Chapter 235: The Genius's Hit!
Top of the sixth inning, Seido High School's baseball team is on the offense!
"Who's up to bat next?"
Sawamura looked around.
It was clear that this substitute pitcher for Seido High School's baseball team was in excellent form in every aspect.
However, right after he asked this question.
The faces of all Seido teammates instantly turned grim.
"What's going on?"
Sawamura was clueless.
Just then, he felt a sharp pain in his backside.
"Ouch!!"
Having suffered real damage, Sawamura stared in disbelief at his senior from the same dorm.
"Are you trying to kill me?"
"You idiot, aren't you the next one up to bat?"
Kuramochi shouted in frustration.
Sawamura had replaced Hiroshi and was now the team's ninth batter.
Sawamura scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Sorry, sorry..."
Although he apologized verbally, there was no sign of remorse on his face.
"I wonder what this guy's skin is made of?"
The teammates in Seido High School's baseball team's dugout were all feeling a headache.
Compared to their team's true ace.
The young man named Sawamura Eijun was really too much to handle.
Sitting at the front, the game's record keeper, Chris, shook his head with a smile, "Although he seems unreliable! It's clear that he's in good form!"
As Sawamura Eijun's mentor, Chris was absolutely qualified to say this.
Upon hearing this, the teammates of Seido High School's baseball team also nodded subconsciously.
Although compared to their team's true ace, Furuya, Sawamura still seems very inexperienced in some aspects.
But as long as you don't compare him to that first-year monster.
Just looking at Sawamura Eijun's own performance.
This little guy's performance is undoubtedly commendable.
"Let's just hope he doesn't cause any trouble in the upcoming games."
Just as the teammates were quietly discussing.
Sawamura Eijun, holding a bat, stepped into the batter's box.
Before actually starting to bat, he took a special look at the huge electronic scoreboard. It clearly displayed the scores of both teams.
2:1.
Their Seido High School's baseball team was leading by one run.
"Too little!"
Sawamura was clearly not satisfied with this score.
Standing in the batter's box, he raised his bat high.
"Previously, it was Furuya leading the way, this time let me take this run..."
This imposing declaration even startled Harada, who was crouching in the catcher's position.
The teammates in Seido High School's baseball team's dugout all had fiery gazes.
Everyone was watching him intently.
At this moment, the young man named Sawamura Eijun was undoubtedly the focal point of the entire Jingu Stadium.
Just looking at the batting aura.
At this moment, Sawamura was no less impressive than their team captain, Yuuki, or Furuya.
He gave the impression that he could send the ball flying out at any moment.
Some supporters of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team were clearly intimidated by his presence.
Originally, these supporters were cheering for Narumiya Mei, but feeling the aura emanating from Sawamura, their voices instantly softened.
At that very moment, Narumiya Mei on the pitcher's mound made his move.
"Whoosh!!"
The white baseball shot out and in the blink of an eye, it was right in front of Sawamura.
Facing the ball that suddenly appeared before his eyes, Sawamura watched as the baseball flew past him.
He took no action.
"Smack!"
"Strike!!"
Although Narumiya secured a strike.
Because Sawamura didn't swing, many fans in the stands subconsciously thought.
This little guy, who had just performed excellently on the pitcher's mound.
Might be holding back some big move?
Just as everyone was thinking this, Narumiya threw his second pitch.
"Whoosh!!"
The white baseball came rushing in.
Sawamura in the batter's box was no longer silent.
He gripped the bat tightly with both hands, mustering all his strength, and swung the bat.
"Watch this genius..."
But before he could finish those words.
The white baseball zipped past his eyes and slammed into the catcher's mitt.
"Smack!"
"Strike!!"
If it were anyone else, not having fully swung the bat before the ball flew past.
They'd probably wish to crawl into a hole.
But Sawamura didn't care at all.
"Ah, it was just a little off! Next time..."
Hearing his remark, Harada Masayoshi felt his worldview was about to shatter.
What had he just heard?
Just a little off?
Sawamura's bat didn't even come close to hitting the ball, okay?
"Whoosh!"
"Smack!!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
The final outcome was exactly as many had imagined.
Sawamura Eijun was struck out directly.
The young man wore an expression of sheer disbelief, as if given just one more chance.
He was certain he could hit the ball.
In the dugout of Seido High School's baseball team.
A group of teammates looked at Sawamura and asked with keen interest.
"Big genius! Was that your genius swing?"
Even when teased by his teammates, Sawamura remained unfazed.
"It was just a little off that time, next time I definitely..."
Hearing him confidently spouting nonsense again.
The teammates of Seido High School's baseball team were at a loss for what to do?
"Alright, as long as you're happy!!"
In the stands.
His parents and grandfather, who had come specifically to watch Sawamura pitch.
All three family members simultaneously covered their faces with their hands.
Although their child's performance on the field was unexpectedly outstanding.
Especially Sawamura's pitching! It was pleasing to watch in every way.
But at certain moments, like right now.
They still wanted to pretend they didn't know this guy.
"So embarrassing!"
"Is this the baseball he's been playing for several years?"
Hearing the adults' complaints, a pure and innocent-looking girl couldn't help but frown.
To be honest...
Compared to their casual baseball team back in the day.
The current Sawamura Eijun is increasingly resembling an outstanding baseball player.
Even when he misses a hit, completely failing to touch the ball...
His stance, and his determination to hit the ball.
These are incomparable to what they were in the past.
"You've really grown a lot, Eijun!"
The batting order returned to the first batter, Kuramochi, who had previously scolded Sawamura.
