Diamond No Ace: Echoes Of The Ace

Chapter 14 Following His Own Ideas

In the days that followed, the first-years continued with their basic training, which mostly consisted of running.

During this time, the coaching staff and senior players observed them closely, noting the impatience that began to surface among the newcomers due to the simplicity of the training.

Many first-years would steal glances at the seniors practicing batting, catching, and defense drills.

Amid this group, a few individuals stood out, such as Kanemaru and Tojou, who had strong fundamental skills thanks to their youth league baseball experience.

What surprised everyone the most, however, was Eijun.

Since joining Seidou, he had been a source of constant noise and trouble.

Yet, unexpectedly, he showed no complaints or resistance to the rigorous physical training.

In fact, after completing the sessions, he would even add extra running drills on his own.

Those who thought he'd make a scene were left speechless.

Even Takashima and Kuramochi, who interacted with him the most, were taken aback.

"Yo, Sawamura! How's the training going?" Kuramochi, instead of leaving after his meal, pulled up a chair across from Eijun and sat backward on it, staring at him with a smirk.

"Huh? It's been alrigh— cough cough cough..." Eijun tried to respond with his mouth full of food, earning a look of disdain from Kuramochi, who was both the cause of the interruption and unapologetic about it.

"Swallow your food before you talk. If you spit it out, that's just gross," Kuramochi scolded, chuckling at Eijun's antics.

Feeling aggrieved, Eijun swallowed his food and muttered, "This is all your fault, Kuramochi-senpai…" His teary eyes glared accusingly at the culprit.

"Cut the crap. Talking with your mouth full is your own fault. You dare blame your senior? Here, take this!" Kuramochi delivered a playful chop to Eijun's head. "Now, seriously answer my question. Or do you miss our dormitory 'care' already?"

Eijun shivered at the memory of Kuramochi's so-called "care" in the dorms but obediently answered, "The training's fine, just a bit boring. I used to run a lot back home too, so this is nothing. It's just that running here is dull compared to running through the mountains back home. The air and scenery were much better there. Hey, by the way, can we run with tires here? That'd make it more interesting. I'll ask Takashima-sensei later."

Kuramochi twitched at how easily Eijun drifted into his own world, but his expression quickly turned mischievous. "Oh really? You're so into running, huh? Aren't you aiming to become the ace? If you're this focused on running, maybe you should join the track team instead. Or are you preparing for a marathon?"

The surrounding players overheard Kuramochi's teasing and began paying closer attention to the conversation.

To them, Eijun was already a figure of intrigue. A pitcher from a small, rural school who had been specially recruited was bound to draw attention.

With no official performance evaluations yet, Eijun remained an enigma, shrouded in mystery.

Interrupted from his thoughts, Eijun looked at Kuramochi with a confused expression and innocently replied, "But isn't physical fitness the foundation of everything?"

Scratching his head, he continued, "And as an ace, isn't it essential to pitch a full nine innings, or even more? If you can't last an entire game, how can the coach or the defense trust you? An ace who can't inspire confidence doesn't deserve to be called an ace, right?"

Nearby, Tanba, the current ace, paused mid-meal, feeling like he'd been unintentionally targeted by Eijun's words.

Eijun went on, his tone earnest, "But if someone is given the ace number, it's because the coach and teammates believe in him. They trust that he can lead the team to victory. An ace shouldn't be distracted by anything else. His only goal is to face the batters and secure the win for his team."

Kuramochi, momentarily stunned by Eijun's unexpected depth of thought, didn't know how to respond.

What had started as a lighthearted attempt to rile up the first-year had backfired. Even Tanba, hearing Eijun's words, stopped eating and seemed deep in thought.

"And if basic training isn't enough, then there's no choice but to train on your own," Eijun declared. "To move forward, you can't stay still. Even if it's just a small step, I'm doing everything I can to become the ace. I will become the ace!"

Eijun shouted the last part with conviction, quickly finished his meal, and left for extra training, leaving Kuramochi and the others speechless.

As Eijun passed another table, he locked eyes with Tanba.

To Eijun, Tanba was his ultimate goal—the ace he aspired to become.

His clear and fiery gaze challenged Tanba, who could feel the pressure emanating from the younger player, like a beast ready to seize the ace number.

Instead of being intimidated, Tanba felt a renewed sense of determination.

