"Wow—what an aggressive inside attack!"
"That's Ushijima's style—dominating the inside corner!"
"Strikeout looking!!!"
"Nice one, Ushijima! That's your first K today!"
"He's on fire!!!"
The stands erupted in thunderous cheers as Seido's supporters roared in excitement.
Watching the game live for the first time, Yuki Masashi was stunned.
He hadn't expected Seido to be this popular—nor had he expected his cousin to command such overwhelming attention.
But after witnessing that beast-like pitching up close, he understood.
It was deserved.
Sensen's first batter was struck out—just like how Maki had struck out Seido's leadoff hitter earlier.
"Man… I almost feel bad for them," Kuramochi muttered from shortstop.
On the mound, Ushijima caught the return throw calmly.
"One out," Miyuki reminded him.
Sensen's second batter stepped up.
Ushijima didn't hesitate.
First pitch—inside.
Clang!!!
The bat connected, sending the ball sharply down the line—
Thud!
"Foul ball!"
"Damn it…" the batter clicked his tongue. "I rushed it. That pitch was faster and sharper than I expected."
But Miyuki had already taken note.
Even a single pitch could change the flow of the game.
As catcher, he had to read everything.
"They're starting to look for the inside," Ushijima said quietly on the mound.
It was only natural.
After several innings, Sensen had clearly noticed his tendency.
"I like attacking inside," Ushijima thought. "That's where I win my battles."
"If they're targeting it… then let's see if they can actually hit it."
He glanced at Miyuki.
Miyuki met his gaze—and immediately understood.
So you noticed too.
"Our pitcher really is sharp," Miyuki thought with a grin. "Calm, observant… and confident."
"Even if they're expecting it, that doesn't mean they can hit it."
Miyuki gave the sign.
Inside pitch.
Again.
Whoosh!
Ushijima fired a two-seam fastball toward the same inside trajectory.
The batter's eyes widened.
He committed to the swing.
Now!
But just as the bat was about to make contact—
The ball suddenly tailed inward.
That tiny movement was enough.
The bat sliced through empty air.
Thump!
"Strike!"
"Two-seamer!" the batter exclaimed in disbelief.
The umpire couldn't hide his surprise.
"This pitcher… he's fearless."
"They're clearly waiting for inside pitches, and yet he keeps going back there."
"Most pitchers would avoid that after nearly getting hit earlier…"
"But he still challenges them head-on?"
Generally, pitchers avoided the inside corner.
It was risky—too close to the batter, too easy to turn into a hit.
Most preferred the safer outer edges.
But Ushijima was different.
He thrived on confrontation.
And unlike reckless pitchers, he had the skill to back it up.
Even after being fouled off, he didn't back down.
He doubled down.
This wasn't just aggression anymore—
It was domination.
He intended to completely control the inside corner, crushing the opponent's confidence with sheer power.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
The second batter went down swinging.
The crowd erupted once more, louder than before.
Even the reporters in attendance were taken aback.
They had covered Seido games before—but never with this level of intensity.
On the mound, Ushijima allowed himself a small smile.
He could feel the energy of the crowd.
And he liked it.
Next up—Sensen's cleanup hitter.
Ushijima's lips curled slightly.
Let's see what you've got.
First pitch—inside again.
The batter didn't hesitate.
He swung hard.
But just before contact—
The ball shifted slightly, and his bat clipped the bottom of it.
Miss.
Second pitch—inside once more.
The batter's frustration flared.
He swung even harder.
But this time—
The ball dropped sharply.
"Sinker…!"
He missed completely.
Third pitch.
Again—inside.
The batter's patience snapped.
"Don't underestimate me, you brat!!!"
He swung with everything he had.
He guessed fastball. Maybe a two-seam.
But—
The ball sank again.
Even deeper this time.
"Another… sinker?!"
Thump!
"Strike three!"
The batter stood frozen.
Three pitches.
All inside.
All different.
And all unhittable.