Chapter 453: Red vs. White (4)
After securing the out against Kijima Rei, the next batter to step up was right fielder Seki Naomichi.
Seki Naomichi had his own unique style and technique when it came to batting, but against a pitcher like Furuya—who embodied sheer, unrelenting power—and a catcher like Miyuki, who amplified that dominance to the extreme, Seki stood little chance.
Three pitches.
Another three-pitch strikeout.
Compared to Eijun's effortless control, Furuya's approach felt even more overwhelming.
Back-to-back three-pitch strikeouts against two batters.
Right from the start of the game, Furuya had already elevated his presence to an intimidating level.
"Third batter, catcher, Ono-kun."
In terms of batting skill, Ono was arguably on par with the lower half of the starting lineup, if not better. His experience and raw power gave him an edge.
Against Furuya's fastball, Ono was able to put up a real fight.
As a catcher who frequently caught Furuya's pitches during practice, he had a deep understanding of the weight and movement of his pitches. Unlike Kijima and Seki, he wasn't so easily overpowered.
Moreover, as a catcher, he was one of the few batters who could zero in on strikes with precision.
His keen sense for the ball was nearly on par with Miyuki's.
And above all, Ono knew Furuya inside out.
In this timeline, with Eijun as the undisputed ace, Miyuki mostly paired with him during practice, leaving Furuya to work extensively with Ono in the bullpen.
Whether it was fastballs or breaking balls, deceiving Ono was no easy task.
"Whoosh!"
"Crack!"
"Foul!"
"Wow, that's already the sixth pitch. Ono's really hanging in there."
"He's not letting anything go easily."
"And he's not chasing bad pitches at all."
"Most batters would've swung at that slider earlier."
"That was just slightly off—Ono's eye for detail is insane."
Even Miyuki, squatting behind the plate, was caught off guard.
He hadn't expected Ono to hold out this long against Furuya's relentless pitching.
More importantly, as the pitch count climbed—
"Whoosh!"
"Ball four. Walk."
Sure enough.
Miyuki's eyes flickered slightly as he caught the ninth pitch, a blazing fastball. Behind him, the umpire's firm call echoed.
Once the pitch count rises, his control starts wavering…
Miyuki sighed inwardly.
You've grown, and you've become more stable—but there are still so many gaps, so many little flaws to fix. Compared to Sawamura, you've got a long, long way to go, Furuya.
His gaze lingered on Furuya, whose expression had shifted subtly on the mound.
In the first-base dugout, Coach Ochiai's narrowed eyes gleamed with faint disappointment before he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
If you want to claim the ace number…
Honestly…
From the very beginning—
Ochiai never considered Furuya to have much of a chance. After all, that guy existed. His gaze drifted toward the on-deck circle, where a certain figure was slowly rising to his feet.
His existence is both your misfortune and your luck, Furuya.
"Hahaha! Nice one, Ono!"
"Great eye, Ono-senpai!"
"Now it's your turn, Ace!"
"Go get 'em, Sawamura! We're counting on you!"
"Cleanup, pitcher, Sawamura-kun."
I'm ready to steal at any moment.
Focus on the first fast strike—swing with everything.
This was no ordinary intrasquad game.
Ono stood poised at first base, his expression solemn. In the dugout, Coach Kataoka relayed signs with the same intensity as an official match.
Eijun's focus sharpened to an unprecedented degree.
A glint of cold determination flashed in his piercing eyes.
The moment his cleats touched the batter's box, an overwhelming pressure surged toward the mound—as if the very air itself sought to crush Furuya where he stood.
The first true showdown between the rival aces.
For the first time, Furuya truly understood the terrifying presence of the rival he aimed to surpass.
Just standing there, Eijun radiated an aura that weighed on him like an avalanche.
Instinctively, Furuya clenched his right hand tighter.
I won't lose. I absolutely refuse to lose. My goal—my future—is to surpass him. And this is where it starts.
His jaw tightened.
Beneath his usual stoic expression, a rare, almost ferocious resolve flickered to life.
This was the defiance of a flame-throwing prodigy.
...
"No way… It's just a scrimmage. The first inning, and Sawamura's already in full battle mode?"
Miyuki, his longtime battery partner, recognized it instantly.
The moment Eijun stepped into the box, the atmosphere shifted.
And Miyuki knew exactly what that meant.
His brow furrowed slightly as his fingers twitched, relaying a new sign.
When it's time to fight, we fight. When it's time to strategize, we strategize. Miyuki was no reckless catcher who relied solely on brute force.
The sign was set.
On the mound, Furuya's expression turned icy. His slightly hunched posture snapped straight—
And then—
"WHOOSH!"
A searing white streak.
A fastball roaring past 150 km/h.
The sheer force of it felt like it could swallow the batter whole.
But as the ball hurtled into Sawamura's vision—
A flicker.
A violent drop.
The break was sharp. Ruthless.
The angle—impossibly precise.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Yet Sawamura didn't flinch.
Only a faint gleam reflected in his azure eyes.
Then—
"BOOM!"
A shockwave of motion.
His foot stamped forward.
The swing erupted like a storm.
"PING!"
A deafening collision.
The ball screamed off the bat—
"FOUL!"
The call rang out as the ball slammed into the dirt.
Eijun calmly raised his bat again.
A faint golden hue shimmered in his pupils.
Ace vs. Ace.
First pitch.
The battle begins.
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