The man appeared in the pitcher's position, and his opponent was also an administrator, standing beside the home plate with a bat in hand.
"Friend, as per our previous agreement, you have to let me strike with this ball," the man said to the administrator.
"Screw your agreement, if you've got the skills, go ahead and pitch; if not, get lost," the administrator said, gripping the bat with both hands and preparing to swing.
It was obvious that these administrators had received training, as they all knew how to play baseball.
Actually, this was quite normal. The Sea Heaven Trial Ground had been developed for three years, and the trials that frequently appeared were those of a dozen or so types, mostly sports like soccer, basketball, and baseball. It would be strange if Lao Gu and the others didn't train the administrators in advance.
"How can you not keep your promise..." The man wore a mournful expression, looking helpless.
"What kind of crap promise, pitch it or get lost," the administrator said coldly.
He had previously agreed to the promise, likely thinking that if the man batted first, he could take advantage and score a point first. Who would have known his luck would be so bad that he himself would be batting first, so naturally, he couldn't adhere to any promise.
"You beast, heaven will punish you." The man was desperately angry, and in his rage, he threw the ball.
Perhaps due to his anger, the man's movements seemed unnatural, and as he let go of the ball, his wrist was rigid, appearing unable to exert proper force.
"Go to hell!" When the administrator saw the ball coming, he showed no mercy, roaring as he swung the bat with force, intending to hit the ball straight out.
But when the bat was about to contact the ball, the administrator suddenly had his pupils contract, almost as if losing his focus.
It disappeared!
The ball, which was clearly right in front of him, disappeared from the administrator's vision.
The administrator swung into thin air, and the man scored a point.
"That's… a Finger Fork Ball… he can actually throw a Finger Fork Ball… this guy is a professional baseball pitcher… good thing you didn't choose to team up with him…" said A-Fei in shock.
"Is this type of ball called a Finger Fork Ball?" Li Xiu saw clearly that as the baseball was near the home plate, it suddenly dropped quickly, causing the administrator to misjudge, leading to the misswing.
This type of pitch is akin to a Fallen Leaves Ball in soccer, though the methods are somewhat different.
"I once saw a Trial Taker use a Finger Fork Ball. That person was a very famous professional baseball player. He told me the Finger Fork Ball is also known as the last magic ball of the 20th century, it can't be mistaken." A-Fei paused and then continued, "However, this man's pitch speed isn't comparable to that professional, but his technique is just as good. His physical strength is probably lacking, his fingers not strong enough, so he first guided the administrator's emotions, preventing a normal judgment. Otherwise, given that administrator's physical stamina and reflexes, if he could handle things calmly, he'd still stand a chance to hit the ball."
"Alright, you're good." The administrator's expression was dark and stormy as he glared at the man, and then moved to the pitcher's mound.
"Of course I'm good, and I'll keep on being good," the man said, no longer pretending. He gripped the baseball tightly, posing to hit like a professional.
The administrator glared at him fiercely, then threw the ball with a sudden movement. His action was also quite professional; though, the pitch speed was indeed high, probably exceeding a hundred and eighty, even faster than professional pitchers. No unenhanced professional player could pitch at such a speed.
Bam!
Yet that high pitch speed was still hit straight out with one swing by the man.
The baseball soared high, eventually colliding with an invisible barrier.
"You fool, pure strength is useless; baseball is about skill," the man sneered, curling his lip in contempt.
The administrator's face had already turned paper-white, and in the next second, his body was blown apart by his bracelet.
"That person is Hawkeye Rod, a once very famous professional baseball player, not only capable of throwing a varied Finger Fork Ball but also possessing exceptionally strong batting abilities. It's said that due to his unusual eyes, fastballs appear very slow to him, hence the nickname Hawkeye. It's said that his career was shortened because of his gambling habits, otherwise, he would have become a truly great professional player," someone recognized the man and whispered nearby.
"A Finger Fork Ball, huh? Interesting," Li Xiu mused on Rod's actions in his mind, "Using the index and middle fingers to grip the ball, without wrist twisting, relying on finger strength, without wrist-whip leverage, reducing the ball's rotation speed, quite interesting."
More participants took the stage one after another, but none appeared as stunning as Rod.
Some did manage to throw a Finger Fork Ball, but it was still thwarted, and that person's skill was evidently inferior to Rod's, as was his cunning mind.
There were also two administrators who took to the field together, and they clearly had a rapport, each scoring a point and passing the trial.
Finally, it was Li Xiu's group's turn to go on stage.
Li Xiu appeared in the batter's box, and A-Fei was all the more relieved that Li Xiu had refused to team up with Rod.
Jin Zhenhuan was also watching this round of competition. The reason he agreed to Li Xiu's proposal wasn't entirely due to being swayed by Li Xiu's words.
The fact is, from the last basketball shooting duel, Jin Zhenhuan had developed an unease deep inside that he might not even have realized himself.
He also wanted to see just how good Li Xiu's baseball skills were.
Li Xiu had already learned how to be a batter, and his poised stance looked quite professional.
The administrator glanced coldly at Li Xiu, then threw the ball with a very standard motion.
The ball's speed was extremely fast, and Li Xiu didn't have Hawkeye's ability; he couldn't clearly see the changes in high-speed balls but had to rely on predictive swings.
As a result, that ball seemed to curve, heading to the lower left, and although Li Xiu's bat managed to make contact, the ball was hit out of bounds; it was a very beautiful curveball.
"Being a batter is indeed much more difficult than being a pitcher," Li Xiu lost a point, but he wasn't too anxious.
A-Fei, however, stared at Li Xiu intensely; if Li Xiu died here, it would be nearly impossible for her to find another suitable partner to team up with.
Li Xiu went to the pitching position while the administrator stood in the batter's box, bat in hand, staring at Li Xiu with a steely gaze.
"Baseball seems more interesting than basketball and soccer. If there's a chance in the future, I'd like to study it in detail," Li Xiu thought baseball was quite intriguing, and as a hobby, it could be really fun.
Rotating the baseball in his hand, adjusting its position in his grip, Li Xiu lifted his left leg, extended his arm, then swung hard to throw the ball.
Even though Li Xiu put all his strength into it, his pitch speed was clearly not as fast as the administrator's, giving the administrator ample time to react and swing.