Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 174: An Impressive Pitch

In the dugout of Yakushi High School's baseball team, the players were left speechless.

They watched, wide-eyed, as one of their core power hitters, Akiba, regained his composure after a brief moment of panic.

They had to admit— their coach really had a knack for this.

Not only had he managed to shape his eccentric son into a capable player, but even the two players he had personally trained were outstanding.

Facing an extraordinary pitcher like Furuya, Akiba adjusted after just two pitches, regaining his confidence and rhythm.

Initially, the Yakushi players hoped that once Akiba steadied himself, he could follow their coach's instructions and make contact with the ball.

If he could drive the ball and secure a hit, that would be even better.

However, by this point, the players no longer dared to dream of such an ideal outcome.

They understood all too well that competing against a "monster" like Furuya required the right mindset. If they lost focus, they'd regret it later.

Thus, they knew they couldn't rush.

They needed to strategize and find a way to gradually break down their opponent.

While their expectations had lowered, it didn't mean they had no hope.

They still expected Akiba, as one of their key hitters, to at least make contact with the ball.

This was crucial for Yakushi High School.

If Akiba could manage even that, it would prove that the coach's secret advice was effective.

While Furuya was undeniably strong, he wasn't invincible.

However, harsh reality dealt them a severe blow.

Not only did Akiba fail to make contact, but by the time his bat swung, the ball had already zipped through the strike zone and landed firmly in Miyuki's glove.

Akiba ultimately struck out.

The Yakushi players were left in utter shock.

"That was Akiba!"

"One of the coach's top picks, and he couldn't even touch the ball?"

This outcome was hard for the Yakushi team to accept.

Their eyes remained wide open in disbelief for a long time, unable to snap out of it.

"Come on, the guy's a first-year phenom—a freshman already being treated as an ace for a powerhouse team. Of course, he's got talent!"

Mishima, who had already suited up for his turn at bat, adjusted his helmet and gripped his bat tightly.

"A few mistakes don't matter. As long as we can hit the ball in the end, that's all that counts!"

Mishima's words carried an inspiring confidence, as if he was radiating light.

Even Sanada and their coach were caught off guard by his demeanor.

No one knew Mishima better than the two of them.

In the past, all they saw was Mishima's love for attention.

They never expected him to possess such insight.

He was practically captain material.

"What's gotten into this guy?"

Raizou scratched the back of his head, his face full of bewilderment.

Before Raizou could finish puzzling over it, Mishima, who had just delivered his grand speech, immediately reverted to his true self.

"Don't forget, this genius is still here! Raichi making mistakes doesn't matter, and it's fine if Akiba can't hit the ball. Watch me step up and teach that guy a lesson!"

With his head held high, Mishima swaggered confidently into the batter's box.

His lips curled into a menacing grin, revealing his teeth.

"As long as I take down that guy, I'll be the best hitter on our team!!"

His overwhelming confidence made it seem as though he'd already hit the ball.

Squatting behind home plate, Miyuki glanced at the opponent before him with a thoughtful expression.

"This guy's got to be insane, right?"

It was the first time Miyuki had encountered a batter with this much confidence when facing Furuya.

The player was either genuinely talented or had water in his brain.

Miyuki leaned heavily toward the latter.

After all, the guy looked every bit like someone whose brain was waterlogged.

"Don't let his craziness fool you. His hitting power is no joke—stay sharp."

Seidou High School's baseball team had studied Yakushi's games thoroughly, both through videos and in-person observation.

This Mishima guy had left a strong impression on the Seidou players.

Even though Miyuki now thought the guy was mentally questionable, he wouldn't underestimate the threat he posed.

Seeing Miyuki's signal, Furuya gave a barely noticeable nod.

Aside from Raichi, the biggest threat on Yakushi's team was likely this pudgy batter standing before him.

"I'll give it everything I've got!"

That was Furuya's thought, and he acted on it.

He took a full wind-up and hurled the baseball forward.

Boom!

The white ball pierced through the air with a deafening roar.

In the batter's box, Mishima's lips trembled uncontrollably.

Like Akiba before him, Mishima only realized after stepping up to bat just how terrifying Furuya truly was.

"This is impossible! How can anyone pitch like this?"

This was nothing like what they'd seen during practice.

While the pitch speed was similar, the sheer force behind it and the threat it posed to the batter were on a completely different level.

After experiencing this pitch firsthand, all of Mishima's previous doubts were erased.

Until now, he had always been puzzled by one thing:

Why would a national powerhouse like Seidou High School, champions of the Kanto Tournament, entrust the critical ace position to Furuya?

Sure, Furuya was undeniably strong, but he was still a first-year rookie.

Even for a coach who valued talent, wouldn't it make sense to consider the team's balance and atmosphere?

Now, Mishima understood.

There were no hidden tricks or complicated reasoning—just raw, overwhelming skill.

No matter what doubts the third-year elites of Seidou High School's baseball team might have had in their hearts, when faced with the terrifying pitching prowess of Furuya, they could only accept it with admiration and submission.

For the senior players, pride was, of course, incredibly important.

However, if holding onto pride meant jeopardizing their chance to reach Koshien, even a dark horse team like Yakushi High School would put pride aside.

Let alone Seidou High School.

Despite being a national powerhouse and the champions of the Kanto Tournament, they hadn't made it to Koshien in several years.

Although their title as a top-tier team hadn't been stripped away, the humiliation they endured was undeniable.

Their determination to make it to Koshien, shared by the entire team and every player, was stronger than anyone else's.

