Chapter 533 Unpredictable Pitching!

"Senior... what did you just say? I don't think I heard you correctly."

Akiko Oowada, the beautiful reporter from Baseball Kingdom Magazine, blinked in disbelief.

For a moment, she wondered if she had imagined it.

Otherwise...

Why would her senior say that Seido High School was being smart after they had just given up runs?

How could allowing the opponent to score possibly be considered smart?

"The Seido High School Baseball Team has always had two hidden weaknesses."

Fujio adjusted his glasses before calmly explaining.

"The first is their seemingly luxurious pitching staff."

"If Zhou Hao were ever unavailable—whether due to injury, fatigue, or any other reason—Seido's overall strength would immediately decline."

"Coach Kataoka's decision to develop the first-year pitchers now is largely a precaution against that possibility."

He looked toward the field before continuing.

"Just look at Seido's opponents."

"Every single team has spent countless hours studying Seido and specifically searching for ways to neutralize Zhou Hao."

"In reality, it's not difficult for Seido to win."

"They could simply leave Zhou Hao on the mound, and most of their problems would solve themselves."

"But if they relied on him every game..."

"...then the entire burden of the team would rest on his shoulders alone."

Fujio smiled faintly.

"As the saying goes, if you don't plan for the long term, trouble will soon follow."

"As the team's leader, Coach Kataoka naturally has to prepare for the future."

"Especially now that every powerhouse is designing strategies specifically to deal with Zhou Hao."

"The second hidden weakness..."

"...is Seido's perfect record."

Until now, Seido hadn't allowed a single run.

While that flawless defensive record made them appear almost invincible...

It also placed an invisible burden on every player.

The pressure...

Of never being allowed to give up a run.

Carrying that kind of pressure throughout every game was mentally exhausting.

And once they finally allowed a run...

That burden would naturally disappear.

"Coach Kataoka clearly realized that Yakushi's batting lineup was strong enough."

"So he used this game to release that pressure."

"In doing so, he solves a hidden problem without exposing the team to too much risk."

Akiko finally understood.

"So..."

"The pressure has simply shifted onto Furuya?"

Fujio nodded.

"Exactly."

"Right now, the person under the greatest pressure is Furuya Satoru."

"If he collapses here..."

"...then under Seido's competitive selection system, it'll become extremely difficult for him to earn another opportunity."

"The coaching staff won't hesitate."

"They'll simply give those innings to another pitcher."

"For example..."

"Tanba Koichiro."

"Or the other first-year rookie, Sawamura Eijun."

He paused before adding,

"And don't forget..."

"Seido even has talented pitchers who couldn't make the First String."

"Kawakami is sitting in the stands right now."

"If Furuya continues to struggle, Kawakami could easily be promoted back onto the roster."

"The current Seido High School Baseball Team lacks many things..."

"But quality pitchers certainly aren't one of them."

Fujio couldn't help but sigh.

"Powerhouses enjoy privileges that ordinary teams can only dream of."

"But they also carry burdens that ordinary teams never have to face."

As the saying went...

It was pleasant to enjoy the shade beneath a great tree.

For Seido's players, simply becoming a regular starter meant gradually earning national recognition.

Even if they weren't monsters like Zhou Hao or Yuki...

They would still become famous throughout Japan.

But with that privilege came ruthless internal competition.

There were simply too many outstanding players.

Aside from exceptional talents like Zhou Hao and Yuki...

Almost everyone else was fighting to protect their position.

Competition among the outfielders, third basemen, and shortstops was already fierce enough.

The pitchers were no different.

Furuya Satoru was facing exactly that reality.

Because Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff had high expectations for him...

He had to prove he deserved their trust.

Otherwise...

He wouldn't be qualified to remain in Seido's starting lineup.

The game continued.

Yakushi's cleanup hitter, a third-year senior, stepped into the batter's box.

No outs.

Runner on second.

The senior's body trembled with excitement.

This is it...

This is our chance.

There could be no better opportunity than the one before him.

Their opponent was the reigning national champion.

