Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 171: The Highly Anticipated Battle Against Yakushi!

In West Tokyo, outside the Baseball Stadium:

From a distance, two figures, one tall and one short, could be seen hurrying toward the stadium.

The taller of the two was a stunningly elegant woman with long legs that seemed to move effortlessly, even in high heels. Her name was Akiko Owada, a journalist for the renowned magazine Baseball Kingdom.

Walking beside her was her senior and partner. Short and slightly overweight, he wore a baseball cap and carried an unassuming appearance.

His name was Fujio Mine, a veteran reporter for Baseball Kingdom. Despite his modest looks, Fujio was a well-known figure in the high school baseball community.

Rumor had it that many professional team managers highly valued his insights.

Fujio had once written a feature article about Seidou High's Miyuki.

At the time, Seidou's baseball team was far from stellar, yet that one article drew the attention of numerous professional team scouts and managers to Miyuki.

Since the article's publication, no less than four professional team managers had visited Seidou to gather information about Miyuki.

This alone showcased Fujio's considerable influence within the baseball world, particularly in high school baseball circles, where he was practically a legend.

However, at this moment, the legendary Fujio appeared somewhat anxious. His short legs moved rapidly as he tried to quicken his pace.

"There's only 20 minutes until the game starts! We better grab good seats before they're gone!" he urged.

It was clear that Fujio placed great importance on the upcoming match.

"Relax, Senpai," Akiko said with a smile, trying to reassure him. "Look around—there's hardly anyone on the road. The Stadium is huge!"

If it weren't for her subpar driving skills, they wouldn't have arrived ten minutes later than planned.

Originally, they intended to be seated in the stands at least 30 minutes before the game began.

Fujio glanced around.

Though a few fans were trickling through the gates, the crowd density was nowhere near what he had expected.

He couldn't help but furrow his brows.

This was far from the grand spectacle he had envisioned.

He had assumed the upcoming game would draw massive attention, which was why he and Akiko had rushed to the stadium so early.

But the lack of fans? That was unexpected.

"Could it be because it's a weekday?" he wondered aloud.

As Fujio speculated, the two finally passed through the stadium gates and made their way to the stands.

"See, Senpai? I told you there was no need to worry—" Akiko, with her long legs and quicker pace, was the first to peer into the stands.

However, before she could finish her sentence, her voice abruptly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Fujio asked curiously.

As he followed her up the steps and finally reached the stands, he immediately understood.

The stands were packed.

A sea of people filled every corner of the stadium, with no empty seats in sight.

There were almost no empty seats to be found!

Fujio checked his watch in disbelief. The time read 9:41 a.m.

"There are still almost 20 minutes until the game starts?" he muttered.

It seemed their earlier assumptions were wrong. The fans weren't just interested in this game—they were obsessed. Despite the remaining time before the game, the stands were already packed.

"They say fans have sharp eyes, and it looks like that saying couldn't be more true," remarked Akiko Owada, who stood beside him. Her beautiful eyes were now filled with astonishment as she gazed at the crowd.

...

Meanwhile, in Seidou High School's locker room:

"Did you see the stands? I just peeked through the door crack. The atmosphere out there is even more electric than during the Kanto Tournament!" one of the players exclaimed.

The players of Seidou High's baseball team had clearly noticed the extraordinary excitement surrounding this match.

At the very least, the enthusiasm from the fans surpassed any game they'd played before.

"Our loyal supporters have always been plenty, and winning the Kanto Tournament earned us even more fans. Now, with the underdog Yakushi High's baseball team here, it's no surprise the crowd is this lively," another player added.

"And this game is different from the others. The fans aren't unanimously supporting us anymore."

In all of their previous matches, the unwavering support of their fans had been one of Seidou's biggest advantages.

But now, it seemed even that edge might be gone.

"Their opponents are the underdogs, after all. As spectators, who doesn't want to see some drama or a surprising upset? If everything were smooth sailing, even I wouldn't enjoy watching as a fan," another teammate joked.

"Most of the people in the stands, apart from our hardcore supporters, are just casual fans here for the spectacle," someone chimed in. "If we make any mistakes during the game, those same people won't hesitate to tear us apart."

The players discussed the upcoming match with an air of concern, seemingly more worried than confident.

However, their words didn't entirely reflect their true feelings.

If someone had paid close attention to the players' eyes, they would have noticed a burning determination in each of them.

Though they understood the sensationalized media reports and why journalists wrote them, it didn't mean they accepted it without resentment.

Understanding something intellectually and accepting it emotionally were two different things.

For Seidou's players, their hearts were filled with indignation.

Of course, they couldn't direct their anger at the ordinary fans and spectators.

Naturally, their focus shifted to their imminent opponents, Yakushi High's baseball team.

Was Yakushi entirely to blame?

Seidou's players didn't care.

All they knew was that they were going to channel all their frustration into the game and unleash it on Yakushi.

"What's the point of wasting words on meaningless things? If you have the energy, save it for the field!" said Yuuki, the team captain, cutting through the chatter.

The room fell silent as the players listened to their captain's words, nodding in agreement. It was clear they believed he was right.

"It's time to head out!"

With that, Yuuki took the lead and pushed open the door.

Watching his back, Furuya's eyes betrayed a hint of envy.

"Being the captain is just so cool," he thought to himself.

"Feeling jealous, aren't you?" someone teased.

