Miyuki, who was told by Sendou that he was withdrawn, was also helpless. The guy in front of him was very good at studying, not to mention his memory. Otherwise, how could he get full marks in modern literature even while sleeping?
So the two started exchanging Signals, and not long after, Miyuki ran back to home plate.
" In the Bottom of the Eighth Inning, the attack from Kyoma Daifuji Maki High School..."
Five sticks! Right fielder, Ishizaki-kun! "
"Fight back, Ishizaki!"
"In short, just take action!"
"Teach that rookie a lesson! Let him know how dangerous the Pitcher's Mound is!"
While his teammates were cheering for the batter, Hongo Masamune on the bench stared (it looked like he was staring) at the figure on the Pitcher's Mound, unwilling to look away for a long time.
"Finally, the bottom of the eighth inning is about to begin!"
Seidou sends out Sendou-kun, making his debut in a match!
What changes will this bring to the game?
Kuruma-san! What do you think?
"In conclusion, as we saw in the previous Pitching Practice, Sendou-kun's pitch speed is indeed as everyone thought, it's not slow!"
Considering that it was just Pitching Practice, I will reduce my strength a bit.
However, a conservative estimate would be over 140 kilometers!
Moreover, every ball goes accurately into the glove, so the ball control is also quite good!
I'm really looking forward to his performance! As a fan of the fairy, Mr. Che is definitely optimistic about him, and his reasoning is convincing.
" The Seidou police have also started confirming the Signals!"
Looks like the match is about to begin!
"Let me enjoy this!"
This is the first time we've teamed up as a thrower and catcher!
"A high, straight ball to the inside corner, let's scare them!" Miyuki on the field was all smiling, giving the first Signals.
Then Sendou shook his head!
"Hey! Give me some face...! Who shakes their head at the first ball?!" Miyuki, who was stunned for a second, felt very uncomfortable.
Then he saw Sendou give him a coded Signals with the outer corner lower than the inner corner.
Miyuki felt that this guy was going against him again, after all, he had countless past offenses, which, if written down, could be considered...
It is heartbreaking to hear and tearful to see!
Then, he chickened out!
Miyuki knew that this guy in front of him was difficult to persuade.
If you call for a pause in the fishing and go up to argue, you might end up being persuaded or beaten into submission.
So, Miyuki nodded and stretched his legs.
"What an awful feeling!"
But that's what the older generation said!
Moreover, the coach's treat was just too good to pass up.
"Then let's make an exception this time!" Sendou thought to himself, raising his hands high.
Let's go back to the break between sets.
Sawamura, who had been informed in advance that Sendou would be replaced in the next round, was already sitting on the bench after coming off the Batter's Box.
The change began when everyone else was waiting on the bench for Coach Kataoka talk.
"It's about time to replace him!"
"Sendou! The last two games are up to you!" Coach Kataoka was the first to break the silence.
"Hey!... Wait a minute!" Just as Sendou was about to instinctively agree, he suddenly realized something was wrong. This isn't an attack from us!
And when Sendou looked up, he saw Sawamura staring at them with a blank expression.
"Me? You're not kidding, are you?"
"That's not funny at all!" Sendou said, pointing to himself.
"Please forgive me for refusing! I have absolutely no interest in pitchers or anything like that..." Just as Sendou was about to declare that he would rather die than go.
"Let me finish!" Coach Kataoka interrupted Sendou.
Hi~!
"Please speak, Sunglasses Uncle!" Although he had made up his mind to refuse, he still intended to listen to Coach Kataoka finish speaking, and said weakly.
Upon hearing the Sunglasses Uncle, "Coach Kataoka inevitably got a # on his forehead.
"This is a request from all the third-grade students!"
Whether it's Chris, the star player in front of you, or the people in the cheering stands! Everyone!
"Huh?" Sendou was very surprised.
"This summer! You saved this team countless times!"
Although you are only in first grade, we have placed such a heavy responsibility on your shoulders!
To the third-year contestants, thank you so much for your support during their final summer!
"Me too!" Coach Kataoka continued.
At this moment, the senior students in the third grade all showed various kinds of smiles.
Senior Chris's ever-gentle smile, Onii-san's squinting smile (he looks both handsome and terrifying when he smiles), Captain Tetsu's sincere smile, Pudding-senpai's slightly relieved smile, and Isashiki-senpai's smile as he puts his finger under his nose, looking a little embarrassed, and Tanba-san's relieved smile, etc...
