Ryan on the Mound (1)

WHOOOOOSH

PAH!

"Strikeout!"

"3 outs, changeover!"

Ken's 9th pitch was a fastball straight out of hell. It thundered into Daichi's glove, putting an emphatic exclamation point on an immaculate inning. 9 pitches, 3 strikeouts, but perhaps the most shocking part was the speed on the final pitch.

"108mph!? I can't believe it!"

"He broke his record again…"

"Ken just keeps getting faster. Just what is his limit?"

The murmurs and cheers intermixed, creating a bustling atmosphere. As Ken walked back to the dugout, he felt a surge of confidence from within.

This only increased upon seeing his grandfather wearing a proud smile. The older man didn't say any words, simply patting him on the back on his way past.

In the other dugout, the unfortunate lead-off batters who faced Ken were busy scratching their heads. They had faced Ken before in game 1, but something seemed to have changed.