<33> A True Man Stands Firm

Chapter 33: A True Man Stands Firm

"So they don't seem to be backing down; they've decided to confront us head-on?"

In Seidou High School's dugout, the teammates felt their blood boiling with excitement.

"Show them what you've got, Yuki-senpai!"

"Give it everything, Tetsu!"

By now, Yuki couldn't hear the calls from his teammates in the dugout. He stood like a mountain in the batter's box, completely still.

The tall, lanky pitcher on the mound gritted his teeth.

"Even though I'm prepared for the worst, it doesn't mean I'm going to surrender! You won't get this run!"

Using all his strength, he threw the baseball with everything he had.

Before the baseball reached the strike zone, it suddenly plunged downward.

"Here we go again!"

Seeing this, the Seidou batters felt a pang of frustration. This opponent seemed to avoid throwing fastballs altogether, relying solely on a variety of breaking balls. Moreover, the placement of these breaking balls was never consistent.

He appeared to have six types of breaking balls, which he pitched to different locations, making every pitch seem different. Even if Seidou's batters had seen the pitch once before, they still found it challenging in subsequent encounters.

That was why they had struggled to get hits off him.

Now, Yokohama Kohouku's ace seemed to be escalating his efforts even further. His breaking balls were sharper than before.

"The drop on that forkball seems to have increased."

This sudden display of dominance made Seidou's players increasingly uneasy.

They worried about the possibility of something going awry. What if Yuki made a mistake in his swing at this crucial moment?

No matter how exceptional Furuya's performance on the mound had been, they wouldn't be able to secure victory in today's game if they couldn't maintain their offensive momentum. No matter how impressive the pitching is...

All the impressive pitching could do was ensure they didn't concede more runs, not guarantee a victory.

Just as this unease crept into the players' minds, the batter, standing like a mountain, suddenly swung into action.

He was as still as a mountain, then moved with the force of a thunderstorm!

Forget about the spectators; even many of Seidou High School's own players didn't comprehend what had happened.

The bat had already connected.

"BOOM!"

The explosive sound of the bat cutting through the air startled Yokohama Kohouku's catcher.

"This guy!"

Before the catcher could process it, the bat had made solid contact with the ball. The issue that worried Seidou's players never materialized. Instead, the white baseball was struck cleanly and launched into the outfield.

"Ping!"

As the ball soared, the whole stadium erupted.

"It's through!"

"Did you see that? The Yokohama Kohouku players didn't even react!"

"That ball's speed must have exceeded 190."

"As expected of Yuki!"

"I heard that pro team scouts are already keeping an eye on him."

"It seems like Seidou High School produces a few stars like this every year. Sometimes, you have to admire them."

Yuki's powerful hit sent the ball into the outfield, allowing him to reach second base. Meanwhile, Ryousuke naturally made it back to home plate, tying the game at 3-3.

Both Seidou supporters in the stands and teammates in the dugout were visibly ecstatic.

"Awesome! That's our Tetsuya!"

"Captain!!!"

Even Furuya, who had been performing exceptionally well, felt invigorated with newfound energy. It was his first time feeling such excitement while watching a teammate bat.

Their captain, Tetsuya Yuki, though not typically talkative, was undeniably talented. Not only in Seidou but across the nation, players like Yuki were rare gems.

"Someday, I want to be like that too!" Furuya murmured to himself.

"You've got some ambition, don't you, little prodigy?" Kuramochi teased as he walked over to Furuya, throwing an arm around his shoulder.

"I'm not a little one!" Furuya retorted immediately.

Kuramochi was somewhat puzzled by Furuya's sensitivity to being called "little one."

"Haha, before commenting on others, shouldn't you take a look at yourself first? You haven't shown much in this game, Mr. Leadoff!" Miyuki stepped in to help his teammate out of the awkward situation.

"And you have the nerve to talk! As our team's key batter, you haven't contributed either," Kuramochi retorted sharply.

So far, the team had scored three runs, none of which came from the second years. They were all scored by the third-year seniors. This thought alone felt embarrassing.

The conversation ended on a sour note, and both walked away disgruntled.

While Miyuki smiled wryly, he was also quietly determined. He knew he had to make an impact. As the sixth batter for Seidou High, his turn at-bat was approaching.

The fifth batter, the third baseman, number five, Tooru Masuko, was currently up.

"Masuko-senpai, hit it out!"

If Masuko could hit the ball, whether or not he could drive Yuki back home, Miyuki was confident he could deliver the final blow to the opponent.

Facing a pitcher extremely skilled with breaking balls, Masuko's performance was eagerly anticipated. Masuko had switched to his largest metal bat, ensuring that even if he didn't hit the sweet spot, merely contacting the ball with the bat had a good chance of sending it flying.

Especially now. No matter how strong Yokohama Kohouku's ace appeared, he had already pitched many balls, and his stamina was significantly depleted. His control couldn't be as sharp as before. Additionally, after such a long game, Seidou's players had gradually started to track the ball's movement.

They were making contact. From this perspective, Masuko had a high probability of launching the ball.

"Please, senpai!"

"Zoom!"

It seemed Miyuki had some foresight about the outcome. Although Yokohama Kohouku's ace continued to throw sharp breaking balls, Masuko managed to connect with one.

"Ping!"

Even though it wasn't a clean hit, merely grazing the ball's edge, it was enough to send it flying.

At this moment, the worries of Yokohama Kohouku's ace and Miyuki's "prediction" both came to fruition.

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