CHAPTER 24

The next morning in a small house in Hokane, Kanagawa there can be seen a man sitting at their dining table having his coffee with a newspaper at hand. He's Tsubayoshi Jin our protagonist father.

The man was in a good mood as he read his son's message last night. His boy finally made his debut yesterday so he's extremely happy it can be seen as a smile won't leave his face since last night.

He's peacefully sipping his coffee while reading today's newspaper. Until he flips to the baseball section of the newspaper.

*Cough *Cough *Cough

He's coughing loudly as he suddenly choke on his coffee.

"What happened with you?!" A beautiful woman with striking brown eyes and black hair approach him handing the man a glass of water. She's Tsubayoshi Mina the mother of our protagonist.

She's currently looking at his husband weirdly as she saw him pointing at the newspaper with wide eyes so she look at what his husband is pointing out.

There she saw a big picture of his son's face paste as a headline of the baseball section of the newspaper.

"Ohh my baby is so handsome as always" she said happily as she saw his son's face in the newspaper.

As she was about to go back at what she's doing 'wait what? My baby handsome face? In what? Newspaper' she thought as she finally started processing everything. She immediately look back at the newspaper with wide eyes.

"WHATTT?! MY JIRO IS ON THE NEWSPAPER!"

Meanwhile In Seido Highschool hallway a group of friends was walking as they are about to head to their respective classroom for classes today and they are feeling the stares of students around them, they can't help but hear what everyone is talking about.

"Is that him? The monster pitcher who played at yesterday game?"

"Yes that's him, the one being talked in the article and the newspaper today"

"Ahh look at his eyes! I thought the picture online was edited so it's true!"

"He's so handsome upclose"

Everyone have pretty much understand what's going on as they listened to the conversation around.

"Are you in newspaper Jiro-san?" Sawamura asked Jiro as he can't help but feel the curiosity inside him while hearing everything.

"I don't know what they're talking about too" The boy everyone talking about answered his friend question with a confuse expression on his face.

"Guys look!" Everyone look at Kanemaru way as he called their attention they saw him holding his phone Infront at them. Kanemaru can't help but also be curious at what everyone around them is talking about so he tried looking it up on his phone to see and he was also shocked as he saw what article everyone is talking.

'The prodigious monster: Tsubayoshi Jiro'

Is the title on the article Kanemaru is showing them, everyone is surprised as they saw their friend being featured in the article on Baseball Kingdom a well known media that covers about baseball happenings around Japan.

"Wow, congratulations Jiro-kun" Haruichi said to his friend that also have a surprise face plastered on his face.

"Wow you're really leading our batch Jiro-san" Tojo said to Jiro.

"Prodigious monster.... " Furuya mumble softly instantly realising his aura surprising everyone around.

"AHHH I'M SO JEALOUS JIRO-KUN!" Sawamura being the loudmouth he is shouted.

"Shut up sawamura! And you too Furuya! why are you suddenly releasing your aura around!" Kanemaru being Kanemaru just disciplined his friends

Jiro felt a headache as he watched his friends bickering among themselves. He too was surprised by the articles about him, well we was expecting to get attention but not this soon as he only played one game so far.

He turned to look at his friends and said

"You want to be mentioned in articles too someday right?" Jiro asked them smiling.

"YES!" Sawamura immediately answered shouting while the others just hesitantly nods at me.

"Okay, we'll do some secret training for you guys then heheh I'll make a training plan suited for everyone here heheh" I said at them still smiling.

'I'm so gonna polish you guys,my diamonds in the roughs heheh' Jiro thought already thinking of some hellish training plan he could come up for his friends.

When they heard what Jiro said and saw the guy already started smiling to himself they suddenly turn paled at the sight. They knew how hard core their friend could get when it comes to training and at that moment they saw an illusion of two horns growing at Jiro forehead.

'Ahh we're doomed'

~ ~ ~ ~

"Hey have you heard? It seems like Tanba was relieved of his ace position"

"No way? Are you serious!?"

"That's rough he pitched for a long time last game and we are only three months away from summer tournament too"

"Yeahh, do you think maybe this is our chance to get his spot"

"Heh! Have you forgotten about that guy?"

"Ahh yeahh, I was too caught up at the thought of getting my chance that I've forgotten about that damn monster"

Some unknown seniors of the seido baseball team was talking about the news of coach kataoka stripping Tanba of his ace position because of last game performance.

Everyone is pretty much practicing as always on the field and outside the baseball field there stood coach kataoka, Takashima Rei and Mr. Oota observing everyone.

*BOOMMM

When they suddenly heard a loud sound that grab their attention. There they saw stood Furuya as he blown away the catchers mitt because of his pitch power.

