บท 109: [109] The Thrilling Confrontation with Yakushi
Chapter 109: The Thrilling Confrontation with Yakushi
Standing on the pitcher's mound was Eijun Sawamura.
In the batter's box, exuding a wild aura, was Raichi Todoroki.
At this moment, all the spectators held their breath, eyes locked on the crucial spot at the center of the field. They knew this showdown would determine the direction of the rest of the game.
Would Seidou suppress Raichi, or would Raichi break through Seidou's defense?
The impact of each outcome was entirely different.
It must be admitted, at this moment, Raichi carried not only his own momentum.
The victory against Ichidaisan, combined with his own powerful presence, indeed put pressure on Seidou High School, even though Seidou was currently in the lead.
On the mound, Eijun felt the biting cold and the scorching heat.
It was like standing between ice and fire.
The pressure Raichi exerted on Eijun was immense—he was a dangerous and formidable young opponent.
Eijun swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and forced himself to stay calm.
He knew that even the slightest error in control would lead to an irreparable outcome.
Miyuki watched Eijun calmly.
You can do it, Sawamura.
That look seemed to convey this sentiment, bringing a sense of calm to Eijun's heart.
Eijun nodded slightly.
Seeing Eijun's bright eyes and determined expression, a faint smile appeared on Miyuki's lips.
This kid might sometimes be afraid or overthink things, but he wouldn't easily falter at critical moments.
First pitch, outside fastball, use it to gauge the opponent's reaction.
"Whoosh"
At the moment Miyuki signaled the pitch,
Eijun quickly swung his arm, and with a cloud of dust rising, a white light sped from the pitcher's mound.
A straight white beam racing towards the plate.
In the batter's box, Raichi grinned widely, his eyes suddenly widening.
He stepped forward with a large stride, swinging the bat as if generating a booming sound.
"Swish"
The powerful swing of the bat had a sharp edge.
The metal bat flashed with a cold gleam.
In an instant.
"Bang!!!!"
A loud noise echoed.
The ball flew back violently, hitting the ground hard and veering foul.
"Foul!!!!"
That pitch must have moved at the last moment!!!
This guy really is intriguing!!!!
Raichi's eyes glinted with a fierce gleam, like a predator savoring the taste of its prey, exuding a dangerous aura.
He can react that quickly!?
Miyuki's brow furrowed slightly. He had expected Raichi's swing to be delayed by the quirkiness of Eijun's pitch and his unique delivery style, allowing for some more observation.
Initially, it was as anticipated.
But the final split-second swing speed was comparable to Masuko-san!!!
Careful boldness was required.
Second pitch, inside four-seam fastball, make sure it goes deep inside, Sawamura!!!
"Yes, I understand," Eijun said, slightly lowering his stance, his pupils now like lines of determination.
A deep breath; each pitch needed extreme precision.
The slightest deviation could lead to devastating results.
With a calm face and resolute eyes.
"Whoosh"
He released the pressured pitch.
Shooting straight toward home plate.
The light glittered.
In the batter's box, Raichi's pupils reflected the ball's trajectory, focusing every bit of it within his gaze.
Inside pitch!!!!
In a flash, Raichi swiftly judged the trajectory of the incoming pitch.
Eijun stood on the pitcher's mound.
Raichi slightly adjusted his stance, giving his arms ample room to swing. As his eyes locked on the approaching ball, he swung the bat with all his might.
"Swish"
The fierce motion created a whooshing sound.
"Bang!!!!"
A powerful crack echoed through the stadium.
"Ohhhhh!?"
A white streak shot upwards from home plate, racing off into the distance.
The crowd erupted in an uncontrollable gasp.
Could it be another home run!?
Everyone's eyes widened as they watched the white streak soar across the sky.
"Foul!!!!"
Ultimately, the angle wasn't right. The ball descended before third base, veering into foul territory.
Eijun felt a chill as he watched the ball fly out of bounds. He glanced at Raichi, who still maintained his swinging pose with an unmistakable look of excitement on his face.
Unconsciously, Eijun wiped sweat from his forehead.
