Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 170: Starting Pitcher, Furuya Satoru!

"The Monster Rookie Stirring Up Chaos: Raichi Todoroki!

The Strongest Dark Horse Emerges: The Sudden Rise of Yakushi High Baseball Team!

Defeating Seidou, Can Yakushi High Create Another Miracle?

Champions vs. Dark Horse: Who Will Come Out on Top?

The quarterfinals have ended, and the unthinkable happened—Ichidaisan High, the team everyone had expected to dominate, suffered a shocking defeat.

Advancing to the top eight is none other than the dark horse, Yakushi High School Baseball Team.

Overnight, their name made headlines across magazines and media outlets.

However, the players of Seidou High Baseball Team were not happy when they read the news.

From their perspective, while Yakushi's performance was commendable, was it really worthy of such overnight fame?

"What is this nonsense?" Kuramochi grumbled in dissatisfaction.

The media seemed to be overhyping Yakushi High, almost putting them on equal footing with Seidou High.

"Do they think beating Ichidaisan by a stroke of luck gives them the right to compete with national-level powerhouses?"

"Ridiculous!"

Many on the Seidou team shared Kuramochi's sentiments.

"You guys really don't get it, do you?"

Miyuki, overhearing the chatter, wore a mischievous grin.

"What, are you siding with them? Do you actually believe they can rival us?"

It wasn't that the Seidou players were deliberately underestimating their opponents.

While Yakushi High had indeed shown remarkable strength, facing them in a match wouldn't necessarily be smooth sailing for Seidou.

But to suggest that Yakushi could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them?

The players simply couldn't believe it.

They firmly believed this was far from reality.

"Think about it from the reporters' perspective," Miyuki explained with a smirk. "If the match looks one-sided, how much interest do you think it will generate? And if their analysis is just as one-sided, who would bother buying their papers?"

"Reporters have their reasons for hyping things up."

"But do you think they genuinely believe in Yakushi High?"

"Then what's the reason?"

"Maybe it's us, or maybe it's something else. I'm not some mind reader who knows exactly what they're thinking!"

Though Miyuki remained humble, his reasoning resonated with his teammates.

After some thought, they all agreed Miyuki's assessment was likely correct.

This was the objective truth.

"Exactly! We're the champions of the Kanto Tournament. Why would we be shaken by some upstart dark horse?"

This conclusion was unanimously accepted by the team.

The overwhelming consensus even made Furuya a bit uncomfortable.

Everyone's arguments were valid, and objectively, they were right.

Yet, for some reason, the team felt the need to repeatedly emphasize this point, as if it wouldn't be true otherwise.

Could this insistence hint at a deeper uncertainty within the team about the dark horse they were about to face?

Could it even mean that, deep down, they were a bit apprehensive?

"Don't underestimate them. Our opponents are strong," Coach Kataoka declared during the strategy meeting, uncharacteristically addressing the issue directly.

"No matter what you saw during the match or what weaknesses this dark horse, Yakushi High, may still have, the fact remains—they defeated Ichidaisan High on the field and crushed Manaka. These are undeniable truths! Such an opponent deserves our full effort!"

When the team was discussing earlier, Furuya had a slight sense of unease. It seemed to him that his Seidou teammates might be facing some minor mental hurdles.

However, the moment Coach Kataoka spoke, Furuya realized his concerns were unnecessary.

The issues he noticed were already crystal clear to their coach.

Moreover, his teammates also had a thorough understanding of their opponents.

Yes, they did harbor some apprehension about the sudden emergence of this dark horse team.

But who wouldn't?

As Coach Kataoka pointed out, regardless of how the game played out, the result was clear: Yakushi High legitimately defeated Ichidaisan High.

And their true ace, Sanada Shunpei, hadn't even pitched for very long.

There could be various reasons behind this, but it suggests that Yakushi High might not have shown their full strength in that match.

Keep in mind, their opponent was Ichidaisan High, one of the nation's top-tier powerhouses.

Even Seidou High would need to give their all to compete against them, and victory would not be guaranteed.

Yet Yakushi managed to defeat them.

How could the Seidou players not feel a hint of hesitation and doubt?

Coach Kataoka directly addressed this.

"Don't underestimate them just because they're a dark horse. Treat them as equals. Go all out and leave no openings for the opponent!"

As one of the nation's top-tier teams, Seidou High had more than just talented players and intense training.

They had an exceptional coach and a wealth of competitive experience.

Even against a sudden dark horse like Yakushi, Seidou could quickly formulate an effective strategy.

"Their main offensive threats are three first-years. Don't be fooled by their age; their batting skills are no joke. In particular, keep a close eye on this Raichi Todoroki. Most of Yakushi's scoring so far has been tied to these three players."

"Aside from these first-years, their ace pitcher is another key player to watch."

Sanada Shunpei.

Unlike Seidou, Yakushi High was on a completely different level in terms of reputation and exposure.

While both are high school teams competing in the same tournaments, the gap in visibility and recognition is immense.

Seidou players, even if their team doesn't perform well, can still stand out if they play exceptionally.

In contrast, players from teams like Yakushi High must deliver extraordinary performances just to be noticed.

