Carlos took up his stance in the batters box and looked towards the mound.
His features were different from before, surprising Ken. He no longer had an untamed wildness within his eyes, it was more like intense determination and drive. Almost as if he had suddenly discovered a purpose which was not just his own.
Ken felt as if the entire aura of Carlos had changed. Instead of projecting outward wildly, it was now focused to a point, appearing calmer.
Yet this did not ease his mind at all, if anything he felt that the current Carlos was much scarier than before.
"This could be a problem." He muttered, feeling his body tingle in response.
But even though the difficulty had increased, a large grin formed on his face. This is what he loved about baseball.
With his smile still painted on his expression, Ken entered his wind up, feeling time begin to slow down once more. Now that he knew it was coming, he was able to pour even more strength and power into his pitching form.
WHOOOSH
The ball became a blur as it spun at high velocity through the air, blitzing its way towards the open glove of Yuta.
DOOONG!
An almighty sound forced its way into everyone's ears as the bat connected cleanly with the ball. Depending if one was fielding or batting, it could either be the worst sound in the world or music to one's ears.
Ken felt his heart drop as he saw the ball soar into the air with grace.
Everyone on the field held their breath as it teetered on the foul line towards the foul post. As long as it hit the yellow post the game would be over in an instant, allowing Shuei to fight it out in extra innings with great momentum.
"GO GO GO!"
"No…"
There were two opposing thoughts being shouted between the two dugouts as they watched on with hope. One hoping for the ball to go foul, the other awaiting the metallic sound of the ball hitting the foul post.
"Foul!"
"Argh so close!"
"Thank goodness…"
Yuta felt his legs go weak, forcing him onto his knees. He felt as if his heart had jumped into his throat during the whole encounter, causing him to hold his breath unconsciously.
Despite just missing out on the game tying home run by a hairs breadth, Carlos didn't seem too concerned. The ball had been faster than he expected, causing him to swing late and send it into the foul zone.
Ken was filled with relief that he was given another chance. Despite throwing his fastest ever pitch, it seemed that this guy was still able to get enough contact on the ball to almost end the game.
The count was now 0-2 meaning he just needed 1 more strike to put the game away.
Ken let out a deep breath and adjusted his cap.
'I'll put everything into this one.'
Suddenly, Carlos felt his body tremble. On the mound, Ken's figure seemed to grow even taller, blocking out the sun. It was as if the shackles which were confining him had been removed and he was now let loose, free to reign destruction on the world.
His wind up was like the precursor to his powerful killer move, causing those who faced it to feel nothing but dread.
"HUP!"
*DING*
Ken let out a shout and watched the ball fly forwards. He heard the familiar sound of the system notification, yet he had no time to check. Instead his eyes were glued to the batters box, awaiting the outcome of his pitch.
Despite his trembling body, Carlos managed to recover in time to witness the ball leaving Ken's fingertips. He had already calculated the speed of the previous ball and would not make the same mistake as last time.
The heavy bat which he wielded sliced through the air filled with intent.
WHOOOOOOSH
Carlos held his bat up high after swinging through, his eyes looking off into the distance.
Slowly his face morphed into a genuine smile. He suddenly felt a big sense of relief wash over him, sapping the strength from his body abruptly. The once heavy bat turned as light as a feather.
…
"Strikeout! Game set!"
The whole field and audience erupted into cheers.
"YESSS!"
"ORYAAAAHHH"
"We're going to nationals!"
Ken was probably the only one who didn't celebrate right away. He felt a sudden exhaustion as all the tension dissipated from his body.
He stared at Carlos's figure still standing in the batters box and saw the genuine smile on his features. It was only now that Ken could confirm that his Shuei teammate's feelings had reached the teen.
They may have lost the match, but this event would likely become a large turning point in Carlos's career. Since he was in the 3rd year of high school, they wouldn't get the chance to play against each other again until they went pro.
Before Ken could think any longer, he was suddenly assaulted from all sides by his teammates who jumped and bounced around him upon the mound.
"Nice one Ace!"
"That pitch took GUTS! GUTSSSSSU!"
'That's right… We won.'
"Hahaha."
Ken suddenly grinned dumbly, feeling a sense of accomplishment overcome him. It had been a long battle, but they finally ended up on top.
The dugout also joined in on the party taking place on the field crowding the other players. Shiro was even crying, feeling proud of his team.
The only one who still hadn't moved was Yuta who seemed to be in a state of shock.
'That pitch…'
He stared at the ball in his glove, his hand inside the glove still feeling numb. He had caught almost 5000 pitches from Ken this year, yet this one was by far his best, exceeding his previous speed by a mile.
"Y-Yuta, would you like some water?"
Not expecting the interruption, Yuta turned to the voice and was greeted by the cute manager with glasses and deep green eyes. He was momentarily stunned as he took in her appearance, feeling his face heat up in response.
"T-Thanks."