章 182: [182] The Assault in the Yokohama Kouhoku Match
Chapter 182: The Assault in the Yokohama Kouhoku Match
The vast Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
This was the first time Eijun stood on the pitcher's mound of this iconic field.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, soaking in the extraordinary atmosphere of the mound, feeling a unique joy welling up from deep within.
"Sawamura, have you memorized all the data on Yokohama Kouhoku's players?"
Miyuki's calm voice suddenly broke Eijun's train of thought.
Opening his eyes, he looked at Miyuki standing in front of him. Eijun nodded lightly and replied softly, "Don't worry, Miyuki-senpai."
"Good. In that case, let's give them a little surprise to start things off," Miyuki said with a mischievous grin that revealed his trademark roguish charm. "I can't wait to see the look of surprise on their faces, Sawamura."
Eijun paused briefly, then smiled back.
"Miyuki-senpai, this is the Koshien stage. Being this bold—are you sure it's appropriate?"
"You talk too much. Or are you saying you don't dare?"
"Heh, as long as you signal it, is there anything I wouldn't dare to throw?" Eijun replied, his lips curling into a matching grin.
At the same time, the two let out a slightly eerie chuckle together.
Behind them, Kuramochi, standing nearby, shivered involuntarily.
Seeing the pair's expressions—like weasels who had just caught a chicken—he could only shake his head.
These two... You really can't let your guard down with this pitcher-catcher duo.
"Sawamura, one pitch at a time," Miyuki said.
"Got it, Miyuki-senpai," Eijun replied softly.
With that, Miyuki gently patted Eijun on the chest with his glove before lowering his mask and jogging back to home plate to take his crouch.
"Now batting, top of the first inning. Leading off for Yokohama Kouhoku Academy, second baseman, Ishigoka!"
Ishigoka stepped into the batter's box with a calm yet probing expression on his face.
As he settled in, his gaze lingered on the pitcher's mound, sizing up Eijun with a faint smirk.
Eijun, however, remained unfazed.
Having endured the baptism of fire against Inashiro Industrial, the current Eijun wasn't one to lose his composure or be intimidated by any powerhouse team.
"Let's go, Sawamura!"
"Take them down!"
"One out at a time, Sawamura!"
"Stay sharp, don't worry—we've got your back!"
"Take it slow, Sawamura!"
First pitch!
Miyuki subtly moved his fingers, signaling the call.
Inside four-seam fastball.
Eijun nodded lightly.
His figure lifted, arm swung, and as his motion exploded into action, a flash of light streaked forward.
The ball shot out like a gleam of white lightning.
On the batter's box, Ishigoka's expression tightened.
In the blink of an eye, before he could react, the ball was already upon him.
"Whoosh!"
An inside pitch!
Not good!
Realizing it at the last moment, Ishigoka barely managed to adjust his stance, swinging his bat in haste.
"Whoosh!"
But the timing was off—he had already missed the optimal window to swing.
"Pop!"
Before the bat could make contact, the ball had already landed squarely in Miyuki's glove, producing a crisp and resounding snap.
"Strike!"
The umpire's call echoed through the stadium.
"What a tricky angle! And just as the scouting reports indicated—this lefty makes it nearly impossible to see his release point."
Ishigoka exhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing as the last shred of nonchalance in his demeanor vanished.
Previously, based on Seidou's grueling battle against Inashiro, he had already been 99% certain about Eijun's abilities.
But now, he was 100% convinced—there wasn't even a sliver of doubt left.
This left-handed pitcher was no easy opponent.
In the dugout, Coach Yamagake's eyes flickered subtly, and he nodded lightly.
On the batter's box, Ishigoka adjusted his cap brim knowingly, then shifted to the center of the box.
He gripped his bat slightly shorter, a subtle movement that caught Miyuki's attention.
"Hmm, that's a bit unusual," Miyuki muttered to himself. "He's not standing at the very front of the box. Looks like this batter has quite a bit of confidence in his ability to adjust."
"Alright then, Sawamura, let's up the pressure—cutter!"
Miyuki didn't hesitate to call for an even more aggressive pitch.
"Whoosh!"
Eijun raised his arm without hesitation and unleashed another dazzling pitch.
Same pitch again?!
Ishigoka's eyes widened, his stance shifting as he took a powerful step forward.
His metal bat swung with full force, the sound of it slicing through the air generating an audible burst.
"Whoosh!"
Perfect timing, perfect pitch recognition!
Ishigoka's eyes lit up with confidence.
By only the second pitch, he had already begun to adapt to Eijun's unique throwing motion—a testament to why he was the leadoff batter for a powerhouse school like Yokohama Kouhoku Academy.
But, unfortunately...
"Crack!"
The cutter's sharp trajectory caused it to collide with the bat slightly earlier than Ishigoka anticipated.
His expression twisted as he realized the unexpected nature of the pitch.
"Whoosh!"
"Thud!"
The ball ricocheted off the bat and bounced sharply on the ground.
"Third base!"
Masuko sprinted forward, fielding the ball cleanly before swiftly throwing it to first base.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
"Damn it! It was a cutter?" Ishigoka cursed under his breath. "I got careless."
Having barely taken a few steps out of the batter's box, Ishigoka was forced to stop and shake his head in frustration.
Reluctantly, he returned to the dugout.
Two pitches—just two pitches, and Eijun had easily dispatched Yokohama Kouhoku's leadoff hitter.
"Now batting, second in the lineup, center fielder, Shinagawa!"
"Be careful," Ishigoka said in a low voice as he crossed paths with Shinagawa. "This pitcher... he's even scarier than the reports suggest. His velocity may officially be listed at just over 130 km/h, but from the batter's box, it feels like it's well over 135 km/h. And the pitch has serious late movement—it's like he's running on full throttle right from the start."
Shinagawa nodded solemnly, his expression heavy.
He had witnessed Ishigoka's out from the closest vantage point and fully understood the challenge posed by this first-year lefty.
Eijun was indeed difficult to handle, especially with his deciding weapon—a changeup—in his arsenal.
Taking a deep breath, Shinagawa stepped onto the batter's box.
Unlike Ishigoka, he positioned himself at the very front of the box, hugging the edge, clearly aiming to neutralize inside pitches.
Miyuki raised an eyebrow slightly.
His fingers twitched as he signaled the pitch, a faint smile creeping onto his lips.
Eijun froze for a moment, his expression shifting subtly.
"Miyuki-senpai… you're really going to try this in the first inning?" Eijun thought to himself. "You sure have faith that I won't mess up, huh, Senpai?!"
"Well, fine. Worst case, I'll just let this batter get on base."
"Or… are you doubting I have the guts to throw it?"
The playful smirk on Miyuki's face ignited a slight ferocity in Eijun's gaze.
Gripping the ball tightly with his left hand, his fingers spread evenly over the seams, Eijun adjusted his hold.
This was not the high-speed breaking ball from the past—this was something new, an experimental pitch Eijun had been refining on his own.
"What'll happen with this pitch? I have no idea, Senpai… and I don't care either!"
The energy on the mound rose sharply, rippling like an unseen wave.
Eijun lifted his right leg high, his motion slightly angled toward first base—a stance different from his usual delivery.
A moment later, his foot landed, and his arm swung forward.
Release.
"Whoosh!"
The ball streaked through the air, a brilliant flash tearing through the atmosphere, its presence electrifying the stadium.
It wasn't just a pitch—it was a spark that illuminated the entire field.
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