In such a situation, it's remarkable that even professional scouts are paying attention to Sanada Shunpei.

"This is a talented pitcher. If he had pitched earlier, Ichidaisan High would've lost even more decisively," said Chris.

Given Chris's status within Seidou, no one could argue against his statement.

Even so, some players couldn't help but question it.

"I've never even heard of him before."

After all, they were all baseball players in West Tokyo, competing in the same region.

If such an exceptional player truly existed, it would be illogical for the Seidou players to know absolutely nothing about him.

"In the past, he didn't have good teammates to support him, so his team's performance wasn't remarkable. But now, things are different—he's found capable teammates and a competent coach," Chris confidently explained.

According to his analysis, even the current Yakushi High team still had its share of issues.

However, despite these flaws, Yakushi's demonstrated strength and potential were enough to earn them the right to compete on equal footing with Seidou on the field.

As Coach Kataoka said, this match was destined not to be a one-sided affair.

In the upcoming game, Yakushi would undoubtedly present numerous challenges.

"This is going to be such a headache," someone muttered.

"But isn't that what the summer tournament is all about? As the competition progresses, our opponents will only get tougher."

One thing was clear—the Seidou players had incredibly strong mental fortitude.

Even when faced with a formidable dark horse like Yakushi, they quickly accepted the reality and began strategizing on how to dismantle their opponent on the field.

"As the team's ace, facing three first-year opponents, do you have anything to say?"

Noticing the tense atmosphere, Coach Kataoka turned directly to Furuya.

The second- and third-year players exchanged glances, feeling once again outmaneuvered by their coach.

They already knew that Kataoka had an unwavering determination when it came to nurturing the team's ace.

Once he identified the ace, his favoritism became unmistakable.

However, experiencing it firsthand still left them with a lingering feeling of being sidelined, as if they were mere supporting characters in a story centered around someone else.

This feeling was undeniably hard to swallow.

But no matter how difficult it was to accept, they had no choice but to endure it.

After all, their coach had his unique approach, and none of them were the team's ace.

"Hey, ace, the coach is asking you a question," Kominato Ryousuke teased with a smile.

For some reason, Furuya found his upperclassman's grin more terrifying than ever before—more like a predatory smirk than a friendly one.

It wasn't just Ryousuke.

Many of the Seidou players were now focused on Furuya, their gazes carrying a mix of curiosity and expectation.

Although they were slightly envious of the coach's favoritism, it didn't mean they weren't interested in how their ace viewed the upcoming match.

To be blunt, Furuya's attitude and confidence heading into the game would undoubtedly influence the entire team's morale.

"I admit those three players are strong, but I don't think I'll lose to them on the field," Furuya answered modestly.

Yet, the Seidou players, who had spent so much time with him, knew all too well the unspoken thoughts behind his words.

Furuya wasn't lying—he genuinely believed in his abilities.

The Seidou players, having spent so much time with Furuya, could easily understand the meaning behind his words, even if he didn't say it outright.

Furuya wasn't lying.

He acknowledged that the three first-year players from Yakushi High wouldn't be easy to deal with.

But so what?

What mattered was the latter half of his statement:

He believed he wouldn't lose!

In a match—especially in a knockout game—there are only two outcomes:

You either win and advance, or lose and face elimination.

There's no third option.

Since Furuya believed he wouldn't lose, it meant he was confident in his ability to win.

"That's the spirit!"

"As expected of our team's ace. We're counting on you for the upcoming match!"

Hearing his words, the Seidou players all lifted their heads, looking at their ace with admiration.

This was exactly the kind of confidence and dominance they expected from Seidou's ace.

However, someone noticed that Tanba's expression didn't look too good.

After all, he was the team's previous ace.

For whatever reason, his position had already been replaced.

In this situation, the more recognition and praise Furuya received, the more it highlighted Tanba's inadequacy as the former ace.

While it was an undeniable fact, it didn't make it any easier for Tanba to accept.

As someone directly involved, how could Tanba's emotions not be affected?

"If you're unhappy about it, then fight to take back your ace position!"

"That's the mindset a Seidou pitcher should have!"

The third-year players showed remarkable understanding at this moment.

They didn't ignore Tanba's feelings but instead offered him encouragement and a challenge.

Even though they didn't truly believe Tanba could reclaim the ace position through skill alone, it didn't stop them from urging him to strive for it.

Many Seidou players had walked a similar path of relentless effort.

There were only nine starting positions on the team.

Yet, Seidou had nearly 100 players, and most of them had been selected through rigorous trials.

It was no exaggeration to say that the players who made it to the starting lineup were the cream of the crop.

Even among such outstanding players, competition was fierce.

"I will!"

Tanba, with his shaved head gleaming, declared with determination.

"For tomorrow's game, Furuya will start as the pitcher," Coach Kataoka announced.

"Sawamura, start preparing from the fourth inning—I'll find an opportunity to put you in. Kawakami, be ready from the seventh inning."

After speaking, Kataoka turned to Tanba.

"How's your injury?"

"It's completely fine now!"

"Then prepare to pitch from the eighth inning. If needed, I'll call you in."

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