Aj's unusual state was initially noticed only by Coach Kataoka, whether due to distance or experience, but after Aj swung twice and missed, the situation changed somewhat.
"Something seems off."
"Hmm, that kid is probably getting nervous, look at his posture."
"Yeah, it's gotten a bit stiff. There's no way he can swing with full power like that."
"Even though Kawakami is just a relief Pitcher, he's not at a level where a half-baked player like this can hit him."
A ball! I actually swung at a ball! Of course, there's nothing wrong with swinging at a ball; many players do it. But that's usually when the line between a ball and a strike is hard to distinguish. What did I just do?
I swung at a very obvious ball. Any Baseball player with even a little common sense wouldn't swing at such an obvious ball. How distracted must I have been just now?!
Aj bit his lip tightly, thinking with resentment.
"Aj-kun! You can do it! You definitely can!" Kominato shouted loudly from First Base, and the first-year dugout was even more enthusiastic, almost shouting themselves hoarse. You see, the first five innings were almost perfectly shut out by the Senpai, sweeping them away like autumn leaves; not a single player reached base!
The only one with hope, Aj, was also struck out after hitting only a few more pitches!
This inning! The top of the sixth! To be able to face this kind of confrontation with no outs and runners on First Base and Third Base, it was nothing short of a shot in the arm for those first-years who had been crushed and whose spirits were almost broken!
Among them, Kanemaru Shinji was the most boisterous! Seeing that Aj already had two strikes, their hearts tightened, and they almost wished they could transform into his bat to hit a perfect single for him!
"Hey! You've said it so seriously, now let me see your strength!" Sawamura Eijun shouted loudly from Third Base, adopting a stance as if he would rush home even on a ground ball.
Yes, this is a game, a game to determine the loser. But isn't it also the first step in pursuing one's own ideals?
What kind of mindset did I have when I came here? Just a small scene, and I'm already flustered? Get a grip, you're an old man in his thirties, having lived two lives.
Aj took a deep breath, calming his emotions. Whether it's good or bad, as long as I do my best, that's already the most perfect answer. Three parts are destined by heaven, aren't they?
Then let me use the bat in my hand to carve out the remaining ninety-seven parts!
Coach Kataoka's gaze shifted slightly, and he nodded inwardly. His body was no longer so stiff. Although there was still a slight unaccustomed reaction, he had largely returned to his normal posture.
This is what he, the stoic Coach Kataoka Tesshin, wanted to see!
A player who can handle anything with the calmest mind is the one Kataoka Tesshin values and desires! As for a player who, despite being a genius, has no mental fortitude, Kataoka Tesshin has no interest in playing a friendly, harmonious family comedy with such a person!
"First, an inside Slider. Originally, he wanted to go on a full-blown assault, but then he noticed I wasn't in good form. Then he used an outside ball to confirm that point. From this perspective, Miyauchi's pitch calling is still a bit too cautious. If it were Miyuki Kazuya, I would have been struck out by now. He's a catcher who absolutely doesn't waste a single pitch!" Aj thought to himself.
"The next pitch definitely won't be a probing one. Outside? Inside? Huh, let the bat, let my body give the most perfect answer." Aj's gaze was fixed ahead.
His expression became natural, his mind clear. As a batter, the only thing to consider the moment he steps into the batter's box is!
Hit the ball!
"No need to probe anymore. Even if this kid adjusts his posture, he definitely won't be able to react! Use your decisive pitch to finish him!" Miyauchi signaled, saying. Although he also noticed that Aj's state seemed to be improving, Miyauchi believed that once a mindset breaks, it's impossible to adjust back so quickly! The next step is a direct quick attack!
Don't give Aj any breathing room. As long as Aj is dealt with, this inning is practically over. What did you say? Even if Aj is out, it's only one out?
Please, are there any other first-years that second and third-years would value?
Don't be ridiculous, this is the crucial point of the game! This is the key moment of the entire game! Let the first-years' counterattack be crushed here!
Go sit in your cheering section obediently! There's no place for you in the first team! First-year rookies!
"Still an inside Slider! A wider angle, a steadier release! As long as you throw your most perfect pitch, this kid won't be able to hit it!" Keisuke Miyauchi looked at Kawakami with a very firm expression.
Kawakami took a deep breath and nodded slightly.
Furuya Satoru, Sawamura Eijun, Kominato Haruichi, and this Aj in front of him—is this year's first-year class truly a uniquely bountiful year? To have so many surprising talents appear.
But I will never give up either. This resolve, the determination not to yield the pitcher's mound to anyone, is not inferior to anyone else's!
Aj didn't know how much his arrival had changed the minds of so many people, perhaps Sawamura Eijun, or Kominato Haruichi, or even this Kawakami, who had always seemed timid!
It was precisely because he felt the fighting spirit of these first-years that it ignited Kawakami's unique will as a Pitcher! I am a Pitcher!
Pressure? The batter's threat?
Those are just motivations for me to pitch harder, harder, and even harder! The man named Kawakami will not easily give in!
Pitcher's will! Hmm, it's a very ethereal thing. Perhaps when we talk about games and practical things, it's more appropriate to discuss concrete matters. Some people scoff at such spiritual theories, but sometimes, mental fortitude is also the key to victory!
Just like now, Aj could clearly feel the Pitcher's will emanating from the pitcher's mound, a will that made the batter tremble slightly!
That heavy, as if everything was poured into the pitch!
Aj suddenly felt goosebumps. Could Kawakami also have such a demeanor? Aj was a little surprised!
However, this makes it more interesting, doesn't it?
Come on!
"Whoosh!"
The moment the ball left his hand, Aj relied entirely on his body's instinct, on his trusted eyesight, and poured everything into swinging his bat!
This swing, at least, left no regrets!
Whether he could hit it or not, he would have no regrets!
Perhaps what the answer is, what the result will be, only that woman, the goddess of fate, would know!