He was completely overpowered. In terms of sheer hitting power, he couldn't compete with Raichi.
Even when Raichi missed the sweet spot, he still managed to hit it such a distance. If there had been even the slightest deviation in his pitch, a home run would have been unavoidable.
"Hiss...huff..."
Eijun took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"No matter how strong you are, I will not give an inch here!!!!" Eijun gritted his teeth, his gaze filled with determination as he focused on Raichi in the batter's box.
His steadfast expression reflected his unwavering resolve.
"So impressive, this guy. Even with a good pitch from Sawamura, he can hit it such a long way," Miyuki thought, a serious look of concern in his eyes.
To get this batter out, they had to completely deceive his timing, or have more precise control and overpowering strength.
Of these three, Sawamura definitely couldn't achieve the latter two right now.
As for the first...
Is it really feasible to ask Sawamura to throw this pitch now?
Miyuki pondered deeply.
The synergy between pitcher and catcher sometimes felt like telepathy.
In that instant, when Eijun caught a flicker of hesitation in Miyuki's eyes, he understood what Miyuki was considering.
Slowly, but resolutely, Eijun nodded at Miyuki.
Let's decide it here, Miyuki-senpai. With this pitch, we'll finish him off!!!!
Miyuki's eyes widened suddenly.
His right hand involuntarily clenched tightly before gently releasing.
Of course, you're that kind of pitcher!
A unique smile appeared on Miyuki's face.
Then let's settle this!!!!
A showdown awaits the brave; this was one of Eijun's most thrilling battles of the summer.
The pitcher's resolve, the catcher's trust.
When these two are united, they become true partners!!!
-------------
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บท 110: [110] The Overwhelming Aura in Yakushi's Battle!
Chapter 110: The Overwhelming Aura in Yakushi's Battle!
The responsibility of a pitcher is singular and unwavering: to take down the batter in front of them, serving as the first line of defense, steadfastly protecting their team's territory.
Even when facing the most formidable opponents, retreat is not an option.
With a slight rise and fall in his chest and sweat trickling from his palm, a glimmer of determination flickered in his eyes.
In such circumstances, Eijun made the most dangerous yet most correct choice.
A head-on confrontation, giving no extra chances to the formidable Raichi. At that critical moment, Eijun focused only on Miyuki's mitt at home plate, ready to deliver his best pitch directly into it.
Slowly, he lifted his right leg, tightly clasping the ball with fingers of his left hand.
Come on, Sawamura!!!!
The hot summer wind blew, kicking up dust with his advancing step.
"Whoosh"
With a powerful swing of his arm, the ball shot from his fingertips, a white light racing toward home plate with intensity.
Here it comes!!!!
A direct, straight ball!!!!
This pitch was on target!!!!
In Raichi's eyes, a terrifying light erupted, his powerful aura enveloping him, determined for a decisive strike.
The bat swung, casting its metallic shadow.
"Swish"
A decisive showdown!!!!
Tensed muscles, pounding steps—the intense sound of footfalls accompanied the bat's shining arc.
There was no holding back.
Every ounce of strength was poured into this swing.
The dazzling ball.
The bat slicing through the air.
Under the scorching sun, the two beams of motion swiftly converged, overlapping in that final moment.
Two merging arcs.
Everyone had their eyes wide open at that moment, as if trying to capture that singular instant in the fraction of a second as the distance closed.
And then...
Home plate did not witness the scene that Yakushi and neutral spectators eagerly anticipated.
Instead, it was the crossing paths of shadows.
The ball nestled into the mitt.
And with a sharp, clear sound echoing through the air, the stadium erupted with expressions of awe.
"Pop"
"Strike!!! Batter out!!!!"
"Ohhhhh!!!!"
"An inside fastball, in the end, he chose a direct confrontation and struck out the batter!"
"Amazing, absolutely amazing!"
"Did he really strike out Raichi? The pitcher truly came out on top this time!!!"
"Seido is incredible!!!!"
"Oh my god, oh my god, I don't even know what to say."
