"I got fooled… damn it!"
Mishima Yuta gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down.
Fastball… or slider?
He barely had time to think.
On the mound, Manaka Kaname didn't hesitate.
The second pitch came immediately.
Whoosh—
"I don't care what it is—I'll crush it!"
Mishima stepped in and swung with full force.
Clang!
A solid hit.
The ball rocketed deep into center field.
"Is it going out?!"
"Send it flying!"
Mishima sprinted, shouting—
But fate had other plans.
The ball slammed against the outfield wall and bounced back.
Center fielder Miyagawa Teru chased it down and quickly recovered, raising his arm as if ready to throw.
Seeing that, Mishima slammed on the brakes.
Single.
"What a shame! That was so close!"
"Yakushi's batting isn't bad at all… their pitching is the problem!"
(Thankfully, Mino didn't hear that.)
"Fourth batter, third baseman—Todoroki Raichi!"
"Kahaha!"
Todoroki Raichi stepped into the batter's box, grinning wildly.
His entire body trembled with excitement.
Eyes locked onto Manaka—
Like a beast staring at its prey.
Behind the plate, Takami Akito felt it instantly.
This guy… is different.
Even among first-years—
He was dangerous.
"Manaka… you feel it too, right?"
Takami gave the sign.
"Use your best pitch."
"End this."
Manaka nodded.
The pressure from the batter's box was real—
But he had faced monsters before.
Even on the stage of Koshien.
He lifted his leg.
Twisted his body.
And unleashed—
Whoosh!
Raichi's eyes burned.
He swung—
BOOM!
A terrifying full-power swing.
But—
Just before contact—
The ball broke sharply inside, slipping past his bat and jamming toward his chest.
Snap!
Strike.
"…So strong!"
Raichi's eyes widened—
Then lit up even more.
"It moved right in front of me!!"
Instead of frustration—
He laughed.
The excitement only intensified.
"What insane bat speed…" Takami muttered, swallowing hard.
"But we're not losing."
He gave another sign.
Finish him.
Manaka nodded again.
Same motion—
But sharper.
Faster.
Second pitch—
Whoosh!
The ball tore through the air.
This time—
Raichi didn't rush.
He waited.
Watched.
Tracked—
Until the very last instant.
Then—
BOOOOM!!!
The swing exploded.
CLANG!!!
Perfect contact.
BANG!!!
The ball shot off the bat like a cannon—
Blasting straight out of the stadium.
Silence.
Total silence.
The entire stadium froze.
Then—
"HAHAHAHA!!"
Raichi's laughter shattered the stillness.
"That pitch—IT MOVED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!"
"BASEBALL IS AMAZING!!!"
He roared, pounding his chest and pointing to the sky.
"…Hey, kid," the umpire said flatly.
"Run the bases."
"They… hit the slider?!" said Omae Takahiro, stunned.
"…No way," muttered Miyuki Kazuya.
"Is that really a first-year?"
Even Takigawa Chris Yuu was shaken.
"Who the hell is that guy?!"
Sawamura Eijun stared in disbelief.
Raichi rounded the bases, laughing non-stop.
A three-run home run.
Score: 5 – 3
Yakushi had struck back.
On the mound, Ichidaisan gathered.
"…They're better than we expected," Omae admitted.
Takami turned to his ace.
"How are you holding up?"
Manaka exhaled slowly.
"…I won't lie. Giving up hits—and a home run—to first-years… that stings."
"But I'm not that fragile."
His eyes sharpened.
"I'll shut down the rest."
"Then we crush them with our offense."
"As expected of our ace!"
"Leave it to us!"
"Let's go, Ichidaisan!!"
Yakushi Dugout
"Heh… as expected of a powerhouse," said Todoroki Raizo, smirking.
"They won't collapse from just that."
He turned his gaze—
Toward one player.
"Raichi alone isn't enough, right… Kou?"
Without a word, Kitamura Kou picked up his bat.
Adjusted his helmet.
And stepped forward.
"…Of course."
"That's why I came to Yakushi."
Watching his back—
Number 18—
Raizo lowered his head, a smile forming.
"…Now that's our real ace."