[143] Intense Showdown Against Inashiro

Chapter 143: Intense Showdown Against Inashiro

"Safe on base!!!"

Watching Harada step onto first base, Eijun's brow furrowed slightly.

That pitch had slipped from his control just a bit; he hadn't fully mastered the low ball path.

But for Harada to seize that small gap and execute such a precise hit—it was no wonder he was the cleanup hitter for Inashiro.

Eijun thought this to himself.

"Sawamura," at home plate, Miyuki subtly motioned with his right hand.

"Got it!"

Eijun nodded, understanding the message. It was just a single hit; nothing to get overly concerned about. The most important thing was to suppress the following batters and prevent any runs.

"Ohhhh, an expertly controlled hit! Inashiro's cleanup hitter, Harada-kun, has successfully connected with Sawamura's fastball for a single to right-center field!"

"Nice hit, Captain!"

"Haha, well done, Harada-senpai! Nice hit!"

"Great job, Masatoshi!"

"Masatoshi!!"

"Keep it going, Narumiya-kun!"

"Inashiro, Inashiro, Inashiro!"

The leadoff single by the cleanup hitter got Inashiro's dugout roaring with cheers. And coming up to bat next was none other than their trusted ace—Narumiya Mei.

They were confident that, in this crucial moment, their ace would not let them down.

"Fifth batter, pitcher, Narumiya-kun."

Kid, it's my turn now. This time, watch how the ace teaches you a lesson—I'm going to make you leave the mound in tears!

Eijun looked at Narumiya, who raised his head with a dangerous glint in his eyes. That expression conveyed an unmistakable message.

No matter the situation, he was always the proud prince.

Since their crushing defeat in the Autumn Tournament, it seemed he had changed, becoming more mature, making more level-headed judgments on the field. Yet, he was still as proud as ever, carrying himself with an air of unrivaled supremacy.

Of course, this kind of pride wasn't meant negatively.

This haughty side of Narumiya's personality was actually endearing in its own way.

As Eijun watched Narumiya step up to the batter's box, he couldn't help but recall the tsundere prince's expressions in the original manga he'd read in his past life.

Especially those fun moments in the first and second parts, with Miyuki, his teammates, and the younger Tadano, who partnered with him.

A faint smile crossed his eyes without him even realizing it.

Unexpectedly, Narumiya caught sight of that faint smile, and his chest tightened with a hint of indignation. Damn it, that brat is definitely looking down on me!!

Just wait—I'll show him a lesson this time!!

Clenching his teeth, he swung his bat with determination. Narumiya was set on making this first-year from Seidou understand the difference in their skills!

If Eijun knew his little smile had led Narumiya to interpret things this way, he'd probably be both amused and exasperated.

"!!!!"

The runner showed no sign of stealing, staying close to the base.

So, Narumiya was standing at the very front of the batter's box. Was he planning to counteract the moving ball's curve?

Then, for the first pitch—Sawamura, no need to hold back here. This pitch will be the perfect opener to keep him on edge!

A cold glint appeared in Miyuki's eyes, as he subtly signaled below with his fingers.

"Understood!"

Eijun nodded slightly, straightened his stance, raised his right leg high, and swung his left arm into motion.

The next second.

"Whoosh!!!"

With a swift motion, his arm swung, sending a flash of light hurtling toward the batter's box.

The dazzling white light shot directly into Narumiya's line of sight.

As a pitcher himself, he had a keen sense for baseball. Within moments, Narumiya assessed the trajectory, stepping forward with a powerful stride and swinging his bat with full force.

He was determined to crush this pitcher.

In the finals, the pitcher's mound wasn't a place a first-year rookie could handle! To stand there representing a powerhouse team—it was far too soon for you, kid! You've got a lot to learn!!!

"Swish!"

The bat sliced through the air, meeting the ball's shadow.

However, the ball didn't come as directly as Narumiya had anticipated; instead, its trajectory subtly shifted. That short distance seemed as vast as the horizon.

A changeup!?

Narumiya's pupils narrowed sharply, gripping the bat tightly. He swung too early, unable to fully connect with the pitch.

"Clang!"

The awkward swing made a clear sound as the ball and bat collided.

Damn it!!!

It would've been better to miss entirely! As the ball made contact with the bat, a flash of frustration and surprise crossed Narumiya's eyes.

Eijun's pitch had a subtle drop near the plate, putting Narumiya's swing above the ball's path.

"Thud!"

The ball ricocheted back, bouncing in the direction of the pitcher's mound while Narumiya watched, visibly displeased.

Eijun shifted, quickly stepping aside to catch the ball.

Meanwhile, Harada, forced to advance to second base, showed a flicker of concern in his eyes.

"Second base!!!"

Eijun intercepted the ball swiftly, spinning around to throw it behind him.

Kuramochi extended his left hand, catching the ball in his glove and stepping on second base. However, due to Eijun's positioning and a slight rush on his part, he lost about a second, allowing Harada to just barely reach the base and avoid a double play.

Kuramochi clicked his tongue and quickly tossed the ball over to first base.

"Pop!"

At first, Yuuki firmly caught the throw.

"Out."

"Ohhhh! Great performance by Seidou High's first-year lefty, Eijun Sawamura! His first pitch, an unexpected changeup, takes down Inashiro's fifth batter, Narumiya Mei!"

"Nice pitch, Sawamura!!!"

"Well done, Sawamura-kun!"

"One out, one out!"

"Great job, Sawamura-kun."

"Seidou, Seidou, Seidou!"

Although they didn't complete a double play, Eijun's play still left Narumiya visibly frustrated. Unfortunately, the runner advanced into scoring position, which wasn't ideal for Seidou.

"Sixth batter, first baseman, Yamaoka-kun."

Luckily, Inashiro's lower lineup, while powerful, struggled to quickly adapt to Eijun's pitches, repeatedly failing to connect solidly, wary of his changeup.

Combined with Eijun's unique pitching form, it threw off their rhythm significantly.

Eijun completely shut down the sixth batter, Yamaoka, and the seventh batter, Hirai, securing both outs smoothly.

By the end of this inning, Eijun maintained his scoreless defense, leaving just one runner stranded on second.

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