Chapter 3

Sawamura took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart. He had to find a way to convince Coach Kataoka and Miyuki to follow him so he could show them something important. To do this, he had to find the right words, but also be convincing. Above all, he had to prove his point if they agreed to follow him into the pitcher's pen.

Okay, I can't just tell them I have memories from another life. I need to come up with a believable excuse, something that would intrigue them enough to follow me without asking too many questions. He remembered a particular pitch he had perfected in his former life, a pitch that had baffled many hitters with its accuracy and speed.

This throw, I could show them that. I don't know how baseball in this world is developed but through my research and thousands of hours of training, I was able to create a breathing technique to increase my physical abilities.

Sawamura took a moment to analyze his current body, using the vast knowledge he had accumulated in his past life. His new constitution seemed both familiar and strange, a mixture of youthful innocence and raw potential.

He started by looking at his arms, flexible but still slightly thin. The muscles in his forearms, although not yet fully developed, showed signs of promising tone. He knew the importance of the flexor and extensor muscles in the control and power of the throw. For now, these muscles still needed a lot of work, but they had a solid foundation on which he could build.

Moving to his shoulders, Sawamura noted the mobility in his deltoids. These muscles, crucial for rotation and the strength of his throw, seemed well maintained but not yet at their full potential. In his former life, he knew how specific exercises could strengthen these muscles, improving both the speed and accuracy of his throws.

He then glanced at his chest and trunk. The pectoral and abdominal muscles played an essential role in stability and balance during the execution of the throw. His abdomen, although not yet sculpted, showed signs of inner strength. Targeted exercises on the core would be necessary to maximize its power and reduce the risk of injury.

His legs, although still developing, possessed a natural robustness. The quads and hamstrings, especially important for the explosion needed with each throw, were already well defined. In his past life, he had learned that strong legs were the foundation of any good thrower, providing the balance and strength needed for every movement.

Finally, he paid attention to his joints and tendons. He knew that flexibility and health in his joints, particularly his elbows and wrists, were vital to maintaining a long pitching career. He felt the suppleness of her wrists and the strength of her elbows, realizing that although young, they possessed enormous potential.

For now, I must keep this technique to myself, he thought. It's my asset in this new life. However, the body I currently have will not be able to support the use of this technique 100%. For the moment I can use at most 20% of its effectiveness but that alone will allow me to boost my capacities by 10 to 15%. Well, first I have to convince Miyuki and the coach to follow me.

Sawamura looked around for Miyuki, the team's catcher, known for his intelligence and insight. He knew that if he could convince Miyuki, it would be much easier to convince Coach Kataoka.

Miyuki was chatting with a few other players, but Sawamura didn't hesitate. He approached him, trying to mask his apprehension with visible determination.

"Miyuki-senpai," Sawamura began, trying to get the receiver's attention.

Miyuki turned to him, a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. "What's wrong, Sawamura?"

Sawamura took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I have something important to show you," he said, trying to maintain a confident tone. "It's a new pitch that I perfected on my own. It could really help us for tomorrow's game. Could you come with me and take a look?"

Miyuki raised an eyebrow, visibly intrigued but also skeptical. "A new pitch, huh? You seem pretty sure of yourself. And you want me to follow you just like that?"

Sawamura felt a wave of panic rise within him, but he quickly suppressed it. "Yes, Miyuki-senpai. I know it may seem sudden, but I really worked hard on this pitch. It could be a major asset for us."

Miyuki crossed her arms and looked at him carefully. "Sawamura, you know I appreciate your enthusiasm, but we're talking about tomorrow's final. Now is not the time for risky experiments."

Sensing that he was losing ground, Sawamura redoubled his efforts. "I understand, Miyuki-senpai. But trust me, this isn't a haphazard experiment. I spent a lot of time perfecting this pitch. It's reliable and could really surprise our opponents."

Miyuki sighed, still unsure. "Okay, okay. But if I'm going to travel for this, it better be impressive. Fine, I'm with you. But you better be convincing."

Sawamura nodded, relieved that the first step of his plan had worked. "Thank you, Miyuki-senpai. I'll go get Coach Kataoka too. It's important that he sees this."

He quickly walked over to the coach, trying to appear as confident as possible. "Coach Kataoka," he called, catching the imposing man's attention. "I have something important to show you. Could you come with me and Miyuki-senpai?"

Kataoka stared at him for a moment, assessing the sincerity in Sawamura's eyes. "What is it, Sawamura? We have a lot to prepare for tomorrow's match."

