After giving Hisa her instructions, Alistair didn't need to worry. If she couldn't handle this simple task, then the woman was truly useless. Alistair had given her considerable authority. If she still couldn't get it done, Alistair would simply fire her, though he wouldn't mind threatening her first and then consuming her before letting her go.
For now, he would wait for her information. Alistair had instructed her to call him with any clues she found first, which would make it easier for Alistair to use those clues to get an advance payment from Akane Nanao.
"I feel like I could do this too. It's purely based on reaction and strength; there doesn't seem to be much technique involved."
Out of boredom, Alistair watched Shouya Katase hit the baseball out of the field repeatedly. When it was his turn to pitch, perhaps due to the pressure of Katase's newfound strength or simply being too nervous, the replacement batter repeatedly failed to hit the ball and almost struck out. When he did make contact, the hits lacked power, either getting caught or flying foul—a consistent pattern of crushing defeat.
With his body repeatedly enhanced (including all senses), Alistair possessed superhuman eyesight and could clearly track the trajectory of the baseball. Even without activating the Ox Talisman's ability, the strength of Alistair's enhanced body was sufficient to overpower most of the people here.
The overall physical condition of this group was likely around the average for an adult male, and that was for the outstanding ones. Most of them were first or second-years, essentially sixteen or seventeen years old, not yet at their physical peak. Even with training, the strongest among them probably wouldn't significantly exceed the average adult male and certainly couldn't compare to Alistair, who had cheats.
"Hey, can I give it a try?"
Alistair walked onto the field with a playful smile, asking the crowd.
The people present looked at each other and said nothing. News of Alistair's powerful background had already spread throughout the Baseball Club, so no one wanted to provoke this harbinger-like figure. They all looked at Shouya Katase. As the strongest player now, Shouya Katase had quietly taken command of the Baseball Club, so they waited for his opinion.
It was widely known that the Japanese intrinsically admired power. If you were strong enough, others would fawn over you like dogs, while secretly improving themselves, waiting for the day to turn on their master. Unless you were confident you could constantly dominate these "dogs," this was the dynamic. Of course, under normal circumstances, those of similar rank maintained a "harmonious" facade, whether it was genuine or not was another matter.
Currently, Shouya Katase had the makings of a "dog master," so everyone awaited his decision.
"Of course, student. If you're interested, you're very welcome to try."
Shouya Katase extended his hand to Alistair with a bright smile, though Alistair keenly noticed a hint of shadow in his expression. As someone who boosted himself by absorbing a certain kind of 'Desire,' Alistair was particularly sensitive to emotions and desires.
In fact, Shouya Katase, who had been observing Akane Nanao from the corner of his eye, had witnessed the entire interaction between Alistair and Akane Nanao, including Akane Nanao's flushed, angry face.
Since Akane Nanao had been resisting intimacy with him all day, Shouya Katase suspected she might have found a new interest. Based on the scene he just saw, he guessed Alistair might be Akane Nanao's new favored target, so he wanted to teach Alistair a lesson.
With Akane Nanao still watching from the rest room, Shouya Katase wanted her to know who the true powerhouse was. He was no longer the same Shouya Katase.
"So, should I bat first or pitch first?"
Alistair, hands in his pockets, casually glanced at the few people around him. His nonchalant attitude made some people uncomfortable. This was a sport they genuinely loved, and while Alistair's playful demeanor wasn't wrong—after all, his slender physique didn't suggest an interest in sports, so he was likely just acting on a whim—it still annoyed them. An opportunity to justifiably put Alistair, whom they couldn't afford to offend, in his place excited them.
"You take the bat. I've batted enough. I'll pitch."
Shouya Katase instructed a few people to fetch a set of protective gear, then handed the bat he was holding to Alistair. He then took a pitcher's glove from a club member, put it on, walked to the pitcher's mound, picked up a baseball, and began preparing.
"This is a baseball bat? It doesn't seem very heavy. It must be wood; the school probably wouldn't allow metal bats since those would be troublesome to hit people with..."
Alistair muttered as he examined the baseball bat repeatedly. His curious scrutiny made the people present smile inwardly. Alistair's obvious lack of experience meant they could teach him a good lesson, and since Alistair couldn't argue with them, the prospect of legitimately correcting this person they couldn't afford to provoke excited them all.
