Chapter 229: Vomited

"Give it your all! What kind of weak, pathetic effort is that!"

Huangqian Yangyi swung his bat fiercely, sending the baseball flying, then loudly reprimanded Tojo Hideaki across from him.

Looking at the scene, it was clearly Tojo Hideaki helping Huangqian Yangyi with Batting Practice, but anyone who didn't know better would think it was Huangqian Yangyi giving pitching training to a junior.

And Tojo Hideaki?

Standing opposite Huangqian Yangyi, he was genuinely nervous.

Seido's Fifth Batter, a top-tier batter in the nation.

Putting aside his batting, Huangqian Yangyi was also his idol as a Pitcher.

Last year, when he was still a middle school student, he had witnessed on television Huangqian Yangyi leading Seido to win the Summer Koshien championship as the ace.

Now, actually standing across from Huangqian Yangyi, and as a Pitcher himself, Tojo Hideaki was so nervous he couldn't display even a fraction of his true ability.

At Huangqian Yangyi's shout, Tojo Hideaki trembled all over.

He hurriedly bowed to apologize, then seized the moment to take a deep breath and adjust his state; he didn't want to delay his senior's training because of himself.

As the second pitch was thrown, the ball speed was noticeably faster, and the power was greater too.

However, it was still hit by Huangqian Yangyi.

Just like that, ball after ball, the 20 members of the First String kept hitting the incoming baseballs.

Only one person—on the B-side Field, after nearly 50 balls, Sawamura Eijun had hit a total of 3, his accuracy rate appallingly low.

After 300 pitches, everyone on the First String was exhausted; unlike simple swing practice, Batting Practice consumed far more physical strength.

After Batting Practice ended, the four First Years felt their arms going numb, and they couldn't even close their palms.

Yet at this moment, Coach Kataoka shouted again with his megaphone.

"Five-minute break! After five minutes, five laps of frog jumps around the field!!"

The second and third years looked helpless, as this was something they had anticipated, but the four First Years turned pale; they were already at their limit.

Five minutes later, the 20 of them were hopping around the field like frogs.

When the five laps of frog jumps finished, Sawamura collapsed directly onto the ground, his legs sore and weak, unable to muster any strength.

"I'm dying."

Arima Kazusa knelt down beside Sawamura, followed by Furuya Satoru, who lay sprawled on his back like a corpse that had lost all its color.

"Get, get up, the training isn't over yet," Kominato Haruichi said, bracing his hands on his knees; this one sentence used up all his remaining strength.

Hearing Kominato Haruichi's voice, the three of them struggled and slowly stood up.

"Ugh... blegh!!!"

Sawamura had just gotten up, not even standing straight yet, when his stomach suddenly churned, and the contents surged upward, reaching his throat in an instant.

"Blegh~~ wahhh~"

Steaming, undigested food mixed with stomach acid sprayed from Sawamura's mouth.

Arima Kazusa, who had only been feeling a bit uncomfortable himself, saw this disgusting scene and, upon smelling the foul odor, couldn't hold it back either.

"Blegh~~~"

After the two of them, Furuya Satoru followed, unable to hold it back and vomiting as well.

Only Kominato Haruichi, who had eaten less, escaped the disaster.

As for the rest of the First String, they had scattered away the moment Sawamura vomited.

"Tsk, he threw up so much."

"This amount, I bet it's the most anyone has ever thrown up in team history, right?"

"I think so. Who told him to eat so much."

"Stupid First Year brat."

By the time the three finished vomiting and hadn't even had a chance to catch their breath, Coach Kataoka's megaphone sounded again.

"First day of training ends here. Finally, everyone on the field, run 20 laps around the stadium!"

"Huh?!"

Sawamura, who had just recovered slightly, immediately turned dark in the face and fell straight backward.

In the end, after the 20 laps were finished, the four of them—Sawamura and the others—limped back to the dormitory, supporting each other.

Compared to the four First Years, the second and third years on the First String were much better off.

Huangqian Yangyi went to shower immediately upon returning to the dormitory, then went downstairs to the courtyard to call his younger sister, Kumiko.

In the open space outside the dormitory building, many people were still doing self-training; most of them were second-year members of the Second String. They helped the First String train during the day, and they wouldn't waste this time at night.

When this summer ends, the third years of the First String will retire, and most of those who will be promoted to the First String then will be current Second String members; none of them wanted to miss this opportunity.

After chatting with Kumiko for half an hour, sharing their school lives, just as Huangqian Yangyi was about to hang up, the sound of a euphonium suddenly came through the phone.

Huangqian Yangyi was stunned for a moment, then took his earphones out of his pocket and put them on.

After the piece ended, Kumiko's giggling laughter came through.

"Nii-chan, was it good?" Kumiko asked.

"Yeah, Kumiko's euphonium sounds good no matter when it's played."

"This is a new piece I'm practicing; I'm not very skilled at it yet."

"It's still good."

"Hmph, you just spoil me, Nii-chan, you aren't telling the truth."

After the two chatted about this topic for another ten minutes, they finally ended the call. Returning to the dormitory, Huangqian Yangyi remembered something the moment he saw Arima Kazusa.

"Arima!"

Huangqian Yangyi patted Arima Kazusa, who was slumped over the table like a piece of trash.

"Senior~ I'm dying."

Arima Kazusa turned his head with difficulty, his face full of haggardness.

Helplessly, Huangqian Yangyi turned around and took out a limited-edition pudding from the cabinet that Masuko Toru had given him.

"Hey, eat something to relax, I want to ask you something," Huangqian Yangyi said.

Taking the pudding, Arima Kazusa half-slumped in his seat and asked, "Senior, what is it?"

Huangqian Yangyi moved a stool over and sat down opposite Arima Kazusa.

"Your father, Arima Kousei, I remember he is a pianist, right? The very impressive kind, right?" Huangqian Yangyi asked.

Arima Kazusa nodded, "That's right."

"Hehe, Senior has a favor to ask of you," Huangqian Yangyi laughed.

Hearing this, Arima Kazusa sat up straight, "Go ahead, Senior."

"It's like this, my younger sister has been practicing the euphonium for many years, but unfortunately, she hasn't been able to find a great teacher. Since your father is a nationally renowned pianist, he must know quite a few big shots in that circle, right? Is there any super-talented master in the field of wind music?" Huangqian Yangyi asked.

After listening, Arima Kazusa frowned and thought about it.

After a while, a flash of inspiration struck Arima Kazusa's mind.

"Yes, there is."

"Really? Could you ask your father to introduce us? I want to find a good teacher for my sister," Huangqian Yangyi said excitedly.

"An introduction is definitely possible, but whether the other party will agree is not certain."

"That's fine! Just being able to meet is enough!"

Arima Kazusa nodded; this was not a big deal, and since it was Huangqian Yangyi's request, he believed that neither his father Arima Kousei nor his mother Arima Kaori would refuse.

Having received Arima Kazusa's assurance, Huangqian Yangyi patted him heavily on the shoulder and said, "If this gets done, you can come and bat during my pitching practice whenever you're free!"

"Really?"

"Really, brother!"