He managed to make contact with that pitch on his first try?
On the mound, Eijun's gaze toward Kengo was filled with wariness. This wasn't just any ordinary cutter—it was his modified version.
Sure, it wasn't yet perfected, and the weather made his control less stable, but it still wasn't a pitch that just any batter could handle. And yet, Teito's cleanup hitter and captain managed to react imdiately, even on his first ti seeing it.
Of course, reacting and getting a hit were two different things. That previous swing ended up as a foul ball—not by luck, but as an inevitable result of the angle, timing, and the sheer power of the pitch.
But the fact that Kengo could track the ball's movent so precisely and swing at such terrifying speed already proved one thing—he couldn't be asured by normal standards.
If Eijun threw sothing straightforward, it would undoubtedly be sent flying.
"No wonder he managed to hor off Narumiya in his third year in the original story. This guy is seriously dangerous."
Eijun unconsciously clenched his left fist tighter.
And it wasn't just him—behind the plate, Miyuki couldn't help but be impressed as well. He had the closest view of that last swing.
An extraordinary reaction ti.
Terrifying bat speed.
Even as the bat sliced through the air, Miyuki could clearly feel the imnse pressure radiating from Inui's swing.
"Good thing we started with the Cutter Kai. If it had been any other pitch, we might've been in trouble. That ans we need to be even more precise now."
Miyuki's fingers twitched slightly as he gave his next sign, his sharp gaze locking onto Eijun.
"Next pitch—low and away. Keep it down. If it floats up, you know what'll happen, right, Sawamura?"
On the mound, Eijun nodded solemnly.
Stay relaxed.
Don't put too much pressure on your fingers.
Gather strength and release it all in one burst.
Boom!
Eijun drove forward, his left arm whipping down.
Whoosh!
A gleam of white streaked through the rain.
The ball cut through the misty air, flashing in Inui's eyes. His stance adjusted, his fra perfectly positioned, his control over his power flawless.
Swish!
A sharp slicing sound as his bat tore through the damp air.
A top-tier batter's aura.
The ball and the bat approached a razor-thin intersection—
But in that crucial instant, the bat dipped just slightly too high.
The ball zipped underneath, grazing past the bottom of the swing.
Pop!
Amidst the drizzle, the crisp sound of the ball landing in the mitt echoed clearly.
"Strike!"
"Ohhh! A perfect low-and-away pitch! Just two pitches, and Sawamura has already pushed Inui into a corner!"
In the stands, spectators watched with bated breath, while Akiko covered her mouth in shock.
"Sawamura's control has improved so much, especially his low-and-away pitches and inside fastballs. Those were his signature weapons from the start, and now he's wielding them with even greater precision."
Fujio nodded in agreent, a hint of admiration in his tone.
anwhile, in Teito's dugout, Coach Okamoto's expression grew more serious.
And in the bullpen, Mukai, who had been keeping his body warm with light throws, glanced toward Eijun with a complicated look in his eyes.
But on the field—
For the three players locked in this battle, there was no ti to think about anything else.
At this mont, all that mattered was defeating the opponent in front of them.
"The first pitch was a cutter—slightly different from what I saw in video footage. The second was a low-and-away fastball—tricky location, good late movent. This pitcher's in great condition. But... the rain is still affecting his breaking ball control. That's my opening!"
A cold glint flickered in Kengo's eyes.
He subtly adjusted his stance, shifting back slightly and extending his grip on the bat.
That movent didn't escape Miyuki's keen gaze. His heart tensed—his respect for Kengo's in-ga adaptability rising yet again.
This batter's insight and judgnt are terrifying.
A mont's pause—then Miyuki made his decision.
Fine. If you want to adjust, then we won't make it easy for you.
We have the count advantage. We need to keep attacking. Don't let him catch his breath.
Next pitch—high and inside. We need to crush his montum.
Miyuki decisively gave the sign.
Eijun didn't hesitate.
His foot planted. His arm drove forward.
Whoosh!
A streak of light roared through the air—
A pitch packed with overwhelming pressure.
Swish!
The ball leaped upward, its sharp movent causing Inui Kengo to unconsciously rely on his instincts and experience, constantly adjusting his swing to correct any deviations.
Ping!
Thud!
"Foul ball!"
Whoosh!
Pop!
"Ball!"
After the initial Cutter Kai, Miyuki had called for three consecutive fastballs. The reason was simple—under these weather conditions, any breaking pitch carried significant risk.
But there was also another purpose behind this strategy…
"He's really tough to deal with… Alright, next pitch—changeup."
A fastball at 140 km/h, imdiately followed by a changeup—a pitch designed to disrupt any batter's timing.
Whoosh!
The ball shot forward, initially carrying the sa explosive speed, but then, midway, it seed to freeze for a split second.
Kengo's eyebrows twitched.
Swish!
His brain registered the deception, but his body was just a fraction too slow to adjust.
Especially after facing three straight fastballs, this was his first encounter with Eijun's changeup—
Ping!
A miscalculated angle threw off Kengo's entire batting stance.
Whoosh!
The ball shot downward, bouncing hard off the infield dirt near third base.
At third, Shoji swiftly charged forward.
He reached the ball's landing point just in ti, scooped it up cleanly, and, with a quick flick of his wrist, fired it toward first base.
Pop!
Maezono caught it securely.
"Out!"
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