Chapter 29: The First 3D Experience

"Finally, it's here!"

In the stands of Jingu Stadium, a fan gazes intently at the showdown on the field.

There are many others sharing his excitement!

At this moment, at least tens of thousands of eyes are filled with anticipation.

The clash between these two teams excites even the seasoned Tokyo fans.

After this match, it will be clear who ranks third in the current strength rankings of Tokyo teams.

Will it be Teito High's ironclad defense that keeps Yakushi High's ferocious offense at bay?

Or will Yakushi High explode Teito with their wildly aggressive batting?

Both scenarios are highly anticipated.

The fans' excitement is at its peak, and the players about to face off in the arena are in top shape and spirits.

The first to step into the Batter's Box for Yakushi is Akiba Kazuma.

Before joining Yakushi High, he was one of the young players coached by Raizou.

His natural talent is exceptional, and he's a skillful batter. Coupled with good base-stealing speed, he holds a crucial position on the current Yakushi High team.

He can easily become the standout lead-off hitter!

Standing in the Batter's Box, he looks like a cunning wolf, fixating intently on pitcher Mukai Taiyo on the mound.

In the Yakushi High dugout...

Superintendent Raizou sits lazily, but his mind is anything but relaxed.

"The opponent's characteristics are already clear; it's unrealistic to wait for a sweet ball. That guy's control is so superb, that it even surpasses Yoh Shunshin from Akikawa. No matter how many pitches you wait for, a hittable ball won't come. Since that's the case, let's just pick a corner…"

In the Batter's Box...

Akiba Kazuma isn't idle either, continuously recalling Raizou's instructions in his mind.

'Because of his excellent control, Mukai will absolutely not pitch down in the middle.'

'However, with the middle off-limits, the remaining areas are the inside and outside corners!'

'Just pick one of those!'

Though the opponent's pitching is tricky, they aren't the kind that's impossible to hit.

Akiba Kazuma, among the players at Yakushi, is one of the few who uses his brain.

When analyzing the opponent's strengths and weaknesses, he articulates his thoughts clearly. For instance, facing the tricky Mukai Taiyo, he quickly devised a strategy to counter him.

'The so-called good control simply refers to pitching that concentrates on the four corners of the strike zone.'

'The wider the pitching range a pitcher can control within the strike zone, the harder it is for a batter to hit the ball!'

In such a scenario, how should a batter respond?

First, they must identify the opponent's weaknesses; only by doing so can they develop strategies to counter them.

Among all the star pitchers in Tokyo, Mukai Taiyo has the slowest pitch speed. This allows for a detailed distinction of pitch courses…

However, if you wait to swing until you've confirmed the location, you might fall into the opponent's traps.

Mukai Taiyo's pitches possess a mysterious quality that makes it difficult to hit the sweet spot.

'While swinging with all your might seems like a viable approach—previous teams that faced Teito High adopted the same strategy—it yielded minimal results…'

'Since simply swinging with all my strength isn't effective, why not aim for the corners from the start?'

This strategy, devised by the coach, is quite straightforward. He combined two approaches into one…

Of course, playing baseball isn't just theory. The Coach's ability to devise such strategies stems from his confidence in his students.

To speak of confidence, Akiba, batting first, is capable of aiming for the inside corner and swinging with all his might!

Whoosh!

Prepared, Akiba soon awaited the first pitch.

The ball was thrown with incredible speed.

'The pitch was faster than expected!'

Moreover, Mukai Taiyo's pitching stance is quite awkward. Not only is he a left-handed pitcher, but he's also a rare sidearm pitcher.

His entire pitching style is unique in the Tokyo region.

'While not as terrifying as facing Sawamura for the first time, it still feels quite uncomfortable!'

'Especially with his current release angle, whether pitching inside or outside, it all feels odd.'

When he pitches to the outside, it's challenging to distinguish between Balls and Strikes. When he pitches to the inside, it feels as though he's aiming directly at the batter.

All top-tier star pitchers have their unique pitching styles. While Mukai's may not be the best, it certainly poses a challenge.

Fortunately, Akiba had anticipated this and was calm in his response.

Facing the outside pitch, he didn't swing!

Snap!

"Ball!"

Though the ball brushed the strike zone, it didn't fully enter it.

Thus, it was called a Ball.

Inui, the catcher, frowned and glanced at Akiba.

'This guy is much more cautious than we had imagined; we initially thought Yakushi's players were all aggressive swingers.'

'It appears not entirely so!'

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKE!"

Ping!

"OUT!"

Outside, outside, the final pitch was still outside…

Such a decisive choice made it seem as if the Teito battery duo had completely seen through Akiba's intentions.

"This guy!"

Akiba cast a deep glance at Inui, whose reputation was overshadowed by the illustrious Mukai Taiyo. Yet, they had unconsciously overlooked Inui's skills.

In fact, his catching technique was quite impressive.

With one Out and no runners on base,

In the stands, the gathering of Seidou High players watched.

"All outside pitches!" Kuramochi smiled wryly and shook his head.

Teito High's current battery combination is becoming increasingly baffling.