After Eijun struck out Raichi, the audience burst into even louder cheers and exclamations of surprise.
In the stands, players from other schools—including Mine Fujio and others, and especially Manaka from Ichidaisan—were wide-eyed. They knew well the prowess of Raichi.
Yet, this formidable batter was struck out by a first-year pitcher from Seido!!!
They could envision the rise of a new ace pitcher in West Tokyo!!!
On the mound, Eijun's presence shone brightly.
In the aftermath of the strikeout, Yakushi High School fell into a moment of stunned silence, and Raichi wore an expression of slight bewilderment. Did he really swing and miss? He had missed?
Originally, the timing seemed just right. But at the very last moment, did the ball speed up slightly? No, that was just an illusion. It wasn't that the ball was faster—it was that he had slowed down.
In the final moments, whether Raichi wanted to admit it or not, an image of Eijun briefly flashed in his mind—the firm eyes and overwhelming aura that pressured him. It caused a slight stiffening in his body.
In a fierce battle, hesitation is the greatest enemy.
And it was this momentary hesitation that cost him what could have been a decisive hit.
The lack of experience was evident not only in Eijun but also in Raichi, this emerging star batter.
Raichi lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with Eijun on the pitcher's mound, and silently carried his bat back to his team's bench.
In the Yakushi dugout, Raichi's teammates and seniors stared in disbelief.
Raichi had been struck out!?
Sanada in the bullpen looked on in amazement as Raichi walked off the field from the batter's box, carrying a hint of dejection.
Could this pitcher really be that strong!?
Sanada unconsciously clenched his right hand into a fist, pondering to himself.
"Sawamura, one out!" Miyuki called from home plate, tossing the ball back.
"Pop." Sawamura caught it securely, giving a slight nod.
Yes, it was just one out, and they were only in the fifth inning. The most crucial part of the game was still ahead!
"Second batter, left fielder, Akiba-kun."
Who would have thought Raichi would get struck out?
Can this pitcher's fastball really be this effective? This is going to be tricky.
As Akiba Kazuma, who was slated to be the starting catcher in the team's fall season, approached the batter's box, such thoughts flashed through his mind.
At home plate, Miyuki's eyes flickered slightly.
"Fast attack, first pitch, four-seam fastball!!!" Miyuki decisively signaled.
Having successfully gotten Raichi out, a sharp fastball would undoubtedly put pressure on the following Yakushi batters, leaving a significant impact.
So here, they needed to capitalize on the momentum.
"Whoosh"
A flash of white light darted from Eijun's fingers.
Almost immediately after receiving the signal, Eijun swiftly swung his left arm.
As the white light rapidly approached.
It was clear that Miyuki had accurately predicted it. Akiba's mind flashed back to Raichi getting struck out, causing his body to freeze momentarily.
Cutter? Fastball? Outside? Inside? Or something else entirely?
Strike zone? Or ball zone?
In a short moment, an overwhelming amount of information flooded his mind, making it difficult for Akiba to make a quick, correct judgment. The scene of Raichi's strikeout was deeply etched in Akiba's memory.
This scene also caught the eye of Coach Todoroki on the bench, who gritted his teeth.
"Clang"
In his haste, Akiba swung his bat.
He couldn't track the ball's trajectory at all.
The ball veered off, bouncing back.
It hit the side of the pitcher's mound.
"Shortstop!!!" Eijun called urgently, having not caught the ball.
"Heh, leave it to me."
Quick as lightning, Kuramochi dashed to the rolling ball, lunged, and expertly caught it with his left hand.
Then, he flipped it toward first base.
"Pop"
"Out!!!!"
With a quick out, first base was able to put Akiba away, securing the second out of the inning.
"Ohhhh!!!!"
"Sawamura-kun, great pitch."
"Two outs, two outs, two outs."
Unstoppable, Eijun's momentum after getting Raichi out was like a rolling wave.
Following that, using a cutter pitch, he also took out the third batter, Mishima.
Yakushi's aggressive lineup was completely suppressed by Eijun's relentless force, going down in order without a single hit!!!!
---------------
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