In the Seidou High School baseball team's dugout, the teammates could clearly sense the opponent's change. Even though they weren't in the Batter's Box and didn't feel it as directly as Kuramochi did, this feeling couldn't be ignored.
"This is weird! This guy was already at the level of a monster, and now he's even stronger!" Asou frowned and said.
Many of his teammates felt the same.
Sawamura, on the other hand, was more accepting, or perhaps he had already predicted that this would happen.
"Isn't this what they say happens at Koshien? A player might go through a complete transformation in just a few days after such a big match."
At first, this was just a rumor.
At least for Seidou High's team, it was merely a rumor.
None of their players had ever experienced this type of evolution.
Their previous opponents had shown tremendous improvement in a short time, but none had undergone such a dramatic transformation.
The Hoshitaru they were facing now was the only one who had changed so dramatically in just a few days.
This guy was already at the level of a monster when facing Seijitsu.
Now, he was even more intense!
Originally, Kuramochi had been confident.
With Kuramochi's ability, as long as he could make contact with the ball, he had a good chance of reaching base.
But now, it seemed he had overestimated himself.
The power Hoshitaru had shown far exceeded his expectations.
Under these circumstances, it was unclear whether Kuramochi would even have the chance to reach base.
To say uncertain was putting it lightly.
Roaar!
Even as Kuramochi felt the pressure, Hoshitaru's sharp form remained unyielding.
He threw the ball with incredible speed and force, showcasing his pitching power to the fullest.
Seeing the fastball coming, Kuramochi instinctively prepared to swing his bat.
He couldn't accept being struck out without even making a move.
As his bat moved, Kuramochi suddenly stopped his motion.
The ball, which had been close to the strike zone, suddenly broke out of it.
If Kuramochi had swung, he would have been struck out without a doubt.
Fortunately, he realized just in time and stopped his swing.
This prevented the strikeout from happening.
But even so, cold sweat ran down Kuramochi's back.
'That was so close!'
He almost swung and missed.
Boom!
"BALL!"
With the count now two Strikes and one Ball, Kuramochi was still in a disadvantageous position.
On the mound, Hoshitaru wasn't celebrating his temporary lead.
On the contrary…
He felt the immense pressure coming from his opponent.
'As expected from the first batter of Seidou, a nationally recognized star player.'
Hoshitaru had used that same strategy many times and had successfully taken down opponents.
After two balls were thrown, the batter's mentality often started to crumble.
In such situations, if he just fully unleashed his pitching skills, it would seem natural to strike the batter out.
But this opponent…
Even after being lured in, he stopped his swing as soon as he sensed something was wrong.
This wasn't easy at all, especially with the massive momentum behind a swing.
Hoshitaru had to admit that his opponent's fundamentals were so solid, it was almost outrageous.
'So strong!'
Stronger than any opponent he had ever faced.
Just the duel with Kuramochi made Hoshitaru feel this way.
But he had to admit that the Seidou High School baseball team was unlike any team he had met before.
Their strength, the solid foundation of their players, and their quick responses were far superior to the opponents he had encountered in the past.
Facing such a strong enemy, most people would feel immense pressure.
But Hoshitaru was different; the strength of his opponent only ignited his fighting spirit.
For Hoshitaru, being able to face a team like Seidou High School at Koshien felt like the greatest fortune.
Only in a situation like this did he feel that his three years of hard work were truly meaningful.
Otherwise, if every powerhouse at Koshien were like Seijitsu, what would winning the championship even mean?
This was great!
Very, very great!
Facing Kuramochi, Hoshitaru exhibited his fighting spirit.
He felt that only opponents like this were worth giving his all.
Without hesitation, he used one of his hidden trump cards.
He took a high step, shifting his body's center of gravity, and the baseball flew out with terrifying speed.
Roaaar!
The ball rocketed toward home plate, faster than any of his previous pitches.
Kuramochi, watching the ball, was momentarily stunned.
'What was that?'
'So fast!'
Faster than any of the previous three pitches by a large margin.
And from the way he felt, this pitch wasn't just fast.
There was something else to it.
'Here it comes!'
Kuramochi's thoughts barely formed when the baseball was already in front of him.
His well-trained body reacted naturally.
Having been pressured, Kuramochi had no other options.
He could only force himself to swing the bat, hoping to make contact with the ball.
As the bat was about to strike the ball, he had an uneasy feeling.
Though the bat seemed to be just about to make contact, the pitch was so strange that he wasn't sure what would happen once he hit it.
This unease filled him with apprehension as he pushed forward, shaking off his doubts.
He executed the swing style he had honed at Seidou High School.
He hoped his strong swing could send the baseball flying.
Just as the bat was about to meet the ball, it seemed as if the baseball had turned into a phantom, the bat striking the illusion and passing right through it!
On the mound, Hoshitaru watched as Kuramochi missed the pitch and a look of joy flashed in his eyes.
He had won!
Even facing the batters from Seidou High School, his pitching had proven effective.
This realization made him happy, and his entire demeanor radiated vitality.
This direct confrontation gave Hoshitaru great confidence.
It made him believe that his pitching, even against the king of Seidou High School, would still be highly effective!
Kuramochi stood there frozen.
The sudden break had caught him off guard.
He had dodged the previous pitch, but this one he couldn't escape.
In the end, he couldn't avoid being struck out.
"RUN!!!"
The shout came urgently from behind him.
Kuramochi recognized it immediately as Haruichi's voice.
Before his brain could process it, his body reacted instinctively.
He dropped his bat and, like a predator pouncing, sprinted toward first base!
As he ran, he caught a glimpse of the Kanetsu-Norin catcher running backward frantically.
Kuramochi quickly realized what had happened.
It seemed that the catcher had been just as caught off guard by the pitch as he was.
The catcher had failed to catch the ball.
As Seidou's team continued to rise in skill, they hadn't encountered this type of situation in a long time.
Kuramochi had almost forgotten that such things could happen.
Fortunately, his reaction time was fast enough, and he didn't waste the opportunity.
By the time the Kanetsu-Norin Catcher recovered the ball and was preparing to throw it to first base, Kuramochi was almost at the bag!
'This fast?'
Kuchiki, the catcher's face showed shock.
Although they had already known Kuramochi's incredible speed, seeing it in person still left him stunned.
After the dropped catch, Kuchiki didn't stop for a second, smoothly recovering the ball.
Originally, he thought he would have a chance to tag Kuramochi out.
But now, it seemed he had been overly optimistic.
Kuramochi's speed far exceeded his imagination.
He seemed to reach first base effortlessly.
No Outs, and a runner on first!
Although Kuramochi had missed the pitch, it didn't change the fact that he had reached base successfully.
As the engine of Seidou's offense, his reaching base was of great significance.
Their chances of scoring had greatly increased.
Even the commentators were optimistic about the situation.
"Due to the catcher's error, Kuramochi Youichi, the offensive spark of Seidou, successfully reached base. This is undoubtedly a great scoring opportunity for Seidou."
"Second batter, second baseman, Kominato-kun!"
…