Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 139: The Summer Tournament Begins!

"Alone?"

The coach of Osaka Kiryuu High's baseball team wanted to meet their player alone?

This was something even a powerhouse like Seidou High's baseball team had never encountered before.

Ota nervously rubbed his hands together, whispering under his breath.

"Coach Matsumoto wouldn't be trying to poach him, would he?"

It wasn't unreasonable for Seidou High's baseball manager to suspect such intentions. Matsumoto's intentions were practically written all over his face.

His interest in Furuya was obvious to anyone watching.

Even the players from Osaka Kiryuu High were whispering among themselves, criticizing their coach.

"While I admit that first-year kid is incredibly strong! With him, our chances against Seihou would definitely improve."

"But poaching a player from Seidou High, which is supposed to be our friendly school, is crossing the line, isn't it?"

"Besides, how many years has it been since Seidou High had a reliable ace?"

Even Osaka Kiryuu's players felt their coach's behavior was unethical.

However, Matsumoto ignored the murmurs around him, focusing intently on Furuya.

Coach Kataoka glanced at Matsumoto, then at Furuya.

Just as everyone assumed he would decline, Coach Kataoka spoke.

"Of course, I don't mind."

And with that, Furuya was pulled aside by Coach Matsumoto after the game.

What exactly the two talked about, no one knew.

If Coach Matsumoto truly extended an offer to Furuya, it was clear that Furuya didn't accept.

Afterward, Furuya's efforts during training became even more intense. He showed no signs of wanting to leave the team, and Seidou High's baseball team quickly entered an alert mode.

As time passed, the start of the summer tournament drew closer.

During this period, Furuya's routine was simple: school, training field, cafeteria, and dormitory—a rigid four-point schedule.

He was so busy that he barely had time to pay attention to his so-called girlfriend.

Such focused days passed quickly, and soon, there was less than a week until the summer tournament began.

At this time, Furuya made a significant request—he wanted to add another training program.

This was no small matter.

Furuya's current status within Seidou High's baseball team was vastly different from before.

As the team's ace, he was essentially treated as a protected species. After the previous ace's injury, every aspect of Furuya's training was closely monitored.

Now, with his sudden request to increase his training load, the team was understandably concerned.

On one hand, they respected his dedication and drive. Hard work was a motto for every player on the team, and as the ace, Furuya was expected to lead by example.

On the other hand, they were worried about the risks.

If their new ace were to suffer an injury...

Even with the mental fortitude of Seidou High's baseball team members, there was a limit to how much they could endure.

The situation escalated and eventually reached Coach Kataoka's desk.

"Pitching 60 balls every noon, under the blazing sun?"

"Yes! That's exactly what Furuya requested!"

"Call him in!"

Coach Kataoka's eyes burned with barely restrained anger as he read the absurd request.

He could hardly wait to drag that stubborn kid in front of him and demand to know what on earth was going through his head.

"Do you even understand the situation right now?" Coach Kataoka's voice was so cold it could send shivers down anyone's spine.

Ota, the baseball department manager, shivered instinctively at the sight of his coach's furious expression.

When their coach got angry, the consequences were always severe.

"Furuya, apologize immediately!" Ota urged, trying to defuse the situation.

But Furuya's gaze remained firm. He stood his ground without flinching, his eyes filled with stubborn determination as he stared directly at his coach.

The tension between the two was palpable, as if sparks were flying in the space between them.

Ota was dumbfounded by Furuya's lack of reaction. Not only did Furuya refuse to apologize, but his defiant stare seemed to challenge their notoriously short-tempered coach.

"This is it. We're doomed now," Ota thought grimly.

People often said, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," and Ota always thought it was an exaggeration. But now, it seemed he had underestimated this old saying.

Their coach was not known for his patience. Sawamura had learned this the hard way when he first joined the team and was made to run laps for a month over a minor infraction like being late.

Even seasoned players weren't exempt. Masuko, the team's core fifth batter and starting third baseman, had been demoted to the second string for a single mistake during a game.

Defying their coach head-on rarely ended well.

Though Furuya held a special place in the team, Ota knew that if he pushed too far, even he wouldn't escape Kataoka's wrath.

As Ota anxiously contemplated how to plead for Furuya later, Coach Kataoka suddenly spoke.

"What's your reason?"

The question caught everyone off guard.

Looking at Furuya's unyielding expression, Coach Kataoka felt a strange sense of familiarity. He remembered his own younger self, staring down his own coach in much the same way.

To Coach Kataoka, Furuya's behavior wasn't defiance.

On the contrary, he believed that a team's ace pitcher needed the courage to face their own coach head-on. Without that courage, how could they ever lead the team?

If Ota knew what was going through Coach Kataoka's mind, he would have been floored. Double standards? No one could beat their coach when it came to those.

"I grew up in Hokkaido," Furuya began.

"And?"

"You might not understand, but up there, it's covered in snow and ice most of the year. I've never experienced this kind of intense summer heat before."

As Furuya explained, Ota's eyes widened in disbelief.

How could a first-year high schooler think this deeply about such an issue? It was incredible!

A moment later, Ota felt a pang of concern.

Born and raised in Hokkaido, Furuya had never endured Tokyo's scorching summers.

In this situation, could their ace really handle it?

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