[25] He Will Not Choose to Back Down!

Chapter 25: He Will Not Choose to Back Down!

Indeed, in this area, I still have some shortcomings.

A bitter smile crept onto Eijun's lips as he thought about his weakness in batting.

Even so, I will never back down.

At this moment, I can only fight harder.

I'll bet on it, even if there's only a 20% chance!

Eijun tightened his grip on the metal bat, his feet subtly shifting forward. His stance became more aggressive, and the determination in his bright eyes revealed Eijun's resolve.

Though Eijun's expression changed briefly, it did not escape the watchful eyes of Miyauchi behind home plate. A glint of sharpness flickered in Miyauchi's gaze at that moment.

You're still not giving up, huh? Then I'll make sure you understand just how wide the gap in skill really is!

"Kawakami, finish him off with this pitch! Let this kid realize how outmatched he truly is!" Miyauchi subtly signaled with a three and a two with his fingers.

On the pitcher's mound, Kawakami wore a solemn expression and gave a slight nod.

Though Kawakami held some fondness for Eijun and even admired his underclassman, this was the field. At this moment, it was a showdown between opponents. There was no room for Kawakami to hold back.

Raising his right leg slightly, he suddenly stepped forward, his arm swinging from the side in one swift motion.

In that instant—

"Whoosh!"

A streak of light shot out, hurtling toward the batter's box.

When the white flash appeared in Eijun's sight, his eyes sharpened.

Don't run away, you can't run away. There's no room left to retreat. The only option is to push forward, to keep moving forward!!!

His right foot suddenly stepped out, his body extending.

An inside slider—I'll bet on my understanding of Kawakami and my knowledge of Miyauchi.

The bat sliced through the air.

"Swish."

Under the blazing sun, the metallic sheen of the bat emitted a chilling aura.

In that instant, the white flash twisted and veered in a different direction as it reached the plate.

The bat met it perfectly.

As Miyauchi's expression twisted in shock—

"Crack!"

A sharp, piercing sound echoed across the field.

Eijun's face lit up with joy—he'd guessed right! Then, gritting his teeth, he swept the ball forcefully with every ounce of strength he had, swinging the bat with all his might.

"Whoosh!"

The white streak shot out from home plate, and amidst the gasps of the crowd, it quickly soared past the infield and into the outfield.

"What!?"

Miyauchi Keisuke's face changed dramatically, and he shouted out loud.

"Left-center field!!!!!"

As the white streak darted into the outfield, the upperclassmen in center and left field had already realized what was happening, their expressions changing drastically.

They looked up at the white flash racing over their heads.

Both players used every bit of strength they had.

"Swish!"

"Bang!"

The ball sped toward the edge of the outfield and slammed heavily into the fence, making a loud impact.

Eijun quickly tossed the bat aside and sprinted toward first base.

At that moment, the upperclassman left fielder was still a few steps away from where the ball had landed.

"Hurry up!!! Kondo!!!"

Seeing Eijun rapidly approaching second base, second baseman Fumiya's face paled, and he urgently shouted toward the outfield.

Just as Kondo reached the ball's landing spot, it ricocheted off the fence, changing its trajectory. In Kondo's startled gaze, the ball deflected off his glove and bounced off in another direction. This unexpected turn of events caught Kondo completely off guard.

"Third base! Kondo, move faster!!!!"

The frantic shouts of his teammates behind him made it clear that the cocky first-year player was now racing toward third base. This only made Kondo more flustered, and a look of anger flashed across his eyes.

Meanwhile, as Eijun rounded second base and charged toward third, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the upperclassman in left field seemed to be struggling with the ball, unable to handle it properly.

At that moment, a look of determination flashed in Eijun's eyes.

"Ohhhhh!!!"

Kondo finally managed to corral the ball that had been bouncing erratically around the outfield, but his expression was filled with regret. He knew the time he had wasted just now had been more than enough for that kid to reach third base.

It seemed there was no point in rushing now.

But just then—

A deafening roar of astonishment erupted from the crowd, growing louder and closer, along with the frantic shouts of his teammates.

"You idiot, what are you doing!!! Home plate!!! HOME PLATE!!!!"

The angry screams of his teammates sent a shiver down Kondo's spine. His eyes widened in shock as he saw Eijun rounding third base and charging toward home, the sight blinding and infuriating.

In that instant, a fierce fire ignited within Kondo.

"You cocky little brat, do you really think you can make it back to home plate!?"

With a roar, the white ball was released from his hand.

"Whoosh!"

The white streak shot through the sky, rapidly darting into the infield.

Fumiya caught the ball with a quick, reverse-handed grab and, without hesitation, hurled it toward home plate.

By this time, Eijun was already closing in on home.

"Thud, thud, thud, thud."

The rapid sound of footsteps filled the air.

The entire crowd held their breath, hearts pounding, eyes glued to home plate, anxiously watching the daring young player's next move.

"Go for it, Sawamura-kun!!!"

"Come on, Sawamura!!!"

"Sawamura!!!!!"

Seeing how close Eijun was to home, the first-year bench erupted into chaos, every single player shouting at the top of their lungs, united in this critical moment.

"Whoosh!"

"Smack!"

At home plate, the moment Miyauchi caught the ball, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Eijun was almost there. A faint, cold smile tugged at his lips.

"You little brat, you really have guts. Let's see if you can handle this!"

Miyauchi turned, positioning his left hand and glove for a collision, then lunged at Eijun.

As the two closed in, with Miyauchi's massive frame just inches away, Eijun's pupils contracted sharply. It was time for the final struggle. In a showdown, the brave always triumph. There was no backing down now.

Eijun veered to the side, diving forward. Using his exceptional flexibility, he twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding Miyauchi's glove, as his hands stretched desperately toward the home plate.

"Boom!"

A violent crash echoed as dust filled the air, shrouding the intense battle at home plate.

A second later—

"SAFE!!!!!!"

The umpire's call rang out, and the stadium erupted into an uproar!!!

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