The entire stadium was deathly silent.
In the stands, the fans from Taiwan were all visibly excited, their eyes filled with fiery anticipation.
This is too thrilling!
First, the Cuban pitcher directly hit one of the players.
Then, following suit, the players from Japan countered in kind, preparing to return the favor to the Cuban pitcher.
At the moment when Miyuki hit the ball, they saw the baseball flying straight towards the pitcher.
Their hearts were undoubtedly stirred with excitement.
If the ball hit the pitcher, it would certainly be an amusing sight.
But the ball veered off course!
Taiwan fans were extremely disappointed by this scene.
However, they began to view Miyuki in a different light.
Despite the situation, he remained calm and decided to settle the score with the opponent using baseball, while simultaneously showcasing his strong stance.
Such a player, with strong mentality and immense ability, was certainly deserving of their respect.
As they felt a deep respect for Miyuki, something very strange happened on the field.
The pitcher, Katro, who had narrowly escaped a disaster, did not show any gratitude for Miyuki's magnanimity.
Instead, he charged forward and stood in front of the baseball, catching it with his mitt.
SNAP!
"OUT!"
However, what happened next completely changed their thoughts.
The Cuban ace actually blocked the ball on the pitcher's mound!
This was undoubtedly a provocation.
If you're brave enough, go ahead and hit the ball here.
I'll catch every single one of them.
Facing the incoming baseball, the Cuban ace pitcher, Katro, showed no fear.
On the contrary, he caught it with ease.
In the Japanese team's dugout, everyone's expression became very heavy.
Seeing the provocation right before their eyes, how could they bear it any longer?
They had to restore their dignity!
This was almost a unanimous sentiment among Japanese players.
One Out, bases loaded.
Now it was Raichi's turn to bat.
"IT'S UP TO YOU!"
"AIM AND HIT!"
"HOME RUN!!!"
The fans who had specifically traveled from Japan to watch the game were now placing all their hopes on Raichi.
They couldn't wait to see Raichi hit the ball out of the park with a clean swing.
This wasn't some fantasy or wishful thinking from the fans. The player had the capability to do so—didn't he already hit a home run in a previous matchup?
Since he succeeded last time, he would undoubtedly succeed again. This was the thought in nearly everyone's mind, and that's why they were cheering so fervently for Raichi.
Of course, another major reason for their confidence was that the batter was none other than Raichi.
"Keha-ha-ha!! Keha-ha-ha-ha!!!"
Standing in the Batter's Box, Raichi gave an eerie laugh.
He looked like a beast in the Batter's Box. The pressure he exuded on his opponents was palpable, and even those watching could feel it.
This guy was no ordinary player; he was a bona fide monster. Anyone facing him had to be fully alert because one careless mistake could lead to disaster.
With Raichi's terrifying swing speed and hitting power, once the small baseball was hit, the consequences would be unimaginable.
He had a very high chance of sending the ball flying. Even if he didn't hit the sweet spot, his immense strength could still drive the ball far.
Considering this, no one could afford to ignore Raichi.
Especially the Cuban players, even those who weren't pitchers.
With the bases loaded, they couldn't allow any hits, let alone a home run.
If such a hit happened, the balance of the game would immediately shift.
The score was already 3-0. If Japan team got another long hit, what chance would the Cubans have?
They hadn't figured out the secret to dealing with Sawamura's pitching, nor had they found a way to get a hit or score off him.
This meant that, at this point, they had no confidence in defeating Sawamura.
In this situation, the only thing keeping them going was that the score gap hadn't widened yet. As long as they could find a way, they still had a chance to win.
If the score increased, it would become the last straw breaking the camel's back.
At that point, even if they found a weakness in Sawamura, it wouldn't matter. Time wouldn't allow them to launch many more attacks.
They would have lost for sure!
This meant that the Cuban players couldn't afford to lose now.
The two teams had completely different mindsets, which were reflected in their play.
Japan team now had the upper hand. If they stayed calm and analyzed the situation, there was no doubt that Cuba had little hope left.
