Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 298: The Devil King's First Appearance in the Finals

"Hit by pitch!"

At the most critical moment, Kumo, overwhelmed by emotions, lost control over his pitch.

Following a home run, he ended up sending another batter to first base with a pitch that hit the batter.

With one run lost, one out, and a runner on first, Seidou High School found themselves with another excellent opportunity to extend their lead—a moment they had been eagerly awaiting.

As Masuko grimaced slightly while jogging toward first base, the crowd, silent for a brief moment, erupted into a noisy discussion.

"No way, a hit-by-pitch in this situation?"

"Well, he's still a kid after all. Staying calm after giving up a home run isn't easy."

"But with this, Seidou's lineup is back in rhythm."

"Could the game be decided here?"

"It's a shame for the pitcher, really."

"Looks like the pressure is getting to him—the finals stage and that home run must have taken a toll."

The spectators in the stands shook their heads and sighed.

To them, a hit-by-pitch in this situation was nothing short of disastrous.

If Seidou managed to follow up with more hits or runs, this game could very well be decided in this inning.

In the dugout, Nitta, the coach of Komadai Fujimaki, shook his head briefly before stepping out decisively.

His not-so-tall figure emerged from the dugout, his right hand raised slightly.

On the mound, Kumo's face turned pale, his pupils revealing his unwillingness.

He bit his lip so hard that traces of blood began to seep through. He knew he was about to be replaced because of that pitch, yet he could do nothing to change it. It was a mistake of his own making.

On the field, Komafai Fujimaki's players—Nishi, Iguchi, Kanemoto, and others—were equally stunned.

This was only the sixth inning. Kumo, who had taken the mound in the fourth inning according to their tactical plan, was supposed to pitch until at least the seventh or eighth inning.

But now…

The commotion in the Komadai Fujimaki dugout stirred up some murmurs among the audience.

Moments later, the spectators realized what was happening—Komadai was about to change their strategy.

This switch, however, came with both risks and opportunities. It all depended on who could seize the moment.

At that very moment, in Seidou High's dugout, Eijun leaned against the fence. His pupils shrank sharply the instant a figure emerged from the bullpen and ran back to Komadai's dugout, stopping in front of Coach Nitta. The figure bore the number "18" on his back.

"Masamune Hongou…"

A sharp glint flashed across Eijun's eyes as he lowered his gaze and murmured the name of the opponent who, in his previous life, had appeared out of nowhere—a foe of a devil king's caliber.

The northern prodigy. A generational ace with a monstrous arm—Masamune Hongou.

"The Komadai Fujimaki team announces a substitution. Replacing Kumo as pitcher is Masamune Hongou. Pitcher, Hongou."

His steps were steady, his demeanor indifferent, and his eyes exuded an icy chill devoid of any warmth.

Masamune Hongou.

A pitcher transcending his era, known as the prodigy.

His first appearance on the grand stage of the finals against Seidou High School was a moment Eijun swore he would never forget for the rest of his life.

That commanding presence, as if looking down from the heavens…

Even from the pitcher's mound, Eijun could feel the oppressive aura emanating from him—a prideful ace who saw himself as second to none.

"Don't let your guard down, Miyuki-senpai."

Gripping his bat, Eijun stepped into the on-deck circle, his eyes locked onto the figure of Miyuki standing in the batter's box.

In his mind, Chris quietly thought to himself, "I didn't expect them to send in a first-year pitcher at this point." He glanced toward Hongou and spoke softly.

Coach Kataoka, with his hands still behind his back, showed no visible change in his expression.

At this stage of the game, both teams had revealed their trump cards.

The decision to send a first-year pitcher instead of a second-year one indicated only one thing—absolute trust in this pitcher's ability to save the team in a moment of crisis.

On the field, in the batter's box, Miyuki casually held his bat, gazing at Hongou on the mound. Hongou calmly accepted the ball from Kumo with a composed demeanor.

"A fastball around 151 km/h and a deciding pitch that seems to be a sharp forkball—he's practically a mirror of Furuya. However, based on the videos from earlier games, his control is surprisingly sharp, even better than Sawamura's. Well then, let's see what his first pitch looks like," Miyuki mused, lightly twirling his bat while observing Hongou with a playful glint in his eyes.

From behind the mound, catcher Kanemoto spoke to Hongou, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. "I didn't expect the coach to choose you. But now that you're on, you need to follow my calls strictly. Hongou, I'm not Renji."

It wasn't that Kanemoto doubted Hongou's abilities.

As the team's main catcher, he was familiar with the skills of all four core pitchers.

Although he didn't particularly like Hongou's personality, he acknowledged his talent.

Still, as a third-year senior, Kanemoto felt it necessary to give Hongou a word of caution.

The game had already begun to slip out of their control—there was no room for recklessness.

Hongou simply nodded slightly, his face expressionless, without offering any response.

Kanemoto gave him a deep look before returning to home plate. He donned his mask and assumed a standard catching stance.

"!!!"

With everyone in their positions, the umpire scanned the field and bellowed, his voice echoing like thunder across the stadium.

"Play ball!"

The sound that followed resembled a thunderclap.

"Boom!"

Like lightning flashing across the sky.

"Whoosh!"

The instant the umpire signaled for play, a piercing roar filled the air.

On the mound, Hongou, with his body intentionally lowered, unleashed a dazzling pitch—a beam of light streaking through the air.

It charged forward.

Before Miyuki could react, the ball had already roared its way into the strike zone.

"Bang!"

A sharp, resonant sound echoed through the field.

"Strike!" the umpire declared loudly.

Miyuki's playful expression vanished completely as he stared at Hongou, whose face remained calm and composed. For the first time, Miyuki's expression turned serious.

In his debut, the Devil King's first pitch overwhelmed Miyuki with a pressure he hadn't experienced before, fully showcasing the power of the northern prodigy, Hongou.

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