[12] The First Battery!

Chapter 12: The First Battery!

The impact created by Satoru Furuya was only temporary.

Talent is talent, but the ability to truly convert that talent into personal strength and to secure a place on the team varies—some succeed, while others fail. Furuya's presence posed a threat mainly to the first-year students aspiring to be pitchers, creating a sense of crisis among them. However, after the initial shock, the other first-year students no longer paid much attention to Furuya.

On the other hand, the coaching staff assistants, who were seasoned veterans, merely marked Furuya's name with some emphasis but did not overly concern themselves with him. Their responsibility was to report the data and information accurately to Coach Kataoka and others. Once that was done, their job was complete, and the rest was up to Coach Kataoka.

It had nothing to do with them.

The defense tests took a considerable amount of time, and after everyone had finished, the morning training session ended. As usual, the first-years were served three large bowls of rice for lunch, and once again, Eijun was the only one among them who ate heartily.

This display even evoked a look of envy from a certain pink-haired classmate. He stared at his first bowl of rice with a heavy heart, as did most of the other first-years, who found it difficult to swallow.

This once again made Eijun the center of attention among the first-year students.

Although he didn't seem particularly large, why could he eat so much? This question puzzled every first-year student.

In the evening, after the day's training was over, the players had time for independent practice. During this time, the coaching staff generally did not assign any mandatory training tasks (except during training camps).

"Kariba-kun, right?" After finishing the afternoon practice, Eijun quickly spotted his target. Before leaving the field, he swiftly intercepted Kariba Wataru.

"Yes, that's me. What do you need, Sawamura-kun?" Kariba Wataru blinked, a trace of confusion in his eyes, as he asked softly.

Eijun wasn't surprised that Kariba Wataru could immediately call him by name.

A small smile appeared on Eijun's lips, which he believed was friendly.

"If you don't mind, can I just call you Kariba?" Eijun asked with a grin.

"Um, I don't mind..." Kariba Wataru stared blankly at this seemingly overly familiar guy. Although Eijun thought his smile was friendly, Kariba couldn't shake the feeling that it had a deeper meaning, making him feel a bit uneasy.

"Kariba, you're a catcher, right? I'd like to form a battery with you. What do you think?" Eijun didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

To him, it wasn't a big deal.

Of course, that was just Eijun's opinion. When Kariba heard it, a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes. A battery? With him?

"Uh, I am a catcher, but Sawamura-kun, may I ask why you want to form a battery with me? I'm not the only first-year catcher, you know?" Kariba asked cautiously.

"No need to be so formal. You can just call me Sawamura or Eijun. As for why I chose you, it's simple—I find you very pleasing! Haha!!!" Eijun laughed loudly, revealing a bright set of teeth as he spoke to Kariba.

However, it was clear that Kariba was a bit taken aback by Eijun's words. "You find me pleasing to the eye, so you picked me?" Indeed, it was a simple reason—so simple that Kariba couldn't help but suspect there might be some hidden agenda.

Kariba's reaction didn't go unnoticed by Eijun, who raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Kariba, do you have any concerns? I just wanted to find a catcher to practice with. If it's inconvenient for you, I can ask someone else," Eijun said plainly.

Although his original intention was to target Kariba first due to the source material, Eijun wouldn't force someone who was hesitant or unwilling. This kind of thing needed mutual agreement.

Clearly, Eijun wasn't very skilled at persuading others, and his straightforward manner left Kariba feeling a bit helpless.

"Uh, no, it's not that I have any concerns..." Eijun's words snapped Kariba back to reality. "Okay, if you don't mind, Sawamura, let's form a battery."

Kariba had been observing Eijun since he joined the team. That declaration about becoming the ace had also left a deep impression, revealing Eijun's strong personality.

Even though Eijun's reason for choosing him as a catcher seemed a bit absurd, from a practical standpoint, forming a battery with Eijun could be beneficial for Kariba too. The defensive tests had shown that Eijun had decent arm strength, though it was too early to tell much else.

But if someone has the guts to declare they'll be the ace, they're either confident or just plain foolish. And Eijun didn't strike Kariba as foolish (though in the original material, he did have a bit of a naive charm).

So, after weighing the pros and cons, Kariba decided there was no harm in agreeing. Building a good rapport with the pitchers in his grade and catching their pitches was part of a catcher's job, after all.

When Kariba agreed, Eijun's face lit up with obvious delight.

Although Eijun had mentioned he could ask another catcher, in truth, Kariba was the best choice. At the very least, Eijun had some prior knowledge of him from the source material, which meant he knew what to expect. The other first-year catchers? That would have been more challenging.

After all, wasn't it Kariba who ended up as Eijun's regular catcher in the original work? It's because Kariba was the most suitable.

What about the second-year catchers, you ask?

Ahem, let's be realistic here. If that were the case, Eijun might as well go straight to Miyuki. At least Miyuki might catch a few pitches for him just because he found Eijun interesting. But asking the second- or third-year catchers? That would be nearly impossible.

Who would care about a first-year rookie's request at a time when the summer tournament was approaching? These upperclassmen were focused on improving their own skills and making it onto the main roster. That was their top priority.

Eijun definitely wouldn't go out of his way to get rejected.

"Haha, I knew you'd agree!!" Eijun laughed heartily, patting Kariba on the shoulder with obvious delight.

This display of pure, natural emotion caught Kariba off guard for a moment. It seemed like this guy was genuinely a good person.

Just a bit too familiar and self-assured.

Kariba rubbed the spot where Eijun had given him a hard pat, showing a slight, wry smile.

"Well then, no time like the present. Let's start tonight!!!"

"Huh? Right now?"

"Of course! I can't wait any longer. Hehe, I've got an idea I want to try out."

"..."

Okay, I take it back—Sawamura Eijun is definitely a strange guy!!

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