Chapter 14: Brewing Excitement

In a high-stakes practice match against Inajitsu, Todoroki Raizou, the coach of Yakushi High School, sent his precious son, the rookie sensation Todoroki Raichi. This young batting prodigy, having made a name for himself in the previous West Tokyo competition, was ready to clash with the Tokyo Prince.

Todoroki Raichi Vs. Narumiya Mei!

The monster rookie battles the Tokyo Prince.

From the very start, this practice match had all eyes glued to the field.

"Mei-san!"

Narumiya Mei had insisted on sticking to Straight balls for this game, despite the opponent being that formidable batter Todoroki Raichi. Tadano, still hesitant, cast a worried glance at Narumiya Mei.

"Just use the Straight ball! If he can handle it, so can I," Narumiya Mei had the same unwavering resolve.

Tadano hesitated, wanting to express his concerns, but the words wouldn't come. Was Mei's refusal to use Breaking balls a sign of confidence or fear, or was there another reason?

As the players took their positions, ready to face off, it was clear that baseball's subtle nuances often go unnoticed. Unlike the more immediate excitement of basketball or football, the excitement of baseball needs to be brewed. Much of the game involves seemingly mundane moments, but victory or defeat can hinge on a single one of those instants.

But not all the games of baseball are like that…

"The game entered a climax from the get-go!" Fujio Mine, a senior reporter from Baseball Kingdom Magazine, exclaimed, his voice brimming with expectation.

"Senpai?" Owada Akiko, who had been working alongside Fujio for half a year, was still grasping the finer points of baseball analysis. While she had grown from her initial focus on specific players and their vision eyewear to a more nuanced understanding of the game, Fujio's excitement seemed excessive to her.

Noticing her confusion, Fujio elaborated. "Your analysis isn't wrong, but you're missing a crucial point. The two players clashing now are the heart and soul of their teams. A loss here would have a ripple effect on their teammates.

For instance, if Narumiya gives up a home run or a significant hit, the entire team's morale and performance could suffer. Conversely, if Raichi is defeated, the same holds true.

Raichi's performance is crucial right now, if he falters, how can his teammates face Narumiya's pitching with confidence?"

Owada was taken aback, her mouth hanging open in surprise. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, trying to regain composure.

"So, Superintendent Todoroki Raizou is really going all-in?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.

Fujio nodded solemnly. "Exactly."

Owada turned her gaze back to the field, her perspective-shifting dramatically. A sense of nervous excitement tightened in her chest, and her eyes focused on the game not missing a single detail.

On the field, the players were focused entirely on each other. Raichi's loud and menacing laughter echoed, his bat raised high, eyes fixed with a dangerous gleam on Narumiya Mei. His determination was almost tangible.

"Keha-ha-haa, Keha-ha-haa!!"

'Hit it out!' Raichi's thoughts raced. 'Take him down and then take on Eijun-kun!'

'All kinds of Breaking balls that emerge endlessly…'

'I will smack it out! I will smash all of them without a single one left!!'

The thought of facing Sawamura Eijun fueled Raichi's resolve. His mind was consumed by images of Breaking balls and the desire to hit every single one out of the park.

Standing in the strike zone, Raichi exuded an intimidating aura.

'The sense of pressure is overwhelming!' Tadano, the catcher, thought as his eyes were wide with disbelief. He had never felt such a formidable presence before.

The danger of only using Straight balls against such a batter was apparent. Tadano contemplated using varied pitches to tempt Raichi into a swing, but time was short, and he gave Narumiya Mei a quick sign.

Narumiya Mei frowned at the sign but, determined not to dampen his Kohai's enthusiasm, decided to pitch as he was asked.

On the mound, Narumiya took a deep breath and hurled the white ball with all his might.

Roaar!

The ball roared toward the home plate with blinding speed.

WhooPANNG!!

Raichi, without a second thought, swung his bat with crushing force. The impact was so intense that Tadano felt as though the air had been sucked out of the field.

The sheer power of the swing left Tadano in awe. He wondered if any batter in their grade, aside from Sawamura, could match this level of strength.

Raichi's swing sent the ball soaring, the ball went beyond the outfield fence in an instant making it a home run.

The match began with a spectacular home run!

***

At the same time, back to Seidou High School.

After the speed test concluded, more and more spectators began to gather on campus. They had initially thought that Seidou High School's baseball team was still on vacation, so their interest in the training was not particularly high.

After all, they had watched for several days in a row before, and naturally, the excitement had waned day by day.

Upon arriving, however, they noticed that the atmosphere on the field had changed dramatically.

"So, Sawamura-kun is back!"

It didn't take long for them to spot the new focal point: Sawamura, surrounded by some teammates. Even the third-year Senpais training on the other field frequently glanced over to where Sawamura was.

Sawamura had beaten Kuramochi in the 50-meter dash!

Impressive, truly impressive!

"Sawamura, we'll always support you!"

"Go for it!"

"Win the championship this time and take us to the spring tournament!"

"It is up to you, Ace!"

Most of the spectators were alumni of Seidou High School. Undoubtedly, they were the most ardent supporters of the school.

To them, Sawamura Eijun's presence was like a blessing from the Heavens. His arrival at Seidou High School seemed to bring a wave of good luck.

Before the third-year Senpai retired, they had grown fond of the school over time. Among the die-hard supporters, these Senpais were quite popular. They had shared some of Sawamura's popularity while they were still around. Now that they had all graduated and moved on to promising futures, they were still celebrated.

According to the latest information, four of these third-year players had received invitations to the professional draft, while even the standout substitutes had received invitations to college drafts.

Although the professional draft is still pending, college drafts usually occur in September.

Drafts are essentially invitations to showcase one's talents. There are general invitations and named invitations. General invitations involve rigorous selection processes, while named invitations are more straightforward—if you're invited, you can join that university with relative ease.

Among the 18 first-string players at Seidou High School, apart from a few Kohais, the rest have bright futures ahead.

This is one of the benefits of competing in Koshien. Even if Seidou High School hadn't become the national champion, just participating in Koshien had provided them with ample opportunities for a bright future.

For the third-year players, their only task now is to make a final appearance in the U-18 World Cup.

For the end results aren't as crucial. With players from the top eight teams of Koshien as the core, the national sports competition feels more like a star-studded event.

After the games, most players will take photos and exchange autographs. Even if they lose, there are no tears.

However, for a national powerhouse like Seidou High School, any poor performance would be embarrassing.

Thus, the third-year Senpai was training diligently, not just out of affection for he school but also to avoid a disgraceful final experience.

…