Attack Of Parasites

"A great start! What a duo you two make, Izumi. I see they're on the right track to forming a solid friendship," Dekim said.

"Don't be fooled by what you see; I don't think they understand the meaning of friendship," Izumi replied.

"Don't underestimate my abilities, you coward. Friendship is a relationship between people based on affection, trust, and understanding. I'm not interested in the nonsense that binds you humans together," Migi retorted, annoyed by Izumi's dismissiveness.

"Haha, do you have anything to add?" Dekim teased, amused by Migi's response.

"Well, well, he stays awake studying everything about our planet and the human race while I sleep. To be honest, Migi, I respect that quality in you," Izumi admitted, acknowledging Migi's diligence.

Izumi's optimism proved to be well-founded. The conversation between Migi (Izumi's right hand) and Hidari (Dekim's left hand) was far from hostile intentions. Perhaps this peaceful dialogue arose from their shared failure to control the brain...

"What is your left hand's behavior like? Have you encountered any of its kind around the house?" Izumi asked Dekim, aiming to learn more about the characteristics of each hand.

"Up until now, I haven't met any of its kind. As for its behavior, it's erratic, which leaves me spending time alone, worried about being discovered, especially by my dad, who was recently suspended from work," Dekim replied.

"What!!! Because of the missing bag, right?" Izumi said, his face showing clear signs of distress.

"That's right. He doesn't leave his office and drinks excessively; his condition is bad," Dekim admitted, knowing he was the main reason his father had reached this point.

During their conversation, Migi and Hidari engaged in various challenges, such as who could reach a certain point faster, shape-shifting to mimic each other, showcasing their diverse weapons, and stretching their forms. This spectacle caught the attention of Izumi and Dekim, as the room was plunged into darkness during the stretching challenge. They agreed to divide the space in the room, turning it into a box made of skin, effectively blocking out the light for the boys.

Migi and Hidari's speed was extraordinary, reaching a peak that caused the large board at the back of the room to fall, creating a loud crash upon impact.

This noise drew the attention of everyone nearby! The door swung open, and the hall supervisor entered, with many heads stretching to see what had happened.

"What was that deafening sound?" the supervisor asked, noticing Izumi and Dekim hiding under the desk as if sheltering from danger.

"That giant board fell by itself," Izumi replied.

"What are you two doing here? Didn't you notice the sign on the door when you entered? The room is closed for renovations!" the supervisor said, visibly angry.

"We apologize, we didn't notice the notice; we just wanted to finish our homework before heading to the training field," Dekim said, trying to diffuse the supervisor's anger.

Dekim and Izumi were both members of the university baseball team. Dekim's position in the game was the batter, while Izumi was the pitcher. Their skill levels were not high enough to play as starters on the university team, and they were often unwanted by their teammates, facing bullying due to their frequent mistakes. Consequently, their participation in games was minimal, with the coach and assistants only relying on them if there were seven players needed on the field, meaning they would be added just to meet the legal number required to play.

After the commotion caused by Migi and Hidari, Izumi and Dekim headed to the practice field. With the date of the university baseball championship approaching, the stands were filled with students cheering for the players, including Satomi among the attendees.

As usual, the boys' role in practice was primarily to assist the starting players, especially the batter, by retrieving baseballs that flew far away. They could also be called upon to play the catcher role.

With the sound of the final whistle signaling the end of practice and everyone preparing to leave the field, Dekim picked up a baseball and a wooden bat from the ground, feeling the smoothness of the bat. He called out to his friend, who was a few meters away.

"Catch it!!" Dekim shouted, tossing the ball.

"Come on, make the throw," Dekim challenged his friend.

"Get ready!!!" Izumi said, excited as he caught the ball with his right hand.

Both of them took their positions for the throw, with the ball in Izumi's right hand and Dekim holding the baseball bat in his left.

Izumi executed his pitch...

Everyone leaving the field turned to look back.

Izumi's throw with his right hand was rocket-like, but Dekim managed to connect with the ball using the bat, sending it soaring outside the field's boundaries.

The sound of the ball hitting the bat made everyone turn around to see what had happened, but all they saw was the ball flying high into the sky, surpassing the limits of the field.

The coach, assistants, and all of Izumi's teammates were bewildered by the scene—the ball in the air, and only Izumi and Dekim remaining on the field.

"Could it be that Dekim sent that ball?" the coach said to his assistant, clearly impressed.

"To the field!" the coach blew the whistle, commanding everyone back onto the field.

He positioned Izumi in his role as the pitcher, took the baseball bat from Dekim, and handed it to another player—the best hitter on the team. The challenge was to replicate Izumi's throw!

The coach instructed Izumi to get ready and pitch.

"Good throw!" cheered one of the spectators from the stands.

"Wow! Izumi isn't bad!" Satomi said, addressing Murano.

"What? Yes, I think so," Murano replied.

"Izumi!!!" Satomi shouted at the top of her lungs to grab his attention, and indeed, he turned to look at her.

"Murano said she would forgive you for what you did if you manage to make another good throw!" Yoku chimed in.

"Shut up!!! Satomi!!!" Murano said, glaring at Izumi as if she agreed with Satomi's suggestion.

Once again, again, and again... Izumi outperformed the best player on the team in his position, with every pitch being successful. The annoyance was evident on the best player's face; how could a team member deemed useless not return any of the pitches with his bat?

It was Dekim's turn, the left-handed batter. No surprise, the same story unfolded. The team's best pitcher failed to defeat Dekim; every ball thrown his way was met with Dekim's skilled response. Dekim successfully returned every pitch with his bat.

The training session ended amidst the astonishment of everyone present. The level at which Dekim and Izumi performed was unbelievable. They had transformed from mere ball retrievers and helpers fetching the team's gear from the locker rooms into superstars of the game.

The joy of the coach and his staff was indescribable. With such a performance witnessed, they were poised to win the championship for the first time—no team would be able to defeat them.