"SEIDOU!"
"SEIDOU!!"
The supporters of Seidou were shouting the name of their school with all their might.
At this point, it seemed likely that unless something unexpected happened, they would continue to shout until the game ended.
They all believed in their Ace's abilities and were confident that Sawamura would decisively defeat the opponent here.
Of course, not everyone was focused on this. Some more knowledgeable individuals thought today's game had lost any real value.
Even if Sankou High School managed to scrape together a run, what difference would it make?
The outcome wouldn't change; Sankou High School would still lose, just perhaps a little more honorably.
Their attention was now directed towards the two new first-year students from Seidou who were playing in this game.
Among them was Fujio, the reporter from Baseball Kingdom magazine, along with his partner, Owada Akiko.
Seidou had defeated Sankou, securing an early victory with a big score gap. This was certainly big news!
The EXPLOSION of Seidou's lineup at the end was crazy, Fujio was even noticing the uncomfortable looks on the faces of the Coaches and scouts watching the game.
Seidou is becoming way stronger!
But even that alone wasn't enough for a headline.
Other media outlets weren't foolish; they wouldn't ignore such a story, would they?
If everyone reported on it, where was the advantage for the Baseball Kingdom?
True to Fujio's nature, he would surely seek a different angle this time, focusing on the two newcomers from Seidou.
Naturally, there were many smart reporters in the field who were also targeting the two newcomers.
To turn this material into a great story would depend on the reporter's skill.
Akiko's eyes were fixed eagerly on Nishiyama.
Without a doubt, the most unexpected element in today's game was Nishiyama.
Even as he newly entered high school, he displayed his talents.
The platform he was on now was Seidou, the best in the nation at this stage.
It seemed a bright path lay ahead for this rising star.
"Nishiyama is likely to make a big name for himself!" Akiko stated with conviction.
She saw echoes of the past Sawamura in Nishiyama.
Even if Nishiyama's future achievements didn't quite match those of Sawamura, they wouldn't be too shabby.
Fujio, however, shook his head with certainty.
"It may not be that simple!"
"What?" Akiko looked at Fujio in confusion.
"Baseball players are a mysterious breed; it's difficult to judge a player's abilities from just one game."
While he didn't entirely deny Nishiyama's talent, his words carried an unsettling undertone.
"Nishiyama is a pitcher, and Seidou is currently overflowing with pitchers. If he wants to make a name for himself quickly, he must switch to another position. Otherwise, he'll have to patiently wait for Sawamura and Furuya to retire..."
"Neither of those scenarios is ideal. If he changes positions, he will have less time to practice pitching, which will diminish his pitching talent. If he focuses solely on pitching, he'll waste a year and a half."
At this point, Fujio's gaze deepened significantly.
"On the surface, Nishiyama's entry into Seidou seems smooth sailing. But the challenges he faces are on a hellish level, and this challenge has only just begun."
Whether he can break through remains an unknown.
If Nishiyama can indeed carve a path through the pitching powerhouse that is Seidou,
Then this would be a sight to be seen.
"On the contrary, Yuuki seems to have hit a significant hurdle today! Yet throughout, he has maintained his batting style. Once this type of batter fully adapts to the high school baseball rhythm, their abilities may skyrocket."
This wasn't a baseless claim; Fujio had his reasons.
In fact, almost all genius sluggers undergo such a process.
Aside from Sawamura, batters who can maintain their style from the start have the highest probability of success in the future.
Most importantly, Seidou currently lacks such power hitters.
If Nishiyama is facing a hell-level challenge, then Masashi's future challenge is merely a normal-level test.
As long as he can grow quickly, he will surely become an important asset for Seidou.
At this point, Fujio already had a plan in mind.
He was confident that he could write a fantastic article upon returning.
Returning to the game.
"STRIKE!"
"STRIKE!!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
Despite the second batter from Sankou High School using every trick in the book, he still couldn't touch Sawamura's pitching.
Standing on the mound, Sawamura exuded an aura of terror, akin to a true Demon King.
His pitches seemed to accelerate unpredictably, leaving batters unprepared.
In the Sankou High School dugout, Coach Tahara frowned, looking at the speed display at Jingu Stadium.
While they had seen recordings of Seidou's games in Koshien and knew that Sawamura had improved significantly compared to six months ago,
They still hadn't anticipated his pitch speed reaching such terrifying levels.
The fastest pitch clocked at 148 km/h!
Combined with the occasional Change-up and his bizarre pitching form, hitting Sawamura's pitches was incredibly challenging.
'Damn it!'
