Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 164: Furuya's Home Run Blast!

No outs, runner on first base!

"Batting seventh, number one, pitcher, Furuya!"

Furuya's name echoed from the stadium speakers.

In the stands, Seidou's supporters remained as enthusiastic as ever.

Even though the ace of Akikawa High's baseball team seemed to have regained his pitching rhythm, so what?

Didn't Yuuki just step up and smash the ball despite that?

That alone was enough to prove one thing:

Akikawa wasn't as invincible as they had imagined.

In fact, Seidou's players only seemed to grow stronger in critical moments, displaying skills that left spectators in awe.

"Now, this is what true refinement looks like!"

"Akikawa's ace might be good, but compared to them, he's way out of his league!"

The fans buzzed with excitement.

"Furuya only joined the team a few months ago, right?"

Naturally, some skeptical voices were mixed in.

For the other Seidou players, their performance made sense—they had trained with this national powerhouse for a long time.

But could a first-year rookie like Furuya really match up to his seniors?

That doubt lingered in many minds.

"Do you know why you don't have any friends?"

A companion who had come along shook their head and asked.

"Why?"

"Because you always say something unpleasant just when everyone's excited! Who would want to hang out with someone who loves ruining the mood?"

The concern raised by that one fan wasn't unknown to the others.

As diehard Seidou supporters, they were probably more aware of the issue than anyone.

But they kept silent—they didn't want to kill the vibe.

Unfortunately, some people just couldn't help but be a buzzkill.

Doubtful voices weren't confined to just one area; they could be heard all over the stadium.

These people thought they were being rational.

In reality, they were simply overthinking.

Back on the field, Akikawa's pitcher, You Shunshin, still had his gaze fixed on Miyuki.

He had already managed to recover from his earlier struggles.

You Shunshin was known for his composure.

But then again, he had the misfortune of facing Yuuki.

That devastating swing left an unforgettable impression on him.

So much so that when Yuuki hit the ball, You Shunshin hadn't even fully processed what had happened.

That momentary lapse had allowed Seidou's fifth batter to seize the opportunity.

Now, however, he was back to his usual form.

In this situation, Furuya faced off against Akikawa's ace, You Shunshin, yet still managed to get a hit during his last at-bat.

"This guy is truly troublesome! It's as if he predicted exactly where I'd throw the ball."

Even after the duel ended, You Shunshin couldn't shake the shock of facing such a formidable opponent.

"Don't get careless now. We can't let this kid get another hit."

"Give it everything you've got—get him out!"

The cheers from Akikawa's dugout rang out loud and clear.

It was evident that even Akikawa's players were wary of Furuya, who now stood in the batter's box.

And You Shunshin knew it well—Seidou's first run had come under Furuya's lead.

That one-run deficit was why Akikawa's players were so desperate to turn the tide and claim victory.

"The score is 3-0, and the opponent's strength is no joke," You Shunshin thought to himself.

Despite the mounting pressure, a smirk crept onto his face.

This was what made the game so thrilling.

Though the odds of a comeback were slim, the sheer joy of competing in such a fierce match kept You Shunshin motivated.

"This is what makes baseball fun!"

Facing Furuya, who had previously hit his pitch, You Shunshin didn't hold back at all.

He set his stance and cleanly delivered a sharp pitch.

From first base, Miyuki gasped, "That's fast!"

As the game progressed, Seidou's primary catcher had come to understand his opponent better and better.

From Miyuki's perspective, You Shunshin's talent was undeniable.

Not only did he possess extraordinary pitching skills, but he also knew how to maximize them to their fullest potential.

This combination made him an almost unbeatable force.

It was precisely this strength that had kept Seidou's players from scoring for so long earlier in the game.

Now facing Furuya for the second time, You Shunshin seemed determined to finish things quickly.

Given Furuya's batting style, a slow or hesitant pitch could give him an opening, and even the slightest contact might send the ball flying into the outfield.

Miyuki had anticipated this approach, but even he couldn't help but marvel at You Shunshin's speed and precision.

The ball zipped out of his hand, heading straight for the strike zone before Furuya could react.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

Standing in the batter's box, Furuya was now down one strike.

He widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Does this guy know what I'm thinking?"

Though it seemed implausible, Furuya couldn't think of another explanation for You Shunshin's sudden shift in pitching rhythm.

During Miyuki's earlier at-bat, he had successfully predicted You Shunshin's strategy, which allowed him to hit the crucial pitch for a timely single.

Furuya had planned to follow Miyuki's lead, using a similar approach to get his own hit.

But things weren't going as he had expected.

You Shunshin had deliberately changed his rhythm, leaving Furuya no chance to anticipate his pitches.

It had looked effortless when Miyuki saw through You Shunshin's pitching strategy, but achieving that level of insight wasn't nearly as simple as it seemed.

When Furuya stood in the batter's box, he couldn't predict You Shunshin's next pitch like Miyuki could.

"Phew…"

He exhaled deeply and raised his bat high.

If he couldn't predict or see through the pitch… then he decided to stop overthinking.

Instead, he would trust his instincts completely for this at-bat.

Furuya knew full well how unreliable such an approach was.

