Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 180: An Unbelievable Pitch!

"How is this possible?"

"They got on base just like that?"

The game had reached the bottom of the second inning, with Seidou High School on offense.

Yakushi High School, having secured two outs, was convinced that their ace would achieve a flawless start, retiring Seidou's batters in order.

It was a solid plan, but reality delivered a harsh blow.

Sanada's performance was far from poor. However, despite his efforts, Seidou High School's batter managed to reach base.

With two outs and a runner on first, the scene of Ryousuke making it to base replayed in the minds of Yakushi's players, leaving them feeling utterly frustrated.

"This is just disgusting!"

"To think the reigning Kanto Tournament champions have such an annoying player?"

Ryousuke repeatedly fouled off Sanada's pitches, chipping away at Yakushi's confidence, especially that of their ace.

Putting themselves in Sanada's shoes, if they had faced Seidou's batter, they might have felt like coughing up blood by now.

How could they keep playing like this? If their ace truly lost his composure over this incident, the Yakushi players couldn't imagine what might happen next.

This game was already proving to be a tough challenge.

Although both teams were top-tier national powerhouses, the opponent they were now facing felt entirely different from anyone they'd encountered before.

This thought sparked anger among Yakushi's players, yet they had no choice but to continue fighting, no matter how frustrating it was.

Giving up due to the opponent's tactics would only add to their misery and give Seidou an unimaginable advantage.

This fueled a sense of unwillingness and determination within Yakushi's team.

At this critical moment, Sanada on the mound suddenly raised two fingers.

"Two outs, two outs!"

"The annoying guy just now—I walked him on purpose. Honestly, I had no way of dealing with him."

Sanada's candid confession pulled his team's focus back to the game.

The Yakushi players momentarily set aside their frustrations, directing their glares at their ace instead.

"Could you not make things harder for us?"

"You're supposed to be our ace—what kind of talk is that?"

"Even if you did it on purpose, at least make it less obvious! You've just exposed your weakness to the other side!"

Despite their scolding, Sanada remained unfazed. He even had the nerve to joke.

"You all seem lively enough. I thought you'd already given up."

"Who's giving up? Just because you're the ace doesn't mean you can insult us! Watch out, or this genius will sue you for defamation!"

Mishima glared at Sanada in mock outrage.

The other players on Yakushi High School's baseball team expressed their frustration through their actions, each making it clear how displeased they were.

They were upset—extremely upset.

At the same time, in Yakushi's dugout, Raizou Todoroki, who had just stood up, calmly sat back down.

In that fleeting moment, he felt the specter of defeat looming over them.

As a former professional player with experience carved out on the field, Raizou had an acute sense of the flow of a game.

And he was certain his instincts weren't wrong.

In that instant, their team had indeed teetered on the brink of collapse, nearly shattered by the opponent's relentless pressure.

Even though many of his players were fiercely proud and not ones to give up easily, such resilience had its limits.

In their previous games, Yakushi's players could perform without a care in the world, unburdened by pressure.

This wasn't an exaggeration—it was a fact. Raizou could vouch for his team with absolute confidence.

Because they had no prior achievements to their name, there had been no expectations, no weight on their shoulders.

But now, having defeated another top-tier powerhouse and risen to prominence as a national dark horse, the situation had changed.

With the media coverage and post-game interviews, it was impossible for the players to remain unaffected.

Unconsciously, their mindset had shifted.

And this shift had pushed the entire team dangerously close to the edge.

Those with nothing to lose can play fearlessly, but those who have gained something begin to feel the burden of preserving it.

Such is human nature.

Realizing this, Raizou was prepared to go against his own principles and say something to address the issue.

However, before he could act, Sanada, their ace pitcher, stepped forward.

Not only did Sanada prevent his coach from intervening, but he also found a better way to defuse the team's crisis.

"Such good fortune!" Raizou marveled.

How many baseball players can dominate the field at a young age like he did?

And to have a son like Raichi, as well as a pitcher like Sanada after transitioning to coaching?

If not for being in the brutal West Tokyo division, their current team would undoubtedly be making waves at Koshien.

"Well, this isn't bad either. The stronger the opponent, the greater the experience we'll gain. The team will only grow stronger from this."

"Show the results of all your hard work! Rebuild your confidence, step by step."

At that moment, their senior, nicknamed "Little Mustache," stepped up to the plate.

Despite being down with two outs, he raised his bat high, ready to take on the challenge.

"Don't think that just because you've secured two outs, you'll easily close this inning. Our Seidou High School baseball team's offense is terrifying!"

With those words, the senior nicknamed "Little Mustache" mustered all his strength.

At that moment, Sanada hurled the baseball with precision. The pitch was right down the middle.

The instant "Little Mustache" saw the ball, he clenched his molars, secretly gathering all his strength.

He knew this could be a trap, but the pitch was simply too tempting. Even if it was bait, he wasn't about to let it go.

"My power may not match Masuko's, but I've earned my place on Seidou!"

As the ball approached, he swung his bat with everything he had.

At Seidou High School, every player practiced their swings hundreds of times daily, with an emphasis on quality.