"The reason they opted for all outside pitches is because they saw through Akiba's aim for the inside corner!" Sawamura stated flatly.

'Kengo Inui…'

Miyuki glanced at the catcher with a smile and nodded.

'This guy is also a formidable rival.'

Initially thought to be merely a threat at the plate, it turned out he is equally impressive behind the plate.

With such a leader at Teito High, they have no worries about achieving good results.

Of course, the most important thing is that in the current East Tokyo region, while there are many strong teams, none truly pose a threat to Teito…

In contrast, West Tokyo is entirely different.

If purely probabilistic simulations are considered, Teito's chances of making it to this summer's Koshien are even higher than Seidou's.

"Our luck is truly…"

After a significant pause, Miyuki finally murmured a comment.

Given his mindset, he typically wouldn't voice such thoughts. However, when comparing teams, it's undeniable that Seidou High's environment feels almost hellish in contrast to Teito High's prospects.

"Only by growing in such an environment can we transform into true champions."

On the other hand, Maezono's attitude was quite resolute.

Everyone cast an admiring glance at Maezono!

Sometimes, certain individuals are simply admirable.

If discussing strength, Maezono barely meets the criteria for being a top player.

However, in terms of ambition and confidence, he surpasses the majority of Seidou's baseball team.

Ping!

At this moment, the on-field duel took a new turn.

Yakushi High's third-year second batter was taken down.

Though he beautifully hit the ball into play, facing Teito High's impenetrable defense, he stood no chance.

He was shut Out.

In the blink of an eye, Teito High had already secured two outs.

"Nice pitching!"

"Let them hit!"

"TEITO!"

"Taiyo!!"

"TEITO!"

"Taiyo!!"

The stands erupted with spirited cheers.

Star players possess not only exceptional skills but also immense popularity. Like the great Sawamura Eijun and the rising star Narumiya Mei, they enjoy a similar status.

While Mukai Taiyo may fall short compared to those two, he still boasts considerable popularity in Tokyo, with many fans supporting him.

When Mukai performs well, the reactions from these fans grow even more overexcited.

Mishima found himself at the plate under such circumstances.

The opponent's momentum was undeniably impressive, making it hard not to feel envious.

Mishima holds a significant position at Yakushi High; he's not only a backup pitcher but also a core slugger.

Outstanding players are often proud.

This trait is especially evident in Mishima.

He carries a small notebook filled with several names.

Two from his own team, along with five from other Tokyo teams, and finally, four from across the country.

To someone unfamiliar with baseball, these names might seem insignificant.

But for those with even a slight understanding of high school baseball, seeing these names would elicit a strong reaction.

First, the two from Mishima's own school, Yakushi High.

Ranked first is Raichi and second is Sanada Shunpei.

Next are the six from within Tokyo.

They include Seidou High's Ace pitcher, the nationally renowned Sawamura Eijun.

Inashiro's Ace, the once dubbed Prince of Tokyo, Narumiya Mei.

Seidou High's main catcher, and the current favorite for the nation's best catcher, Miyuki Kazuya.

And the Ace pitcher of Ichidaisan's Amahisa Kousei, who previously completely dominated Mishima in their one-on-one encounters.

Lastly, there's the Ace pitcher of Teito High, Mukai Taiyo!

These are all targets Mishima vows to defeat.

Each represents a baseball expert he believes currently exceeds his skill.

'Bring it on!!'

With his bat raised high, Mishima's gaze was fierce at that moment.

'Mishima-sama's road to resurgence begins now!! With you—Mukai Taiyo—as the first to be defeated!'

Determined, Mishima fixed his unblinking gaze on Mukai Taiyo on the pitcher's mound.

Like a fierce wild tiger eyeing its prey.

"Wow, that's terrifying~"

His attitude was such that it was impossible not to draw attention.

Mukai Taiyo, on the mound, clearly noticed and smirked slightly as he threw the ball without hesitation.

Whoosh!

The ball drew a beautiful line and flew into the strike zone.

Thus, fully prepared, Mishima certainly wouldn't let this pitch go.

He decisively swung his bat, aiming for the pitch and striking hard.

However, the ball didn't behave as he hoped, failing to land on the field.

Instead, it hit the bat with a 'Ping' and rolled Foul.

"FOUL!"

"FOUL!"

After two consecutive Foul balls, Mishima's momentum was intense.

While his past performance may not have been as ferocious as Raichi's, he shone brightly in some critical confrontations.

He was the type who thrived in high-pressure situations.

Now, he exuded the aura of someone who was just about to make a significant hit.

At this moment, Mukai delivered the third pitch.

This pitch clearly missed the strike zone!

This aligns perfectly with the typical battery strategy; after leading with two Strikes, pitchers usually try to entice batters to swing with a Ball.

'Am I really such an idiot that I lose my composure under pressure?'

Mishima's face revealed a hint of a smirk.

He certainly wasn't that foolish and wouldn't behave like one.

Thus, he let this clear Ball pass without swinging.

Snap!

The ball that Mishima let go landed right in Inui's Mitt.

Then Mishima heard something he found utterly unbelievable.

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"

…

T/N: That's it for now!

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