The next day, I felt that my muscles were quite sore.
So, instead of doing a full morning workout, I just opted for a muscle fatigue recovery yoga session.
I focused on all my muscles during the session, but I especially paid attention to the sore ones, making sure they benefited the most from the stretches.
By the time I had finished, both Kuramochi and Masuko were awake and getting changed into their school uniform.
'Oh yeah, it's the first day of school today.' I thought as I went to grab my own uniform.
"Sawamura, make sure you don't fall asleep during classes today. The teachers don't make exceptions for baseball scholarship students, Yaha!" Kuramochi said to me.
"Haha, don't worry senpai, I wasn't planning on it." I replied.
The original Sawamura fell asleep in class all the time and always got chewed out by teachers.
'I don't plan on going through that.'
I finally left the dorm, ate in the baseball cafeteria and made my way to school.
I walked through the corridors until I found my classroom.
'1-C, the same class as the manga.'
I walked in and looked around.
I finally saw someone I recognised and walked over to them.
"Yo, Kanemaru! Looks like we're in the same class. Let's work hard." I said to Kanemaru with a grin as walked over to him.
'Sawamura and Kanemaru had a bad relationship at the start of the manga, but I plan on having a civil relationship considering we'll be in the same class for the year.' I thought.
He turned to the voice that called out to him and saw me towering over him as he was already sitting down.
"Y-Yeah." He said a little startled. "You're Sawamura, right?"
"Yeah, that's right! You were one of the other first years that caught my eye during the physical tests yesterday, so I just wanted to say hello." I replied.
He seemed to warm up a little from that and shrugged with a slight smirk on his face.
"Haha, looks like you know your stuff." He spoke.
'Hmm, this guy basically topped every test yesterday and he's still taking notice of other players. Interesting.' He thought.
"Who else did you notice?" Kanemaru asked.
"Hmmm, well there was obviously Furuya, as a pitcher, I need to keep an eye out for other pitchers. Same with Tojo as well. He seemed like he would be a solid pitcher. There's also Haruichi as well." I replied whilst thinking.
"Haruichi? Which one was that?" He asked.
"Ah, Kominto Haruichi, he was the small guy with long pink hair covering his eyes." I described.
"Ahhh him. But I don't remember him doing to well in the tests though." Kanemaru said.
"Well, he did okay in the sprint test and the reaction test. But you are right he didn't do too well in the others. But during the fielding practise afterwards, he was one of the top players in our year as a second baseman. He transitions from picking up a grounder to throwing to first was clean and smooth." I replied.
Kanemaru went into his own thoughts as he looked back on seeing Haruichi during the fielding training.
"Yeah, I guess you're right about that." He spoke.
'Jesus, how much is this guy watching all of us to remember this many details? We've only had one practice so far!' He thought as he looked at me.
Suddenly the bell rang and the teacher for morning class entered the room.
"Alright, I'm going to find my seat. See you later." I said to Kanemura as I left him.
"Yeah, see you." He replied.
The rest of the day of school was boring but I made sure to pay attention to the teachers throughout.
After school I went back to my dorm and got changed into my baseball uniform for training.
'Apparently, its only going be a light practise as the team has a game today. But I get to throw in the ballpen afterwards so I'm excited for that.
I then went and joined the other players for practise which was basically just jogging for most of the time.
At the end of the session, I was taking a drink of water when I noticed other players looking in a certain direction.
I looked over and saw a group of players crouched around with Coach.
'There they are, the first-string team.' I thought with excitement as it was my first time seeing most of them.
I looked at the players I hadn't met yet with a bright smile.
They were the players that wore the Seido uniform on the field.
Tanba Koichiro, third year, ace pitcher for Seido.
Yuki Tetsuya, third year captain of Seido, clean-up batter and first baseman.
Kominato Ryosuke, third year, second baseman.
Isashiki Jun, vice-captain, centre field.
Sakai Ichirou, third year, left fielder.
Shirasu Kenjiro, second year, right fielder.
There was also Kuramochi that played shortstop, Masuko who played third base, and obviously Miyuki who played catcher.
Looking at all of them started a burning fire within me.
My eyes blazing as I stared at them all.
Miyuki, who had sensed an aura turned to me.
Seeing me standing there with golden blazing eyes made him chuckle a bit.
'This guy is sure is motivated. Just wait Sawamura, there's something coming that will give you goosebumps in a minute.' He thought as he turned back to the Coach.
"I'm sure you all understand well." Coach said as he addressed the players in front of him.
"Compared to the biggest summer tournaments and the fall invitational, the spring prefecture tournament isn't very important. However, today, we're up against the team we lost to in the fall, the Ichidai Third High." He paused to look at the players in the eyes with a powerful aura. "We'll pay them back the humiliation we received, tenfold!" He said with a calm but determined voice.
"Yes, coach!" The players replied.
"Yuki, do the usual." The Coach said as he looked at the captain of the team.
Yuki then walked into the middle of the circle with the other gathered around him.
They all put their hands over their hearts.
"Who are we?" Yuki asked with a calm voice.
"SEIDO, THE CHAMPIONS!!" The players around him shouted loud.
"Who shed the most sweat?" Yuki asked, raising his voice slightly.
"SEIDO!!" they replied
"Who shed the most tears?"
"SEIDO!!"
"ARE YOU READY TO FIGHT?!"
"YES!!"
"BEARING PRIDE IN OUR HEARTS, WE HAVE JUST ONE GOAL!" Yuki shouted as he pointed his finger to the sky.
"THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!! LET'S DO THIS!!!" Yuki shouted.
The rest of the players then grouped around him, all pointing their fingers to the sky.
"YEEEAAAH!!!" they all shouted.
"W-wow."
"A-amazing."
"I'm getting chills."
I heard the voices around me murmuring.
But in that moment, the fire inside of me went out of control.
My whole body was bursting with adrenaline, and I couldn't hold back.
"YOOOSHHAAAAA!!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, startling the players around me, even the first string started looking over.
"LET'S GO, SEIDO!! MAKE SURE TO CRUSH ICHIDAI THIRD HIGH!!" I continued.
After I finished, I had to breath slightly, but I gave a big grin to the first string and gave them a thumbs up.
"Y-yeah, show them who's boss!" Someone suddenly shouted.
"Yeah, let's go Seido!" someone else shouted.
Suddenly all they players of Seido started shouting at the first string.
"LET'S GO!"
"PAY THEM BACK!"
"YOU GOTTA WIN!"
The first-string players were a little shocked at the spectacle in front of them.
Then they had huge surge of adrenaline burst through them.
"SHHHAAAA! DAMN RIGHT!" Isashiki shouted out.
"YAHA! We can't let them down now." Kuramochi said turning to Miyuki.
"Hehe, he really is fired up, that Sawamura." Miyuki said whilst holding his side, trying not to burst out laughing.
Coach Kataoka was standing off to the side silently through all this.
He was looking at the crowd of players who were now riled up, shouting their support at the first-string.
Specifically, he was staring at the kid who had started it all off.
'Sawamura Eijun, huh?'
"Hmph, interesting." He said with a slight smirk.
The whole group of players started getting on buses that would make their way to the stadium for the game.
'I finally get to see them in action.' I thought.