Chapter 25: Reading Jurassic in Suraraki District is Pretty Wild, Huh?

The story goes back about two weeks.

Right now, I’m at one of the Gorira Union’s hangout spots. My purpose? Obviously, for training. I begged Karane to write me a letter of introduction to the Gorira Union. Though getting here was a bit of a struggle.

Being a biker gang’s hideout, the place was full of spiky, dangerous-looking stuff, and the crumbling asphalt from poor maintenance was especially brutal. For me, it was an especially harsh journey.

Coming to such a dangerous place alone? No way I’d make it unscathed. Plus, it was pretty late. Naturally, I ended up bumping into everything, leaving me covered in cuts and bruises. I’d already pushed my body too hard today, and on top of that, dodging bikes and whatnot? Yeah, no surprise.

"The hell’s this…?"

"An ambush, gorilla?!"

"This guy’s wrecked, gorilla!!"

By the time I finally arrived, my clothes were torn in places, my body covered in scrapes and bruises. Well, at least these kinds of injuries heal fast.

With how I looked, they almost mistook me for some raider or assault victim, but since I’d met the boss directly during the bouquet and food fight incidents—plus the letter of introduction—I managed to get through. Thanks, Karane…!!

Now, I’m sitting seiza in front of the boss. Damn, my legs are numb.

"So… what’re you here for, gorilla?"

"To learn a different form of love… and train to get even stronger!!"

The Gorira Union put up a hell of a fight during both the bouquet toss and the food festival. That strength came from the boss and Yuu’s love, the bonds—no, the love within the Union. What I need now isn’t baseball technique, but this kind of power.

Only by understanding forms of love different from the Rentarou Family’s can my love for everyone deepen. That’s why I came. And one more thing—

"Also… I wanna learn how you handle long-term conflicts and fights!!"

"You startin’ a biker gang, gorilla?!"

"Well, the thing is…"

"Eh, I get it, gorilla! Karane asked, so we’ll help train you, gorilla!! You hear that, gorillas?!"

"OOOOH-GORILLA!!"

"Thank you…!! I’m in your care!!"

From there, the next two weeks were brutal but invaluable. Being a biker gang, they taught me fundamentals—body mechanics, how to unleash stronger muscle power, a heavier bat swing… more suited for fighting than baseball, honestly. But it was all about maximizing a single strike.

"Like this, gorilla!!"

"Ghk—! Ugh—! GYAAAAAAHH!!"

"How the hell’ve you survived on your own, gorilla?!"

Also, I’ll keep it a secret that watching the boss and Yuu being all lovey-dovey made me clingier toward Rentarou. But c’mon, can you blame me?!

Even when they pitched to me, it didn’t go well. I’d been experimenting with putting power into single swings lately, but focusing on form and technique made it way harder.

"Put all your power into it at once, gorilla!!"

"RROOOAAAGHH!!"

Since I was also practicing with the Rentarou Family, the fatigue piled up worse than ever. Half the time, I couldn’t brace myself and ended up falling, getting more injuries. But what I gained was huge.

Being up close to the Gorira Union’s strength gave me a clear image of power. And with the Union and Yuu’s help, I finally succeeded in creating a technique to "pour everything into a single strike." …Well, it’s still unstable, though.

By the way… I suddenly had a dream where I chatted with the God of Birth—aka Grandpa—like this:

"The Super Aiya Legend?"

"Indeed… ‘A legendary warrior awakened by fierce rage, yet wielding gentle love’… That is the ‘Super Aiya’!"

This came outta nowhere, but… is this okay? Won’t I get sued? The manga and anime got away with it, so I’m probably safe.

"If that’s the case, Rentarou seems like he’d transform all the time… But there’s gotta be conditions, right? Anyway, thanks, Gramps!"

"You’re welcome… Farewell!"

Super Aiya, huh? You’d think Rentarou would qualify, but the "rage" part doesn’t quite fit him… so maybe not. Though honestly, he feels like he could become one.

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Leaving that odd topic aside, the scene shifts back to game day. Rentarou’s backup players bailed last-minute, but after checking, Hahari-san, Mei-san, and Kurumi-chan agreed to fill in. Thank god—now we can play.

Here’s the batting order and positions:

Shortstop: Karane Inda

Left Field: Hanazono Hakari

Second Base: Nano Eiai

First Base: Haraga Kurumi

Center Field: Meido Mei

Third Base: Kusuri Yakuzen

Catcher: Hanazono Hahari

Right Field: Yoshimoto Shizuka

Pitcher: Sutou Iku

Pinch Hitter: Seibetsu Kawaru

I’m slated as the pinch hitter for the very last chance in the 9th inning. Why? Because during practice, we realized I can’t even last a full inning. Pathetic, huh?

"Wait, Shizuka can handle all nine innings?! No way…! She’s gotta tap out by the sixth, right…?"

"…My stamina’s that bad?!"

"Seriously, I’m sorry—I’m just a pinch hitter who can’t even field…"

"Efficiency lies in each member maximizing their strengths."

"[Worry not. This one, too, is athletically challenged.]"

Damn, my endurance sucks. This is depressing.

"Wait, can you even swing with those injuries?"

"No problem! Pain’s nothing!"

"At this point, it’s beyond ‘pain’…"

"My range of motion’s fine, so it’s legal."

"Are you a robot like Nano?!"

"I am not a robot."

I deftly dodged Karane and Kurumi’s jabs and plopped onto the bench—ow. The impact made my whole body creak. Maybe cramming two weeks of training was overkill…!

From the Bench Commentary:Today’s practice match: Ohanamitsu University Affiliated High vs. Suraraki District High. Yeah, both names are wild.

Suraraki High bats first. Letting them score early would be bad, but Iku’s flawless pitching held them to zero. Damn. Is she really gonna solo this game like she said?!

"Hell yeah! That’s our Iku!"

"[A battle-hardened warrior…!]"

"She struck out three in no time…"

Huh? What’s this about Power Pro-kun? No idea what you’re talking about. Wait, Shizuka and Kusuri look like that? Uh… let’s just say that didn’t happen here! This ain’t Power Pros! (If you’re curious, check the anime.)

The game started strong, but things got rough fast. Suraraki High’s—no, screw it, Jura High! I’m not dealing with that kanji or custom dictionary entries!

Jura High’s pitcher unleashed a fastball called "Tyrant Cannon—Tyranno Shot." The sheer force knocked the bat out of Karane’s hands. You kidding me?! It overpowered Karane?! If I tried to swing at that raw, I’d get launched into the back wall for an instant KO…

The pitcher, Terano Sauruko, only throws straight fastballs, but each one’s a brute-force nuke. Her catcher, Henroki Perako, ensures every foul tip counts as a strike.

"The epithet we’ve given ourselves is—"

"Who self-titles their duo?!"

"…‘Twin Dragons of Destiny Hunt—Destiny Hunt Battery’!"

"That’s… so cool…!!"

Man, I want a nickname like that… Oh wait, I already named my move.

"‘The Twin Dragons Who Always Hunt Their Prey’—hence, ‘Destiny Hunt’!"

"Nobody asked for the breakdown!"

"Jura High’s style is peak!!"

"FINALLY, someone gets it!"

"Whose side are you on?!"