<67> The Frenzied Opponent!

Chapter 67: The Frenzied Opponent!

The showdown between Seidou High School and Kokai U Sagara High School was in full swing.

Moreover, this match had developed in a way that far exceeded everyone's expectations.

Everyone initially thought that both teams were known for their offensive prowess, leading to an inevitable clash of batters, where the score would rocket up like a rocket.

However, to everyone's surprise, it was not the anticipated hitting contest but rather an unusual battle of pitchers.

Seidou High School's ace, who had previously not been regarded as a formidable player, was suddenly performing at an astonishing level today. If he were truly that good, he wouldn't have been seen as a liability for Seidou.

Today, however, it was as if he had experienced a sudden epiphany, pitching powerfully and confidently.

Kokai U Sagara's batters were completely suppressed by him; they couldn't score a single run, let alone secure a hit.

On the other side, Kokai U Sagara's situation was quite similar. After allowing one run at the beginning, their ace pitcher, Oda, seemed to suddenly switch gears, firmly keeping the Seidou High batters from scoring any chances.

As a result, by the sixth inning, the score remained at 1-0, with Seidou in the lead by one run.

In the top of the sixth, Seidou High's offense took the field.

With one out and no runners on base, it was time for Furuya to step up to the plate.

Many fans in the stands had come specifically to watch Furuya pitch.

However, given the current situation, it seemed likely that this first-year prodigy wouldn't get a chance on the mound today.

The fans resigned themselves to their second choice: as long as Furuya could showcase his talent in the batting box, they would be satisfied.

However, the Furuya who had previously stood out as a batter suddenly went silent today.

He attempted to hit the ball, but no matter what he did, he couldn't manage to secure a hit—much less a home run!

"I said it before: he had a rookie protection period."

This so-called rookie protection period was a tongue-in-cheek term from the fans.

It referred to how some new players often have remarkable performances on the field.

This phenomenon wasn't limited to baseball; it was common in many sports.

"Could it be that the legend of the monster Furuya has come to an end?"

Many people in the stands instinctively frowned.

Reflecting on the scene they had anticipated, a sigh of disappointment escaped them.

In the Seidou High School dugout, the atmosphere among the teammates was even more straightforward.

They all eagerly waited for a different outcome on the field.

However, the result they hoped for ultimately did not transpire.

Despite Furuya doing his utmost, swinging his bat with great vigor, he always seemed just a little off from making contact with the baseball.

"This guy has incredible power, but his batting skills are clearly lacking. This means he finds it challenging to connect with tricky breaking balls…"

The catcher from Kokai U Sagara sat behind home plate, envisioning the situation in his mind like a movie.

He was sure of one thing: the batters from Seidou High School were undoubtedly skilled.

Although Kokai U Sagara had not allowed any runs during the previous innings, they had also conceded several hits to Seidou.

As the game approached the bottom of the sixth inning, the Seidou High School batting lineup was nearing the end of its third round.

By this point, they had amassed a total of eight hits.

Their batting power was truly terrifying...

However, even though Furuya had previously given astonishing performances, he was not without flaws.

As long as pitches were thrown in his less comfortable zones—namely the types of breaking balls he struggled with—this young player was often at a loss.

After getting two strikes against him, the catcher decisively signaled for the pitch.

On the pitcher's mound, Oda did not hesitate and released the ball with confidence.

"Whoosh!"

The white baseball zoomed through the air.

The main catcher for Kokai U Sagara's eyes flashed with intent.

"Now!"

From his perspective, getting Furuya out hinged entirely on this pitch.

Furuya, just like previous times, gripped his bat tightly, ready to swing with all his might.

"Boom!"

As he swung, the enormous whooshing sound startled the main catcher of Kokai U Sagara.

Fortunately, he quickly regained his composure.

"It's useless! No matter how strong your swing is, if you can't hit the ball, it's all for nothing. You're out!"

He could already envision the moment Furuya would strike out.

However, to his surprise, in the face of Oda's sharp breaking ball, Furuya may not have hit the sweet spot, but he still made contact.

"Ping!"

Even just grazing the ball sent it flying.

Did it actually go out?

The main catcher for Kokai U Sagara nearly couldn't believe his eyes.

Despite his disbelief, he could not deny what was happening right in front of him.

Even if he felt uncomfortable about it, he could only swallow that bitter pill with tears in his eyes.

The white baseball soared high into the sky, seeming to vanish into the heavens.

The fans in the surrounding stands were entranced, staring at the baseball that vanished into the sky.

Could it possibly be?

Given that Furuya had previously hit a home run, the fans quickly began speculating as they watched the ball soar.

However, the ball did not fly far.

The shortstop from Kokai U Sagara had to run four or five steps forward to catch it.

"Smack!"

"Out!"

With two outs and no runners on base, the supporters of Kokai U Sagara felt a tremendous weight lift from their hearts.

"Haha, I thought it was going to be something big; turns out it was just a pop-up! I could've done that too; it's still an out…"

At that moment, the supporters of Kokai U Sagara appeared particularly unsportsmanlike.

They were all aware of how ridiculous they sounded.

Yet they couldn't help themselves, as if they felt compelled to voice their thoughts.

"Furuya, did you really put that much pressure on the opponent?"

Anyone could see that the players from Kokai U Sagara seemed shaken by Furuya's presence.

Their composure had clearly been disrupted.

After three outs, it was time for Kokai U Sagara to take offense.

This time, the players appeared to be on the verge of frenzy.

Even their coach proactively suggested building up their offense with pinch hitters.

They could no longer hold back.

"Why are the players from Kokai U Sagara acting so recklessly?"

A puzzled reporter in the stands asked.

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