"Having an ace who can lead them to Koshien—Seidou's players probably laugh in their dreams about it. Why would they care if he's just a first-year rookie?"

"In the end, it all comes down to strength on the field!"

After analyzing this reality, Mishima didn't seem discouraged.

On the contrary, his momentum only grew stronger.

He was determined to hit the ball!

He wouldn't let the first pitch go by.

The audacity!

Without having seen Furuya's pitching firsthand, Mishima swung at the very first pitch.

Miyuki's expression shifted.

This seemingly foolish, scatterbrained guy had managed to find his timing and rhythm on the first pitch?

That was highly unusual!

It meant Mishima hadn't been idle while waiting in the dugout.

He'd likely been calculating his swing timing long before stepping into the batter's box.

And his positioning was remarkably precise.

If…

Just as Miyuki entertained this thought, the white baseball suddenly dropped.

The overly confident Mishima swung and missed entirely.

His bat flew out of his hands but hit nothing.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

Thunderous cheers erupted from Seidou's dugout.

Meanwhile, over in Yakushi's dugout, Coach Raizou's face was as dark as a thundercloud, so grim it seemed like water might drip from it.

"Using a forkball on the very first pitch?"

He had originally thought that Furuya's "magic pitch" was a secret weapon meant exclusively to deal with their team's beloved fool, Raichi.

As for the other players on Yakushi High School's team, he believed Furuya wouldn't have any reason to use his decisive pitch against them.

But now, it seemed they had been too presumptuous.

While Furuya's abilities were undoubtedly extraordinary, he didn't underestimate Yakushi's players just because of his own talent.

Quite the opposite.

He showed Yakushi's players immense respect.

Even when facing someone as seemingly foolish as Mishima, he gave it his all.

"This just got a lot trickier!"

Raizou, usually one to enjoy the game with boundless optimism, could no longer muster a smile.

On the other hand, Mishima, standing in the batter's box, had a gleam of determination in his eyes.

"A ball that suddenly drops? Starting with your decisive pitch right away?"

He shouted his questions loudly, addressing both Furuya on the mound and Miyuki crouched behind the plate.

"So, you've realized just how much of a threat this genius is, haven't you? Why don't you just surrender already…"

Mishima boasted shamelessly.

"No chatting allowed!"

Before Seidou's players could respond, the umpire cut him off, unable to tolerate Mishima's antics any longer.

Trash-talking your opponents wasn't acceptable on the baseball field.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself!"

Mishima chuckled and apologized, seemingly unbothered by any loss of face.

In Seidou's dugout, the players seethed with frustration.

It was clear to them that Mishima was being deliberately provocative, but they had no way to prove it.

While the team fumed, Furuya remained calm as he prepared for his second pitch.

This time, Mishima swung with everything he had.

But even as his bat sliced through the air, the white baseball seemed to take its sweet time arriving.

A changeup?

For someone like Mishima, who prided himself on being a genius, this pitch shook his confidence to the core.

What was going on with Seidou's players?

He had taunted them so openly—how were they not even a little angry?

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

The batter was now in a tough spot.

As Miyuki caught the ball, a brilliant smile spread across his face.

"You thought we'd lose our cool? Do you even know who we are? We're Seidou!"

As a national powerhouse and champions of the Kanto Tournament, they had faced every kind of opponent imaginable.

Before the start of the summer tournament, they'd even taken on the "Cosmic Team."

Mishima's childish tricks? Not a chance they'd fall for them.

"One more pitch!"

It was more than a statement—it was a declaration.

"Boom!!"

The white baseball roared toward the plate.

This was the fastball Mishima had been waiting for, the one he believed he could hit.

However, just as he prepared to swing, flashes of the forkball and changeup kept playing in his mind.

Furuya's pitches were all variations of fastballs, which meant that just by observing his pitching motion, it was impossible to tell what type of pitch was coming.

Gritting his teeth, Mishima swung his bat.

But his moment of hesitation cost him—his bat came through a fraction too late.

The ball zipped through the strike zone and landed cleanly in Miyuki's open glove.

"Oh, you guessed right this time!" Miyuki's tone was filled with mock regret. "Too bad you didn't hit it!"

"Strike!"

"Strikeout!"

"Three outs! Change sides!"

As the result was announced, Seidou High School's dugout and their supporters in the stands erupted in wild celebration.

Words couldn't capture the sheer excitement surging through them.

Unlike their previous opponents, even the players on Seidou's bench and their loyal fans in the stands could clearly feel the strength of their competition.

Especially those three first-year players from Yakushi.

Apart from Akiba, the other two had managed to keep up with Furuya's pitch speed.

Even Akiba had been just a hair's breadth away.

Three hitters of this caliber gathered on the same team—it was enough to give anyone a headache just thinking about it.

Yet, Seidou's ace calmly dispatched all three.

Though the process wasn't without its struggles, the end result was the same:

Three consecutive strikeouts.

An awe-inspiring start.

The much-hyped "super dark horse" Yakushi failed to make any significant threat against Seidou.

"Amazing!"

"You're the best!"

Even though the score remained 0–0 and Seidou hadn't yet had their turn at bat, their dominance was already evident.

Considering Yakushi's mediocre defensive abilities, even with their strong offense, the rest of the game seemed destined to be one-sided.

"Bottom of the first, Seidou High School at bat!"

"Leading off, No. 6, shortstop, Kuramochi!"

As the bottom of the first inning began, Seidou's players were raring to go.

Their determination to score was written all over their faces.

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