Chapter 240: Shock, a ___ km/h Pitch!!
"Fifth batter, number 1, pitcher, Furuya-kun!!"
In the stands, the die-hard supporters of Seido High School's baseball team erupted in cheers.
Even though their core third and fourth hitters had been taken down by Inashiro Industrial High School's awakened ace, and the opposing team was riding a wave of momentum, these loyal fans still firmly believed that the player stepping up to the plate could change the outcome.
He was Seido High School's first-year monster!
Their true ace!!!
"Has he already gained this much admiration?"
In the dugout of Inashiro Industrial High School, the players exchanged glances.
They could clearly feel the support Seido's fans had for their ace.
It felt as though Furuya was being treated like an idol.
Even Seido's senior players rarely received such adoration.
A rookie who had only joined the team a little over three months ago, yet he had already earned such support and recognition from the fans?
"It's unbelievable!!"
"All of this kid's achievements have been earned through his own efforts. The fans' support shows just how much they expect from him!!"
The coach of Inashiro Industrial High School gave a firm response.
Clearly, the renowned Coach Kunimoto held Furuya in high regard.
Even though they were now opponents, Coach Kunimoto made no effort to hide his admiration.
"Can he really hit it?"
Hearing the question from the balding team manager, Coach Kunimoto's expression grew even more serious.
"We'll just have to see! Let's see which team's ace has the stronger resolve!"
Hearing their coach's words, all the players of Inashiro Industrial High School turned their attention to the pitcher-batter showdown.
There was no doubt about the opponent's strength.
But to think they would lose all confidence because of it?
That was unrealistic.
At this moment, the players of Inashiro Industrial High School were equally excited for the upcoming duel!
Their ace had been performing so well on the mound!
They refused to believe that a first-year rookie from Seido High School could hit every pitch?
Behind the plate for Inashiro Industrial High School.
The towering figure of Harada, even while crouching, loomed like a mountain.
He looked incredibly reliable and imposing.
As the main catcher for Inashiro, Harada had also noticed the shift in the atmosphere on the field.
Ever since Furuya stepped into the batter's box, the mood had changed.
A sense of tension and unease began to spread.
"Don't treat him like an ordinary first-year. Treat him like Yuuki!"
When it came to Furuya, Harada clearly believed that no amount of caution was too much.
On the pitcher's mound, Narumiya Mei curled his lips in dissatisfaction.
"He's just a first-year kid. Comparing him to Yuuki-senpai is giving him way too much credit!!"
Although he muttered this to himself, when it came time to pitch, Narumiya clearly didn't hold back.
Facing Yuuki, he gave it his all, pouring 100% of his strength into every pitch.
Now, facing Furuya, he poured in 100%, even 120% of his strength.
The baseball in his hand felt like an extension of his body.
Every pitching motion flowed seamlessly.
Only when the white baseball shot out did people truly feel the power behind his pitch.
"Whoosh!"
The white baseball came hurtling forward.
Watching the approaching ball, Furuya gritted his teeth.
He could clearly sense the extraordinary force behind this pitch.
Hitting it wouldn't be easy.
But waiting any longer didn't seem to make much sense either.
This "Tokyo Prince" from Inashiro Industrial High School seemed to be in an unstoppable rhythm.
His condition was at its peak, showing no signs of weakening.
In fact, with every pitch he threw, he seemed to grow even stronger.
To avoid falling into a passive position, Furuya didn't wait.
As soon as he saw the white baseball flying toward him, he swung his bat.
"Hum!"
Thanks to his explosive power, the bat cutting through the air produced a deafening roar.
It was terrifying!
But despite such a fearsome swing, he didn't even graze the ball.
"Snap!"
The ball landed perfectly in Harada's glove.
"Strike!!"
Harada, crouching behind the plate, immediately called it.
In the stands, the die-hard supporters of Inashiro Industrial High School erupted in excitement.
"So cool!!"
"As expected of the Tokyo Prince!"
For them, Narumiya's pitch had given them a huge boost of confidence.
In Seido High School's dugout.
The atmosphere was icy.
The pressure in their dugout had dropped to an all-time low.
So far, their opponent had not only taken down Jun Isashiki and Captain Yuuki but now seemed to have Furuya completely under control.
He hadn't even touched the ball.
"His pitching is so much stronger than before!"
Although the hard data, like the speed of the pitch, hadn't changed significantly, the Seido players could clearly feel the difference in their opponent.
Narumiya had always been one of their most troublesome opponents.
Now, this already formidable foe seemed even more daunting…
"Of course! That pitch was 146 km/h! And it was a breaking ball? Even at the start of the game, he couldn't pull that off."
"Not only that, he completely fooled Furuya's instincts."
Furuya had been aiming for a fastball.
That's why he hadn't even made contact.
"This is a huge problem!"
The game had reached the top of the seventh inning, and there wasn't much time left.
The score was tied.
This undoubtedly filled the Seido players with unease.
Although their ace had returned, and they didn't have to worry about his stamina until the ninth inning, the pressure was mounting.
Furuya's stamina might not compare to that of the third-year veterans, but it was by no means poor!
