Whoosh!
Another sharp, dazzling pitch shot out.
The ball swerved sideways, tracing a swift, cutting arc.
Wakabayashi's pupils shrank abruptly.
A slider!?
Stepping decisively forward, Wakabayashi's eyes flashed with determination. Twisting his waist sharply and extending his arms to their limits, he forced his bat to move faster and further than should have been possible.
Swish!
Clang!
A sharp, explosive sound echoed from the collision.
Behind ho plate, Miyuki frowned slightly, clicking his tongue softly.
Whoosh!
Thunk!
"Foul ball!"
He still managed to keep up with that!?
Disbelief flickered in Miyuki's eyes.
After all, Miyuki and Kawakami had specifically planned to finish Wakabayashi off with that slider. Indeed, the batter had clearly been caught off-guard initially, his batting stance nearly collapsing entirely.
Yet, at the very last mont—
By sheer will, with a desperate twist of his arm and waist, he'd managed to reach the pitch.
"Damn, he really is a tough opponent," Miyuki muttered under his breath.
Nevertheless, Wakabayashi was still thoroughly cornered.
There was no need for risky pitches now. They could just keep steadily applying pressure, precisely placing their pitches on the edges of the strike zone and wearing him down bit by bit, eventually securing the out without any trouble.
Miyuki had no intention of taking any unnecessary risks here.
Clearly, the batter wasn't exceptionally skilled, and the situation was already firmly under Seidou's control.
With two outs, tactics like squeeze plays or sacrifice flies were completely off the table. The only lingering pressure was the runner on third base—but even that was far less threatening under these conditions.
Seidou had absolutely no reason to rush things.
Moreover, the batter was also Ouya's pitcher. Prolonging this at-bat ant draining his energy and stamina, which was undoubtedly advantageous for Seidou.
Hurrying unnecessarily could only lead to mistakes. Miyuki's judgnt was unquestionably correct here.
Whoosh!
Clang!
Thunk!
"Foul ball!"
Whoosh!
Pop!
"Ball!"
Whoosh!
Clang!
Thunk!
"Foul ball!"
Pitch after pitch, Seidou's battery showed no hurry to close this at-bat.
Contrasted with Seidou's calm, composed deanor, Wakabayashi was now drenched in sweat at the batter's box.
His increasingly heavy breathing and labored gasps clearly showed just how much pressure he was feeling from this battle.
Originally, pitching through five innings had already drained Wakabayashi considerably.
Now, with Seidou deliberately prolonging the at-bat, Wakabayashi's stamina and ntal focus were being slowly squeezed dry.
At Ouya's dugout near third base, Coach Araki frowned anxiously, concern flickering clearly across his face.
"Haa… haa…"
No. I can't fall here.
I must score one more run!
Wakabayashi's eyes turned bloodshot, his flushed face revealing an unwavering determination.
A hit—I absolutely must get a hit here.
Whoosh!
Another sharply placed pitch skimd the edge of the outside corner.
By this point, Wakabayashi wasn't bothering to discern whether the pitch was good or bad.
If it was even remotely near the strike zone, he'd swing with all his strength.
Hit it! I must hit it!
That thought had beco his single-minded obsession.
Clang!
A sharp collision. The sheer power of the pitch rattled his arms so violently that he nearly lost his grip on the bat.
Whoosh!
The ball bounced sharply off the bat.
Thunk!
"Foul ball!"
In left field, Eijun's expression turned solemn as he watched the relentless battle unfolding at ho plate.
That's already ten pitches.
He genuinely hadn't expected Wakabayashi to show such stubborn persistence at the plate.
"Is it the hunger and determination for victory?"
Watching Wakabayashi's figure at bat, Eijun felt like he could glimpse into his heart. Beneath all those strange and extre attitudes lay a boy who simply pursued his dreams with stubborn purity.
Eijun quietly reflected on this.
"You're keeping up! You're doing it, Wakabayashi!"
"Kawakami, you have him cornered. Finish him off!"
"Ace, score this run yourself!"
"Wakabayashi-kun, go for it!"
"Nori, attack! Keep attacking!"
"Finish it now!"
"Go, Wakabayashi!!!"
Why? What is this feeling?
Such excitent, fear, exhilaration, and trembling…
His heartbeat was clearer than ever at this mont.
The warmth in his palms was incredibly intense.
Whoosh!
A brilliant flash of white light.
Wakabayashi's lips cracked open into a confident, gentle smile.
"I... I ca here because I'm obsessed with victory!!!"
BOOM!!!
If he couldn't precisely seize his target—
Then he'd swing with everything he had.
It was the only choice left.
Having discarded every other impossible option—
This was his one and only correct choice!
Whoosh!
A fierce shadow of the ball ripped forward.
The sudden sonic boom roared through the air.
Ouya's ace, resolved to fight to the death, swung fiercely.
His bat blurred into a streak of tal.
BOOM!
CLANG!
The sound was sharp, exquisite—pure and piercing.
The pitch, blazing and lethal, erupted in a brilliant flash.
As the dazzling white light exploded from ho plate once more, every eye in the stadium snapped toward it, expressions shifting into astonishnt.
"Oooooooohhh!?"
Whoosh!
The ball sliced through the sky, hurtling toward left field with unstoppable montum.
"Fly!!"
"Go!!"
"Ohhhh, he hit it! Wakabayashi perfectly caught that last fastball, driving it forcefully high toward left field! Will it clear the fence!?"
The shining trajectory soared majestically through the air.
On the field of green, Eijun instantly pivoted.
As the ball flew beyond the infield, rapidly descending toward left field—
Eijun instinctively burst into motion, racing full speed toward the ball's landing spot.
"Eijun-kun!?"
"Sawamura!!!"
"Ace!!"
"Catch it!!!"
In that split-second mont—
The swiftly arcing ball—
The charging figure—
Both dugouts and the stands erupted with frenzied excitent, every spectator riveted on the unfolding drama in left field.
This hit—can Seidou stop it!?
Running at full speed, Eijun's gaze remained locked on the plumting ball overhead.
Just as it began to lose montum and drop sharply, his pupils contracted fiercely.
In that instant—
Eijun's eyes flared with unwavering intensity.
Life and death—
A mont's decision—
Only one choice remained:
Fight to the death.
Seidou, the champions—
Never retreat!!!
Eijun stretched out his glove, lunging desperately forward, leaping at full extension.
The blue-and-white figure soared through the air.
A flash of brilliance—
Far in the depths of left field—
Whoosh!
BOOM!
The ball flashed into view—
The figure crashed to the ground—
A cloud of dust erupted violently, accompanied by the thunderous impact.
In an instant, the entire stadium trembled with explosive cheers!!
----------------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon/Leonzky
Reviews
All reviews (0)