Chapter 477: Seiko Match – Born of Impulse
The ball, crushed by the bat—
Its heaviness and violent spin made it nearly impossible for Kuramochi to keep a firm grip.
He lost control.
“Whoosh!”
The ball bounced sharply off the ground.
Second baseman Tamaki jogged forward a few steps and calmly scooped it up.
“Whip!”
“Smack!”
The throw reached first base, where Nagata caught it cleanly.
Despite Kuramochi’s bl...
Chapter 476: Seiko Match – Power of Suppression
Majestic and commanding.
Not to be underestimated.
Ogawa Tsunematsu’s thunderous home run had ignited Seiko High’s momentum—but at the same time, it sparked something else.
It pushed a certain genius pitcher further along the path of growth.
A battle-hardened will, forged through real game situations.
A display of sheer power and determination.
The crowd was reminded once again: Within Sei...
Chapter 475: Seiko Match – Between Offense and Defense
“A… a home run…?! A HOME RUN!!!”
“It’s gone! It’s outta here!!! In the top of the 3rd inning, an unbelievable swing! The very first pitch—a splitter—was crushed by Seiko’s 7th batter, Ogawa Tsunematsu! A towering blast to deep center field! This is the kind of play you expect from a team’s hero! Not only did he pull his team out of danger in the first inning, but now, in the third, he’s scored the g...
Chapter 474: Seiko Match – An Unexpected Turn
After striking out Tamaki, the No. 5 batter, Furuya gave Seiko High’s remaining lineup no breathing room.
He aggressively attacked No. 6 Nishijima with three straight fastballs, then finished him off with a sharp splitter, securing another strikeout. It was yet another perfect 1-2-3 inning.
Furuya’s stellar performance kept Seidou firmly in control from the very start of the game.
“Nice pitch, Furuya!”
...
Chapter 473: Seiko Match – Head-On Clash
"What a terrifying sound… if that bat had connected cleanly, with Sawamura’s current velocity and power, the result could’ve been devastating..."
The cleanup hitter for Seiko was brimming with overwhelming presence.
Unable to help himself, Miyuki glanced sideways at Seiko's No. 4 batter, Nagata. A faintly serious look flickered across his eyes.
He gave a subtle signal with his fingers.
On the pitcher's mound, ...
Chapter 472: Seiko Battle — Sharp Blades
Caught in Midair
The moment Ogawa Tsunematsu leapt and made the catch, both Eijun and Miyuki, who had been advancing, realized the danger.
Their expressions changed instantly.
They twisted their bodies and scrambled back toward their respective bases.
“Tsunematsu! Throw to third! We can turn a double play!”
At home plate, Masu quickly seized the opportunity and shouted toward Ogawa.
Right on cue, O...
Chapter 471: The Seiko Showdown – The Fat Bastard's Intimidating Presence
As the blazing pitch collided with the metal bat, a sharp, piercing sound rang through the air.
The moment of impact sent a heavy jolt through Maezono Kenta’s arms, and the fierce fire in his expression dimmed.
“Ha!”
With a grunt, he swung his arms with full force.
“Whoosh!”
“Bang!”
The ball slammed into the ground with a powerful thud.
Just as Eiju...
Chapter 470: Seiko Showdown – A Crucial Decision
Cheers erupted from Seidou’s dugout.
In this opening phase of the game, Seidou had completely seized the initiative.
On the mound, Seiko’s ace Kojima Ryuhei stood stiffly, frustration written all over his face.
His narrowed eyes burned with unwillingness.
He had prepared himself.
He’d steeled his resolve to face Seidou head-on.
So why?
Why had things unraveled so quickly—so viole...
Chapter 469: Seiko Showdown – Seidou Scores Again
“Batting fourth, catcher—Miyuki-kun!”
Seidou's clean-up hitter.
The heart of the team.
Captain.
Catcher.
And one of the Golden Battery.
If Sawamura Eijun was now the face of Seidou, then Miyuki Kazuya was its foundation.
To the public, Eijun might seem like Seidou’s most important player.
But those who truly understood the game—
including Eijun himself—knew better....
Chapter 468: Seiko Showdown – The Hand of Fate
With a calm, unhurried stride, Eijun stepped into the batter's box, exuding a composed presence.
He was no longer the rookie who had first arrived at Seidou just a few months ago.