Sendou observed all of this, his face expressionless as he kept his head down without saying a word. (He was deeply moved.)
Recalling the past few months and all the interactions with the third-year students, I realized that most of the people I was closest to were third-year students!
There are only two games left, or rather, one and a half games.
Even Sendou need a few seconds of silence to adjust their emotions.
"You said it before, didn't you? You hate pitchers and catchers!"
The reason is that I'm too tired and want to play baseball in a more relaxed and freer way!
But this is the Koshien final, the best stage of the year, and the most dazzling moment to decide the winner.
So, it's just two rounds, and this is the last request!
"Although you don't care about being in the limelight, the team can only express its gratitude for everything you've done for them in this way, which you might not like," Coach Kataoka said with a smile.
(I can only say, as expected of a Mandarin teacher... she really knows how to speak. Although she is stating a fact, the same meaning is expressed differently in different ways. Her ability to organize language is unparalleled!)
"I'm sorry! I had to do it this way!"
But we third graders sincerely hope that you will become the brightest star this summer.
Announce your meteoric rise to fame to the whole world!
"Consider this our return gift to you!" It was Isashiki spoke first, as it had always been his job, after all, Captain Tetsu ...
Captain Tetsu is indeed a great partner to Isashiki-senpai. He placed a hand on Sendou's shoulder, his eyes filled with trust, smiling gently, saying nothing. (His charm is absolutely irresistible.)
"And!
After this match and before the Autumn Tournament Preliminaries, there will be about ten days. I'll give you a seven-day break!
This includes regular holidays; everyone else will also get a day off.
"That means I'll give you an extra six days!!" Coach Kataoka looked at Sendou without saying a word and unleashed his trump card.
In reality, Sendou was "slightly" moved, but he was controlling his emotions.
Upon hearing about the holiday, Sendou's ears perked up.
"Just this once, Sunglasses Uncle!"
"Eijun, lend me your gloves!" Sendou said with a reluctant expression. (Master of Emotional Control)
"No need for that! We've already prepared it for you!"
"Please wear gloves that are a little too small, Sawamura!" Coach Kataoka said.
"???" Sendou was completely confused. He realized that something seemed to have happened before, but he had no idea what it was.
"But the new gloves are too stiff to use!"
"No problem, we've already taken good care of it for you, and we guarantee you'll be very comfortable wearing it!"
" Miyuki, quickly take out the gloves!" Isashiki-senpai said immediately after Sendou finished speaking.
"???"
Sendou stared blankly at Isashiki-senpai, then looked at Miyuki with an incredulous expression.
Upon discovering that this guy had been secretly laughing, Sendou was now certain that this group's idea wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Sendou handed Miyuki to Isashiki-senpai and then called for his own pitcher's glove.
I tried it out, and it really feels very comfortable. This level of comfort can't be achieved in a short period of time.
Suddenly, I remembered something strange about Miyuki this morning. (Those who can't remember can go back and check.)
Furthermore, there's the order in which the pitchers entered the mound during today's game, and the Osaka Toin...
She glared fiercely at Miyuki.
"When did this start? I really didn't notice at all!" Sendou said calmly, raising the glove in his hand.
"How could you possibly have found out!"
It was a suggestion we made when we were discussing how to give you a return gift before the Koshien tournament.
We originally planned to chip in to buy them, but when Rei-chan heard about it, she said the school would cover the cost of the gloves.
As for maintenance, it's been taken care of by several day students like Tetsu in turns!" Isashiki-senpai said, patting Sendou on the shoulder.
Now the truth was out, and Sendou finally understood.
Moreover, the change in expression of Kuramochi and the others, from their initial surprise to their current smiles, fully demonstrates how deeply these people were hiding their true intentions.
"And...! Rei-chan actually kept it from me too!"
"And I've been chatting with you all this time!" Sendou muttered to himself.
"Stop showing off your love here!" Isashiki-senpai suddenly changed his expression and said fiercely.
"???" Sendou was completely bewildered. What the heck was this "showing off their love" thing?
In other words, Sendou was unaware of the conversation between Ozawa and the others and Azuma Kiyokuni in the stands; otherwise, he would definitely have known the connection between them.
After all, Isashiki admired the Azuma Kiyokuni the most, so the two of them must have been in contact.
"What's your answer?" Coach Kataoka asked again, confirming. (Actually, he was urging him on.)
