<184> Perfectly Chaotic!

Chapter 184: Perfectly Chaotic!

Top of the Fourth Inning, Yakushi High School's Turn to Bat!

"Boom!"

Before the intense showdown officially began, Raichi Todoroki, standing in the batter's box, suddenly swung his bat without warning.

In his hands, the bat seemed to possess immense power. Even a single swing from him was enough to shake the atmosphere of the entire stadium.

The spectators in the stands barely had time to react, but among Seidou High's supporters, many couldn't help but frown.

"What's Kataoka-sensei thinking?"

They understood the reasoning behind the decision to substitute players.

Whether it was for their ace or the other pitchers on the team, this was a strategic move.

For the ace, it offered a chance to rest, ensuring that he could maintain his peak performance when he returned. It also minimized the risk of overexertion and potential injuries.

From the perspective of the other pitchers, having the opportunity to gain real-game experience would undoubtedly benefit them in the future.

For the team as a whole, such substitutions would only strengthen Seidou High Baseball Club in the long run.

The fans in the stands weren't oblivious to these considerations. What they couldn't understand, however, was why Kataoka chose this particular moment.

There was no doubt that this wasn't the best timing.

It was a decision fraught with risk for the team.

"Sawamura is still just a first-year!"

"You can't say it like that. Isn't our ace also a first-year?"

Some defended Sawamura.

While that argument held some merit, the fans couldn't help but feel uneasy. After all, not every first-year was as reliable as their ace when standing on the mound.

At least, when it came to Sawamura, they didn't have that same level of confidence.

This made the situation all the more concerning.

Though no one voiced it outright, in that moment, Seidou's supporters collectively held their breaths, their hearts filled with worry and uncertainty about the upcoming game.

Amid this pressure, Sawamura stepped onto the mound.

He could feel the weight of the expectations surrounding him.

Adding to the tension was Raichi's previous swing, which was nothing short of a declaration of intent.

"So, this is what it feels like to be an ace?"

Pushed to the brink, Yakushi High had gone completely berserk.

Every player on their team seemed ready to knock the ball out of the park.

As their most formidable hitter, Raichi exuded an overwhelming aura of menace.

From behind the plate, Miyuki squinted slightly.

Unlike the average fan in the stands, Seidou's starting catcher clearly understood the rationale behind their coach's decision.

As the champions of the Kanto Tournament and the strongest contender for this summer's crown, their coach's mindset wasn't limited to just this game.

There were still the semifinals and finals to come.

While ensuring victory in this game, their coach needed to make comprehensive preparations.

Not only did he need to protect Furuya, but he also had to develop the other players.

Realizing this, Miyuki lifted his gaze to Sawamura.

"You might not realize it yet, but this is a crucial test for you!"

Sending Sawamura to the mound at this critical juncture wasn't just a show of trust—it was a trial.

If Sawamura can pass this test, he might even surpass Tanba and Kawakami to become the team's second pitcher.

This idea seemed almost unbelievable, especially to their coach.

It wasn't as if Sawamura had done anything extraordinary.

Yet, unknowingly, he had already earned the coach's trust.

Perhaps it was due to Tanba's injury or Kawakami's limitations...

Whatever the reason, this reality had taken shape.

In such a situation, what would you do?

Miyuki crouched down, opening his glove as a target.

Sawamura wound up and delivered his pitch with full force.

"Boom!"

The baseball shot forward at an incredible speed, reaching Miyuki in the blink of an eye.

Miyuki's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise when he caught the ball.

It wasn't that Sawamura had performed poorly.

On the contrary, the pitch's quality was even higher than before.

However, the ball's placement didn't match the target Miyuki had called for.

"Pop!"

Raichi, usually an aggressive batter, surprisingly held back and didn't swing.

It seemed as though he simply watched the ball flash past him.

Miyuki, catching the pitch, didn't show any signs of excitement despite its quality.

Instead, he was visibly angry.

So much so that when he threw the ball back to Sawamura, it was faster than the pitch itself.

"Whoosh!"

This startled Raichi in the batter's box.

He hadn't expected Seidou's catcher to have such a powerful throw—faster than their pitcher's pitch.

"Pop!"

Sawamura caught the ball and instantly realized his mistake.

Although Miyuki didn't say anything, it was clear to everyone that Sawamura felt apologetic.

From that point on, Sawamura strictly followed Miyuki's signals for each pitch.

In Seidou High's dugout, his teammates burst into laughter at the scene.

From their perspective, they thought Sawamura had it coming.

"Miyuki's attitude toward the two first-year pitchers is completely different."

"Well, can you blame him? Furuya's pitching leaves nothing to criticize."

Hearing this playful remark, Chris, who was quietly taking notes, shook his head.

"It's not that there's nothing to criticize."

His comment caught everyone's attention, and they turned to him in curiosity.

If Furuya wasn't flawless, why did things turn out this way?

"Furuya knows exactly what he wants and what he's capable of."

"Although his pitches seem overwhelmingly powerful, capable of dominating with pure speed alone, he never relies solely on that."

Chris explained further, "Every pitch Furuya throws is carefully thought out."

"And it's this deliberate approach that has earned Miyuki's approval."

Hearing Chris's analysis, even Ota, the team's manager, nodded in agreement.

"Each of his pitches carries intention and precision."

"That's why Miyuki trusts him completely."

"Sawamura, on the other hand, is a different story. When facing powerful opponents or high-pressure situations, he's prone to losing his composure. As his partner, Miyuki has to ensure he stays calm."

