Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 162: The Versatile Furuya!

"Seidou hasn't switched pitchers?"

Among the spectators, many had already guessed the strategy Coach Kataoka was employing.

For them, it wasn't particularly difficult to deduce.

Given Furuya's pitching style, it was clear he couldn't stay on the mound for extended periods.

As long as Seidou High's coach wasn't out of his mind, he would definitely plan to use a pitcher rotation strategy.

Even if there weren't ideal replacements, they would find a way.

However, Seidou wasn't lacking capable pitchers.

Although Tanba was injured, he hadn't been removed from the team.

Instead, he had been given a new jersey number and was ready to take the field at any moment to fight for Seidou.

Keeping Tanba in the team wasn't just for appearances; the plan was to have him back on the mound eventually.

Not to mention Kawakami, a second-year, and Eijun, a first-year.

Both had delivered impressive performances on the mound.

Simply put, with these players available, Seidou didn't lack options for pitcher substitutions.

Yet, despite this, by the fourth inning, Coach Kataoka still kept Furuya on the mound.

"Did Akikawa High's players really push Seidou this far?"

Seidou not making a substitution clearly wasn't because they didn't want to.

It was because they believed they couldn't afford to.

Under what circumstances would Seidou's coach make such a decision?

"If a pitcher substitution is made, the team might face trouble—or even lose…"

"Coach Kataoka must be thinking this, which is why he keeps his ace on the mound to fight."

As this topic was discussed, spectators couldn't help but focus their gazes on You Shunshin, Akikawa High's ace.

While the other players of Akikawa High were putting in commendable effort,

it was obvious that their overall skill level wasn't particularly high.

This wasn't an exaggeration—it was simply the truth.

Most of Akikawa High's players were clearly less skilled, especially compared to their opponents.

Yet, despite this, many spectators believed Akikawa High still had a fighting chance.

And the reason boiled down to one individual—Akikawa's ace, You Shunshin!

"After three innings, the score remains 1-0! Seidou's players must be feeling frustrated, but there's no helping it—this is the reality!"

Though harsh, Seidou's players and supporters had no choice but to accept it.

It was at this moment that Akikawa's players, who had been on the back foot, suddenly regained their spirit.

Their ace's performance was extraordinary!

Seeing it with their own eyes, their hearts naturally filled with renewed determination.

"We've fought hard to get here, just like anyone else. For the team and for You Shunshin, we have to give it our all."

"Get a hit, then a run. If we can tie the game, we might turn it around if we keep up this rhythm!"

Akikawa High's players were different from Seidou's previous opponents.

Even with the game in this state, they firmly believed they still had a chance.

Though the odds were slim, it didn't stop them from trying.

"What's with these guys? Are they as stubborn as their ace? Do they seriously think they can turn the game around?"

From the back of the stands, Isashiki Jun muttered irritably, his trademark stubble framing his annoyed expression.

Meanwhile, Miyuki, crouching in the catcher's position, unconsciously furrowed his brows.

The score remained 1-0.

Akikawa's ace pitcher had indeed been impressive.

But no matter what, if Akikawa High's players were still capable of rational thinking, they should have realized they didn't stand a chance.

Up to this point, while Seidou's ace had shown a dazzling performance on the mound, truthfully speaking, Furuya hadn't even gone all out yet.

Except for facing You Shunshin, where Furuya got slightly serious, dealing with the other Akikawa High batters was effortless for him.

He casually threw a few pitches and shut them down.

At his current pitching pace, Furuya could easily pitch all nine innings of the game.

As long as he didn't falter himself, given Akikawa's batting lineup, even with Lady Luck fully on their side, they might manage one or two hits at most.

But scoring? That was virtually impossible.

This meant that, despite the close score, the outcome of the game was already decided.

Yet, the players of Akikawa High refused to accept such a fate.

Their fighting spirit was high, each of them giving their all, determined to take something from Seidou.

"The tougher these dark horse teams are, the harder they are to deal with. Let's give them a taste of reality…"

No matter the circumstances, Akikawa's players seemed intent on fighting to the last moment.

Seeing this, Miyuki decided not to overthink.

He gave Furuya a clear signal: a throat-slashing gesture.

Let loose.

The batter from Akikawa High, now stepping up to the plate, had no idea Seidou's catcher had made up his mind.

He raised his bat high, his posture resolute, as if to say, no matter what, he would never back down.

"Bring it on. I'll hit this ball no matter what. I won't let three years of hard work end in regret here…"

The batter's determination was palpable.

Even the spectators noticed it.

"Impressive!"

"Who would've thought Akikawa's players had such backbone?"

Just as the crowd murmured in admiration, Furuya moved on the mound.

He wound up fully, and the ball shot out of his hand.

"Boom!"

The white ball whistled through the air.

This wasn't the Akikawa batter's first encounter with Furuya.

When he stepped back into the batter's box, he thought things might be different this time.

His eyes had gradually adapted to Furuya's pitches.

Coupled with the team's prior practice, they figured that, even by sheer luck, they'd manage to make contact a few times.

