Chapter 398: The Unstoppable Force of the Ugumori Battle
First pitch.
A fastball aimed straight at the chest, inside corner.
No intention of backing down. With a wide stance and a full swing, Seiichi Umemiya faced the challenge head-on, showcasing the demeanor and skill of a top-tier slugger.
The speeding light.
A foul ball toward third base.
The first pitch—a draw.
"This guy really is the most special player on their team. To react so quickly to Eijun's fastball on the first try... Not only is he strong, but he's also done thorough research on us," Miyuki thought to himself, his eyes narrowing slightly behind the plate.
Second pitch. Another inside fastball, this time a bit lower. Even if it's a ball, it's fine. Let's see how this batter reacts.
Miyuki's fingers moved subtly, signaling the pitch.
On the mound, Eijun nodded calmly.
His right leg lifted high, followed by his left arm. In one fluid motion, his foot stomped down, kicking up dust as his arm whipped forward.
"Whoosh!"
The ball shot toward home plate.
Inside pitch!
The ball's light flashed.
In the batter's box, Seiichi Umemiya's eyes narrowed sharply.
His foot stepped out, his body coiled, and his hips twisted violently, channeling all his strength into his arms.
"Swish!"
The bat swung with full force.
As it cut through the air, a sonic boom erupted.
The white ball danced.
In the next moment.
The ball darted into the strike zone.
Just as the bat came around to intercept, the ball zipped past, narrowly missing the upper part of the bat.
"Snap!"
A clear sound rang out.
The ball landed snugly in Miyuki's mitt.
"Strike!!!"
He swung at a ball that was almost a sure ball?
The moment the ball settled into Miyuki's glove, he glanced at Umemiya with a hint of surprise, a thought flashing through his mind.
This guy's going all out, no tricks, just pure power, huh? Fits his outward personality perfectly.
"Well then, we won't hold back either."
A sharp glint flashed in Miyuki's eyes as his fingers moved again, signaling the next pitch.
Low outside corner.
Time to fully exploit the edges of the strike zone to keep this guy in check.
"Whoosh!"
As the signal was exchanged.
On the mound.
Eijun's arm whipped forward once more.
In an instant, the white ball leapt from his hand.
The ball's shadow flashed as it hurtled toward home plate.
The sharpness of the pitch.
The overwhelming pressure.
Umemiya's face remained fierce, his expression unyielding.
"Boom!"
The bat swung with tremendous force, as if compressing the very air around it.
"Swish!"
A visible, terrifying shockwave rippled outward.
The ball's trajectory was direct.
A cold, confrontational aura filled the air.
"Bang!"
The moment the ball met the bat.
A deafening crack echoed.
"Whoosh!"
The ball soared into the sky, under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
"Thud!"
It slammed into the wall just outside the third-base foul line.
"Foul!!!"
"Whoosh!"
"Snap!"
"Ball!"
"Whoosh!"
"Bang!"
"Thud!"
"Foul!"
"Whoosh!"
"Bang!"
"Thud!"
One pitch after another.
Eijun poured everything he had into each throw.
Inside and outside fastballs.
Changeups and speed-altered fastballs.
His sharpest weapon, the modified cutter.
Every pitch carried an overwhelming pressure.
Eijun was giving it his all, yet Seiichi Umemiya was matching him blow for blow. It felt as if Umemiya was running on pure adrenaline.
Umemiya's state at this moment had reached a terrifying level.
He burned like a raging flame.
The ground seemed to tremble beneath him.
Every movement, every swing, seemed to pull everything into its orbit.
The last traces of ease on Miyuki's face had long since vanished. He truly hadn't expected Umemiya to hold his ground to this extent.
This ace cleanup hitter from Ugumori High.
He was constantly shattering Miyuki's expectations.
As Miyuki watched Umemiya, who now radiated an overwhelming presence.
His expression grew more serious than ever.
This was it. This was the kind of showdown he wanted. The heat was rising, the excitement boiling over. More, more, we need more! Damn it, this is insane!!!
Like a roaring beast.
After another powerful swing.
Umemiya's mouth split into a wide, terrifying grin.
It reflected in Eijun's deep, calm eyes.
Yet, it stirred no ripples within him.
Calm, excellence, wisdom, strength, finesse—every adjective that could describe an exceptional pitcher seemed to fit Eijun perfectly.
He had faced countless strong teams.
He had endured countless difficult situations, from the brink of defeat to the thrill of pulling off a desperate victory against a formidable opponent, and the achievements that came after climbing to the top.
But now, facing Ugumori High, a team that could only be considered mid-to-lower tier nationally, Eijun couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect and wariness.
Not for anything else, but for the ace of Ugumori High, Seiichi Umemiya.
Whether it was his game-winning hit against Narumiya Mei in the original story.
Pushing Seido to the brink.
Or the terrifying aura he exuded now.
Seiichi Umemiya was a player who deserved Eijun's full strength in this duel.
This was the mutual respect between aces.
I will use my strongest pitch.
To take you down!!!!
"Take him down, Eijun!"
"Go for it, Umemiya! You can do it!"
"Crush him, Umemiya!"
"Ace-sama, this is your moment!"
"Eijun, attack! Attack is your trademark!"
"We believe in you, Umemiya!"
"Seido! Seido! Seido!"
The overwhelming atmosphere, the grand scene, the endless cheers—in the top of the sixth inning, the battle connecting the middle and late stages of the game, everyone in the stadium, whether from Seido, Ugumori, or the audience, had the same thought.
This seemed to be the decisive moment that would determine the outcome of the game.
Seiichi Umemiya!
Eijun Sawamura!
A showdown! To decide it all!
The sharp light of the ball.
The explosive sound.
The dazzling light in the sky, Eijun's right leg lifting high, then stomping down.
"Whoosh!"
A five-seam fastball!
The most refined pitch in the Numbers series to date.
Also the masterpiece Eijun and Miyuki were most proud of.
This pitch.
Was the golden battery's, the gem of an ace's, finest offering to one of their most respected opponents.
Here it comes!!!
The deciding pitch.
This pitch, I will take it!!!
"Swish!"
"Boom!"
The ideals, the beliefs, the expectations of his teammates, the dreams of his closest friends, all those precious memories—every step, every moment.
Had cost him the most beautiful years of his life.
Only victory.
He, Umemiya, would not yield.
His arm whipped forward with ferocity.
An unstoppable aura.
Adding to Umemiya's menacing presence.
A clash in a fraction of a second.
A battle at close quarters.
"Whoosh!"
The ball darted into the heart of the zone.
The most primal collision.
A rising trajectory, a sharp attack.
Layered shadows.
In the next moment.
The ball's light soared, filling the sky with its brilliance, its sharpness cutting through the air.
"Thud!"
A resounding impact.
"Strike, batter out!!!"
The umpire's voice rang out, high and spirited.
The ace of diamond, unstoppable.
Three up, three down.
The demeanor of a king, fully displayed!!!
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