Chapter 230: The All-Around Baseball Player, Furuya Satoru!
"Ping!"
The baseball hit the ground and bounced.
Inashiro Industrial High School's second baseman made a desperate diving stop, trying to block the ball.
But his glove missed by a good five or six centimeters.
As a result, he could only watch helplessly as the ball hit the ground and bounced away.
At the same time, the supporters of the Seidou High School baseball team in the stands, as well as the players in their dugout, erupted in excitement.
"It went through!"
The baseball had gotten past the defense—everyone knew what that meant.
Inashiro Industrial High's outfielders, aware that the batter was Furuya, had already positioned themselves toward the back of the field.
They never expected the ball to land in the infield.
By the time they realized and rushed forward to stop it, Furuya had already safely reached first base.
"No outs, runner on first."
The loud voices of Inashiro Industrial's supporters abruptly quieted.
Even their players in the dugout couldn't help but frown.
It was clear to them what this base hit signified.
"They're not unbeatable after all! We can get hits, too."
"Let's seize this opportunity and score in one go."
"Even our first-year rookie is giving it his all—don't let the third-years down, Masuko!"
The cheers from the stands grew louder. It was a reflection of the shifting momentum on the field.
"Heh, this is getting interesting!"
In the stands, an out-of-county player who had come specifically to watch this game was brimming with excitement.
Furuya's reputation preceded him. This visiting player was already well aware of Furuya's terrifying, top-tier pitching.
That alone was enough to amaze him.
But he never imagined that this formidable first-year rookie would also excel at hitting.
Narumiya Mei's pitching was incredibly polished!
Though he didn't hold the official title of the best high school pitcher, he was undoubtedly one of the top contenders.
And yet, Furuya still managed to deliver such a solid hit against Narumiya's pitches?
In Inashiro's dugout, Coach Kunitomo cracked his neck, producing a series of popping sounds.
"This first-year rookie's hitting ability is off the charts, too."
Inashiro's balding department head wore a bitter expression.
The more they played against Seidou High, the more they realized how extraordinary this opponent was.
And their first-year ace was especially monstrous—so strong it was almost unfair.
It always seemed to be that first-year phenom who broke the deadlock.
On the pitcher's mound, Narumiya Mei maintained a stern expression.
He turned to give Furuya a serious look, then refocused on the next batter, Masuko.
Seidou's sixth batter, wearing number five, third baseman Masuko Tooru, was a very well-known player.
His incredible batting power was hard to ignore.
Simply put, while Masuko might keep a low profile, he was one of Seidou's stars and even a standout hitter in all of Tokyo.
His batting strength was well-known and widely acknowledged.
"This is getting tricky! Letting that guy get on base—and without securing a single out."
Squatting behind the plate, Harada calmly assessed their current situation.
To be blunt, things were not looking good for them.
Standing on first base was Furuya.
The two batters lined up behind him were Masuko, batting sixth today, and Miyuki, batting seventh.
And just how tough were these two? Harada knew all too well.
Let's not even talk about Masuko for now—just look at Miyuki. Batting seventh? That alone was intimidating enough.
Miyuki's hitting ability, despite a few minor flaws, was strong enough that, even in Inashiro Industrial's lineup, he'd easily hold a spot in the middle or upper order.
Yet here he was, hitting seventh—down in the lower order.
"We have to get through this. No matter what, we can't let them score!"
Harada cast a deep, thoughtful glance at the pitcher's mound.
Standing there, Narumiya Mei didn't need any extra reminders from his catcher. The fire in his heart was already blazing.
"No way I'm letting them score!"
Narumiya widened his stance, fully committing to the next pitch.
Whoosh!
The white baseball streaked toward the plate.
Masuko had already decided—he'd swing at the first pitch. Even if it was fast, he wouldn't hold back.
Ping!
The bat connected with the ball, sending it flying just beyond the third-base foul line.
"Foul ball!"
In the stands, Seidou High's diehard fans continued to cheer excitedly.
From their perspective, not only had Furuya just gotten a hit, but now even Masuko at bat was making solid contact.
What did that suggest?
It suggested that the Seidou High players were growing more and more accustomed to Narumiya's pitching.
They were beginning to track his pitch trajectories more effectively.
"Just give them a bit more time, and hitting Narumiya Mei's pitches won't be an issue anymore."
"Maybe it won't take much longer..."
The fans were buzzing with excitement.
But for Seidou's players, there was no joy.
They could feel something was off.
Masuko himself was scowling deeply in the batter's box.
While his teammates in the dugout sensed something was wrong without pinpointing why, Masuko saw it clearly.
That pitch just now—it wasn't a fastball. It was a breaking ball!
So while it might have looked like he timed it perfectly, by the time his bat connected, the ball had already veered off its original course.
That's why it ended up just foul.
"A 145-kilometer-per-hour breaking ball?"
Compared to Narumiya's earlier 150-plus-kilometer fastball, that 145-kilometer breaking pitch was even more unsettling.
A breaking ball that fast—no matter what kind of movement it had—was enough to throw any hitter off their game.
"Damn it!"
Masuko glanced at Narumiya Mei, his eyes now filled with wariness.
Compared to their initial matchups, this "Prince of Tokyo" seemed even more formidable now.
Thinking about this, Masuko suddenly found himself picturing Furuya's earlier at-bat.
Narumiya Mei's pitches were already so incredibly strong—how on earth did his monstrous junior teammate manage to hit one?
