Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

An expert only needs to look once to tell if someone is skilled.

This saying is perfectly applicable to baseball.

Especially when watching the pitcher, with the first pitch, it's usually easy to guess the level of their skill.

The ace pitcher from Italy, if memory serves correctly, was someone named Malad.

However, for reasons unknown, this Malad did not appear.

In the previous match for Italy, the pitcher who took the mound was a man named Sain.

He was very strong, with a pitch speed exceeding 140 kilometers per hour.

On top of that speed, he also mastered two types of breaking balls.

Even from the perspective of star players from Japan, his abilities were impressive.

Comparatively speaking, his skill was roughly on par with Umemiya from East Tokyo and Ouno from Hakuryu High School.

He definitely had the skill, and when paired with a strong team, he could unleash extraordinary power.

But that was about it.

The current team from Japan was a genuine all-star lineup.

If the opponent only had the level of skill of Umemiya and Ouno, it would only be a matter of time before Japan's stars broke through their defense.

However, the guy who had just taken the mound was clearly different!

Even though he only pitched once, the atmosphere in Japan's dugout changed significantly.

The once-optimistic smiles disappeared instantly.

Everyone's eyes became serious as they watched the opponent.

Before, they only knew that Italy's football team was focused on defense, being called the world's strongest defense.

To their surprise, their defensive abilities in baseball were also impressively remarkable.

Defense in baseball shares some similarities with football.

In football, the goalkeeper plays a huge role.

He is the last line of defense, tasked with guarding the goal.

In baseball, the defense is closely tied to the pitcher.

This importance even surpasses the goalkeeper in football.

With just one pitch, everyone saw Mario's ability.

Although Carlos hadn't finished his confrontation with him yet, everyone had already predicted the outcome.

PAAK!

Carlos, using the flexibility of rhythm hitting, managed to strike the ball and send it flying.

In the dugout, many teammates were already standing up excitedly.

"Amazing!"

"He was able to hit such a ball!"

Sawamura, sitting on the bench, felt a bit of regret in his mind.

Carlos's performance had truly surprised him, especially that rhythm hitting.

He could clearly feel Carlos's improvement.

'But it was still too forced!'

Clearly, Carlos hadn't fully mastered the essence of rhythm hitting.

Rhythm hitting has many similarities with synchronized hitting.

The so-called rhythm doesn't mean following your own pace.

Rather, it's about syncing with the opponent's rhythm.

Only when you match the opponent's rhythm can you follow the pitch and hit the ball beautifully.

Carlos had only just begun practicing rhythm hitting and was still acting according to his own rhythm.

He couldn't sync with the opponent's rhythm.

Just like that last pitch, his swing was too forced, and there was a clear attempt to take the shot early.

'It Out.'

Just as Sawamura had predicted.

The baseball hit high into the air.

And then landed in the outfielder's mitt.

Snap!

"OUT!"

Carlos was simply Out.

Although Japan's players had expected this situation, since it was Carlos's first time facing them, and after the opponent demonstrated impressive skill, it was inevitable for Carlos to be out.

Everyone believed that in the second and third rounds of batting, Carlos would find his rhythm and be able to hit the ball.

One Out, no runners on base.

Now it was the turn of Mima, who looked like he wasn't very happy.

Don't misunderstand, it wasn't that he was really unhappy.

It was just that this guy always had that expression, as if someone owed him 8 million ¥.

But in terms of baseball skills, Mima was unquestionable.

Of course, his fame wasn't only because of his excellent baseball skills but also due to his unparalleled speed.

And a rare dynamic vision.

In the Batter's Box, besides the offensive mission, he could also use it to scout his opponent.

Although his strict personality made it hard to get close, as a teammate, no one could be more reliable than him.

Would Mima be able to hit the ball this inning?

People weren't too concerned.

Even though his speed was impressive, once he reached base, the chance of scoring was high.

But no one was particularly focused on that.

At this point, everyone was more curious about Mario's pitching style.

If they didn't figure this out, Japan's players would be anxious.

WHRROOSH!

The baseball whizzed by.

Upon seeing the ball coming, Mima didn't immediately swing at it.

On the first pitch, he chose to let it pass.

Although he didn't say anything, the sounds from the dugout still had a huge impact on him.

During his at-bat, he also tried to gather information about the opponent.

Just from one pitch, Mima's expression changed.

He had observed the opponent's pitching earlier while waiting to bat.

'This guy Mario threw a very interesting pitch.'

The baseball seemed to travel in a perfect straight line.

This was very rare.

Normally, the ball that leaves the pitcher's hand is affected by gravity.

Due to the pull of gravity, the ball would typically drop at varying angles.

Especially during the pitching process.

This drop would be more noticeable.

But Mario's pitch had defied this rule.

