf and Nidou too looked at him perplexed. "And why is that so?" Rauf inquired. "The last time I faced him, his health was in such critical state that he couldn't even stand. At that moment I realized he wouldn't be able to hit that fast delivery ever again until he gets all his skills back however right now, he has used it one more, perfectly. Shattering all my outlooks." Zach replied.
Nidou hearing him smirked, "Right… that rascal has become increasingly stubborn ever since he came back. As if showing us, just how ready is he to claim that world cup!" Evan and Haruf worrisome exchanged glances.
"So is this a good thing or bad?" asked Haruf curiously.
Hearing his words Rauf looked down at Alan who wore his wristband as well as his armband soon walking over to Seraph. "I am afraid… this is the only thing I don't know." he replied.
Seraph, seeing Alan approach sighed with a silent smirk. "And here I thought you said I might stop it with my instantaneous movement. Didn't you just crush my counter in a single delivery?" he asked sarcastically.
Alan shaking his head replied, "No, you're wrong. Just like I read your counter, you would've read my fast delivery as well if we had any more balls left in the over." "Boy, don't make yourself look silly in front of me." he said cunningly tossing the ball and grabbing the bat instead.
Seraph grabbing the ball smiled stepping ahead.
"How Interest…" he whispered. However, instantly jolted.
Ceasing at the same spot for a while, a weird sensation took over Alan as he suddenly turned around to eye Seraph who stood as stiff as a statue. Looking up at the highschoolers audience's seat Seraph grasped his left shoulder massaging it. Gazing at his back Alan stared wordless.
Peeking Alan from the corner of his eye Seraph turned around. His hand pushing his hairs from front upwards, he grinned carelessly, mischievously and bold.
"My, my… I feel kinda vexed for no reason at all hun? Who knows why is that but to think you broke my instantaneous movement and I couldn't even react to that fast delivery yours at the end? Ah~ I can't handle that embarrassment. Come on, let me give you the same treatment back. Ain't I right little Mr. handsome?" he challenged Alan differently from before. Alan blinked stunned.
"Is that…!" asked Feng assuming. "Yeah… here it is, Seraph's game changing personality, 'Cleve Persona'" Kenzo indicated.
"Well there's nothing to worry about now right?" Poseidon smiled while Helios agreed.
"Yikes?! There it is! Evil Seraph!!" Adam shrieked hiding behind Cassiel and Ryan. Xavier eyeing him anticipated, "I was really hoping to see him again." "And I wasn't…" gulped Heber stepping behind Kenzo.
"Haha! Still couldn't get that defeat out of your head Heber?" Kenzo teased. "Looks like he still didn't." told Azazel as Feng eyed him silent. Heber shook his head gulping.
"Haha… its great then, remember your every single defeat and struggle. Since, it's only the way you'll outperform yourself!" Kenzo advised. Gabriel with a silent smirk nodded while Ezekiel eyeing Poseidon smiled.
"Now then… let me see it, your progress ever since our confrontation, Seraph…" whispered Xavier confidently.
"What just happened?" asked Orion and Elias confused. Isa smiled at Seraph. "A miraculous change." he complemented.
"Huh? What change?" asked Noah puzzled. "The ability to camouflage yourself based on your mode. The Cleve persona… Seraph Awan's greatest and most alarming ability alongside his fast balling." explained Nagi.
"Now that makes my mood a little." Senri said amused sitting up. "I still don't get it…" Aigou scratched in hairs.
Zach eyeing Seraph spoke, "There's nothing left to understand anymore. All we can do now is just watch." The highschoolers blinked their eyes apprehensively.
"Is that so..?" asked Elias slightly surprised from Zach's reaction. "Indeed all we have to do is watch." Rauf agreed seriously.
"Cleve persona… how mysterious. It felt as if I was confronting a whole different person from before." thought Alan surprised. Tapping his bat on the batting crease he eyed Seraph.
His eyes releasing more mischievousness than before he glanced at his left arm. Removing his sleeve which was covering it, a dazzling golden gauntlet rested upon his forearm. Around its rim, inch wide spaces were created, inside which several silver weights were comprised.
Alan standing straight stared in awe. Reflecting from the sun it gave off a majestic graceful aura. Grabbing the ball Seraph twirled it around with a mile wide smirk.
"An armored arm of gold?!" asked Ren surprised. "Oh my goodness…just what is wrong with these kids? Their abilities surprise me one second after another." Senri uttered excited.
"Judging from the size and its shape, that golden gauntlet of his weighs 30kg but with those additional weighs attached to it from inside, its total weight combines up to 55kg. Meaning an average weight of an adult." explained Nagi. The highschoolers upon his words sat stunned.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" shrieked Aaron grave.
"Is-is is that brat out of his mind?! What is he doing carrying such weight on a single arm?!" he asked while grabbing his head baffled.
"It's even heavier than Alan's…" whispered Aigou as soul left his body.
"Are you serious…?" Haruf asked stunned while Rauf stared unfazed. "Yes, I am. And, not only that but he was asked to wear it ever since, he came into his first year of junior high. Then, you can all considerably imagine how much he is used to it and what fears he will unleash once he unsheathes it…" warned Nagi grave. Kazuna blinking his eyes stood up treading down.
"Hey, where are you going now?" asked Orion confused however, up to his surprise even Zach stood up following right behind him. The two of them heading down, jumped over the rail, walking over towards the bench on which Ren sat before.
"Zachariah…" called Kazuna. "Yeah… I know." Zach replied.
"Are they alright?" Noah inquired worriedly. Isa stared stern. "Hey… what's wrong? I feel some real bad vibes coming over for some reason." Aigou gulped. "This time… it's seriously trouble." pictured Aaron.
"Huh?" Elias looked at him puzzled. "Alan isn't a paced delivery returner while that Seraph boy is about to shower his best fast deliveries on him. That means, we have no idea of this over's outcome, unlike we had before." explained Evan. "No way…" gulped Noah.
"Ah~ no wonder I couldn't judge what kind of piece he was… Looks like, he wasn't a piece at all to begin with. Instead, he was a remarkable strategy, that king came up with all this time." Isa guessed tracing Kenzo who capturing his sight lifted his thumbs up suddenly aiming it to the ground.
A confident and condescending smirk resting his face. "Hmph… such a rascal…" Isa gritted annoyed.
A playful smirk resting over his Senri's lips he whistled, "Fuhoo~ looks like things are finally heating up."