Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 147: The First Battle, An Unprecedented Victory!

The baseball flew for dozens of meters before finally landing and bouncing off the ground.

In Seidou High School's dugout, the team sat in stunned silence, their eyes wide and mouths agape as they tried to process what had just happened.

Several seconds passed before Miyuki, who had started on second base, rounded third and was almost home.

It wasn't until then that the players in the dugout finally grasped what they had just witnessed.

"That kid… he actually hit it out?"

Not long ago, Seidou's players had confidently declared that with Furuya's current skill level, it was absolutely impossible for him to hit Mamoru's low sidearm pitch.

Yet the events unfolding before their eyes made it undeniably clear that the impossible had just happened.

"Furuya!!"

Mixed emotions swirled in the hearts of Seidou's players.

Since Furuya had joined their team, they had tried their best to imagine his potential, picturing him as nothing short of extraordinary—almost freakish in his talent.

But no matter how much they raised their expectations, Furuya continued to shatter them time and time again.

"Just who is this guy playing with us? What kind of monster is he?"

This question lingered in the minds of everyone on the team.

Even Coach Kataoka, known for his composed demeanor, couldn't hide his surprise at the scene before him.

By this time, Miyuki had already crossed home plate.

"Safe!"

Meanwhile, Furuya had passed first base and made it to second.

The situation remained unchanged: no outs and a runner on second.

However, Seidou High had added another run to the scoreboard, pushing their lead to 3–0.

Once the dust settled, Coach Kataoka finally spoke.

"Some people are simply born to be aces."

For someone like Kataoka, who rarely made such bold statements, this was extraordinary. He had always valued hard work and dedication over innate talent.

Yet even he, along with the entire Seidou team, couldn't deny the truth.

Not all people are created equal.

Some are just born different.

Furuya's terrifying pitching ability was something no amount of effort alone could ever replicate.

Compared to regular players, pitchers possess undeniable talent when it comes to pitching.

To some extent, they are inherently stronger in this area than most players.

However, even among these carefully selected pitchers, there is often a limit to their maximum pitch velocity.

For most players, a speed of 140 km/h is an unattainable ceiling, no matter how hard they work their entire lives.

But for someone like Furuya, who can push his pitch speed beyond 150 km/h, or even surpass 155 km/h, such talent is exceedingly rare—even on a global scale.

Everyone on Seidou High's baseball team recognized the terrifying natural ability Furuya displayed on the mound.

But now, it seemed they had underestimated their ace pitcher.

Not only did his performance on the mound command attention, but his batting talent was equally impossible to ignore.

Even Coach Kataoka, who had always prided himself on Seidou's rigorous training system as the team's greatest strength, couldn't help but think:

Thank goodness this young man chose Seidou High.

Had Furuya chosen another powerhouse team, he would undoubtedly have become a formidable obstacle for Seidou.

If he had joined one of the other two powerhouses in West Tokyo, Seidou might not see the light of day for who knows how long.

"It's such a relief! We were so lucky to recruit him back then!!"

Ota, the team manager responsible for Furuya's recruitment, was so delighted that he nearly had tears in his eyes.

Clapping his hands enthusiastically, he rambled on excitedly.

The Seidou players, having heard this story many times, could only shake their heads in resignation.

Kuramochi sighed and said, "You really don't need to keep bringing this up. Everyone already knows…"

"That's not the point! Back then, I personally braved the harsh cold and went all the way to Hokkaido. It was snowing heavily that day—"

Seeing Ota launch into another retelling of his recruitment story, the Seidou players immediately distanced themselves from the nostalgic manager.

At the front of the dugout, Sawamura gazed longingly at Furuya standing at second base, practically radiating with brilliance.

His eyes were filled with envy.

"When will it be my turn?"

The thought spurred Sawamura to unconsciously clench his fists.

"Haruichi, let's go warm up!"

"Huh?"

The named Haruichi looked visibly confused.

"With Furuya performing this well, you're probably not getting any playtime, right?"

"That's not the point! Anything can happen in baseball. As an important part of the team, I need to be ready to step in at any moment!"

Sawamura raised his voice as if worried that someone might not hear him.

Kuramochi, his roommate, smirked with mock sarcasm. "Since when did you become an 'important asset' to our team? Stop trying to steal the spotlight!"

Though Kuramochi teased him, he noticed that Coach Kataoka had subtly glanced in Sawamura's direction.

Sawamura's words might not have been particularly uplifting—if anything, they carried a slightly pessimistic tone—but the fool had achieved his goal.

He had successfully caught Coach Kataoka's attention.

"Thick skin does have its advantages…"

Unknowingly, the atmosphere within Seidou's dugout began to shift.

In the first inning, the team had failed to score, and the players had felt immense pressure as a result.

Now, they could finally breathe a little easier.

Seidou High was already leading 3–0, and this was only the beginning.

Their offensive momentum was razor-sharp, and the pressure on Maimon West High's players was palpable.

Coach Chiba of Maimon West High felt his heart sink as he watched Furuya launch the ball into the outfield.

As Maimon's coach, Chiba knew his players' abilities and mental fortitude inside out.

He could confidently say his team was excellent.

But no matter how skilled, every player had their breaking point.

And that breaking point had clearly been reached.

For a first-year player like Furuya to solidly connect with Mamoru's pitch and send it flying—it was devastating.

For Mamoru, who had worked tirelessly for over two years and sacrificed opportunities to play official games, this was a cruel blow.

All that effort, all those sacrifices—reduced to what seemed like a joke in the eyes of Seidou's players.

