Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

The game began with Narumiya from the New Tokyo team shutting down the batters of the semi-professional team, the Tokyo University, with a quick 3-up, 3-down inning.

He even managed to strike out the very capable Tetsuya Yuuki.

In an instant, the New Tokyo team's momentum soared to its peak.

However, the opponents did not sit idly by, waiting to be beaten; they quickly counterattacked.

On the surface, Fumei Tsuyoi, who seemed to not take this temporary team seriously, showed a completely different attitude once the game began.

He was full of energy, and his pitching was extraordinary.

With Harada cooperating with him, they effortlessly played around with the New Tokyo team's star players.

Two Strikeouts and a Shutout.

The game situation shifted dramatically.

"Really impressive!"

Narumiya, too, couldn't blame his teammates now. He knew Harada's abilities too well.

Considering the experience they had with each other, it was indeed not easy for them to perform at this moment.

"We were once on the same team, so there is nothing we can do as Masa-san knows our information very well. But what about you where did all that King's bravado go?"

Not blaming his teammates didn't mean he couldn't tease the others.

For example, now he had approached Miyuki.

"At least I'm the only one who made contact with the ball. Is it really okay for you to say that about me?"

Miyuki wasn't someone to hold back; he immediately countered with a sharp retort.

The two of them had a heated exchange, while nearby, Shirakawa and Carlos had their heads hung even lower.

It was embarrassing. Although they knew their Senpai and the rookie king of the professional league had teamed up, it was still tough to handle.

But they had never imagined they'd be so thoroughly targeted.

It seemed the person who stabbed them in the back was none other than their own.

Such a knife in the back was truly cruel and ruthless, with no mercy whatsoever.

Both of them glared at their Senpai with resentment, silently vowing to get their dignity back.

Harada from the opposite side remained unbothered.

If he were to be intimidated by his Kohais, then he should just quit being a Pro player.

If the others had any thoughts, they were free to bring them forward.

He truly didn't care.

"Let me see if you guys have been slacking off lately."

The game reached the top of the second inning, and now it was Tokyo University's turn to attack.

The first batter to step into the Batter's Box was Fumei.

He stood there with composure, and on the surface, he didn't seem to regard Narumiya, the pitcher on the mound, as a threat at all.

'Wow, this is infuriating!'

Narumiya, standing on the mound, felt his blood boiling.

These young players, who had bet their entire three years of high school, or even their future baseball careers, on this game, were they really so easy to deal with?

'Don't be so full of yourself!'

He wound up and threw the pitch!

WHRROOSH!

The small baseball flew like a sharp white light, instantly entering the strike zone.

Such a sharp pitch, normally, anyone who faced it would have a hard time maintaining a calm expression.

But strangely, the batter in the box didn't show any signs of panic.

Fumei's expression was as calm as ever, showing no reaction, as though he didn't even take the pitch seriously.

SNAP!

The baseball landed in Inui's Mitt.

Inui's face showed some confusion.

If he wasn't mistaken, the batter seemed to be preparing to swing but then stopped.

What was the point of letting a good pitch go by?

He couldn't figure it out and kept wondering.

'Again!'

He had no time to think further.

Didn't he see the pitcher on the mound, eager to throw the next pitch?

Inui passed the ball, planning to observe the next pitch.

WHRROOSH!

Narumiya quickly threw his second pitch.

Meanwhile, Harada, who had worked with Narumiya for a long time, felt a flash of concern.

'He is rushing things!'

Before, he didn't know Narumiya could be this impatient.

This would be a fatal flaw in professional baseball, but in high school baseball, it didn't seem to be as much of a problem.

So, he had never noticed how 'reckless' Narumiya could be.

A fast-pitch rhythm could actually be an advantage in high school baseball.

Much like the combination of Sawamura and Miyuki, every time the two worked together, their rhythm was so fast that the opponent couldn't catch the timing, making it impossible for them to think or react quickly.

This tactic was usually quite effective.

Most excellent high school pitchers were of a similar style.

In high school baseball, this had become a norm, and no one questioned its effectiveness.

Even Harada, back in high school, never thought there was a problem with it. He had even helped Narumiya improve his rhythm.

But now, with his half-year experience in professional baseball, Harada knew very well that this seemingly perfect rhythm didn't work in the professional league.

Just like now.

Facing Narumiya's sharp pitch, Fumei remained calm.

It seemed he had already anticipated what kind of pitch Narumiya would throw, so he took a step forward and swung the bat.

