Chapter 26 Second Round (3)

Ryoichi stood on the mound, a solitary figure against the backdrop of screaming fans. It was the bottom of the first inning, and he was up to pitch. The stadium buzzed with energy, the weight of expectations settling over him like a cloak.

Minatogawa High had sent their first batter up to the plate: Mori, their captain and catcher, known for his sharp instincts and ability to read pitchers. As Mori stepped into the batter's box, his bat held steady, he sized up Ryoichi with an inward smirk.

"Let's see if you're that good," Mori thought, squaring his stance. His eyes were locked onto Ryoichi's figure, trying to gauge the ace's nerves.

Behind the plate, Daiki, Nehimon's catcher, crouched low, signaling for a fastball inside and low. He wanted to start aggressive. Ryoichi nodded once, his fingers gripping the baseball tightly as he wound up for his first pitch.

He unleashed the ball with a powerful snap of his arm, but the instant the ball left his fingertips, he knew something was wrong. It veered wildly off course, flying high and away from the plate.

"Ball one."

Daiki clenched his teeth behind his mask. He glanced back at Ryoichi, who stood stiffly on the mound. It's his first game, Daiki thought, trying to stay calm. "He's tense. Just needs to settle down."

Mori didn't flinch. He let the ball fly by, his bat still firmly resting on his shoulder. His eyes flicked to Ryoichi, reading the nervous energy in his movements. "He's not in control yet,"Mori mused.

Daiki signaled for another fastball, this time down the middle. Ryoichi nodded again, winding up with determination. But just like the first pitch, this one was off—too high, too wide. Ball two.

Ryoichi cursed inwardly, his frustration bubbling to the surface. His grip on the ball tightened as he exhaled sharply, trying to reign in his emotions. The stadium crowd murmured, sensing the unease.

From center field, Kenji Tadeka, Nehimon's captain, shouted across the field, his voice cutting through the noise.

"Start throwing some strikes, fucker! What is that shit pitching?!"

Ryoichi glared in Kenji's direction, clenching his jaw. "Shut the hell up," he cursed inwardly. But the truth was, Kenji's words stung because they were true. He was off. He had to pull it together, and fast.

Daiki, sensing Ryoichi's frustration, decided to change things up. He signaled for a changeup. hoping to break the tension with something different. Ryoichi nodded, his focus sharpening. He wound up, feeling the familiar rhythm return to his body.

Mori watched intently, eyes narrowing. He could sense the shift in Ryoichi's demeanor—more controlled, more precise. As the pitch came in, Mori's instincts screamed at him to swing. He timed it perfectly, but as his bat connected with the ball, it shot off the bat awkwardly—a foul.

The energy was shifting as Ryoichi finally got a strike on the board. Mori gritted his teeth, stepping out of the batter's box for a moment to collect himself. "Alright, he's not invincible. But I've got him figured out."

Daiki signaled for a low pitch, aiming to paint the outside corner, but Ryoichi shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Mori. He wanted something more direct, more commanding. He tapped his glove, signaling to Daiki that he wanted a fastball down the middle. Daiki hesitated for a moment, then relented, nodding. If Ryoichi was feeling confident, Daiki wasn't going to get in his way.

Ryoichi wound up, the ball flying from his hand like a bullet—153 km/h, straight down the middle. The crack of the ball hitting Daiki's glove echoed across the field, and the crowd roared in approval. Strike two.

A fan in the stands, stunned by the speed, leaned over to his friend, shouting above the noise. "Did you see that!? The shows just starting!"

Mori cursed under his breath, stepping back into the box. The pressure was on now. He wasn't expecting that kind of heat after the wild pitches earlier. But he wasn't out yet.

Ryoichi's eyes locked onto Daiki's next signal. He didn't need to think. His body moved on instinct, winding up for another fastball. This one was even faster—155 km/h—and Mori swung desperately, but the ball zipped past him, straight into Daiki's glove. Strike three.

The stadium erupted in chaos, fans standing to their feet, cheering wildly.

"That was 155 km/h?!" one fan shouted, eyes wide with disbelief. "I told you! He was just revving his engine heheh"

Mori walked back to the Minatogawa dugout, muttering to himself. His earlier confidence had taken a hit, but he wasn't out of the game yet.

Ryoichi allowed himself a small smile as he watched Mori retreat. The tension in his chest loosened just a bit, but he wasn't done yet. Two more outs to go.

Next up was Takeshi, Minatogawa's second batter, and he stepped into the batter's box with a serious expression. Takeshi was steady, reliable, and hard to shake. He had heard about Ryoichi's fastball, but seeing it in action was something else entirely.

Daiki signaled for a curveball, hoping to change the pace. But Ryoichi shook his head again, his expression firm. He wanted another fastball. He wasn't done showing his dominance yet.

Ryoichi wound up, his body moving with practiced precision, and hurled the ball toward the plate. This time, the radar read 158 km/h.

The stadium exploded. Girls in the stands shrieked his name, waving their banners wildly. "Ryoichi! Ryoichi!"

One of the older men watching from the stands leaned forward, his voice filled with awe. "158 km/h? This kid's incredible! That's his fastest pitch today!"

The Minatogawa dugout was tense, the players watching in stunned silence as Ryoichi's pitch whizzed past Takeshi's bat with a loud thwack into Daiki's glove. Strike one.

Even from left field, Shinjiro Takumi watched, his eyes wide with amazement. Ryoichi is amazing, he thought, barely able to believe what he was seeing. The power, the speed—it was like something out of a professional league.

Takeshi stepped back, taking a deep breath. "So this is Seimei's ace, huh?" He gripped his bat tighter, trying to block out the noise from the stands, trying to ignore the weight of Ryoichi's reputation. He had to stay calm.

Ryoichi wound up again, his body moving fluidly, almost like a machine. He released another fastball, this time a hair slower at 155 km/h, but the speed was still blinding. Takeshi swung, making contact, but the ball popped up weakly into shallow left field.

Kenji, sprinting from center field, immediately called for it. "Left field" he shouted, but from the corner of his eye, Shinjiro was already racing toward the ball from left field.

"I got this!" Shinjiro shouted, extending his arm just as the ball was about to drop. His glove snapped shut around the ball with a soft thud, securing the out.

The crowd cheered again as Nehimon Seimei collected their second out of the inning. Takeshi grumbled as he walked back to the dugout, his shoulders slumped.

Now, it was Aoki's turn to step up to the plate. The ace pitcher of Minatogawa, Aoki was used to being the one in control. But now, facing off against Ryoichi, he could feel the intensity building.

Aoki adjusted his helmet, his face calm but his mind racing. He had been watching Ryoichi all game, and now that he was up to bat, he could feel the weight of every pitch.

Aoki, stepping into the batter's box, his bat resting loosely on his shoulder. He didn't expect Ryoichi to throw anything tricky. This was a challenge between two aces, and Aoki was ready.