When Miyuki finished speaking, Sawamura and Furuya both turned to look at Kanzaki Ryou on the pitcher's mound.
Indeed, Kanzaki had taken very good care of both of them.
"Me too. Kanzaki-san helped me a lot," Kawakami said.
"Haha, that's because you've got decent talent, Kawakami," Miyuki replied with a smile.
Coach Kataoka, who had been listening nearby, nodded silently.
"Moreover," Miyuki continued, "about what you were worried about earlier, Sawamura—the opponent regaining their form and the game becoming difficult. You don't need to worry about that at all. Ryou has that kind of confidence. Even if the opponent is in top form, he won't lose."
Sawamura nodded, staring at Kanzaki Ryou's figure on the mound, though no one knew what he was thinking.
In the Yakushi dugout, Todoroki Raichi and Coach Todoroki stared at each other.
"You actually bowed and thanked him. How could I have such a foolish son?"
"Senior Kanzaki is a good person," Todoroki Raichi replied.
Coach Todoroki was speechless.
Still, he couldn't say much. After all, Kanzaki Ryou's words had helped Raichi. Otherwise, he would have been truly worried that Raichi might become discouraged.
What an arrogant brat.
Does he think that if Todoroki Raichi isn't in form, Yakushi isn't worth mentioning?
"Akiba! You know what pitch to hit!" Todoroki Raizo shouted.
On the field, Yakushi's second batter, first-year Kazuma Akiba, walked into the batter's box with mixed emotions.
Hearing his coach's words only made him feel more uncomfortable.
Hit a good pitch.
But what exactly counted as a good pitch?
With Kanzaki Ryou's speed and power, even a pitch right down the middle would be difficult to hit.
On the pitcher's mound, Kanzaki Ryou smiled as he looked at Kazuma Akiba. Like Todoroki Raichi, he was also a left-handed batter.
Then he glanced toward Chris.
Chris lightly tapped his glove with his right fist before giving the sign and setting the target.
Inside low. Four-seam fastball.
Kanzaki nodded slightly and completed his pitching motion before quickly delivering the ball.
In the batter's box, Kazuma Akiba saw the baseball flying toward him. His eyes locked onto the ball, not daring to lose focus for even a moment.
Inside fastball!
After making his judgment, he decisively swung the bat.
However, halfway through his swing, Kazuma Akiba suddenly realized something.
His swing was late.
Not fast enough!
The baseball shot across the plate and was easily caught by Chris.
"Strike!"
The home plate umpire called out loudly.
After missing the first pitch, Kazuma Akiba subconsciously glanced at the speed gun.
145 km/h.
?
How could that be?!
Kazuma Akiba turned his head in shock to look at Kanzaki Ryou.
So slow? Was it intentional?
It should be known that Kanzaki hadn't thrown a 145 km/h fastball in a game for quite some time. His average velocity had already reached 155 km/h.
In the Yakushi dugout, Todoroki Raizo's face turned red with frustration.
He couldn't understand why Akiba's swing had been so late.
"He's probably thinking too much or rather, he's nervous," Sanada Shunpei said calmly.
"Because he's too nervous, he subconsciously keeps expecting a fastball over 150 km/h. That pressure slows his reaction by half a beat."
Hearing this explanation, Todoroki Raizo angrily slapped the railing.
He hadn't expected Kanzaki Ryou's pitching to be so oppressive that it could affect the batter's psychology.
"Don't be nervous, you idiot!"
"Akiba, you can do it!"
"You can do it!"
Hearing his teammates' cheers, Kazuma Akiba took a deep breath to calm himself.
Seeing this, Kanzaki Ryou smiled.
Then he saw the signal Chris gave.
Still inside low. Still a four-seam fastball.
You're really mean, Senior, Kanzaki thought.
Because this time, the speed would increase.
After seeing that 145 km/h fastball earlier, the opponent must be confused. When he swings this time, hesitation is inevitable.
Whoosh!
A fastball approaching 150 km/h shot toward home plate.
Kazuma Akiba, who was mentally prepared, felt his pupils constrict as he swung.
"Bang!"
"Strike!"
Too slow again.
This time, it was really slow.
Kazuma Akiba's eyes widened.
Facing this pitch felt even more terrifying than facing a 160 km/h pitching machine.
The baseball seemed alive, full of vitality. Its terrifying power alone made one instinctively want to retreat.
How do those guys from Inashiro Industrial fight this monster every time?
Aren't they afraid?
Akiba's mind began to wander again.
He had already swung and missed twice.
Two strikes.
One more pitch and he would be out.
Yet his thoughts were drifting elsewhere.
After receiving the return throw, Kanzaki Ryou saw Chris tilt his head slightly, observing Kazuma Akiba's expression.
A faint smile curved Chris's lips as he set his glove once more.
Still inside?!
Senior Chris… you're really ruthless.
Kanzaki felt a surge of excitement.
Not only was it inside—
It was still a fastball.
Striking the batter out with three fastballs in the same location would probably drive him crazy.
Without hesitation, Kanzaki fired the pitch.
Kazuma Akiba swung again. His timing was slightly earlier this time.
However, the speed of the pitch still exceeded his expectations.
156 km/h.
Even faster than the second pitch.
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
Hearing the umpire's call, Kazuma Akiba's face turned extremely grim.
Three fastballs of different speeds.
And yet this guy's control had placed them all in exactly the same spot.
Most importantly, he had been struck out by three fastballs in the same location.
It was humiliating.
What Kazuma Akiba didn't know was that the audience wasn't looking down on him at all.
Not because of anything he had done.
But because his opponent was simply too strong.
Everyone's attention was focused entirely on Kanzaki Ryou.
Seeing Kanzaki strike out the batter with three consecutive inside-low fastballs, the audience erupted with excitement.
The momentum created by Seido's fan club, brass band, and cheerleaders swept across the entire stadium.
Standing on the pitcher's mound and feeling the atmosphere, Kanzaki Ryou felt his emotions surge.
He was someone who liked to show off an attention seeker.
And the feeling of being in the spotlight was addictive.
As Yakushi's third batter, first-year right-handed hitter Mishima Yuta, stepped into the batter's box, the cheers from the stands gradually subsided.
Mishima Yuta, proud and ambitious, constantly adjusted his breathing.
The sight of Todoroki Raichi and Kazuma Akiba leaving the field in disarray was still clearly imprinted in his mind.
He didn't want to be struck out so easily.
Moreover, with both Todoroki Raichi and the previous batter already struck out, if he could get a hit here, he would definitely attract even more attention.
Kanzaki Ryou and Mishima Yuta exchanged glances.
From Mishima's eyes, Kanzaki saw the same anticipation he had seen in Todoroki Raichi.
But there was a difference.
Todoroki Raichi's passion was pure—simple and single-minded.
But this guy…
Kanzaki sensed a hint of calculation.
Trying to prove himself by defeating me?
Or simply trying to show off?