"Satoru Furuya, from Tamokomai Junior High in Hokkaido" Takashima Rei started

"He's another first year that could pitch more than 150km/h alongside Tsubayoshi Jiro. He also took the normal entrance exam like Tsubayoshi Jiro did"

"What!? I didn't know that these two monster comes to us through general admission" Mr. Oota exclaimed shock as he didn't know that two of their most promising first years this year have come to them through general admissions.

"Yes, we're really lucky this year" Takashima Rei added.

"Furuya looks like improved his stamina too, good. We'll test everyone out tomorrow in the intrasquad game to see who we can let join the first string" Coach kataoka said as he overlooks the players practicing in the baseball field.

~ ~ ~ ~

Jiro's POV

The practice has just ended and everyone is now at the cafeteria having our usual 3 bowls of rice. We are currently seated at our usual table and as I observed everyone I can't help but chuckle as they look like fighting their final boss. The big rice bowl.

"It won't disappear if you just glare at it Furuya hahah" I said looking at my friend still on his second bowl and it was left untouched at the moment.

"We have to finish this Furuya in order to get our lost energy back!" Eijun said as he started to gulp down at his meals.

"Wow aren't you improving pitcher-kun? To think you are puking all over the place during the first day...." Miyuki senpai appeared out of nowhere with is meals on hand looking to join our table up.

"Eat slowly, you're going too fast it won't be good for you" he added.

"Kids this day grow up real fast huh?" He said dramatically as he seated down at our table.

I just observed them as I find sawamura reaction to Miyuki quite amusing hahah, he looks like a cornered hamster.

"Pfft haha" I can't help but let a soft laugh excape my lips. Everyone didn't mind me as they are all busy trying to finished their meals.

I saw sawamura looked around us and suddenly asked Miyuki

"Why is everyone so quiet? Did something happen?" I heard him asked and now that I think about it I find it odd too like there is some tension around the air.

'Is it because of Tanba senpai being striped of his ace position?' I thought to myself.

Everyone payed attention at Miyuki waiting for his answer and as he saw our expression he has a confused look at his face that suddenly changed as if he just realized something amusing

"Ohh hahah, you guys still didn't know?"

"The first years is going to have a game against the 2nd and 3rd years tomorrow"

"Technically first years are just supposed to focused on building up their strength first except for me and monster-kun over there" he said as he looked my way

"But it could change in this game as long as you can show your worth to the coach hehe" Miyuki senpai added and what he said pretty much stunned everyone at our table as we don't have any idea about that

"I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT! DO I GET TO PLAY TOO?" sawamura said loudly shaking Miyuki through his collar which I find really funny hahah

"Well yeah I guess? I'm not the coach so I don't really know heheh" Miyuki said.

"Miyuki senpai do we get to play too? I mean the first string?" I asked as I was curious about it

"Well no, since this game is to see the abilities of others and see if they can be promoted to first string"

"Ohh make sense" I said as I've gone back to eating my meals.

Everyone have started asking Miyuki senpai some questions that he also took time to answer and I just nod at that not minding them anymore.

"Mmm Miyuki senpai, I don't feel like anyone here will hit my pitches tomorrow, If I am right will you be my catcher" I heard Furuya asked which caught my attention.

Every 2nd year and 3rd year players have suddenly glare at Furuya as they reprimand him from what he just said as it looked like he's underestimating them.

I heard someone slam the meal plate so everyone look at who is it and there Tanba senpai was seated. I suddenly feel the tension increases by several levels

"Enough with the talked, we'll work this out through baseball." He said and everyone immediately became silent at that

"I'll have that mound Tanba senpai" Furuya said to the senior which earned him a glare from Tanba

"Just come and proved it to me in the field then"

Tanba senpai and Furuya just looked at each others in the eye as if fighting among themselves who could have the mound.

I wasn't liking what I'm seeing.

Are they too caught up at fighting among themselves and forgetting my existence here? Hahah what a bull of crap!

I owned that mound, if there is anyone they have to challenge for it. It is me.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

"You two looks like having a rivalry for the pitching mound eh?" Everyone heard someone said breaking the tension between Furuya and Tanba and as they looked towards the owner of the voice they saw there the boy calmly seated at his seat while eating his meal

Then at that moment Tanba, Furuya, sawamura too and everyone around that is trying to covet the ace position remembered that this guy is their biggest competition.

Miyuki was too caught up too at Tanba and Furuya confrontation that he forgot about the biggest monster here sitting just beside him.

'Interesting, what are you gonna do now monster-kun' the catcher thought.

"If there's anyone here you need to challenge for that mound, that would be me isn't it Furuya-kun and Tanba senpai?" Jiro said calmly with a smile on his face and voice filled with confidence.

No one really thought that the boy is arrogant as they all felt that the first year currently seating having his meal is just stating some facts.

"So whoever wants to get the ace position just come and beat me"