Chapter 40: The Battle at Kokushikan - The Once-Powerful
Bottom of the Second Inning
Despite having two outs, after Haruichi's critical home run, the pitcher from Kokushikan showed signs of temporary panic.
Although he gradually regained his composure with self-regulation and support from his teammates, Seidou High still managed to hit two consecutive base hits, scoring another run.
The lead widened once again to five runs.
"Even with their second-string players, Seidou can still dominate Kokushikan. Tsk, tsk, Seidou is getting stronger and stronger."
"Good defense can drive the rhythm of the offense. Sawamura, from what we can see now, is a very promising pitcher."
"Indeed, whether it's his individual skills or his potential as a pitcher, apart from Furuya, it's hard to find another gem like him. Coach Kataoka must be dealing with a happy dilemma."
"The battle for the future ace seems to be looming."
"Talking about the ace is too early. No matter what, Seidou still has Tanba and Kawakami."
"Exactly, at the very least, it won't be until these two kids are in their second year that we can talk about that."
"Alright, alright, why are we discussing things so far ahead? The focus now should be on the current game."
"Focus, focus, let's watch the game."
After Seidou High scored two more runs in the bottom of the second inning, Kokushikan's pitcher finally stabilized, securing the last out and limiting the damage to two runs.
However, Seidou High's overwhelming advantage had already become evident.
Especially as Eijun appeared to be getting more into the groove (at least to the spectators), the chances of Kokushikan making a comeback seemed increasingly slim.
In the dugout, Director Oota's delighted expression was clear for all to see, and the atmosphere in Seidou High's dugout was relatively relaxed.
At that moment, a certain figure in Kokushikan's dugout stirred slightly, causing a subtle change in the expressions of everyone there.
When that familiar figure appeared, Chris in Seidou's dugout also narrowed his eyes, showing a complex expression in his gaze.
"Zaizen… are you really going to..."
Top of the Third Inning
It was Kokushikan's turn to bat.
With steady steps, Eijun jogged towards the mound.
As he bent down to pick up the white ball on the mound, he suddenly felt a cold stare fixed on him. The chilling sensation made him tense up, and when he looked up, he met the gaze.
A delinquent-looking face, with a fierce stare, exuded a chilling aura.
It sent a shiver down Eijun's spine.
"Naoyuki Zaizen..."
Eijun muttered these two words softly, his pupils contracting as he showed a wary expression. Having read the original story, he knew exactly what kind of player Naoyuki Zaizen was.
He was from the same class as Chris-senpai, a once-unshakable ace pitcher during his junior high days, and also a formidable batter.
Even though he entered high school, an injury from the summer preliminaries caused damage to his right leg ligaments, and it still hasn't fully healed, leading to his current lackluster performance compared to other top players of his generation.
But still, a starved camel is larger than a horse. Naoyuki Zaizen's current strength remains formidable and should not be underestimated!
"So, this guy is still going to play, even though Chris-senpai isn't on the field..."
After glancing at Zaizen, Eijun couldn't help but feel a sense of dread inside.
His technique, power, and proficiency—despite being out of practice or limited by injury—would naturally place Zaizen below the level of truly top-tier batters like Tetsuya.
However, his sharpness as a pitcher could partially compensate for these deficiencies.
And this guy, despite everything, has a solid foundation and is quite sharp-minded.
Exploiting gaps and playing to his strengths, you absolutely cannot give him too many opportunities!
Almost instantly, a rough strategy for dealing with him formed in Eijun's mind.
Zaizen Naoyuki, standing in front of the dugout, naturally had no idea that so many thoughts had flashed through Eijun's mind in that moment. As a former powerhouse, he didn't consider a mere first-year with so-called potential to be worth his attention.
Even though Eijun's deviation value seemed a bit high at the moment, in Zaizen's eyes, it was nothing significant.
"I heard you've been guiding this kid since the start of the school year. It seems you have high hopes for him, huh? In that case, let me teach this kid a harsh lesson, so he understands what it means to respect his elders!"
Zaizen's eyes gleamed with a fierce light as he stared directly at Chris in Seidou's dugout. Chris instantly caught that gaze, and in that moment, he understood what his former junior high rival, whom he had a complicated history with, intended.
This realization made Chris feel a faint sense of concern.
"Top of the third inning, Kokushikan at bat, seventh in the lineup, catcher, Hiji-kun."
"Sss... Hoo..."
Eijun exhaled lightly. He didn't know when that guy would take the field, but what was needed now was a quick and decisive strike, to seize the initiative.
With that thought, a sharp glint flashed in Eijun's eyes. At the same time, behind home plate, Ono gave a slight nod, shifting his glove slightly to the inside.
Straight posture, long arms, and a sudden movement.
"Whoosh!"
A streak of light shot from Eijun's fingertips, hurtling toward the batter's box.
In the batter's box, Hiji's face showed signs of tension.
Seeing the white streak coming straight at him, Hiji's expression turned serious.
"Remember, swing with all your might on inside pitches, and let the outside ones go. As for that cutter, hmph, even if you're caught out, it doesn't matter. Just focus on the inside!"
With a sullen face and a fierce tone, he commanded as if he were directing a war strategy from the front lines.
Hiji took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the incoming white streak, tracking its trajectory closely.
Inside pitch!
"Crack!"
"Bang!"
"Foul!"
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Ball!"
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike, batter out!"
With sharp, aggressive pitching, Eijun and Ono, the pitcher-catcher duo, launched a strong attack right from the start, striking out the first batter.
"Whoosh!"
"Crack!"
"Pop!"
Next, in just two pitches, they forced Kokushikan's eighth batter to hit an infield fly, which was caught by Haruichi at second base, securing the second out.
Everything seemed to be unfolding exactly as Eijun had envisioned—heading toward the best possible scenario.
What Eijun failed to notice, however, was Zaizen in Kokushikan's dugout. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold smirk played on his lips.
A former powerhouse, the dominant force during junior high.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Ball four!!!"
The call echoed like thunder.
It wasn't until the walk was announced that Eijun's expression suddenly changed!
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