Hearing Chris's analysis, everyone's perception of Furuya changed.

The version of Furuya described by Chris and Manager Ota felt like a completely different person from the one they knew. This left them doubting what they thought they understood about him.

Meanwhile, the game continued. Despite a shaky start, Sawamura quickly regained his rhythm under Miyuki Kazuya's guidance.

However, even so, when Sawamura threw his third pitch, Raichi blasted it.

"Boom!"

"Ping!"

The baseball shot through the air like a cannonball, heading straight for the third-base line.

Masuko instinctively dove for the ball, his body moving faster than his thoughts.

But the ball still hit the ground first and ricocheted away.

Watching this unfold, Seidou's teammates felt their hearts race.

"That's terrifying!"

The spectators in the stands were even more stunned, utterly shocked by the scene before them.

No matter how much they had imagined, the reality before their eyes felt surreal.

"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!"

"How is he this strong?"

Unable to comprehend, the crowd could only blink in astonishment.

The pressure on Sawamura mounted as the duel continued.

Both Seidou's dugout and their supporters in the stands couldn't help but worry about him.

Would he be okay?

As everyone held their breath, the white baseball returned to Sawamura's hand.

Without hesitation, the boy who had just been hammered by Raichi delivered another pitch.

"Whoosh!"

Seeing the ball coming, Raichi's excitement grew.

Though he wasn't the sharpest mentally, his keen batting instincts were undeniable.

In the course of their showdown, Raichi had already picked up on Sawamura's characteristics.

As Seidou High's first-year backup pitcher, Sawamura Eijun stood out for two main reasons:

First was his unorthodox pitching form. With his body concealing his throwing arm, batters couldn't clearly see his release point, making his pitches appear faster than they actually were.

Second was his unique breaking ball. Thanks to his flexible arm, Sawamura's pitches carried unpredictable movement, causing headaches for batters.

These combined traits made Sawamura a formidable opponent—arguably no easier to deal with than Seidou's ace.

"Baseball is so much fun!"

Standing on the field and facing various opponents filled Raichi with pure joy.

"Let's send it flying!"

His excitement was electric, and his swing carried the force of a thunderstorm.

"Boom!!"

When Raichi swung with such overwhelming force, even Seidou High's most loyal supporters couldn't help but shudder.

It couldn't be helped—this opponent exuded an oppressive aura that was impossible to ignore.

Unconsciously, they all shared the same fear:

The ball would be hit.

And not just hit—it would be sent flying mercilessly out of the park!

This fear was so vivid that it felt like a foregone conclusion.

But their worst fears never came to pass.

Raichi's powerful swing, full of menacing intent, missed the ball entirely.

Not only the spectators, but even Raichi himself was stunned.

In an effort to counter Sawamura's unpredictable breaking balls—his so-called "quirky pitches"—Raichi had deliberately waited until the very last moment to swing.

But to his surprise, Sawamura didn't throw a breaking ball. Instead, he threw a pure fastball.

The pitch had no visible movement and blazed through at incredible speed, catching Raichi off guard.

His perfectly timed swing ended up being just a fraction too late.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Strikeout!"

Sawamura, who had just come in as a substitute, successfully retired Raichi, just like Furuya before him.

Seidou's fans, who had been deeply worried moments earlier, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

In fact, they were ecstatic.

There was no denying it—the players on their team were amazing.

Sawamura's performance was nothing short of spectacular.

So spectacular, in fact, that it left everyone stunned.

In Seidou's dugout, even his teammates didn't expect it. Their reactions were even more enthusiastic than when Furuya retired Raichi.

This was understandable.

When Furuya struck out Raichi, his teammates had simply marveled at his incredible pitching strength.

They had already been prepared for the result because Seidou's ace had yet to encounter a problem he couldn't solve.

Raichi being retired merely confirmed what they already knew: Furuya was dominant.

What truly astonished them was Sawamura.

Since they hadn't expected this outcome, they were even more thrilled by his performance.

In the stands, Akiko Owada, a reporter for Baseball Kingdom, was caught off guard by the overwhelming reactions from Seidou's players and fans.

"Isn't this a bit of an overreaction?" she wondered aloud.

Her skepticism wasn't entirely unwarranted. After all, Seidou High were the Kanto Tournament champions.

It wasn't surprising that their players performed exceptionally well—it was almost expected.

Hearing her comment, her colleague Fujio shook his head with a wry smile.

"You still don't understand the essence of this situation, do you?"

"What essence?"

"Sawamura Eijun isn't Seidou's ace pitcher. He's their backup. A backup pitcher who can dominate like this? Do you know what that means?"

"What does it mean?"

"It means Seidou's pitching roster is incredibly strong!"

"Seidou High has always been competitive, but when it came down to the wire, they would often fall just short in critical games. That's why they hadn't been able to reach Koshien for so long."

"Many people, including Seidou themselves, analyzed this issue and concluded that their weakness lay in their pitching."

"For years, they struggled to find the right pitchers."

"Maybe all that bad luck finally caught up to them, because this year, their fortunes have completely turned around. They've found outstanding pitchers!"

"You're talking about—"

"That's right—these two first-years. Furuya alone has already transformed the team. Now, with the addition of Sawamura, they're even stronger."

"This year's Seidou High Baseball Club is perfectly chaotic! They're bound to create a storm in West Tokyo and Koshien!"

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