With this point difference, Seidou's chances of winning are very high. Coach Nitta's prediction of a stunning comeback is indeed quite possible, but we'll only know for sure after the match actually takes place.
Just this once!
"Don't go back on your word during the holiday!" Sendou replied, while also helping Coach Kataoka reinforce his memory. His emotions had stabilized, and he was as calm and gentle as usual.
After all, what if I ruin my holiday because of my seniors?
"Then I'll leave it to you!"
"You'll help the team bring the Victory Banner back!" Coach Kataoka chuckled and said with a smile.
"Since we have a holiday, and for the sake of our seniors, there's nothing we can do about it!" Sendou tossed his outfield glove to Sawamura, turned to face the field, and said.
As for being moved, this guy would never be able to express that emotion, even if he died.
What followed was the next scene.
Let's go back to the moment when Sendou raised his hands...
Sendou, who was raising his hands as if in a stretching or preparatory pose, awoke from his reverie.
" Sendou raises his arm!!!" The commentator was extremely excited. When his arm was lowered, it would be the moment when Sendou threw his first pitch in Koshien, or rather, his first official pitch in his professional career.
"He had the potential to become our ace batter!"
"What an enviable iron will!" Coach Sakaki, who has officially taken over Yura General Training, muttered to himself.
Now that he's a high school baseball coach, he doesn't have time to be a crazy old fan like Coach Nakanishi, sitting on the sidelines all day.
All I can do now is grumble in front of the TV.
The other contestants, who had been selected Yura General Coach Sakaki a few years ago, looked at each other in bewilderment.
They heard Supervisor Sakaki sigh more than once, "If Sendou came to our team and accepted my training, he would become our ACE fourth batter!"
We could all make it to Koshien this year!
In that case...
So they were also very curious about what kind of pitch Sendou would throw.
Coach Sakaki was actually curious too...
"This goal might indicate that Kyoma comeback!"
At the same time, countless professionals, such as Mine Fujio, as well as Coach Matsumoto who was also looking on with curiosity, experts from all over the country, and Coach Matsumoto was sitting on the Kyoma Daifuji Maki, all had the same thought in their minds.
Narumiya Mei of Inajitsu was no longer throwing tantrums.
At this moment, Sendou lowered his arm, raised his leg (the commentator shouted, "First goal!!!"), and took a step...
"Puff!"
"Whoosh!" (The sound of wind whipped up by the arm)
"Here he comes!!!" Sendou's actions resonated with countless people.
Inside the stadium, countless people held their breath, giving this genius player who Koshien... no, all of Japan crazy, the utmost respect and reverence.
People's eyes were filled with anticipation for the figure whose pitching motion was very similar to Sawamura's.
"Boom!" (Sound of ball being released)
"Piu!"
"Thump!!!"
"Nice shot!!!"
"..."
"Oh!!!"
"Roar!!!" After less than a second of silence, a huge combination of exclamations and cheers erupted in the stadium.
"That roaring sound!!!"
The deafening roar could be heard hundreds of meters away in the quiet stadium!
It went perfectly into the catcher's glove—a clear strike!
And the ball speed!!!
151 kilometers!!!
The fastest ball speed of the day!!!
Moreover, this Outside Corner Ball demonstrated precise ball control!
This is the real ba ke mo no!
"Genius! Monster is beyond description! This is the pitching ability of a fifteen-year-old boy, who won't be sixteen for another three months!!!"
(The protagonist and Miyuki both have November birthdays, but the protagonist's Miyuki's.)
Just one goal brought countless shocks to the whole country and even many foreigners!
His hitting, fielding, base running, and now pitching—it's all so perfect, and this boy is only fifteen!
The scouts on the sidelines are going crazy. Don't even mention fifteen years old. Even if Sendou is a third-year student now and seventeen, the draft market this winter will go crazy.
The few scouts on the sidelines, all from Major League Soccer, were no surprise.
Two years later, for the teams that follow the Koshien tournament in Japan and send out scouts, it will be a huge bloodbath.
Putting aside technique, just the explosive power, strength, speed, reflexes, and the ball speed at that moment—these are all visible talents. Even a fool would know what kind of monster this is.
As for the Japanese scouts? Are they even qualified to compete for this man?
Since the main character is throwing the ball, the focus is definitely not on the throwing itself, but on leaving room for imagination – that's what makes it endlessly enjoyable, and there's no need for brainless extras.
This is my philosophy.
Finally, I'm asking for your votes...