Chapter 104

Thinking it over, only last night's baseball practice had let his muscles adapt to the way of generating force when swinging a bat.

Qingshan Li only wanted to get one run and then go to the infirmary; he didn't want to stand out too much.

Leaving this kind of impression was enough — very strong, but his physique wasn't built up at all, and with no time for it because of studying, so Koshien or whatever was completely useless to him.

Occasionally, he could be allowed to go on the field and play for a bit.

This way, he could both avoid getting deeply involved with the baseball club and gather material.

Qingshan Li glanced at the panel.

【Koshien: 25%】

— Hit away then.

Anyway, he wouldn't last long; just treat it as gathering material.

Bottom of the first inning, Kaimei High School's offensive turn; aside from Qingshan Li, no other batter scored.

"Classmate Aoyama, how did you hit that kind of pitch?" a batter asked.

System·Ryosuke was silent like a faucet.

The baseball club members looked at each other in blank dismay.

"Do you think you'll be able to hit it if I tell you the trick right now?!" the Balance Bike Coach roared, "Pinning your hopes on last-minute cramming is no substitute for believing in your daily training!"

"Yes!"

Top of the second inning, the opponent's offensive turn again; Kaimei High School on defense.

System·Ryosuke jogged to left field.

"Bro, you were amazing just now!" Ono Mizuki's figure was petite; to let her voice carry clearly to the field, she tensed her body.

System·Ryosuke didn't even glance at her.

But Ono Mizuki didn't mind either; she just kept cheering him on.

This inning, the opponent erupted with batting power beyond imagination, scoring two runs in a row, instantly reversing the situation.

No ball flew toward left field; during defense, System·Ryosuke had no chance to be useful.

— Xiao Mi, almost there; get one more run and it'll be time to go see Teacher Kuze Oto!

Then in the bottom of the second inning's offense, it wasn't System·Ryosuke's turn to bat; Kaimei High School had runners on base but didn't score.

2:1, the opponent leading.

Coming to the top of the third inning, Kaimei High School became the defensive side again.

"Why won't they let Brother bat?" Ono Mizuki was puzzled.

"The batting order seems to have been arranged in advance?" Drummer Mumi didn't know much either.

Soon, the visiting team displayed batting power again; runner on third, about to score.

"When did their batting get this strong?" In the rest area, the female manager fell into anxiety.

"Defense has an ace pitcher, and now offense has a lineup like this too." The Balance Bike Coach also fell silent.

The opponents are all strong; it's hard to imagine Kaimei High School breaking out from among these schools and reaching Koshien.

On the pitcher's mound, Number 1 Club President took a deep breath, his peripheral vision glancing toward third base; the visiting team's number 6 batter at third was eager, poised in a posture that suggested he might steal.

This guy stole from first to second; there's a possibility he'll pull the same trick again.

Number 1 Club President lifted his leg and pitched!

Clang!

It was hit!

Visiting team's number 6 took off instantly, charging straight for home plate.

The ball landed in the infield, flew out between the two infielders, heading for the outfield.

System·Ryosuke ran over, without any deceleration scooped the ball into his hand, turned and threw it.

Whoosh!

The white ball tore through the air, straight as a white line.

The ball overtook the visiting team's number 6 racing for home, and with a thud landed in the catcher's mitt.

"Out!" The umpire declared visiting team's number 6 out.

"Phew!" Everyone from Kaimei High School breathed a huge sigh of relief.

This inning ended; they'd finally held, didn't let the visiting team score.

"Bro, that was great!" Ono Mizuki applauded vigorously.

System·Ryosuke rubbed his right arm as he walked back to the rest area.

"Give me ice." He said to the female manager.

"Qing Shan Jun, are you okay?" The female manager brought an ice pack while asking with concern.

"Rest a bit and I can still bat one more inning." System·Ryosuke went to a corner and iced and massaged himself.

"Grandpa, Qing Shan Jun is injured!"

"I saw." The Balance Bike Coach saw it too.

Having served as baseball coach for so many years, he could tell Qingshan Li's condition at a glance.

He can't take the field anymore.

