"Upperclassman, it's pretty cold out here. Let's finish this quick," Kanzaki Ryou said casually.
Kominato Ryosuke chuckled under his breath as he stepped into the left batter's box, taking his stance.
From those last few pitches, he'd already seen Kanzaki's weapons—a Four-Seam and a Two-Seam Fastball, both blisteringly fast.
Hard to hit, and even harder to send far.
The first pitch came flying. Kominato didn't move, simply watching as it slammed into Chris's glove.
"It really was high and inside," Kominato murmured. "Guess I should've trusted you earlier."
"Next pitch," Chris called out, "same spot. Inside."
Kominato blinked in surprise, then laughed.
"You catchers really have black hearts."
Chris grinned, throwing the ball back to Kanzaki. "Good luck. If all three of you strike out, you'll be running five kilometers later."
"Ten kilometers," Coach Kataoka added sharply.
"...Seriously?" Kominato shot Chris a look of disbelief. He'd known this guy for so long and never realized how devious he could be.
Chris only smiled silently, crouching down and giving Kanzaki a signal.
Kanzaki nodded, inhaling deeply. This combination's interesting.
He lifted his leg, wound up, and unleashed the pitch. The white ball whistled through the air—
and Kominato swung decisively.
Clang!
Just before contact, the ball suddenly drifted to the right, catching the center of the bat.
Didn't hit it cleanly!
The ball rolled weakly toward second base. Kominato dropped his bat and sprinted to first.
But the second baseman fielded it smoothly and fired it to first.
Thwack! Out!
Kominato stopped, exhaling helplessly.
"Nice fielding!" Kanzaki called, flashing a thumbs up to the second baseman.
The senior returned the gesture. "One more out!"
Kanzaki exhaled, turning to face the next batter—Yuuki.
Even if this Yuuki wasn't yet at his peak, he was still someone who demanded respect just by standing there.
That steady stance, that aura—it carried real pressure.
Chris knew it better than anyone. Facing Yuuki wasn't easy.
The first pitch came quickly—a Four-Seam fastball, low and outside!
Yuuki didn't swing.
Is he measuring the speed? Or waiting for the right pitch? Chris wondered.
Second pitch—same ball, same location.
This time, Yuuki swung.
Bang!
He timed it right—but didn't connect perfectly. The ball went high toward first base.
"Foul ball," Coach Kataoka called.
Whew... Kanzaki let out a quiet breath. If that had connected squarely, it might've gone deep.
As expected of the captain. One right read, and it could've been a solid hit.
Chris quickly raised his fingers for the next signal.
Kanzaki blinked. Another outside low?
Whoa, wasn't that too risky?
Their eyes met for a second, both filled with determination.
Fine, let's go all in!
Kanzaki wound up and fired again.
The pitch streaked toward the outer edge—looked like it would miss the strike zone entirely.
Yuuki didn't hesitate. With two strikes, he couldn't risk it.
He lunged forward, swinging hard toward the low outside corner.
But at the last instant, the ball veered horizontally to the right—
and thunk! It connected off-center, flying toward first base.
Yuuki dropped his bat and sprinted—but before he'd even taken three steps—
Thud! The first baseman caught it cleanly.
Out!
The whole field gasped.
Three outs. Kanzaki Ryou had just taken down three Seidou batters in a row.
Even though everyone had half-expected it, seeing it happen with their own eyes left them speechless.
Sure, those batters were first-years—but they'd already gone through nearly a year of Seidou's rigorous training and high-level games. They were no amateurs.
And Kanzaki? He was still a middle schooler.
His dominance didn't just shock the Seidou players—it shook them to their core.
Extra practice. We need extra practice!
No one needed Coach Kataoka to say it. Every Seidou player felt the same burning motivation.
The test was officially over. Kanzaki grinned wide, jogging up to home plate and raising a fist.
"Chris-senpai!"
"Nice pitch!" Chris replied, bumping fists with him before removing his catcher's gear.
Yuuki approached them.
"So, will he be joining Seidou?" he asked.
"Yes," Kanzaki said, glancing at Coach Kataoka with a smile. "If nothing unexpected happens."
"Good. Then it's settled," Coach Kataoka declared. "Kanzaki, go with Vice President Takashima to complete the special recruitment process. Then head for a full physical exam."
Unexpected? No—Coach Kataoka wasn't leaving any room for that.
A pitcher this good wasn't getting away.
"Yes, Coach!"
Kanzaki was eager to seal the deal. After exchanging a few quick words with Chris, he ran off toward the dugout with Takashima Rei.
Once they were gone, Coach Kataoka and Chris sat down together.
"So," Coach Kataoka began, "what do you think of that kid?"
Chris thought back to Kanzaki's performance and said, "His speed speaks for itself.
Throwing a 149 km/h Four-Seamer at his age—that alone makes him a genius."
Coach Kataoka nodded. "And aside from velocity?"
"Both his Four-Seam and Two-Seam are refined, with excellent control. He can place them anywhere I ask. I doubt 149 km/h is even his limit," Chris said thoughtfully.
"His mentality's solid, too. Even now, I think he could handle facing most batters nationwide."
After just one session, Chris could already tell—they had perfect chemistry.
He couldn't wait for the day Kanzaki officially joined Seidou.
Coach Kataoka stayed silent for a moment, his sunglasses hiding his expression.
Then, suddenly—
"Yuuki! What are you still standing here for? Go run!"
"Eh…?"
Yuuki froze mid-thought. He'd wanted to eavesdrop a bit longer, but no chance now.
Sighing, he turned and called out, "Kominato, Isashiki—let's go!"
"It's all that brat's fault!" Isashiki growled as they started running laps.
"Well, losing to a middle schooler deserves a little punishment," Kominato replied lightly.
"Tch." Isashiki had no comeback. He just looked away, sulking.
Meanwhile, at the front of the group, Captain Yuuki was still thinking about Kanzaki's pitching.
Fast velocity, heavy movement… Four-Seam and Two-Seam…
If that's all he's got, with a few more looks, I can definitely hit him.
Even while running, his mind was already analyzing Kanzaki's form—
the mark of a true captain.
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