Hayato Hinata opened with an inside Fast Forkball, but Yuki Tetsuya didn't move, his imposing aura completely unshaken.
On the second pitch, the moment the ball left Hinata's fingertips—
Bang!
Yuki swung.
The baseball flew.
"Foul ball!"
Two outs, two strikes. One more strike and they could sit Yuki Tetsuya down and end the half-inning. The Sagara High School supporters roared wildly.
Seidou fans weren't backing down either—shouting for a hit.
For the third pitch, Hinata exhaled deeply and fired with full force. The baseball curved toward the outer edge of the strike zone.
Yuki narrowed his eyes and swung.
The ball clipped the end of the bat—far from ideal.
It sailed down the first-base line, dangerously close to fair or foul territory.
Yuki dropped his bat and sprinted.
The ball landed—
Fair!
A deep hit to right field!
"Safe!"
Yuki slid safely onto first base.
Hinata exhaled sharply. Now a runner was on first, and at bat was cleanup hitter Azuma Kiyokuni.
Should he intentionally walk him?
But today, Kanzaki Ryou—Seidou's monstrous first-year—was batting fifth. If he walked Azuma, there would be runners on first and second, forcing him to face Kanzaki Ryou, a hitter as terrifying as Azuma.
He had no choice but to face Azuma head-on.
Besides…
Hinata wasn't scared of him.
He'd struck out national-level batters before—during practice matches against Seihou and Osaka Kiryu, it was never easy for opponents to score off him.
Decision made, Hinata nodded to the catcher. The sign came immediately.
Azuma gripped his bat tightly, eyes burning like a wild beast staring down prey. As Hinata released the ball, Azuma roared and swung—
Snap!
The bat sliced through empty air.
The pitch landed perfectly in the catcher's glove.
He swung too early.
Azuma frowned. It wasn't a Changeup—just a straight fastball thrown slower on purpose.
Speed gun: 141 km/h.
Eight kilometers slower than his max.
Interesting.
Azuma smirked, eyes widening. His fighting instinct ignited.
For the second pitch, the catcher subtly nodded. Increase velocity.
Hinata fired the next pitch, a fastball aimed at Azuma's chest.
Haa!
Azuma swung fiercely, unleashing tremendous power.
Bang!
He struck the bottom of the ball—
"Foul ball!"
Two outs, runner on first, two strikes.
Sagara High School held the advantage.
Azuma rotated his shoulders and took two practice swings, prepping for the third pitch.
"Azuma!"
"Homerun!"
"Send it flying!"
Seidou's fans screamed with everything they had.
Hinata delivered the third pitch.
The white ball flew.
Azuma swung—
—but midway, his pupils shrank.
A Changeup!
Damn it!
Snap!
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
A stunned silence spread across Seidou's side of the stands.
Azuma returned to the dugout, face dark and expression cold. He hadn't expected a Changeup this early—in the first inning.
Walking past Yuki Tetsuya, Azuma went straight to Kanzaki Ryou.
"Kid… you know what to do."
Kanzaki grinned.
"Don't worry, Azuma-senpai. I'll take revenge for you immediately."
Putting on his glove, Kanzaki Ryou stepped out with Miyuki Kazuya. They bumped fists amid the erupting cheers.
"Let's go! Our turn!" Kanzaki shouted.
His teammates charged out with him.
Jogging to the mound, Kanzaki stomped the dirt, then raised his head toward home plate.
In the batter's box, Sagara's leadoff hitter grimaced.
The entire stadium thundered with shouts of "Kanzaki!"
Just from such a dramatic entrance, he could tell—
This first-year Ace was the type to challenge batters head-on.
The stadium quieted.
Miyuki smiled and gave the sign.
Without hesitation, Kanzaki lifted his left leg, stepped forward, toes pointing toward home plate. His long arm whipped forward—
the white ball shooting out like a laser.
The batter swung!
His bat ripped the air with a sharp whoosh—
but—
Snap!
The baseball was already in Miyuki's mitt.
Swing too slow.
153 km/h.
Everyone turned to the speed gun.
The very first pitch broke 150.
Not quite the 157 from last game…
But clearly full power.
The batter's eyes trembled.
This pitcher's ball wasn't just fast—it carried insane spin, the kind that seemed alive.
The second pitch came instantly. Miyuki quickened the rhythm—this was what Kanzaki thrived on.
Two more straight fastballs over 150 km/h.
Three pitches.
Strikeout.
The leadoff batter walked back not disappointed, but thoughtful.
After seeing three of Kanzaki's fastballs, he felt he had begun adjusting.
By his next turn, he believed he'd make contact.
Next came Sagara's second batter.
This time, Miyuki didn't call for nonstop straight balls—he showcased strategy.
Kanzaki threw an outside Slider. Fast, sharp, deceptive.
The batter couldn't track it—swing and miss.
Immediately, Kanzaki reset and unleashed a straight ball to the chest.
The batter, still mentally stuck on the Slider, flinched—too late to react.
Second strike.
For the third pitch, just as Kanzaki threw—
the batter lunged his bat forward.
A bunt?!
Snap!
"Strike!"
The ball dropped sharply, avoiding the bat entirely.
"Strikeout!"
Kanzaki exhaled. That bunt attempt was sudden, but harmless.
The batter walked off scowling.
This guy's velocity was insane—
he couldn't even bunt properly.
"I'm counting on you…" he muttered to the next hitter.
Stepping up was Sagara High School's captain—
Maya Yamato.