Chapter 158: <158> Furuya’s Batting Power!
Chapter 158: Furuya's Batting Power!
The sun hung high in the sky, mercilessly beating down on the players on the field.
The atmosphere between the two teams in the game was anything but pleasant.
Furuya, who had just finished pitching, returned to the dugout, gulping down water in large quantities.
In the Seidou High baseball team's dugout, his teammates glanced at him with unease.
Although Furuya had been diligently doing endurance training, breaking long-ingrained habits wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight.
In his life, he had never experienced temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, let alone competed under such conditions.
"We need to take down this pitcher as soon as possible. We can't let him keep giving us trouble."
With their ace encountering difficulties and needing time to recover, the rest of the Seidou team naturally stepped up to offer full support.
"Our job right now is to help our ace conserve as much energy as possible."
The objective was clear, but achieving it was no easy task.
Seidou's core power hitters had already stepped up to bat earlier, yet their results had been less than ideal.
In this situation, the Seidou players were well aware that taking down their opponents—especially Akikawa Academy's ace pitcher—wasn't going to be as simple as they had hoped.
"That's precisely why we need to find a way to make it happen."
In the dugout, everyone displayed unwavering determination.
"Ugga, ugga!!"
Masuko, who was about to step into the batter's box, didn't say much, but his demeanor made his resolve to send the ball flying crystal clear.
"That guy's control is tricky, senpai. Be careful…"
Before Masuko walked out, Kuramochi, his roommate and junior, couldn't help but remind him.
Truth be told, from the perspective of Seidou's players, they desperately hoped Masuko could connect with the ball and deliver a strong hit.
But after analyzing the situation, most of them remained skeptical about the odds.
Bottom of the second inning, Seidou's turn to bat.
On the pitcher's mound, You Shunshin maintained his usual calm demeanor.
Even when facing Seidou's batters, the ace of Akikawa Academy showed no visible signs of emotion or nerves.
This caught the attention of Fujio Mine, a senior reporter from Baseball Kingdom Magazine, who praised him enthusiastically.
"The ace pitcher from Akikawa Academy has the composure of a seasoned veteran."
The match between Akikawa Academy and Seidou High was a classic showdown between an underdog and a powerhouse.
In such games, if the key player of the weaker team couldn't stabilize the situation on the field, the outcome would undoubtedly be bleak and disheartening for them.
This was obvious.
Typically, the key players of an underdog team would push themselves to adopt a more aggressive and assertive attitude on the field.
But You Shunshin didn't follow that pattern.
Even as the weaker side, his performance could only be described as textbook.
He didn't overestimate his opponents.
Instead, he performed steadily, as though this was just another routine game.
His composure, combined with the current scoreline, had a clear influence on the other players of Akikawa Academy.
In fact, they seemed to draw inspiration from their ace.
They began to realize that even when facing a nationally renowned powerhouse—the champions of the Kanto Tournament, no less—they weren't as invincible as the legends suggested.
As long as they could maintain steady performance, there was a chance—even a slim one—that they might find an opportunity to turn the game around.
Even though the chance was minuscule, perseverance could eventually lead to that breakthrough.
With this belief in mind, even in the face of unfavorable circumstances, they might be able to hold on for a long time.
Once they stabilized the situation, the team's morale would only grow stronger.
Standing nearby, Akiko Owada nodded in agreement with her senior's analysis.
"Exactly! You Shunshin is amazing!"
Hearing the comment from his attractive assistant, Fujio, however, wore a puzzled expression.
He couldn't quite grasp how his assistant managed to pick up on this so easily.
After all, in the world of journalism, very few could match his sharp eye for detail.
Could it be that this assistant of his was also a rare baseball genius?
"You think You Shunshin's abilities are truly exceptional?" Fujio asked.
Akiko nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course! He looks so cool with his glasses!"
Hearing her excited response, Fujio felt an involuntary urge to roll his eyes.
"So, you're just a glasses enthusiast?"
"Senior, you're amazing! How did you know?"
Faced with Akiko's innocent gaze, Fujio lost all interest in continuing the conversation.
Compared to chatting with her, he found himself far more intrigued by the unfolding developments in the game.
The match continued, and Masuko stepped into the batter's box with a determined, predatory look.
His physique was incredibly strong. In terms of raw hitting power, he was even better than their team captain.
Even if his batting wasn't perfect, as long as he connected with the ball, there was a good chance it would fly far.
Among the players in Seidou's dugout and the supporters in the stands, there were many who valued power above all else.
To them, strength was everything.
Naturally, expectations for Masuko's at-bat were high.
From the dugout to the stands, cheers and encouragement for Masuko echoed non-stop.
However, amidst this charged atmosphere, You Shunshin cleanly and decisively struck Masuko out in just two pitches.
"Ping!"
The ball Masuko hit soared high into the sky before coming down hard.
Akikawa Academy's second baseman was already waiting beneath its trajectory.
Effortlessly, he caught the ball in his glove.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
One out, no runners on base.
Seidou's dugout was enveloped in a stifling silence.
"Not only were all his pitches aimed at the edges, but they were also in zones Masuko-senpai struggles to hit. In this situation, Masuko-senpai's power couldn't even be brought into play!"
