Chapter 43: Kousoku!

As Nishiyama completed his pitching stance, the atmosphere fell silent.

It wasn't about how extraordinary his pitching form was. In fact, it was quite the opposite; Nishiyama's stance looked incredibly ordinary, resembling the most basic right-handed pitch.

Typically, first-year pitchers who get a chance to play have some unique traits. Take Sawamura, for example. He made his debut in his first year largely due to his left-handed pitching and unconventional pitching form.

Then there's Furuya, a natural prodigy. Even with the simplest pitching stance, his speed makes him stand out effortlessly.

In the Tokyo area, there are a couple of other notable first-year pitchers who have made their mark. One is Taiyou Mukai from Teito High School, and the other is Narumiya from Inajitsu High School. Both are left-handed, with Mukai being a side-throw southpaw.

Demonstrating their pitching in the first half of their first year is closely tied to their unique pitching qualities, which is undoubtedly an essential factor.

Nishiyama, however, was different. He represented the most typical right-handed pitcher.

His pitching form looked unremarkable, with little strength in his stride or arm swing.

Overall, he gave off an ordinary vibe.

"Tsk!"

'Just another average first-year kid.'

The second batter from Akamaji High School quickly formed a judgment in his mind. Though they hadn't gathered any information on Nishiyama beforehand, he could glean some insights just by observing his pitching form with his experience.

Seeing the speed of Nishiyama's arm swing, he even made a clear judgment on the next pitch's speed.

Here it comes!

Just as he had anticipated, the white ball flew out.

The batter had already calculated the timing in his mind, waiting for the ball to come, ready to swing his bat.

'Now!'

Watching the small white ball approach, the batter wasted no time, swinging his bat with all his might.

In that instant, thoughts of Seidou High School and its undefeated legacy vanished from his mind.

His swing felt effortless as if he could already envision the ball soaring away after the hit.

'The pitcher on the field would surely be in a state of panic.'

'The Coach of Seidou High School, who had just reigned over the nation, should be lamenting and regretting this very moment.'

'He will severely blame himself for hastily putting in a newcomer.'

The bat was about to connect with the white ball, but it had vanished.

Snap!

"STRIKE!!!"

The small white ball brushed past the batter's clothing and flew straight into Miyuki Kazuya's open Mitt.

The batter in the box stood there, dumbfounded.

In the dugout of Akamaji High School, their Coach's brows were furrowed in disbelief.

'Swinging too late!!!'

'How is this possible?'

'With the pitcher's form and speed just displayed, the ball couldn't have been faster than 130 km/h.'

While his players might not have elite batting skills, they shouldn't be unable to hit a ball at that speed.

'Not even a touch.'

'How could this be?!'

On the pitching mound, Nishiyama was in an all-in-focus mood. All he saw were the batters in the strike zone opposing him.

Just as the batter was still immersed in Nishiyama's first pitch.

The second ball flew over.

'Again!'

'The rhythm was so fast!'

There was no sign, not even a hint of what was to come.

The white ball came flying in at an incredible speed.

The second batter of Akamaji hurriedly swung his bat.

He desperately wanted to stop this ball.

But how could it be so easy?

It wasn't until he had finished his swing that the white ball arrived, fashionably late.

Snap!

"STRIKE!!"

'A Change-up?!'

'No, this isn't possible.'

'His pitching momentum was clearly all-out just now.'

'In that case, how could he possibly throw a change-up?'

This puzzled the batter.

Meanwhile, Miyuki who was catching the ball, felt his understanding flare like a lightbulb.

'This wasn't a traditional Change-up but a Straight ball with altered speed. Just like that pitcher Torajiro We fought in the summer Koshien.'

Thinking of this, he looked seriously at Nishiyama on the pitcher's mound.

'This guy can change the ball speed at will.'

It's not that others couldn't throw at this level; it's just that they found it hard to do so seamlessly like Nishiyama.

With this skill alone, Nishiyama was qualified to be a main player for Seidou High School.

Snap!

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"

The last ball was even slower than before!

