Chapter 345: The Grand Feast of the Teito Battle Begins
"!!!"
The referee's sharp voice pierced through the rainy atmosphere with unwavering clarity. As his command echoed across the field, the highly anticipated match officially commenced.
At home plate, Miyuki cast a brief glance at Teito's leadoff batter beside him, narrowing his eyes slightly.
The batter hadn't stepped forward in his stance, and his grip on the bat was long—clearly aiming for a big hit. If that's their approach, then they shouldn't blame us for responding in kind.
A cold glint flashed in Miyuki's eyes as his fingers moved subtly beneath his mitt.
On the mound, Eijun nodded, stepping into motion. His left arm swung forward despite the slight stiffness caused by the damp weather. His well-conditioned body and experience allowed him to fully execute his pitch. As the ball left his hand, a gleam of white light sliced through the rain.
"Whoosh!"
A roaring sound accompanied the speeding pitch, cutting through the downpour.
The ball hurtled toward home plate, entering Kajiyama's vision. His pupils shrank as his foot instinctively stepped forward, his body twisting into a swing.
"Swish!"
The metal bat sliced through the air, colliding forcefully with the ball.
Ping!
The impact sent the ball flying toward the outer low corner, producing a crisp, resonant sound.
Fast!
In that instant, only one thought dominated Kajiyama's mind.
A fastball at 135 km/h combined with that unique delivery—without sharp instincts and experience, he wouldn't have even seen the release point, leading to a complete miss. Even though his reflexes managed to react in time, he had already missed the ideal timing for his swing.
"Whoosh!"
The ball ricocheted off the bat, slamming into the ground.
"Foul ball!!!"
"Oh? That didn't seem like a particularly fast pitch, yet Teito's batter looked completely overwhelmed?" On the stands, Seto raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"That wasn't just a simple fastball." Okumura, who rarely spoke much, decided to explain—partly because Seto was his closest friend and partly because the pitcher on the mound, Eijun, was someone who deeply intrigued him.
"Sawamura-senpai's fastball naturally carries an irregular movement due to his unique pitch quality. Combined with his deceptive delivery, where his flexible joints hide the release point, most batters struggle to adapt. Only elite hitters can react properly. While Teito's lineup is used to intense training, an average team would probably be completely shut down by just his fastball alone."
"I know, I know," Seto nodded, still in awe. "It's just surprising that someone like Sawamura-senpai, whose strength lies in breaking pitches, can make batters struggle so much with a straight fastball. I mean, his reputation is built on his variety of off-speed pitches!"
Indeed, in previous matches, Eijun had gained national recognition for his diverse pitch arsenal—five-seam fastballs, cutters, changeups, and, more recently, a well-practiced two-seam fastball. His style revolved around deception and variation.
However, what most people didn't realize was that Eijun had now fully developed a clean and powerful "accelerated" fastball, alongside steadily improving control.
His evolution as a pitcher was bound to shock everyone once again.
"Not bad. That location wasn't too far off," Miyuki assessed calmly before signaling the next pitch.
"Next one—high and inside. No need to force it into the strike zone, just extend your arm fully. This batter isn't a power hitter, so let's use ball pressure to dominate him."
"Whoosh!"
The ball zipped through the air, cutting a sharp trajectory.
"Swish!"
The bat swung again.
Ping!
Bang!
"Foul ball!!!"
Damn it, this angle...!!!
Kajiyama furrowed his brows, a look of regret flashing across his face. He shouldn't have swung at that last pitch—the impression of the first outside pitch had lingered too strongly in his mind.
Frustration filled his thoughts.
At home plate, a cold glint flickered in Miyuki's eyes as he cast a sidelong glance at Kajiyama. His fingers moved subtly beneath his mitt, signaling once more.
On the mound, Eijun's lips curled into a faint smile.
So, Miyuki-senpai, you really like this pitch too, huh?
Quit talking—are you throwing it or not?
Haha, well, since it's a request from our dear captain, how could I refuse?
With a steady step, Eijun lifted his right leg. His left hand gripped the ball tighter than ever before. His body shifted slightly, adjusting his center of gravity before stepping forward.
"Boom!"
A visible ripple of air seemed to spread outward.
The sheer intensity of the pitch hit Kajiyama head-on, his expression twisting in shock.
"Whoosh!"
The roaring pitch cut through the rain, carrying a chilling edge.
The ball gleamed as it approached—its trajectory swaying ever so slightly.
For a split second, as Kajiyama swung his bat, the ball seemed to jolt, accelerating in an instant.
"Swish!"
His swing was late. The ball had already zipped past him, landing cleanly in Miyuki's mitt.
"Pop!"
The crisp, resounding impact echoed across the field.
Kajiyama stood frozen in disbelief.
In Teito's dugout, Coach Okamoto's expression darkened. Meanwhile, Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai exchanged small, knowing smiles.
Up in the stands, Okumura's eyes flickered with uncertainty, as if caught between speculation and realization.
Many sharp-eyed spectators inhaled sharply, sensing something extraordinary.
Sawamura Eijun—Seidou's "Jewel of an Ace"—had evolved yet again.
"What a terrifying player."
That thought ran through the minds of everyone watching, including Coach Okamoto, just as the umpire's call rang out:
"Strike three! Batter out!"
Standing tall and proud—this was Seidou's golden duo. This was the ace of his era, Sawamura Eijun.
One pitch. Just one. And once again, he had conquered the field.
"Second batter, left fielder—Okao-kun."
Seidou had taken the initiative. Even in the rain, where control was more difficult, Eijun had an advantage—the downpour narrowed the batters' field of vision as well.
After striking out Kajiyama, Miyuki and Eijun wasted no time. Their tempo quickened.
The first pitch to the second batter—a changeup.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
From the on-deck circle, the waiting batters struggled to adjust. After seeing three straight fastballs, the sudden speed drop from the changeup threw them off completely.
Then, a fastball.
The batter made contact—but only to send a high fly ball toward left field.
A calm Furuya took a few steps, settled under it, and made the catch.
Two outs.
Teito's third batter, now wary of striking out, became overly cautious.
A few pitches later, a well-placed cutter kai forced him to hit a weak grounder straight back to the mound.
Three up, three down.
Against the powerhouse Teito High, Eijun had once again displayed the commanding presence of an ace.
Seidou had seized control of the game from the very start.