Mima Vs. Rei

The bustling National Level Stadium was alive with the electrifying energy of passionate cheering fans, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their beloved player onto the field. Amidst the vibrant crowd were numerous individuals proudly donning the insignia of various universities, adding to the colorful atmosphere of the event.

His fans cheered, "Mima, look over here!" While a deep conversation between fans had started on the side. "There's nothing to discuss. Mima is going to hit the pitch of that pesky-looking fellow," one fan said.

The other fan replied, "Nope! Rei will strike him out." She was a big fan of Rei's appearance...and pitching. "I told you Mima has the attention of professional scouts. This means he's on the right track. They can't lose to this team that appeared out of nowhere. It's even more ridiculous that they appeared in Koshien with no backups!" retorted the Mima fan.

The Rei fan could only pout in response as she couldn't argue any further. She knew he wasn't saying anything wrong. She shook her head to erase the negative thoughts and wished that Yakushi wins just to prove to the jerk that Rei is better in every way.

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Mima stood confidently on the field, taking deep breaths as he prepared to face the pitcher. He assumed his batting stance and directed his bat toward Rei, exuding an intense and focused demeanor that seemed to ripple throughout the entire team. Rei, in turn, couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement at the provocation, his eyes widening in anticipation.

With the catcher's signal received, Rei wound up his glove and hurled the ball toward the home plate, hoping to catch Mima off-guard. However, Mima proved to be more than ready for the challenge, instinctively shifting his body and striking the ball cleanly.

As the ball soared past the fence, the fielders turned stiff with shock and awe, realizing that they were up against a truly skilled and formidable opponent.

"Foul!", the umpire said.

Rei had to admit he was a bit tense seeing the ball soaring over the fence from that position! He seemed to have underestimated Mima, now he knew why the man was so popular. His skills were no joke.

"What the hell was that?", Raichi shouted from the third base in disbelief. How could this 'Mima' guy hit so far in that position? Although he was surprised seeing it, it wouldn't have been a problem for him.

Kazuma gulped and became extremely cautious of the batter in the batter's box. He was in danger…they barely survived this time. He has to be more careful and focus on the batter's body language.

The performance of the batter left the Hakuryu supporters in a state of amazement. They were thoroughly impressed by the skills displayed on the field. The player's precision and accuracy were remarkable, and it was evident that they had trained hard to reach such a level of expertise. The supporters cheered and applauded feeling proud to have witnessed such a display of talent.

Although the Yakushi fielders were initially shocked by the hit, they quickly regained their composure. Having undergone Rei's rigorous training, they had become more resilient and were less likely to be provoked or lose hope easily, with a few exceptions.

Rei was kind of ticked off that this stoic dude in front of him hit a foul off of him. He had to strike this dude or else his record would be bad. The next second, Kazuma instructed him to throw a cutter to the inside, but Rei strongly opposed to the idea shook his head. Kazuma nodded and asked for another valid pitch.

Rei wound up his glove and threw a pitch. The ball quickly soared towards home plate, too fast to react even with great instincts. Mima swung and missed, and the sound of the ball hitting the mitt shocked him, though his expression remained stoic.

The umpire called "Strike!" and the Yakushi fans cheered. However, the empty dugout remained silent. Masuda yelled "Just one more out!" and Rei threw the next pitch as instructed by Kazuma. He pitched a two-seamer to the outside and Mima made contact with it! Although fortunately he was jammed resulting in a pop fly to second base. Matsuda caught the ball and Mima was out!

"Strike! Batter out! 3 Outs, Change!", the umpire said.

"Ace Rei Fujikawa leaves the famous Hakuryu scoreless!", announced the announcer.

The onlookers erupted into a joyous uproar as Yakushi expertly thwarted Hakuryu's attempt to both maintain possession of the ball and advance to the base.

After scrutinizing Rei, Mima collected his equipment and proceeded toward the dugout. He had previously underestimated this pitcher, but now he comprehended why his peers were struggling to connect with his throws. Rei grinned wickedly, pleased with his performance, and strode back to the dugout with a sinister expression.

As Sanada approached Rei in the dugout, he chuckled. "What a creepy grin," he teased. Raichi joined in, wondering if Rei was considering a career change. But Rei responded with a villainous chuckle and playfully bonked their heads, leaving his teammates with swollen faces on the bench. "If you ever say one more thing about my grin, I will have no choice but to kick you guys off the team!" he threatened sternly.

Masuda replied, "There's already a player shortage. That can't be true." He was bonked midway, stopping him from saying more nonsense.

Rei interrupted, "Anyway, I have something to discuss with Kazuma." He noticed Kazuma paying attention and continued, "I've decided to withhold [Cutter] and [Forkball]. That way, if this becomes a stamina match, we can use these pitches to shake them."

Kazuma nodded in agreement without hesitation. Rei had given him advice and even trained him from time to time, so he trusted Rei's instructions wholeheartedly. "Good idea," Sanada commented. "You guys need to hit the pitches and not just stand there," Rei admonished his teammates with a piercing gaze. "It's easier to score runs in the beginning."

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As the first inning, bottom commenced, the Hakuryu team diligently assumed their respective positions on the field. Ouno, their skilled pitcher, stood on the mound, idly shifting the grains of sand beneath his feet. However, his thoughts were preoccupied with the advice imparted to him by his coach.

Flashback to a few minutes ago in the Hakuryu Dugout.

"The baseball team heavily relies on wide swings to score, but they have a strong lineup that can make them unpredictable. To prevent them from getting on base stay alert and use your legs to make quick moves.", the Coach advised the players. The players nodded in agreement, fully understanding the importance of their role in the game.

Back in the field, Ouno had already resolved in his mind that he would execute the match exactly as his coach had predicted. With steadfast determination, he was fully committed to making his coach's vision a reality!