Miyuki once again called for a high inside Four-seam fastball.
If it were any other catcher, after showing that location once, they would have changed the pitch zone immediately.
But Miyuki was different—especially when Kanzaki Ryou was the one pitching.
Sure enough, Kanzaki didn't shake his head. On the contrary, a smile crept across his lips. If we can strike out Inashiro's cleanup with pure firepower, their morale will plummet.
Kazuya… you really get me.
Their eyes met—pitcher and catcher completely in sync.
Across from them, Shinkawa Kenichi stood still, his expression stiff as stone. His stillness wasn't fear.
It was the calm of a predator waiting for the perfect moment.
Kanzaki sneered internally.
Watch me break that poker face of yours.
He raised his leg and fired.
The bat screamed through the air—
but the ball exploded into Miyuki's glove.
"Strike!"
Shinkawa had missed again. His face didn't even twitch. Slowly, he rested the bat on his shoulder.
One ball's width off…
My swing must be earlier. The speed is already my limit—only timing can change.
This freshman… was every bit as terrifying as Narumiya Mei.
Maybe even more so.
With two strikes, Shinkawa had no choice.
He had to swing at the next pitch.
He stared at Kanzaki's glove, full focus, full tension.
Kanzaki could feel it—the rising pressure, the stubborn will of a cleanup batter refusing to break.
At this moment, throwing a tempting ball would be ideal.
A borderline pitch could easily force a strikeout.
But then Kanzaki saw Miyuki's signal.
And his grin widened.
Two-seam fastball.
Kanzaki's fingers tingled in excitement. Finally.
He had waited the entire game for this moment.
He gripped the seams.
Lifted his arm.
And unleashed it down the middle.
Seeing the trajectory, Shinkawa's eyes brightened.
Center-cut.
Straight path.
Are you looking down on me?
Is speed all you have?
His bat whipped out—
the timing perfect…
…until the ball suddenly cut right, dropping slightly.
The sweet spot missed by a hair.
SMAK.
It landed cleanly in Miyuki's glove.
"Strike!"
"STRIKEOUT!!"
Jingu Stadium erupted.
"KANZAKI!! NICE!!"
"Another Strikeout! Let's go Seidou!!"
Shinkawa lowered his bat and exhaled in a defeated sigh.
So… he wasn't a Straight-only pitcher after all.
Even forcing out his Two-seamer is already something…
He stepped out, leaving Kanzaki to face Inashiro's fifth batter—
Harada Masatoshi.
Harada was already a standout as a second-year: a top-tier catcher and an elite contact hitter.
Kanzaki watched him approach the box.
A future cleanup hitter… and captain, too.
Now that the Two-seam had been revealed, Harada would be on guard.
Would he hunt the Straight ball?
Wait for the Two-seamer?
Or try to read Miyuki's rhythm?
Chris's scouting report echoed in Kanzaki's mind:
"Harada can hit difficult pitches. He's not a guy you can beat with just deception."
Mixing Four-seam and Two-seam would be logical here.
But Miyuki flashed a sign—
Kanzaki stiffened for a second.
Straight balls only?
He blinked, then burst into a grin.
Of course.
If the Two-seam just struck out Shinkawa, then Harada would focus on avoiding it.
Throwing only Straight balls was the perfect counter.
Your mind really is evil, Kazuya.
Kanzaki raised his leg—
and blasted a 148 km/h Four-seamer straight at Harada's chest.
Harada swung—
and missed.
"Strike!"
Harada's eyes sharpened.
He knew Kanzaki's speed was high.
They had practiced with pitching machines set over 150 km/h.
But a human's pitch…
with natural torque, varied rhythm, and explosive arm whip…
A machine couldn't compare.
This pressure was real.
I have to hit it.
If I also fall… our core lineup is completely shut down. I won't allow that.
Harada tightened his grip and swung with everything he had on the next pitch.
He missed again.
"Strike!!"
Two Straight balls.
Harada's mind spun.
Will he throw the Two-seamer next?
Or a borderline pitch?
Or… is he bold enough to throw a third Straight ball?
In the stands, fans rose to their feet, shaking the stadium.
Behind third base, Kanzaki Kumiko stood holding a banner with "KANZAKI RYOU" printed in bold ink.
"Kanzakiiii! Get him!!!"
She shouted loud enough for half the block to hear.
Ryosuke Kominato chuckled from the dugout.
"What a noisy crowd."
Kusunoki smirked.
"As expected of Seidou's new pretty-boy. Just like me."
"Ugah!"
On the field, however, every Seidou player was tense.
They knew—
If Kanzaki Ryou could strike out Harada Masatoshi,
the entire momentum of the game would swing violently in Seidou's favor.
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