After the competition, news of Seido's Ace Pitcher spread quickly through various High school.
How could a freshman like Ushijima Wakatoshi pitch a no-hit, no-run game against Ichidai San High? Everyone was stunned.
And this was only his first match. From that day onward, Ushijima Wakatoshi's name began to circulate widely in the high school baseball community.
Back at Seido, Ushijima became instantly popular throughout the school. Not only was he the only international student from China, but his height and handsome looks also made him stand out. His stellar performance on the field only boosted his popularity further.
Yet there was another aspect that drew attention—his academics.
During math class, Ushijima was called to the blackboard. He took the chalk, solved the problem effortlessly, and even did so with one hand in his pocket.
For most students, this level of ease was unimaginable. Kanemaru, watching from her seat, muttered:
"Damn it, this guy is unbelievable… stamina, speed, power, insane pitching—and he's brilliant at schoolwork too?!"
Even high school seniors struggled with these problems, yet Ushijima handled them casually. Being in the same class as him was simultaneously awe-inspiring and frustrating.
Despite this, Kanemaru admired him—especially after seeing his performance against Ichidai San High. A freshman pitching a perfect game against such a rival was almost unreal.
"Spending three years with a classmate like this… it's going to be exhausting," he thought, half in awe, half in despair.
Kanemaru leaned over and quietly asked Ushijima if he would play in the welcome match. Ushijima shook his head:
"I don't know… but it's unlikely. I'm already First String."
"True," Kanemaru agreed. "But the second- and third-year players on the Second Team are strong. Forget everything you learned in junior high… or you'll be in for a rough time."
Ushijima nodded, silently reminding him to stay cautious.
Later, everyone headed to the field for training. The first-year orientation match of the Second Team was starting, and a large crowd had gathered to watch, including scouts.
Ushijima trained with the First String players on Field A.
"Yaha!" Kuramachi caught a pass, stepped on base, jumped, and sent the ball to Masuko at third base. Masuko caught it and blocked the runner. Bang!
The crisp sound drew everyone's attention toward Ushijima in the strike zone.
With a mighty swing, he blasted the baseball high and fast. It struck the wall in center field and bounced down.
"Whoa! That almost went out of bounds! A long hit to center field!"
The crowd was amazed. Ushijima's short-range hitting had already been impressive, but now his long-range hitting was clearly improving. His recent training had paid off.
Bang! Bang! Bang!! Bang!
Four consecutive long hits to the outfield left everyone stunned. Even Yuki Tetsuya felt immense pressure.
"How did he improve so much in just half a month?!" he thought. "People who couldn't hit long yesterday can now hit powerful outfield shots today?!"
Seniors like Isashiki and others were equally flustered.
"It's a pity that none of these balls went out… but he's improved immensely," Isashiki grumbled. "If he could hit home runs like this, we might as well all quit the club!"
Kominato could only smile awkwardly at his teammate's rant.
"Yuki, did you secretly give him extra help?" Isashiki asked. "Otherwise, how could he develop a long hit in just two weeks?"
Yuki nodded silently. "Yeah, I taught him some long-hitting techniques."
"Ah, that explains it," Isashiki said thoughtfully.
Meanwhile, Rei Takashima asked the recorder about batting averages.
"For fastballs over 140 km/h, outfield slug hits account for 30%," the recorder reported. "For fastballs within 140 km/h, outfield long hits rise to 50%. Over 150 km/h… we haven't tested yet—our assistant coach can't throw that fast. Only pitch machines have been used."
Ushijima Wakatoshi's strength, skill, and potential had clearly made him a player to watch. His journey was just beginning, but already, his name carried weight.