Ushijima Wakatoshi walked toward the Second String practice field and found a player quietly training by himself.
It was Takatsu, another first-year.
With his hands in his pockets, Ushijima leaned against the fence and silently watched him practice.
After several minutes, Takatsu finally stopped his training and looked over.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Why weren't you promoted to the First String?" Ushijima asked casually.
Takatsu and Ushijima were classmates, although Takatsu was much quieter and more reserved.
Back in middle school, Takatsu had been his team's cleanup hitter.
But after entering Seido, not only had he lost that position, he hadn't even managed to earn a place on the First String.
The blow had hit him hard.
Since the beginning of the semester, he had rarely spoken to anyone, spending nearly all his time silently practicing his swings.
"Why?"
Takatsu gave a bitter smile.
"My skills aren't good enough."
"My batting average isn't high enough."
"My overall performance hasn't been good enough."
"I guess that's the reason."
Then he looked at Ushijima.
"What about you?"
Takatsu naturally knew who Ushijima Wakatoshi was.
After all, there wasn't a baseball player in Japan who didn't know his name now.
Not to mention they were classmates.
"I'm just a little disappointed."
"I originally thought that once the Summer Koshien ended and the third-years retired..."
"You'd definitely be one of the players promoted to the First String."
"But when I came back from my break and didn't see your name, I was surprised."
"I even wondered if you'd been injured, so I came to check on you."
"But it looks like you're perfectly healthy."
Takatsu unconsciously clenched his fists.
Disappointed...
Ushijima Wakatoshi was disappointed in me?
Why?
Why would someone like Ushijima be disappointed in him?
"Can I ask you something?"
Takatsu looked at him seriously.
"Go ahead."
"Why are you disappointed in me?"
Ushijima blinked.
He had expected that question.
"No."
Takatsu shook his head before Ushijima could answer.
"I don't need to know that right now."
"If I'm not good enough, then it's only natural for you to be disappointed."
"As for why you thought so highly of me..."
"I'll ask after I've earned a place on the First String and become a regular."
Ushijima nodded.
"Then what's your question?"
Takatsu took a deep breath.
"How many bat swings do you do every day?"
As the batter with both the highest batting average and the most home runs at this year's Summer Koshien...
Takatsu genuinely wanted to know how Ushijima trained.
Of course...
What he didn't know was that Ushijima barely needed any additional training because of the system.
Still, Ushijima faithfully completed his daily practice.
"The minimum requirement for First String batting practice is 300 swings a day."
"But that's only the team's basic training."
"I always do extra practice."
"So if you count everything..."
"About fifteen hundred swings."
Takatsu froze.
His fists tightened once again.
His own daily routine consisted of around five hundred swings.
Ushijima...
Did three times that amount.
Every morning, he woke up at four o'clock to run twenty kilometers.
After completing the team's regular training, he still practiced another twelve hundred swings.
On top of that, he even threw batting practice for the First String's starting lineup.
Compared to Ushijima's workload...
Takatsu's own training suddenly felt insignificant.
No wonder...
No wonder he shined so brilliantly at Koshien.
"I'll increase my swings."
Takatsu's eyes filled with determination.
"I'll match your training."
"Good."
Ushijima nodded.
"Keep working hard."
"I hope to see you in the starting lineup next summer."
With that, he left the Second String field.
After returning to Field A, Vice Manager Rei Takashima walked over carrying a gift bag.
"What is it?"
Ushijima looked at her curiously.
"A glove."
Rei smiled.
"A glove?"
He opened the package and discovered it was a custom-made pitcher's glove.
Normally, a pitcher's glove is designed specifically for either a right-handed or left-handed pitcher.
A right-handed glove can't simply be switched to the other hand.
However...
Ushijima could pitch with both hands.
During the Koshien Final, when he switched to pitching left-handed, he had borrowed Sawamura's glove because Sawamura was naturally a left-handed pitcher.
The glove Rei had prepared was different.
It had been specially customized so Ushijima could seamlessly switch between pitching with either hand.
There would be no need for a timeout or a break just to change gloves.
Standing on the mound, he could decide at any moment whether to throw with his right hand or his left.
"Thank you."
After realizing how practical the gift was, Ushijima sincerely thanked her.
"You led Seido to the Summer Koshien championship."
"The school hasn't properly rewarded you yet."
"A custom glove is the least we can do."
Rei smiled as she adjusted her glasses.
Meanwhile, Ushijima turned his attention to his system interface.
Today was the final day of August.
That also meant...
His monthly Gold Treasure Chest had arrived.
Besides that, he still had three unopened Silver Treasure Chests.
He had earned them during the two weeks of Summer Koshien and the week he spent resting afterward.
The reason he hadn't opened them earlier was simple.
Silver chests rarely contained anything particularly valuable anymore.
Most of the time, they only rewarded money.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to open all three at once.
[Congratulations! You obtained: Silver · Breaking Ball Mastery]
[Congratulations! You obtained: Silver · Knuckleball]
"..."
Ushijima blinked.
Now...
He possessed virtually every major pitch in baseball.
Fastballs:
Four-Seam Fastball
Two-Seam Fastball
Cutter
Sinker
Forkball
Breaking Balls & Off-Speed Pitches:
Curveball
Slider
Changeup
Screwball
Knuckleball
Shootball
Eleven different pitch types.
That was already considered a complete pitching arsenal.
As for variations such as the Slurve or Half-Slider...
Those were simply individualized versions that depended on a pitcher's mechanics.
For example, both the Cutter and Sinker could be considered variations that evolved from the Two-Seam Fastball.
"In that case..."
"Maybe I should specialize differently with each hand."
"My right hand can focus on fastballs."
"My left hand can focus on breaking balls."
"The left-handed delivery already makes my release point harder to read."
"If I throw breaking balls from the left side..."
"They'll become even more deceptive."
The more he thought about it, the more practical the idea seemed.
He decided to spend the coming weeks experimenting with the concept.
Then...
He opened the Gold Treasure Chest.
[Ding! Treasure Chest Opened!]
[Congratulations! You obtained: Gold · Screwball]
Name: Ushijima Wakatoshi
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 160
Dominant Hand: Right
Off Hand: Left (Diamond)
Batting Stance: Switch Hitter
Stamina: Diamond
Speed: Gold
Control: Silver
Batting Skills:
Infield Hitting (Gold · Metal Bat)
Long Hitting (Gold · Metal Bat)
Home Run Power (Gold · Wooden Bat)
Pitch Types:
Curveball (Silver)
Changeup (Silver)
Knuckleball (Silver)
Screwball (Gold)
Sinker (Gold)
Two-Seam Fastball (Gold)
Cutter (Gold)
High-Speed Jet Ball (Gold)
Four-Seam Fastball (Diamond)
Forkball (Diamond)
Slider (Diamond)