"How's the quality of the ball?" Ushijima Wakatoshi asked as Kuramochi returned to the dugout.
"It's heavy," Kuramochi replied while removing his protective gear. "A four-seamer straight down the middle. The speed isn't as fast as yours though."
"Probably around 140 km/h, about the same as Tanba-san's fastball."
"But the weight is crazy. If you don't hit the sweet spot, you can't drive it far at all."
Hearing that, everyone silently adjusted their expectations.
So it was a power-type pitcher.
Not overwhelming speed—but oppressive weight.
Kominato stepped into the batter's box with his usual relaxed expression.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several pitches were fouled off in a row.
"Since we're all exhausted from the training camp…"
"We're asking our junior to carry us for four innings."
"As a senior, how could I not help a little?"
"I'll wear you down first."
His plan was simple.
Drag out the at-bat.
Force the pitcher to waste stamina.
Pitch after pitch, Kominato kept fighting them off.
Taichi Hiromi's patience finally cracked.
"Damn it, just get out already!"
"Ball four! Walk!"
After nearly ten pitches, Kominato calmly jogged to first base.
The crowd outside began murmuring.
"How many pitches was that just now?"
"Ten? Twelve?"
"At least. That second batter alone forced over ten throws."
Next up: Isashiki.
He didn't even hesitate.
"Get outta here—!!"
CRACK!
…Grounder.
Straight into the infield.
Kominato sprinted to second while muttering sarcastically,
"Great swing. Brilliant. Absolutely fantastic."
The result was basically a bunt.
Isashiki was thrown out at first.
Two outs.
"Two outs! Captain!"
"Come on, one more!"
Seido's captain stepped into the box.
At the same time, Ushijima grabbed his bat and moved to the on-deck circle.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Calm.
The moment he walked forward, the girls in the stands exploded with cheers.
That natural popularity…
It made every guy jealous.
Kominato chuckled from second base.
"Our two cleanup hitters are up."
Yuki Tetsuya — the fourth batter.
Ushijima Wakatoshi — the fifth.
Both were core power hitters.
Masuko, originally fifth, had even been pushed down to sixth because Ushijima's consistency was simply too terrifying.
Masuko had explosive power against fastballs.
But against breaking balls?
Unstable.
Ushijima was different.
No matter the pitch type, his contact was solid.
High average. High reliability.
A true center-line hitter.
Yuki stepped into the box.
He inhaled.
Then slowly exhaled.
At that instant—
His aura changed.
Even Kiryu's coach felt it.
But the impatient pitcher didn't notice.
He threw.
CRACK—!!!
A metallic blast rang through the field.
The ball shot out like a cannon and slammed into the left-field wall.
Not a home run.
But close.
Very close.
A perfect long hit.
Kominato dashed home easily.
Yuki stood safely on second.
"Hehe~"
He even bumped fists with Kominato from a distance.
"Beautiful hit, Captain!"
"Captain Tetsu is so reliable!"
"So handsome!!"
Cheers erupted from Seido's bench.
Kiryu's side, however, was stunned.
"Wait… we're the ones who got scored on first?"
"And after we went three up, three down?"
Their strongest lineup had been shut out.
Yet Seido scored immediately.
Walk. Double.
Simple. Efficient. Ruthless.
"…That guy is on another level," Kiryu's coach muttered.
"Do NOT face him head-on."
Then—
The fifth batter approached.
Ushijima Wakatoshi.
Bat resting on his shoulder.
Eyes calm.
No expression.
Yet the pressure he gave off was suffocating.
Taichi Hiromi froze for a second.
"This first-year… he's the fifth batter too?"
"Throwing and hitting… both top level?"
"That's terrifying…"
Kiryu's coach felt his scalp tingle.
In high school baseball, there were many who could pitch.
Many who could hit.
But true two-way players?
Rare.
To qualify—
You had to be both:
The Ace pitcher.
AND
A core center-line batter.
Third. Fourth. Or fifth.
Only then could you truly be called a monster who dominated both sides of the game.
And Ushijima Wakatoshi…
Was exactly that kind of player.