Showdown on the Riverfront

Akashi: No f***ing way, you're dating Sakura, like the class president.

Ichiro: Yup, now don't go around telling everyone. We don't want unnecessary attention.

Hiro: Bro, if people get a wind of this, you're gonna be a hot mess.

Ichiro: Thats is why you have to keep it under the wraps. Understand?

The two boys nodded as they walked back home from today's practice.

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At home.

Ichiro- Status!

[Showing status]

Name: Ichiro Watanabe

Age: 15

Gender: Male

Level: 4

Strength: 11

Speed: 14

Endurance: 15

Agility: 12

Dexterity: 12

Baseball IQ: 19

Abilities: (Function locked till level 5)

Elixirs: 2500

[Status Shown]

Ichiro- I've finally got enough elixirs! Shop! Purchase power curve ball!

[Purchased Power Curve Ball for 2500 Elixirs]

[Remaining balance is 0 Elixirs]

Ichiro- Show types of balls!

[Types of balls available]

Fastball: B+

Cutter: B-

Power Curve: D+

Ichiro: A power curve ball at D+! That should really help to mix up my pitches. The great thing about a power curve is that it breaks downwards like a normal curve ball, but it retains its speed, so batters are convinced it is a normal fastball.

*Phone buzzes*

Ichiro: Hey whats up Sakura?

Sakura: Done your homework?

Ichiro: Nope. Give me your answers.

Sakura: Hey, do you homework yourself! I only wanted to ask if you were facing any issues.

Ichiro- Yeah i'm facing issues, the only problem is that I'm facing issues with all the questions.

The two started laughing and in the end Ichiro convinced Sakura to give her homework, on the condition he would do his homework by himself next time.

After their interaction, Ichiro ate a quick meal and went to the decided venue for the showdown versus Hiroki.

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Hiroki: So you've come.

Ichiro: I said I would didn't I? Hi there Todoroki, I assume you will be catching.

Todoroki: Yes but I won't give any signals, its a showdown between you two.

Ichiro nodded and wore his glove, swing his arms back and forth, to warm them up. After warming up for a couple minutes, Todoroki and Hiroki stepped in the batter's cage.

At the batting cage did not have a mound, the batter would have the advantage. Ichiro was completely aware that he would not have the height advantage against the batter, so throwing with speed was of great importance.

Todoroki: Play!

Hiroki: Come.

Hiroki was emitting a great wave of pressure, so to start his pitching relay, Ichiro threw a fastball to the outside. However, due to his impressive batting eye, he did not swing and it was called a ball, 1-0 in the count.

Since Hiroki had a great eye, he would not swing at balls and throwing a meatball would result in a homerun or hit. Ichiro had to be careful and used his first breaking ball as his second pitch. He threw a cutter low and outside, barely missing the strike zone. Count was 2-0.

Hiroki POV

End of POV

Ichiro threw a fastball high and inside, surprising Hiroki, who left it as he thought it was a ball.

Todoroki: Strike one!

Ichiro threw another high and inside pitch, which Hiroki fouled, making the count 2-2. Both pitcher and batter released their aura, and Ichiro threw his final pitch as a cutter high and outside. It was a perfect pitch and Hiroki completely misjudged where the pitch would be thrown.

Todoroki: Strike three! Batter out!

With that the first victory went to Ichiro, and the batter and pitcher continued their battle until Ichiro had thrown well over 120 pitches. It was a convincing victory was Ichiro as he allowed the blond-haired clean-up batter to only get 3 hits, while also not revealing his power curve.

Panting heavily, the boys collapsed on the grass underneath them, after all they had been playing non-stop for the past one and a half hours or so.

Hiroki: I lost this time. Your pitch is has become much faster since you started, on the mound, you'll be even more invincible. Before, I was trying to intimidate you and see your mettle, but now you have earned my respect.

Todoroki: *smile* Nice pitching!

Ichiro: Thanks but you did get three hits. Its not like I won by a massive margin either way.

Hiroki: If you were on the mound, the speed of your pitch would increase by a huge margin. We have a game next week against some undisclosed team as a practice game, as the captain I want to see that same energy you had today.

Ichiro: *smile* Understood cap

Hiroki smiled in response.