Diamond No Ace: The Monster

As the baseball soared through the air and bounced in the outfield, chaos erupted.

Akikawa High School's players scrambled in desperation, with their outfielders sprinting to retrieve the ball.

You Shunshin, who had stood tall and proud on the pitcher's mound moments ago, now looked utterly drained of energy. He collapsed to the ground, defeated.

"The ball hits the ground! It's a score! Another score!!"

Not only did Masuko make it back to home plate, but even Miyuki crossed safely as well.

Seidou High School added two more runs, bringing the score to 10-0.

Initially, everyone thought that while the outcome of this game was already decided, Akikawa High School's performance was by no means poor.

Their ace, You Shunshin, even gave the impression that he still had the strength to fight back. Lasting until the seventh inning at least seemed entirely possible, even if they couldn't push the game to nine innings.

However, the harsh reality hit like a slap in the face.

What does it mean to collapse like a crumbling dam? What does it mean for an army to scatter like falling mountains?

Now, they truly understood.

When Akikawa's players realized there was no hope of turning the game around, their performance—including You Shunshin's—fell apart completely compared to earlier.

The difference was only in degree—some faltered more than others—but none were exempt.

This is human nature.

"You-kun, this is too cruel!!"

In the stands, Akiko, a reporter from Baseball Kingdom, was on the verge of tears.

From her perspective, Akikawa High School's ace, You Shunshin, was entirely let down by his teammates.

How could someone who performed so well lose after just five innings?

"How is this even possible?"

Fujio adjusted his cap and summarized in a low voice, "There were some coincidences in this game, but the final score doesn't reflect the true difference between these two teams."

The game was over.

The umpire's voice echoed across the field.

"The match between Seidou High School and Akikawa High School ends after five innings. Seidou High School wins with a score of 10-0, ending the game early."

Judging by the final score alone, it seemed as if Akikawa High School had been utterly crushed, unable to put up any resistance against the Kanto champions.

However, anyone who actually watched the game wouldn't see it that way.

To be fair, Akikawa's players performed well, and the gap between the two teams wasn't that wide.

If it weren't for one person...

Fujio seemed to realize something and shifted his gaze to Furuya.

As Seidou High School's ace, Furuya's contributions were already significant.

But in today's game, his performance on the field was nothing short of spectacular.

"If there's an MVP for today's game, it has to be Furuya!"

"What?"

Akiko still looked confused, unable to grasp the full picture.

"In baseball, it's not uncommon for a pitcher to throw a complete game without allowing a single hit. Such a performance is called a no-hitter."

"For Furuya-kun, this shouldn't be anything new, right?"

Though her senior made it sound grand, when she thought about it carefully, Furuya's past performances for Seidou High School rarely allowed batters to make contact with the ball.

"You don't understand!" Fujio shook his head.

"While it's true that Furuya's pitching has been untouchable in the past, he never pitched an entire game from start to finish without substitutions. Today was different. He pitched all nine innings, struck out 13 batters, and induced two groundouts. That level of performance deserves immense praise."

"Not only that, he stepped up to bat three times..."

Before Fujio could finish, Akiko interjected eagerly, "I know this part! He scored five runs all by himself!"

Furuya seemed almost superhuman today.

He didn't play in Seidou's previous game, and it looked like that decision had deeply motivated him.

Today, he was unstoppable, as if nothing could stand in his way.

"You still don't get it!" Fujio continued. "I'm saying he batted three times and landed a hit every single time! Sure, other batters have achieved similar results before..."

For experienced power hitters with enough at-bats, such a performance might not seem extraordinary.

Akiko, however, didn't seem impressed, her innocent eyes waiting for further explanation.

Fujio glanced at her and sighed, shaking his head.

"Don't you see? A complete-game shutout combined with a perfect batting record—no one in the history of high school baseball has ever done that."

Furuya of Seidou High School achieved it.

And not only did he achieve it, but he did so with style.

Even if some didn't realize the significance of his performance at first, Akiko finally understood.

Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at her senior.

"Are you saying... are you saying...?"

Fujio nodded.

"That's right. He's that kind of player. Writing this story will surely grab even more attention than last year's article!"

As a seasoned reporter for Baseball Kingdom, Fujio was well-acquainted with Seidou High School.

Just last year, he wrote a feature on one of Seidou's players, which was a massive success.

The article boosted the magazine's sales by 20% and even earned recognition from professional baseball scouts for its insightful analysis.

This time, Fujio was confident that the impact of this story would surpass last year's.

"Senior, that's amazing!"

Though Fujio wasn't much to look at—short, with ordinary features—his professional skills and insight were undeniable.

However, despite his plain appearance, when he analyzed baseball, he seemed to radiate an almost otherworldly brilliance.

Akiko was no naive girl experiencing her first crush.

Yet, even she couldn't help but be captivated by her senior's insight and expertise.

This was the undeniable power of talent.

...

"The game is over, and advancing to the quarterfinals is Seidou High School!"

Although the journey to advancement had a few minor bumps, the outcome was undoubtedly a positive one.

Seidou High School's baseball team clinched the game and secured their spot in the quarterfinals.

After the match, the team immediately turned to the stands to thank their supporters.

"Thank you for coming to watch our game!!"

