Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 20: Haruichi Kominato!

No outs, runner on first.

On Seidou High School's baseball field, the tension was palpable.

The second and third-year players looked at Sawamura, who had made it to first base, as if they had found half a worm in their rice ball.

"He actually managed to get on base?"

"It's fine, stay calm!"

Despite missing Kawakami's pitch and making an error, Ono, the catcher, showed no signs of discouragement. Instead, his eyes burned with intense determination.

It seemed that the better the freshmen performed on the field, the more it fired up his competitive spirit.

"Let's get an out first; the advantage is still ours."

Hearing Ono's words, the other second and third-year players gradually regained their composure.

Ono was right.

The more aggressively they responded at this moment, the easier it would be for these freshmen to seize opportunities and deliver more impressive performances.

They had to remain steady.

"You're still far from winning!"

With this mindset, the second and third-year players returned to their previous state.

Even Kawakami, standing on the pitcher's mound, quickly calmed down.

It seemed he had overestimated these first-year juniors.

Their skill level was nothing to worry about.

"Who's up to bat next?"

"It's me!"

The boy with bangs covering his eyes raised his hand enthusiastically.

It was as if he couldn't wait to step into the batter's box.

Furuya, who was set to bat later, smiled when he saw that Haruichi was up next.

Fate, it seemed, worked in mysterious ways.

Even though the course of the game had changed, that iconic moment was still going to happen.

At least, all the necessary conditions were in place so far.

"Well, let's see what happens!"

"Who is this guy?"

Takashima Rei looked at the boy in the batter's box with curiosity, a question flashing in her eyes.

"He's not a player from the Tokyo area; he's from Kanagawa Prefecture. In middle school, his batting average was as high as .650."

".650?"

Takashima Rei looked at her team's director in disbelief.

Even though their team didn't place much emphasis on middle school records, that batting average was still incredibly impressive...

"It's not just Tojo and Kanemaru. We've gained a lot of talent this year."

At this point in the game, Oota, the director, no longer worried about the freshmen.

On the contrary, their performances had sparked a sense of anticipation in him.

"Well, let's see what they can do!"

Both Furuya and Takashima Rei shared the same thought.

Meanwhile, Haruichi, who had just stepped into the batter's box, made several small gestures toward Sawamura on first base.

"Signals?"

The veteran fans immediately had a hunch.

"Did these two freshmen plan their strategy before the game?"

The fans outside the field widened their eyes in surprise.

They clearly couldn't believe that this year's Seidou freshmen were this skilled.

Not just the spectators, even Kawakami on the pitcher's mound instinctively grew more cautious.

"What do you mean? I have no idea what you're doing! Are you trying to signal me? We didn't discuss this beforehand!"

Sawamura blinked his innocent eyes, confused.

The spectators, who had just started to find the game interesting, burst into laughter.

They had thought these freshmen had planned their strategy in advance.

The outcome...

"This kid is too funny."

"The batter's little scheme was a complete waste."

It wasn't just the spectators who were amused; even Furuya couldn't help but laugh.

Sawamura, as expected, didn't disappoint.

His eyes shone with a clear, innocent foolishness.

"Run with everything you've got, and I'll make sure you reach home plate!"

Seeing that his strategy had failed, Haruichi blushed but confidently shouted this promise.

For this little guy, even though his initial plan didn't succeed in deceiving the pitcher, it was only meant to increase his chances of success.

That didn't mean he couldn't hit the ball without it.

At least, his current demeanor didn't give the impression that he couldn't make contact with the ball.

After making his bold declaration, Haruichi raised his bat high.

Ono, the catcher, instinctively furrowed his brow.

He couldn't explain why, but he sensed an aura of danger from this freshman.

"Let's test him with a pitch first!"

Since there was no data on this player, and it was his first time in the batter's box, Ono quickly decided to test him with a pitch to gauge his level.

Kawakami, naturally, had no reason to disagree.

He subtly nodded and then pitched an outside ball.

As a sidearm pitcher, Kawakami's release point made his outside pitches travel in a diagonal line rather than a straight one.

This type of pitch is challenging for the batter to swing at. Even if the batter does swing, unless they have strong hitting power, the ball would likely go foul.

Kawakami liked to use this type of pitch to test unfamiliar opponents.

It worked like a charm every time.

This time was no different; they decisively employed this strategy.

As Haruichi saw the pitch, it was as if his eyes lit up.

"This is the feeling!"

He had been sitting on the bench observing for a long time.

This upperclassman from the second or third year, when facing an opponent with unknown abilities, liked to test them with an outside pitch.

So from the start, he aimed for the outside corner.

"This is it!"

Seeing the baseball coming his way, Haruichi stepped forward and swung his bat with full force, smashing it against the incoming ball.

Crack!

The moment the ball was hit, Ono's eyes filled with shock, unable to hide his surprise.

"Did this guy target the outside pitch from the very beginning?"

Ono was astonished.

What made it even harder for him to accept was that the ball, which had been hit, hugged the first-base line and flew into the outfield.

"A long hit!"

Although the ball didn't travel too far, its precise placement turned it into a legitimate long hit.

At the same time, the upperclassmen noticed that Sawamura had already started running before the ball was even hit.

It was as if he knew the batter would definitely make contact, and on the very first pitch!

"Damn it!"

The upperclassmen were stunned.

Their outfielder rushed to the ball's landing spot and threw it towards third base.

He didn't hope to stop Sawamura from reaching third base; at the very least, he just couldn't let that guy advance any further.

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