But this kid says he'll rest a bit and then go up to bat one more inning; then let him bat one more inning.

The match without System·Ryosuke continued.

— It's just competition mode, not a death match; don't wreck my body!

More than just Qingshan Li got injured in this game.

An opposing player was hit by a pitch from Number 1 Club President; although he reached base on that hit-by-pitch and even scored in the end, he still left the field to rest.

The sixth inning ended, the visiting team 5 runs, Kaimei High School 4 runs.

The seventh inning ended, the visiting team 6 runs, Kaimei High School 4 runs.

Number 1 Club President's pressure grew greater and greater, his form fell into a slump, his control was unstable, his velocity wouldn't come out, only around 115.

The whistle signaling the end of the eighth inning blew, on the scoreboard, the visiting team 7 runs, Kaimei High School 5 runs.

"The game's almost over, right? Is Little Brother Jun still not taking the field?" Agatsuma Haruka didn't care about winning or losing, looking toward the rest area.

"Could he be injured?" Ono Mika worried.

"Senior, Qing Shan Jun is fine, if he were really injured he would've already gone to the infirmary." F·Rino comforted.

Ono Mizuki didn't speak, merely clenched her small fists tight.

"Huh?" The tallest, Bass Sakurako, said, "Junior Student seems to be saying something to Coach."

"Where?"

"What's he saying?" Everyone all stood up, as if standing higher would let them hear farther.

◇

"Coach, let me pitch."

——Shut your mouth!

Just here to make up the numbers, yet still trying to steal the starter's spot!

"Qing Shan Jun!" The female manager's tone was uneasy.

It's already the ninth inning, the opponent leads by two runs, to put it bluntly, the top half can't let them score a single run, then the bottom half must get at least three runs, only then can Kaimei High School possibly win.

Possible?

Theoretically possible, practically almost impossible.

Even if they hold the offense, so what? With Kaimei High School's batting lineup, can they take three runs from the opponent? The first eight innings combined only yielded 4 runs.

So, Qing Shan Jun, there's no need for you to do this thankless thing while injured, the female manager gazed at System·Ryosuke, her eyes full of dissuasion.

The Baseball Club members' gazes all looked at Qingshan Li, then turned toward Number 1 Club President.

"I obey Coach's every arrangement." The Club President, face pale, said in a low voice.

The balance car stared dead at System·Ryosuke for a while, not understanding why he lied last time?

From System·Ryosuke's calm eyes, he saw a fierce will to win.

Coach slowly said: "Go give it a try."

Everyone jogged away from the rest area, Qingshan Li ran toward the pitcher's mound.

"Add oil, Qing Shan Jun!" The female manager shouted from behind.

◇

"Why is Big Brother going there?" Ono Mizuki puzzled.

Ono Mika observed Qingshan Li's arms, worried about his body.

◇

"Getting more and more interesting." Miyase Yaeko laughed.

"Interfering with the Baseball Club's performance, affecting my evaluation." Mikami Ai said with arms crossed.

"But this way, can we evaluate Qing Shan even better?" Black hair like night, Miyase Yaeko looked at Mikami Ai, "How do you think Qingshan Li plays baseball?"

"I've said it, talent, looks, family background, these aren't in my consideration range."

"Then how do you find him as a person?"

"C."

"C"

"You're D."

"C is like, B is love, A is unwavering loyalty?"

"Then he's 'C-minus'."

"'C-minus' won't do either."

Mikami Ai looked at Miyase Yaeko.

Miyase Yaeko laughed: "He's mine."

"Boring." Mikami Ai's gaze returned to Qingshan Li on the pitcher's mound.

◇

System·Ryosuke stood on the pitcher's mound, expression cold like Ma Long who heard the audience seats shout 'Lin Gaoyuan 4-0'.

He casually tossed down the cloth bag containing rosin.

7:5, Kaimei High School trailing.

Top of the ninth, objective is to retire three batters.

System·Ryosuke raised his head, looked toward home plate.

The opposing batter was like a taut powerful bow, a drop of sweat flowed down his cheek, flashing with a weapon-like cold light.

That's right, they're ahead, but leading doesn't equal victory.