The previous teams Seido had faced weren't weak either.

Whether it was Nishimon or the other schools...

None of them had managed to score a single run.

Before today's game...

Seido had maintained a flawless defensive record.

So flawless that the fans had gradually stopped wondering when Seido would lose a game.

Instead...

They had begun wondering when Seido would finally allow a run.

And now...

Yakushi had become the answer.

They were the first team to score against Seido.

The first to make the seemingly invincible powerhouse...

Bleed divine blood.

And they hadn't settled for just one run.

They had scored two.

The opportunity was right in front of them.

"Let's finish this in one burst."

"No regrets."

Yakushi's cleanup hitter slowly raised his bat.

His body trembled uncontrollably.

Not from fear...

But from excitement.

His determination to drive the ball into the outfield was overwhelming.

Even Miyuki, crouching behind home plate, could clearly sense it.

"After scoring two runs..."

"Yakushi's momentum has completely changed."

"If we want to break that momentum..."

"We'll have to answer with even better pitching."

Miyuki looked toward Furuya.

He believed the rookie understood exactly what kind of situation they were facing.

More importantly...

He understood the pressure resting on his own shoulders.

Furuya gave a slight nod.

Although he had surrendered three consecutive hits...

It didn't mean he had stopped thinking.

Quite the opposite.

During those few brief moments...

Countless thoughts had flashed through his mind.

Especially one question.

How should I respond now?

"Believe in your own pitching."

"Throw with everything you've got..."

"But don't force it."

Against Akikawa earlier in the tournament, Furuya had repeatedly overpowered his pitches, causing them to sail outside the strike zone.

This time...

He shut out everything around him.

Because he knew exactly what mattered most.

He had to save himself.

As for whether Seido ultimately won or lost...

He wasn't overly worried.

With Seido's explosive offense...

No matter how many runs he surrendered, they could score them back.

And if things truly became dangerous...

There was still their Ace.

Senior Zhou Hao.

To put it bluntly...

Yakushi might create some trouble.

But they could never stop Seido from advancing.

At this moment...

The only thing Furuya needed to do...

Was prove his own worth.

Taking a deep breath, he completed his pitching motion.

The moment the baseball left his fingertips...

He didn't force it.

He simply let it go naturally.

Boom!

The instant the baseball shot forward...

A look of astonishment appeared on Furuya's face.

He had experienced this feeling once before.

But never this clearly.

It was as if...

The baseball had suddenly come alive.

Even though he hadn't thrown with excessive force...

The pitch exploded from his hand at maximum speed.

In the blink of an eye...

It had already flashed past the batter.

Yakushi's cleanup hitter had been inspired by the success of the three first-year batters.

He believed they had a real chance.

Even a simple single would be enough to drive in another run.

If the score became 7–3...

Then Seido wouldn't just be bleeding.

The mighty "god" might actually stumble.

But dreams...

Were only dreams.

Reality was far crueler.

Only now did Yakushi's cleanup hitter realize the truth.

Furuya's fastball...

Reached 154 km/h.

Forget him.

Even if Yakushi's three first-year stars stepped back into the batter's box...

There was no guarantee they could hit it.

As for the upperclassmen...

It was even more impossible.

Yakushi's cleanup, third, and second spots belonged to first-years for a reason.

It wasn't because the seniors were generous enough to step aside.

It was because...

They simply weren't as good.

They knew better than anyone just how large the gap between themselves and those first-year monsters truly was.

So how could they possibly handle a 154 km/h fastball?

If they could...

They never would have lost those positions in the first place.

Pop!

"Strike!"

"Strike Two!"

"Strike Three!"

"Batter out!"

After surrendering three straight hits and two runs...

Furuya Satoru seemed to have entered an entirely different state.

One after another...

He struck out three consecutive batters.

It wasn't that Yakushi's hitters lacked determination.

They desperately wanted to keep the rally alive.

But against Furuya's overwhelming pitching...

They simply couldn't.

They couldn't even make contact with the ball, let alone get a hit.

Bottom of the fourth inning.