And the more contact they made, the higher the chances of a hit.

With more hits, runs would come…

Facing Seidou and a pitcher like Furuya, the Akikawa players had a clear strategy:

Take it one step at a time, steadily build their advantage.

Only by executing each step perfectly could they hope to taste victory.

But while their ideas were ambitious, reality was harsh.

When this batter faced Furuya for the second time, he managed not to collapse on the spot.

But the outcome wasn't much different.

As the baseball flew past him, Akikawa High's leadoff batter stood frozen, as if turned to stone.

He didn't even consider swinging his bat.

"Strike!"

Since the batter didn't move, the pitch naturally counted as a strike.

In Akikawa's dugout, the players were dumbfounded.

They couldn't understand what had happened to their teammate.

Why would he remain motionless in the batter's box at such a critical moment?

"Shunshin?"

In situations like this, most teams would look to their coach for guidance.

But Akikawa's players were different; when faced with a crisis, their first thought was to turn to their ace, You Shunshin.

"He must've been intimidated," You Shunshin said with a bitter smile.

The batter now standing in the box was known in Akikawa High for his fearless nature.

Before their game against Seidou, he had been the loudest voice in the team, boasting confidently.

From any perspective, he wasn't the type to be scared.

Yet, here he was—paralyzed by fear, standing like a statue.

"This guy's pitches have become even scarier!"

"Only 152 km/h?"

One Akikawa player muttered, stunned by his own words.

Since when had a terrifying speed of 152 km/h been considered "only"?

Looking across the entire country, how many high school players could even reach such speeds?

Adding to that, Furuya's control—though not as pinpoint accurate as You Shunshin's—was still more than sufficient to hit the strike zone and even target its corners.

Under such circumstances, hitting a monster like him became even harder.

"The score is 1-0, and he's the one who secured that run earlier. Now, his pitching is making it feel utterly hopeless!"

"Too strong!"

"This guy is way too versatile!!"

"He's just a first-year rookie, but he feels more intimidating than most veterans."

"If he didn't have this level of ability, how could a top-tier powerhouse like Seidou trust him as their ace?"

The spectators buzzed with discussion.

But Furuya, standing on the mound, paid no attention to their chatter.

He wound up once again, throwing the ball with all his might.

"Boom!"

At that moment, he seemed like a cold, emotionless executioner.

Each pitch he threw landed as a strike.

Even as Akikawa's leadoff batter gradually recovered from his petrified state and gritted his teeth to swing the bat, the final result didn't change.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Strike!!"

"Strikeout!!!"

"Strikeout!!!!!"

"Three outs, switch sides!!!"

At a lightning-fast pace, Furuya struck out three batters in a row!

The high spirits Akikawa High had just moments ago were instantly crushed.

"Too strong!"

"Seidou High's ace is utterly flawless!"

"The next game is against Ichidaisan. Aren't they worried about saving his stamina?"

"What's there to save? Judging by this pace, the opponent probably won't last much longer. Besides, Furuya didn't even pitch in the last game. This is a good warm-up for him!"

"The outcome is already decided. Now it's just a matter of seeing how long Akikawa's players can hold on under such dire circumstances."

The fans were chatting and laughing, especially Seidou's die-hard supporters, who were over the moon.

Watching their team perform so dominantly on the field filled them with boundless energy.

Meanwhile, in Seidou's dugout, Furuya's teammates were also full of praise for his performance.

Initially, some of the third-years had held back their reactions, out of consideration for Tanba's situation.

But at this point, all reservations were gone.

Smiles spread across everyone's faces, genuine and unstoppable.

"Although we've completely suppressed the opponent with our defense, we can't win this game with defense alone. It's time to take action!"

After Coach Kataoka made this statement, his eyes fell on Yuuki.

If there was anyone in the team Kataoka trusted the most, it wasn't the freshly promoted Furuya.

Though Furuya's performance had been instrumental so far, Yuuki still held the coach's utmost confidence.

"Understood."

Yuuki's voice wasn't loud, but every Seidou player could feel the shift in his demeanor.

Their captain was serious.

The atmosphere among the players ignited instantly.

"Alright!"

"Let's finish this in one go!"

The players' fighting spirit soared.

"It's time to show these guys what Seidou High is really capable of!"

Yuuki was the first to step into the batter's box.

When Seidou's supporters saw their captain at the plate, their excitement reached a fever pitch.

"Captain!!"

"He's finally stepping up!"

Even though Yuuki's previous at-bat had ended in an out, the Seidou supporters' faith in him remained unshaken.

Akikawa High's battery also realized the gravity of the situation.

Their catcher turned to You Shunshin, saying, "This guy's strength is unfathomable. Should we just intentionally walk him?"

To them, walking a strong opponent wasn't shameful—it was a smart move.

But You Shunshin decisively shook his head.

"We don't have that luxury right now!"

"Hmm?"

"If we avoid the confrontation, their morale will skyrocket, and we'll lose our chance completely!"

You Shunshin paused for a moment before continuing.

"On the other hand, if we manage to take him down, the situation will turn entirely in our favor!"

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