<44> The 155 km/h Fastball!!

Chapter 44: The 155 km/h Fastball!!

The coach of Nada High School's baseball team felt as though he had been slapped in the face by Seidou High's baseball team.

For a long time, he couldn't even react.

As for the players of Nada High, their hearts felt as cold as ice.

Before this game, Seidou High's baseball team had developed many strategies aimed at Nada High.

Naturally, Nada High's players had done the same.

Especially when it came to facing Furuya.

After his overwhelming performance in the last game, Nada High wasn't going to ignore him.

They even borrowed a pitching machine specifically to simulate a 155 km/h fastball.

Furuya's pitches can reach 154 km/h.

Even if they could handle a 150 km/h pitch, it still wouldn't make much difference in the end.

After much thought, they decided that practicing against 155 km/h was more reliable.

They borrowed the machine, but after testing it, the Nada High players were thoroughly demoralized.

Even their team's strongest batter could only barely make contact with pitches at that speed.

To actually hit one out of the park?

That was nothing more than a pipe dream.

And remember, that was just a machine. It wasn't a real pitcher.

When they actually face off against Seidou's monstrous first-year pitcher on the field, the outcome will be even more grim.

What should they do?

Everyone on the Nada High team was at a complete loss.

It was their coach who finally stepped forward, calmly telling them there was no need to panic.

Though Furuya's full-powered pitches were indeed tough to handle, it's not like they had no solutions.

First of all:

Furuya is just a first-year high school student, fresh out of junior high.

How much stamina could he really have?

How much of Seidou High's intense training could he have experienced?

With that in mind, they could come to a pretty clear conclusion:

As long as the game drags on long enough, Furuya won't last.

So, their first goal should be to get Seidou's current ace, Tanba, off the mound as quickly as possible.

If they can manage that, everything will be fine!

Before this, Nada High had been like headless flies, completely unable to figure out how to approach their match against Seidou.

But after their coach's advice, it was as if a light bulb went on in their heads. They stopped obsessing over minor details.

Instead, they fully committed to preparing for their upcoming game against Seidou.

They had always believed that the key turning point in this game was to get Tanba off the mound as soon as possible. This had even become an obsession for them.

But now,

The Nada High players were stunned to realize how laughable their previous thoughts had been.

Who said that Seidou High's baseball team would necessarily start their ace pitcher?

"Has that monstrous first-year pitcher started?"

"With such a fastball, can he last until the end of the game if he starts now?"

Many fans concerned about Furuya also voiced such doubts.

They, too, couldn't understand why Coach Kataoka had made this decision.

Of course,

For those seeing Furuya play for the first time, they had no complaints about the current situation.

"They say Seidou's coach is as cold as ice, but look, he's quite understanding of what we all want to see!"

In the stands, many fans had pulled out speed guns.

In the previous game, when Furuya showcased his power on the field, these fans weren't prepared.

As a result, they missed recording the exciting moments at the start.

Now it was different.

They were well-prepared.

In Seidou High's dugout,

Coach Kataoka and the Seidou players had clearly noticed their opponents' unusual reaction.

"We've caught them off guard!"

"Did you see the look on Nada's coach's face? He's almost in tears!"

The players were excited.

The feeling of leading their opponents by the nose was incredibly satisfying.

Besides the thrill, the Seidou team also noticed another aspect of Coach Kataoka's strategy.

Previously, Coach Kataoka had been very assertive in directing games, but his tactics were somewhat predictable.

Of course, this was also related to Seidou's team lineup.

When the cards you have are limited, your options for playing them are naturally fewer.

At that moment, even the Seidou High players could clearly sense the struggle of their coach.

But now, it was different.

With the addition of Furuya, a simple tactical adjustment from their coach could catch the opponents off guard.

"The strategy has indeed exceeded their expectations. But whether it will be effective depends on Furuya's performance."

Coach Kataoka didn't let the praise from the surrounding players make him complacent.

His mind remained extremely calm.

He understood clearly what was most important next.

Hearing their coach's words, the Seidou High players also fell silent.

They focused their attention on Furuya, standing on the pitcher's mound.

An unexpected starting pitcher, and one under the spotlight.

"What kind of performance will you give us?"

On the mound, Furuya calmly warmed up his arm.

It was as if all the speculation around him was irrelevant.

Until the umpire signaled that it was time to pitch.

The seemingly indifferent Furuya suddenly shifted his aura.

The Nada High players were the first to notice this change.

Once they did, they felt a chill run down their spines.

The pressure Furuya exerted on the batters, the pressure he placed on his opponents, was unexpectedly strong.

Little did they know, Nada High's players had previously practiced with a pitching machine.

Facing a 155 km/h pitch, they found even making contact difficult.

Now, facing Furuya, who threw at the same speed, their sense of helplessness was even more pronounced.

"It's alright, the opponent is just…"

In Nada High's dugout, the anxious coach was trying to encourage his players.

At that moment, Furuya suddenly moved on the mound.

"BOOMM!!!"

The pitch, like a cannon shot, left Nada's leadoff batter dazed.

He didn't have time to react before watching the baseball soar past him.

"Whack!"

"Strike!"

Fans with speed guns hurriedly looked at their devices.

They hadn't even noticed that the large electronic scoreboard had been repaired.

It clearly recorded the speed of the pitch.

155 km/h!

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