Eijun's direct and overwhelming approach undeniably put imnse pressure on Teito High's players.
After all, wasn't the rain supposed to hinder pitchers?
Wasn't it supposed to make breaking balls harder to control, aning batters could just sit on fastballs?
Yet, the reality unfolding before them was nothing like what they had expected.
But this was exactly what made baseball fun.
And more importantly—
They were Teito High.
A team that never wavered over minor setbacks.
...
"Taiyou, Kengo—stay patient, understood!?"
Coach Okamoto's sharp gaze locked onto his battery, his words clearly directed at Mukai.
"Yes, Coach. I understand."
Mukai adjusted his cap, a faint, relaxed smile playing at his lips.
He knew exactly what his coach ant—
Don't force it. Don't get reckless. Don't let emotions dictate your ga.
Stick to his own style and rhythm.
His opponent was right in front of him.
How could he back down now?
He had to stand his ground.
...
"Taiyou."
Noticing the fire in Mukai's eyes, Inui Kengo patted his younger teammate on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Inui-senpai. I know exactly what I need to do."
The ga was just beginning.
Even if Eijun was stronger than him, the match wasn't over yet.
Even if he lost individually, as long as his team won, that was all that mattered.
At this mont, Mukai's fighting spirit burned brighter than ever.
...
"Bottom of the third, Seidou High at bat. Ninth batter, right fielder—Shirasu-kun!"
Steady. Unyielding. Determined.
Mukai held firm.
Neither the rain, nor the oppressive presence of a fellow ace, nor even Seidou's aggressive lineup could shake him.
His steps were firm.
His motions decisive.
"Whoosh!"
A gleam of light flickered across the infield—
A pitch carrying Mukai's unwavering will.
"Crack!"
"Thud!"
"Foul ball!"
Even a powerful, well-balanced hitter like Shirasu found Mukai tough to handle.
Between precise control, sharp movent, and hidden power, Mukai's fastball—alongside his elite command—put constant pressure on hitters.
Even in his first at-bat, Shirasu struggled to adjust.
Mukai danced on the edge of danger, yet never lost control.
He forced batters into subtle miscalculations, making life miserable for Seidou's lineup—aside from the golden battery of Miyuki and Eijun.
...
"Damn—"
Shirasu's expression changed.
"Ping!"
The ball shot forward—
A sharp grounder, skipping across the rain-soaked infield.
"Thud!"
It hit the ground, splashing up water before bouncing between first and second base.
But—
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
The ball was scooped up cleanly by Teito's second baseman.
"Out!"
...
Next up—
Kuramochi Youichi, leading off Seidou's second trip through the order.
But even now, Mukai showed no signs of backing down.
Completely locked in, the unyielding Sun fought like a stubborn beast.
Not even the early ho run he had allowed seed to leave any lasting impact.
The rain, the pressure, the mont—
None of it mattered.
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
"Thud!"
"Foul ball!"
Kuramochi gritted his teeth.
Even with his speed and aggression, he couldn't find an opening.
Mukai's control was frighteningly sharp, as if the rain didn't affect him at all.
And now—
Seidou's speedster had nowhere to run.
Every pitch was placed with precision, leaving Kuramochi completely unable to respond.
Forced into a defensive position, he quickly fell behind in the count, three strikes pressing him into a corner.
Mukai, always efficient, wasted no unnecessary pitches.
A well-placed screwball.
Kuramochi swung aggressively.
A grounder to third base.
Teito's third baseman reacted swiftly, fielding the ball cleanly and securing the out.
Kuramochi, Seidou's so-called "Cheetah", could only walk off the field with a darkened expression.
In the dugout, Eijun quietly shook his head.
"Kuramochi-senpai relies too much on his speed… His lack of power and refined technique is showing. More importantly, his pitch selection is not top-tier either."
Of course, as a shortstop, Kuramochi was one of Japan's absolute best infield defenders.
But as a leadoff hitter, his batting average was equally important.
Kuramochi's on-base percentage had always been heavily dependent on his speed.
If you took that away—
Not only would he lose his leadoff spot, he might not even make Seidou's first-string roster.
Watching from the dugout, both Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai wore serious, contemplative expressions.
...
"Ohhh! That was a clean play!"
"No wasted movents at all. As expected of Teito High, the so-called 'Iron Wall.' "
"Seidou must be feeling the pressure now."
"Yeah, the score is still just a one-run difference. The ga is far from over."
"The key is whether the lineup can keep rotating."
"Mmm… If the batting order can reach Sawamura again, things might get interesting."
...
"Second batter, second baseman—Kominato-kun!"
So thought Eijun's ho run in the first inning would rattle Mukai.
But this ace pitcher had shown remarkable ntal resilience—his precision and control remaining as sharp as ever.
His command was so refined that only You Shunshin from the previous tournant had demonstrated slightly better control.
Haruichi stepped into the batter's box, adjusting his helt.
His sharp crimson eyes, hidden beneath soft pink bangs, locked onto Mukai.
"His ball movent is so complex… it's hard to make solid contact."
A decision ford instantly in Haruichi's mind.
"I'll completely give up on low pitches."
Given Mukai's movent and natural pitching force, hitting a low pitch without perfect contact would break his wooden bat.
He could only aim for the perfect sweet spot.
Haruichi's eyes flashed.
He subtly adjusted his grip, lengthening his hold on the bat.
...
Behind the plate, Kengo caught sight of Haruichi's adjustnts.
His sharp eyes glinted with a subtle understanding.
"He's already making adjustnts?"
A battle of finesse and adaptability was about to begin.
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