Miyuki appeared behind Furuya at some point without him noticing.

"I didn't say that! Don't make things up!" Furuya hurriedly denied it.

He didn't want to leave a bad impression on his seniors.

"A soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good soldier. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be captain—it's perfectly normal. Work hard, kid. When the current captain retires, I'll put in a recommendation for you," Miyuki said with an overly formal tone.

But the more serious Miyuki sounded, the more uneasy Furuya felt.

"I don't want to be captain!" he insisted, but his denial sounded particularly weak at this point.

As Furuya chased after Miyuki, Eijun watched his back with a complicated expression.

"The team's future ace will be me! And the captain, too!" he declared boldly.

However, his roommate, who happened to be a senior, smacked him on the back of the head without hesitation.

Smack!

"Ow!" Sawamura spun around, glaring at the culprit.

"Why did you hit me, Kuramochi-senpai?"

"We second-years haven't even had a turn yet. What makes you think the captaincy will go to you?"

"But Furuya said—" Sawamura tried to defend himself, his grievance evident in his voice.

"That's his problem. But I can deal with you," Kuramochi retorted, completely ignoring Sawamura's protests.

What a joke.

Furuya was the team's ace, pampered by the coach and the team captain like a precious gem.

Kuramochi wouldn't dare mess with him.

But Sawamura? That was a different story.

Though his recent performances on the field had been impressive, he was still a backup pitcher. On top of that, they were roommates.

According to Seidou High's baseball team tradition, seniors in the same dorm had the responsibility of guiding their juniors.

So whether officially or personally, Kuramochi had every right to give Sawamura a hard time.

The antics of the lively pair from Room 5 continued, with them bickering back and forth.

The rest of the Seidou team, however, were unfazed by the scene, as if it was a daily occurrence. Without sparing a glance, they filed out of the locker room.

...

"Seidou!!!!"

The moment the players stepped onto the field, the die-hard Seidou supporters in the stands erupted into thunderous cheers.

"Yuuki!"

"Furuya Satoru!!"

"The monster first-year!"

"Pitch for us again today!!"

Initially, a few fans shouted the captain's name, but as soon as Furuya appeared, the crowd's attention shifted entirely to him.

All eyes were now on the first-year phenom.

"Wow, it's like he's a superstar!" Even Seidou's own players couldn't help but notice how much the audience adored their junior.

The admiration from the fans was palpable, almost like they worshipped him.

"He's been on the team for less than four months," someone remarked, awestruck.

In the past, Furuya was just a newcomer on the Seidou High baseball team, someone who didn't seem particularly important.

But now, everyone's perspective had shifted.

Having been with the team for less than four months, Furuya had already become the most prominent figure on the team—practically its new poster boy.

Miyuki wore a smile on his face. The former poster boy of Seidou High didn't mind at all that his spot had been taken. On the contrary, he seemed genuinely pleased.

"You're still one of our team's star players. Don't you feel anything about this?" Kuramochi asked with a tone of mock frustration.

"You don't get it," Miyuki replied. "Some people are just born to be the center of attention—like our ace pitcher."

It was rare for Miyuki to outright praise someone, but when he did, it was clear that he genuinely meant it.

"I never thought you'd be the type to accept reality so easily," Kuramochi said with a smirk.

"Well, people have to learn to accept the truth. Some positions naturally attract the spotlight. If you or I were fans, we'd also be drawn to someone who can throw 155 km/h fastballs."

"And you're not jealous at all?"

"Why should I be? He's the star, but I'm the one who directs the stars!" Miyuki said with a blindingly smug grin.

Kuramochi squinted as if his eyes had been hurt by Miyuki's overconfidence.

"Damn it, this guy really knows how to flaunt!" Kuramochi thought, though he refused to admit it out loud.

"Don't mess up your calls today. This opponent isn't like the ones we've faced before," Kuramochi warned.

"Don't worry. I'm confident in my ability to lead."

Shameless!

Kuramochi couldn't argue with Miyuki.

After all, Miyuki had been the team's starting catcher since the first half of his freshman year.

Before Furuya joined, Miyuki was the team's biggest star, even more famous than their captain.

And when it came to thick skin, not even Kuramochi, notorious for his brazenness, could compare to Miyuki's sharp wit and self-assurance.

...

As Seidou's players stepped onto the field, the Yakushi High baseball team emerged from their locker room as well.

The crowd erupted into cheers for Yakushi, though Seidou's players couldn't make out what was being shouted.

Still, the atmosphere was clear—Yakushi was incredibly popular.

"It's hard to believe a dark horse team has this much support," one Seidou player muttered, growing more alert.

Fans never lied.

They supported whoever they believed deserved it.

Yakushi's overwhelming popularity only confirmed how impressive their performance must have been in their previous games.

"This match won't be easy," another player said, a sense of determination settling over the team.

...

"The Summer West Tokyo Quarterfinals! Seidou High School versus Yakushi High School is now officially underway!"

"Yakushi High will bat first!"

Even as the game began, the crowd erupted with excitement.

"Wow!!"

"Yakushi's coach really knows what the audience wants!"

"Right out of the gate, it's a showdown between the first-year phenoms!"

"Exciting! This is too exciting!!"

Yakushi's first batter was none other than their monstrous first-year slugger, Raichi Todoroki.

And Seidou's starting pitcher?

Their ace, Furuya Satoru.

-----------

If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Shu_21