(Part 7)

Adam stood with his expression widened. "No way… Alan will catch it just like he did mine.' he thought baffled, "No Sera, don't lose like this…" he whispered nervously.

Ryan, Feng and Xavier eyed the scene restless. Seraph hitting the ball turned around. A vivid smile escaping his lips. Alan running forward ducked downwards to grasp the ball.

However, before it could reach his hand, it suddenly vanished and a moment later appeared beside Alan's ear.

"Huh?!" Alan jolted tracing the ball from the corner of his eye. Slamming onto the ground with great pressure it rolled towards the boundary claiming a four.

"Blind spot… Instantaneous movement. Ah~ Marvelous~" Seraph chanted grasping the sun's sight with a beaming smile.

Alan staring at the boundary stood baffled. The high schoolers too eyed the sight wordless.

"There you go! Instantaneous movement! Finally! I was waiting for captain Seraph to shine!" cheered Luka clapping Xander's hand.

"There you have it, a blasting counter against all fast bowlers." told Helios proud. "The game has already changed…" Kenzo grinned.

"What the…?" Aigou rubbed his eyes.

"The ball just vanished and appeared on a different side right? Right?!" asked Aaron surprised. "It did, instantaneous movement hun… incredible." noted Isa.

"My, my releasing a counter at the very end, when I don't even have the time to counter it back? How very clever of you, boy." Alan exhaled.

"To think you would teleport the ball. It must take a large amount of spin to distinguish its overall route to disappear and appear again right?" he asked. "So you read it already hun?" Seraph guessed unbelievably.

"Of course, I did and I also know why you revealed it at last. Firstly, I am a fast baller, had you shown that counter to me right from the beginning. I wouldn't have been able deliver fast balls to you in the first place that's why you evaded using it. Secondly, if you had used that counter of yours, rather than me having my focus on you I would have been fixated on finding a way to counter it back or break it."

"And, thirdly, since I don't excel in spin balls you wouldn't have been able to have your share of fun either. Aren't I right?" Alan winked his eye playfully.

"Haha… good job. Seems like I have nothing more to teach you." commented Seraph.

"Heh, sorry to disappoint you little one, but I am already well taught… by world class professionals. But on the other hand looks like, you have already changed the game hun?" Alan smiled.

Seraph shaking his head denied, "No… I am afraid, it's just the beginning." Alan nodded heading back.

"So it's the last ball hun…" told Orion. "What will Alan do now? All his fast balls are useless against that counter." asked Elias. "Don't fret it, it's the last ball." replied Ren.

"No, not in that way. What if, Alan faced this counter in a real match? What would have he done then?" asked Elias. "Don't you remember, he already has a counter against it?" asked Evan making them recall. "You mean… how he learned to ball spin deliveries as well with Rauf?" asked Kazuna. "Indeed…" Rauf replied. "But… Seraph is still a spin…" whispered Nagi soon realizing. The highschoolers agreed.

Alan tossing the ball up and down smiled, "Looks like I am cornered big time." "Let's leave it at that then… since, it's the last ball how about I try something mind blowing…" he thought mischievously.

Spinning the ball in his left hand he walked closer to the pitch, halting in midway. The middle schoolers wondered silently. "Hun? What is that?" asked Azazel stunned.

Gabriel stared baffled, "Sigh, just what is going on in his head?" Xavier smiled, "Hehe… he just won't let Seraph have an easy gain." Kenzo sighed while Poseidon agreed.

Alan grasping Seraph's sight called, "Hey boy!" "Yes?" Seraph replied. "This move… it might just be countered by your instantaneous movement or maybe not however, it might also give you a chance to learn. So better tackle it with all your might." Alan advised turning around.

Seraph slightly confused nodded taking his position. "What might it be…?" he wondered curiously.

Alan staring at his armband pulled it out. Keeping it aside he massaged his arm, soon hopping up.

"Ah~ finally free…" he whispered running away from the pitch. The middle schoolers upon his sight stood perplexed.

