"Way to go, Takumi-kun!" Yōichi jumped up in the dugout, bursting with excitement.
If Takumi wasn't still in the game, he would have dashed over and hugged him.
"What's going on?" someone muttered in disbelief.
"How did he hit that ball so far?" another asked, flabbergasted.
"It must have been a fluke," a third scoffed, unconvinced.
"Come on, didn't you all see his batting earlier?" a skeptic retorted, exasperated.
Some players who had doubted him began whispering nervously amongst themselves. But compared to before, they seemed less sure of themselves.
After all, he had hit the ball. No matter how it happened, he'd managed to send it flying.
And the pitcher was Kawakami Norifumi, a first-year.
His performance today was almost perfect.
Throwing sidearm, his tricky angle and precise control made him formidable.
Plus, his breaking ball!
Though not overpowering, his pitching was rock solid.
Even some of the stronger first-year players struggled against him.
The few hits he had given up earlier were mostly due to fielding errors.
In other words, Takumi might have been the only one to get a hit off him today.
"When did his batting get this good?" someone whispered in amazement.
Not only the players, but also the two club presidents exchanged surprised glances.
But with the game still going, they couldn't call him over to ask questions.
The game continued.
Kawakami, having given up a run, quickly regained his composure. Though not aggressive, he had a strong will.
As long as he was on the mound, he wouldn't give the batter any easy chances.
One out, runner on first.
The powerful hitter, Maezono Kenta, was sent to the batter's box by Takashima Rei.
Compared to the previous group of second-year players, this year's team not only had a prodigy like Miyuki Kazuya, but also several other talents.
These players all had the potential to become key members of Seidō in the future.
One of them was Maezono.
He was a burly guy who, stepping into the batter's box, raised his bat high, looking ready to strike at any moment.
However, facing him, Kawakami remained unfazed.
He wound up and threw the ball.
Whoosh!
The ball whistled past, and Maezono didn't swing.
Thwack!
"Strike!"
On the second pitch, he swung, but the ball was way outside the strike zone, making his effort useless.
"Two strikes—the batter's in a tight spot," someone remarked grimly.
"Kawakami-san's pitching today is amazing. The batter can't find any openings," another praised admiringly.
"Even those who make contact aren't hitting well," a third added, approvingly.
Players who admired Kawakami murmured among themselves, sounding pleased.
As they spoke, their eyes glanced at Takumi.
The better Kawakami performed, the more impressive Takumi's earlier hit became.
"How did he do that?" the unspoken question hung heavily in the air.
While the whispers continued, Takumi, patiently holding first base, suddenly began moving toward second.
"He's just trying to distract you. Don't fall for it," the catcher warned sharply.
Noticing right away, he casually signaled to Kawakami.
He nodded firmly.
Then he wound up, ready to deliver the third pitch.
Just as he prepared to throw, Takumi suddenly sprang into action.
He'd been shifting in small, calculated steps, and the moment Kawakami fully wound up—unable to attempt a pickoff—he dashed without hesitation toward second base.
"This timing?" Takashima Rei gasped from the dugout, eyes wide with astonishment.
She stared at Takumi, disbelief on her face.
In timing alone, he was better than even the First String player known for stealing bases.
He'd completely anticipated Kawakami's every move.
But just as she focused all her attention on him—
He was out.
Even though his timing was great, he wasn't fast enough.
The catcher, seeing the steal, moved aside and signaled Kawakami to throw.
Kawakami, mid-pitch, changed the ball's path, causing it to fall outside the strike zone.
Maezono tried to block it but missed.
Thwack!
After snagging the ball, the catcher hurled it toward second base.
Snap!
The shortstop, ready and alert, caught the throw and grinned as he closed in on Takumi, still five or six meters away.
"Rookie, you're too slow!" he taunted with a sly smile.
If it had been any other runner, starting at that moment might have given them a 50% chance of making it safely.
But he wasn't one of them.
His speed was slow even among the Second String players.
The game continued as he walked off the field, disappointed.
He'd hoped to do well and use this chance to get promoted to Second String.
He hadn't expected such smooth teamwork, even among their Second String players.
"Takumi-kun, you'll definitely be promoted to Second String! Even if it's not this time, it will be next time!" Yōichi exclaimed, bounding forward to give him a hug.
'Next time, huh?' He mused silently.
Given how tough it was to get chosen at Seidō, his next real chance would probably be during the autumn tournament.
He was way behind the others in his grade.
"If you don't have the skill, don't show off!" someone sneered.
"With your speed slower than a turtle, what made you think you could steal a base?" another jeered.
Amid Yōichi's encouraging words, mocking voices rang out.
"Instead of criticizing others, why don't you focus on your own performance? When you help the team get RBIs, then you can talk about the heroes who scored!" someone snapped back.
Takashima appeared beside him, sounding firm and protective.
Those who had mocked him immediately fell silent.
They knew that making a bad impression on the club presidents could have serious consequences.
Ignoring the others, she fixed her gaze on Takumi.
"When you were batting just now, did you anticipate where the ball would land?" she asked thoughtfully.
It wasn't just the final swing that connected well; even his batting stance on the second swing was good.
Only the timing was a little off.
One good hit could be luck, but two in a row?
"Coincidence! Sometimes, I can see it too," she remarked with a knowing smile.
He didn't want to admit the whole truth.
Unlike other talented players, his vision depended on a special skill.
Plus, this skill used a lot of energy and couldn't be developed through normal training.
If she wanted to verify it, he couldn't guarantee a satisfactory result.
"You can only see it at certain times? Like when you're really focused during a game?" Takashima asked with genuine curiosity.
She explained it so well that he had no reason to disagree.
"That's right," he admitted softly.
"That's enhanced dynamic vision! Yamamoto-san, you'll be training with the Second String starting tomorrow," Takashima announced decisively.