Chapter 352: Birds of a Feather

After experiencing three terrifying balls, the provoked Nagata Shohei calmed down; this was his chance! Huangqian Yangyi couldn't possibly pitch like that again, unless he was preparing to give a Base on Balls. Nagata Shohei knew this wouldn't happen, so the next pitch would definitely be in the strike zone, or perhaps even in a more hittable location.

Shouldering his bat, Nagata Shohei steeled himself. Having been treated to three such pitches by Huangqian Yangyi, anger surged in his heart, and he longed to blast a Home Run with a single swing.

Whoosh!!

Unlike Nagata Shohei's complex psychological activity, after receiving the return throw from Miyuki, Huangqian Yangyi confirmed the signal and pitched!

Pop!

Nagata Shohei swung and missed.

This pitch was a Fastball right down the center of the strike zone that seemed to accelerate!

"Strike!"

Damn it!

Nagata Shohei hadn't made contact; the pitch was still just as fast, and the latter half looked as if it were accelerating, disrupting his swinging rhythm.

The second pitch, a Circle Changeup, and Nagata Shohei swung and missed again.

From a speed of 160 km/h, it suddenly dropped to under 115 km/h. With a speed difference of over forty kilometers, Nagata Shohei's swing was far too early, looking incredibly comical.

"Bastard!"

Nagata Shohei stared fixedly at Huangqian Yangyi.

Hmph, Huangqian Yangyi snorted. Your Pitcher injured our First Year, and not only did he not apologize, but these people, as teammates and seniors, didn't have the slightest intention of apologizing either, especially that Catcher!

He just watched as Arima Kazusa collapsed nearby, completely indifferent.

It truly confirmed that saying: birds of a feather, not a single good person among them.

With a full count of two strikes and three balls, the Seido fans in the stands were excited. First, he managed to throw three balls, and if he could then secure three strikes to retire the Batter, such a play would be simply too cool and too domineering!

"Take him out!!"

"Two strikes!"

"Huangqian!"

The fans were impassioned; the actions of this Seido battery made them feel very vindicated.

Whoosh!

For the third pitch, while Nagata Shohei was extremely vigilant and highly focused, Huangqian Yangyi threw a soft, floating ball.

The baseball drew an arc in the air; the arc was full, and the ball was exceptionally slow. Nagata Shohei, who had already subconsciously swung his bat, widened his eyes. He had considered that this pitch might be a Changeup, or perhaps a super-fast Fastball, but he never expected it to be an Eephus Pitch!

"Strike!"

"Batter out!"

After the umpire made the ruling, he looked at Huangqian Yangyi with a strange expression. The Ace Captain of Seido, the man called the Overlord, so it turned out his desire for revenge was this strong.

In a plate appearance that was nearly humiliating, Nagata Shohei was so angry his face turned red and his knuckles cracked, but what could he do?

His own First Year had injured someone, and the opponent was angry and retaliating—how reasonable! But why was he the one being humiliated?!

Nagata Shohei still couldn't figure it out; Ogawa Tsunematsu caused the trouble, so why was he the one losing face?

Returning to the bench, Nagata Shohei's face was livid.

"Nagata, are you okay?" Masu Shinichiro asked with concern.

"I'm fine!"

As he spoke, Nagata Shohei glared at Ogawa Tsunematsu, who was sitting over there.

On the field, Miyuki and Huangqian Yangyi quickly retired Seiko's fifth and sixth Batters.

The game reached the bottom of the second inning.

Fuming with anger, Kuramochi reached base after swinging only once. It wasn't a hit, but rather Ogawa Tsunematsu imploding and throwing a Base on Balls.

As a First Year Pitcher, his control wasn't great to begin with, and after watching his own Fourth Batter senior get so humiliated by Seido in the previous inning, he had gotten angry and lost his control, imploding on the mound.

Catcher Masu Shinichiro hurriedly called a timeout and went to the Pitcher's Mound to help him adjust his emotions.

Afterward, the second Batter, Kominato Haruichi—as a peer and one of the two normal people among the Four-Year-One—shared a very close bond with Arima Kazusa.

At this moment, Kominato opened his eyes!

Bang!!

Pouring all his strength and spirit into it, there was a terrifying ruthlessness in Kominato Haruichi's eyes.

The wooden bat shattered!

The little white ball leaped up, tore through the sky, and flew straight toward the stands.

The first Home Run of his high school baseball career!

Kominato Haruichi broke through his limits under the influence of his anger.

A two-run Home Run!

"Roar!"

Changing his usual introverted personality, Kominato Haruichi roared at the Pitcher's Mound.

"Haruichi is... a bit scary."

"Yeah, even though his style and personality are different from Ryo-san's, right now I have the illusion that I'm facing Ryo-san."

"Is this the anger of an honest kid?"

"He was pushed to his limit."

In the dugout, the Second Year seniors watched Kominato Haruichi, who had just blasted a Home Run, all looking very surprised.

Two runs scored, Seido led 7:0.

"Miyuki! Just get on base!" Huangqian Yangyi shouted at Miyuki on the field.

Miyuki clicked his tongue. What kind of thing was that to say?

Making it sound like he could blast a Home Run at any time; this guy was just worried about getting a Base on Balls later!

Standing in the Batter's Box, Miyuki glanced at the Catcher Masu Shinichiro and said softly, "Birds of a feather flock together; just you wait for this game."

Miyuki has thrown down the gauntlet!

Masu Shinichiro looked up at Miyuki, not understanding what Miyuki meant by "birds of a feather"; was he talking about them? Why?

Heh.

Seeing the other party's completely oblivious expression, Miyuki was almost amused to the point of anger.

The first pitch, Ogawa Tsunematsu threw an outside Fastball that missed the strike zone; ball.

A First Year is just a First Year; his control is poor, his mentality is unstable, and, hmm, his character is lousy too! He can't compare at all to the First Year in our family.

Miyuki grumbled fiercely in his heart.

The second pitch, a Screwball, was let go; Miyuki did not swing.

The third pitch, an outside High Fastball, just grazed the edge of the strike zone; Miyuki hit a Jianjie.

The fourth pitch, another Screwball.

Bang!

Miyuki connected, but this Screwball was particularly heavy, and the ball's movement was very sharp; barely managing to carry the ball to the left, Miyuki reached First Base in a very close call.

It's not enough!

Huangqian Yangyi walked out of the on-deck circle carrying his bat; if it's only a First Base, the opponent is very likely to still give him a Base on Balls.

I have to think of a way.

Standing in the Batter's Box, Huangqian Yangyi hoisted his bat, squinting his eyes with a crooked smirk.

"Come on, pitch it over, let me see how impressive your Screwball is."

No! Don't fall for it! Masu Shinichiro hurriedly signaled to Ogawa Tsunematsu; this guy is deliberately provoking you.

Sure enough, Ogawa Tsunematsu was furious, with an expression like he wanted to eat someone.

Under Masu Shinichiro's constant eye signals and calming gestures, Ogawa Tsunematsu finally calmed down slowly.

"You wouldn't be afraid, would you~"

Idiot!

Hearing the voice, Masu Shinichiro cursed inwardly; this is bad.

On the Pitcher's Mound, Ogawa Tsunematsu had already lost his reason and, without waiting for the Catcher's signal, had already lifted his leg high.

Whoosh!

Perfect!