The players took turns introducing themselves.
The standout players were quite noticeable, mostly in the first row, while those in the second row were less conspicuous.
It wasn't until the center of the second row that another figure who electrified the audience appeared.
"I'm Nishiyama Kibo from Chiba's Natsunami Middle School. I hope to play as a pitcher, but I can also fill in as an outfielder or first baseman, as I've participated in both positions before. Please take care of me"
His introduction was rather standard.
However, since he started speaking, the players around him began to whisper incessantly.
Little League World Series runner-up Ace, and a cleanup hitter.
Just these titles alone were enough to give him a buzz.
The only pity was his position; it wouldn't enhance Seidou High School's lineup.
No matter how impressive Nishiyama's past achievements were, it's unlikely he could replace the current Ace and substitutes in that year and a half.
Generally speaking, good pitchers wouldn't choose to come to Seidou. In fact, it's been tough for Seidou High School to recruit standout pitchers this year.
Not to mention, the two best recruit pitchers in the Tokyo area both declined Seidou High School's invitation. Clearly, they were unwilling to sit on the bench for a whole year and a half.
While Seidou High School has many advantages, the fact that their Ace pitcher is a second year effectively blocks most talented pitchers from joining.
This is both a blessing and a curse for Seidou High School. They no longer have to worry about next year's ace pitcher, but it also hides a small risk.
They had originally accepted this, but unexpectedly, a pleasant surprise emerged.
Compared to the three pitchers Seidou had previously contacted, Nishiyama's potential was undoubtedly higher.
Naturally, such a figure attracted attention upon entering the school.
"This kind of person will probably be promoted to the second team soon!"
"Not just the second team; there's a chance he could make the first team too."
"If he's on the first team, wouldn't that mean there are four pitchers?"
"That's not a big deal. Originally, the 20-man roster included five pitchers. Later, Mishima-senpai and Kaneda were eliminated, leaving only three pitchers in the first team. If the supervisor deems it necessary, having four pitchers is not impossible…"
"Is the Kohai in your dorm well-behaved?" Miyuki asked.
Compared to the one in their dorm who saw him as a rival, this Nishiyama, despite his fame, seemed much easier to get along with.
"He's doing better than your situation!" Kuramochi said, relishing the moment.
The introductions continued until all 60 players had finished, and it was time for the last one.
This guy, for some reason, ended up being the last one without realizing it.
"I'm Han Lee-Hyun from Cheongsin Middle School, please take care of me!"
Just those two sentences and Han Lee-Hyun spoke them haltingly.
Clearly, his language skills were still not high enough for smooth communication.
His progress was remarkable, yet he still stumbled over some words.
If he didn't understand a word, it would be understandable. He should have studied systematically before coming to Japan. As long as they spoke slowly, he could understand most of the words. But when it came to expressing himself, it was a different story.
His speech was quite choppy!
"Is this the kid who can run under 11 seconds?" Coach Kataoka suddenly asked.
Ochiai beside him nodded, "He doesn't have any baseball foundation, so he's a typical novice. However, that speed could be useful; he might become an excellent secret weapon."
Although he knew that with Kataoka's selection standards, it would be hard for Lee-Hyun to stand out, he still couldn't help but suggest.
Meeting such a talented player was incredibly rare.
With proper training, he could be ready to contribute in just a few months.
For the current Seidou High School, there were only a few schools that could pose a threat to them.
Throwing a curveball like this at them might directly affect the outcome of a game.
Kataoka didn't say anything, just nodded.
"Is he the one in your dorm?" Sawamura asked curiously.
"Yes," Haruichi replied.
Compared to the savvy Mogami, Lee-Hyun's attitude was slightly incoherent.
Once in the dormitory, he didn't initiate greetings with the Senpai and didn't follow the Etiquette.
Both Kominato and Maezono were very considerate of others. They immediately thought of Lee-Hyun's status as a foreign student and the possible cultural differences between the two countries; he might be more introverted…
They didn't need anyone to explain; they came up with a bunch of reasons on their own.
When they reached out to communicate with Lee-Hyun, his attitude was very good.
He was generally humble and friendly, trying to smile as much as possible when speaking to others.
Everything seemed fine, but his presence was rather weak.
If you weren't paying attention, you could easily overlook Han Lee-Hyun.
Sometimes, while in the company of the more vocal Mogami, the three in the dorm would chat enthusiastically, only to realize after a while that there was another person in the dorm.
This should have been an extremely awkward situation, but it felt entirely reasonable when it happened with Han Lee-Hyun.
It was as if it was always meant to be that way.
