Ken felt anxious as he stepped into the bullpen. Not only did he have his and Ai's family watching, but he was also surrounded by the players from Yokohama Warriors.
There was also the annoyed expression on the coach's face who looked like he wanted to get back to warming up. He couldn't be blamed for being nervous in this moment, yet there was a part of him that was excited.
Isn't this what he always wanted? To become a pro?
What other teen would ever get such a chance at the age of 16?
The answer was none. Japan had a strict policy against clubs and scouts talking to teenagers who were still in High School, they were only allowed to talk to the parent or guardian directly.
Ken turned to his father who was watching him intently. It seemed he also wanted to see how much he'd improved since the last time he was in this very bullpen.
"Excellent. Show us what you've got Kenny boy." James said, handing him a baseball.
He took the ball and gripped it in his hand, feeling the familiar sensation of the leather against his skin. Ken could feel pairs of eyes staring into his soul in that moment, so he didn't dilly dally, quickly moving towards the mound opposite Yamamoto.
After rolling his shoulder a few times, he sent a throw to the catcher, intending to warm up a little. It was pretty obvious after a few throws that his button up shirt was going to get in the way of his pitching action.
Despite feeling a little awkward about it, Ken unbuttoned his shirt a little, evoking a few whistles and laughs from the professional players.
"Oh my, I'm blushing."
"Is it hot in here or is it just me?"
"Hahaha."
However, some of those laughs dissipated after they saw the defined chest of the boy in question. It was clear from a glance that the kid was in great shape, despite only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
A few of the players who hadn't been present that day started to look on earnestly.
After around 15 balls, Ken felt warm enough to begin throwing properly. As he was about to enter his stance, he was interrupted by a loud voice.
"Ah, someone remove the landline phone just in case. We got in trouble when you broke it last time."
There was a wicked grin on his face as he sent a wink to Ken.
Ken smiled, feeling a lot of his anxiety disappear. Since James had called out in English, there were only a few people who could understand him, Ken and his family being those.
He sent a thankful look to James before turning towards the catcher and letting out a deep breath.
Unknowingly, Ai had gripped her father's shirt, feeling a bad case of second-hand nervousness. While she had seen him pitch plenty during their High School games, she wanted him to succeed in front of all these professionals.
Ken emptied his mind and stared at the glove that was held out. He had only one thought in that moment, and that was to show how much he'd improved.
Without a word, he squared up and lifted his left knee to his chest and pushed forward. As his foot planted solidly on the ground, his arm whipped around and sent the ball flying from his fingertips.
Those who watched on could tell right away that the form was immaculate, honed from thousands of hours of practice.
The ball tore through the air with intent, spinning violently from the torque generated from his fingertips. Yet it was guided with precision to its intended target until…
PAH
Ai pumped her fist, quietly cheering in her heart.
James frowned deeply, as if something was off, seeming slightly disappointed.
There was silence in the bullpen afterwards, almost as if no one had expected such a result in the first place.
Clap
Clap
It was actually the coach who walked forward, clapping his hands dramatically. Whatever annoyance was on his expression earlier was replaced with surprise and appreciation.
He looked at Ken's figure up and down a few times before nodding.
"That was a great pitch young man. But I could tell you were holding back." He said, matter-of-factly.
"Eh?"
Ai's parents had the same expression of surprise at this statement, especially Tetsu who looked like he was about to faint.
'T-That was holdin' back!?'
He almost didn't want to believe it. Even in his glory days at Zama High he had never seen such a pitch from a freshman, including when he went to Koshien.
Ken nodded.
"I can't pitch in these shoes." He stated, pointing to the trendy dress shoes he was currently wearing.
If he couldn't plant his foot correctly, there was no way he'd be able to generate his usual power, especially when standing on a mound of dirt.
"Ah…"
James's expression returned to normal after realizing such a fact. He had originally thought that the kid was not taking it seriously, however what he said had made sense.
"What size shoe are you?" asked the coach.
Ken was a little taken aback at the question.
'Surely they're not gonna make me try with cleats on…'
Yet that was exactly the case. After telling them his size, the coach returned with size 12 cleats and prompted him to put them on.
Instead of refusing, Ken just shrugged his shoulders. He'd already come this far, what was the harm in going all out. He felt a little odd without the system, but he wasn't in a situation where he needed its help.
After getting the cleats on, he stood up and made his way back to the mound. There was now no issues with pitching properly.
This time, those who weren't paying attention earlier suddenly quietened down and turned their attention to his figure upon the mound.
Once again Ken performed his wind up, yet this time there was more intent and savagery within his movements. It was as if a stalking leopard had pounced forward, using its powerful claws in order to inflict carnage upon its prey.