(Part 12)

"A baller as well as a wicketkeeper hun. Now this is something new." said Senri.

"You think so too right? I thought only batsman were eligible of taking wicket keeping, turns out that isn't the case." Ren added.

"You're right, it used to be that way and till now it is internationally like that, however it isn't mandatory nor a rule so it doesn't matter. Since one can't be a baller and wicket keeper at the same time in a game." enlightened Nidou.

"Ah…" the highschoolers nodded.

Cassiel eyeing Alan twirled his ball, "Alan Rex Lorenzo, a high class right handed spin returner. His hits 88% have been aimed towards the leg side of the ground while the rest 12% were aimed towards the offside. Facing Gabriel he didn't even wear his gear while facing Ryan he tended to confuse him instead by Ren's intervention in between, meanwhile giving him an upper hand to counter all thrown deliveries." "He has up until now countered Leg spinners, off cutters, top spinners and high edged spin deliveries. So let's try something new this time, but before that…" he thought running towards the pitch.

Alan tapping the bat eyed Cassiel who approached. Stepping on the pitch Cassiel bowled towards Alan.

"A full toss delivery." Poseidon read. Alan standing on his position firm tapped the bet in between his legs sending the ball to the leg side of the boundary. "A normal delivery…" he wondered standing straight. Cassiel studying Alan walked back.

"A serene Cassiel style…" Adam whispered as Seraph looked at the pitch silent. Rushing towards the pitch Cassiel once again bowled at the same speed towards Alan. "It's a short top spinner now…" Ryan judged.

Alan staying at his place waited for the ball to approach, soon stopping it with a light shot towards the off side. Cassiel pushing his glasses upwards, took out another ball from his pocket heading back once again. Alan stood seriously.

"Hey… that boy really is expressionless hun?" Noah wondered.

"Of course he is… remember when Alan was silent just like him while playing against Heber before and the next moment he crushed his whole joker cage with a single delivery." Nagi recalled.

Noah and Aigou blinking their eyes turned around realizing, "Don't tell me?!"

"Yeah… a storm of possibilities are rushing inside the boy's head." Isa stated.

"It's the third delivery now…" Senri pointed.

Cassiel twirling the ball, stepped onto the pitch aiming towards Alan once again. "A spin aimed into the right stump now." Gabriel read. Alan keeping the bat before his feet blocked the ball as it went towards Cassiel's feet taking little taps. Picking the ball up Cassiel finally smiled.

"Finally completed it hun? Taking my data that is?" Alan observed.

"Yeah…" Cassiel nodded. "Thank you for keeping up with me for the last three balls. However… get ready now. I might not be as talented as Seraph nor as strong as Adam but I am still Crescent high's no. 1 spin baller. With these remaining three balls, I'll make sure you never forget who we are." Cassiel warned standing behind the popping crease.

Seraph and Adam stood wondering. "Cassiel…" Seraph whispered. Alan gasped upon his words, soon nodding. "I understand. Bring it on!" he called taking his position. Cassiel smirked rolling the ball in his hand, he moved forward. Instantly flicking the ball between his thumb and middle finger, he released it towards Alan.

"Is that?!" uttered Feng. "Yeah… it is." Xavier agreed. Turning around Cassiel whispered, "Probability of bold 82.09% while Lbw 96.61%, what remaining left is your luck… face it 'Geomatrix caved strike'." The ball wheezing towards the full boundary tapped onto the ground with an off side pressure. Walking forward Alan aimed his bat however before he could hit it, the ball had instantly changed its movement going towards the leg side."

"Huh?" Alan asked surprised. Seeing the ball reaching towards the wicket he instantly moved back stopping the ball with his bat affront his leg claiming a dot return.

The whole stadium stared silent. Sweat dripped form Alan's forehead as he eyed the ball baffled. "It changed its whole trajectory… a carom ball?" he identified.

"Cassiel's Geomatrix caved strike, it is a well-polished carom delivery, which is thrown by taking proper measures of the pitch as well as the person on it." Seraph explained.