Sometimes, Coach Tahara didn't know what kind of luck allowed Kataoka to recruit a talent like Sawamura.
Both teams were elite powerhouses in West Tokyo, and previously, Sankou had a much stronger reputation than Seidou.
So why did Sawamura choose Seidou over them when he had the opportunity?
It's not like Sankou didn't extend an invitation to him.
When the Demon King graduated, all the elite high schools across the country, whether they thought they had a chance or not, reached out to Sawamura.
Sankou was one of those.
Coach Tahara's frustration had no one to alleviate it.
The game continued.
One Out, no one on base.
It was Sankou High School's third batter, Takami's turn.
Takami stepped into the Batter's Box, his eyes glinting like a beast, glowing with intensity.
As the main catcher for Sankou and one of the team's main forces, he shouldn't be showing such blatant emotions.
But just thinking about his teammate crying in the dugout fueled the fire in Takami's heart.
He was determined to seek revenge for his teammate.
'Come on!'
What does it matter if the demon king is on the mound?
He had to hit the ball.
From the catcher's position, Miyuki could sense Takami's eagerness to swing.
For him, a clearly aggressive opponent wasn't difficult to handle.
'The opponent is anxious to swing! No need for such a sharp breaking ball; a simple fishing pitch will suffice!'
Seeing the signal Miyuki gave him, Sawamura helplessly shook his head.
According to his original plan, he would naturally want to crush the opponent with overwhelming strength.
But Miyuki's suggestion wasn't bad.
It would actually be easier to let him hit the ball out.
Listening to sound advice is always beneficial.
Especially when it comes from a partner; it's something to pay attention to.
Sawamura took his stance and threw the ball with all his might.
During his pitching motion, his mitt and body shielded his throwing hand.
Whrroosh!
By the time Takami saw the ball, Sawamura's pitch had already been released.
No matter how many times he saw it, it was hard for Takami to adjust.
Yet he had to admit, Sawamura's pitching was indeed beautiful.
'With such an Ace on the team, it must be very reassuring.'
Shaking his head, he cast aside any unwanted thoughts.
Though he desperately wanted to hit Sawamura's pitch, this wasn't the right moment.
What mattered most was hitting the ball out.
He swung his bat, aiming at the approaching baseball, and struck decisively.
Ping!
This ball was much easier to hit than he had imagined.
He managed to make contact and sent the ball soaring.
But it flew too high.
The ball ascended, ultimately falling toward second base.
"Haruichi!"
Sawamura called out.
Haruichi was already waiting right beneath where the ball would land, effortlessly catching it.
"OUT!"
Two Outs, no one on base.
Seidou was just one out away from victory.
In the Batter's Box, Takami wore a dazed expression.
Could someone please explain what had just happened?
As he returned to the dugout, Takami's mind began to clear.
Though he still couldn't pinpoint what had just occurred, he could guess some things.
Just now, Sawamura had used a pitch he hadn't thrown in a long time—the Moving-Up.
The upward movement wasn't significant, which made the ball fly high after contact.
'They used a fishing pitch!'
Understanding all this, Takami shot an unwilling glance at Miyuki!
'This must have been that guy's idea.'
Based on Sawamura's previous state, he thought Sawamura intended to Strike him Out.
He never expected this would be the outcome.
The demon king Sawamura, who previously had a predictable rhythm, had now become completely unpredictable.
To be able to switch up his pitching rhythm freely within an inning, the current Demon King Sawamura appeared even more terrifying than before.
"Fourth Batter, first baseman, Hoshida-kun!"
Stepping into the Batter's Box was Hoshida Mamoru!
His expression was calm.
Yet both Sawamura on the mound and Miyuki behind the plate didn't underestimate this player.
Previously, he was the only one from Sankou High School who could hit Sawamura's pitches.
'Even among the strong hitters at Sankou High School, this guy stands out as different from the others,' Miyuki noted as he deeply observed Hoshida, then turned to signal Sawamura.
Sawamura nodded confidently.
He believed Miyuki's analysis was correct.
Given that, they couldn't just let him have an easy time!
'Use the Forkball Kai!'
It was the Forkball with the steep drop, and it became even more scary with Sawamura's velocity increase.
This allowed Sawamura and Miyuki the space to operate!
"STRIKE!"
Ping!
"FOUL!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
"GAME SET!!!"
In the Batter's Box, Hoshida's eyes widened in shock.
In the semifinals of the Tokyo Spring Baseball Tournament, Seidou faced Sankou High School.
In the end, Seidou won decisively, 10-0, in seven innings of effective play.
…