If he continued this way, he would undoubtedly face harsh lessons in professional baseball in the future.

But for now, he had no better option.

In this situation, his only goal was to make contact and keep the offense alive.

Seidou was leading by three runs, and the game seemed firmly in their control.

But Furuya understood that their lead wasn't invincible.

Having played baseball for years, his ability to read the flow of the game—while not as sharp as Chris or Miyuki—was still solid.

He recognized that this was a critical juncture in the match.

If he could hit the ball and extend the lead, it would all work out.

But if he were struck out, Seidou's hard-earned advantage might slip away, and Akikawa could seize the opportunity to turn the tide.

The Akikawa team was relentless and dangerous.

Giving them more chances to drag out the game wouldn't bode well for Seidou.

Compared to other top-tier teams, Seidou had already spent far too much time dealing with Akikawa.

They couldn't afford to delay any longer.

As Furuya steeled himself, the white ball came flying toward him once more.

Whoosh!

This time Furuya locked onto the ball and swung decisively.

However, his bat cut through the air with nothing but a louder-than-usual swoosh, failing to make any contact at all.

The crowd watched as the baseball landed cleanly in the catcher's glove.

Pop!

"Strike!"

Two strikes in a row.

Furuya was now cornered.

It was hard to believe that this was the same player who had been instrumental in scoring Seidou's first run.

In Seidou's dugout, his teammates were quietly discussing the situation.

"Does anyone else feel like Furuya isn't in good form today?"

The players knew exactly what the problem was.

They could feel it—their team's momentum, and Furuya's performance, weren't as sharp as they should be.

Even though they had scored two quick runs earlier, it didn't feel like they had the game locked down.

"It's not just a feeling. And it's not that Furuya's form has worsened," Chris, their analyst, said in a hoarse voice.

"It's that our opponents have gotten stronger."

"Gotten stronger?"

This outcome was something the team hadn't expected, and it left them visibly unsettled.

In their previous impression, the opponent's performance on the field varied only between being in good form or bad form.

Could a player actually improve during the course of a single game?

While they couldn't understand it, Chris was absolutely certain:

You Shunshin had gotten stronger!

He likely had no prior experience playing against a national powerhouse like Seidou, which explained why he was unfamiliar with this level of play.

But now, as he faced off against Seidou's lineup, he seemed to have grasped what it meant to compete against one of the country's top teams and players.

With this newfound understanding, he absorbed knowledge like a sponge.

While the changes weren't obvious in the early innings, by now, his pitching style had noticeably evolved.

Though subtle, even the slightest improvement in a player of You Shunshin's caliber could make him an even more fearsome presence on the field.

"Furuya is completely being overpowered," Chris noted.

Hearing this, the Seidou players in the dugout felt a wave of discomfort.

They had already sensed the shift, but seeing Furuya suppressed like this still left them uneasy—a feeling so strong it made them want to jump onto the field and fight for him.

As they contemplated this, You Shunshin prepared to deliver his decisive pitch.

"This ends here, monster rookie!"

You Shunshin knew exactly how Furuya had managed to hit his pitch before, and this time, he wasn't going to give him any opportunity.

Whoosh!

The white baseball zipped toward the plate, faster than before.

At first glance, the pitch seemed to be heading outside the strike zone.

"A ball?"

Throwing a ball after two strikes was a standard tactic for a pitcher and catcher.

However, to everyone's surprise, the ball curved back into the strike zone just before crossing the plate.

The umpire's eyes widened, astonished by the precision. If not for his eye sockets holding them in place, his eyeballs might have popped out.

"This man's control is terrifying!"

From his perspective, the umpire could already see the inevitable—a scene where Furuya was struck out.

The thought of such a grim outcome almost made the umpire hesitate to watch.

But just as this thought crossed his mind, Furuya suddenly moved.

Without any prior indication, his bat swung into action!

The bat's motion sliced through the air with a sharp, low whooshing sound, a sound so intense it seemed to shatter the mental resolve of Akikawa's catcher.

"What?!"

The catcher was stunned.

From his view, this was an obvious ball, and Furuya's usually sharp eye for pitches shouldn't have gone for it.

They had tested this before—Furuya wasn't supposed to swing at such pitches.

And yet, he did!

Not only that, but his swing carried a sense of absolute determination.

The bat cut through the air and connected perfectly with the ball.

"No way!"

Initially surprised by Furuya's swing, the catcher was now in complete disbelief.

How could Furuya possibly hit that pitch?

But he did.

Under the stunned gazes of everyone watching, the white baseball soared into the sky.

Even Furuya himself was shocked.

"Again?"

The first time he faced You Shunshin, he had relied on pure instinct to swing and miraculously hit the ball.

This was their second matchup, and even Furuya had thought his previous success was mostly luck.

But here he was, trusting his instincts again—and hitting the ball again.

How could he describe this feeling?

It was nothing short of incredible.

It felt as though his body, in addition to his terrifying pitching talent, harbored untapped potential waiting to be unleashed.

The baseball continued its flight, soaring all the way to the outfield stands.

Smack!

"It's out! It's out of here!"

"A home run!!"

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