Now, he stood as one of the most experienced and commanding ace pitchers in all of high school baseball.
The trials of summer.
The glory of summer.
The climb to the top.
That summer, Seidou made Sawamura—and Sawamura,...
Chapter 467: Seiko Showdown – Striking First
With a runner on second—And with Kuramochi’s speed, if he went for a steal…
There’d be no stopping him.
So aside from necessary precautions, Seiko’s defense had to shift full focus to the batter.
The next two hitters in Seidou’s lineup were even more troublesome.
Now was the time to secure an out—any out.
Behind the plate, Masu Shinichirou cast a heavy glance toward Eijun, who was crouched...
Chapter 466: Seiko Showdown – Between Spear and Shield
“Top of the 1st inning, Seidou High School is up to bat. Leading off—shortstop, Kuramochi-kun.”
“Let’s go, Seidou’s Cheetah!”
“We’re counting on you, Kuramochi—get on base!”
“Attack, Kuramochi!”
“Sprint right through!”
“Make them fear your speed!”
Cheers erupted from the crowd as Kuramochi stepped into the batter’s box, wearing his trademark mischievous...
Chapter 465: Seiko Showdown – A Clash of Titans
"Whoosh!"
A sharp flash of the ball burst forth.
Standing in the batter’s box, Yamashita felt the overwhelming pressure wash over him, and his expression subtly changed.
He knew Furuya’s fastballs were intense—
But that was only through observation or video.
Now, standing face to face in the batter’s box...
Only now did he truly understand what it meant to face a real power pitcher.
<...
Chapter 464: The Power Pitcher's Brilliance
First pitch—low and outside.
Precise. Sharp. Powerful.
Furuya, put everything into this pitch.
Behind the plate, Miyuki gave a subtle signal with his fingers.
On the mound—
Furuya's expression was solemn. His slightly crouched frame straightened in an instant, and his left leg rose high before driving forward with force, kicking up a burst of dust.
“Whoosh!”
His arm whipped down.
Chapter 463: A Blazing Opening Under the Spotlight
“Up next is the first semifinal match: Seidou High School versus Seiko High School. On the first base side is Seidou, who will bat second, while Seiko takes the third base side and bats first. The starting lineups for both teams are…”
As both Seidou and Seiko ramped up their final preparations during the last hour before battle, a sweet voice from the stadium broadcast echoed through the air, announcing the key information...
Chapter 462: Jingu Stadium – The Two Sides Before the Battle
October 23rd, clear skies, Saturday.
That morning—
At dawn, Tokyo’s Jingu Stadium was already overflowing with people before 8:00 AM. Not only was the interior of the stadium packed, but even outside, swarms of baseball fans surrounded the venue.
At the front rows—
Countless reporters, magazine editors, and an ocean of cameras were already in position.
All for one reason:
Toda...
Chapter 461: Seiko’s Countermeasures
"You idiot—what do you mean 'just like you'? That guy is the ace who led his team to victory in the summer tournament! He’s now a nationally recognized 'Ace Of Diamond'! Compared to him, you're still light-years behind!"
As Seiko’s catcher and team captain—nicknamed the "Mini-Tetsu"—Masu Shinichirou couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation at Ogawa Tsunematsu’s clueless remark. He gave him a light smack on the back of the head ...
Chapter 460: Preparations on Both Sides
Narumiya Mei goes without saying.
He's practically like a king on the mound.
As for Sanada Shunpei, Seidou had already experienced his strength during the summer tournament.
Back then, Sanada had just returned from an injury and was still dealing with lingering effects, unable to pitch at full power.
But now, things were different.
He's back at full strength, with no restrictions.
To be honest, when it c...
Chapter 459: Starting Lineup Decision
Looking at Coach Kataoka, who seemed genuinely surprised, Coach Sakaki’s expression softened into a faint smile—
as if recalling a baseball field from over a decade ago,
and a stubborn young man from back then.
"Yura Technical High School—also part of West Tokyo."
"Next year, we’ll be rivals from the same district, Ironheart."
"Let me see how much you've grown over all these years."
"Don’t even think abou...
Chapter 458: Coach Sakaki
"So, what do you think of our school?"
After the game ended, outside the field, Takashima Rei stood beside a boy dressed in a traditional school uniform.
Wearing a confident smile, she asked with a light laugh.
