Todoroki Raichi watched the baseball streak toward the heart of the strike zone.
Not exactly known for overthinking, he didn't bother wondering whether it was a mistake from Narumiya Mei or some kind of trap. For him, there was only one thing that mattered—
Swing.
Enjoying this head-on clash with a top-tier pitcher, Raichi relied purely on his beast-like instincts and unleashed a full-force swing in the direction of the incoming pitch.
BOOM!!!
The speed and power behind the swing were as terrifying as ever.
But just as the bat was about to connect—
The baseball suddenly shifted.
In a sharp, almost unnatural movement, it darted sideways toward the outside corner, slipping cleanly past Raichi's swing.
Smack!!!
"Strike! Strikeout!!!"
"Unbelievable! Narumiya Mei is absolutely dominant! He strikes out the first three batters of Yakushi High School in a row—including Todoroki Raichi and Mishima Yuta, who've been on fire in previous games! It's like he's declaring to everyone here—he is the undisputed king of the mound!"
The commentator's voice rang with excitement, echoing across the stadium.
Cheers instantly erupted from the Inashiro stands.
"Narumiya Mei, you're amazing!"
"Your Highness, well done!"
"Hey Yakushi! See that? That's the power of our Tokyo Prince!"
"Flukes don't work here! You think you can beat Inashiro?!"
Some of the more extreme fans even shouted insults toward Yakushi's dugout, their mockery growing louder by the second.
The Yakushi players heard every word.
For a brief moment, they were stunned by Raichi's strikeout.
Then—
Anger flared.
"Oh, a slider…" Kitamura Kou muttered, his expression darkening. "Just as sharp as Kaname Manaka's. And that fastball… yeah, it's legit."
He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.
"But if they think that's enough to look down on us—"
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"I'll show them what real despair feels like."
"Hey, hey, relax!" Coach Todoroki Raizo quickly stepped in. "I'm planning to let you pitch the whole game—extra innings included if needed. Don't burn yourself out early. Managing stamina is part of being a great pitcher!"
"Don't worry, Coach," Kitamura replied calmly.
"I won't lose control over something like this."
He glanced toward the roaring stands.
"…But yeah. It's getting a bit too noisy."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Time to shut them up. Let's go, Akaishi."
With that, already in full gear, Kitamura Kou stepped out of the dugout.
Watching his steady back, the Yakushi players felt their tension ease. The frustration and pressure from earlier began to fade.
"He's got this… Let's go!"
Catcher Akaishi Osamu raised his voice.
"Ooooooh!!!"
One by one, the team grabbed their gloves and rushed onto the field.
"The bottom of the first inning! Inashiro Industrial High School comes to bat! Leading off—center fielder, Kamiya!"
Inashiro's lineup remained unchanged from previous games—stable, proven, and dangerous.
"Oh?" Carlos Kamiya Toshiki smirked as he stepped into the batter's box. "So that first-year slugger is the starting pitcher today?"
Faster than Seido's Kuramochi, and with far more developed batting skills, Carlos had every reason to be confident.
"This guy's velocity might be close to Narumiya's… control looks solid too. Forkball, changeup… not bad."
He rolled his shoulders, eyes gleaming.
"But compared to Narumiya? Still a long way off."
A grin spread across his face.
"Come on, rookie. I'll show you how scary high school baseball really is. Watch me send your pitch flying."
On the mound, Kitamura Kou clearly caught the look of disdain.
This time—
He didn't get angry.
Instead, he smiled.
"Kou, it's just the start. Let's test the waters first," Akaishi signaled from behind the plate. "High inside four-seam fastball. Eighty percent power. Focus on control."
Akaishi Osamu was no ordinary catcher.
Tall, broad-shouldered, and once a pitcher himself, his arm strength rivaled even Miyuki Kazuya's. Since switching to catcher in junior high, he had built a wealth of experience—making him a reliable partner on the field.
And for Kitamura—
There was no one he trusted more.
He gave a small nod.
Raising both hands above his head, he lifted his left leg. His eyes locked onto Akaishi's mitt.
In the next instant—
His body exploded into motion.
A sharp twist of the waist.
A powerful swing of the arm—
BOOM!!!
The baseball shot forward like a laser, tearing through the air with overwhelming force as it rocketed toward Carlos's chest.
Carlos froze.
He had completely misjudged the speed.
By the time his instincts caught up—
The ball had already crossed the plate.
THUMP!!!
It slammed into Akaishi's glove with a heavy, resounding impact.
"Strike!!!"
Even the veteran umpire couldn't hide his reaction—his voice rising noticeably louder than before.
A pitch like that… was impossible to ignore.
Silence fell.
The once roaring Inashiro dugout…
The cheering crowd…
All of it vanished in an instant.
Every pair of eyes turned toward the speed gun at center field.
150 km/h.
Shock spread across the stadium.
No one had expected it.
Not from him.
Carlos broke out in a cold sweat.
If that pitch hits me… that's not going to end well.
Slowly, almost involuntarily, everyone's gaze shifted back to the mound.
There stood Kitamura Kou—
Still smiling.
And for the first time…
No one in the stadium could look away.