Kapitel 98: [98] Preparing for Battle Together
Chapter 98: Preparing for Battle Together
"Alright, let's call it a day."
Miyuki glanced at the time and called out to Eijun, who was still standing on the pitcher's mound in the distance.
"Huh? We're stopping already?" Eijun was momentarily taken aback, looking slightly dissatisfied as he spoke.
"Do you even know what time it is? Plus, we just finished a game today. You can't push yourself too much." Miyuki rolled his eyes at Eijun. "Besides, you stamina freak, even if you're not tired, I sure am. I'm done catching for today."
"But I just found the right feeling. Now's the best time to..."
Like many pitchers, Eijun shared an almost obsessive passion for baseball, just like Furuya.
"Sawamura, that's enough for today. Go back and rest up. There's still time."
Before Eijun could argue further, Chris, who was standing nearby, smiled gently and interjected.
"Yes, Chris-senpai, I understand."
The moment Chris spoke, Eijun immediately complied. It was a blatant, obvious display of preferential treatment.
Miyuki couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth.
Seriously? We're both upperclassmen, so why is there such a big difference in treatment!?
The moment Chris opened his mouth, this guy listened instantly. Yet no matter how much Miyuki tried to convince him, it was completely useless. Sometimes, he just couldn't understand Eijun's thought process.
Miyuki sighed in exasperation, massaging his forehead, as he watched Eijun descend from the pitcher's mound.
He thought to himself.
What Miyuki didn't realize was that Eijun's respect for Chris wasn't just due to their current relationship, but also because of the immense admiration he had for Chris from the original story.
Chris had shown Eijun so much care, attention, and unwavering commitment to baseball, as well as a deep friendship with his teammates, which had deeply moved him.
And the same was true for Miyuki.
In the original story, Miyuki was a strategic mastermind, always in control when interacting with the two rookie pitchers.
To be honest, that deeply ingrained perception might have unconsciously shaped how Eijun treated Miyuki — which explained his current attitude and approach.
After all, everyone was used to it by now.
"Thank you for all your hard work today, senpais." Eijun bowed slightly and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Well then, I'll be heading back now."
"Mm."
With that, Eijun picked up his glove and headed off in the direction of the dorm.
At this time of night, it really was time to wash up and get some rest.
He chuckled softly to himself, realizing how absorbed he'd become in his pitching earlier.
Miyuki and Chris stood in place, watching Eijun until his figure disappeared around the corner, swallowed by the shadows under the streetlights.
"What do you think, Miyuki?" Chris asked, turning to look at him after Eijun had walked off.
"There's definitely potential, but how far it'll go is hard to say. He hasn't had a chance to use it in a real game yet," Miyuki frowned, giving the matter careful thought before answering cautiously.
"True." Chris nodded in agreement.
In terms of completion, it wasn't perfect yet. In the latter part of the session, both of them had noticed a slight issue — as the pitch count increased, the ball trajectory started to rise slightly.
That was a clear sign the pitch still wasn't fully under control.
The biggest concern was that in a real game, if Eijun misfired with this pitch, it could have severe consequences.
So, whether Eijun was used as a starter or a reliever when Coach Kataoka sent him in, the use of the changeup would be a real test for Miyuki.
Should he use it, or not?
If he did, when would be the right moment to throw it? These were crucial decisions that would require careful consideration.
Meanwhile, far from Seidou High School, in another district where Yakushi High School was located...
In the video room, Raichi sat in front of the TV, munching on a banana, his sharp eyes focused on the images playing on the screen.
It was footage from Seidou High's games.
More specifically, it featured the performances of the pitchers on Seidou's mound.
Sitting beside him were two other first-year players: Mishima Yuta and Akiba Kazuma, both of whom were key players that Coach Todoroki was grooming to be the core of Yakushi's team for the next two to three years.
These two players had also been under Coach Todoroki's guidance since childhood.
Coach Todoroki sat nearby, legs crossed, yawning lazily with a nonchalant, laid-back expression. Yet, every now and then, a sharp glimmer flashed in his eyes, revealing his true nature as someone far from ordinary.
Otherwise, how could he have developed a hitter like Raichi or led Yakushi High to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Seidou, Ichidaisan, and Inashiro as one of the top four teams in West Tokyo?
It wasn't just the players' individual talents.
A significant part of their success was due to Coach Todoroki's astute tactical guidance, strategic planning, and proper development of his players.
After all, he had been a professional player himself.
"Over here, over here."
At that moment, the door to the video room was gently pushed open, and a cheerful voice echoed as a tall figure appeared at the entrance.
With his handsome, sharp features and a solid, well-proportioned build, the newcomer was undeniably striking.
It was none other than Yakushi High's true ace pitcher—Sanada Shunpei.
"Coach, Raichi, here you are! I was looking all over the field for you." Sanada strode in, smiling as he spoke.
"Oh, it's Sanada. Finished training?" Coach Todoroki replied in his usual lazy tone, lounging in his seat with no sense of urgency.
"Yes, Coach. Today's training is all done," Sanada smiled as he responded respectfully.
The players of Yakushi High knew well that although their coach appeared to be a laid-back, scruffy man, when it came to baseball, he was a first-rate, seasoned coach.
This was something all the players acknowledged without question.
Defeating Ichidaisan was proof enough of that.
"Hm," Coach Todoroki grunted nonchalantly, nodding and waving his hand dismissively, not saying much more.
"Watching Seidou's footage?"
With the coach offering no further comment, Sanada bowed slightly before moving closer to Raichi and the others.
"Oh, Sanada-senpai," Akiba and Mishima greeted him in unison.
Only Raichi remained entirely focused on the TV, seemingly unaware of Sanada's arrival.
Of course, his teammates were long familiar with Raichi's personality—he was a simple, single-minded guy, born for baseball.
"So, what do you think, Raichi? Any interesting pitchers? I heard Seidou's first-year, Furuya Satoru, can throw a 150 km/h fastball, and their ace has a powerful curveball. That should catch your interest, right?" Sanada smiled faintly, casually sitting down next to the three of them.
------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein