Takumi let out a long sigh of relief after getting through the first round.
The pressure from the upperclassmen had been pretty intense.
Especially in that first match against Kusunoki Fumiya, who was really skilled overall.
He'd also been worried that a rough start might throw off his performance later on.
But now, it seemed those worries were unnecessary.
Even the third-year upperclassmen at Seidō had a hard time adjusting to his Spiral ball the first time they faced it.
And then there was his Straight ball.
At first, he didn't have high hopes for it.
He just figured that, as a proper pitcher, he should be able to throw a Straight ball.
It was meant to cover a weakness.
But now it looked like he'd underestimated the Kunai Throwing Technique.
Even though this pitch felt a bit weaker compared to the Spiral ball, in a real game, it still played an important role.
His next opponent was Kadota Masaaki, who'd played alongside him before.
Takumi had been impressed by this upperclassman's performance in the previous game.
Now, seeing him step onto the field, he felt alert.
Takigawa noticed right away and gave him a quick signal.
"Don't worry, just keep doing what you've been doing," he encouraged calmly.
Takigawa's insight was sharp—maybe even sharper than Miyuki Kazuya's.
He could read both opponents and teammates clearly.
Having him as a guide was a big help for Takumi, who didn't have much game experience.
Seeing Takigawa's signal, he felt reassured.
He relaxed and gripped the ball again.
Don't let the round shape of the baseball fool you—it definitely matters how you grip the ball.
There are seams on it, and where you place your fingers can change the power behind your pitch.
He didn't stick to the traditional grip. Instead, he just went with whatever felt most comfortable in his hand.
"First, a Straight ball!" Takigawa signaled.
Just a moment ago, Takumi had knocked Matsumoto's bat away with a Spiral ball.
There were a few cheers from around the field.
If it had been someone else, Seidō's players might have thought it was just luck.
But this was Takumi.
Everyone knew deep down it wasn't a coincidence.
That was just how he played.
It had happened before during practice games against Nanamori.
Once might be fluke, but now that it was happening again and again, it was clear it was intentional.
Even the spectators nearby were deeply impressed.
And the opponents on the field now definitely had that impression in their minds.
That kind of impression can affect their hitting.
Especially since Kadota had played with him before.
His impression of Takumi's pitching was probably stronger than most.
Takigawa's strategy was spot on.
Takumi didn't have to overthink it—just get in position and pitch.
With each pitch, his motion grew smoother and smoother.
Even though he hadn't pitched much before.
But now, when he pitched, he looked like a seasoned pro. The guy in the batter's box couldn't help but widen his eyes.
Kadota had watched Takumi pitch just yesterday.
So why did his pitching feel stronger today?
'It's just an illusion, it has to be,' Kadota told himself.
Maybe it was because their roles were different this time.
Before, they were teammates, and he could only watch from the field.
Now, they were opponents, and he was standing right in the batter's box. That probably made all the difference.
Just as he was convincing himself of that, the ball was already flying toward him.
It came so fast, almost in the blink of an eye.
He tightened his grip on the bat without thinking.
As an experienced batter, he could tell the speed and type of pitch right away.
This wasn't a Spiral ball.
Though the Spiral ball flashed through his mind several times, he knew this was just a regular Straight ball.
What was unusual was the speed—it was over 130 km/h.
Takumi hadn't thrown anything this fast besides the Spiral ball.
'With his build, how's he throwing such a fast Straight ball?' Kadota wondered aloud in disbelief.
Before he could finish the thought, the ball zipped past him.
Whack!
"Strike!"
Everyone watching the game widened their eyes.
Even from a distance, it was easy to see.
"I thought his pitch speed was under 120 just now—how did it suddenly jump like that?" a teammate asked in disbelief.
Miyuki Kazuya responded with a hint of surprise, "That was a four-seam Straight ball."
Yesterday, when they played together, Takumi had only thrown Spiral balls.
Miyuki had figured that was all he knew how to throw.
For a wild pitcher like Takumi, that wasn't unusual.
But now, it looked like Miyuki had seriously underestimated him.
How could he not realize Takumi could throw a Straight ball—especially a four-seam one—so well?
"This guy's definitely doing it on purpose," Miyuki grumbled to himself, quietly vowing he'd find a chance to even the score.
Takigawa, squatting behind the plate, looked surprised.
Takumi's earlier Straight ball had been a bit slow.
That was fine at first, but once the seniors adjusted, it would have been easy to hit.
Now, things had changed.
Takumi's Straight ball could reach 130 km/h, almost as fast as his Spiral ball.
Batters wouldn't be able to read his pitches so easily anymore.
"One more pitch!" Takigawa signaled.
Takumi didn't hesitate and threw another Straight ball.
Kadota, already down one strike, couldn't just stand there.
He swung decisively.
Ping!
The ball went foul, flying just outside the first base line.
"Foul ball."
With one strike and one foul, Kadota was starting to feel the pressure.
The first-year players watching were buzzing with excitement.
Takumi, who had been pretty unknown in their third string, seemed to have changed almost overnight.
Not only had he made it to the First String, but he was also holding his own against the senior players.
"Amazing!" one exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration.
"This is really something!" another breathed, clearly impressed.
It was easy for them to picture themselves playing like that someday.
Kadota, standing in the batter's box, took a deep breath.
The guy on the mound looked a bit fragile.
But somehow, he was putting a lot of pressure on him in this game.