Overall, the four members of the dorm got along quite harmoniously.
In particular, Maezono and Mogami took great care of Han Lee-Hyun, while Kominato Haruichi, who was originally the most sociable, was somewhat sidelined.
Maezono, as a Senpai, had a strong sense of responsibility and looked after his Kohai with meticulous care.
After all the newcomers completed their self-introductions, Coach Kataoka stepped forward.
"I'm the team Superintendent, Kataoka, and beside me is our senior coach, Ochiai. First, thank you all for choosing Seidou."
"You all know that in the past year, we've won the Championship twice. The players across from you have all the way to the top. In the coming days, while it's essential to familiarize yourselves with high school rhythms, I want you to also observe how the players across from you train."
"What they've experienced at the peak, what they've learned, the frustration they've felt, and the insights they comprehended, and their growth will all be evident in their practices!!!"
"I hope that in the days to come, you will first see with your eyes and feel with your body the baseball that we, Seidou, are pursuing."
Superintendent Kataoka's words not only fired up the new players but also ignited the old players as if they had been injected with adrenaline.
Coach Ochiai looked at Kataoka with deep admiration, feeling a swell of respect.
'He not only encouraged the newcomers but also gave a strong jolt to the veteran players.'
'Truly, as a language teacher, he has a way of stirring emotions that's even more formidable than a pyramid scheme.'
Sometimes, Coach Ochiai mused, if Superintendent Kataoka were not a Coach, he could easily excel at running a pyramid scheme.
"The new players gather at the B field, and the second- and third-year players and graders gather at the A field. We will immediately begin free-hitting practice and defensive drills. All players will be divided into two teams, alternating between offense and defense."
The freshmen quickly entered formal training, without the need for additional running.
On the surface, they were joyfully reacquainting themselves with the ball after a long absence.
Everyone around them was in high spirits.
Takuma watched his cheerful teammates with a wry smile.
'They are so innocent!'
It's often said that baseball is played by a group of strong-limbed, simple-minded monsters, and from this perspective, these guys really fit the bill.
'Haven't they realized? The second round of testing has already begun!'
"Good luck! Asada, Nishiyama!"
Sawamura and Kuramochi smiled as they cheered on the two newcomers from their dorm, perfectly playing the role of caring Senpais.
"Sawamura-senpai is so nice!" one of the freshmen exclaimed.
"I really envy those two for sharing a dorm with my idol."
"I want to share a dorm with Sawamura-senpai too!"
Hirota and Matsumoto exchanged wry smiles upon overhearing the whispers.
"Here's another group fooled by Shisho's gentle appearance!"
"Forget it; once they really see Shisho on the field, they probably won't think that way…"
A troop of rookies marched toward the B field, while the perceptive players had already figured out that what lay ahead was more akin to a second round of testing than mere practice.
Testing speed and pitching!
Next up were hitting and fielding.
Didn't they notice that Superintendent Kataoka didn't bother with the seniors and came directly here?
Excited, Sawamura followed Kuramochi toward the veteran team.
He was very happy right now with a goofy smile on his face.
Due to his need to recover from an injury, he hadn't touched a ball in a long time. This time, even if he couldn't pitch, he at least wanted to participate in fielding and batting.
Finally, he could touch the baseball and bat after a long absence.
Otherwise, Sawamura felt like his body would rust if he continued to rest like this.
"Where are you going?"
Just as Sawamura was about to leave happily, a cold voice suddenly came from behind him.
He turned in disbelief to see Coach Kataoka, and he answered honestly.
"Going to practice!"
"Who allowed you to practice right now? If you have nothing else to do, come watch the freshmen practice with me."
"EEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
At that moment, Sawamura really wanted to curse.
'If you have nothing to do?!?! I have things to do!!! Like training and punching your face!!!!'
He couldn't quite grasp Superintendent Kataoka's intention in pulling him here.
"Miyuki-kun will be leaving the team in four months. During this time, you need to try to adapt in advance," explained Takashima patiently.
"But I don't want to be the captain!! I don't want to start preparing to take over the captaincy now!!" Sawamura was practical screaming and hitting the ground with his leg like a child.
Takashima shrugged helplessly, indicating she was equally powerless.
Whether Sawamura liked it or not, after the third-year seniors retired, he would have to become the new captain of Seidou High School. No one else could convince the team.
Moreover, this year's freshmen were particularly haughty. After discussions among the coaching staff, they decided to suppress their shine a little.
After all, you can't create a gem without cutting and polishing it.
…
T/N: Thank you all for reading!!
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