Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 163: Brutal, Absolutely Brutal!

The starting catcher of the Akikawa High School baseball team felt his heart pounding heavily in his chest.

The rhythm was stronger than ever before!

Even though the score wasn't far apart on the field, they were currently trailing by just one run.

From the score alone, Akikawa's players still had a chance to turn things around.

In baseball, seizing a good opportunity to score several runs at once isn't uncommon.

But that's just theory.

Deep down, the Akikawa players knew this was nothing more than wishful thinking.

And no one understood this better than their catcher.

Even so, in that brief moment, the catcher's heart wavered.

He saw ambition burning in his pitcher's eyes.

Their opponent was none other than Seidou High School, a national powerhouse.

Not long ago, this team had just won the Kanto Tournament championship.

Their momentum was unmatched, and there was hardly a team that could compete with them.

They were incredibly strong.

The more Akikawa's catcher played against them, the more deeply he felt their overwhelming strength.

Honestly, if it were up to him alone, he'd have considered giving up the match entirely.

This wasn't because he was weak or cowardly,

but because their opponent was so strong it defied understanding.

Against such a team, no matter how hard they tried on the field, the chances of victory were practically nonexistent.

The players of Akikawa High weren't fools.

They wouldn't give up their hopes of winning so easily.

After careful thought, they came to a realistic conclusion.

They set themselves a simpler, more achievable goal:

to secure a base hit and score one run.

As for what would come after, they decided to tackle that step when they got there.

Like a billionaire whose first goal was to earn a billion dollars, ordinary people must start smaller—maybe saving 100, then 1,000, 10,000, or more.

Each step completed makes the next goal more attainable.

On the flip side, if the first step can't be achieved,

then the rest of the goals are nothing more than castles in the sky.

People must face reality and see it for what it is.

The players of Akikawa High understood this better than anyone.

But they also knew these goals were set in the absence of any hope of victory.

What if they had a real chance to win?

Would they still settle for this plan?

The answer was a resounding no.

Take You Shunshin, for example. He knew full well how formidable their opponent was, to a degree that was almost unimaginable.

But so what?

He still stood firm, determined to face this powerful opponent head-on.

"All we can do is give it our full support!"

"Go for it! If we can get this guy out, we'll have a shot at winning."

"If you still believe in us, then consider us your strongest backing..."

At this moment, the Akikawa High team seemed entirely different.

They were united, resolute in their determination to bring down their opponent.

Meanwhile, in Seidou's dugout, their teammates were practically scratching their heads in frustration.

As the champions of the Kanto Tournament, the players of Seidou High School's baseball team had faced all kinds of opponents during their journey.

They had thought that, given their mindset, no opponent could truly surprise them anymore.

On the contrary, they believed they might even instill deep despair in their adversaries on the field.

That was until they encountered Akikawa High School's baseball team.

To be honest, apart from their ace, this team didn't have any particularly outstanding players.

While Akikawa's overall strength was decent, it wasn't enough to trouble the players of Seidou High School.

At most, it just slowed the pace of the game.

But even that wasn't something the Seidou players couldn't handle.

They had faced opponents of varying strengths.

Although Akikawa wasn't a well-known team, their performance on the field showed that their overall capability wasn't weak.

A slower, steadier game wasn't a problem for Seidou.

In fact, it allowed them to better control the pace and rhythm of the game.

To the Seidou players, this wasn't a significant issue, though it might test the patience of both players and fans.

However, it was clear that Akikawa had no intention of following the script Seidou had envisioned.

Their fighting spirit was incredibly high!

Even when facing Yuuki, Seidou's captain, Akikawa dared to challenge him head-on.

Instinctively, Seidou's players turned their attention to their coach.

Coach Kataoka was remarkable, as always.

Earlier, he had given the command for the team to face Akikawa's ace, You Shunshin, head-on and crush him completely.

Unexpectedly, Akikawa made the exact same move.

"Well, there's nothing more to say—let's give it our all!"

"Captain!"

The players of Seidou High School were immediately fired up.

Their energy was palpable, as if they were ready to storm onto the field themselves.

The players of Akikawa couldn't help but feel they had fallen into a trap.

"Could this be exactly what they wanted?"

The catcher of Akikawa High furrowed his brows.

Looking at their ace on the mound, there was no doubt in his mind.

This was precisely what Seidou had been aiming for.

Three innings had passed, and Seidou High had only scored one run.

Their players were clearly itching to break through.

"If we can shut them down in this situation, it'll truly crush their arrogance and disrupt their overall momentum. That's the only way we'll have a chance to turn the game around."

You Shunshin, ever the precision machine, knew full well the risks of his approach.

But he still chose to take the gamble.

In his eyes, Akikawa was undoubtedly the underdog in this match.

To beat a stronger opponent, risk was inevitable.

"Let's see what the pride of West Tokyo's Big Three sluggers is all about!"

Standing on the mound, You Shunshin faced Yuuki, who had stepped into the batter's box, without the slightest hesitation.

With a determined stance, he unleashed his pitch.

"Boom!"

The ball traveled with impressive speed, but Yuuki's swing was even faster—so fast it was almost unstoppable.

As the bat swung through the air, the white baseball seemed like a lone boat drifting on the ocean, instantly tossed into the air by a towering wave.

"Ping!"

All eyes were locked on the soaring baseball as it flew through the sky.