"So the three deliveries he delivered before were tries for him research?" Ezekiel detected.

"Yeah, It was." Seraph replied. Azazel patted Seraph's back, "Now don't worry okay? Even if last two balls are left, he is going to rock them. After all I faced him before. And, I know. The moment he takes complete data on his player. That opponent's life becomes hell." Xavier agreed beside Helios.

Cassiel smiling relived whispered, "Good… looks like the remaining 3.39% was still on your side. However, had you kept your leg before your bat, it would've been a clear Lbw. Looks like I have to work out on my probability hitting digits, taking a matrix return while adding your hitting power and subtracting it form your mental realization will probably do it." he muttered taking his position.

Alan blinked his eyes sighing, "Really… what 3.39% and mental realization? I told you I ain't good at math. You're right, a single wrong move from my side and it would've been an out."

"However, I am not a spin returner for nothing. Show me what's next up your sleeve?" he asked confidently.

Orion exhaled, "Seriously? Just what is up with this brat even I don't get it?" "Nobody is expecting you to get it as well. A world ranker with an F grade." mocked Nagi rolling his eyes.

Orion sneered at him cross, "Shut up! So what if I am. Mr. know it all, do you get it then?"

"Of course I do… unlike a certain someone." Nagi replied disdainfully.

"Tch! you bastard!! How dare you…" growled Orion as he was about to hit Nagi however Elias caught him from his shoulders.

"Whoa, Whoa, no need to get so offensive and create a fuss out of thin air." he calmed Orion down as Noah and Aigou patted his back.

Senri getting up sat beside Nagi, who glanced uninterested.

"Tch! leave me!" Orion shrugged away from Elias's grip cross, instantly heading downstairs towards the same seat on which Zach and Kazuna sat.

Isa sighed at Nagi, "Now that was harsh. You know the more you care about him, your way of expressing that is the exact opposite. Don't fight him over such useless things."

Nagi hearing him sat offended, "Who the hell cares about that inhumane…?"

However Senri interrupted laughing. "Haha… he didn't meant to. That boy made him." he pointed at Cassiel.

"He? What did he had to do with all of this?" Ren asked confused. "His skills are just like Nagi's don't you realize? His words and calculations as well. If you see any one copying you, won't it frustrate you?" asked Kazuna glancing at Nagi. Nagi turning away tapped his finger restlessly.

"So it hurt your honor, isn't that right?" asked Elias. Zach agreed looking at Nagi. "But it still doesn't mean you take your anger out on Orion of all people." Isa scolded Nagi who looked away.

"And here I thought the one's sitting before us were kids, looks like even the one's sitting with us are kids younger than them." Haruf complimented. The highschoolers glancing at Nagi sighed.

"Unbelievable…" Noah uttered in disbelief. "Seriously what kind of patience and acceptance did you learn after being together for all these years?" questioned Evan disappointed. Rauf stared at Orion who sat below with his arms crossed.

Cassiel looked at Alan confidently. As soon as the wind blew, he removed his glasses revealing his light grey orbs, instantly tugging them on his collar. Alan stood wondering. Walking towards the batting crease he took his position. "Cassiel removed his glasses. Does that mean he's going to use that?" Kenzo inquired.

"Hm, maybe. It's been long since, we played against each other, so I don't have too much of an idea on much he has progressed until now." Seraph replied. "But, no matter how you look at it. He looks cool." complimented Ezekiel as Poseidon endorsed.

Hopping twice on the crease Cassiel rushed towards Alan bowling harshly. The ball with a delayed spin slowed down with the tap on the pitch. Alan suddenly looked at Cassiel who smirked. His eyes abruptly turning monochrome.

"Black and white?!" Alan wondered confused soon tracing the ball and about to hit it back however before he could, a weird blur came over the ball and engulfed the surroundings.

"Huh?! Everything's turned monochrome?" Alan thought surprised as the ball went past his bat. Turning around, he saw an inch's difference of the ball from the wicket as it slammed into the wicketkeeper's hands.