"That was the first time I've ever seen a fast split-finger pitch thrown that fast. It dropped sharply and quickly, and the release point looked exactly like a fastball."
The batter who had just faced Rinichi reported this to the dugout.
Coach Matsumoto gave a slight nod.
He had noticed too—Rinichi was pitching even better than the previous inning.
Was it because of that strikeout last inning?
A pitcher with that kind of mindset… he's going to be tough to deal with.
Still, overall, the Seidou players looked exhausted. He'd heard they were in the middle of intense training recently.
"That fast split—would you say that's his specialty? If we just focus on hitting that pitch, maybe we can rattle him," one player suggested.
"No, the split-finger isn't his signature pitch," Matsumoto replied. "What we've seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Aiming only for that pitch is meaningless—and it won't break his rhythm either."
The players looked at each other.
After a moment of silence, Matsumoto continued, "Give it a few more innings to adjust. Once you've seen enough, you'll be able to connect with his pitches. No need to rush it."
Well, that's assuming Rinichi keeps throwing only those same few pitches...
Bottom of the third inning, Seidou managed to score just one run.
Changeover—top of the fourth, Osaka Kiryu's batting order returned to the top.
The first pitch was a low-spin breaking ball.
Miyuki studied the batter.
Yeah... this is the fourth inning already. If things keep going , by the fifth inning they'll start connecting with Kamishiro's pitches.
Clearly, relying on just these few pitches isn't going to cut it.
Second pitch: fast split-finger.
Miyuki narrowed his eyes and shifted slightly toward the batter's side. He also moved his glove and signaled for another fast split-finger.
Any inside pitch would do.
Rinichi adjusted the brim of his cap.
He knew full well that sticking to only a few pitch types would eventually get figured out by the opposing lineup.
If Miyuki still wanted to rely on those pitches while keeping them scoreless, they'd have to be thrown with pinpoint accuracy.
He got into position, stepped forward with his right foot—
"Strike! Batter out!"
The batter's expression changed.
That pitch speed, that vicious drop—and on the inside corner no less!
Grimacing, he returned to the dugout.
The second batter went down in three straight pitches.
Inside, outside—nothing consistent.
What really got under his skin was that he swung at what should've been a ball… and it ended up being called a strike.
He just couldn't tell if it was going to be in or out of the zone.
The third batter stepped in.
Miyuki immediately called for a split-finger, outside corner.
To their surprise, the batter actually made contact.
Well, might as well strike him out in three pitches and give Rinichi a bit of revenge for his earlier strikeout.
There's always the next inning, after all.
That's what Miyuki was thinking.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
Top of the fourth ends.
Osaka Kiryu still hasn't scored a run.
In the bottom half, Seidou adds another one.
Changeover—top of the fifth begins.
This inning would be Rinichi's last. After this, it was Furuya's turn.
And leading off for Osaka Kiryu was their fourth batter again: Hiromi Tachi, their cleanup hitter and ace pitcher.
Seeing him again made Rinichi feel a bit irritated.
He adjusted his cap slightly.
The more irritated he felt, the calmer Rinichi became—until he forced that agitation deep down and out of sight. He let out a long breath, eyes under the brim of his cap as cold as ice.
Miyuki noticed it and couldn't help recalling the same look Rinichi had when he was struck out earlier.
He's probably dead set on giving this batter a taste of a three-pitch strikeout.
But this batter isn't Kamishiro himself. Just because he strikes out in three pitches doesn't mean he'll lose his composure.
Miyuki inwardly sighed.
"Strike!" Tachi swung and missed. His face changed.
"Strike!" He froze on the second pitch.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
With that kind of sharp drop, there was no way to hit that ball.
Seeing the batter's expression after the strikeout gave Rinichi a flicker of satisfaction.
Osaka Kiryu's fifth batter stepped up.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
The sixth batter went down on three straight pitches.
Rinichi returned to the dugout, swapped his hat, put on his glove, and picked up his bat.
He crouched in the on-deck circle.
When he stepped up to bat, the bases were empty.
He steadied his stance, exhaled, and his presence immediately shifted.
The aura he gave off exerted a subtle pressure on the pitcher's mound—and on Hiroshi Tate.
First pitch came—a low outside pitch.
Rinichi was determined to make contact, no matter what.
He reset his stance. The second pitch came. His eyes narrowed. He swung.
He hit it—but didn't look too pleased. It clearly wasn't solid contact.
He had no choice but to run.
Just as he neared first base, the ball was caught.
A high fly to right field.
Rinichi's eyes burned with frustration.
He was that close to reaching base.
He carried his bat back to the dugout.
But the batter after him—Furuya—smacked a double.
Watching Furuya run the bases, Rinichi tightened his grip on his bat.
The lineup cycled back to the top. First batter Kuramochi hit another double. Furuya reached third.
Second batter Ryousuke Kominato struck out. End of the fifth inning.
In the sixth, Seidou swapped pitchers.
Osaka Kiryu didn't expect another first-year to come out.
What, were they just practice dummies for Seidou's rookie pitchers?
But they quickly realized—this first-year was nothing like the last.
In his very first inning, Furuya gave up a walk and two home runs.
"Don't worry, don't worry. This first-year's a total rookie."
"Man, it feels good to finally hit something!"
The batters came back to the dugout chatting away, much livelier than before.
Earlier they'd been completely suffocated by Rinichi's pitching. Now, feeling that weight lift, their mood soared.
Top of the sixth: Osaka Kiryu scored three runs.
That genuinely surprised Rinichi.
But Furuya didn't seem shaken. If anything, he now looked even more determined—not to give up another run.
He'd already thrown a lot of pitches this inning, sweat dripping down.
Rinichi wasn't sure what Miyuki told him, but judging by that mischievous grin, it probably wasn't anything comforting.
Still, whatever he said clearly lit a fire in Furuya.
In the seventh inning, Furuya gave up four runs. One more in the eighth. But the ninth—finally, a scoreless frame.
It seemed like after he started using the fast split-finger pitch, the damage began to slow down.
And in the end—Seidou won. 9 to 8.
If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.