(Eijun's POV)
I nod, grin, and jog back toward Boss and Rei-chan.
"REI-CHAN! BOSS! SAWAMURA EIJUN REPORTING FOR DUTY!" I yell, saluting like a soldier.
Rei-chan sighs, but there's a small smile on her face. "Good. You've still got batting and fielding left," she says, checking her clipboard.
"Alright, I'm ready, Rei-chan!"
"Sawamura," Boss says, voice deep and even.
"Yes, Boss!" I snap into another salute.
"Do your best during these last two tests," he says. Then, after a short pause, "Starting tomorrow, you're on the first string."
My eyes widen. My mouth opens—then closes again. I bow sharply at a perfect ninety degrees. "THANK YOU, BOSS, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, BOSS!"
*This is so different from before—oh my god.*
Rei-chan clears her throat. "Let's go, Sawamura-kun."
"Yes, ma'am!"
I jog after her, still grinning like an idiot.
We reach the batting cages. Rei-chan hands me a helmet, arm protector, and a bat. I strap everything on and step into the batter's box, bat resting on my shoulder.
"Alright, Sawamura-kun," she says, adjusting the pitching machine. "We'll start at 120 km/h and go up to 150 km/h. Before each pitch, I'll call out where to aim."
"Understood, Rei-chan! Is it just fastballs or are there breaking balls?"
"Just fastballs."
"Perfect."
I close my eyes and activate my skills Hitter's Eye (Lv. 12), Focus (Lv. 20), Fast Swing (Lv. 13), Power Swing (Lv. 11), and Perfect Batting Form (Lv. 15). Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes and settle into my stance.
"This one's 120 km/h — left field," Rei-chan calls out.
The machine fires.
*Whoosh*
I swing, perfectly timed.
*Swoosh*
*Clang.*
The ball rockets over the infield, over the outfield, and clears the fence. Home run.
Rei-chan nods. "120 km/h — center field."
*Whoosh*
*Swoosh*
*Clang.*
Another home run.
Then, "120 km/h — right field."
*Whoosh*
*Swoosh*
*Clang.*
Third home run.
Rei-chan raises her brows and starts writing on her clipboard.
"Good job, Sawamura-kun. Now, 130 km/h."
Three pitches. Three home runs.
"140 km/h."
Same result. Three perfect swings, three perfect hits.
Rei-chan's lips twitch like she's trying not to smile. "Now, last but not least — 150 km/h, left field."
The ball blurs past. I let it go.
"Sorry, Rei-chan," I say with a grin. "Never hit off 150 before — wanted to see one for timing."
She just nods. "Alright. Again."
The next pitch comes.
*Whoosh*
*Swoosh*
*Clang.*
Grounder to deep left. I nod, step back in.
"150 km/h, center field."
*Whoosh*
*Swoosh*
*Clang.*
The ball slams into the fence in deep center before bouncing back.
"Last one. 150 km/h, right field," Rei-chan says.
*Whoosh*
*Swoosh*
*Clang.*
The ball shoots toward shallow right, clean and fast.
"Okay, you can relax, Sawamura-kun."
I step out, remove my helmet and arm protector, and grin. "How'd I do, Rei-chan?"
"You did good, Sawamura-kun."
I grin even wider. "Yosh, yosh, yosh!" I pump my fist in the air.
"Now, fielding," Rei-chan says as we walk to the practice diamond. "We'll test from the mound and from left field."
"Got it."
"I'll hit grounders, bunts, and throw from behind the plate when you need to cover first — five each. Then we'll move to dive catches, grounders, and pop flies in left field. Understood?"
"Got it!" I activate all my fielding skills and get into position.
We start. Grounders to the mound — 5/5 clean. Bunts — 4/5. Covering first — 5/5.
Then left field. Dive catches — 3/5. Grounders — 5/5. Pop flies — 4/5.
I jog over, pouting. "Rei-chan, it's not fair! Fielding's the hardest to practice alone—it's my weakest skill!"
