Bab 110: <110> The True Nature of the "Magic Ball"!
Chapter 110: The True Nature of the "Magic Ball"!
In the stands, tens of thousands of fans gaped in astonishment. The players from both teams weren't much better off—they too were bewildered and full of questions.
Harada had been struck out? That wasn't even the most shocking part. The most unbelievable thing was the number displayed on the electronic scoreboard.
99...
In terms of pitch speed from a human pitcher, that's not extraordinarily rare. Many high school players can achieve similar speeds. But for Furuya to throw at that speed, the impact was different.
Furuya was known as a velocity freak. Fans wouldn't have been surprised if he regained his usual pitch speed. But the current situation was beyond their wildest expectations.
"Could there be something wrong?"
"Is it possible that the first-year kid suddenly lost his edge, leading to this pitch speed?"
The fans of Inashiro Industrial High School were bewildered, unable to help but speculate wildly. It wasn't entirely their fault; the scene before them was beyond comprehension.
Who could have predicted such an unscientific event would occur on the field? That Furuya would use such a skillful change-up?
Three outs, change of sides. Despite the amazement in the stands, the game continued as players returned to their dugouts.
The Seido High School team surrounded Furuya, excitement written all over their faces as they inquired eagerly.
"Who knew you had such an amazing change-up?"
"What a pleasant surprise!"
"If you had this move, you should have used it earlier. It would've saved us from Narumiya's swaggering."
The Seido players seemed to have rediscovered their hope for winning the game, relying once again on their current pitcher.
"How do you feel? Six outs to go—can you keep it up?"
Some of the more attentive players asked about Furuya's condition. Furuya himself stared incredulously at his hand.
The effect of that pitch surprised not only his teammates but even Furuya himself.
In middle school, he used to pitch like this. Even though he was uncertain about using it in the game today, he was willing to take the gamble.
His opponents now were not like those he faced in middle school; they were the nationally renowned powerhouse, Inashiro Industrial High School!
Facing such formidable rivals, Furuya understood the challenge. Frankly, using his middle school technique involved an element of risk.
But Furuya had no intention of leaving the game before the coach called him out. Even if it meant losing, he wouldn't back down. Since his coach and team needed him, he was determined to pitch until the end.
Yet, the actual result of that pitch was unexpectedly fantastic.
It was even more impressive than his fastball!
"You didn't see it coming yourself, did you?" Miyuki chuckled softly.
Furuya nodded awkwardly.
"Softballs and hardballs are different—not just in material and hardness but also in the seams! With hardballs, not only is the speed faster, but pitch variations are more pronounced. Partner, you're going to be famous!"
A prodigy like Furuya tends to become sensational shortly after joining a team.
But because they start at the top, advancing further is a huge challenge. Unlike other developing players, who improve steadily, step by step.
Furuya, however, was different. Like a rising star, the stronger his opponents, the more potential he unleashed.
Whenever people thought he was cornered, he always surprised them with something extraordinary.
"Just thinking about it makes one's heart race!"
To with such a talented pitcher, Miyuki felt incredibly fortunate.
Considering the potential of a certain pitcher in the stands, Miyuki couldn't help but think that he must have saved the galaxy in his past life.
How else could an average catcher like him be so lucky to encounter two such gifted pitchers?
Meanwhile, in the Inashiro Industrial High School dugout, the atmosphere had become oppressively heavy since their captain Harada returned. Narumiya Mei grumbled in frustration.
"What's the deal with that first-year brat?"
He pondered extensively but couldn't understand how the opponent's change-up could have such a large speed difference. It didn't make sense.
If Furuya's arm movements varied noticeably—sometimes fast, sometimes slow—that would be understandable. Or if there was an issue with how he held the ball, the team could devise a strategy. But there was neither.
With more than a 30 km/h speed difference between two pitches, Furuya's arm motion and grip showed no change. It was bewildering.
While the Inashiro players were puzzled over this, their usually silent coach suddenly spoke.
"It's all in the fingers! Furuya isn't using a typical change-up method; he's pitching a change-up with his fastball technique. As he releases the ball, he frees two fingers without letting them grip the ball fully. This way, the pitch appears fast but lacks the final burst of speed."
Coach Kunitomo's explanation was clear to the players, yet they remained astonished.
"His fingers don't grip the ball? How does he control the pitch's direction?"
They understood that the last two fingers not only apply full body weight but also help adjust the pitch's direction, like a steering wheel in a high-speed car.
Without those fingers gripping at the end, Furuya's pitch velocity would naturally drop, but he would also lose control over the ball's trajectory.
"It's probably due to practice and repetition! Before entering high school, he couldn't fully utilize his powerful fastball, so he likely fought this way. However, with a softball, he couldn't fully unleash the pitch's potential. That's why he couldn't lead his team to the nationals during middle school."
Coach Kunitomo's tone carried a rare hint of regret as he conveyed this observation.
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-The chapter is short, but the next one will have 2k words
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