Until the very last moment, they won't relax their vigilance, no matter who stands on the pitcher's mound!

The whole field held its breath.

The boy who hit a home run right at the start, placed in the pitcher position with the score behind, what kind of performance will he have?

Can he hold?

Can he give Kaimei a chance to counterattack?

Ono Mizuki and the others covered their chests with both hands, hearts pounding.

Mikami Ai and Miyase Yaeko fell silent as well.

System·Ryosuke raised his left leg.

Then he suddenly stepped forward.

His right arm swung from back to front, his whole body's posture—not like pitching, but like a boat tracker pulling a vessel, the ship being the distant sky behind him.

"Hoo!"

The white ball flew toward the field, its angle absurdly exaggerated, like an arrow hitting a different target.

The batter froze.

The next moment, he opened his mouth.

That ball looked like a super bad ball, yet midway it turned inward along its trajectory as if following a track, landing with a thud in the catcher's glove.

The ball's trajectory was '('.

"One strike!" The umpire was also stunned.

"What an exaggerated angle!"

"But the pitch speed is quite slow," someone in the stands commented.

"Control is good, the placement is very accurate."

"It's getting interesting; Kaiming might actually have a chance."

Qingshan Li raised his leg again.

If someone squatted to his front-right, looking up at him, they would once again witness the shocking scene of the sky ship being dragged along.

Thud!

The white ball once again slammed into the catcher's glove at a strange angle.

"Two strikes!"

"Three strikes!"

"One out!"

Quickly struck out.

The cheerleading club shouted desperately, with never-before-seen sincerity.

"Bro, add oil, I can tell, you're really, really good at striking people out!" Ono Mizuki shouted.

"What do you know!"

He had no mind to manage her.

Although the system was operating, the physical strength consumed was Qingshan Li's own, and the pain in his arm was entirely borne by him.

The visiting team's second batter came up.

"Qingshan, add oil, shut down the opponent's lineup!" In the rest area, the baseball club members shouted.

As long as you put on the uniform, as long as the uniform has Kaiming High School's school badge, they are teammates!

System·Ryosuke did not respond, indifferently applying anti-slip powder.

Raised his left leg, suddenly stepped forward.

"Hoo!"

The batter swung.

"Thud!" The white ball, dropping midway, slammed into the catcher's glove.

"One strike!"

The catcher threw the ball back; System·Ryosuke didn't even look, raised his hand to catch it, and he began to take deep breaths.

His arm was near its limit.

Sweat flowed uncontrollably.

But from the outside, no injury could be seen on him.

Qingshan Li was forced by pain to be unable to enter a state of full concentration.

It hurt too much.

However, this batter still had two balls left; after retiring him, only the last batter remained.

System·Qingshan Lu raised his leg and threw the ball.

"Two strikes!"

"Three strikes!"

Neat and clean.

"Two outs!"

The third batter appeared, also the visiting team's theoretically strongest cleanup hitter.

"They're really going to completely shut down the opponent's lineup!" Many couldn't help but stand up.

"There's a chance, there really is a chance!" Kaiming High School's baseball club members said excitedly.

As long as they shut down the opponent's lineup, even if they needed to score three runs in the bottom half of the inning to win, it was a million times better than ending right now!

System·Ryosuke pitched.

The pitch speed wasn't fast, but strange and precise, leaving the batter confused and chilled.

"One strike!"

"Two balls left!"

"Go for it, Qingshan!" Playing at home, the surroundings were full of cheering shouts.

【Body damaged, Legs Chu Jing Sai Mo Shi】

——Now?

It was as if he had suddenly broken the water's surface; the cheers, the touch of the white ball, the smell of sweat on his body — all surged upon him at once.

Immediately after, an intense stabbing pain in his arm, with overwhelming force, occupied all his senses.

Qingshan Li closed his eyes.

"Is he enjoying the cheers?"

"It's probably nerves."

"Add oil, Qing Shan Jun!"

"Absolutely no problem, Qing Shan Jun is invincible!"

Qingshan Li had already displayed absolute dominance; let alone the surrounding girls, the Kaimei High School students, and alumni, even the opponents had already prepared for a fierce battle in the bottom of the ninth.

