Chapter 412: The Brilliance of Ouya in the Battle Against Seidou
As expected, his pitch control is tricky.
This pitcher's control is just slightly inferior to Taiyou's.
Eijun narrowed his eyes slightly.
He choked up on the bat a little. The pitch velocity wasn't overwhelming, so the best approach was to focus on precision rather than power.
"Whoosh!"
The pitch came in low, its sharp trajectory cutting through the air.
In this first inning, Wakabayashi Gou was already going all out.
He knew all too well—even if he looked down on Seidou's power hitters, believing they only relied on brute force, a powerhouse was still a powerhouse.
Especially a team like Seidou.
Holding back even slightly could be fatal.
Haruichi's hit earlier had already served as a warning.
A moment of hesitation, a slight miscalculation, and he would be the one paying the price.
Like a blazing fire, Wakabayashi's pitch came in aggressively, pressuring the batter.
At the plate, Eijun's pupils tracked the ball's trajectory.
His grip tightened, his stance firmed up, but he didn't fully unleash his swing.
He lowered his elbow into the optimal position.
And when the ball neared—
"Boom!"
Like the blast of a cannon, his foot stomped down.
His arms swung with full force.
"Whoosh!"
A thunderous crack split the air.
"Bang!!"
A brilliant streak shot forward.
The ball soared into the sky.
On the mound, Wakabayashi's expression changed instantly.
In left field, Ouya's left fielder, Maki, sprinted toward the ball.
The white blur disappeared into the sky.
"Ohhhhhhh!?"
Cheers erupted with excitement—
Only for the ball to fall just outside the foul line.
"Thud!"
A dull sound echoed as it hit just beyond the boundary.
"Foul ball!!"
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Regretful groans erupted from the Seidou stands.
Meanwhile, on Ouya's side, every player exhaled in relief.
Even Wakabayashi, unconsciously, let out a breath.
That was close.
If that ball had landed fair, the runner on first would have easily made it home.
A single swing had enough force to change the game.
Wakabayashi clenched his jaw as he glared at Eijun.
"Damn it..."
Eijun himself sighed inwardly.
"Just a little off..."
If the angle had been slightly different, that ball would have been in play.
But at least now, he had a better read on the pitcher.
The second pitch—
"Whoosh!"
A bright streak shot toward the inside corner.
Eijun's pupils contracted sharply.
He quickly leaned back to evade.
"Pop!"
The ball just barely grazed Eijun's hair as it whizzed past, landing in the Ouya catcher's mitt.
That sharp, chilling aura sent a brief shiver through Eijun's heart.
That was way too close.
"Ball!!"
A high inside fastball.
This guy really isn't afraid to go all in.
Eijun's sharp eyes locked onto the mound.
Wakabayashi casually lifted the brim of his cap, his face showing zero remorse or concern.
Then, with an infuriatingly light tone, he muttered:
"My bad."
This bastard.
Eijun's lips curled into a smirk of restrained fury.
Alright, just you wait. I'll send your mitt flying along with your next pitch.
A rare fire lit up in Eijun's eyes.
The third pitch—
"Whoosh!"
Another bright streak sped toward the plate.
Eijun's eyes narrowed.
He abruptly halted his swing.
"Pop!"
The ball landed cleanly in the catcher's mitt.
"Ball!"
A borderline low inside pitch.
Eijun didn't even flinch.
On the mound, Wakabayashi frowned slightly.
Behind the plate, catcher Sumi gave a small nod, keeping his mitt positioned inside.
Fourth pitch—
"Whoosh!"
Another inside pitch—this time, a fastball aimed straight at the chest.
"Zoom!"
As the ball came hurtling in, Eijun's eyebrows lifted.
He stepped forward.
His body tightened.
His bat remained low at his side.
A compact, almost defensive swing.
At the very edge of his reach, he controlled his bat's speed and contact angle.
"Whoosh!"
A blur flashed through the air.
"Ping!"
This time—
Eijun once again tracked the incoming pitch.
But the sensation in his hands told him—he still hadn't fully timed his swing or adjusted his angle just right.
"Whoosh!"
With a forceful follow-through, his bat whipped through the air.
The ball bounced sharply.
"Bang!"
It slammed into the ground and skipped past the first base line.
Ouya's first baseman, Kasuga, dove for it.
But he missed.
For a split second, his expression changed.
"Foul ball!"
The umpire's call followed immediately.
Kasuga exhaled in relief.
"This guy's swing is ridiculously fast… and that sound—his hits must be heavy."
He cast a wary glance at Eijun, deep in thought.
On the mound, Wakabayashi clenched his right hand even tighter.
He hadn't expected Eijun to be this difficult.
His bad pitches weren't fooling him at all.
Those last two balls had made it clear—Eijun's pitch selection was elite, one of the best in high school baseball.
Makes sense.
As a pitcher himself, Eijun naturally had an advanced feel for the ball.
"Damn, this guy's instincts are insane."
Wakabayashi found himself staring at the batter's box, feeling an unexpected pressure from that tall, poised figure.
This wasn't part of the script.
If he let this drag out any longer, Eijun might draw a walk.
Even if he got him out, it'd cost too much energy—and it was only the first inning.
He couldn't let this turn into a drawn-out battle.
Wakabayashi had planned to go all-in against Seidou's cleanup hitter, but…
Might as well test it on you first.
A cold gleam flashed in his eyes.
His right arm shifted slightly.
Behind the plate, Sumi's eyes widened.
He glanced at the dugout.
Coach Araki gave a solemn nod.
No holding back.
With a runner already on base, they needed to take control of this game right now.
Wakabayashi took a deep breath.
His gaze locked onto Eijun, brimming with intensity.
His arm swung into motion.
The entire Seidou dugout reacted in shock.
In the batter's box, Eijun's eyes widened in realization.
"This guy's secret weapon—it's this!"
Wakabayashi's arm, which had been delivering pitches from a traditional overhand motion, suddenly dropped to the side.
A sidearm throw.
"Whoosh!"
A piercing streak of light shot toward the plate.
Eijun had no time left to analyze or react.
Dead center?
Outside corner?
Breaking ball?
Or a fastball?!
No—this pitch was heading into the strike zone. He had to swing.
"Whoosh!"
His bat cut through the air.
But in that split-second, hesitation crept in.
A sidearm pitch—its trajectory was completely different from a standard delivery.
"Ping!"
The instant the bat made contact with the ball, Eijun's expression darkened.
A bad hit.
"Whoosh!"
The ball shot forward, bouncing sharply off the ground.
"Bang!"
A clean, direct comebacker—right at the pitcher.
Wakabayashi smirked.
With a casual flick of his glove, he snatched the ball.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Out!"
Without hesitation, he turned and fired to first.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Double play! Three outs! Side retired!"
A brutally efficient display.
Wakabayashi, the ace, had snuffed out Seidou's offense in one swift motion.
The fangs of the beast—had begun to show.
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