Masuko wished he could ask.
Standing on first base, Furuya's gaze was as clear as ever. If he knew what his senpai was wondering, he'd likely flash a wry smile.
He swung his bat purely by feel, after all. If asked to explain, he couldn't say exactly how he hit it either.
"Whoosh!!"
The white baseball streaked forward, cutting through the air with sharp movement.
Masuko swung with all his might, determined to make contact.
But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't touch it.
Each time his bat neared the ball, it would dart out of reach at the last second.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
One out, runner on first.
The Seidou supporters who had been celebrating just moments before suddenly fell silent.
Sure, Furuya had reached base against all odds.
But their opponent still seemed to have a firm grip on the game. The "Prince of Tokyo" clearly had no intention of allowing runs.
"I said I wouldn't let them score again."
Narumiya Mei didn't say this aloud, but those who knew him well could read it in his demeanor.
It was evident in his unwavering stance on the mound.
"What a fearsome opponent!"
It was only now that many of Seidou's diehard fans began to realize just how formidable this boy with a baby face truly was.
"That's it!!"
For the Inashiro Industrial players, particularly the core second-year starters, this sight of Narumiya Mei brought a renewed sense of determination.
Why did they choose Inashiro back then?
It wasn't just because Inashiro was one of the nation's top baseball powerhouses.
A big part of it was Narumiya Mei himself.
Back then, it was Mei who rallied everyone together, vowing to build the strongest team in the country.
The journey hadn't been smooth, but at this moment, seeing Mei's commanding performance on the mound reminded them of their initial ambition.
"As long as Mei is with us, victory will be ours! It will be ours!!"
"The disgrace of the Kanto Tournament will never happen again."
Confidence and morale surged among Inashiro's players.
Meanwhile, Seidou's players and supporters couldn't help but furrow their brows in frustration.
Fujio, the senior writer from Baseball Kingdom magazine, offered a level-headed assessment of the situation.
"Both of these teams have reached the pinnacle of national strength. At this stage, it all comes down to who makes fewer mistakes. In such a tightly-contested game, the team that scores first will likely have the upper hand," Fujio explained.
"The next batter is Miyuki. With a runner already on base, his chances of a successful hit are quite high," added Akiko, her voice brimming with excitement.
This charismatic reporter's enthusiasm for the bespectacled Miyuki had reached almost fanatical levels.
Now that You Shunshin was out, she placed all her hopes squarely on Miyuki's shoulders. Whenever Miyuki delivered a strong performance, she couldn't help but beam with joy.
"No, that's not enough to really challenge Miyuki," Fujio countered, disagreeing with his colleague's assessment.
"When a runner reaches scoring position, that's when Miyuki truly shines. Otherwise, he's just another strong hitter."
Whether the runner on base could advance into scoring position or if a single swing could bring in a run—these were the moments that sharpened Miyuki's focus. Fujio clearly understood this about him.
Crouching behind the plate, Harada was equally aware.
"The runner might try to steal. Be prepared," Harada signaled to Narumiya Mei.
But Narumiya shrugged it off.
"If that guy's got the guts, let him run! I trust you, senpai."
Even though Furuya was quite fast, he was no match for the fleet-footed Kuramochi or the lightning-quick Carlos. Compared to them, Furuya's speed was merely above average.
In Narumiya's mind, Furuya attempting a steal would be a mistake.
"Your faith in me is really…" Harada let out a bitter smile.
Still, being entrusted so completely by their ace pitcher gave Harada a boost of confidence. He resolved to leave no room for error in handling the situation.
"Alright, you're up against Miyuki. You know him well."
Narumiya was indeed familiar with Seidou's starting catcher.
When Narumiya was initially recruiting players for Inashiro, he had even extended an invitation to Miyuki. He wanted to pair up as a battery.
With such a shared history, the two knew each other's strengths and tendencies inside and out.
"Miyuki, I told you I'd make you regret this!"
Muttering under his breath, Narumiya set himself on the mound, drew back, and delivered the pitch.
"Whoosh!"
The white baseball tore through the air, speeding straight into the strike zone.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
A textbook fastball clocking in at 148.5 kilometers per hour.
This was once Narumiya's top speed, but now he could throw it effortlessly.
"This guy's become even more terrifying!"
Standing in the batter's box, it was only now that Miyuki fully realized just how formidable Narumiya had become.
It was no wonder his third-year teammates often found themselves at a loss.
His pitching was simply overwhelming.
You don't even have to watch him pitch in person. Just looking at his numbers on paper is enough to see how terrifying he is.
A fastball averaging over 145 kilometers per hour—just as a baseline.
And somehow, despite that blistering speed, he's able to throw breaking balls as well.
Add to that pinpoint control of the strike zone.
Any one of those attributes could make a pitcher a prodigy.
Narumiya Mei managed to combine all of them into a single player.
It's no wonder his talent is considered nothing short of monstrous.
Miyuki, of course, wanted to drive in this run.
But he understood that given his own abilities, it was nearly impossible to launch a home run against Narumiya.
Which meant scoring a run was going to be very difficult.
Unless Furuya—currently standing on first—could make it to second base.
If Furuya got into scoring position, even a routine base hit from Miyuki could bring him home.
Unfortunately, Inashiro's players—Narumiya and Harada included—were fully aware of that possibility and were on high alert.
Meanwhile, Furuya, standing on first, began inching toward second.
He wasn't moving fast, and his lead wasn't large.
But he was moving.
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