It wasn't until the ball hit the ground and bounced that the call came:

"Foul ball!"

It was a foul.

Despite the immense power behind Yuuki's swing, which left everyone in awe, the spectators couldn't help but furrow their brows at the result.

Something felt off.

If the opponent had been anyone else, Seidou's players and supporters wouldn't have been too concerned.

But their opponent was none other than You Shunshin, and everyone had already witnessed his impeccable control.

"It looks like he's written his own script!"

"Now it's a matter of whether You Shunshin's directing skills prevail or if Yuuki's batting power comes out on top."

The game was at a stalemate.

Seidou's players, naturally, were fully behind their captain.

But the situation didn't look promising.

Yuuki soon hit another foul ball, bringing the count to two strikes and one ball. He was cornered.

Faced with such a disadvantage, while Seidou's supporters and players desperately hoped Yuuki could turn the tide, they knew it wasn't going to be easy.

If You Shunshin were so easy to handle, Akikawa's team wouldn't have made it this far.

And they certainly wouldn't have been able to put up such a fight against Seidou.

As the tension grew and Seidou's players began to worry for their captain, the final showdown between Yuuki and You Shunshin commenced.

You Shunshin was brimming with confidence, every pitch going exactly as planned in his mental script.

For the final pitch, he was determined to take down Seidou's cleanup hitter.

"Whoosh!"

The white baseball zipped toward the edge of the strike zone.

Yuuki, gripping his bat tightly, locked onto the ball, found his timing, and swung decisively.

"Boom!"

The bat sliced through the air, producing a thunderous sound that left Akikawa's catcher momentarily stunned.

"What… How is this possible?"

He felt like Seidou's captain had increased his swing speed even further.

Yuuki's earlier swings were already astonishing, but now he had taken it to a whole new level.

What kind of monster was this?

"Ping!"

The baseball was sent flying, tracing a beautiful arc through the sky, landing in the outfield, and bouncing further away.

For a moment, Akikawa's fielders seemed frozen, as if turned to stone.

They didn't move a muscle.

It wasn't until the ball hit the ground and bounced again that they snapped out of their daze, springing back to life.

"Safe!"

But by that time, it was too late.

Yuuki dashed all the way to second base in one breath.

No outs, runner on second.

In the stands, Seidou High's die-hard supporters were all smiles.

Some had just been worrying unnecessarily, nervously sweating for Yuuki moments ago.

From their perspective, they had thought Seidou's captain was in trouble.

What a joke!

Their excitement hadn't even subsided yet when Seidou's second batter stepped up to the plate.

"Ugah! Ugah!"

It was Masuko.

Many of Seidou's supporters in the stands, along with the neutral spectators, didn't believe Masuko could hit the ball.

Compared to Seidou's other players, Masuko appeared far too clumsy!

No matter how they looked at it, he didn't seem like someone who could handle You Shunshin.

Yet, against all expectations, Masuko didn't hesitate for a moment against You Shunshin's pitch.

He decisively swung and made contact.

"Ping!"

And he hit it!

The white baseball soared into the air, drawing a beautiful arc before landing in the outfield.

"Another hit?"

The explosive scene left even Seidou's own players stunned.

As for those in the stands who had doubted Masuko, they were completely dumbfounded.

"He actually hit it? How is that possible?"

Many couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Of course, there were those who understood the situation immediately, like Fujio, the senior reporter for Baseball Kingdom magazine.

"Although Akikawa's ace pitcher is remarkably mature for a high schooler, that last hit shattered his rhythm and composure."

"Hmm?"

Akiko, who was overly concerned about her bespectacled senior, didn't quite grasp his point.

"It's simple. You hasn't fully recovered from the previous confrontation, and now he's being thrown into another one!"

"So, Seidou caught him off guard?"

"Exactly. But credit must go to Seidou for seizing that fleeting opportunity so effectively."

Fujio nodded in admiration.

The chance was fleeting.

If Masuko had let the first pitch go, he likely wouldn't have had another opportunity to hit You's pitch so cleanly.

It might have seemed lucky, but Masuko capitalized on that sliver of a chance.

Not only did he seize it, but he also followed through with a powerful hit.

This small detail showcased just how rigorous Seidou High's training truly was.

"Even though Akikawa High has played well so far, the gap in strength between the two teams is becoming increasingly evident…"

No matter how well Akikawa's players performed, some things couldn't be changed—such as the disparity in overall skill.

With the recent outfield hit, Yuuki managed to make it back to home plate, extending the score to 2-0.

For Akikawa, a 2-0 deficit was already a heavy burden.

But Seidou's offense wasn't done yet.

Next up to bat was Miyuki Kazuya.

With no outs and a runner on second, Miyuki delivered a perfectly timed hit.

Although the ball didn't travel far, it landed in an ideal spot, allowing Masuko to return home before the ball could even be thrown back.

"Three consecutive hits!"

"This is brutal!"

"To be fair, Akikawa's ace isn't bad at all!"

"His control is top-notch, and there aren't many pitchers nationwide who can match it."

"It's just unfortunate for him to face Seidou!"

Seidou's clean sequence of three hits secured another two runs, pushing the score to 3-0.

Even at this point, Seidou's offense showed no signs of stopping.

"Batting seventh, pitcher, No. 1—Furuya Satoru!"

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