BUUZZZZZZ!!!!
The bat flew past Takami's eyes, instantly sucking all the air from in front of him, making him feel a momentary suffocation.
After that suffocating feeling, a gust of wind hit him.
SNAP!
Ultimately, the bat couldn't connect with the small ball, so the ball thrown by Amahisa Kousei still landed in Takami's open Mitt.
"STRIKE!"
The referee's voice sounded as crisp as ever.
But Takami couldn't feel happy about this Strike.
He stared in shock at the tall guy beside him—Yuuki Masashi, who had just entered high school and was already nearing 180 cm in height.
His towering presence alone was enough to create a significant intimidation factor just by standing in the Batter's Box.
Initially, Takami had a bit of contempt, thinking that this young man taking on the fifth position in Seidou High School's lineup seemed a bit immature.
But now, that feeling had vanished. All he felt was fear and caution…
'This guy's swing is terrifying!'
'It was just a matter of not connecting with the ball; if he ever does make contact, the consequences could be unimaginable.'
The panic and fear in his eyes were so evident that even Amahisa on the pitcher's mound noticed.
'You're making too big a deal out of this, Takami!!!'
Amahisa no longer had a smile in his eyes. All he displayed was confidence.
Even though he had technically lost to Seidou High School in today's game, what he lost to was the Demon King of Seidou, Sawamura Eijun, along with the catcher known as the best in high school, Miyuki Kazuya.
Not to mention, there was also Kuramochi Youichi, who was as cunning as a mouse…
As for the others, Amahisa Kousei didn't pay them any mind.
Even the other seniors in their third year at Seidou weren't on his radar, let alone freshmen like Yuuki and Nishiyama.
Amahisa had great appreciation for Seidou. He believed they were currently the strongest and best team in High School.
As for letting two first-year students take on the fifth and sixth positions in Seidou High School's lineup?
'Ha, that's just a joke.'
It was because he held such respect that he found this even more intolerable.
'Let me show you the harsh reality of high school baseball.'
Amahisa Kousei took his stance and threw the ball in his hand directly.
Whrroosh!
The ball shot forward like a bolt of lightning, appearing right in front of the batter.
Not to be outdone, Masashi saw the small ball flying toward him and swung his bat.
BUZZZZ!!!!
The low sound of the swing intertwined with the sound of the ball slicing through the air. But their paths were as clear as their sounds.
The difference between the two was at least seven to eight centimeters; they passed each other without making contact.
"Damn, that was way too far away!"
"It's too early for a freshman to be playing in such an important game."
"But this kid's swing is surprising."
"To be honest, that momentum is quite impressive."
"With proper training, he has the potential to become a fourth batter."
While some were not entirely satisfied with Yuuki's performance, the supporters of Seidou High School generally had high hopes for him.
Partly due to his brother, but more importantly, this guy truly had potential.
Not to mention, that kind of smooth and powerful swing isn't something just anyone can possess.
Even Sawamura, the Demon King of Seidou, has significant shortcomings in that regard. Otherwise, if Sawamura had a swing like this, his power would be almost unbelievable.
But he's still too green.
In this clash of giants, it's hard for him to make an impact.
Whrroosh!
As the audience had predicted, by the time Amahisa threw the third ball, the duel was over.
This time, Yuuki Masashi's swing was the closest it had been to the ball.
Yet, the gap remained a full five centimeters.
SNAP!
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
Yuuki Masashi was Struck Out.
His swing had been so powerful that his helmet had skewed.
In Seidou's dugout, the players felt a complex mix of emotions, unsure how to face this rookie who had been promoted by Coach Kataoka.
Offering comfort didn't seem appropriate.
After all, he was currently the fifth batter of Seidou.
At second base, Miyuki shook his head with a wry smile.
Having already reached second base, he thought he could easily return to home plate. But now, he realized he had been too naive.
Standing behind him weren't the reliable teammates, but rather the newly promoted underclassmen.
