Chapitre 262: [262] The Impact
Chapter 262: The Impact
"Pop!"
"Strike! Batter out! Three outs! Change of sides!"
As the umpire's voice echoed across the field, Tachi in the batter's box was visibly stunned, and the crowd couldn't contain their excitement, letting out waves of astonished exclamations.
Three pitches.
Once again, just three pitches.
The first-year left-handed pitcher from Seidou was continuously redefining everyone's expectations.
Another strikeout—this time a pure display of undeniable skill.
An absolute presence—this was, without a doubt, Seidou High School's most reliable ace in essence.
"What the heck? Another strikeout? Are you kidding me? I thought this would be a fierce battle!"
"Incredible, absolutely incredible! This first-year left-handed pitcher is amazing."
"By the way, what was that pitch just now?"
"A cutter?"
"Doesn't seem like it. Does a cutter have that kind of break?"
"But it clearly broke sharply toward the inside corner. That curve, and the timing of the break—it's almost unreal, so precise and sharp."
"Pitchers these days are becoming scarier and scarier."
"This one is exceptional. That pitcher, Sawamura Eijun, is unbelievable."
"This is going to be a real headache for Kiryuu's side."
"No, it's going to be a massive headache."
On the third base side, inside Kiryuu High's dugout, every player wore serious expressions. Tachi, in particular, still looked baffled and confused.
Coach Matsumoto frowned deeply.
"Tachi, are you saying you couldn't even see the trajectory of that pitch?"
Coach Matsumoto asked in astonishment.
"Yeah, it felt like it disappeared in an instant," Tachi replied in a serious tone, and his words left the Kiryuu players around him visibly shaken.
Disappeared in an instant?
Could it be that the pitcher has mastered a new pitch type?
That would be truly shocking.
As Coach Matsumoto furrowed his brows, preparing to say more, Kiryuu's third batter spoke up.
"I think that pitch was still a cutter."
"What?"
"A cutter?"
Everyone looked surprised, and Tachi blinked in disbelief.
"From my angle, it clearly broke deeper into the inside corner. But compared to a typical cutter, it was faster, and the angle was sharper, breaking even further inside. I suspect the pitch's high spin rate made the break much quicker, which probably caused it to look like it vanished from the batter's perspective," the third batter explained after a moment of careful thought.
His explanation left Tachi in deep thought.
Recalling the pitch, it did seem like it broke sharply inside, but he had been too focused on the "disappearance" to notice the pitch's actual trajectory.
Coach Matsumoto's frown eased slightly.
If it was just a sharper and faster variation of a cutter, it was still within a manageable range.
The real concern would've been if it was something completely unknown.
"For now, don't overthink that pitch. Stick to our rhythm. When the next opportunity comes, we'll analyze it further," Coach Matsumoto said firmly.
"Yes, Coach!" the players responded in unison.
Meanwhile, on Seidou's bench:
"You two are unbelievably bold," Chris said with a wry smile, looking at Miyuki and Eijun. Miyuki, unfazed, grinned cheekily, while Eijun looked a bit sheepish.
After all, not every pitcher would dare to test out a new pitch in an official game.
And to make matters worse, it was a pitch they had only just learned.
While the cutter itself was a pitch they had mastered early on, this newly refined version was fundamentally different.
The differences weren't just in the trajectory, but also in the movement and the mechanics required to execute it.
A slight misstep could result in a missed pitch.
Honestly, there probably wasn't another battery in the entire country as daring as Miyuki and Eijun.
Coach Kataoka could only shake his head in resignation.
This wasn't the first time these two had pulled a stunt like this.
What else could he say?
Even if he did say something, it likely wouldn't change anything.
Ultimately, sports are judged by results.
As long as the outcome is good, does the process even matter?
What's the process anyway—can you eat it?
Naturally, pitchers like Furuya and Tanba didn't say much.
But even the rest of the Seidou team, upon learning that Eijun and Miyuki had used a brand-new pitch, rolled their eyes.
Even the ever-composed Yuuki couldn't hide a trace of exasperation in his eyes.
Getting those two to play it safe? That's harder than climbing a mountain.
"Haha, as long as the result is good, what's the problem?" Miyuki laughed cheekily.
"Problem? Problem? Miyuki! Sawamura! You two morons! Do you even realize the score difference is only one run? Damn it!!!"
The dugout became noisy, filled with a mix of complaints and laughter.
Even in a high-stakes match, Seidou High maintained a relaxed and steady atmosphere, never appearing overly tense.
Perhaps it was because they had someone like Miyuki, a constant source of levity.
Paired with Eijun, a pitcher full of surprises, it was hard for the team to feel too nervous.
The bottom of the fourth inning ended with Kiryuu High's offense failing to capitalize on a runner at second base.
They missed the opportunity to tie the score.
In the top of the fifth inning, it was Seidou's turn to bat again.
"Top of the fifth, Seidou High is up to bat. Eighth batter, left fielder, Sakai-kun."
This time, Ichirou Sakai delivered a huge surprise for Seidou.
Locking in on a fastball, Sakai showcased his strength in this crucial semifinal game.
It was a contest of raw power.
On the third pitch, he blasted an outside fastball into left field for a single.
With no outs, Sakai made it safely to first base.
Following that, under Coach Kataoka's instructions, Shirasu executed a textbook bunt to advance the runner.
Shirasu's out secured Sakai's advance to second base.
One out, a runner in scoring position.
Seidou High, having just escaped a previous crisis, now found themselves with an excellent scoring opportunity.
And this time, the top of Seidou's lineup was back.
"First batter, shortstop, Kuramochi-kun."
"Let's go, Kuramochi! Don't let them take you down here!"
"You've been out twice already! It's time to step up!"
"Yoichi, if you don't hit big this time, no dinner for you tonight!"
"Kuramochi, attack! Don't hesitate!"
The roaring cheers and support from the stands made Kuramochi, who had just stepped onto the field, shiver.
Damn, that's a lot of pressure!
Kuramochi stood in the batter's box with a bitter expression, ready to take on the challenge.
---------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Leonzky
Leonzky Creation is hard, cheer me up! VOTE for me!
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone