<29> Blowing Up the Entire Stadium

Chapter 29: Blowing Up the Entire Stadium

"BOOMM!!"

The sound of the white baseball slicing through the air echoed through the entire stadium.

The coach and players of Yokohama Kohouku were left in a state of shock after witnessing this pitch.

How could such an unbelievable thing happen? It was beyond their comprehension.

Their opponent was not some nationally renowned monster, but a first-year student, a rookie they underestimated.

Who could have imagined that this rookie, whom they took so lightly, could almost dominate the entire field with just one pitch?

"Impossible..."

The Yokohama Kohouku coach murmured to himself as the white baseball instantly traversed a dozen meters and appeared in front of the batter.

The batter from Yokohama Kohouku was certainly no pushover.

Even so, when he faced Furuya's pitch for the first time, he instinctively stepped back half a step.

That feeling made him want to find a hole to crawl into.

"It's terrifying! Everything about this is terrifying!"

From the catcher's position, Miyuki effortlessly caught the ball in his mitt, a playful smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Surprised, aren't you, Yokohama Kohouku?"

The reactions of the Yokohama Kohouku players were exactly as Miyuki had anticipated.

It wasn't just them.

Even the first-string players of Seidou High School's baseball team felt like crying the first time they witnessed Furuya's pitch in practice.

It wasn't fear, but excitement.

With such a powerful new recruit, their once seemingly unattainable dreams suddenly felt within reach.

For the pressured third-year seniors, it was like a windfall, a gift landing right on their heads.

The fans in the stands were left with their mouths agape in astonishment.

They never imagined they'd witness such a game firsthand.

"My God! Where did this kid come from?"

"I've never even heard his name before."

"What's his name?"

"Furuya Satoru!"

In that moment, the name Furuya Satoru was etched into the minds of everyone present.

As long as they didn't suffer from Alzheimer's, this scene and this name would remain with them forever.

While the casual spectators were merely in awe, the second and third-string players of Seido High School's team, especially the first-year newcomers, felt a mix of emotions.

"Seeing a fellow first-year making such an impressive impact on the field is quite a feeling," Haruichi murmured softly.

Since he wasn't a pitcher, he felt more anticipation than anything else.

If he too could become a regular player on the first string, if he could wear the blue and white jersey and compete alongside the team, how would he perform on the field?

The young man was full of expectations.

As he anticipated, he also glanced at the person beside him.

Unlike him.

In the second-string team, there was another classmate who was also a pitcher, meaning this guy was a competitor with the impressive pitcher on the field.

"Seeing your competitor perform like such a fearsome monster must not feel great, right, Sawamura-kun?" Haruichi's thoughts diverged completely from reality.

At that moment, Sawamura wasn't intimidated at all. His eyes were wide open, paying close attention to every movement on the field.

His relationship with Chris wasn't particularly amicable at the time. Sawamura even felt that his senior was deliberately putting pressure on him by having him focus so much on basic practice.

But as he watched Furuya, seeing his meticulous pitching motions and his calm coordination with teammates, an epiphany struck Sawamura.

"So that's it!"

All of a sudden, he understood why Chris insisted he focus on those foundational exercises.

Though both he and Furuya had prior experience in baseball through playing with rubber balls and had led their school teams in games, their levels were not equivalent.

Sawamura's team struggled even in Nagano's rural tournaments, usually getting eliminated early on. It wasn't for lack of improvement, but their progress was insufficient to advance further.

In contrast, while Hokkaido wasn't a baseball powerhouse, Furuya's team had achieved runner-up status there, with him as the core player and team leader.

This indicated that although Furuya's technical skills might not surpass those of elite youth league players, they were certainly above Sawamura's current level.

Compared to Sawamura, Furuya was clearly adept; he could even be considered an experienced player.

"This guy!"

As Sawamura gradually began understanding Chris's strict expectations, Chris's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"With such a formidable talent in your year group, I suggest you give up on being a pitcher."

Just as Sawamura was starting to appreciate Chris's perspective, hearing this felt like being hit by a match to a powder keg — he exploded instantly.

"You think I'm a coward like you? I'll never give up. Someone like you, who leaves immediately after practice, can never understand my determination! That guy might be strong, but I'll work hard to catch up. If one effort isn't enough, I'll give ten, a hundred times that. Someday..."

As Sawamura proclaimed his determination, a flicker of emotion passed through Chris's eyes. He turned and left without another word.

Effort clearly represented an insurmountable barrier in his heart.

"Hmph, running away, huh?"

Sawamura muttered indignantly.

Meanwhile, on the field, Furuya had a look of slight dissatisfaction in his eyes.

Ever since he started partnering with Miyuki, Furuya had unlocked all of his potential. During his pitching sessions, there was no longer any need to hold back his strength—he could pitch with full force.

However, his pitching speed seemed to have plateaued.

"This isn't right!"

"It should be faster."

As Furuya directed his teammates' positions, he pondered this. When the baseball returned to his hand, he set himself up with even more intensity than before and launched the ball with a powerful motion.

"It can be even faster!!"

"BOOMM!!"

The moment the baseball left his hand, it was like a cannonball being shot from a cannon.

Again?

At the plate, the Yokohama Kohouku player couldn't help but question everything he knew.

--------------

If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Shu_21