"As expected of a team capable of winning the summer tournament."
"Even without your ace, this team is still extremely strong—especially that pitching rotation."
The boy replied with a voice full of maturity unchara...
Chapter 457: The End of the Red vs. White Match
Setting aside the shock Haruno felt at Coach Sakaki’s arrival—
back on the field, after Nakata and Shoji teamed up for a double play,
on the mound, Eijun let out a long breath.
He had originally thought that getting Tojo out would be enough.
He hadn’t expected they’d actually manage a double play.
His teammates behind him—
they were just as reliable.
"Second inning, and the starting t...
Chapter 456: Red vs. White (7)
After Miyuki reached first base, from the dugout, Ochiai immediately gave the signal for a hit-and-run play.
Even though Eijun reacted quickly—
catching Maezono’s sharply hit grounder mid-bounce with his glove—
Miyuki’s aggressive jump off first still caused trouble for Team B.
Everyone knew Miyuki could run—
but no one expected just how fast he really was.
Even Eijun had thought he could turn the play into ...
Chapter 10: S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial (2)
After changing trains three times from the town of Ciclaremen, I finally arrived in Magnolia—ten days later.
It had only been a few months since I left, yet the town felt incredibly familiar.
Maybe the saying "there's no place like home" really is true.
For someone like me who once wandered without a destination, it still feels surreal to have both a home and a family waiting.
As I walked through the streets, ...
Chapter 455: Red vs. White (6)
Angle, timing, power.
Strictly speaking, there wasn’t much wrong with the pitch Furuya had thrown.
However, his control was still a little lacking.
The ball broke just a bit too early.
If it had started breaking right around the plate instead, even if Eijun had managed to react, the best he could have done would’ve been to foul it off.
There was even a good chance he could have been struck out or forced into a pop-ou...
Chapter 454: Red vs. White (5)
The first pitch was a fast split-finger ball, and that guy Sawamura actually managed to catch up to it.
Miyuki frowned slightly.
This guy's serious.
Alright then—next pitch: a low fastball on the outside corner.
Miyuki subtly signaled with his fingers.
Knowing that Eijun was currently in top form, Miyuki had no intention of confronting him head-on.
Instead, he planned to wear down Eijun’s momentum bit by bit....
Chapter 453: Red vs. White (4)
After securing the out against Kijima Rei, the next batter to step up was right fielder Seki Naomichi.
Seki Naomichi had his own unique style and technique when it came to batting, but against a pitcher like Furuya—who embodied sheer, unrelenting power—and a catcher like Miyuki, who amplified that dominance to the extreme, Seki stood little chance.
Three pitches.
Another three-pitch strikeout.
Compared to Eijun’s effortle...
Chapter 9: S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial (1)
December, X779
In the far north of the Kingdom of Fiore lies the mining town of Ciclaremen, known for its breathtaking snow-covered mountains.
For the past five years, this town had been under the control of the dark guild Gloxinia.
The Magic Council had dispatched forces to reclaim it, but the guild had used the town’s narrow layout and the constant snowfall to their advantage, preventing large armies from entering e...
Chapter 452: Red vs. White (3)
The mismatch with the bat—or more precisely, a misjudged angle—meant that although Haruichi had timed his swing well, the contact point was a little too low. The ball didn’t make it out of the infield and was intercepted cleanly by Kijima.
The first three batters were retired with just five pitches.
Three outs.
A swift changeover.
Eijun completely shut down the opposition in the top of the first inning with ease.
E...
Chapter 8: A New Encounter and Reunion (3)
September, X778.
It had been nearly a month since we joined Fairy Tail.
“Ciel! Let’s fight!”
“No way, Natsu! It’s my turn to fight Ciel!”
“You two! Stop bothering Ciel the moment he gets back from a request! If you’re that eager for a fight, I’ll gladly take you both on!”
“U-uh… no thanks.”
“Yeah… we’re good. We’d rather not fight Erza.”
As I returned to the g...
Chapter 451: Red vs. White (2)
As the saying goes.
“Those who come in peace rarely strike first, and those who strike first rarely come in peace.”
After those two forceful, intimidating fastballs that completely shut down Kuramochi—
Even Miyuki’s expression had turned serious in the dugout.
“…So this brat Sawamura’s already going all-out in the first inning, huh?”
He muttered under his breath.
“Batting second, right fielder—...