[237] Soaring Spirits in the Battle Against Ikuei

Chapter 237: Soaring Spirits in the Battle Against Ikuei

Eijun adjusted his cap, his right foot lightly pressing into the mound's dirt.

His calm expression exuded absolute confidence.

"Batting sixth, first baseman, Sato-kun."

Sato gripped his bat tightly, his gaze fixed on Eijun on the mound. His strategy was clear: ignore the tricky breaking balls and focus solely on the fastball.

The much-anticipated first pitch!

Eijun lifted his right leg high, his body completely concealed behind his left arm in a poised stance.

The next moment, his right leg stomped forward, kicking up a cloud of dust, followed by a powerful whip of his left arm.

Whoosh!

A dazzling white flash streaked toward the plate.

Sato's eyes caught a glimpse of the ball's glimmering path.

For a moment, he froze, reacting just a split second too late.

He had already missed the ideal timing to swing.

Pop!

"Strike!!!"

The ball zipped into Miyuki's mitt as Sato watched helplessly.

"So, this is the release point they mentioned in the scouting report?" Sato muttered under his breath. "The actual velocity is 134 km/h, but visually, it feels closer to 140 km/h."

Gripping his bat tighter, Sato stared at Eijun with a serious expression.

Any lingering doubts about the young pitcher vanished from his mind.

Just from his fastball alone, there was no question—this pitcher was undoubtedly the true ace of Seidou High.

The second pitch came, an outside fastball.

Whoosh!

Another streak of light flew toward the plate.

Sato swung, his bat slicing through the air toward the ball. But as his bat traced its path, he felt a strange sense of unease.

Swish!

Pop!

Sure enough, the ball narrowly avoided his bat and landed squarely in Miyuki's mitt with a crisp sound.

"Strike!!!"

What just happened!?

Sato's eyes widened in disbelief.

The ball seemed farther away than it looked!

An aggressive inside fastball, a controlled outside pitch—combined with this level of precision, this pitcher's skill was beyond expectations. He was on an entirely different level!

For the next pitch, let's finish him off.

With two strikes in their favor, Miyuki signaled the next play, and Eijun nodded lightly.

The arm swung, the light flashed.

Whoosh!

The air seemed to split as the ball hurtled toward the plate. Sato's bat moved, colliding with the ball.

Ping!

The ball veered sharply toward the inside corner, sending a jolt through Sato's arms. His pupils dilated slightly in recognition.

A cutter!

Thud!

The ball ricocheted off the ground and shot toward the mound.

Eijun swiftly shifted his body, scooping the ball into his glove with precision.

His peripheral vision caught Kimura at second base, freezing him in place.

Without hesitation, Eijun spun and threw.

Whoosh!

Pop!

"Out!"

A head-on confrontation. With a clean and decisive three pitches, Sato was struck out.

At the moment of his out, Sato felt almost dazed, as if he hadn't fully processed what just happened.

Wasn't that a bit too fast? He hadn't even had time to react.

"Nice pitch, Sawamura!"

"Two outs, two outs!"

"One more, one more, just one more!"

"Sawamura-kun, that was amazing!"

"Sawamura, finish them off!"

Three swings, three strikes—clean and ruthless, leaving no room for any opportunities.

Eijun's slightly raised eyebrows exuded a unique and confident aura.

"Batting seventh, catcher, Matsushita-kun."

The pitch that ended Sato was a cutter.

Its angle, timing of movement, and speed were flawless.

Not to mention the changeups and Eijun's unique breaking balls.

This pitcher is no easy opponent.

Matsushita stepped into the batter's box with a cautious expression. Lightly swinging his bat, he exhaled deeply, preparing himself.

On the mound, Eijun stretched his arm slightly.

It still doesn't feel quite right. Is it the strain from the previous games?

The fatigue from pitching back-to-back matches is more significant than I thought.

Eijun pondered internally.

It wasn't an issue of stamina—he was a physical powerhouse.

But the strain on his shoulder from pitching and the pressure on his lower body from maintaining proper mechanics were not things that could be easily alleviated in a short time.

Hiss... exhale... Eijun took a deep breath.

I need to finish this quickly. If I drag this out, stepping onto the mound could backfire.

Behind the plate, Miyuki exchanged glances with Eijun.

His sharp gaze immediately picked up on Eijun's state.

The lingering fatigue from previous games was still there.

We can't afford a drawn-out battle. If Ikuei High drags this on, it'll spell trouble.

In this inning, they had to establish dominance to make Eijun's later innings easier.

"!!"

First pitch—a changeup near the knees. Leave a lasting impression on the opponent right from the start.

Miyuki subtly gestured with his fingers, then lightly tapped the ground with his glove.

Eijun nodded in understanding.

This pitch needs to be etched into their minds.

Whoosh

Swish

Pop

"Strike!!!"

A changeup? Right off the bat?

Matsushita's face showed a mix of shock and disbelief.

This pitcher… doesn't follow conventional patterns, does he?

"First pitch, a changeup! The batter swings and misses!!!"

Second pitch—a four-seam fastball inside.

Whoosh

The relentless attack continued without pause.

Ping

Thud

"Foul ball!!!"

That commanding presence, so resolute and unwavering, made it seem as though this young player wearing the number "11" was the true ace.

Following the changeup, Eijun unleashed a fastball that appeared to the naked eye to be traveling at 140 km/h, leaving Matsushita struggling to react.

In just two pitches, Eijun had once again cornered the batter.

"You've got this, Matsushita! You can do it!"

"Hang in there, crush it, Matsushita!"

"Sawamura, take him out!"

"Sawamura, let him hit it, don't hold back!"

"Come on, Matsushita, take down that kid!"

"Sawamura, go for it!!!"

Standing tall on the mound, Eijun was in his element.

This is my battlefield. This is my domain.

I won't give you even a single run!!!

"Final pitch!!!"

Eijun lifted his right leg high, his arm swinging with authority.

A faint golden gleam flickered in his determined eyes.

Whoosh

A streak of white light blazed through the air, accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound.

In the batter's box, Matsushita gritted his teeth, stepping forward aggressively.

Shifting his weight, he threw everything he had into the swing.

At the very least, I have to make contact with this ball!

Swish

The sharp trajectory of the pitch and the fierce shadow of the ball crossed paths.

The white light easily evaded the bat's arc, flying past Matsushita's desperate swing.

With an expression of frustration etched across his face, Matsushita could only watch as the ball landed cleanly in the catcher's mitt, punctuated by a crisp sound.

Pop

"Strike!!! Batter out!!!"

His soaring spirit, his indomitable presence—even in the face of fatigue, Eijun proved himself an unmatched ace!!!

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