The two, being teammates from the same dorm, shared the same mindset when standing in the batter's box.
Kuramochi also glanced at the scoreboard.
Then he muttered softly, "Not enough, it's completely not enough!"
With a score of 2:1, even with such a significant advantage, they were only leading Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team by one run.
Despite Sawamura Eijun's commendable performance just now.
How long can this first-year kid maintain this state?
Everyone in Seido High School's baseball team was uncertain.
They didn't know, and couldn't imagine.
In this situation, if they wanted to ensure absolute certainty.
The only thing they could do at this moment was to score as many runs as possible.
"What I can do is replicate the scoring from the first inning!"
Kuramochi pondered, his bat already raised high.
If there was an opportunity, he would definitely take a swing.
"Intentions are too obvious!"
Crouching in the catcher's position, Harada easily discerned Kuramochi's intentions.
But merely figuring it out was meaningless for them.
Their most important goal was to deal with this speedster.
"What do you think?"
Harada looked up at his partner.
Perhaps due to the between partners, Harada could clearly sense the aura emanating from Narumiya Mei...
It's hard to pinpoint the reason.
But Harada could feel that his partner seemed different...
The boy on the pitcher's mound seemed to have entered some kind of demon state.
The baseballs he pitched felt like pre-programmed trajectories.
There would be no deviation at all.
Just as Harada was thinking this, Narumiya on the pitcher's mound moved.
As smooth and fluid as ever.
"Whoosh!"
The white baseball shot out and in the blink of an eye, it was right in front of them.
So fast!!
Although the speed gun showed the ball was only traveling at 149 kilometers per hour.
Harada could still distinctly sense that the speed of this pitch was extraordinary.
And indeed, that was the case.
Kuramochi, standing in the batter's box, was clearly underprepared when facing this pitch.
Despite swinging with all his might.
Despite his bat successfully making contact with the ball.
"Ping!"
Harada could still feel that the opponent was like prey caught in a spider's web.
Kuramochi had nowhere to escape.
The white baseball that was hit flew as if guided by some unknown force, straight towards Inashiro Industrial High School's second baseman.
The second baseman of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team raised his glove and effortlessly caught the ball.
"Smack!"
"Out!!"
The fans in the stands erupted in excited cheers.
The teammates in Seido High School's baseball team's dugout had long lost their smiles.
The game had now almost entered its latter half.
Facing them, Narumiya had pitched for so many innings.
According to everyone's initial thoughts, this ace of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team, even if not at the end of his strength.
Should be close to it.
But the Narumiya they felt was as if he had just stepped onto the field.
His pitching energy was incredibly vigorous.
Moreover, the balls he pitched felt increasingly sharp.
"Too bizarre!"
Unusual occurrences often indicate something strange.
At this point, the teammates of Seido High School's baseball team clearly sensed that something was off.
The ace of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team felt as if he had suddenly activated a cheat code.
Chris in Seido High School's baseball team's dugout was also frowning.
They had heard many legends about players suddenly improving during a game.
Even the teammates of Seido High School's baseball team had witnessed some.
But most of what they saw were cases of accumulated potential suddenly being unleashed.
For players already at the top, taking a step further is undoubtedly extremely difficult.
Because they are already at a very high level, which almost reaches the ceiling of their own abilities.
Taking another step forward naturally isn't that easy.
To draw an analogy, if a student scored fifty points in the last monthly Chinese exam and suddenly improved to seventy or eighty points in the next.
That's quite normal.
This is about a student who scored ninety points in a Chinese exam, suddenly wanting to jump to ninety-nine, or even surpass ninety-nine.
That's almost impossible.
The current feeling Narumiya gives them is just as abnormal.
A player who originally could score ninety, suddenly scoring a hundred.
Just as Chris was having this thought, the duel on the field continued.
Haruichi Kominato, who stepped into the batter's box, although successfully replacing his brother.
His performance was clearly not comparable to that of his demon brother.
Despite the young man's eagerness to hit the ball, Narumiya gave him no chance.
"Ping!"
After the white baseball was hit, it flew forward a dozen meters, landed, and bounced into the first baseman's glove.
"Smack!"
"Out!"
"Three outs, switch sides."
The game moved to the bottom of the sixth inning, with Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team on the offense.
The first to step into the batter's box was their team's ninth batter.
"Come on!!"
The main players of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team are hardly weak.
They are not only a top national prestigious school but have also achieved outstanding results in recent years.
This inevitably gives them a unique advantage in recruitment.
It's no exaggeration to say that in Tokyo, the caliber and talent of the players recruited by Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team are the highest.
Then, after several rounds of competition among these the chosen ones.
Those who finally appear before everyone are inevitably some outstanding individuals.
Take, for example, this ninth batter of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team.
Although he is not particularly outstanding among the main players of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team.
But back in the day, he was also their junior league's cleanup hitter.
With this pride in his heart, even though he knew Sawamura's previous performance was extraordinary.
The young man had no intention of giving up.
"The pitcher's speed isn't that fast; as long as I get the timing right, I can definitely hit the ball!"
However, just as the ninth batter of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team was fully prepared in his mind.
He saw Sawamura's pitch.
"Whoosh!"
Due to the body's obstruction, the batter couldn't see Sawamura's release point at all.
By the time he saw the baseball flying towards him, it was already in front of him.
Fast!
Much faster than he had anticipated.
The baseball flew past his eyes in the blink of an eye.
During this process, the ninth batter of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team didn't have time to react at all.
"Smack!"
"Strike!"
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