Back number! Number 20!
It's not that Isashiki-senpai and Tetsuya-senpai couldn't stop his fastball, but that would be more difficult, they had to rely on some striking skills to remove part of the ball power so that they could hit his fastball and this is more physically demanding, and more taxing on their arms, unlike players like Azuma-senpai and Masuko-senpai, who themselves are powerful hitters that solve things directly with power than with skill.
For this reason, his power is also somewhat beyond the expectations of Azuma-senpai and the others. They have heard of the power of Shigeno's fastball before, and ordinary hitters can not hit. but today after actually playing, Only then did they understand that the rumors were not exaggerated at all.
Just by the power of Shigeno's fastball alone.
It is enough to suppress most of the hitters so that the hitter can not find a good angle to hit, can not resist, and even suppress the ball power, even if the timing is calculated to intercept the ball, it is impossible to knock out the hit.
Either a soft grounder is blocked out.
Or it is a slow, high fly ball, that was caught and out of the game.
Other than that.
There will be no other outcome.
"Haaa!"
"DONG!!!"
"Well, it's in good shape, let's take a break."
At the home plate, Chris-senpai once again stably caught the fastball thrown by Shigeno, and after estimating the number of balls he had just thrown, he stood up and said loudly to him who was already drenched in sweat on the mound.
"Yes, Chris-senpai."
With the clear sound, the steady catch, the right position, and the set of balls that will not have the slightest deviation, Chris-senpai that as a catcher at home plate, can bring such a great sense of stability to the pitcher, not enough, not enough pitching at all, for the current Shigeno, he still wants to pitch.
He wanted to make better pitches.
He wanted to throw a better pitch into Chris' mitt.
Even if it is an instant answer.
There was such a touch of emotion in his mind.
"Oh, don't worry, the rhythm needs to be slowed down a little bit, the pitcher, it can't just be as simple as being able to pitch."
It seems to be able to see through his inner thoughts.
Chris-senpai smiled faintly, came to his side, gently patted his shoulder, and said softly.
"Yes, I understand, Chris-senpai."
His face showed a sad look while coming answered.
"Slowly, Take your time, at your own pace, you will be able to become the main force of the team."
The light smile, the eyes with a look of encouragement, made him feel deep inside endless courage and self-confidence, Chris-senpai is such a senpai, is such a catcher, and Shigeno can tell that Kazuya is his trusted partner.
but he has in Chris-senpai, a strong sense of dependence.
Whether it is the manga description of Chris-senpai or the personal contact between himself and Chris-senpai in this life, this is a senior who is the same on the outside, a senior who is extremely respectable, and he at this moment. he understands why, in the manga, Kazuya, a guy who is sometimes a little sloppy, maintains the highest respect for Chris-senpai from beginning to end.
The reason is that Chris-senpai is such an admirable and trustworthy existence.
"Yes!!!"
Shigeno looked at Chris-senpai in front, nodded heavily, and replied, and such a Shigeno also reminded Chris-senpai of what he looked like when he first joined the team last year and made Chris-senpai's eyes deep. The look in the room softened.
he could feel the faint warmth in it.
But at the moment that he didn't notice, a faint ray of pain swept through the depths of Chris-senpai's eyes at the same time.
It seems to be normal, but also seems to be inadvertently twitching the left arm.
But the moment is filled with a slight haze.
Saturday was the official start of this year's Tokyo Metropolitan Spring Tournament.
It was also on the eve of the spring competition.
At the end of the morning practice on Friday.
He received the back number, the symbol of the first string, and his first back number at Seidou High School, number 20, from the hand of Coach Kataoka.
Of course, it was only a substitute number.
Even by the standards of the national tournament, it could not even make it to the bench, but to him, it was a very realistic number.
Because it means.
He has been recognized by Coach Kataoka.
Whether it is the existing strength or an expectation of future potential.
he is currently the well-deserved No. 1 in the 1st year of Seidou High School deservedly, as the only 1st-year student who received a back number, at such a time.
In the queue, not to mention the 1st-year students, those 2nd and 3rd-year senpais who did not join the first string, looked at him with a touch of envy in their eyes.
The short two and a half years of high school.
It was their only goal, and he had achieved it in just half a month.
It's no wonder that the senpais are looking at him with extreme admiration.
"It's not like the summer tournament, nor is its the autumn tournament. Spring is more of an ordinary tournament, but even so, this is an official tournament. I don't want to see any low-level mistakes on the field. Every game must be done to the best of your ability, and those who can't do that is not qualified to be on the field, got it?"
At the front of the queue, Coach Kataoka looked at the first string in front of him and said in a cold voice.
The words were full of admonition, which made everyone's heart sink and they answered in a deep voice.
"YES!!!"
"Then, Azuma, let's do it as usual."
Coach Kataoka nodded slightly, then looked at Azuma-senpai, who was in the center of the queue, and said softly.
"Yes, Coach!!!"
The usual one?
Just after the words of Coach Kataoka fell.
Shigeno brightened up
(the custom of Seidou High School is that one, right?
Oh oh oh oh? It's forming the circle!!!)
Among the envious expressions of the other members around, the people of the first string, including him, 20 people have slightly bowed their bodies around a circle, Azuma-senpai is standing in the center of the circle, with a solemn expression.
The right hand clenched a fist and gently hammered his chest.
The rest of the nineteen people, then the same look of solemnity with a hand on the chest, gaze leveled ahead.
"Who are we!?"
"The King, Seidou!!!"x20
"Who shed the most sweat???"
"Seidou!!!"x20
"Who shed the most tears!?"
"Seidou!!!"x20
"Are you ready to fight?!"
"Oh!!!"x20
"Bearing pride in our hearts, we only have one goal! The National Championship! Let's go!!!"
"Oh!!!"x20
A cry from the bottom of the heart, a pride that comes from the bones.
Tokyo.
Seidou High School.
The goal is - Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
The future king of the stadium is about to embark on his first battlefield!!!