Chapter 49: The Lead

One Out, No one on base!

In the stands, the audience murmured among themselves, discussing the incredible play they had just witnessed. The bunt had rebounded an astounding 18 meters before being caught by the pitcher.

Seeing it in person was nothing short of astonishing. Even those who hadn't faced Narumiya Mei's pitch directly could sense the terrifying power behind it.

"Who has the speed gun?"

"How fast was that pitch?"

Spectators were abuzz with conversations about the ball's speed and power.

On the Field.

Seidou High had no time to dwell on their astonishment—they needed to focus on the game.

"Second batter, second baseman, Kominato-kun."

From his position behind the plate, Tadano inspected Kominato Haruichi.

'The strength of this player might not be as insignificant as we thought,' Tadano mused.

On the pitcher's mound, Narumiya frowned, impatient. Despite his partner's significant improvement over the past two months, his weaknesses were still apparent.

'As a catcher, Itsuki was somewhat inexperienced and lacked confidence.'

'He's using a wooden bat! If he connects well, it could be a serious threat. But if he misses, there's no threat at all.'

Narumiya decided to focus on his sharp-breaking balls, relying on his strength and skill to outmaneuver his opponent.

The determination in Narumiya's eyes finally made Tadano succumb!

As he played more and more with other giant teams, Tadano gradually understood a fact.

His game-calling is not bad!

And his current task is to help his Senpai harness his full potential.

'Let's do this!'

Putting aside distractions, Tadano decisively gave Narumiya a sign.

'See. It is that simple, right?'

Narumiya understood Tadano's eagerness to learn and become stronger but knew that improvement didn't come overnight.

'As a senpai and as the Ace, I have to take care of my teammates, even as I faced Seidou's formidable players.'

Moved by his own determination, Narumiya threw the ball with even greater intensity.

Whoosh!

The ball streaked through the air like a laser, leaving a long afterimage before slamming into the catcher's Mitt.

SNAP!

"STRIKE!!!"

In the Batter's Box, Kominato Haruichi's face tensed with shock.

'The speed and precision of Narumiya's pitch were overwhelming. Not only did Narumiya match Furuya-kun's speed, but he also had exceptional control,'

Even he will have a problem making contact with such pitching.

He could only grit his teeth secretly, his eyes narrowed dangerously, ready to fight his opponent at any time.

Determined, Kominato braced himself for the next pitch.

'Here it comes!'

The ball hurtled towards him, and Kominato could only manage a desperate swing.

Paak!

The bat connected with the ball, producing a loud crack. Kominato's face registered the impact, and the force reverberated through his hands. The pitch, traveling over 150 km/h, had already sunk by the time his bat arrived.

'The timing was incredibly difficult to manage.'

The ball, after being hit, bounced and was fielded by the third baseman, who threw it to first base.

Snap!

"OUT!!"

With two Outs and no one on base, Inajitsu's defense was as formidable as their offense.

Now it was Sawamura's turn to bat.

As Sawamura approached the plate, the crowd erupted in a roar of cheers. The matchup between the two Aces was the most anticipated part of the game. If Narumiya's at-bats against Sawamura were intense, the tension soared even higher when Sawamura faced Narumiya directly.

This was undoubtedly the most anticipated confrontation of the game.

"SAWAMURA!"

"SAWAMURA!!"

"NARUMIYA!!"

"NARUMIYA!!"

The fans' excitement was palpable, with the Tokyo King Narumiya and the Maou Sawamura drawing massive support. The adrenaline was surging, and eyes were gleaming with anticipation.

Spectators, reporters, and scouts alike focused their cameras on this dramatic face-off, sensing that something big was about to unfold.

Sawamura himself was also planning to rectify his mistakes with a strong performance.

Though others might not blame Sawamura for the previous error, he deeply reproached himself. As the team's Ace pitcher, failing to see through his opponent's crafty intent was unacceptable.

Before his regression, Sawamura held himself to exceptionally high standards. Though not harsh, after each game, he would watch the game again and reflect on his mistakes. This relentless self-assessment and drive for improvement were key factors in his eventual success.

In this life, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Yet, he remained just as demanding of himself.

Success is influenced by various outside factors—luck, timing, support, and other elements. But the subjective factor, the person's own character, is crucial.

A lot of people wish for a second chance, and most of them will squander their second chance after initial success, leading a complacent life.

Sawamura, however, was not such a person. He viewed his rebirth as an opportunity to further improve himself, which was why he earned the title of Maou in this life.

His eyes could almost shoot flames. If looks could kill, Narumiya would be long dead. With his bat raised high, Sawamura stood in the Batter's Box with an aura that swore revenge.

To the catcher Tadano, Sawamura radiated a threatening presence.

Tadano's mind raced as he faced Sawamura.

The sheer existence of the man in the batter's box made it hard to stay composed.

It was astonishing. Tadano had never encountered such an opponent. A peer being dubbed "Maou" by the entire country was beyond his imagination.

'This opponent is challenging. We must be cautious!' Tadano signaled to Narumiya on the mound.

Narumiya's eyes showed impatience. No one on the team knew Eijun better than him. Their rivalry, which began in middle school, had made them lifelong competitors. Narumiya was confident he could handle Sawamura now.

'Scoring in the first inning would be excellent!'

Though it might not be apparent now, Narumiya was determined to show everyone the importance of this point.

With that in mind, Narumiya set his stance and threw the ball with all his strength.

Roaar!

The white ball zipped through the air, reaching the batter quickly.

'So fast!'

Sawamura's brow twitched slightly. Over the past two months, not only had he improved, but so had Narumiya. The ball's speed was noticeably faster.

The ball approached, but Sawamura stood still.

Snap!

"STRIKE!"

'The pitch was fast but straightforward, an ordinary Straight ball.'

Sawamura didn't swing. Narumiya smirked, knowing Sawamura was waiting for something else. But would he give Sawamura that chance?

Roaar!

The second pitch was almost in the same spot, and Sawamura still didn't swing.

SNAP!

"STRIKE!"

Narumiya had already accumulated two Strikes. Sawamura's calm demeanor suggested he had a plan, though internally, he was anything but calm.

'Where is the breaking ball?'

He was waiting for Narumiya's breaking ball, which had yet to appear.

'Have you made up your mind to fight me with a Straight ball?'

Sawamura frowned, observing Narumiya's change in attitude.

'Really interesting.'

After leading by one point, Narumiya's attitude was completely different from before. He seemed very accustomed to this kind of leading game, and then slowly snowballed, rolling his own lead more and more.

Of course, this was will not be allowed by Sawamura.

'Looks like it's time for a change of strategy.'

Originally, Sawamura aimed to hit Narumiya's breaking ball, but with the focus now on fastballs, he had to adapt.

After two sharp inside Straight balls, Narumiya threw to the outside corner.

Roaar!

As a left-handed pitcher against a left-handed batter, the curve of the outside pitch was significant. Sawamura was ready.

The pitch was challenging but not insurmountable. Sawamura swung his bat.

Ping!

The ball was hit, and it flew high but also slowly.

Sawamura on the strike zone was stunned.

'The ball is heavier than I thought.'

'It's only been two months, could it be that Mei-san took some medicine? This progress is too fast.'

Snap!

"OUT!"

…