The ball that was hit soared high into the air as if its trajectory had been predetermined, before falling precisely from directly above the pitcher's mound.
Throughout this process, Sawamura didn't move a single step.
He simply raised his arm effortlessly and caught the descending ball firmly in his mitt.
Snap!
"OUT!!"
For fans unfamiliar with Sawamura's pitching rhythm, this might have seemed like a surprising coincidence.
However, for those who were familiar with Sawamura's rhythm, it was a different story.
They understood that this was a ball he had predetermined.
"The Swallow's Homecoming!"
This phrase means that the ball thrown from the pitcher's hand ultimately returns to the pitcher. Sawamura had performed this magical stunt before on the Koshien stage.
It is said that this skill was not invented by Sawamura himself but by someone else. However, it was Sawamura who made it famous nationwide!
"Oh my God, look at the audience's reaction. Could it be that he did this on purpose?"
Returning to the dugout, Emil, though he looked careless, had a remarkably keen insight. He quickly read the mood and the unusual nature of the play.
Simply put, a pop-fly ball caught by the pitcher shouldn't cause such a stir.
"I really don't want to admit it, but you guessed right!"
Aoki, the team's third-year catcher, replied regretfully.
"Aoki, don't joke around like that; it's not funny at all."
Another exchange student shook his head with a wry smile, disbelief written all over his face.
"I wish I were joking too, but I'm afraid there are indeed monsters like this in high school!"
The game continued.
After Sawamura successfully executed "The Swallow's Homecoming" and resolved Emil, the second batter from Bunkyo High School stepped up.
He was another transfer student, a tall Caucasian.
This order seemed designed to complement Emil's speed.
As long as he could hit the ball far, even if he eventually got out, it would create a great opportunity for the speedy runners.
'Let me see for myself what this monster is really like.'
He was on the taller side, he stood a full head taller than Sawamura.
His gaze toward Sawamura was filled with challenge.
In the outfield, Nishiyama's expression was somewhat grim.
Despite the opponent's arrogance, he had to admit one thing: the opponent's strength was undeniable.
Their strength was not just formidable; it was almost excessive.
'There was only a one-year age difference, so how could such a terrifying player emerge seemingly from nowhere?'
Nishiyama found it hard to comprehend.
If he were in the opposing position, dealing with this lineup of batters would require considerable effort, perhaps even revealing the trump cards he had kept hidden until now.
But Nishiyama knew that after the Seidou High School spring competition, there would be a newcomer competition.
That match would serve as an extra game for freshmen to earn a place in the main force.
Only by performing exceptionally well in that game could one consider themselves at the starting line for the summer competition.
So, at the start of school, he had deliberately withheld his best skills.
For someone who had led his team far on the world stage, such caution was only natural. After all, in this era, intelligence warfare was also crucial.
In fact, he was not alone. Several freshmen shared the same mindset and approach.
None of the three catchers were easy to deal with.
There were also Mogami and Hirota, who seemed cheerful but were secretly clever, pretending to be less capable than they were.
Even Kagami, who appeared unremarkable, was fierce when it was time to act.
And let's not forget Kuki Youhei, who, despite being injured and unable to participate in previous tests, had returned to the team with impressive determination.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but turn his gaze back to Sawamura.
'Faced with such a formidable opponent, I wonder how Sawamura-senpai would respond.'
Even though he was just standing in the outfield, Nishiyama felt he could learn a lot from this experience.
This is why he came to Seidou, to see how a legend would act.
And how he could take such a legend down…
Sawamura on the mound was completely unaware of the complicated thoughts swirling in his kohai's mind.
He didn't even pay attention to the opponent's provocation in the Batter's Box.
He seemed entirely absorbed in his own world, with everything around him irrelevant.
Isn't that what rhythm is?
Forcing the opponent to adapt to your rhythm, immersing them in it unknowingly, and then striking them down within that rhythm.
Whoosh!
The ball flew out quickly.
The batter in the box was already prepared, swinging his bat high and aggressively.
Ping!
After the ball was struck, it rolled towards third base.