Paak!

The small baseball was hit and flew out.

Sawamura, positioned at second base, desperately sprinted toward the ball's landing spot.

But unfortunately, even though he leaped as close as he could, he didn't manage to touch the ball.

He could only watch helplessly as the ball soared away.

Then, he stared at Fumei in the Batter's Box with a complex expression.

Fumei's actions now felt familiar and nostalgic to Sawamura.

However, it seemed that Narumiya wasn't feeling good about this.

When he thought his rhythm was smooth and his pitching was flawless, the ball was hit out just like that. Of course, he couldn't feel good about it.

But this was the reality.

The rules that worked in high school didn't necessarily apply to professional baseball.

However, these subtle differences were hard for most people to notice. Only someone like Fumei, who understood these details and knew how to use them flexibly, could.

This piqued Sawamura's interest.

His strength was even greater than Sawamura had imagined.

To become an un-crowned king in the professional league...

He truly wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

Winning the Rookie of the Year in his first season and becoming the un-crowned king in his second.

Now, his strength was on the rise, and to defeat such an opponent, even Sawamura would need to give his all.

"Dammit!!!"

Fumei dashed to second base, and Narumiya was furious.

He had never liked the opponent, but now, being overpowered by him, Narumiya's pride couldn't handle it.

'And how did he know my pitching course?'

This left Narumiya baffled.

Even if Harada had 'betrayed' him, how could the opponent have reacted so quickly?

With no Outs and a runner on second base, Narumiya couldn't think any longer, as Harada, the fifth batter, stepped into the Batter's Box.

The two had been the best of partners in high school, working together for nearly two years.

Now, facing each other as opponents, it was a truly satisfying scene.

At least to Sawamura and Miyuki, it was quite enjoyable to see them fight against each other.

"This is intense!"

"Your thoughts are pretty wicked. They were partners, and now they're going at each other."

Miyuki looked a little sad and pretended to wipe his eyes, feigning tears.

"You're practically laughing out loud, yet you still dare to say that about me."

The two of them were relaxed, but the players from Inashiro's baseball team didn't share their mindset.

Their faces were more serious than ever.

On the mound, Narumiya was full of determination.

He first tried to keep an eye on the runner at second, then glanced at Harada at the plate.

In the crucial moment, he threw the pitch.

WHRROOSH!

The small baseball sped toward Harada like a streak of light.

Realistically speaking, Narumiya's response during this process was flawless.

He truly deserved his title as one of the top pitchers in the country.

At this moment, his strength was on full display.

Any professional scout would have a hard time finding fault with him.

But the problem lay right there.

His performance was so perfect because Narumiya had done everything right in practice.

Practice makes perfect.

Without countless repetitions, how could he execute such a smooth motion?

But from another perspective, Harada, who had partnered with him for two years, must have found this scene incredibly familiar.

The answer was clear.

Every movement Narumiya made, Harada had already simulated countless times in his mind.

And now, seeing it in person, he was even more aware of every angle and variation of the pitch.

With confidence, Harada swung his bat.

Paak!

The bat made solid contact with the ball, sending it flying out.

The only surprising part for Harada was the increased velocity and strength of Narumiya's pitch.

The ball was faster and more powerful than before.

'After some time apart, this little guy's skills had truly improved.'

The ball that Harada had hoped would be a home run eventually landed in the outfield.

It didn't quite meet Harada's expectations, but it wasn't a bad result either.

The ball landed, and the runner on second base raced home, scoring one point.

The score was now 1:0.

Tokyo University team led the game.

Narumiya on the mound was fuming.

He had considered this kind of situation before.

In fact, he had thought about it more than once.

But he had believed that his improvement should have exceeded Harada's expectations.

What he didn't expect was that it wasn't just him who had improved.

Since entering professional baseball, Harada's abilities have grown significantly as well.

"Truly impressive, Masa-san!" Narumiya couldn't help but admit.

Professionals' strength had been fully demonstrated at this moment.

Tokyo's pride, Narumiya, one of the top pitchers in the country, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with Sawamura, had allowed a run in the second inning.

This was a significant blow to the newly formed Tokyo team.

And it seemed the shock wasn't over yet.

With no outs and a runner on first base, the sixth batter for Tokyo University stepped up.

Though not a professional player, he was the Cleaner of the university's team.

A super strong hitter.

His power was not to be underestimated.

…

T/N: As always, Thank you all for reading!!

See you Tomorrow!

Until then, take care!

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