Seido High School's offense returned to the field.

Yakushi sent Sanada Shunpei back to the mound, hoping to stop the bleeding.

But even with their Ace back on the hill, Seido still pushed across three more runs.

The scoreboard now read:

10–2.

Top of the fifth inning.

Yakushi High School came to bat once again.

Although every batter was eager to make something happen, reality was far crueler.

Aside from Yakushi's three exceptional first-years...

No one else could even touch Furuya Satoru's pitches.

Especially after he had regained his composure.

"Strikeout!"

"Strikeout!!"

"Strikeout!!!"

One strikeout followed another as though they came effortlessly.

Yakushi's batters walked back to the dugout one after another, completely overpowered.

Bottom of the fifth inning.

Seido's offense took the field again.

Sanada Shunpei, who had returned to the mound, looked as though he had entered an untouchable state.

His Jetball and Cutter alternated relentlessly, keeping Seido's hitters completely off balance.

Although they desperately wanted to fight back, none of them could square up his pitches.

The fifth inning came to an end.

The score remained...

10–2.

Inside Yakushi's dugout, Coach Todoroki Raizo rubbed his temples.

"I didn't expect Seido to be this strong..."

"...even without Zhou Hao on the mound."

Over the past two innings, Yakushi had gone all out.

Yet the result was only a 3–2 advantage during that stretch.

Overall, they had actually fallen another run behind.

Fortunately...

The sixth inning would be different.

Top of the sixth inning.

Yakushi's batting order returned to its terrifying trio of first-year batters.

"That little monster has been throwing with maximum effort for two straight innings."

"His velocity is bound to drop."

"This is our best chance to crush him completely."

Todoroki Raizo spoke casually.

But every Yakushi player listened with complete focus.

After spending so much time with their eccentric coach, they all understood one thing.

He never spoke nonsense.

If he said there was an opportunity...

Then there really was one.

The first three batters tightened their grips on their bats, eager to challenge Furuya once again.

But just then—

Seido made a pitching change.

Without any warning...

Coach Kataoka replaced Furuya.

The pitcher jogging onto the mound was another first-year rookie.

Sawamura Eijun.

The moment he stepped onto the mound, he spread his arms wide and shouted confidently,

"I'll let them put the ball in play, so I'm counting on everyone behind me!"

The moment those words left his mouth...

Seido's fielders nearly exploded.

"Show a little backbone!"

"Can you stop making us worry for once?"

Although everyone complained loudly, there wasn't a trace of genuine annoyance on their faces.

Anyone could see just how well-liked Sawamura was within the team.

Everyone treated him like a little brother.

Even if they had to clean up after him, none of them truly minded.

"A completely different type of pitcher..."

Yakushi's leadoff batter, Akiba Kazuma, stepped into the batter's box.

The moment he settled into his stance, he raised his bat high and fixed his eyes on Sawamura.

He wanted to uncover the rookie's secrets before the first pitch.

But no matter how closely he observed...

He couldn't find a single opening.

Standing on the mound, Sawamura looked completely relaxed.

Only when he began his pitching motion did Akiha finally notice something unusual.

Sawamura extended his glove straight toward home plate.

"I can't see the release point..."

Akiha's instincts were exceptionally sharp.

He immediately noticed the unique characteristic of Sawamura's delivery.

His pitching arm was unbelievably flexible—

Like a whip snapping through the air.

Because of that, the release point was almost impossible to see.

From the batter's box, the ball seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Just as Akiha was analyzing the motion—

Whoosh!

The baseball suddenly burst toward the plate.

The white blur cut through the air.

In what felt like the blink of an eye...

It was already right in front of him.

Akiha's expression changed dramatically.

Not only was the release point completely hidden...

But the baseball also seemed to come alive as it approached the plate.

"An invisible release point..."

"...combined with a Moving Fastball?"

The moment those two traits came together...

Akiha immediately realized something.

The seemingly ordinary first-year standing on the mound...

Was every bit as troublesome as Furuya Satoru.

Perhaps...

He might even be more difficult to deal with.