From his position as a catcher, Miyuki's eyes suddenly lit up.

'This guy!'

He looked incredulously at Nishiyama on the mound, who appeared completely unfazed and was utterly shocked.

'No wonder this guy could become a world runner-up pitcher.'

'His pitching was undeniably impressive.'

Other players who just entered high school couldn't possibly have such a level of skill.

'This Kohai was also a rising monster.'

'If Yuuki had formed his own batting style, then Nishiyama had likely developed his own pitching style as well.'

Though, in Miyuki's eyes, that style still seemed a bit immature.

However, high school pitchers who can establish their own style are a rarity.

Even based solely on those three pitches, Nishiyama's potential was immeasurable.

He glanced at the dugout in shock.

Coach Kataoka, wearing sunglasses, remained unflustered.

Coach Ochiai, stroking his mustache, also had a calm expression.

It dawned on Miyuki that they must have known about Nishiyama's prowess beforehand.

'That's why they temporarily shifted their much-needed catcher, Yui Kaoru, to the second string, hastily bringing Nishiyama up.'

Even in Seidou High School, a pitching powerhouse, with just a little training, Nishiyama could become a significant asset to the team.

The players of Seidou High School were equally astonished.

"Hey, this kid's pretty capable. Like that Torajiro guy."

Kuramochi seemed to harbor some resentment towards Torajiro after all of this time.

"Let them hit it!"

"We'll catch it."

"One Out!!

"One Out!!!"

The atmosphere on the field shifted unknowingly.

Even the Senpais were startled, let alone the first-year Kohais sitting in the stands.

Watching a fellow first-year perform so brilliantly left them feeling quite complex.

Takuma's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Although I already knew this guy was no ordinary player, I didn't expect him to be this amazing."

On his very first debut in his first year, he Struck Out the opponent.

Not every batter can possess such ability.

Next to him, Okumura's eyes filled with interest.

He envisioned himself catching an amazing pitch on his very first debut too, feeling exhilarated with each thought.

He couldn't wait to be promoted to the first string.

He yearned to catch the pitches from Furuya and this equally promising newcomer.

Simultaneously, he yearned to catch the legendary breaking ball pitches that only the Demon King could throw.

The desire in his heart made him clench his fists tightly. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to control the excitement bubbling within him.

At the front of the stands, Yui Kaoru, who had just been promoted to the second string, sat among the players.

"What can this kid do unexpectedly!"

"After all, he's a world runner-up pitcher; it's no surprise he has such strength."

"But his pitching doesn't look that strong. Why can't the batter catch it at the right time?"

"Could he be like Sawamura…"

The Senpais in the second string were engaged in discussion, and Watanabe turned his questioning gaze towards Yui Kaoru.

"If I remember correctly, you and he were a battery in the World Series together, right? Don't you know?"

Yui Kaoru managed a wry smile.

Of course, he understood. As someone who collaborated with Nishiyama, he knows the first-year pitcher style inside and out.

"World runner-up pitcher! Since dominating the world, that title has always accompanied Nishiyama, but who knew he had another nickname before that?"

"Kousoku Nishiyama!" (Lightspeed Nishiyama.)

"This is not because his pitches were at the speed of light, his pitching is fast, but they were also untouchable like a light."

"If you purely observe his pitching rhythm, there's no way to predict the speed of his throws."

"Nishiyama possesses tremendous wrist strength. Even when fully committed to his pitching stance, he can forcibly manipulate the ball's speed with his wrist. His seemingly casual throws can also complete acceleration just before release."

"This change in velocity makes it hard for the batters to touch his pitching, the more they struggle the more they feel like they are trying to hit a beam of light like idiots."

"This is where the nickname 'Kousoku' comes from."

Ping!

"OUT!!"

Snap!

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"

With two Strikeouts and an Out in between, Nishiyama's debut performance left the Akamaji Osagara High School batters stunned.

The crowd erupted.

Media flashes continuously captured Nishiyama.

[Big news!]

[The pitching kingdom of Seidou High School has gained another talent, and the upcoming pitching lineup is destined to become even more perfect.]

...