"Strike three! Strikeout!"
"Seidou High School's first-year pitcher, Kanzaki Ryou, cleanly takes down the first batter with three identical outside fastballs!"
The commentator was so excited he nearly leapt from his chair. The perfect synchronization between Seidou's rookie pitcher and catcher was enough to make anyone's blood boil with excitement.
Shouts erupted across the field, some mixed with scattered cheers for Miyuki's name.
Next up was Ichidai Third High's leadoff batter — a player well-known for his ability to hit inside pitches.
Having already thrown three outside fastballs, it was certain the batter would be expecting another one. Miyuki thought for a moment, then shifted his stance slightly and gave his signal.
Seeing the sign, a faint grin appeared on Kanzaki Ryou's lips.
"Good. I like it this way."
Whoosh—
Kanzaki's pitch came blazing in, darting straight for the batter's chest.
Inside!
The batter's pupils shrank. His bat was already in motion, but it was far too late to adjust. The ball whistled past him, barely missing his chest and landing cleanly in Miyuki's glove.
"Nice ball!"
That powerful inside pitch completely shattered the batter's rhythm. He prided himself on hitting inside pitches — surely, Seidou's battery knew that. After those sharp outside fastballs, shouldn't they stay away from his strength?
Could it be…?
A daring thought flashed in his mind: Are they going to throw three inside pitches in a row?!
That's insane! Who calls a sequence like that?
But the hesitation was enough to break his focus. Facing a pitcher with that kind of speed, even the smallest delay spelled disaster.
"Strike!"
"Strike!"
As expected, Miyuki had indeed called for three consecutive high inside fastballs — and Kanzaki Ryou fearlessly delivered them all. The result was devastating: the batter froze, completely unable to react.
The audience was stunned. No one expected Seidou's first-year pitcher and catcher to have such nerve — three outside pitches followed by three inside ones?
One dared to call it, the other dared to throw it. That kind of trust was almost reckless.
Having retired two batters in a row, Miyuki Kazuya stood and tossed the ball back with a wide grin.
"This guy really dares to throw anything."
"The feeling of working with him… it's amazing."
Catching the ball, Kanzaki crouched, grabbed the rosin bag, and tossed it lightly in his hand before letting it drop again.
Puff.
He blew the white dust from his fingertips, eyes burning with confidence as he locked onto Miyuki's glove.
The third batter of Ichidai Third High stepped up, tension evident in his posture.
Miyuki adjusted the rhythm — alternating between inside and outside pitches — and the duo struck again.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
"In the top of the fifth, Seidou's first-year pitcher Kanzaki Ryou strikes out the side on nine consecutive pitches! A perfect performance!"
The commentator was ecstatic. In all his years covering high school baseball, he had never seen a rookie duo like this. It wasn't just Kanzaki's brilliance — Miyuki's pitch calling was daring and masterful.
If it had been another catcher, Kanzaki might still have gotten the outs — but it wouldn't have been this breathtaking: three outside, three inside, then a seamless mix of both.
Their synergy had completely toyed with the opposing batters.
Miyuki Kazuya. After today, his name would echo across Tokyo's baseball world.
As Kanzaki and Miyuki walked off the mound, they bumped fists — and the already roaring stands erupted into madness.
"Kid, not bad!"
Azuma Kiyokuni caught up, throwing an arm around Kanzaki's shoulder with a grin.
"As long as I didn't disappoint you, Azuma-senpai," Kanzaki replied with a smirk.
"Hah! A fastball that even I'd struggle to hit — those Ichidai guys don't stand a chance."
Azuma glanced toward Ichidai's dugout, which had fallen completely silent, and couldn't help feeling proud.
"You're right," said Yuuki Tetsuya as he approached. "It took us a while to even start timing your pitches. For a first-year, that's something else."
As Seidou's strongest batters, their words carried weight. At first, they'd worried that Kanzaki might get nervous and crumble under pressure.
But instead, Kanzaki and Miyuki had pulled off one of the boldest pitching sequences imaginable — and in just nine pitches, Ichidai hadn't even touched the ball.
Even the senior fielders behind Kanzaki were starting to feel… bored.
Back in the dugout, Coach Kataoka stood before the rookie battery with a rare smile.
"Good work out there. The next inning will be Ichidai's heart of the lineup, so stay sharp."
"Yes, Coach."
Kataoka nodded, then turned to Miyuki.
"You'll handle the pitch calling next inning. I won't interfere."
"Yes, sir!" Miyuki's grin widened. To be trusted completely by his coach and pitcher — that was the highest praise a catcher could receive.
"Go rest."
The two took their seats in the dugout. Almost immediately, Fujiwara Takako approached with a towel in hand.
"Ryou, here — wipe your sweat."
"Thanks, senpai."
He hadn't sweated much, but he accepted it anyway. Some rituals were worth keeping.
Then she handed him a cup of water.
"I want water too," Miyuki said, reaching out.
"Get your own. This one's mine," Kanzaki replied, smacking his hand away and taking a long sip.
"I'll get you some water, Miyuki," Fujiwara offered, starting to rise.
"No need, I can handle it. I'm not like someone who needs to be waited on," Miyuki shot back, smirking as he poured himself a cup.
"Oh? But water infused with Fujiwara-senpai's feelings tastes way sweeter," Kanzaki teased. "Too bad you're too proud to enjoy that kind of luxury."
Miyuki chuckled, glancing at Fujiwara, whose cheeks turned faintly pink.
"Feelings, huh?"
"What's that look for?" Kanzaki frowned.
"Nothing. As long as you're happy," Miyuki said with a grin.
"Idiot."
Fujiwara quickly turned away, retreating to her seat and pretending to busy herself with her scorebook.
It had been a duel of words between Kanzaki and Miyuki — yet somehow, she was the one who ended up flustered.
Feelings, he said. Just hearing that was enough to make her heart race.
Suddenly, a cheer erupted from the field. In the bottom of the fifth, Yuuki Tetsuya cracked one of Manaka Kaname's curveballs into left field, reaching first base.
A scoring opportunity!
Next, cleanup batter Azuma Kiyokuni stepped up and delivered a single — runners on first and second, no outs!
"Miyuki! Hit it out of the park!"
Kanzaki shouted toward Miyuki's back as the catcher stepped up to the plate.
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