Miyuki Kazuya was known for his sharp tongue.
But Takumi hadn't expected that, as a freshman who'd just joined the First String and hadn't made a name for himself yet, Miyuki's words would already get under his skin.
What did he mean by the seniors were just waiting to make him struggle?
It made him sound like some kind of punching bag, at everyone's mercy.
"Let me be your partner; I can give you some signals," Miyuki offered with a confident smile.
When he showed up, he already had all his catcher's gear with him.
It was clear this wasn't a last-minute decision but something he'd planned ahead—to back him up.
Takumi looked up at him, not opposed to the idea.
After all, they had been partners before.
Back then, his Spiral ball was completely uncontrollable.
Batter's bats could even be knocked away.
But Miyuki, aside from the first pitch slipping from his glove, didn't make any other mistakes.
No matter where Takumi threw, Miyuki caught it solidly.
In that practice game, if it hadn't been for him, even with the Spiral ball, Takumi might not have been able to make good use of it.
As they talked, a few third-year seniors arrived.
They all wore confident smiles, as if victory was already in their grasp.
Their leader, the burly Azuma Kiyokuni, especially, offered a slight smile upon seeing Takumi.
"You're pretty bold, kid," he observed with a hint of amusement.
Though he thought the team might be giving Takumi a bit too much special treatment.
Usually, if a player couldn't keep up, they'd be made to practice alone.
The team's usual approach was to have a player run alone or do specific extra training.
If they saw potential, they might assign a senior to guide them.
For example, a second- or third-year senior would look after and supervise the player.
Takumi's case was different—he needed to learn the entire pitching system.
Just having one or two people teach him and give him tasks wasn't enough.
He needed help from some former players, as well as teammates from the second and third strings, to run live simulation training.
That meant when he practiced alone, he needed a lot of practice partners and access to a baseball field.
Azuma Kiyokuni couldn't help but notice this.
The team was short on good pitchers, but more so on experienced ones. From what he'd heard, Takumi's pitching experience was pretty limited, which was why the coach was pushing him hard.
Was it worth it?
If Azuma didn't see it for himself, how could he be sure?
Not being convinced was one thing; being annoyed was another.
Still, he respected some of Takumi's efforts.
Like during their morning run—Takumi clearly struggled and fell more than a lap behind. His rhythm was off, and no one would have blamed him if he'd quit.
But he stubbornly gritted his teeth and completed the run.
He didn't hold up the rest of the team's practice either.
That kind of determination earned Azuma's respect.
Now, knowing he was up against a tough opponent, Takumi didn't hesitate to step up and even showed up early.
That kind of courage made Azuma see him differently.
He wasn't sure about Takumi's exact pitching skills yet.
But the attitude he showed was enough to earn Azuma's quiet approval.
Looks like the coach's judgment was pretty solid after all.
For Takumi to stay in the First String and enjoy that special attention, it still depended on his ability.
If it were just about spirit, Seidō would've dominated the nation by now.
In fact, they hadn't made it to Koshien for several years in a row.
Both the team's coach and players were under immense pressure.
"Are you warmed up? Let's get started," Azuma called out firmly.
Unlike Takumi, he and the two burly men beside him hadn't done any warm-ups.
According to them, they had already warmed up on their way over, so there was no need to do it again.
"Have you picked your partner?" he asked, glancing around.
Even though he'd seen Miyuki Kazuya changing his gear, he asked anyway.
"Me," Miyuki replied confidently.
Just as Takumi was about to answer, another player showed up, already suited up in catcher's gear.
Under the helmet and mask was a face with distinct features.
This was Takigawa Chris Yū, a second-year in the First String and the team's main catcher.
"I'll catch!" he announced firmly.
As the main catcher, he had to adapt to all the First String pitchers.
Takumi had not only joined the First String but was also highly valued by the coach.
Coach Kataoka Tesshin had even gone out of his way to find people to help him.
Given the coach's personality, he normally wouldn't do something like that.
But he did.
Clearly, the coach believed that if Takumi could play in the Summer Tournament, it would be a huge asset to Seidō.
The kind of asset that could help them make it to Koshien.
Given the situation, there was no way Takigawa Chris Yū wouldn't show up.
"I was here first, senpai!" Miyuki Kazuya snapped, clearly annoyed.
"I'm the team's number two. Let me take a look. You'll have plenty of chances to partner up later," Takigawa responded deliberately.
As expected, Miyuki's expression tightened at that.
"I'll definitely catch up to you. This year's Summer Tournament's number two will be me," he shot back with a warning.
In front of Takigawa, who was usually sharp-tongued, Miyuki seemed unusually subdued.
Takumi looked at Takigawa, feeling a mix of emotions.
"All right, first, what pitches can you throw?" Takigawa asked calmly.
"Spiral ball and straight ball," Takumi answered without hesitation.
Takigawa nodded thoughtfully. He'd already heard about the Spiral ball, and as for the straight ball—who couldn't throw one?
But when Miyuki caught wind of this, his reaction shifted.
"Didn't you say yesterday you could only throw the Spiral ball?" he pressed, eyes narrowing.
"I just learned it," Takumi admitted, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
He quickly composed himself.
He wasn't lying—he really had just learned it.
Still, it was hard to tell if Miyuki believed him.
Miyuki glanced at Takigawa, then back at Takumi.
The two were from different backgrounds and gave off different vibes.
But both were good-looking.
Standing there together, they looked like a pair of models.
Feeling a bit left out, he just turned and walked off without a word.
"Don't worry about him. How's your control?" Takigawa asked casually.
"Control? What's that?" Takumi responded, genuinely puzzled.
After hearing that, Takigawa figured there was no point in pressing further.
Might as well just get started.
The showdown was about to begin—and it wasn't Azuma Kiyokuni who stepped up to bat first.