<87> Strikeout! Strikeout!! Another Strikeout!!!

Chapter 87: Strikeout! Strikeout!! Another Strikeout!!!

"155 kilometers per hour!"

Before the two teams even faced off, Inashiro Industrial High School's players and supporters had thoroughly researched everything about Furuya's pitching.

According to their intel, throwing a 155 km/h fastball wasn't easy for Furuya.

It seemed like he had only thrown that speed once before.

Under these circumstances, Inashiro's players and their supporters naturally assumed it was a fluke.

They thought it was Furuya going beyond his limits.

Although his average velocity was high, there were still pitches that dipped below 150 km/h.

As long as Inashiro's batters could time their swings correctly, they believed they had a good chance of hitting Furuya's pitches.

This was why Inashiro's players weren't completely despairing at the start.

Even though facing pitches over 150 km/h made things difficult for them, they still had a chance.

Just to be safe, the team had devised a strategy to wear down Furuya's stamina.

After all, hitting his pitches would require some luck.

But with the pride that Inashiro Industrial carried, they wanted to win based on skill, not luck.

Relying on luck to win a game would be embarrassing for the reigning champions of West Tokyo.

However, the situation had now changed.

To break Seidou's rhythm, they were willing to rely on a bit of fortune.

Unfortunately, luck didn't seem to be on their side.

Furuya's velocity had somehow risen to another level at this critical moment!

"How is something like this even possible?"

Inashiro's players were shaken to their core, a sense of dread creeping over them.

The unease in their hearts was growing.

"It's just one at-bat. No big deal. If you can't hit it, just leave it to this genius!"

The batter behind Harada was Inashiro's ace, Narumiya.

Like Furuya, he was an all-around player. Not only was his pitching top-tier in the Kanto region, but his batting skills also sent shivers down opponents' spines.

Seeing his teammate struggling, Narumiya tried to offer some encouragement.

Harada, standing in the batter's box, felt a vein throb on his forehead.

"Shut up and watch!"

Facing pitches over 155 km/h, Harada found it hard to believe.

A first-year freshman, only 15 years old, throwing with such terrifying power?

It felt unreal to Harada.

But no matter how hard it was to accept, he had no choice but to face the reality in front of him.

The opponent standing on the mound truly possessed this monstrous velocity.

"The key is to wait for a pitch I can hit. His speed won't last forever."

Harada shook his head, clearing away unnecessary thoughts, and focused all his attention on Furuya.

However, on the mound, Furuya's expression remained completely emotionless.

As soon as the ball was thrown back to him, he immediately set up again, his motion fluid as always, and the ball flew out of his hand with a roar.

Harada's face grew even paler.

He had hoped for a pitch slower than 150 km/h, but to his shock, there wasn't a single one.

Pop!

"153.5 kilometers per hour!"

"Strike!!"

Furuya had thrown two consecutive pitches at this blistering speed.

Inashiro Industrial High School's supporters felt chills running down their spines.

They had seen plenty of strong and talented players before. As fans of Inashiro, they had even witnessed the top teams and the best high school players nationwide at Koshien Stadium.

However, even compared to those players, Furuya stood out.

His pitching velocity was effortless and natural, showing no signs of strain.

"Even that guy didn't make it look this easy, did he?"

"And remember, he's just a first-year rookie."

This was the most frustrating part for Inashiro's supporters: a mere first-year had such a terrifying level of dominance on the field.

With Furuya's incredible speed alone, 99.9% of his opponents couldn't even hope to compete.

As the fans were silently marveling at Furuya's performance, he threw his third pitch.

Whoosh!

Once again, the pitch's speed was monstrous.

Harada gritted his teeth and swung his bat, but unsurprisingly, he didn't make any contact.

Pop!

"Strike!"

"Strikeout!!"

In that moment, the entire Seidou High School dugout erupted into celebration.

No one on the team had imagined that Furuya would deliver such a stellar performance on the mound.

They all knew how fast Furuya's pitches were, and they were aware of his remarkable skill.

But Inashiro was their opponent, a team that even Seidou found extremely difficult to handle.

Inashiro was the powerhouse of West Tokyo, one of the strongest teams in the nation.

Yet, even a team like Inashiro seemed powerless in front of Furuya's overwhelming pitching.

"Even if this Kanto tournament exposes him, it doesn't matter. In the summer tournament, Furuya will still give Inashiro a headache."

Seidou's loyal supporters suddenly felt an immense sense of confidence.

Furuya, after all, was only a first-year player with many areas needing improvement.

But at the same time, his potential for growth was nothing short of incredible.

Even if Inashiro's players adjusted to facing Furuya now, there was no guarantee that they'd face the same Furuya in the summer tournament.

Whoosh!

Meanwhile, Inashiro's fifth batter, Narumiya Mei, stepped up to the plate.

Despite seeing his teammates struck out by Furuya, Narumiya showed no fear. He swung with all his might at every pitch.

However, his bat never once connected with the ball.

"Strike!"

"Strike!!"

"Strike!!!"

"Strikeout!!"

"Strikeout!!!"

"Three up, three down!!!"

Not only did Harada and Narumiya strike out, but the sixth batter didn't stand a chance either.

Three batters, three up, three down.

"Wow!"

"Six consecutive strikeouts!"

"And the opponent is Inashiro Industrial? Furuya is insane!!"

The crowd in the stands was in awe, but the reporters had noticed something even more terrifying than the fans.

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