The newcomer tests at Seidou High School officially began. All the newcomers were eager to show their skills, and Kanemaru Shinji felt that no one could match him.
Zhou Hui had a big reputation, but his skills were equally impressive. He was not the type to back down in the face of challenges!
His competitive spirit was just as strong as anyone else's!
This newcomer test was merely a set of data and wouldn't have a significant impact.
Since the establishment of Seidou High School, no one had ever gone directly from the newcomer tests to the first team.
A newcomer test really didn't represent much.
Even if you ranked first in all three categories, it was just a meaningless title.
If you ranked first among the first-years but didn't stand out in terms of skill, you wouldn't have a chance to join the first team.
The level of competition in junior high and high school was not the same.
Ranking first in all three categories only meant you could secure a decent rotation spot on the second team, with a chance to sit on the first team's bench next year.
That was all.
Seidou High School had no shortage of junior high stars.
The first team at Seidou High School was not a game; you needed real, solid skills.
If a first-year truly wanted to move up to the first team, there was a chance, but it was slim.
They needed to seize opportunities.
The first opportunity was the welcome match that Seidou High School held every year.
This was essentially a game between the first-years and the second team.
Such matches were usually held after the spring tournament, aimed at discovering the immediate potential of the first-years and focusing on their development.
However, the results were often dismal.
The gap in strength between the first-years and the second team was significant, and without the experience of high school training, there were usually very few who could be considered for future core development.
It was merely a formality, allowing the first-years to gain confidence as "experience packages" for the second team.
This was one of their purposes.
The phrases about discovering newcomers and nurturing talents were just polite words; they were not the true intention.
No one had any expectations for the first-year newcomers.
But this was also their best opportunity to enter the first team early in the year.
Some could seize the opportunity.
For example, there was once Miyuki Kazuya.
Miyuki was currently the starting catcher for Seidou High School and one of the candidates for the next team captain.
He had shown extraordinary skills in junior high and was hailed as the "savior of Seidou High School."
But even among a hundred people, it was rare to find someone like Miyuki.
Most first-years simply didn't have that kind of luck.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Kanemaru shouted at the top of his lungs, waving his arms.
"Clang!"
Kanemaru was undoubtedly one of Seido High School's most valuable assets this year.
He was the fourth batter for Matsukata Youth Baseball, and his hitting ability was undeniable. There were very few in the first-year class who could compete with him.
Perhaps aside from his teammate, the ace pitcher Toujou, only Zhou Hui could match him.
But Kanemaru and Zhou Hui were definitely not on the same level.
Zhou Hui was a national-level fourth batter, while Kanemaru was merely a fourth batter from a regional tournament.
Although Kanemaru was strong and ranked among the top in the first-year class, he was indeed lacking compared to Zhou Hui.
"Sixty-one meters!"
A senior standing in the outfield shouted loudly, responsible for measuring the results.
"Tch, is that all?" Kanemaru scoffed, clearly unimpressed, as this was not his true level.
Kanemaru had established himself as a key player for Matsukata Youth Baseball due to his hitting ability and excellent defensive skills.
"Don't get too cocky; if I go all out, you won't even touch the ball."
This time, the hitting test at Seidou High School was conducted by the second team's substitute pitcher, Makihara Masumi.
Although he was a substitute pitcher, he was a third-year student and had been around for a while.
At the very least, he had been through the grind at Seidou High School for three years, and his skills were certainly far superior to those of the first-year kids.
So, Makihara's statement was indeed valid.
The reason Kanemaru hit the ball so far was due to Coach Kataoka's orders.
This was a newcomer test, not a chance for him to seek attention.
Coach Kataoka had already stated that his pitch speed could only be controlled around 130 km/h, which was the basic speed for junior high students.
He wanted to see what kind of performance these players could deliver at the most basic pitch speed.
This speed was nothing for the stars of their respective teams.
It was just a matter of seeing who could hit the ball the farthest.
Of course, there were also many players who struggled with their hitting or were nervous during their first test, failing to achieve satisfactory results.
These would undoubtedly not catch Coach Kataoka's eye.
Everyone only had one chance, which tested their mental fortitude.
The hitting test was the last of the three tests.
In the previous two tests, the best results had been claimed by Kanemaru and Toujou from Matsukata Youth Baseball.
At that time, everyone unanimously believed that they would go to Ichidaisan High School; no one expected them to come to Seidou High School.
Being recruited by Ichidaisan High School and then coming to Seidou High School felt like a downgrade.
Even though everyone was a star from their respective regions, their brilliance was overshadowed by the two of them.
Currently, Kanemaru was first in base running and hitting, while Toujou was first in pitching.
Both displayed promising futures.
Zhou Hui's results, however, were not as remarkable as rumored; they were quite average.
This surprised everyone.
He was the fourth batter from the national tournament champion team and had been sought after by several prestigious schools, including Ichidaisan High School.
Logically, he should have ranked above Toujou and Kanemaru.
"Are there no suitable candidates for development?"
Seeing Coach Kataoka looking gloomy, Ohta asked.
Currently, the main lineup of Seidou High School was largely supported by third-year students.
This summer would be their last hurrah in high school, and Seidou High School needed to find suitable replacements for them.
Coach Kataoka believed that this year's second-year and third-year students were not up to par, so he had turned his attention to the first-year class.
If this year's first-years didn't have anyone who stood out, Seidou High School would officially enter a period of transition.
Coach Kataoka shook his head.
"They all have potential, but they're not ready for immediate action."
"Then let's go; the first team is waiting for you to assign tasks."
"Just a moment."
Coach Kataoka looked toward the field, as if waiting for something.
"Next, Zhou Hui."
"Finally, it's my turn!"