When Zhang Han said "I will never let the ball get past my bat," the showdown became unavoidable.
Even Coach Kataoka was backed into a corner and had no choice but to agree.
"If it gets through, you lose."
Coach Kataoka told him sternly.
"Yes."
Zhang Han did not flinch. His answer was completely resolute.
As long as the ball passed his bat, whether the catcher caught it or not, he would lose.
Coach Kataoka looked stern on the outside. Inside, he didn't dislike what Zhang Han was doing.
He had felt for a long time that Zhang Han lacked the domineering presence of a truly great hitter. Despite having terrifying hitting ability, Zhang Han's overall demeanor was low-key, appearing not at all dominant.
To give an example: in terms of hitting performance and statistics, Zhang Han was currently at the absolute top of the entire Tokyo region. And yet when he stepped into the batter's box, he didn't carry the same presence as other hitters of his caliber, players like Raichi Todoroki, Omae, or Yuuki.
Perhaps it was his upbringing. Perhaps it was simply his nature. The impression he gave was of someone gentle and refined, like jade. Jade is beautiful, and in most contexts invaluable. But in sport, a non-competitive and unassuming personality makes it genuinely difficult to reach the highest level.
Zhang Han was now challenging Coach Kataoka directly, and in doing so was finally showing the sharp edges of a true hitter. Coach Kataoka was not a coach who liked to indulge his players. But this time, he decided to make an exception. He could not allow the sharp edges Zhang Han had finally developed to be smoothed away.
"Furuya-kun?"
Coach Kataoka asked for Furuya Satoru's opinion, though it was more symbolic than anything else. Whether he agreed or not, this confrontation was already decided.
Furuya Satoru was straightforward enough not to feel any of the weight behind the question. When he heard that Zhang Han wanted to hit his pitch, his eyes lit up with fighting spirit. He was interested. More than interested. He was eager.
With both players willing, Coach Kataoka had no further objections.
The showdown was on.
"Coach, there's no catcher right now. Maybe you should step aside."
Manager Ota offered the advice carefully.
Better safe than sorry. If Zhang Han missed, Coach Kataoka would be standing directly in the ball's path. The last incident had nearly given Ota a heart attack, and he had no desire to experience that again.
Coach Kataoka's answer was equally firm.
"No need. I'll stand right here."
He wanted to see with his own eyes whether this young man's pitching was what he imagined it to be.
Chris and Miyuki both volunteered to catch at almost the same moment.
Coach Kataoka declined both.
"He said no catcher. Then he has to stand by his words. If there's a catcher, the showdown isn't fair."
He was also testing both players. Without a catcher, with the coach standing directly in the line of the pitch, would Furuya Satoru dare to throw his hardest? And would Zhang Han, knowing that a miss could injure his coach, still perform at his usual level?
Testing was one thing, but Coach Kataoka had all his protective equipment on. Life only comes once, and he was not entirely reckless.
Even so, facing a pitch head-on like this was genuinely dangerous.
Takashima Rei objected strongly, saying directly that the coach was being too reckless.
"Don't you trust me, Little Rei?"
It wasn't until Zhang Han spoke that Takashima Rei stopped.
She looked at him, seemed to want to say something, and held it back.
Zhang Han met her gaze directly and showed no sign of backing down.
This confrontation with Furuya Satoru was something he had to see through. As a hitter, as a representative of the upperclassmen, and for himself. He had to make contact.
His right-handed pitching might well be finished after today. If that was the case, Zhang Han wanted to know clearly why.
Under Zhang Han's steady gaze, Takashima Rei said nothing more. She exhaled in annoyance and let it go.
The showdown began.
The alumni watching were stunned by what they were seeing. Coach Kataoka made them promise, repeatedly, that there would be no video, no photos, and not a word of this outside the venue. Anyone who couldn't guarantee that would be asked to leave immediately.
Fortunately, they were alumni. They could be trusted.
All the players stopped their own training and gathered around.
It was a strange scene. Every position on the field was filled. There were even line judges and base coaches. Only the catcher's position was empty.
Coach Kataoka stood approximately three or four meters behind the hitting position, directly in the line of the pitch, watching intently.
Even before the first pitch, the atmosphere was electric. The tension felt closer to a boxing match than a baseball drill, the kind where every exchange could draw blood.
"Too reckless."
"It's not that dangerous. The protective equipment is complete. Catchers miss pitches in real games all the time. At worst, if the hitter misses, it counts as a passed ball."
Some of the alumni tried to talk themselves down.
But watching it live was a different feeling entirely.
If the pitcher were slow, Coach Kataoka could still move out of the way in time. But Furuya Satoru's pitch had just clocked in approaching 150 kilometers per hour. At that speed, the body might not react fast enough to dodge. If it hit him, it would hurt badly.
They genuinely admired Coach Kataoka's nerve. He had just taken a ball to the face, and here he was setting himself up for it again.
"Start!"
Coach Kataoka gave the command. As he spoke, he crouched slightly, making himself smaller and putting himself fully within the range covered by Zhang Han's bat. Rather than counting on dodging, he was clearly counting on Zhang Han.
Across from him, Furuya Satoru's eyes went cold. Something in them gleamed pale.
He showed no mercy. His full-power pitch came straight in.
"Boom!"
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