Seidou's players quickly realized the truth behind the matchup.
But after uncovering this truth, they were left even more speechless.
The ace of Akikawa Academy seemed to be far more troublesome than they had anticipated.
Not only was his pitching skill exceptional, but he had also thoroughly studied Seidou's players.
Although his pitches only reached speeds slightly over 130 km/h, the combination of You Shunshin's precision and strategy posed a significant threat to Seidou High's batting lineup.
Batting Sixth: Catcher, No. 2, Miyuki Kazuya!
Following Masuko's flyout, it was now Miyuki's turn to step up to the batter's box.
As he stood in the batter's box, Miyuki exuded a commanding aura, giving the impression that he was determined to send the ball flying.
The stands and dugout erupted with cheers once again.
Even though Miyuki's batting average with no runners on base was fairly average, his immense popularity couldn't be denied.
Regardless of the situation, there were always people cheering for him.
"Some people just have all the luck. I can't believe this scheming guy is so popular," Kuramochi muttered sourly.
Despite being teammates and both starting players, Kuramochi often found Miyuki's on-field antics irksome and naturally took the opportunity to complain.
The others, however, chose to ignore his comments. After all, what could they do?
Arguing with Kuramochi rarely ended well for anyone, except perhaps for Jun Isashiki or Ryousuke Kominato, who were skilled at handling his sharp tongue.
But with both Jun and Ryousuke fully focused on studying their opponents, no one else bothered to engage Kuramochi.
Although their confidence in Miyuki's chances wasn't particularly high, the Seidou players still focused intently on the duel unfolding in front of them.
They watched as Miyuki let the first pitch go by without swinging.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
In the stands, Seidou's die-hard supporters quickly explained the situation to those around them.
"It's just the first pitch; he's being cautious."
"After all, Akikawa Academy's ace isn't a pushover…"
The explanation seemed reasonable, and both the neutral fans and Seidou's own players accepted it.
But then came the second pitch.
This time, it was another corner ball. Miyuki didn't wait but decisively swung his bat.
The next moment, the ball and the bat missed each other.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
Two strikes, no balls.
The batter was in a tight spot.
Even Seidou's most loyal fans, who usually relied on positive spin to keep morale high, found themselves struggling to explain away the situation.
The neutral fans, already impressed by You Shunshin's earlier matchups with Seidou's core batters, now fully grasped how exceptional Akikawa Academy's ace was.
As the game progressed, Akikawa's players, who initially seemed to be at a disadvantage, performed better and better.
The entire Akikawa Academy team seemed to radiate a newfound vitality.
While Seidou's die-hard supporters refused to waver in their loyalty, neutral fans began to see Akikawa in a new light.
For many of these neutral fans, Akikawa Academy was becoming the team worth rooting for.
This team gave off a completely different vibe.
Their vitality, their refusal to give up, and their bold challenge against a stronger opponent…
All of it left a lasting impression on everyone watching.
And it was at this moment that You Shunshin threw his third pitch.
"Whoosh!"
Once again, the ball landed at the bottom of the strike zone!
Seeing this pitch, Miyuki gritted his teeth.
"Not a single pitch is easy to hit! Just as I thought!"
He swung the bat with full force, and this time, the bat finally connected with the ball.
"Ping!"
But the ball flew forward only a few meters before being intercepted.
"Pop!"
You Shunshin reached out with his glove and caught the ball cleanly.
"Out!"
Two outs, no runners on base.
While Seidou High's pitching lineup was as dominant as ever, Akikawa Academy's performance was equally remarkable.
You Shunshin, the ace of Akikawa Academy, had needed only five pitches to secure two outs.
Even Seidou's nationally renowned power hitters couldn't gain an inch against him.
Initially, the fans in the stands were either loyal supporters of Seidou or neutral spectators.
Very few had come specifically to cheer for Akikawa Academy.
But now, after witnessing You Shunshin's incredible performance on the mound, some spectators couldn't help but voice their support.
"What an amazing pitch!"
"Keep it up! We're rooting for you!"
On the mound, You Shunshin spread his arms wide, basking in the moment.
The Akikawa Academy coach and players watched this scene with glowing eyes.
They couldn't believe it—was this really the same ace they knew?
He seemed like a completely different player.
Ozaka who knew You Shunshin well, was the first to smirk knowingly.
He had some idea of why You Shunshin was so fired up.
"Ever since we arrived in Tokyo, Shunshin has been longing for a match like this. Unfortunately, our previous opponents were too weak, leaving him unable to enjoy the challenge he craved. But Seidou High is different. This team gives Shunshin exactly what he's been yearning for."
"Keep pitching like this! If you can continue, you'll face even stronger opponents and witness even more spectacular sights!"
At the same time, Seidou High's seventh batter stepped into the batter's box.
"Batting seventh, No. 1, pitcher, Furuya!"
The fans supporting Furuya were just as numerous as those cheering for Miyuki.
However, after the disappointment with Miyuki's at-bat, these fans were now much more cautious, afraid to speak prematurely.
In silence, they focused on the confrontation in the batter's box.
Furuya, standing tall at the plate, carefully studied You Shunshin before glancing at the scoreboard.
The current score was 0-0.
"This guy is just as tough as I imagined! The question is… can I hit his pitch?"
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