Unbeknownst to Aj, Kominato Haruichi had already affixed a label to him that would be difficult to change for life.
If Aj had known that his mischievous smile at the time had made the shy and timid Kominato believe he was a terrifying person, he would probably have been in tears.
This was a huge misunderstanding!
At this moment, several figures appeared outside the field—they were the main members of the first string!
"Hey, hey, what's going on?! Only one run and two runs in four or five innings? Why aren't they scoring over 200 runs?!" a brown-haired youth with a delinquent-like expression shouted loudly!
"Haha, Jun-san, 200 runs are impossible!" Kuramochi said with a ghostly laugh from the side.
The one who spoke first was the Third Batter, a key player for Seido's first string!
Isashiki Jun! Hmm, a "delinquent" youth with fierce eyes!
It's said that the highest score difference ever recorded was only 122:0; 200 runs are impossible in any game!
"Eh!? What's that kid trying to do? A bunt? Hey, Kuramochi, that kid is from your dorm, right?" Isashiki said with an annoyed expression.
"By the way, wasn't that the kid who struck out Azuma-senpai back then?!"
"I'm not sure, I think that kid is just an idiot, ahahaha!" Kuramochi burst into loud laughter again!
Yuki Tetsuya stood with his arms crossed, watching calmly, fully displaying the aura of a team captain.
Well, to be honest, he was just a natural airhead, an adult version of Furuya!
Kominato Ryosuke still watched the field with his usual smiling demeanor!
"Hmph, I'd like to see what tricks that kid can pull! Hey! Kawakami! Don't go easy! If you dare to give up even one run! Hmph hmph!" Isashiki roared the last half of his sentence towards the field!
The moment he heard that voice, Kawakami on the pitcher's mound couldn't help but shiver, almost dropping the Baseball in his hand.
He looked up slightly and saw Isashiki outside the field, a wry smile appearing on his face.
If you were to ask which senpai Kawakami feared the most back then, it was undoubtedly Azuma Kiyokuni, Seido's fourth batter at the time!
After Azuma Kiyokuni graduated, Isashiki, whose personality was almost a replica of Azuma Kiyokuni, became Kawakami's new nightmare.
Therefore, Isashiki's angry roar from outside the field just now made Kawakami tremble all over.
Miyauchi looked up at Kawakami on the pitcher's mound, then glanced with a strange look at Sawamura Eijun, who was bent over in a bunting stance beside him, and snorted two strong streams of air from his nostrils!
"Hmph!"
These first-years are getting more and more Arrogant! We absolutely cannot let them get into their rhythm!
Miyauchi coolly signaled from below, Kawakami glanced at it, nodded slightly, and clenched his hand inside his glove!
He looked at Sawamura Eijun, who stood solemn on the field not far away, with a look that said he would definitely hit the ball!
"He still hasn't changed, just like half a year ago, so reckless towards his Senpai, hehe!" Kawakami chuckled inwardly, thinking with a hint of envy, but that's exactly why!
That's what makes it interesting! He never wanted those memories again!
Kawakami's expression became extremely solemn!
He didn't want to lose to anyone when it came to Baseball! He didn't want to give up the pitcher's mound to anyone! Even he had the ambition to wear the "1" Ace number!
Coach Kataoka looked at Kawakami's changing expression and nodded secretly.
This game, perhaps for most people, was to test the abilities of these first-year rookies.
In fact, Coach Kataoka had another consideration in mind!
That was to see the condition of the second and third-years, especially the first-string members among them!
The focus was on the condition of Ace Pitcher Tanba Koichiro and the former clean-up hitter, the fifth batter, Masuko Toru.
Both of them had basically been sent to the second string by Coach Kataoka to cool down due to their condition or mistakes.
However, Kawakami's performance and his spirit today made Kataoka nod secretly inwardly.
Even as a relief Pitcher, Coach Kataoka was very concerned about Kawakami's performance!
In Seido, a high school Baseball team without an absolute Ace, the importance of a Pitcher goes without saying!
Otherwise, Coach Kataoka wouldn't have allowed Furuya to join the first string so easily.
As for Aj, Coach Kataoka had other considerations, which outsiders could not possibly fathom!
Getting back to the point, Miyauchi's instruction to Kawakami was to skip any test pitches and go straight for the win!
Use Kawakami's best Slider for the first pitch!
They absolutely had to break the high spirits of these first-years! First-years should act like first-years!
What first-string positions, what regular positions!
These were not things first-year rookies could aspire to! They should just sit in the stands and cheer!
"Whoosh!" Sawamura Eijun puffed out his cheeks slightly and exhaled!
"Eijun-kun!" Aj's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Sawamura in the batter's box, murmuring softly, "Perhaps you were already a shining star, but that's not enough; I will make you shine even brighter!"
No one can stop your path to becoming an Ace!
Starting with this game! I will score runs for you with my bat!
To make you a true Ace Pitcher!
"First, get into a bunting stance, you know how to bunt, right?"
"Yeah, but what does that mean? Why should I bunt? I'm sure I'll hit it!"
"No, no, what I mean is, you get into a bunting stance, and then the moment Kawakami-senpai throws the ball, you change your stance and hit it with a normal stance.
That way, the fielders will instinctively think you're going for a safety bunt and won't be prepared for your long hit.
Isn't that interesting?"
"Hmph!" came a tsundere reply, but in the end, he still followed Aj's suggestion.
The moment the ball flew over!
"What!?" Miyauchi's expression changed as Sawamura quickly changed his stance!
"Heh ya!"
"Clang!" A pleasant, symphonic sound echoed, and to everyone's surprise, Kawakami's Slider was perfectly caught by Sawamura Eijun!
The infielders, who had moved closer to defend against a safety bunt, all changed their expressions, especially the Second Baseman and the shortstop.
The moment the ball flew out, they quickly turned and retreated, but having instinctively prepared for a bunt, they couldn't react in time, and the ball quickly flew over the Second Baseman's head!
A center fielder hit!
When the center fielder picked up the ball!
Sawamura Eijun slid into Second Base!
The first hit for a first-year! A double!
Everyone present was in an uproar!