Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 392: Ugumori's Growing Momentum

The bottom of the fourth inning. Seidou High's attack begins with the third batter, the pitcher, Sawamura.

"Alright, ace, we're counting on you here!"

"Now's the time to show your true strength, Sawamura!"

"Eijun, we're counting on you—get a hit!"

"Charge! Charge, mighty Seidou!"

"Ace! Ace! Ace!"

"Show them how cool and skilled you are, ace!"

It's ace versus ace. A duel of kings.

This time, Sawamura Eijun carried an unstoppable momentum. But Umegami Seiji wasn't about to back down. In the previous inning, Ugumori High had just seized control of the game's tempo. There was no way they would surrender it now.

If Umegami could once again shut down Seidou's second round of heavy hitters, there was no question Ugumori High's chances of winning would skyrocket. Umegami was confident yet practical. He knew a complete shutout was unlikely, but carefully managing Seidou's scoring opportunities—especially against specific batters—could make the most of their four-run lead. It was a strategy that seemed well within reach.

With a steady gaze, Eijun stepped into the batter's box. As he glanced back at the dugout, Coach Kataoka gave a slight nod, prompting Eijun to adjust his cap. In the on-deck circle, Miyuki stood by with a composed expression.

"Watch out for low pitches, Sawamura," Miyuki warned.

Eijun took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

"Phew…"

Gripping the bat tightly, he gave it a few test swings, sending a faint breeze through the air.

Despite his relatively average height, Eijun's presence was imposing to the Ugumori players. The catcher, standing at home plate, looked tense and braced for a tough battle. Even Umegami Seiji couldn't completely hide his apprehension.

After all, Sawamura wasn't just any ace—he was the ace of the summer championship team, the pitcher who had delivered a game-changing home run. He was nothing less than a final boss-level opponent.

Umegami knew this well. In the previous at-bat, he had to rely on a hidden weapon to avoid disaster. Without that, the first inning might have gone entirely differently. And what truly unsettled him was how, even in that first encounter, Seidou's ace had managed to track the pitch's trajectory. If not for a slight deviation in power and angle, the outcome could have been disastrous.

Umegami couldn't help but respect Eijun's skill. But respect didn't mean surrender.

"!"

With the umpire's call, the match resumed.

On the mound, Umegami's eyes narrowed, a sharp glint flashing through them. Even if his opponent was a monster he both feared and admired, he was determined to bring him down. He planned to start by confusing him with a difference in pitch speeds, lure him in with a powerful breaking ball, and finish it off with a fastball.

In an instant, Umegami had formulated his strategy. As his arm whipped forward, the ball seemed to roar to life.

"Whoosh!"

A streak of white light surged toward the plate. In the batter's box, Eijun's eyes widened. The gleam of the ball reflected a chilling brilliance.

"Boom!"

His body shifted. His arms swung. A wave of energy rippled visibly through the air.

"Swish!"

The bat came around with force.

And then—

PING!

A sharp, resounding crack echoed through the stadium.

The collision reverberated as the ball streaked forward and slammed into the ground with a forceful "bang."

Ugumori High's third baseman, Takagi, lunged for it but failed to intercept the ball.

The ball bounced wildly.

"Foul ball!" came the call from the umpire.

What's going on? Is this guy's pitching getting even better? Eijun raised an eyebrow.

Twisting the bat slightly in his grip, he cast a puzzled look at the pitcher's mound where Seiichi stood.

Could he have been holding back earlier?

The thought flashed briefly in Eijun's mind, but he quickly shook it off. No way. Against our Seidou lineup, no pitcher would dare to hold back right now.

Well, maybe that golden-haired prodigy from Inashiro was an exception. Watching his pitching during recent games had sent chills down Eijun's spine. That guy was nearly perfect—limited only by his catcher's skill level for now.

But back to the present.

If holding back wasn't an option, there was only one explanation: the surging momentum from Ugumori's offense had ignited Seiichi's competitive fire.

It had pushed him into the zone, where every pitch felt just right. For Seidou, facing a pitcher in this kind of groove spelled trouble.

Eijun's brows knit together. He shifted his stance slightly, moving back a bit in the batter's box.

As Eijun suspected, Seiichi was indeed at his peak right now. With his rhythm dialed in, each pitch carried full force.

In most matches, even when athletes felt like they were in top form, the environment—be it the atmosphere, the weather, or their physical condition—often kept them from reaching their full potential.

Typically, a player might only be performing at 80–90% of their best, not because of any mental block, but simply because they're human. No one is a machine.

The truly great athletes weren't just those with natural talent; they were the ones who could consistently maintain near-maximum performance, regardless of circumstances.

(It's worth noting that "near-maximum" is key, as no one can always operate at 100% of their capacity.)

In the original story, Narumiya once remarked that a real pitcher must always be in control of their form and performance.

Even so, achieving consistent peak performance remained rare, unless under very special circumstances.

Even the strongest players couldn't guarantee they'd be at their best all the time—let alone exceed their normal capabilities without reason.

Right now, Seiichi was at the pinnacle of his game.

The aggressive offense from the previous inning had elevated Ugumori's team spirit, and as their ace and cleanup hitter, Seiichi was thriving under that pressure.

That's what made this situation so challenging for Eijun.

"Whoosh."

"Ping."

"Bang."

"Foul!"

Damn it, his precision has improved too. Eijun gritted his teeth. Seiichi had grown even sharper, and his confidence was only increasing.

This guy just keeps getting tougher.

From the dugout, Coach Kataoka, Coach Ochiai, and Miyuki watched with heavy expressions. Seiichi's performance was exceeding their expectations again and again.

"Whoosh."

"Ping!"

"Bang!"

"Foul!"

"Whoosh."

"Pop!"

"Ball!"

"Whoosh."

"Ping."

"Bang!"

Seiichi's clever pitch sequences kept throwing Eijun's stance off. It felt as though Eijun could never get a solid grip on the ball, leaving him frustrated.

The mix of slow curveballs, powerful breaking pitches, and fastballs blended into a confusing rhythm. It made timing the swing and reading the trajectory almost impossible for Eijun.

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