A high-intensity game with two innings of rest was enough for him to pitch until the end.
His teammates were confident about this.
What truly worried them was the possibility of extra innings.
If they couldn't score against Narumiya in the next few innings, the game would likely go into extra innings.
Pitching through the ninth inning wasn't a problem, but if it dragged into extra innings, they would have to consider bringing in another pitcher.
It wasn't that Seido High School didn't have other pitchers.
But for today's game, the players had their own internal scale.
The game was too intense!
Sawamura's performance had exceeded their expectations, yet even he had given up a run.
What did that mean?
It meant they couldn't afford to bring in another pitcher for the rest of the game.
Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Just as these troubling thoughts began to surface among Seido's die-hard supporters, Narumiya threw his second pitch.
It was clear that this pitch was even faster.
"Whoosh!"
The white baseball was in front of Furuya in the blink of an eye.
Watching the ball approach, Furuya tightened his grip on the bat and swung with all his might.
"Ping!"
This time, luck was on his side.
The bat finally made contact with the ball.
But the ball, after being hit, veered foul past the third-base line.
"Snap!"
"Foul!!"
One strike, one foul.
Furuya, who had just stepped into the batter's box, was already in a tight spot.
It seemed his condition was far from ideal.
Meanwhile, the players in Inashiro Industrial High School's dugout and their supporters in the stands were ecstatic.
"He's been pushed to the edge!"
"He's nothing special."
Of course, Seido's players and fans didn't take kindly to such comments.
"He's starting to make contact!"
"Next step is to hit it out of the park!"
"The one at bat is none other than Furuya!"
Unconsciously, Furuya's name had become more than just a name.
It had become a symbol, a representation.
Whenever those two characters appeared, anything could happen on the field.
"Keep going! Hit it out!!!"
As the fans from both sides clashed verbally, Narumiya on the mound threw his final pitch.
"Go to hell!!"
Though the Tokyo Prince said this, he poured every ounce of his strength into this pitch against Furuya.
He was determined to take down this opponent, more so than ever before.
The white baseball came hurtling forward.
Furuya emptied his mind, letting his instincts take over.
Feeling the ball approach, his body reacted naturally.
"Boom!!"
The swing of the bat produced a deafening roar.
Harada, crouching behind the plate, narrowed his eyes, feeling a wave of shock.
So strong!!
Before the duel, he hadn't felt this strongly.
But seeing Furuya's swing up close, as an exceptional player himself, he had the authority to judge.
He was certain—this pitch was extraordinary.
Not only was the swing fast, but it also carried an aggressive edge.
It seemed as though, in the next instant, the bat would send the white baseball flying.
Just as that thought crossed Harada's mind, the ball suddenly dipped mid-flight.
Not only that, it even bounced off the ground.
"Snap!"
Naturally, this pitch successfully evaded Furuya's swing.
"Three outs, switch between offense and defense!!!"
The final result was clear.
At this moment, the Seido High School players were deeply shaken.
The last pitch was such an obvious ball.
Yet Furuya, who was usually so composed, couldn't resist the urge to swing.
He swung at that pitch!
This blow was undoubtedly the heaviest for Seido's players and supporters.
Their hearts were truly stirred by a storm.
How was Narumiya so unstoppable?
How much psychological pressure had he put on Furuya to force him to swing at that pitch?
"Damn it!"
"Does this mean there's no hope left…"
Seido's die-hard supporters knew their team well.
If they couldn't score in the next two innings…
Then their chances of winning would be completely gone.
Once the game went into extra innings and Furuya's stamina was depleted, they would lose their opportunity entirely.
While some were worried, others were overjoyed.
Just as Seido's supporters were frowning in despair, Inashiro Industrial High School's fans were ecstatic.
Because Seido had been so dominant earlier, Inashiro's die-hard supporters had almost given up hope of winning.
Now, it seemed they had given up too soon.
As the game progressed into the bottom of the seventh inning, the situation suddenly reversed.
Bottom of the seventh, Inashiro's turn to bat.
They still had three full innings to score!
Not only that, even if they didn't score in these three innings, they had no reason to despair.
As long as the game went into extra innings, the scales of victory would tilt back in their favor.
Just thinking about it was thrilling.
While Inashiro's supporters were secretly rejoicing, Narumiya, standing in the batter's box, made a bold declaration.
"You think I'd accept that kind of outcome?"
As long as they dragged the game into extra innings, victory would be assured.
For Inashiro, this was a certainty.
But Narumiya, the Tokyo Prince, clearly wasn't willing to accept such a hollow victory.
That kind of win would only mean they had beaten Seido.
It wouldn't mean they had truly defeated Furuya.
"I'm going to hit this ball fair and square, right here!"
The fifth batter for Inashiro declared his intention to hit the ball.
Given his stellar performance on the mound earlier, no one doubted his words.
Especially Inashiro's players and supporters, who were filled with anticipation for their ace's declaration.
But it was at this moment that Furuya on the pitcher's mound made his move.
"Boom!!!"
The moment the ball left his hand, the entire stadium erupted!!
So fast!!
So powerful!!!!
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