Chapter 2: Self-Recommendation

Whew~

Letting out a long breath, Takashima Rei finally scrutinized the boy in front of her.

Chestnut-colored short hair, a handsome face, a tall and upright posture—very handsome!

His body also looked sturdy; one could tell at a glance that he exercised regularly, and his slender fingers were still gripping a baseball.

"Huangqian, you say you want to become the number one pitcher in Japan. I want to know what you are relying on to achieve that?"

"My ability!"

"But I have never heard of you before," Takashima Rei said mercilessly.

As the Vice Director of the Seido High School Baseball Club and also a scout, she paid special attention to junior high baseball players every year, especially pitchers!

However, the name Huangqian Yangyi—to put it bluntly—she hadn't even heard of it.

"Baseball! It has never been a one-man sport!"

"Are you saying that your junior high teammates held you back?" Takashima Rei said, narrowing her eyes.

"I like my teammates very much, but their lack of ability is a fact!"

Hearing this, a smile appeared at the corner of Takashima Rei's mouth, "So, did Huangqian come to visit Seido to prepare for the Seido entrance exam?"

"I'm not taking it."

"Eh? You don't want to join Seido?" Takashima Rei was somewhat surprised; having come all this way, wasn't he interested in Seido?

"I do, but I don't have the money!"

Huangqian Yangyi replied. Take the Seido entrance exam? Don't joke around.

Although his academic grades were excellent, Seido was a private school for the wealthy. Entering through the entrance exam meant tuition, room and board, textbook fees, school selection fees... how expensive that would be.

He didn't want to pay a single cent of that money!

"You want a special recruitment spot?" Takashima Rei became interested. If he wasn't taking the exam but wanted to join Seido, it could only be through special recruitment.

If he had such intentions, this kid's ability shouldn't be bad. Perhaps, just as he said, his junior high teammates really were incompetent, which was why he hadn't left behind any eye-catching results on the field.

"Yes, I want special recruitment."

"I'll say it again: on what basis?"

"Ability!" Huangqian Yangyi looked toward the field. "Words are unreliable. If the Department Head allows it, I hope to go onto the field and show what I can do."

"Of course, I am looking forward to it." Takashima Rei pushed up her glasses.

Although the boy in front of her was suspected of bragging, at this moment, no one hoped more than she did that what Huangqian Yangyi said was true.

Seido was in dire need of pitchers.

"Follow me. We'll go see the manager first. Only after getting his permission can you go onto the field."

"Yes!"

Following behind Takashima Rei into the field, countless gazes immediately shot toward him.

Huangqian Yangyi also sized up the others. Many were familiar faces: Yuki Tetsuya, Isashiki Jun, Kominato Ryosuke... and also, Takigawa Chris Yu!

Maintaining a polite smile, Huangqian Yangyi arrived at the dugout with Takashima Rei.

Manager Kataoka, who was concentrating on observing the team members' training, also noticed Huangqian Yangyi under the reminder of Department Head Ota.

"Manager."

"Hmm!" Kataoka crossed his arms and turned to face Takashima Rei.

"Manager, this is a third-year junior high student from Kyoto, Huangqian Yangyi," Takashima Rei said, stepping aside.

"Huangqian, this is our Seido manager, Kataoka Tiexin."

Huangqian Yangyi puffed out his chest and held his head high, "Hello, Manager!"

"Hmm!"

"Now, you can say it yourself."

Takashima Rei smiled and stepped back. She wanted to see if this little guy dared to say what he had just told her to Manager Kataoka as well.

Huangqian Yangyi's lips parted slightly; clearly, he hadn't expected this woman to have such a devious side.

But now was not the time to think about that. Kataoka Tiexin was still looking at him. Although the man was wearing sunglasses, he could still feel a sharp gaze fixed upon him.

"Huangqian Yangyi, is it? What did you come here for?" Kataoka Tiexin's deep voice rang out.

Hearing Kataoka's question, Takashima Rei on the side suddenly became nervous again. After all, he was just a junior high student; facing Kataoka Tiexin, wouldn't the kid be scared silly?

Just as she was worrying, she saw Huangqian Yangyi take a deep breath, puff out his cheeks, and shout.

"I came here to do only three things!"

"One, get special recruitment and join Seido!"

"Two, lead Seido to win the championship at Koshien!"

"Three, become the number one pitcher in Japan!"

The loud declaration spread across the entire training field. Everyone stopped their training at this moment and stared at the dugout in a daze.

"Hey, hey, did you hear that?" Isashiki Jun asked Yuki Tetsuya beside him.

"A remarkable statement," Yuki Tetsuya said.

"Pretty impressive, daring to talk to the manager like that." Kominato Ryosuke also walked over, a dangerous light flickering in his eyes as he looked at Huangqian Yangyi.

"Pretty cool."

Kusunoki Fumiya stroked his chin and turned to the person beside him, saying, "Chris, what do you think?"

As another one of Seido's "visual representatives," Kusunoki Fumiya hoped to get Chris's agreement.

"Very interesting," Chris smiled.

At this moment, Kataoka Tiexin in the dugout suddenly turned his head and roared at everyone: "What are you doing! Who gave you permission to rest?"

Seeing this, the group immediately moved, instantly returning to their training state.

Turning his gaze back, Kataoka Tesshin scrutinized Huangqian Yangyi, who also felt a bit nervous inside, unsure if his earlier statement had been to Kataoka Tesshin's liking.

"Kid."

"Yes!"

"I don't dislike those who recommend themselves; on the contrary, I admire your courage."

"Thank you for the compliment!"

Beside them, Takashima Rei unconsciously let out a sigh of relief; at least the first impression seemed quite good.

"Hmph, I hope you truly have the ability. Once this round of Pitcher training ends, I will allow you to take the field." After saying this, Kataoka Tesshin turned around and looked toward the training ground.

Huangqian Yangyi was stunned for a few seconds, then immediately shouted, "I won't let you down, BOSS!"

Pfft—Takashima Rei laughed out loud; indeed, their Director really did have the aura of a BOSS.

Department Head Ota was dumbfounded at this moment; a boy who recommended himself and a Director who allowed him to take the field—are you two really just one daring to say it and the other daring to believe it?

Hearing this "BOSS," Kataoka Tesshin's mouth twitched violently as well; he actually had a good impression of this boy who had come all this way to Seido to promote himself, and he was quite looking forward to it.

"Takako, please help Student Huangqian get a set of training gear," Takashima Rei said to the team Manager, Fujiwara Takako, who was sitting beside her.

"Understood."

Fujiwara Takako hurriedly stood up and came before Huangqian Yangyi: "Student Huangqian, may I ask what your height and weight are?"

"Height 178, weight 75 kilograms."

Having obtained the data, Fujiwara Takako hurried toward the storage room.

In less than ten minutes, the Pitcher training ended, and Huangqian Yangyi, having already changed into the Seido winter training uniform, was warming up by himself in the Dugout, looking eager to give it a try.

Kataoka Tesshin, who had been observing from the shadows, nodded with satisfaction and then stepped forward, "Yuki, Isashiki, Kominato, you three come here!"

"Yes!"

The three looked at each other, knowing what was about to happen; after all, with someone as big as Huangqian Yangyi standing there wearing their Seido training uniform, plus his previous outrageous declaration, was it really that hard to guess?