Against Raichi, they had to face him head-on.
At this moment, the Japanese players couldn't help but feel threatened by Katro.
This confrontation only confirmed what they had been thinking.
Though they were displeased with him injuring Mima, which made them angry, they couldn't deny that this guy was a master of his craft.
This guy was a Master of Chaos.
He knows how to rile up the situation, create a mess, and reap benefits from it.
Not only did he have strategies, but he also had enough courage to do it.
In the face of Japan's super lineup, he didn't flinch.
He chose to play cunningly and boldly.
Whrroosh!
The baseball flew straight toward the center, almost dead center.
It was truly astonishing!
Who would have thought that Katro from Cuba was such a daring player?
While admiring him, they also couldn't help but feel a sense of gloat.
They wondered if Katro had lost his mind. Didn't he realize who was standing in front of him?
This was a man with the title of Thunder Beast, who had already hit a home run off him before.
To face such a terrifying opponent, Katro dared to throw a straight pitch down the center.
It was like asking for death.
Raichi, standing in the Batter's Box, felt a wave of dissatisfaction.
The pitches he had imagined in his mind were all incredibly exciting.
In contrast, the ball coming toward him now, though he was confident he could hit it, felt underwhelming. It was too easy, not reaching the level he had expected. As he swung, he couldn't help but glance at the pitcher's mound.
Is that all you've got?
Despite his extreme disappointment in his opponent, Raichi had no intention of going easy. He decisively swung his bat and struck the baseball.
Shuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!
As Raichi swung, the air in front of the Batter's Box seemed to have been sucked out.
The catcher's reaction was the most awkward.
For a moment, he thought he was suffocating.
Whether it was because of the lack of air or his own nervousness, he wasn't sure.
All he could do was watch as the bat flew past him and struck the ball hard.
PRRRRAAAAKKKK!!!!!
The baseball, struck with power, let out a mournful scream before being launched high into the air.
Seeing this, everyone felt as though a weight had been lifted from their hearts.
This was great, truly great!
If the ball kept flying like this, the outcome for Japan team wouldn't be bad.
In fact, it might turn out even better.
The baseball continued to soar until it reached the farthest part of the field.
It seemed like it was about to leave the park.
At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the distance behind the Cuban team.
It was truly as if he had flown in!
The angle, the direction—there had been no one there just moments ago.
Yet, suddenly, a player appeared and jumped into the air, catching the ball firmly in his mitt.
SNAP!
The baseball hit his mitt with a loud sound, then he struggled to move forward.
If it weren't for the mitt, no one could have guessed where the ball would end up.
But now, it was safely secured in the outfielder's mitt.
The Cuban team's dugout erupted in joy.
"Fantastic!"
"Truly fantastic!"
They had caught such a difficult hit.
On the pitcher's mound, Katro wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
'That was really close.'
He thought he could take care of it.
But in the end, his opponent had unleashed such terrifying power that he was caught off guard.
The pitch he had just thrown had sharp spin and angle changes at the last moment.
Katro was confident that he had executed the pitch to perfection.
But in the face of his opponent's sheer strength, everything became irrelevant. After the ball hit the bat, it was still sent flying out.
He had almost been hit with a home run!
'Just how powerful was this batter's hitting strength?'
Katro couldn't figure it out.
But now, it was finally over.
"NOT OVER YET!!!"
"BAAAAACK HOOOOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!"
In the Cuban team's dugout, someone who was still clear-headed stood up and shouted loudly.
He hadn't relaxed just because the immediate crisis was over. Instead, he saw an even bigger danger and warned loudly.
That person was the Cuban team's Coach.
However, his shout was clearly useless now.
The Cuban outfielder was ready to throw the ball back.
Then he suddenly noticed that Japan's runners were marching on base!!
Leading the charge was a panther-like young man, bolting toward home plate at the speed of lightning!!!!
...
T/N: As always, Thank you all for reading!!
See you Tomorrow!
Until then, take care!
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