Chapter 56: My Own

Two Outs, no one on base.

Next, Sawamura is going to face Reinhardt, the third batter from the American team.

In today's game, if there were to be an award for the unluckiest player, it would undoubtedly go to Mr. Reinhardt.

To be honest, the young man's personal skills are actually quite impressive.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be a cleanup batter on the American team.

However, when he faced off against Narumiya, he was completely outplayed by Narumiya's impeccable techniques.

This left him feeling quite humiliated.

Furthermore, since he thought less of Narumiya because of his height, his embarrassment has been amplified by the eyes of others.

Seeing the signal from Miyuki, Sawamura made a quick decision, preparing to pitch.

WHRROOSH!

Seeing the baseball coming toward him, Reinhardt didn't hesitate for a second and swung his bat.

Previously, Sawamura's fastball against Hyman had left a deep impression on Reinhardt.

That impression lingered, and the moment Reinhardt saw Sawamura's pitch, he instinctively swung his bat.

But just as he finished his swing, the baseball was still far from him.

Reinhardt's expression immediately turned ugly.

'ARRGU!!! A CHANGEUP!'

The reason he had been so humiliated before was because of Narumiya's Change-up.

Now, he was being tricked again!

Reinhardt felt utterly salty inside.

'This…THIS!!!!'

As a man, there was no way he was going to retreat under these circumstances.

Sawamura's Change-up unknowingly awakened his fierce beast.

At this point, he had already lost so much face that he didn't care about losing more.

'Come On!'

'COME ON Motherfu*ker!!!'

'If You Really Have The Guts, Throw That Change-Up Again!'

'Watch Me Blast It Back At Your Fu*King Face!'

The atmosphere at the stadium shifted, with most of the audience sensing something was different.

They watched the showdown on the field, almost expecting something to happen.

Not everyone in the Tokyo team's dugout had the same expression.

Some were gritting their teeth in frustration.

"This damn Kid!"

Narumiya's anger was almost palpable. He had seen shameless players before, but never anyone as shameless as Sawamura. (Eijun: You Are The One To Talk?!)

'Did he think he could just copy my Change-up like that?'

"If you're really capable, just throw an identical ball!"

As if everything had been predestined, Sawamura's second Change-up came.

'HERE…YOU…ARE!!'

Reinhardt's muscles trembled as he saw Sawamura's pitch.

At this moment, he wasn't sure whether Sawamura's Change-up was like the one Narumiya threw.

'Would it dive down at the last second?'

'Would it dive? Or not dive?'

In the end, Reinhardt decided it wouldn't dive, since not everyone could throw a pitch like that.

'Now!'

With a Change-up of Sawamura's speed, Reinhardt was confident he could wait until the ball was closer and then swing.

The timing seemed perfect, and just as his bat was about to meet the baseball…

'…no.'

Reinhardt froze.

The baseball suddenly dropped after entering the strike zone, following a path that was almost identical to Narumiya's pitch.

'How is that possible?'

'Could it be that this guy can also throw that weird Change-up?'

Snap!

"STRIKE!!!"

The scene unfolded exactly as the spectators had imagined.

The thousands of fans at Hachioji Stadium fell into complete silence.

They watched in disbelief as the scene before them seemed like the birth of a miracle.

'Damn It!!'

'God Damn It!!!'

Reinhardt kept denying everything in his mind over and over again.

But in the end, reality won out.

Sawamura had indeed thrown a pitch that looked exactly the same.

This didn't surprise the Tokyo team, including Narumiya.

They had already witnessed this when they played against the Tokyo University team.

So, when Sawamura did it again, they accepted it easily.

What they were really looking forward to wasn't this pitch, but the third type of Change-up.

Could it be that Narumiya's ultimate stunt had been completely copied by Sawamura?

The thought alone seemed insane.

They could only watch intently as Sawamura prepared for the next pitch.

If Sawamura really managed to do this…

The consequences were unimaginable.

The players, filled with awe and anticipation, kept their eyes fixed on Sawamura on the pitcher's mound.

Before throwing the final pitch, Sawamura glanced at Narumiya in the dugout.

Even though Narumiya looked like a mess right now shouting in the dugout like a maniac, not a player,

Sawamura knew exactly what Narumiya was: a genius!

Narumiya didn't have Sawamura's pitching style, so he couldn't freely create Change-ups at will.

But even so, Narumiya had developed his Change-up to a high degree.

He was a monster.

Before Sawamura's return to the past, his change-up didn't reach this level until later in his career.

Narumiya had already surpassed the path he was supposed to follow, reaching a level no one could predict.

Even Sawamura had to admire that.

Sawamura couldn't copy Narumiya's Change-up completely.

But that didn't mean Sawamura couldn't come up with his own.

Since he couldn't replicate it, he could create his own.

He lifted his right foot high, then slammed it down. At the same time, his right-hand mitt, pushed forward like a wall, while his left hand whipped like a whip.

This time, Sawamura used the "OK" grip, and his wrist sank slightly as he gripped the ball.

'The next is my original!'

'Ghost Change-up!!!'

Whoosh!

When Sawamura released his final changeup, Reinhardt's eyes almost popped out of his head.

'Again, A Changeup!!'

He had a premonition about this pitch.

'Would it drop? Or wouldn't it?'

The two possible changes crossed his mind, and in the end, Reinhardt gritted his teeth, aiming for the sinking change-up, and swung his bat.

He didn't believe he couldn't hit it!

The baseball came right toward him.

His bat whistled through the air, aiming very low!

However,

The bat that was about to touch the ball,

Suddenly seemed to phase through it…

'EH…?'

The sinking ball actually sank even further!

By almost six centimeters, like it was diving toward the plate.

'How can this…!'

At that moment, Reinhardt was completely devastated.

Snap!

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!!"

The wonderful stunt appeared once again.

…