“Finally came out, huh!” “Let’s blow you away!
You arrogant first-year!” “Hmph, even if you cry your eyes out on the mound, we won’t let you leave so easily!” The moment Furuya Satoru stepped onto the pitcher’s mound, the emotions of the second- and third-year seniors instantly surged even higher.
Unlike Kanzaki Yuto, whose performance in the top of the inning had merely stimulated them, Furuya had truly provoked them badly during yesterday’s dinner… Alright, and there was also that sharp-tongued Eijun.
Yes—basically, the anger of the second- and third-years came from these three people.
Eh?
You’re asking about the other one?
Of course, that would be Kanzaki Yuto.
Although he wasn’t as mouthy as Eijun or Furuya, his naturally calm—no, adorably clueless—demeanor, combined with the way he nearly sent Tanba’s pitch flying out of the park (an illusion), only made the upperclassmen even more eager to teach him a harsh lesson… As for how the “script” would play out—whether it would follow the original work’s habitual overpowering development, or whether Kanzaki Yuto’s presence would create some additional bug—Kanzaki Yuto himself was extremely curious.
If anything unexpected happened again, he wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest… However, it seemed that—hmm—the chances of an accident were perhaps rather low… probably… Kanzaki Yuto thought quietly.
Furuya Satoru stood on the pitcher’s mound, wearing that cold, unapproachable expression.
The first-year catcher, who had originally wanted to go up and discuss pitch selection with him, immediately abandoned the idea… With that look, he really didn’t seem like the type who would “talk things out” properly.
After having their spirits shattered into pieces by the second- and third-years already, well… it didn’t matter anymore.
Forget it.
Just go with it… Thinking helplessly, the young catcher crouched down in the catcher’s box.
Sigh… whatever.
Let’s just end this boring Red-and-White game as soon as possible.
He no longer had the motivation to continue, the first-year catcher thinking gloomily.
“Start.” Coach Kataoka coldly glanced at Furuya Satoru and the catcher, then shook his head almost imperceptibly as he spoke.
Truth be told, among this batch of freshmen, only three people had truly caught Coach Kataoka’s eye so far… As for the rest, he would need to keep observing.
After all, freshmen who had just come up from junior high and could immediately adapt and become real combat power were almost nonexistent.
Being crushed badly at the start was a normal reaction—only, their performance seemed a bit too poor… Standing on the mound, Furuya Satoru calmly stared at the senior in the batter’s box.
His expression didn’t change in the slightest as he slowly exhaled.
The instant Coach Kataoka’s words fell, Furuya’s expression sharpened.
In that moment, his presence seemed to condense entirely—his eyes blazing with something called momentum.
Cold, sharp, and oppressive!
He took a long stride forward.
His right arm whipped down violently!
“Whoosh!” A streak like a blue shockwave burst forth!
Snarling, roaring, it shot straight toward the batter!
Like an existence that devoured everything, the batter was completely stunned in that instant, unable to move at all.
In the brief moment of shock, the ball had already flown past the batter’s hitting zone.
“Bang!” It sounded as though something had been struck violently, producing a thunderous crash!
“Coach!” “Are you alright, Coach?!” Furuya Satoru’s pitch roared like a wild beast, arriving in an instant.
Neither the catcher nor the batter had time to react.
That blazing fastball, traveling on a rising trajectory from low to high, sent the protective mask of Coach Kataoka—who was acting as umpire—flying off… The nearby second- and third-year seniors immediately rushed over, some of them even glaring viciously at Furuya Satoru!
“Ha ha!” But to everyone’s surprise, Coach Kataoka actually laughed.
For the first time, a smile appeared on his usually stern face.
“Furuya Satoru!
You pass!
Starting tomorrow, join the first-string training!
You don’t need to continue this game!” Coach Kataoka’s words struck like a bolt from the blue, stunning everyone present!
“Coach!
Please let the game continue!” The third-year senior in the batter’s box was instantly dumbfounded.
He had been counting on smashing Furuya to teach him what high school baseball was all about—but Coach Kataoka’s decision… “No first-year can catch his pitches.” Coach Kataoka’s words were cold and absolute.
The first-year catcher beside him, along with the catchers in the dugout, all turned pale and fell silent.
For a catcher, being unable to catch the pitcher’s ball was the greatest blow—enough to cast doubt on their very identity as a catcher.
“So this way, Miyuki-senpai can catch my pitches!” It was almost tangible—those around him could feel a blue flame igniting and burning fiercely from Furuya’s body!
That blazing will!
His eyes burned straight toward Miyuki in the distance.
Facing Furuya’s openly provocative gaze, Miyuki merely smiled indifferently and shrugged.
He had already completely seen through Furuya’s personality during yesterday’s dinner—just a naturally airheaded kid, really… Still, it was pretty interesting.
This year’s freshmen… Miyuki covered his mouth and chuckled quietly, like a thief who had just stolen a priceless treasure… “Pitcher change!” “Caught—out!
Switch offense and defense!” That inning finally ended after Furuya left the mound, with the score frozen at nine runs.
It didn’t even reach double digits, which surprised Kanzaki Yuto quite a bit.
One pitch really could change the momentum and flow of the game… That’s really a bit ridiculous… Kanzaki Yuto stroked his chin as he thought.
The attacking momentum of the second- and third-year seniors seemed to have been completely suppressed by that single pitch.
In his previous life, Kanzaki Yuto truly wouldn’t have believed such a dreamlike scenario—one pitch changing everything?
Well, reality was right in front of him.
He had no choice but to believe it.
As expected, this kid really does have the potential to become an ace… Watching Furuya pack up his things in the dugout, Kanzaki Yuto thought with a sigh.
A naturally gifted blazing fastball—truly a perfect talent bestowed by heaven!
So enviable… Kanzaki Yuto couldn’t help but feel emotional.
No wonder Coach Kataoka valued Furuya so much later on.
Even though he was emotionally inclined toward Eijun, in the end, Coach Kataoka still chose to focus on developing Furuya… But this was not the ace Kanzaki Yuto envisioned—nor the ace he acknowledged.
Even if the Furuya of his previous life had already reached an inhuman level… But still—!
“Eh?
You’re leaving already?” A first-year beside him looked at Furuya, who had finished packing up and was about to leave, and asked in confusion.
Even if the coach had taken him out, the game wasn’t over yet—he was just leaving like that?
“Yeah.
There’s no point in staying after this.” Furuya Satoru said flatly, then picked up his bag and left.
“And Kanzaki Yuto, you can come off the field too.” At that moment, Coach Kataoka’s cold voice rang out.
Kanzaki Yuto, who had been thinking about the upcoming defense and batting, froze slightly and looked up in surprise toward Kataoka in the distance.
Although Coach Kataoka had already explained this Red-and-White game beforehand— In order to give every first-year a chance, basically everyone would only get two or three innings on the field.
Kanzaki Yuto had already expected this.
Still, being substituted out just like that left him feeling unwilling to accept it… But unwillingness couldn’t change anything.
He could only step off the field, right… Kanzaki Yuto clenched his fist tightly, feeling an intense urge deep inside that resisted leaving the field.
No one found it surprising—Coach Kataoka had already explained this substitution rhythm before.
However, the next sentence he spoke once again left everyone utterly shocked…