The fans in the stands, watching the Seidou players bowing deeply to them, felt a mix of emotions.

For Seidou's most loyal supporters, who could have known how long they had waited for this moment?

Finally, it felt like the clouds had parted, and the light of the moon had broken through.

Seidou High School's struggles seemed to be over.

"You're the best!"

"Next up is Ichidaisan High!"

"Even if I have to take time off, I'll be there to cheer you on!!"

"Keep it up…"

"Furuya-kun, thank you so much for choosing Seidou!!"

For many die-hard Seidou fans, this was a sentiment they had been hesitant to openly admit before.

But now, they no longer avoided or denied it.

They were genuinely grateful that Furuya had chosen Seidou.

Although Seidou's third-year players had performed exceptionally this year and could have formed a strong team without Furuya, the fans on the stands understood something deeper.

That version of Seidou might have performed well on the field, but could they have claimed the Kanto Tournament championship?

Could they have so easily defeated Akikawa?

The answer was clearly no.

With Furuya, the entire Seidou High School baseball team had been transformed.

They had become something extraordinary.

...

"Thank you so much!!!"

Furuya's sharp ears caught the fan's words, even though they were far away.

Hearing them moved him deeply.

The fans' eyes were discerning.

They had witnessed every moment of his performance on the field, and this recognition felt incredible.

It validated all his hard work, knowing that someone had noticed and appreciated it.

After thanking the audience, Seidou's players stood together with Akikawa's players and bowed to one another.

"Thank you for the game!"

"Thank you for the game!!!"

For the third-year players of Akikawa High School's baseball team, today marked their final game in high school.

After losing the match, Furuya had expected them to break down in tears.

It would have been completely understandable—after all, every summer tournament grants the losing team the right to cry their hearts out.

Seidou's players had already witnessed similar scenes twice before.

However, to their surprise, the Akikawa players didn't cry.

Instead, their faces were blank, a mix of numbness and relief.

"We were completely outmatched."

"Losing this badly leaves no room for illusions."

"Other than feeling sorry for You-kun, we really have no regrets."

Despite the overall weakness of the Akikawa team, their ability to discern talent was sharp.

After the game, they fully realized the vast gap between themselves and Seidou High School.

It wasn't just a small difference—it was an unbridgeable chasm.

Under such circumstances, they had no complaints about losing.

Their only lingering regret was letting down their ace, You Shunshin.

During the post-game handshake, Akikawa players gripped Furuya's hand tightly, as though meeting an idol.

Some even asked for his autograph.

"Don't embarrass Akikawa! We may have lost, but we lost to Seidou, and we made it to the top 16!"

For Akikawa's players, reaching the top 16 was already a significant achievement, something to be proud of.

It wasn't like Seidou, where losing at this stage—especially to an underdog—would result in endless criticism for an entire year, if not longer.

Different standings, different expectations, and naturally, different pressures.

"You don't get it! This guy is a future superstar! Getting his autograph…"

Hearing this explanation, the eyes of Akikawa's other players lit up.

While they acknowledged the strength of Seidou's other players, they were skeptical about their chances of making it big in professional baseball, let alone becoming superstars.

But Furuya Satoru?

That was a different story.

Akikawa's players truly believed he had the potential.

Although tempted, they restrained themselves from outright chasing Furuya for autographs.

For both teams, this was just a small episode.

Furuya didn't pay it much attention.

The future was uncertain, and he couldn't predict what lay ahead.

But one thing Furuya knew for sure—baseball was too much fun to give up.

Though he couldn't play forever, he resolved to enjoy the game to its fullest, at least until he was 35.

He wanted to savor the joy baseball brought him, the thrill it provided, and everything else that came with it.

That was when You Shunshin stepped forward to face him.

"How did you predict my pitch?"

You Shunshin was puzzled.

After witnessing the true strength of Seidou High School, You had come to terms with the fact that defeating them was nothing more than a pipe dream.

It simply wasn't possible.

However, if not for Furuya, their team wouldn't have been defeated so thoroughly.

Against the rest of Seidou's lineup, Akikawa might have at least made it to the seventh or even the ninth inning.

The score certainly wouldn't have been a lopsided 10-0.

What frustrated You Shunshin the most, though, was Furuya's first two at-bats.

He and his teammates had carefully crafted a strategy, laying a trap they were certain Furuya would fall into.

But not only did Furuya avoid the trap, he turned the tables on Akikawa.

Hearing You Shunshin's question, Furuya showed a faint smile, tinged with irony.

"If I said I guessed, would you believe me?"

"I believe you," You Shunshin replied, much to Furuya's surprise.

Furuya looked up at the boy in disbelief.

You Shunshin's face remained calm and composed. "Let's play together someday, if we get the chance."

"Cool!"

Furuya didn't reject You Shunshin's suggestion.

He was confident that someday in the future, they would meet again on the baseball field.

"Don't leave just yet," said You Shunshin. "Next is the game between Ichidaisan and Yakushi. The result might be a foregone conclusion, but this is a perfect scouting opportunity—it'd be a shame to miss it."

"A foregone conclusion?"

Hearing those four words, Furuya's lips curved into a faint, icy smile.

---------------

If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Shu_21