Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 137: Furuya Satoru's Home Run!

The game continues!

Seidou High School's first-year players are showcasing exceptional performances, catching the Osaka Kiryuu High baseball team off guard.

One after another, they step up to the plate, sending balls flying. Yet, one by one, they're either caught out or thrown out... The entire sequence flows seamlessly.

"I can't even see the release point. The ball just comes flying out of nowhere!"

Even after returning to their dugout, the players from the opposing team, nicknamed the "Cosmic Team," still looked dazed and confused.

They simply couldn't figure it out—what's up with these first-year players from Seidou High?

Why are their pitches so unfathomable when they take the mound?

Coach Matsumoto's face was twisted like a demon crawling out of hell, as menacing as it could get.

"I don't care how flexible that guy's arm is! I don't care how rare his quirky pitching style is! If you can't deal with Furuya, fine. But if you can't handle these other guys, you might as well go home, grab a bucket of water, and drown yourselves!"

Matsumoto's words were blunt and unforgiving.

The Osaka Kiryuu players hung their heads in shame, offering no retort.

They knew they had no excuse.

As their coach said, no matter how extraordinary Seidou High's players might seem on the field, they shouldn't falter, much less back down.

They must stand tall and showcase the spirit of the Osaka Kiryuu.

As members of this team, they must have the resolve to overcome any opponent.

"Don't worry, Coach! As long as they can't score, the final victory will definitely be ours!"

The team's ace, Tachi, shared the same fierce expression as their coach.

When these two "demonic" faces clashed, it wasn't just Seidou's fans in the stands who shivered—it was even their own players who felt chills down their spines.

"With a coach and ace like this, we really look like the villains," the starting catcher for the Osaka Kiryuu joked bitterly.

Although their offense hadn't been very effective so far, their defense, especially their ace's pitching, had been solid.

As long as they could maintain that, the catcher remained confident they could turn the tide.

Seidou High's next batter was Masuko, their fifth hitter.

The third-year player exuded an overwhelming sense of aggression the moment he stepped up to the plate.

His heavy breathing, massive frame, and the imposing way he held the bat behind him...

It felt as though if his bat so much as touched the ball, he could send it flying with all his might.

Simply put, Masuko was not someone to be trifled with.

But the Osaka Kiryuu's ace and catcher were incredibly experienced.

While most people would find Masuko a headache to deal with, they didn't.

In fact, they handled him with ease.

It wasn't surprising, really.

Anyone deemed a worthy opponent by this top-tier pitcher-catcher duo had to be exceptionally skilled.

Most of their opponents were the core players of powerhouse teams.

Naturally, this meant they'd frequently face similar challenges.

Knowing how to deal with them, how to secure outs against them...

The ace-catcher pair from Osaka Kiryuu High had mastered these tactics.

And indeed, they demonstrated it.

They tricked Masuko into swinging at two bad pitches, which ended up going foul.

Then, with a decisive final pitch, they struck him out.

Masuko gritted his teeth and swung with all his might, but his bat missed entirely.

Crack!

"Strike!"

"You're out!"

Just like that, one of Seidou High's key players was retired.

Seidou's bench and their diehard fans around the stadium were left stunned.

"The second round of key batters is over?"

"And we got nothing!!"

Even though everyone knew that Seidou High's players weren't at their best and couldn't display their full potential, the result was still hard to accept.

No matter how well Sawamura performed on the field, he ultimately wasn't Furuya, and he couldn't provide the same sense of security.

"Is it hopeless?"

"No, there's still Miyuki..."

If the most eye-catching rookie for Seidou High this year was the monster Furuya, then last year's standout was undoubtedly Miyuki, who seamlessly replaced Chris and excelled as the team's main catcher.

Both the diehard fans surrounding the field and the players in Seidou's dugout pinned their hopes on Miyuki as he prepared to bat.

Even though they were well aware that their favorite player had his quirks, there was no time to dwell on that now.

All they wanted was for Miyuki to turn the tide.

The players in Seidou's dugout clearly shared the same expectation.

They knew full well that Seidou's offense wasn't over yet. Even after this second round, they still had a final chance.

In theory, if they performed well in the final round, some batters might even step up to the plate for a fourth time.

But that was just theory.

Pinning all their hopes on the final round wasn't Seidou High's style.

Before that, even just one hit could give everyone a little peace of mind.

Standing in the batter's box, Miyuki could clearly feel the eager gazes on his back.

"Don't put all your hopes on me, guys! The pressure is killing me here!"

Fully aware of the expectations on him, Miyuki set his sharp mind into motion.

After observing closely, he noticed that the Cosmic Team's pitcher-catcher duo had a habit of tailoring their strategy based on the batter.

In other words, they adjusted their tactics on the fly depending on their opponent.

However, this wasn't to say that they analyzed every batter individually.

It seemed they categorized their opponents into several types and used those templates to devise strategies.

Even within those strategies, there was no fixed pattern.

For instance, what might have been a sequence of bad pitches followed by strikes last time could easily reverse to strikes first and bad pitches next time.

Their pitch-calling seemed completely unpredictable.

"As expected of the Cosmic Team's battery!"

Miyuki couldn't help but admire them.

The Cosmic Team's catcher appeared to have a decent head on his shoulders, while their ace, Tachi, was the polar opposite—a fiery, instinct-driven pitcher who relied on sheer passion.

If the batter viewed the Cosmic Team's pitcher-catcher pair as unremarkable, they were bound to suffer.

No matter how unintelligent they might appear, they were the heart of the Cosmic Team.

