"We're lucky today. That pitch actually landed right in the strike zone."
After tossing the ball back to Ushijima Wakatoshi, Miyuki Kazuya quietly let out a sigh of relief.
That pitch had somehow miraculously gone into the strike zone.
Not only that—it had gone straight down the middle.
It was precisely because the ball passed through the center that Raichi Todoroki instinctively swung his bat.
Even if Raichi hadn't swung, the pitch would still have been called a strike.
"Hey… did the pitch speed increase again?"
At shortstop, Haruichi Kominato looked visibly nervous.
"That pitch… was it 156 km/h? I think that's what the spectators were shouting."
Kominato glanced toward first baseman Tetsuya Yūki, who also looked surprised.
The entire stadium was stunned.
In the dugout, Tesshin Kataoka's pupils trembled slightly after witnessing that pitch.
Meanwhile, Chris Yū Takigawa, who was recording the game, carefully analyzed the situation.
He quickly realized something.
The pitch entering the strike zone had mostly been luck.
With a pitch that fast, and considering Ushijima Wakatoshi's current control, it would normally be extremely difficult to throw it directly into the strike zone.
Perhaps facing Raichi Todoroki had fired him up.
The excitement might have helped him focus and accidentally place the ball perfectly.
But even so—
That single pitch had already left a deep impression on Raichi Todoroki.
"Nice start. Let's throw another one!"
Miyuki Kazuya boldly called for the next pitch.
A good beginning like that was the perfect chance to keep the momentum going.
Ushijima Wakatoshi calmly caught the ball and looked toward the batter's box.
Raichi Todoroki—the "little monkey"—was sweating heavily.
Raichi swallowed nervously and tightened his grip on the bat.
On the mound, Ushijima Wakatoshi glanced at him before raising his hands again.
It was the exact same pitching motion as before.
Watching him, Raichi suddenly remembered something his father had said.
"Raichi, if that Seido pitcher throws a fastball over 150 km/h…"
"Don't swing. He can't control it anyway."
"That kid can throw fireballs, but his control is terrible."
"So if the ball looks too fast, don't swing. It'll definitely be a ball."
Thinking of those words, Raichi gritted his teeth.
That's not what happened at all, old man…
That last pitch was a strike.
Just as the pressure built inside him—
Ushijima Wakatoshi threw the second pitch.
The motion was identical to the previous one.
PFFT—!
The baseball roared toward home plate even faster than before.
Standing in the batter's box, Raichi clenched his teeth and endured the pressure.
He didn't swing.
With a pitch that fast, it should go out of control… right?
"Whoa… that's fast! Even faster than before!"
Raichi stared in shock at the incoming fastball.
The ball seemed to carry the aura of a ferocious beast.
He watched as it turned into a streak of white light.
Then—
It crossed home plate.
Right along the upper edge of the strike zone.
BANG!!!
Miyuki's glove caught the pitch cleanly.
The loud impact echoed across the stadium.
"Strike!"
The umpire immediately raised his hand.
"Two strikes!"
At that moment, someone in the audience shouted in disbelief.
"157! It's even faster now!"
"What?! It was already 156 earlier!"
"What kind of monster is this?"
The stands erupted into chaos.
Even the second-string Seido players and the team managers were stunned.
Rei Takashima adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses in shock.
She hadn't expected Ushijima Wakatoshi's fastball to be this explosive today.
Those two four-seam fastballs had already surpassed his previous record of 155 km/h.
And somehow—
Both had landed in the strike zone.
"Whether it's luck or actual improvement in his control…"
"These two pitches alone will leave a deep psychological mark on Raichi Todoroki."
"Even if he throws another fireball later, Raichi won't dare to stand still."
Takashima Rei knew exactly what that meant.
Yakushi's momentum had already been suppressed.
On the field, the Seido players were too stunned to even cheer.
They were completely shocked by Ushijima Wakatoshi's pitches.
Faster than before…
And still entering the strike zone.
If he could really control a fastball at that speed—
Then hitting it would be almost impossible.
"Ha… haha…"
Miyuki Kazuya's heart pounded as he caught the ball.
"What luck! Both pitches landed in the strike zone."
"I was actually prepared for that one to be called a ball."
"But it worked."
He tossed the ball back to Ushijima Wakatoshi.
"Remember that feeling."
"If you can repeat that control…"
"Then your 155 km/h fastball will become practically unbeatable."
Meanwhile, Raichi Todoroki stood in the batter's box, struggling to breathe under the pressure.
Yakushi's dugout had fallen completely silent.
The relaxed atmosphere from earlier had vanished.
The moment Ushijima Wakatoshi threw a 156 km/h fastball that landed in the strike zone, their smiles disappeared.
During their previous scouting reports, pitches above 150 km/h from Ushijima Wakatoshi had never entered the strike zone.
But today—
Both pitches had been strikes.
"Seriously? Has this guy improved his control?"
Shunpei Sanada felt a heavy pressure weighing on him.
"Tch… what an arrogant kid."
In the stands, Raichi's father, Todoroki Raizō clicked his tongue.
Although he sounded annoyed, he was secretly shaken.
Just two pitches from Ushijima Wakatoshi had shattered his previous confidence.
His earlier comments about Wakatoshi now felt embarrassing.
On the mound, Ushijima Wakatoshi prepared for the third pitch.
He looked at Raichi Todoroki.
So this is what happens when your father underestimates me.
As the saying goes… the son pays for the father's debts.
With that thought—
He threw his third fireball.
His long arm whipped forward at incredible speed.
The four-seam fastball he had been restraining for over three and a half months was finally unleashed.
WHOOSH!
The baseball shot toward home plate even faster than before.
In the batter's box, Raichi Todoroki's eyes flashed red with determination.
He could clearly feel it—
This pitch was even faster.
And with two strikes already against him, he had no choice.
He couldn't gamble anymore.
If he didn't swing, it might be strike three.
So this time—
He swung with everything he had.
BOOM!!!
Raichi Todoroki's full-force swing tore through the air with a terrifying gust of wind.
His eyes locked onto the baseball.
His bat came down with all his strength.
And as he swung—
A wide grin of excitement spread across his face.