There's a groove? It seemed this part was meant for hitting the baseball. Otherwise, it would be too hard to control the hit with a round bat, and the ball might just slip past.
Alistair touched the groove on the bat, then gripped the handle and swung it a few times to get a feel for it. Shouya Katase didn't mind Alistair taking a few practice swings. Hitting a baseball wasn't as simple as it looked. He himself had practiced countless times just to hit the ball, and it took him another six months to barely control the direction of the hit. However, his physical condition was always disappointing, preventing him from defeating anyone on the main team. The breakthrough he had now was thanks to the secret potion the coach gave him, which stimulated his physical potential. Although it made him a little irritable, he felt it was worth it.
Shouya Katase was certain that Alistair, judging by his appearance, lacked the necessary strength, and the mere technique of hitting the ball would be enough to baffle him.
"I think I've got the feel for it. I'll stick with this. By the way, Senior Katase, I just need to hit the ball outside or where you can't catch it, right?" Alistair swung the bat, getting used to the feel, and asked Shouya Katase.
"Of course. Since you're not very familiar with the rules, as long as the ball isn't touched by me or the others, it counts as a score for you. You won't need to run the bases; we'll count it as a run, provided your hit is compliant with the rules."
Shouya Katase shook the baseball in his hand, implying he would take care of Alistair, the beginner. If Alistair could just hit the ball back, it would count as a run. However, to prevent Alistair from occasionally hitting a foul ball, he added some conditions. But he had no intention of letting Alistair off easy. For the first pitch, he planned to deliver a direct hit to Alistair's face.
Alistair's face was indeed quite attractive; while not stunning at first glance, he was the type that grew more handsome the more you looked. Shouya Katase intended to inflict a "slight" injury on Alistair's face, which might be what Akane Nanao found appealing.
"Is that so? Thank you for your consideration, Senior Katase."
Alistair felt Shouya Katase's sudden increase in malice. His lips curved slightly, and he replied as if very pleased.
"Then, get ready, student!"
Shouya Katase drew his right arm back, gathered his strength, and then fiercely flung the baseball out at lightning speed, aiming straight for Alistair's face. As a skill he had basically mastered, the baseball thrown by Shouya Katase with added force fully leveraged his power. If Alistair wasn't careful, he might end up hospitalized for a few days—at least, that was Shouya Katase's intention.
Hmm? Aiming for my face?
Alistair raised an eyebrow slightly. His dynamic vision could easily track the ball's trajectory and direction, and his reflexes were sufficient to dodge the attack. He was just surprised. He had initially thought Shouya Katase's malice was just a harsh lesson for Alistair's arbitrary behavior as an outsider. He hadn't expected him to go for a serious injury.
An average person hit by Shouya Katase's pitch would likely have to spend days in the hospital, but Alistair, with his cheats, obviously wouldn't. However, Alistair wasn't going to be benevolent either. He had only planned to hit the baseball far away to shock them. Now, it seemed Alistair needed to teach them a lesson. Alistair was not someone who returned good for evil; he always believed in returning favors and repaying debts.
Alistair hadn't planned to do anything to Shouya Katase, the "victim," but since Shouya Katase wanted to hit him like that, Alistair wouldn't hold back.
BANG!
Alistair slightly adjusted his position. Staying within the fixed batting box was fine. He then raised the bat, roughly aimed it in Shouya Katase's direction, and quietly activated the Ox Talisman's energy. Alistair estimated the force, calculating that it wouldn't be lethal. The moment the baseball arrived, he swung the bat with all his strength.
A loud crash erupted at the point of impact. The baseball flew back at an even faster speed, but this time, the direction wasn't Shouya Katase's face, but his body.
Alistair had little experience with this game, so one swing could, at best, only roughly adjust the direction, and mostly by luck. The only thing Alistair could guarantee was hitting the ball back.
Shouya Katase clearly hadn't expected Alistair to actually hit the ball back. Stunned for a moment, he froze in place, watching the baseball rapidly approach him. The ball, carrying Alistair's immense force, struck Shouya Katase in the chest, causing a surge of blood to rise in his throat. His vision went black, and he lost consciousness.