"From here on, they'll have to rely on sheer willpower to keep fighting," Coach Chiba thought bitterly, his heart aching.

He couldn't help but feel anguish for his players, who had poured their souls into his rigorous training.

It felt as though his heart was being carved out with a knife.

Yet, no matter how much it hurt, the game had to go on, and Seidou High's offense showed no signs of stopping.

Next up was Sakai, the eighth batter. Although he hit a high fly ball to the outfield and was caught out, it flew far enough for Furuya to take advantage and sprint to third base.

One out, runner on third.

Following Sakai was a quiet and unassuming player named Shirasu.

Despite his low-key demeanor, Shirasu's batting ability was nothing to scoff at.

Even in his first encounter with Mamoy's sidearm pitch, he found the angle and sent the ball flying.

"Crack!"

The ball hit the ground and bounced.

From the stands, Seidou's loyal supporters leapt to their feet, cheering loudly.

"It made it through!"

As the ball landed, Furuya dashed home at full speed.

"Safe!"

The umpire's call further fueled the excitement, and Seidou High extended their lead.

Furuya's timely hit brought in Seidou's fourth run, extending the lead to 4–0.

With one out and a runner on first, the most intimidating part of the situation emerged: Seidou's batting lineup had cycled back to the leadoff hitter.

"Let's go!"

Kuramochi, holding his bat, couldn't wait for his turn.

Out of the starting lineup, only three players, including him, had failed to secure hits so far. Even first-year Furuya had delivered a crucial hit after Captain Yuuki's lead, driving in two runs for the team.

"We can't just sit here watching the juniors steal the spotlight. It's time we stepped up!"

Inspired by the stellar performance of the younger players, Kuramochi found himself motivated in the best way possible.

Focused and determined, he locked his gaze on the opponent. At that moment, the "Cheetah" was back in action.

...

By the end of the second inning, Seidou High had amassed an overwhelming seven runs, bringing the score to 7–0.

Mamoru, Maimon West High's supposed secret weapon, was completely broken in just two innings.

The sheer power of Seidou's offense sent chills down the spines of players from other teams who had come to watch.

"Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying!"

"We thought Seidou's victory at the Kanto Tournament was just luck because they happened to have a phenomenally talented fastball pitcher…"

"But now, it's clear how naive that assumption was. Their success doesn't rely on just one great pitcher. What truly makes them formidable is their incredible batting lineup."

"This level of offensive power is rare even on a national scale!"

"Mamoru isn't a bad pitcher at all—his skills are impressive. What a shame…"

Although casual spectators might not have realized it, believing Mamoru's performance was clumsy or subpar, the experienced players and coaches in the crowd knew better. Mamoru's pitching was of an exceptional standard.

Unfortunately, he had the misfortune of facing Seidou High's lineup.

Mamoru never had the chance to showcase his abilities before being utterly dismantled.

This game, which could have been his chance to rise to prominence, turned into a nightmare.

But such is baseball—victory belongs to the winners, and the losers are left with nothing.

By the end of the fourth inning, Seidou had extended their lead to an astonishing 17–0. They scored seven runs in the second inning, four in the third, and another six in the fourth.

Faced with such an insurmountable gap, Maimon West High's players couldn't help but admit defeat.

By the time the fourth inning concluded, they had essentially abandoned hopes of winning.

All they could wish for was to score at least one run before the game ended—to avoid being shut out entirely by Seidou.

Coach Kataoka, understanding their plight, made a thoughtful decision after the fourth inning.

He substituted Furuya, not letting him pitch the entire game.

Ota, the team manager, couldn't help but feel regret.

"Just one more inning, and he would have struck out the entire lineup!"

In the previous innings, Furuya had already recorded an impressive 12 strikeouts, leaving everyone in awe.

However, this alone wasn't enough to make him the talk of West Tokyo after just the first game.

If he had pitched one more inning, achieving 15 consecutive strikeouts, shutting out the opposition, and striking out every batter…

That would have been a game-changer.

It wouldn't just shock West Tokyo—it might have sent ripples across the entire nation.

After all, the Summer Tournament's influence far surpasses that of the Kanto Tournament.

It's a stage where the whole country watches.

Just the thought of it made Ota's heart race with excitement.

However, Coach Kataoka had no interest in chasing empty glory.

"We don't even know if Tanba will recover. We can't afford to exhaust Furuya's stamina for the sake of meaningless fame!"

This reasoning was so sound that no one could argue with it.

But Kataoka's decision wasn't as simple as he made it seem.

Beyond preserving Furuya's stamina and keeping his name under the radar for now, Kataoka had another motive—one tied to the team's future.

Furuya had already grown into the team's ace, a cornerstone for the present and future.

However, given his pitching style, it was unrealistic to rely on him to pitch every game from start to finish.

This wasn't just about Furuya—no ace, no matter how exceptional, can carry an entire team alone in this era.

If Seidou High wanted long-term success, their other pitchers had to develop as well.

Originally, Coach Kataoka intended to focus on Kawakami's growth.

But after glancing at Sawamura, he decided to give this opportunity to Sawamura instead.

"You're ready, aren't you?"

"Always ready!" Sawamura replied with confidence.

---

By the end of the fifth inning, Seidou High scored another four runs, bringing the score to 21–0.

The game concluded as a five-inning mercy rule victory.

"Seidou High School defeats public school Maimon West with a score of 21–0 after five innings. Seidou wins!"

This commanding performance not only solidified Seidou's dominance but also left spectators in awe of their terrifying offensive and defensive strength.

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