It wasn't just Kawakami—Tanba Koichiro was also secretly practicing a new pitch.
Although he tried to hide it, everyone knew exactly what it was.
A Forkball.
"Hm, that's not bad," Kanzaki Ryou said casually. "Throw it to me later. I'll try hitting it."
Seido's pitching staff this year could only be described as luxurious.
There was Kanzaki Ryou—the unquestioned monster and absolute Ace.
There was also Tanba Koichiro, who had learned from the bitter lessons of last year's Summer Koshien. His growth was obvious. His fastball velocity had broken past 140 km/h, and the sharp aura he exuded was completely different from before. Especially when facing freshmen, his expression was cold and severe—no one dared to approach him casually.
Then there was KawakamiNorifumi, whose valuable sidearm delivery guaranteed him stable appearances.
With these two alone, the pressure on Kanzaki Ryou had already been greatly reduced.
And this year…
They also had Furuya Satoru and Sawamura Eijun.
Once those two matured, Seido's pitching depth would reach a terrifying level.
Just then, a sudden gasp rose from A Field.
Kanzaki Ryou turned his head and saw Furuya Satoru undergoing his pitching test.
Although this guy rarely spoke, he was all action.
The moment the ball left his hand, it screamed through the air, slamming into the catcher's mitt with explosive force.
The surrounding freshmen were instantly stunned.
"Damn it…"
Sawamura's pupils shrank, his face filled with unwillingness.
Compared to that pitch, his own throwing distance was still noticeably shorter.
Grinding his teeth, Sawamura silently swore that he would crush Furuya in the batting test later.
Then reality hit him.
The batting test doesn't include bunting.
His half year of painstaking bunt practice was completely useless.
"I'm so mad!!!"
Sawamura stomped to the side of the field, puffing like an angry cat.
Bang!
A crisp sound rang out behind him.
Sawamura turned around—and saw Furuya Satoru send a long ball flying deep into the outfield.
Not long after, Arima Kazusa stepped up as well.
Bang!
Another long hit, this one flying straight toward the outfield line.
"That's some impressive power," Kanzaki Ryou muttered when he saw it.
"That's the talent you discovered during last year's Koshien, right?" Kawakami said with emotion.
"Yes," Kanzaki Ryou nodded. "That's him."
"He's really good."
"He still has a long way to go," Kanzaki Ryou replied calmly.
Kawakami turned his head and stared at him speechlessly.
You were clearly the one smiling just now.
Soon, batting practice officially began on B Field.
Kanzaki Ryou stepped into the batter's box.
Taking a deep breath, Kawakami looked at him seriously and threw a Curveball with full force.
Bang!
The ball was smashed cleanly into the stands.
A direct home run.
"The pitch path isn't bad," Kanzaki Ryou commented lightly. "It's just a little slow."
Although Kawakami's curveball wasn't as sharp as Tanba's, the trajectory was extremely deceptive due to his sidearm delivery. For most batters, picking it up would be very difficult.
But Kanzaki Ryou was the one person least afraid of tricky pitches.
His eyes saw clearly—and his reactions were fast enough.
Kawakami didn't say anything and threw another curveball.
After three consecutive pitches, Kanzaki Ryou stopped swinging.
"The consistency isn't there yet," he said. "Both the release and the trajectory are unstable. You need more repetition."
Kawakami hummed in acknowledgment. "Then… how about a sinker?"
"Sure."
This time, the ball sank sharply as it approached the plate.
Kanzaki Ryou swung—and missed.
Using a super-heavy bat against Kawakami's specialty pitch was no easy task.
After batting practice, Kanzaki Ryou headed to the bullpen for his daily pitching session.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The violent sounds echoed continuously.
The freshmen couldn't help but turn their heads.
"Is that Senior Kanzaki?"
"It has to be. Just listening to it is terrifying."
"So this is what a Koshien champion pitcher is like…"
"I really want to watch him pitch up close."
Whispers spread among the freshmen.
Unnoticed by anyone else, Furuya Satoru and Sawamura Eijun stared at the bullpen, their eyes burning with the same intense desire.
I really want to pitch.
Both of them shared that exact thought.
As evening fell, after a full day of training, a traditional first-string event began.
Kanzaki Ryou vs. the entire first-string lineup.
The first batter was Kuramochi Yoichi.
After focusing on left-handed batting, his hitting ability had improved significantly.
Even so—
After two consecutive swings and misses, Kanzaki Ryou calmly struck him out with a Forkball.
Hearing the noise, the freshmen from A Field all gathered around B Field, watching with wide eyes.
One by one, Seido's starting batters fell.
Three pitches per person.
Nineteen batters later, Kanzaki Ryou wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.
There were no pitch-type restrictions today, and he had gone almost all out. He didn't want any accidents during his first official pitching in front of the freshmen.
Watching Seido's fearsome batting lineup crumble so easily, the freshmen stood frozen, mouths agape.
After finishing his demonstration, Kanzaki Ryou left the field under the complicated gazes of his teammates.
That night, everyone gathered again in the dining hall.
"The Spring Tokyo Tournament starts in a few days," Miyuki complained while eating. "I'm exhausted."
Since last year, they hadn't missed a single major tournament—and they'd reached the very end every time. Rest was practically nonexistent.
"We start from the third round," Kanzaki Ryou said calmly. "So we can rest a bit longer."
Miyuki kept shoveling rice into his mouth, still looking lifeless.
Seeing this, Kanzaki Ryou laughed. "If you keep this up, your starting catcher position might be in danger."
Miyuki instantly straightened up. "I'll compete fairly with Senior Chris!"
"Relax," Kanzaki Ryou said. "For the Spring Tokyo Tournament and the Kanto Tournament, you'll probably still start. But when summer comes… it's hard to say."
"Heh," Miyuki grinned. "I don't mind whether I start or not—as long as I can play. But even against Senior Chris, I won't lose!"
Just then, the stoic junior walked over again.
Kanzaki Ryou knew what he wanted before he even spoke.
"Senior Miyuki," Furuya Satoru said seriously, bowing. "Could you catch for me later?"
Miyuki froze, rice still in his mouth.
"…."
Gulp.
After swallowing, Miyuki looked carefully at the junior.
"It's mealtime," he said calmly.
Furuya stiffened, realizing his impatience, and was about to apologize—
"When you finish rookie training and make it to the first-string," Miyuki continued, "come find me then."
He then turned to look at the anxious Sawamura.
"The same goes for you. Don't come looking for me until you reach the first-string."
At that moment—
A fierce fighting spirit ignited in both freshmen's eyes.