The baseball didn't drop at all as it came toward him.

This made it difficult for batters, who were used to low-breaking balls, to adjust.

"Interesting!"

At that moment, Mima was very intrigued by this pitch.

He couldn't help but wonder how it would feel to face such a pitch in the Batter's Box.

As it turned out, the feeling was quite good.

Recalling the pitch he had just seen, Mima couldn't quite believe it.

The Italian player could actually throw such a pitch?

Unconsciously, his mind shifted to Sawamura.

Sawamura was blessed with extraordinary talent.

He had joints and shoulders far more flexible than ordinary people, allowing him to consciously lower his wrist during his pitching to create an upward-like motion.

'Could it be that this opponent had the same talent?'

If not, then why?

Why did his pitch, even though not very fast, have an upward force?

Mima was certain that he wasn't confused. His mind was clear, and he saw everything clearly.

The opponent had indeed thrown an upward pitch.

But it was different from Sawamura's Moving-up pitch.

Sawamura's upward pitch had a noticeable upward movement.

But this pitcher's upward movement seemed like it had been precisely calculated.

The ball's rotation perfectly counteracted the force of gravity.

So that the ball appeared to travel in a straight line.

This made it difficult for batters accustomed to downward break to make contact.

They would have to raise their bats!

The opponent's pitching speed wasn't very fast, so there was no need to rush. If he calmed down, he would surely find the opponent's weakness.

Mima's eyes were locked on his opponent.

At this moment, he was eager to hit the ball.

His interest was fully engaged, and he showed an exceptional fighting spirit.

This guy was also a man of passion.

PAAK!

It seemed like Mima had figured everything out, but the final result wasn't to his satisfaction.

The baseball was hit and bounced on the ground.

Mima's eyes showed a flash of regret and anxiety.

Just moments ago, for reasons unknown, that ball that should have risen didn't.

It was over. Completely over.

Mima's earlier speculation had no basis.

To put it bluntly, his previous speculation was based on everyone's experience.

Now, it seemed, he had lost.

Snap!

"OUT!!"

After Carlos, Mima was also out.

Although everyone had prepared mentally for his Out, it still came as a surprise.

Mima's dynamic vision was said to be the best among all the outstanding players in the nation!

Except for Sawamura, who could perform even better in that miraculous state, no one else's dynamic vision could compare to Mima's.

With his outstanding physical qualities and excellent hitting skills, Mima was almost an invincible presence.

Originally, people thought that even if he was Out, he would have at least given the opponent a hard time, and during the confrontation, they would gradually understand this opponent.

But now, it seemed that was just wishful thinking. Mima hadn't had much impact.

In the confrontation, he hadn't gained the upper hand. Not only had he not gained the upper hand, but it seemed like he was even at a disadvantage.

This made people wonder: what kind of monster was the opponent, able to defeat them like this?

After two Outs, Shirakawa also failed to achieve anything.

Takeda had meticulously planned before taking the field. He was confident in his lineup, but the reality gave him a harsh slap in the face.

It was too cruel!

Three Outs, offense and defense exchanged.

Japan's first-inning offense was over.

Now, it was time for the opponent's attack.

In the earlier confrontation, Japan was at a disadvantage. The Italian baseball team, which they had underestimated, had unleashed far more power than they had expected!

This left Japan's players a bit stunned.

When it was their turn to defend in the second half, their faces didn't look quite right. Everyone, not just the players, but also the pitching-catcher duo of Hongou and Renji, had strange expressions.

No one knew why they were like this.

No one knew what was happening with them.

Sawamura was a bit worried. He grabbed Hongou, who was about to go on the field, and looked him squarely in the eyes.

Hongou looked at Sawamura with confusion. It was the first time they had such a close interaction. Although they had shaken hands before, that was more of a formal gesture. It didn't count as real communication, but this time it was different. Sawamura stared at him, saying:

"The opponent's momentum is strong. Never underestimate them on this world stage."

"This is our first time here. I don't know what the previous players from Japan felt, but for me, I won't underestimate any opponent. Even if this opponent doesn't pose a threat to us now, I still won't disregard their existence. Do you understand what I mean?"

Hongou shook off Sawamura's hand and walked toward the field. As he walked away from the team, he waved his hand at Sawamura, signaling clearly that he understood.

Standing on the mound, Hongou Masamune's impassive face turned wrathful, and he fiercely threw the baseball!

The first batter from Italy stood ready, waiting for the ball to come and analyzing its trajectory before swinging.

Unfortunately, he clearly had overestimated himself.

ROAAAAR!!!

Upon seeing Hongou's pitch, he froze in place.

'So fast!'

'Incredibly fast!'

It was a terrifying speed, as if it would destroy everything.

...

T/N: Well, That's it for now.

Thank you all for reading!

Have a good day!

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