"I won't lose. The trust of the coach and my teammates won't be taken from me. This is my responsibility," Tanba resolved, his competitive spirit ignited by Eijun's unwavering ambition.

Eijun, driven by his own determination, approached the coach for the first-year team and requested a tire for his training.

With the new equipment, he began training even harder.

His actions didn't go unnoticed by his fellow first-years, who started to feel left behind.

Motivated by an unwillingness to be outdone, many of them began pushing themselves to train extra hours despite the already grueling daily routine.

Something was beginning to change among the newcomers.

With the addition of the tire to his regimen, Eijun's efforts intensified.

Although it wasn't practical to use it during group runs, his solo training sessions became much more efficient, leaving him with extra time to practice pitching against the net.

This unyielding and focused attitude made him a magnet for attention.

Despite being a first-year, his resilience and stamina rivaled that of the upperclassmen.

However, this difference also created a sense of distance between him and his peers.

After completing his training as usual, Eijun made his way to the dining hall.

As the holidays progressed, more and more students returned to school, and the hall was now packed with people.

Arriving late, Eijun could only find a seat in the corner. Hungry from the day's exhausting training, he eagerly dug into his meal.

Across from him, a teammate couldn't help but notice Eijun's seemingly endless appetite. Envious, they quietly remarked, "Sawamura-kun, you have a great appetite."

Caught off guard, Eijun looked up and saw the speaker, who immediately panicked and waved their hands. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that!"

Sensing the other's nervousness, Eijun flashed a sunny smile. "Ah, well, I guess my only strengths are a good body and a big appetite. I have my parents to thank for that. Oh, my mom made a special sauce to go with meals. Do you want to try it, Haru-kun?"

"H-Haru?" The shy Haruichi was startled by the casual way Eijun addressed him.

"Aren't you Kominato Haruichi? Did I get your name wrong?" Eijun asked, suddenly nervous.

"No, no, you got it right. But… why call me Haru?" Haruichi was more puzzled by the affectionate nickname than the fact that Eijun knew his name.

"Well, your name is Haruichi, so calling you Haru isn't wrong. We're friends, right? It's okay to use friendly nicknames!" Eijun replied, grinning.

Haruichi, unaccustomed to being addressed so warmly by someone other than his family, looked at Eijun's radiant smile.

He couldn't help but find Eijun a bit odd, but not in a bad way.

Sharing his mother's sauce with Haruichi, Eijun managed to help his new friend finish his meal despite Haruichi's reduced appetite due to the training fatigue.

"Hey, Haru! Want to train together?" Eijun asked cheerfully.

"Can I?" Haruichi responded hesitantly.

"Of course! Your swing form is great. Later, try hitting some of my pitches. Having a batter always makes pitching more exciting!" Eijun's enthusiasm was infectious, and Haruichi couldn't help but feel a spark of anticipation.

---What kind of pitches does Sawamura-kun throw? he wondered.

Standing in the batter's box, Haruichi watched as Eijun prepared to pitch.

His smile widened, but his eyes were sharp and focused.

Haruichi nodded, signaling his readiness, and studied Eijun's movements intently.

Raising his arms high above his head, Eijun brought his right leg up and then down in one fluid motion, releasing the ball with force.

The pitch seemed to appear out of nowhere, and Haruichi instinctively swung.

He turned to see the ball land in the net, readjusted his stance, and focused even more on the next pitch.

Haruichi analyzed Eijun's pitching form.

The hidden left arm and sudden burst of energy gave the ball an illusion of appearing out of nowhere.

The pitch wasn't particularly fast, around 130 km/h, but it was a clean, straight ball right down the middle—something he felt he could hit.

Seeing Haruichi's eyes sharpen with determination, Eijun threw the second pitch.

Haruichi timed his swing, but the ball barely grazed his bat before landing in the net again.

---Was my timing off? he thought.

Despite the speed being manageable, Haruichi noticed that Eijun's fastball maintained its velocity from release to impact, an uncommon trait among middle school players.

Using a conventional approach to hit it was too slow.

---I see. Sawamura-kun's fastball is something special. I'll need to change my timing.

As the third pitch flew toward him, Haruichi waited until the last moment to swing and managed to make solid contact, though the ball still jammed his bat slightly.

Eijun's smile grew brighter, showing no surprise at the hit but rather a sense of confidence, as if he had expected it.

Without hesitation, Eijun threw another pitch, his determination unwavering.

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