She chuckles, ruffling my hair. "You did well, Sawamura-kun. Don't worry."
I grin again, jumping up and down. "Yosh, yosh, yosh! I did well!"
"Alright, Sawamura-kun," she says, smiling. "Go join the other first-years for running."
"Roger that!"
I sprint toward the track, spotting Harucchi mid-run. "Harucchi! Hey! I just finished my skill tests!"
"That's good, Eijun-kun. How did you do?" he asks, breath steady.
I giggle, barely containing it. "Starting tomorrow—I'm on the first string!"
Every first-year around us stops.
"WHAT?!"
I scratch the back of my head, laughing nervously. "Uh, yeah. Boss told me himself."
Everyone just stares, jaws open.
"DINNER!" Boss shouts from across the field.
*Thank you, Boss. You saved me.*
"BYEEEE!" I yell, sprinting toward the cafeteria.
Before I can reach the door, someone grabs me in a headlock. "Ahhh—Mochi-senpai! Mercy! Mercy!"
He laughs, releasing me. "So, Sawamura, how'd the skill tests go?"
"Oh, is this your roommate, Mochi?" Jun-senpai asks as I look around—and realize the entire first string is there.
"Yeah, Sawamura. First-year, pitcher," Mochi says.
I bow. "NICE TO MEET YOU, SENPAIS!" Then deadpan at Miyuki. "Except you, Miyuki Kazuya."
"Oi, brat—it's Miyuki-senpai," he says, smirking.
"And I told you—act like one, then I'll call you one."
The whole group bursts out laughing.
"Oi, kid, I like you," Jun-senpai says, throwing an arm around me. "You should try to get into first string soon."
"I'm on first string starting tomorrow, Senpai," I mumble.
The laughter dies instantly. Everyone stares, eyes wide.
A light kick hits my shin. "Oi, Sawamura, quit joking around," Mochi-senpai says, laughing.
"That hurt, Mochi-senpai!" I pout. "And I'm not joking! Ask Boss yourself!"
Miyuki bursts out laughing. "I mean, makes sense. If you can make me miss a catch, you should be first string—even if your batting and fielding are trash."
"Oi, Miyuki Kazuya!" I glare. "I'll have you know I'm good at batting and decent at fielding!"
Everyone cracks up again, and we all head to dinner. I drag Haruichi along to sit with us.
After dinner, I go to Boss's office and knock.
"Come in," his voice calls.
I step inside and bow sharply. "THIS SAWAMURA EIJUN HUMBLY GREETS YOU!"
Boss sighs. "What is it this time, Sawamura?"
I grin. "Since it is individual practice right now, I can do my training regimen, right?"
"Yes, you can," Boss says simply.
"Thank you, Boss!" I bow again, turn sharply, and head out. Straight to the training room.
---------------
Mission: impress Boss and Rei-chan during skills tests
Reward: +50 control
Completed
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I grin.
*Jack, open stats menu.*
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STATS MENU
Attribute Points: 0
Stamina: A (57/100)
Speed: B- (49/100)
Agility: B- (69/100)
Strength: B- (35/100)
Flexibility: A (55/100)
Control: A (50/100) +50
Batting: c+ (98/100)
Bunting: A (57/100)
Fielding: C+ (97/100)
Base Running: B- (56/100)
Mentality: A+ (77/100)
Baseball IQ: A+ (75/100)
Non-Dominant Arm: C+ (88/100)
Skills: 29 (tap for more info)
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I nod. *Good. Now for the training regimen.*
I start my workout. Halfway through, it gets hard to breathe, sweat pouring down my back. By the end, I'm drenched and gasping, but smiling.
A hot bath later, I change into clean clothes and sit at my desk, writing in my baseball journal.
Mochi-senpai and Masuko-senpai walk in.
"Oi, Sawamura, what're you doing?" Mochi asks.
"Oh, just writing about my training today. It's a habit," I say, closing the journal with a grin.
We play video games for a bit, then crash for the night.