The Seidou practice ground was buzzing with tension.On one side of the field stood Seidou's first string, led by their captain Yūki and catcher Miyuki.On the other, the visiting powerhouse—Inashiro Industrial, with their ace Narumiya Mei, the "Tokyo Prince," already warming up on the sidelines.
But all eyes weren't on Narumiya.They were on Seidou's freshman pitcher—Sendo Akira.
A rookie standing on the mound against the champions of Tokyo.Alumni in the stands murmured, veterans of Seidou's own battles, while the second string players pressed against the fence, wide-eyed.
Could a freshman really stop Inashiro?
Top of the First Inning.Leadoff for Inashiro: Carlos, the energetic center fielder.
"Yo, a freshman pitcher? This is gonna be fun."Carlos grinned, spinning his bat as he stepped into the box. His presence alone carried swagger.
Sendo's gaze didn't waver.Miyuki crouched behind the plate, flashing the first sign.Fastball.
Whoosh!
The ball tore through the zone like a bullet, slamming into Miyuki's mitt with a heavy thud.
"Strike!"
Carlos blinked.(That ball… it carried weight. Not just speed, but bite at the end.)
The next pitch came—inside corner, perfectly painted.Carlos swung late, fouling it off.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue, adjusting his grip.
Miyuki smirked. (He's rattled already.)
The third pitch—forkball.Carlos swung over it, completely fooled.
"Strike three!"
The Seidou bench erupted.The alumni leaned forward, murmuring in disbelief.
"One down!"
Next came Shirakawa, calm and steady, a contact hitter known for precision."This won't be like Carlos," he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Sendo exhaled. The ball fired—slider, cutting away at the last moment.Shirakawa reached—missed.
"Strike!"
The second pitch, a fastball low. He fouled it back.0-2 count.
Miyuki called for the high heat. Sendo nodded.
Fwoom!
The fastball rose, Shirakawa chased—"Strike three!"
Back-to-back strikeouts.
Now came the real test: Harada Masatoshi, Inashiro's iron wall of a catcher.Thick arms, steady presence, and the reputation of a player who guided Narumiya himself.
Harada smirked as he settled in. "Let's see if you're just lucky, rookie."
The first pitch—fastball, outside corner. Harada didn't bite."Ball!"
The next—curveball dropping late. Harada's bat sliced through the air.
"Strike!"
He adjusted his helmet, eyes narrowing.(Strong. But not unhittable.)
Third pitch—another fastball, this time inside. Harada swung with force.Crack!
The ball shot toward third—But Yūki was there, scooping it clean and rifling to first.
"Out!"
Three up, three down. Sendo had shut down Inashiro's top order.
Bottom of the First Inning.Now it was Seidou's turn to bat—against Narumiya Mei.
The "Tokyo Prince" stepped onto the mound with his usual radiant confidence, his golden hair catching the afternoon light. His expression was playful, but his eyes gleamed with sharpness.
"Try to hit me if you can, Seidou~"
Kuramochi led off, his trademark grin in place.But Narumiya's first pitch snapped into Harada's mitt with terrifying life.Kuramochi swung—missed.
Two more pitches, and Kuramochi was gone, muttering in frustration.
Next came Ryōsuke Kominato. His timing was sharp, his contact precise—but Narumiya's control was sharper. A grounder to short, and Ryōsuke was thrown out.
Then came Yūki, the captain. Power radiated from him as he entered the box.But Narumiya smirked, firing a wicked change-up. Yūki's bat missed by inches.Strikeout.
Three up, three down. Narumiya answered Sendo with dominance of his own.
Top of the Second Inning.Inashiro's dugout buzzed with irritation.
Carlos spat to the side. "That freshman's got guts, but he won't keep this up."Shirakawa nodded. "His pitches bite… but once we time them, it's over."Harada crossed his arms, frowning. (Still, that forkball… nasty.)
Narumiya only leaned back, arms behind his head, smiling faintly."He's strong, sure. But he's still green. Let's see how long he lasts."
The next three batters—Yamaoka, Masuda, and Kadota—stepped in with determination.
But Sendo wasn't shaken. His rhythm was steady, his eyes sharp.
Yamaoka swung through a fastball. Strikeout.Masuda chopped a slider weakly to second—out.Kadota tried to crush a forkball, but missed completely. Strikeout.
Another clean inning.Six batters up, six batters down. Sendo Akira was standing tall against Inashiro.
The alumni in the stands whispered with awe."Unbelievable… a freshman, mowing down Inashiro like this?""This kid—he could be Seidou's future ace."
But even amidst the shock, the reality was clear.Inashiro wasn't shaken.
Harada muttered under his breath as he returned to the dugout."He's good… but he hasn't seen anything yet."
And Narumiya Mei, watching from the bench, finally opened his eyes, his smirk widening."Interesting. Very interesting. But… he's not enough to stop us."
The duel had only just begun.
End of Chapter 16.