Withdraw.

Although he had already thrown one pitch, he could not be replaced as pitcher before the at-bat with the current batter ended, but if he had the head umpire confirm his arm injury, he could also withdraw due to illness.

The redemption was also complete.

He had even left behind a "reputation."

People would say, if Qingshan hadn't been injured, with his pitching and batting ability, Kaimei High School would absolutely have had a chance.

If he continued, the him who couldn't transform, the injured him, might not even be able to throw the ball 18.44 meters.

Qingshan Li opened his eyes, turned his head to look at left field; replacing him was Number 1 Club President.

Club President nodded at him, made a gesture of encouragement: go for it boldly, even if you get hit, we've got the defense.

"Brother, I'm telling you to go up!"

On closer thought, that wasn't appropriate either.

The system didn't become the pitcher and bring hope to Kaimei, fine.

The situation before him: he withdraws injured, swaps in Number 1 Club President; if they don't hold the defense, they'll definitely be mocked.

Club President's character in baseball is not bad; he can't let him bear that kind of pressure.

Assuming this was an official game, Qingshan Li would definitely withdraw, let Number 1 Club President come in.

Although hope is slim, Club President's ability is at least stronger than his.

But this is just a training match.

Qingshan Li lowered his head to glance at the pitcher's mound, then looked toward home plate.

——System

【Body Recuperating, Unable to Guide】

"Maybe he can achieve a 'Perfect Half-Inning'!" The people in the stands were full of anticipation.

The so-called "Perfect Half-Inning" is 3 pitches achieving 3 strikeouts.

In Koshien history, Osaka Toin ended a half-inning with 3 batters out using "1 strikeout + 2 flyout catches," using only 9 pitches, setting the Summer Koshien record for shortest half-inning.

Qingshan Li didn't even need a catch; he had already cleanly struck out two.

He didn't care about the audience's anticipation, what "Perfect Half-Inning"; not giving up two runs from here on would be victory.

If he gave up two runs, the visiting team 9 runs, Kaimei 5 runs, a 4-run difference, the game would be called immediately, no bottom of the ninth.

Hit-by-pitch to send the opponent on base?

Can't intentionally bean someone, and sending the current batter on base would just bring the next batter, until a third out appears, only then would the inning end.

No matter how Qingshan Li thought, relying on himself there was no way.

What to do when there's no way?

Do his utmost.

Pitch until his arm can't hold out, just treat it as material collection!

Qingshan Li took a deep breath, raised his left leg.

The whole stadium held its breath.

For a moment, Qingshan Li could still feel the lingering sensation of "Transform," like stepping from indoors to outdoors in summer, the air conditioning's chill still lingering around him.

——Go!

Qingshan Li stomped his left foot hard; the stabbing pain in his right arm felt like a sharp arrow shooting into his body.

——Qingshan!

The ball the System can't throw, I, Qingshan, will throw it myself!

"Strike two!"

Qingshan Li shook both arms, letting out a silent roar.

"Ah!!" The whole stadium cheered.

"Just one last pitch!"

"Strikeout! Strikeout! Strikeout!"

After the brief excitement, Qingshan Li started panting.

Ringing in the ears, vision blackening, right arm trembling, out of control.

Because of the momentum accumulated earlier, this round, the batter didn't dare swing easily.

But, what to do next? The opponent won't bet on a ball, most likely will swing.

Qingshan Li lifted his leg, trying with all his might to recall the feeling when the System threw the ball.

Staking everything on a single throw!

——Go, Qingshan!

If the previous one was like taking an arrow, this time, it was like being struck by a battering ram.

The white ball left his hand, rolled onto the ground.

Everyone in the venue stood up.

Qingshan Li slowly crouched down, staring at his right arm resting on his right leg; it was as if it had already been severed, fallen to the ground, no longer part of his body.

"Li!"

"Brother!"

"Qing Shan Jun!" The female manager rushed onto the court.

Mikami Ai stood up for the first time.

Across the net, Miyase Yaeko furrowed her brow, watching intently.

(Chapter End)