"Hey, hey, really? 4.2 seconds?"
"Yeah… 4.2 seconds? That means he's even faster than Kuramochi!"
Kuramochi's usual smile disappeared.
Seido's fastest man… now outpaced by a freshman?
And he was still a first-year!
If a freshman could run this fast now, what would his on-base speed be next year? Could he dip under four seconds?
"Ho ho~ New test results are in. First base to second base—3.01 seconds."
"And Ushijima's position? Shortstop."
Kuramochi, who had been training, felt his heart sink even further.
The pink-haired, squinty-eyed senior next to him chuckled, "Looks like you've got a rival."
"Tch." Kuramochi, normally cheerful, couldn't manage a smile.
His own split from first to second was 3.20 seconds.
Anyone with even a little baseball knowledge knew this:
The longest sprint is always to first base, due to the turning motion after hitting.
Left-handed batter? Turns toward first base after contact. Right-handed batter? One extra step to cover. That tiny fraction of a second could make or break plays.
Second base? Easier. The runner is already facing it, no turning needed, and the distance is slightly shorter.
Kuramochi frowned. "Tall and fast… this freshman is ridiculous."
"Seems this year's freshmen class has a strong junior," Kominato Ryosuke said with a grin.
"Hey! Yuki's cousin is that fast? Why didn't you tell me?!" Izashiki barked at Captain Yuki.
Yuki ignored him, focused on his swing, as usual. Everyone knew their aloof captain well enough not to expect a response.
On Field B, Ushijima Wakatoshi continued his tests.
CLANG!
Another crisp metallic crack echoed as the ball flew sharply into the infield.
The shortstop scooped it up and fired to first—but Ushijima had already reached the base, faster than the throw could arrive.
"Alright, Ushijima, your test is over," the Assistant Coach called.
Ushijima silently removed his glove and hat.
"Ushijima, amazing! You got on base every time! So fast!"
Kanemaru, his classmate, swallowed hard in admiration.
Ushijima nodded quietly. "Hmm… I used to practice short-distance running in junior high."
"Oh, oh~" Kanemaru finally relaxed, impressed and slightly reassured.
With that, the first-year evaluations were mostly complete. Training ended, and the players headed off for lunch.
Meanwhile, in the Head Coach's office, Kataoka Tesshin reviewed the data.
"Oh? This international student, Ushijima Wakatoshi… is his bunting ability really that outstanding?" he asked the Assistant Coach.
The Assistant Coach nodded. "Yes, this freshman is already considered one of the two strongest hitters among this year's batch."
"The other is Kominato Haruichi, younger brother of third-year Kominato Ryosuke. Haruichi's hitting is more well-rounded than Ushijima Wakatoshi's.
"Ushijima's batting average is currently 100%, but all of his hits are infield hits. Haruichi's average is about 60%, but he can hit for power.
"Right now, Ushijima is hitting every fastball under 130 km/h. Even if the ball doesn't land ideally, his speed ensures he reaches base."
Coach Kataoka's eyes gleamed. "Changeups, too? He can hit those as long as the speed is under 110 km/h?"
"Changeups are trickier," the Assistant Coach replied honestly. "Today we tested 50 pitches: Four-seam, Two-seam, Changeup, Cutter, Forkball, Slider, and Curveball. All pitches under 130 km/h were hit accurately."
"Fastballs 120–129 km/h? 100% batting average."
"Over 130 km/h? Still over 70%."
"Over 140 km/h? Around 50%."
"Changeups under 100 km/h? 100%."
"Changeups over 110 km/h? 40–50%."
"Even when the ball doesn't land ideally, his speed allows him to reach base."
Coach Kataoka clenched his hands. This freshman already had First Team-level hitting. Combined with his speed, once on base, he would put immense pressure on opposing pitchers.
"And the other aspects?" Kataoka asked.
"Stamina is exceptional," the Assistant Coach continued. "Among the freshmen, he's unique. Even in the First Team, he wouldn't tire faster than the third-years."
"Oh?" Kataoka's surprise deepened.
"Also, his secondary position is pitcher. We conducted a brief pitching test."
"He only knows two types of fastballs: Two-seam and Four-seam. Speed just over 130 km/h, with decent control for a first-year."
Kataoka's expression shifted slightly. Not disappointed in Ushijima, but disappointed by the lack of strong pitching prospects.
Ushijima's hitting alone was already impressive. If his pitching were equally strong, it would almost be unbelievable.
As for the pitching test, Ushijima hadn't used full effort. Revealing the power of his Diamond Four-seam fastball now would force the coach to make him practice control immediately.
He didn't plan to waste time on pitching yet. Only Silver Control and ~130 km/h fastballs were shown. He would reveal his full pitching skill set once he achieved Golden-level control.