Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 188: The Moment of Reckoning!

The players of Seidou High School's baseball team were left stunned in the dugout.

They thought they knew Sawamura well enough.

His outstanding performances on the field no longer surprised them.

For example, when he struck out three first-year players from Yakushi High School in a row, no one was particularly shocked.

Although his unique traits didn't quite measure up to those of Furuya, everyone agreed that he was still a rare talent.

As long as he was in good form, delivering great performances, it wasn't unexpected for him to work miracles on the field.

The team had experienced moments like this with Sawamura more than once before, so they were accustomed to staying composed.

But this time was different.

It wasn't that Sawamura was performing exceptionally better than before.

What truly surprised the team was his steady and consistent play on the mound.

Even though the opposing batters weren't particularly strong, Sawamura's performance left everyone in awe.

The way he dealt with the batters was smooth and natural, without any hiccups—almost as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

This completely shattered the team's understanding of Sawamura.

"Is this first-year Sawamura really this reliable?"

Many second- and third-year players, though reluctant, couldn't help but glance at another senior pitcher on the team—Tanba.

If this kind of performance is what's expected from an excellent pitcher, then what does that make their previous ace?

The older players on the team, especially the third-years, had always firmly believed that Tanba was the ideal ace for Seidou High School's baseball team.

Sure, Furuya was exceptional.

If not for this rookie pitcher's sudden rise, who knows how much trouble Seidou High might have faced?

But even so, many held fast to the belief that if not for Tanba's injury, he would still be the team's undisputed ace.

For them, there was no other choice.

However, after witnessing Sawamura's performance, some of these steadfast supporters of Tanba began to waver, questioning their previous judgment.

"Was that really the case?"

Tanba had been off the mound as the team's ace for quite some time now. So much so that when people thought about him, their minds were filled with memories of his standout pitching and performances.

For the longest time, the greatest regret was that the aces from the first and third years couldn't share the mound and work in tandem.

If they could, the team's potential would have been even more astonishing.

But just now, as everyone reminisced about their games with Tanba, a question arose:

"Did we ever feel this sense of reassurance back then?"

If they were honest with themselves, the answer was a clear no.

Back then, Seidou High's baseball team had often been criticized, and their biggest flaw was the lack of reliability from their pitchers.

No matter how many runs the team's batters scored, there was always a lingering sense of unease.

It always felt as though they would lose runs at any moment, as if the opponents could catch up in the blink of an eye.

This constant pressure heavily restricted the players' performances, making them timid and hesitant on the field.

It wasn't until the arrival of Furuya that things began to change.

With this bona fide "monster ace" on their team, Seidou High's baseball players no longer had to worry about the problems that once plagued them.

They could tackle any challenge.

Their defense was impenetrable, ensuring that opponents couldn't score more than necessary.

This was something that only Furuya had been able to accomplish before.

The reason a first-year like him had gained so much popularity and respect within the team was directly tied to this fact.

His pitching ability was extraordinary, and his contributions on the field were monumental.

Because of that, the way the players looked at him naturally changed.

Competitive sports are like this: strength reigns supreme.

A player with skill earns respect the moment they step onto the field.

It was true for Furuya before, and now, it was just as true for Sawamura.

When Sawamura first took the mound, the Seidou players would always hold their breath, nervous for him.

Although he occasionally performed brilliantly, he was, in a way, similar to Tanba—whenever he pitched, everyone couldn't help but feel a little on edge.

They were always worried something unexpected might happen.

But now, it seemed those fears were unwarranted.

The young pitcher's performance exceeded all expectations.

He seemed unstoppable, dismantling opponents with ease, as if it were second nature.

And most importantly, he exuded a newfound reliability.

"This guy… he's completely leveled up!"

"Do you remember when he first joined the team? He messed up and got punished by the coach. Who would've thought he'd shine so brightly on the field so soon?"

The Seidou players were filled with amazement.

Sawamura and Furuya, the team's two first-year pitchers, had taken completely different paths.

When Furuya joined, he was a prodigy everyone had their eyes on—a natural-born star.

His performances on the field captivated everyone from the very beginning.

Sawamura, on the other hand, didn't even make it onto the third-string team when he first joined.

He was punished by the coach and made to run laps.

Yet, in just a few months, this boy who had once been excluded from the team had transformed completely.

Chris, who was jotting down notes with a pen, couldn't help but smile as he watched his pupil's outstanding performance.

When it came to understanding his student, no one knew him better than Chris.

"Furuya's presence is precisely why Sawamura has been giving 120% effort," he remarked.

Hearing this, the Seidou players couldn't help but be curious.

They widened their eyes and stared at Chris, clearly eager for more explanation.

Chris didn't shy away but instead shared his thoughts directly.

"You probably haven't noticed, but those two first-years are constantly competing with each other."

It was through this ongoing rivalry that Sawamura had undergone such remarkable growth.

Likewise, ever since joining Seidou, Furuya's performances on the field had never faltered.

If not for someone like Sawamura pushing him from behind, Furuya's progress might not have been this rapid either.

"Fate putting the two of them on the same team is both cruel and a blessing for them," Chris concluded.

Miyuki chuckled and added, "The heavens must have been feeling mischievous that day."

The rest of Seidou High's baseball team didn't exactly agree with that sentiment.

"How can putting two players like that on the same team be considered a blessing?"

"Both of them have the talent to be an ace, yet one of them has to settle for being a supporting player."