"Hun…?" uttered Seraph in disbelief. For a moment every little sensible thing turned senseless for him.

"What the…?" asked Feng puzzled.

"Has Alan lost it or something…? Why is he running towards the audience seat?!" asked Heber confused.

"So weird…" Adam uttered as Ryan stared quietly. "Something doesn't feels right…" whispered Helios.

"Yeah… and I'm glad you noticed, I thought I was the only one who thought that." Poseidon continued.

"Is something really that wrong…?" asked Xander and Luca who didn't seemed too surprised. "Hey… no matter how you look at it, it's definitely weird. Have you ever seen someone balling from behind, when the batsman is right in front of you?" Heber questioned speechless.

"Of course, who in the world would ball aiming the audience seat?" added Azazel stunned to the core. "Don't tell me he is aiming for his own brother?!" he assumed foolishly.

Kenzo stood with veins bulging on his forehead. "Shut up! If you can't say something reasonable, just keep quite!" he scolded smacking his head.

"Ouchie~! That hurts!" Azazel cried rubbing his head. Ezekiel and Feng sighed. "He should've stayed quiet…" they whispered together.

Xavier and Cassiel stared at Seraph restless. "What bothers me most is that Alan removed his armband as well his wristband." Xavier pointed.

"Yeah… as if he is going all out." Ryan added. Seles standing up, went down standing beside Kenzo. "What is it?" Kenzo waited for his response.

"This time… you boys better not blink even for a second, because what you are going to witness right now is not just any fast delivery Alan aimed before. It is the serve rivalling second after Zachariah in our entire base." Seles told.

"Serve rivalling Zachariah…?" Cassiel gulped puzzled.

"Yes… Zachariah Jacques, Pakistan's first juvenile world recorder to achieve the record of the fastest pace delivery up to (207.1 km/hr.) That serve of his is matched up to the real speed of sound, naming it as 'Zachariah's Mach Serve'. No one from around the world up until now has managed to break that record. Except for Alan who tried too and for that he challenged Zachariah 24 times which all returned at his loss."

"Seriously… you aren't kidding me right? A platinum ranker lost all 24 times?!" Adam shrieked gulping. "Nope, he isn't." Cassiel replied seriously. "So… what happened to Alan then?" asked Poseidon curiously.

"Just Like I told you, Alan lost against him all 24 times. But amid that loss, he claimed the title for the second fastest baller in our base. Though there might be many who excel his record all around the globe but I suppose your friend on the pitch right now should be careful since Alan's record exceeds his big time." Seles warned.

Kenzo eyeing Seraph stood wordless.

"Looks like we'll get to witness his fast delivery now." said Noah glancing Nagi and the others.

"It's been so long hasn't it?" asked Senri looking at Kazuna with a smile. Kazuna looked at Alan seriously. Zach, Isa, Rauf, Haruf and Evan with Nidou stared at the pitch silent. Alan reaching a little before the boundary instantly turned around running towards Seraph once again.

"Look! He turned around, now aiming straight towards captain Seraph!" Aryan pointed. Alan smirked. "Up until my life till the moment I lost all my skills, this is the highest point I have reached in claiming my fast delivery. How honored you should feel Seraph Awan to able to face it so boldly." he thought, stepping onto the popping crease and unleashing the ball towards Seraph. As soon as his grip left the ball with the speed of light it blazed towards Seraph who stood dazed.

"So fast?! I can't…" he thought. However, before he could even react the ball had made its way past his bat and into the wicketkeeper's hand.

A pressure so immense that even the wicketkeeper was pushed behind, straightaway tumbling. The ball wheezing in his glove charred it from sides.

"Zach reaching… Sonic serve…" Alan whispered panting.

The entire stadium went silent at that moment. Alan standing up once again smiled wildly while Seraph stared at him wordless.

"Oh dear, Oh dear, Looks like… I shouldn't use it too much. It's bad for me…" Alan thought glancing at his right arm which trembled from the impact instantly clenching it into a fist.