Unlike Ichidaisan High, which focused on sheer volume with thousands of swings, Seidou emphasized deliberate and precise training.

Over two years of rigorous practice had refined their swings to perfection. Even if they failed to hit the sweet spot, they could still send the ball flying.

"Ping!"

Just like now, the ball was sent soaring.

This was one of Sanada's trademark pitches—he banked on the batter aiming for the center of the strike zone.

And he was right.

Isashiki Jun, "Little Mustache," aimed directly for the middle and swung with all his might.

Yet even without perfectly connecting with the ball, he managed to force it into the outfield.

The moment the ball flew off the bat, it wasn't just the Yakushi players who were surprised—Sanada himself showed a flash of astonishment on the mound.

What decisiveness!

Sanada hadn't anticipated that even Seidou's third batter would display such ruthless precision.

Even without hitting the ball squarely, Isashiki still managed to drive it deep into the outfield.

"Don't underestimate us!"

Seeing the ball fly, Isashiki roared as he charged toward first base.

Even with two outs, as long as the ball landed, and with Yuki up next, they had a great chance to score more runs.

If a five-run lead wasn't enough to crush Yakushi's spirit, they would extend it to ten or fifteen runs.

No matter how confident Yakushi's players might seem on the field, such a massive deficit would inevitably teach them the meaning of true despair.

Isashiki's plan was sound.

The Seidou players shared his anticipation.

But what happened next left them all stunned.

A third-year player from Yakushi, whose name they couldn't even recall, dove recklessly as the ball came down, disregarding his own safety.

"Pop!"

His entire body slammed heavily onto the ground, drawing audible gasps from the audience.

The spectators couldn't help but feel worried for the player.

"It's just a regular high school game. Do they really need to go this far?"

As these thoughts crossed their minds, the player on the ground raised his arm.

Though his posture was disheveled and unsteady, his raised glove and the ball securely inside it delivered a powerful message to everyone present.

At first, there was a small ripple of applause, but it quickly grew into a thunderous ovation.

"Clap, clap, clap!!!"

Faced with a player who gave everything on the field, the audience responded with well-deserved respect.

Even many of Seidou High School's supporters couldn't help but stand and applaud.

"Three outs! Change sides!"

Yakushi's dugout erupted with excitement.

Everyone crowded around the player, showering him with praises and concern.

"That was amazing!"

"How did we not realize before how cool your moves are, Senpai?"

Seidou's players and fans, watching their opponents' jubilant celebration, couldn't help but feel a strange illusion.

It was as if it wasn't Seidou who held a five-run lead, but Yakushi.

Back in Seidou's dugout, Ota, the team manager, nervously scratched the back of his head.

"That was too close! It's like Lady Luck is on their side."

"No," another player interjected. "That wasn't luck. That was the result of their hard work. While the rest of Yakushi's team may not match their three first-years and their ace, they've clearly put in an immense amount of effort behind the scenes."

Effort doesn't lie.

Training doesn't lie.

Sweat doesn't lie.

This belief was something the Seidou players held close to their hearts.

Now, for the first time, they saw their conviction reflected in their opponents.

"When you're surrounded by talented teammates, it pushes you to work harder, and eventually, you become better too. That's what a good environment does."

It's like how classrooms filled with top students foster a strong academic atmosphere, while the opposite creates a very different dynamic.

Seidou's players, however, took pride in one thing:

No matter how good Yakushi's team chemistry seemed, Seidou's players firmly believed their environment was second to none.

"What do we do next?"

"They're getting way too confident!"

As the team voiced their concerns, Furuya stood up from the bench.

"Leave it to me," he said calmly, his tone even and unwavering.

Even so, the moment he stepped forward, the Seidou High School players felt a surge of confidence.

Yes, Yakushi's ace was performing well.

Yes, their fielders were making impressive plays.

But so what?

Seidou had their own ace.

And there was one thing Seidou's players could guarantee with absolute certainty:

Their ace was not only as good as any other ace in the tournament—he was leagues ahead of most.

Top of the third inning.

Yakushi was now on offense.

The batter had barely stepped into the box, still trying to steady his footing and adjust to his surroundings, when the white baseball came flying toward him.

"Boom!"

The thunderous roar of the pitch resonated as the ball appeared right in front of him, almost too quickly to process.

Even though the batter's orders were to stay calm and observe, he couldn't help but instinctively swing his bat.

It was terrifying.

It felt as though some monstrous, unseen force was hunting him, and if he didn't swing, the next moment he'd be devoured whole.

That sense of dread was etched into his mind, leaving no room for relaxation.

By the time the ball flew past him and his bat had completed its futile arc, the batter heard the sound of the ball hitting the catcher's glove.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

The batter didn't even have time to feel regret. Relief flooded his mind instead, thankful that the ball hadn't struck him directly.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Strike three!"

"Three outs! Change sides!"

Yakushi's players barely had a chance to settle into the dugout before they were forced back onto the field.

Earlier, both Yakushi's players and their supporters had clung to a sliver of hope.

Maybe their match against Seidou wasn't as one-sided as they had feared.

But now, that faint hope felt painfully naive.

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