Kanemaru, who had returned to the starting lineup, dove to the side, cleanly fielding the ball, then quickly got up and threw it to first base.
Snap!
"OUT!!"
In an understated manner, Seidou High School claimed another out.
"Kanemaru!!"
On the mound, Sawamura gave his friend a thumbs up.
"Wamura!!!"
Kanemaru returned the gesture.
Though he had managed to stop the play, it was simply fulfilling his role; the real core was Sawamura.
He was the one who forced the opponent to hit the ball in that direction.
'Incredible!'
'It seemed like Sawamura and Miyuki-senpai's collaboration had no element of magic to it.'
But when scrutinized closely, it sent a shiver down Kanemaru's spine.
A feeling that every cell in his body was on edge.
In their previous partnerships, they had never managed to achieve this level of control. Now they could direct the batter's hits.
Just like the previous ball, long before Sawamura pitched, Miyuki had quietly signaled Kanemaru to be ready.
'And the ball actually came right over!'
'That sensation was terrifying!'
Kanemaru Shinji felt extremely fortunate in his heart, relieved they were teammates and not opponents.
Otherwise, he couldn't imagine how he would have met his end facing these two!
Kanemaru's panic and relief were feelings no one else could understand.
However, one person on the field sensed something amiss.
That person was Aoki, who was now walking toward the Batter's Box.
'Not right!'
Aoki had a nagging feeling that something was off, but he couldn't articulate it.
In short, it was a strange sensation, as if these players were caught in an invisible routine.
It wasn't that Sawamura had easily dispatched Emil and the other transfer student; judging by the Demon King's prior performance, achieving that was not difficult.
In reality, very few could secure hits against Sawamura Eijun in the first round.
Most returned empty-handed, so this wasn't surprising.
What truly raised Aoki's caution was not their poor performance, but rather that they seemed to be making contact too smoothly.
What kind of pitcher was the Demon King Sawamura Eijun?
Back in middle school, he was a terrifying presence who dominated the country alongside his team of underdogs.
When he pitched in the first round, he nearly struck out every opponent, creating an aura of intimidation.
But now…
Sawamura Eijun's pitches were being hit one after another.
When did the Demon King become so easy to hit off?
The more he thought about it, the more chilling it felt.
Of course, Aoki didn't believe that Emil and the other transfer student were powerful enough to hit Sawamura in their first encounter.
Therefore, the only remaining possibility, however absurd it might seem, was the singular truth.
The truth was that Sawamura had already seen through Emil and the other transfer student's hitting habits.
Only then could everything that had just transpired be explained.
Regardless of how beautifully those two balls were hit, the outcome was one was caught by the pitcher, and the other was successfully fielded by the third baseman, resulting in two Outs.
'Two balls, two Outs.'
By convention, he absolutely could not swing at the first pitch.
He secretly reminded himself to restrain his impulse to swing, to avoid allowing Sawamura to completely control the rhythm of the game.
Aoki made a significant decision.
But when the ball flew out, he couldn't help but waver.
'A straight pitch down the center!!!'
How strong must his self-control be to hold back the urge to swing?
As a qualified batter, Aoki's body movements were completely out of his brain's control.
His body acted on its own, swinging the bat at the incoming ball without hesitation.
Ping!
The ball was hit and soared high into the air.
It flew both high and far.
Sawamura on the mound seemed unfazed by the result. He didn't even turn around, merely muttering a few words to himself.
"Left field!"
In the outfield, Nishiyama seemed to have been waiting there all along.
His body remained still as he casually raised his mitt to catch.
Snap!
The ball fell directly into Nishiyama's outstretched mitt.
"OUT!!"
"That outfielder is incredibly lucky. He didn't have to do anything and still got an Out handed to him."
"Idiot!"
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
"Didn't you see? When that ball was hit, before it even landed, Nishiyama had already moved to where he is standing now…"
"Which means…"
"Exactly, that guy is a real genius."
Three Outs, offense and defense exchanged.
…
T/N: As always, Thank you all for reading!!
See you Tomorrow!
Until then, take care!
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