22.Sawamura Play

"Hey, is it that kid's turn?"

"Haha, let's witness the performance of Sawamura-kun, the one who boldly declared himself as the ace."

"At the very least, his spirit is commendable."

"It does pique a bit of curiosity."

As Director Kataoka's words faded, Eijun stepped onto the pitcher's mound, capturing the attention of all the avid baseball fans around. This first-year entrant had already left a lasting impression on those in his vicinity.

As Eijun prepared to deliver his pitches, there was an air of anticipation, as if everyone held a collective hope for this young pitcher to deliver something exceptional, a distinct response of sorts.

Not too far away, Miyuki's eyes also lit up, and his usually laid-back demeanor was replaced by a focused gaze. Even after half a year, Miyuki vividly recalled the sensation Eijun's pitch evoked back then.

Now, the question loomed—could this kid's growth live up to his expectations?

"Hehe, looks like that kid's taking the stage." Kuramochi's eyes flickered oddly as he observed Eijun, a quirky grin forming on his lips. With an enigmatic smile, he remarked, "A clash between dorm mates, huh? How intriguing."

"Oh, so that guy is from your dorm, Kuramochi." Jun Isashiki commented with a chuckle.

"Pay close attention, Jun. This freshman is the same junior high student who bested Asuma senpai three times," Yuki stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What!? Hand me in, I'm going to give this kid a little lesson."

"Jun-san, that's not allowed. The coach will be furious," Kuramochi Yoichi interjected, a hint of exasperation on his face as he swiftly restrained Isashiki Jun.

In this moment, the first-year students' eyes were locked onto Eijun. People could talk big, claiming to be heroes, but in the end, real strength was what mattered most.

They aimed to scrutinize with their own eyes if the one who boldly proclaimed himself earlier could back it up with true power.

At this point, external judgments and others' gazes ceased to impact Eijun, who stood confidently on the mound. It was as if the world had shrunk to just him, experiencing the sensation of being on his very own home turf.

As Eijun's shoes pressed into the dirt of the pitcher's mound, he felt an overwhelming sense of joy. This was his true battleground.

Eijun's eyes gleamed with a distinct excitement and anticipation.

Eijun, let's show them what we're truly made of this time.

A sudden, penetrating gaze and the unfamiliar glint in Eijun's eyes sent shivers through Fumiya Kusuki's heart. This kid is more complex than he seems!

This marked Fumiya Kusuki's initial impression of Eijun Sawamura.

Amid the watchful eyes of everyone, Eijun inhaled deeply, fixing his gaze on Kariba behind the home plate, then patted his outstretched left hand twice against his right arm.

"Yeah!" Kariba gave a subtle nod, adjusting his position slightly and positioning the ball's cover on the inner side.

"Signaling for a pitch change? When?"

"These two have a different dynamic than the previous pair."

"Tsk tsk, it seems the moment of truth is approaching."

With only partial control over his pitches and limited command, Eijun planned to maximize the advantage of his pitch quality and posture, deliberately throwing off hitters other than the cleanup batter, Masoku.

This time, I'm feeling even more confident facing these seniors.

Eijun lifted his right leg high, creating a barrier-like stance, and abruptly concealed his arm behind his head.

This move...

Supervisor Kataoka, who was closely watching Eijun, sensed the shift and a look of surprise flickered across his eyes.

In the following moment, the arm swung into action.

"Crack!"

A luminous projectile shot forth, momentarily taking Fumiya Kusuki aback.

The brilliant sphere was rapidly closing in on the home plate; the initial shock transformed into a split-second reaction as Fumiya Kusuki instinctively swung his bat.

"Thud!"

The moment when the bat and the radiant entity seemed to converge flawlessly.

However, Fumiya Kusuki's demeanor shifted drastically.

"Whoosh!"

The radiant light recoiled abruptly.

On the pitcher's mound, Eijun extended his left hand towards himself, maintaining a composed expression. He calmly inserted the luminous entity into the ball pocket.

"Snap"

"Out!!!"

The pitch soared directly, the batter made contact, but was caught out. A straightforward pitch, executed with finesse—Sawamura Eijun secured the first out, and an uproar rippled through the spectators.

Not just a linear trajectory, it goes beyond mere casual observation.

The surrounding spectators were mostly left puzzled by the intricacies of the pitch, while a few astute individuals managed to catch a glimpse of Eijun's form, thanks to the distinct quality of his delivery.

"A breaking ball? Quite an entertaining young player, isn't he?"

The keen-eyed observers all sported knowing smiles.

"What happened, Fumiya?"

"Was it really just a simple fastball?"

"No, it's not just about the fastball; it's the posture too..." Seated on the bench, Fumiya Kusuki responded with a wry grin to his teammates' queries. In that moment, he hadn't fully comprehended it; the ball approached, guided mostly by the sensation in his hand. That feeling threw off his ball contact entirely, even though it was just a straight pitch.

"Posture?"

"Basically, don't underestimate him, and try to observe more closely." In the end, Fumiya Kusuki could only offer such advice.

Eijun's unique pitching posture, coupled with the unpredictable movement of the ball, turned his sudden appearance in the game into a daunting challenge for the senior players.

The seniors found themselves at a loss, struggling to anticipate the ball's trajectory. It would abruptly swerve and behave erratically.

"Thud."

"Second baseman."

"Crack."

"Snap."

Haruichi Kominato fielded the ball with grace, tossing it effortlessly to first base before switching sides.

"Out, three outs, switch sides, offense to defense!"

"Wow!!!!!"

Three batters up, three batters down—Eijun Sawamura's flawless performance kept all hitters from reaching base. With his unique pitching style, he exceeded the expectations of everyone present.

"Nice pitch, Sawamura!" Kariba stood firm at the home plate, a subtle, uncontainable smile gracing the corner of his eyes. Despite facing only three batters in a single inning, Kariba had a conviction—Sawamura's pitches were effective even against these senior players!

"Great pitch, Sawamura-kun," Haruichi Kominato chimed in from behind second base, his voice carrying encouragement.

Amid the incredulity of the first-year players on the field, the frustration of the upperclassmen, and the awe of the spectators, Eijun stood poised on the mound. His lips curved slightly, revealing a confident smile.

"The competition has only just begun!!!"