"If they were already playing professionally, then yes, it would feel like a curse. But this is high school, and they're still in a stage of growth. Isn't this an incredible stroke of luck for both of them?"

Hearing his players' discussions, Coach Kataoka stood quietly at the front, maintaining his usual composed demeanor.

He didn't involve himself in their debate.

Kataoka understood that only players with a mature mindset would engage in such thoughtful discussions about baseball.

As their coach, he felt immense pride in his team.

As for whether having these two young talents on the same team was a blessing or not?

Even Coach Kataoka couldn't provide a definitive answer to that question.

All he could do was give both players as many opportunities as possible on the field, ensuring their talents wouldn't go to waste.

The game continued, and it was Seidou's turn to attack.

Up next were their core hitters: the third, fourth, and fifth batters.

No matter how extraordinary Yakushi High's ace pitcher had been performing, when it came to these three, Seidou's loyal fans in the stands and the players in the dugout were filled with anticipation.

However, their hopes did not translate into reality.

In their second showdown, logic dictated that Seidou's batters should have a better grasp of Sanada's pitching rhythm.

They had already analyzed his style and devised strategies to counter him.

Yet, the actual situation was far from what they expected.

Seidou's batters had indeed grown familiar with Sanada's rhythm and identified effective ways to counter him.

They had done everything they could, and they executed their plans exceptionally well.

If Sanada had continued pitching the way he had before, Seidou's core hitters would have undoubtedly taught him a lesson, showing him just how intimidating a top-tier national powerhouse like Seidou could be.

But unfortunately for them, that wasn't what happened.

Just as Seidou's core batters were about to unleash their counterattack, they were stunned to discover that their opponent had seemingly transformed.

And not just a little.

Sanada's finishing pitch had turned into a cutter, supplemented by bullet pitches and fastballs.

His overall pitching style and rhythm had undergone a complete overhaul.

It felt as if they were facing an entirely different pitcher.

Even their experienced senior, "Little Mustache," struggled against him during their duel.

Though he barely managed to make contact, the ball didn't travel far.

It landed directly in the first baseman's glove.

"Out!"

Next up was Yuuki, who managed to hit a beautiful shot.

But luck didn't seem to be on his side this time.

The white baseball flew just over the opponent's outfielder's head, only to be caught by their leaping grab.

"Pop!"

Another out.

With two outs, Masuko, breathing heavily, stepped into the batter's box.

Compared to the previous two batters, his presence was undeniably stronger.

Considering his unparalleled power at the plate, the chances of him hitting the ball far out were incredibly high.

However, just as the Seidou High baseball team's players were starting to entertain thoughts of a breakthrough, reality came crashing down once more.

Ping!

The ball soared high but didn't travel far.

So much so that the Yakushi High second baseman didn't even break a sweat catching it easily in his glove.

Seidou's three core batters were swiftly retired, one after the other.

Three up, three down.

Standing at the front of the dugout, Coach Kataoka frowned slightly.

He had been hesitating up until now, but at this moment, he made up his mind.

It was time to adjust the batting order.

The game continued, and it was Yakushi High's turn to bat.

Unnoticed by most, the game had already progressed to the top of the sixth inning.

Once again, Sawamura stepped onto the pitcher's mound.

Compared to his first two appearances, this time Sawamura was met with overwhelming support.

The die-hard Seidou fans in the stands even began chanting his name.

"Sawamura!"

"Let's go!"

"You're the best!"

The deafening cheers made it feel as though a superstar was on the field.

Previously, only players like Furuya and Yuuki Tetsuya received such treatment in the Seidou team.

Among the players, there had often been private debates about who might become the team's next star player.

Back then, there had been many guesses.

Some thought it might be the demon-like Ryousuke Kominato, the unpredictable Jun Isashiki, or even the quietly outstanding Miyuki Kazuya.

But to everyone's surprise, it turned out to be Eijun Sawamura.

Even though he was still technically a backup pitcher for Seidou High, the love and support he had earned from the fans and his teammates had already reached levels comparable to the ace.

And Sawamura didn't let them down.

He kept throwing pitch after pitch with precision.

His delivery, where the release point was completely obscured, combined with his unpredictable breaking balls, left the Yakushi batters struggling.

But that wasn't all.

Sawamura had also mastered pitching to the inside corner and developed a pure four-seam fastball.

These tools were already exceptional, but with Miyuki's guidance, Yakushi High's batters were quickly left floundering.

In just moments, Sawamura and his team had secured three outs.

Though Yakushi's ace, Sanada, managed to do the same and retire three batters as well, neither team scored in the fifth or sixth innings.

The game progressed into the top of the seventh inning, with the score still standing at 6-0.

The seventh inning marked a critical juncture in the match.

The Seidou High top-order hitters were now due to bat.

If Yakushi High failed to change the game in the top half of the seventh inning, Seidou High only needed to score one more run in the bottom half to secure an early victory.

Simply put, the match was now at its decisive moment.

In Yakushi High's dugout, Coach Raizou called all his players together.

"Do you see this? We've been pushed to the edge of a cliff!"

"If Seidou scores just one more run, we'll be knocked out early!"

"What do you think about that?"

The players remained silent, their faces grim.

Raizou suddenly broke into a grin.

"We're at the brink of despair. Don't you want to fight back with everything you've got?"

"Yes!"

Fired up by their coach's words, Yakushi High's players suddenly looked like they'd been injected with adrenaline.

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