Every pitch they threw was calculated and deliberate.

While Masuko-senpai's batting technique might be slightly lacking, his overwhelming power created an undeniable sense of pressure whenever he stood in the batter's box.

Miyuki wasn't bragging when he said that their fifth batter, Masuko, was no pushover.

Even if Masuko were placed on another powerhouse team, he'd undoubtedly secure a core position.

Yet, even someone as strong as Masuko was thoroughly outplayed by the Cosmic Team's pitcher-catcher duo.

"We can't underestimate them. I need to find a pattern in their pitching!"

Miyuki kept reminding himself while focusing intently on every move his opponents made.

His intense concentration didn't go unnoticed by Osaka Kiryuu's catcher.

"What's this guy up to now?"

He couldn't figure out what Miyuki was plotting at the plate. Seidou's players, as far as he could tell, were all cunning strategists, each seemingly carrying their own hidden agenda.

Facing such opponents required unwavering vigilance. If they let their guard down for even a moment, they might end up not only being outplayed but practically helping their opponents succeed.

The Cosmic Team's players remained on high alert.

"Don't overthink it. Just throw him a straight fastball!"

As Miyuki analyzed his opponents, the Cosmic Team was studying him as well.

They'd noticed Miyuki had a tendency to swing at tricky pitches, especially decisive ones.

This wasn't just based on video footage they'd reviewed—it was confirmed through their interactions during the game.

With this knowledge, dealing with Miyuki seemed straightforward.

Whoosh!

On the mound, Tachi grinned wickedly after receiving his catcher's signal.

With a powerful wind-up, he hurled the ball with all his strength.

The pitch was blisteringly fast, reaching Miyuki in the blink of an eye.

"Of course, it's a fastball!"

Miyuki was sharp. He'd predicted their move and eagerly awaited the fastball.

Without hesitation, he swung decisively at the incoming pitch.

Crack!

Everything seemed to go exactly as Miyuki had expected.

But the moment his bat connected with the ball, his expression changed.

"So heavy!!"

Despite having faced Tachi before, the weight of his pitch still felt like swinging against a lead ball.

Miyuki felt as though his hands were about to break under the strain.

Gritting his teeth, he barely managed to send the ball forward.

However, the result was far from ideal.

The ball wobbled forward weakly, flying only a few meters before landing.

The Cosmic Team's shortstop, quick as an antelope, dashed toward the ball, scooped it up cleanly with his glove, and fired it to first base.

Snap!

"You're out!"

Miyuki hadn't even made it to first base before being thrown out.

"Heh, even if you guess it, our ace's pitches aren't something you can hit easily!"

The Cosmic Team's catcher glanced knowingly toward Seidou's dugout.

That first-year prodigy of theirs might have monstrous strength, but their ace wasn't lacking either—especially at this critical stage.

Due to the oppressive nature of the Cosmic Team's pitches, their opponents could only perform at 70-80% of their actual ability.

This made defeating them significantly easier.

Miyuki smiled bitterly.

As much as he hated to admit it, it was the truth.

The Cosmic Team's ace, whose appearance was as terrifying as a demon, threw pitches that were unnervingly heavy.

Under such circumstances, even if Seidou's core players could select the right pitches to hit, it didn't guarantee a base hit.

It seemed the second round of Seidou's offense was doomed...

The Seidou dugout fell into an eerie silence.

Even their most loyal fans around the field, sensing the unusual tension, remained quiet.

Bottom of the 5th inning, Seidou High's turn to bat.

Two outs, no runners on base.

It was under these bleak conditions that Furuya stepped up to the plate.

Due to the Cosmic Team's stellar performance, Seidou's players had already lost confidence.

They subconsciously assumed their chances of victory had vanished.

At least for this inning, they believed it was nearly impossible to turn the tide.

In this oppressive atmosphere, the batting box felt particularly quiet to Furuya.

No one cheered him on, which at least spared him from the immense pressure Miyuki had faced earlier.

In truth, both Seidou's dugout and their supporters weren't expecting much from Furuya's batting.

From their perspective, Furuya had already exceeded expectations with his flawless performance on the mound.

They didn't dare hope for more from him.

But just as everyone was thinking this, the Cosmic Team's pitcher prepared to throw a decisive pitch.

"Miyuki's failed swing must have left a psychological impact on the next batter. Let's keep the pressure up with a fastball!"

The Cosmic Team's catcher and ace, Tachi, both looked eager.

They were desperate to secure the final out and ride that momentum into their own batting turn, aiming to overtake Seidou.

Whoosh!

Despite already pitching several dozen times, Tachi's delivery was still as powerful as ever.

The Cosmic Team's catcher smirked as the pitch sped toward the plate.

"Perfect!"

The pitch's angle and velocity were impeccable.

However, before the catcher's grin could fully form, his eyes widened, and his smile froze.

Buzz!

A deep whooshing sound tore through the air.

In an instant, a black blur met the incoming ball squarely.

Ping!

The ball was launched skyward with a thunderous impact.

The Cosmic Team's players stood frozen in shock.

"Impossible!!"

They stared in disbelief, their faces a mix of confusion and amazement.

How could the ball have traveled so far?

"Outfielders!"

Coach Matsumoto's voice roared, distorted with desperation.

But it was already too late.

Before any of the Cosmic Team's outfielders could react, the ball soared over the outfield fence and crashed into the netting.

A home run.

Furuya had just shattered the tension and silenced the Cosmic Team with a single, resounding swing.

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