Chapter 353: Teito Battle – A Frenzied Stance
Confidence is a good thing.
It can put pressure on the pitcher, but only when backed by real strength. And in Eijun's case, his experiences on the grandest stages have long solidified his composure.
As the ace of a national championship-winning team, he is the greatest contributor to that banner's glory. Both in mentality and ability, Eijun has earned the right to face any opponent with unwavering confidence.
The aura of a king.
It radiates most clearly from Eijun.
First pitch—inside fastball!
All his confidence is reflected in his pitching.
"Whoosh!"
A sweeping arm motion, a powerful step forward.
The light flashing at home plate is dazzling, sending chills down the spine.
"Bang!"
The sound of impact echoed, and the vibration from the glove made Oida's expression turn even darker.
"Whoosh!"
"Thud!"
"Foul ball!"
No need for breaking balls, no need for excessive control.
It's as if in this second inning, Eijun has completely unleashed his engine.
Every pitch, every throw—he pours all his power into them.
Perhaps it's the excitement of facing such a strong opponent after so long.
Maybe it's the stimulation of the rainy weather.
Or maybe, at this very moment, Eijun has flipped some kind of internal switch.
The more he fights, the stronger he becomes.
His presence only grows sharper.
A deep urge wells up inside him—to unleash everything within.
And this urge is fully embodied in his pitching.
Fastball. Fastball. Fastball. Fastball. I'll throw nothing but fastballs!
Less than 20 meters away, Miyuki watches those golden-hued eyes burning with intensity.
No words are needed.
He can feel it—the restless fire roaring inside Eijun's heart.
"Heh… this guy."
Miyuki chuckles, shaking his head.
It's the first time he's seen Eijun display such an overwhelming desire.
Refuse him? Of course not.
As the catcher, his role is to draw out the pitcher's full potential to the absolute limit.
Since his ace has made up his mind…
Then let it explode right here.
"Show me, Eijun! Show me the true extent of your power!"
The essence of competition—the spice that fuels battle.
It amplifies their synchronization.
The unity between pitcher and catcher, the seamless cooperation, elevates everything to its peak.
At this moment—
Eijun steps into another realm.
His pitching takes on an entirely different style.
A brutal, overwhelming force that crushes batters.
For a moment, it doesn't feel like Seidou High's Ace, Sawamura Eijun is standing on the mound.
Instead, it's as if a power pitcher like Furuya has taken his place.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!"
Overwhelming, no-room-to-breathe fastballs. A seamless mix of inside and outside pitches.
Oida, struggling to keep up, barely managed two foul balls before he was struck out decisively.
"Ninth batter, pitcher—Mukai-kun."
"All fastballs?! Are you seriously looking down on us?!"
Mukai grips his bat tightly, his cold gaze sharpening.
His heaving chest reveals the turmoil inside—
The pride of Teito High's ace is burning.
But in the end, no matter how intense one's aura is, without real strength, it's meaningless.
Mukai Taiyou, who lacks any true batting talent, is utterly suppressed by Eijun. No, "crushed" would be a more fitting description.
"First pitch, high inside fastball."
As Eijun's presence grows more overwhelming, Miyuki's pitch selection becomes even more aggressive.
"Whoosh!"
A streak of blazing light.
A ball that seems to roar like a wild beast, fully embodying the pitcher's sheer will.
"Bang!"
A heavy impact.
Overwhelming power and intense late movement.
The sheer force of the pitch alone makes Mukai's face stiffen in shock.
"Is his fastball really this quick?!"
"And this movement… this sheer force… it's way stronger than expected!"
Mukai's bewildered expression says it all.
"Aren't you supposed to be a pitcher who wins with control and deception?! Why do you look completely different now?!"
Caught in the storm—no, in the rain, Mukai feels utterly disoriented.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Ball!"
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
"Whoosh!"
"Bang!"
"Clang!"
"Foul ball!"
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!"
"Three outs! Change of sides!"
An undeniable display of dominance.
Aside from an early cutter, Eijun threw nothing but fastballs this inning—and completely overwhelmed his opponents.
A king's unyielding stance.
It was showcased to perfection in this inning.
As the wind carried the echoes of his pitches across the field, Mukai walked back to the dugout with a sour expression, tightly gripping his bat.
He stole a deep glance at Eijun's back before turning away and striding toward his bench.
In the stands, over ten thousand spectators blinked in astonishment.
This inning, they felt as if they had witnessed an entirely different pitcher.
Eijun's frenzied stance wasn't just a show of dominance—
It was a masterpiece of raw, violent beauty.
And with that overwhelming display, something clicked inside Eijun.
After securing back-to-back strikeouts in a style completely different from his usual approach, he sensed something.
A deeper understanding of his own baseball philosophy.
It felt as if—
He had grasped a key.
A key that could unlock a crucial path forward.
A path that could push his pitching to even greater heights.
The thought flickered through his mind for just a moment.
Both Coach Okamoto and Coach Kataoka had the same reaction:
A look of deep contemplation.
Their eyes shone as if they had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.
Even Ochiai, who usually observed with half-lidded eyes, opened them fully, a rare trace of surprise flickering within.
As he watched Eijun casually chatting with Miyuki on their way back to the dugout, Ochiai muttered under his breath—
"Hmm"
...
"Hey… don't you guys think Sawamura looked a bit… wild out there?"
"Yeah… I felt it too. His fastball became really aggressive all of a sudden."
"Huh? Is that really Sawamura's style?"
"Uh… not really."
"Honestly, that felt more like… Furuya's pitching style."
"..."
In the stands, the audience murmured in confusion.
Eijun's "abnormal" state left many puzzled.
"Can a pitcher's style really change this easily?"
Only a select few—those with keen baseball instincts—recognized something different.
Their gazes toward Eijun were filled with an indescribable intrigue.
"The first time through the lineup is just about adjusting to the pitcher's rhythm," Okamoto stated in his usual unique style.
"Don't overthink it. The real battle starts now. Stay patient, like a predator stalking its prey… then when the moment is right—"chomp! pounce! Do you understand?!"
"Yes, sir!"