Sawamura stood up, trying to show all the determination he was capable of. "This is a new pitch I've perfected, Coach. I really believe it can give us an advantage tomorrow. Please give me a chance to show you."

Kataoka crossed his arms, looking doubtful. "A new pitch, on the eve of the final? Sawamura, now is not the time to take unnecessary risks."

Sawamura felt the urgency of the situation. "I understand, Coach. But it's not an unnecessary risk. I worked hard on this pitch, and I'm convinced it can make a difference. Please give me a chance to show it. It will only take a few minutes."

Kataoka fixed Sawamura with his piercing gaze, seeming to weigh his words. "You know tomorrow is crucial, Sawamura. You should focus on what you know how to do, not on new things."

Miyuki then intervened, softening the atmosphere slightly. "Coach, I think Sawamura is really serious. He has this determined look that you rarely see from him. Maybe it's worth taking a look, just to be sure."

Kataoka nodded slowly, still unsure. "Very well, Sawamura. But if this pitch is not as good as you say, you will return to your usual training immediately. Understood?"

Sawamura felt relief and a surge of pressure at the same time. "Yes, Coach. I promise, you won't be disappointed."

Miyuki and Kataoka therefore followed him towards the training ground. On the way, Sawamura felt his heart racing. He had to prove himself, here and now.

Arriving on the field, Miyuki grabbed a glove and crouched, ready to receive Sawamura's pitchs. Kataoka stood back with his arms crossed, watching carefully.

Sawamura, concentrating on the field, felt every muscle in his body relax. As he prepared to pitch, he thought about the special breathing technique he had developed in his previous life. This technique, which he called "Balance Breathing", was not only intended to calm his mind, but also to increase his physical abilities and performance significantly.

This breathing technique allowed Sawamura to improve his physical abilities significantly. It increased not only his endurance, but also his power and accuracy, crucial assets for a baseball pitcher.

As he finished his breathing, he felt a new energy invade his body. He threw the ball with increased force and precision, the ball cutting through the air before landing in Miyuki's glove with a thud. The ball he had just pitchn was a 4-seam. However, when comparing the pitching speed of the original Sawamura, his current speed had increased considerably (the original Sawamura threw at 135km/h while currently the pitch he had just made had a speed of 142km/h)

Miyuki and Kataoka, who were watching intently, seemed both surprised and impressed by Sawamura's performance.

"Sawamura, that was really something," Miyuki said, a smile playing on her lips. "Your pitch has gained a lot of power."

Kataoka nodded, looking more serious but visibly impressed. "Sawamura, tell us how you did that. Your technique seems much more refined than before."

Sawamura, not wanting to reveal all his secrets, decided to focus on his pitching rather than the breathing technique. "I've been working on my pitch, Coach. I've also gotten a lot stronger physically lately. But that wasn't the pitch I wanted to show you."

Kataoka frowned but eventually nodded. "Alright, show me again."

Sawamura took another deep breath, once again feeling the effect of the Breath of Balance.

Sawamura braces himself on the mound, his feet firmly planted on the ground. He adjusts his grip on the ball, determined to pitch a cut ball.  Concentrated, he begins his movement, lifting his front leg and transferring his weight forward. When he releases the ball, his hand makes a cutting movement, imparting a particular rotation to the ball.

The ball leaves his hand at lightning speed. At first, it seems to follow a straight trajectory, but quickly, the magic of the cut ball begins. The rotation printed by Sawamura creates a lateral effect, causing a subtle but significant deviation. This effect is due to the difference in air pressure on the two sides of the ball, generating a force perpendicular to its initial trajectory. For the hitter, the ball seems to slide unpredictably, making it complex to read.

As the ball travels the 18.44 meters from home plate, it experiences a slight deceleration due to air resistance. Despite this, it reaches the catcher's glove in approximately 0.47 seconds, retaining much of its initial energy. During this short time, the ball maintains an impressive speed, although slightly reduced.

As it approaches home plate, the cutting effect becomes more pronounced; the ball appears to deviate from its intended trajectory. Finally, the ball reaches the catcher's glove with still significant speed.

Miyuki caught the ball with ease, a satisfied smile on her face. "Impressive, Sawamura. I think we have something special here."

Kataoka approached Sawamura, fixing him with his piercing gaze. "Keep working on that throw. If you can master it like you just did, it could really make a difference."

Sawamura nodded, his heart filled with determination. "I won't disappoint you, Coach."

As they returned to the rest of the team, Sawamura knew he had reached an important milestone.