However, it wasn't that these underclassmen lacked talent; they simply had too many shortcomings and wouldn't be useful in the short term.
One Out, and there's someone on second base!
"Sixth batter, outfielder, Nishiyama-kun!"
Nishiyama stepped into the Batter's Box.
Nishiyama faced even more pressure than Masashi as he stood in the Batter's Box.
The pressure on Yuuki was just the expectations of Coach Kataoka.
Nishiyama, however, bore the weight of being a world runner-up.
Other rookies typically struggle to attract attention in the high school baseball scene. To most viewers, the gap between these two was simply too vast.
Top star players from middle school are often viewed as promising rookies.
In contrast, top high school star players can make an impact in professional baseball.
In simple terms, one is a genius yet to grow, while the other is a fully grown warrior, representing two entirely different meanings.
As long as a genius has not matured, they are essentially nothing.
"It's all on you!"
"Make it happen!"
In the stands of Seidou High School, first-year students were extremely excited.
Although they were eyeing the positions currently occupied by Nishiyama and Yuuki, it didn't prevent them from standing together with those two.
They are all players of the same year.
So, naturally, they should be united.
If even their best, Nishiyama, currently lacks the strength to face a top-tier pitcher, what about them?
'This batter is tricky; why not just use a winning shot?'
Takami, the catcher, was clearly not comfortable after Yuuki's previous swing.
Under such circumstances, he was noticeably more cautious in calling the pitches.
On the pitcher's mound, Amahisa resolutely shook his head.
'No, no need!'
Although the opponent's name is impressive and their previous record remarkable, in the end, he is just a first-year freshman, so there's no need to make a fuss.
Having dealt with the intimidating Yuuki, Amahisa had a clearer understanding of Seidou High School's two first-year players.
Although they have great potential, their current strength is not outstanding.
Dealing with them isn't difficult.
Takami also didn't hold onto his previous thoughts; he originally believed that using only straight balls and regular Sliders would suffice.
Now it was just a matter of reinforcing his earlier thoughts.
Bring it on!
Whrroosh!
Not long after Takami signaled, Amahisa's pitch flew over.
Amahisa and Takami subconsciously shared a thought.
That was about the lineup arrangement between Yuuki and Nishiyama!
Why did Seidou High School place Yuuki in the fifth spot and Nishiyama in the sixth?
In a famous team like Seidou High School, every batting order has its unique significance.
This arrangement also meant that in the eyes of the coaches and managers of Seidou, Nishiyama's strength would never exceed that of Yuuki Masashi; at most, they were equal.
To face an opponent of Yuuki's caliber, a regular Slider would be enough.
Little did they know, this naive idea would lead to their downfall.
When Nishiyama saw the ordinary Slider coming his way, he was filled with excitement.
Having previously encountered Amahisa's vertical Slider, he felt considerable worry.
Although he was very confident in his strength, Amahisa Kousei was no slouch.
For Nishiyama, Amahisa Kousei could be directly brought into a professional team right now.
'Damn!'
Just as he was about to feel helpless, the opponent unexpectedly threw him the most ordinary Slider.
Nishiyama felt like he had tasted honey.
The opponent's gesture was simply too considerate, making it impossible for him not to respond.
He raised his bat high and, without hesitation, swung at the approaching ball.
'Sorry, I forgot to tell you!'
'Don't use the same pitch against me three times in a row!'
The first was a Slider, the second was still a Slider…
Now it was the third time, and Amahisa actually wanted to throw another Slider.
Nishiyama didn't know what to say.
After several rounds of observation, Amahisa Kousei's Slider had been deeply etched in his mind.
He was intimately familiar with every pattern of the opponent's Slider.
Connecting with the ball was a natural outcome.
Ping!
In this clash of giants between Seidou High School and Sankou High School, Nishiyama truly made a remarkable entrance.
He earned the right to compete for a main number at the esteemed Seidou High School.
…
T/N: That's it for Today.
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