Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 220: The Perfectly Honed Bunt!

The spectators in the stands were left in awe.

They were deeply shaken by the sheer offensive power displayed by Seidou High School's baseball team.

Many of Seidou's die-hard supporters, along with those who held a favorable impression of them, couldn't help but smile.

"This is the strength worthy of the Kanto Tournament champions!"

"This is what a true national powerhouse looks like..."

In the Inashiro Industrial High School dugout, the players and their supporters fell silent.

They couldn't even bring themselves to cheer.

The overwhelming pressure from Seidou, a suffocating dominance that seemed to strike at the very core of their souls, was nearly enough to break them.

Meanwhile, in Seidou's dugout, the players were beaming with joy.

This moment was crucial for them.

For Seidou's players, the biggest obstacle they had to overcome to win today's game was none other than Inashiro's ace, Narumiya Mei.

They had been wondering—what if they couldn't hit his pitches?

But now, it seemed like they had worried for nothing.

Even though Inashiro's ace, the so-called "Prince of Tokyo," remained as formidable as ever...

So were they!

Just as their captain had said before the game, their first and second batters had the ability to disrupt the opposition.

And indeed, they had.

The run they had just scored was largely thanks to their leadoff hitters.

Now, it was cleanup hitter Yuuki's turn.

A sudden realization struck the Seidou players—their opponent might not be as invincible as they had thought. They truly had a chance to bring Inashiro down.

Just like they did in the Kanto Tournament finals.

"Captain, finish them off!"

"We believe in you!"

It was as if they were channeling all their strength into their captain.

They eagerly awaited the moment when they could break the man standing on the mound.

Inashiro's players and supporters, on the other hand, were starting to panic.

Such an unexpected setback right at the beginning of the game?

Could they really handle this?

Deep down, even Inashiro's players couldn't say for sure.

As for their supporters in the stands, they certainly couldn't bet on it.

After all, their opponent was the Kanto Tournament champion—the very team that had defeated them in the finals.

And ever since that game, Seidou had seemed almost unstoppable.

No matter who their opponent was...

They crushed them.

"What now?"

Just when things seemed to be reaching a critical point, Inashiro's players and supporters noticed something surprising.

Their ace, standing on the mound, had his face hidden in the shadows.

"One out."

The Prince of Tokyo didn't even spare a glance at the baserunner. His eyes remained locked on Yuuki.

Compared to the other Seidou batters, this man alone brought back the most bitter memories.

Yuuki-senpai.

The first time they faced off, Yuuki had hit a beautiful double off him.

Although Inashiro had ultimately won that game...

That painful memory had never left Narumiya Mei.

Back in the Kanto Tournament finals, when these two faced off again, Narumiya Mei still couldn't gain the upper hand.

Now, with one out and a runner on first, Seidou High School's intent to extend their lead was as clear as day.

Judging by their momentum, their chances of success were high.

Both the spectators in the stands and the players in Seidou's dugout believed that their cleanup hitter, the captain, could continue pushing forward.

"The more they expect me to lose, the more I refuse to let that happen!!!"

On the mound, Narumiya Mei raised his leg high and then stomped it down hard.

As his foot struck the ground, a cloud of dust rose from the pitcher's mound.

In the next instant, the baseball shot out of his hand like a bullet.

"So fast!!"

Seeing his pitching motion, the players in Seidou's dugout and their supporters in the stands instinctively tensed up.

From his form alone, they expected this pitch to be at its absolute peak velocity.

But when the ball actually flew out, they were shocked to find that it was much slower than they had anticipated.

"A changeup?"

To throw a changeup so seamlessly…

Many of Seidou's players felt a cold sweat break out on their backs.

Terrifying!

Would their captain be affected by it?

The answer came quickly—Yuuki's composure was on a completely different level.

The sudden changeup had no effect on him whatsoever.

As the ball approached, Yuuki remained still, showing no reaction.

He waited until the ball was right within reach.

"Now!"

The moment of impact was near.

Yuuki, who had been as motionless as a mountain, suddenly sprang to life.

When he wasn't moving, he seemed like an unshakable force.

But when he did—his presence was like a volcanic eruption.

"Captain!!"

The expressions of Seidou's players shifted drastically.

From initial shock, their faces turned to genuine excitement.

They could already picture the ball being sent flying.

But that moment never came.

Even though Yuuki's swing was executed with terrifying precision—

His bat missed.

Just as the bat was about to make contact, the ball suddenly dropped.

"A spiral changeup!!"

Having seen it before, Seidou's players quickly identified the pitch.

But simply recognizing it wasn't enough.

Even so, they all felt a collective chill run down their spines.

"He used a spiral changeup on the first pitch?"

"Is he that desperate?"

"Either he's going all in already, or… he's got something even scarier up his sleeve."

Seidou's players instinctively leaned toward the latter.

By this point, both teams knew each other inside and out.

To put it bluntly, Seidou's players might even understand Inashiro's ace better than his own teammates did.

This was a crucial game—but it had only just begun.

Would Narumiya reveal his ultimate weapon right now?

Impossible.

A true secret weapon is only unveiled at the most critical moment—the one that decides the game.

Right now, it was still far too soon.

This meant that the terrifying "Prince of Tokyo" had developed an even more fearsome pitch!

The excitement in Seidou High School's dugout was suddenly overshadowed by a sense of unease.

They keenly realized that this game was going to be anything but easy.

"Damn it! That guy was already a nightmare to deal with!!"

"Trust the captain! He's no ordinary player either!"

In such a crucial moment, Seidou's players instinctively placed all their hopes on Yuuki.

They had absolute faith in their captain's abilities.

But just as they were thinking this, Narumiya Mei wasted no time and delivered his second pitch.

Whoosh!

An imposing pitch, blistering speed, and placed perfectly on the edge of the strike zone…

In the batter's box, Yuuki frowned as he swung his bat.

It wasn't the best pitch to hit.

But he couldn't just stand there and let it go by.

If he did, he'd be cornered into a two-strike count.

Ping!

The bat connected, and the ball bounced off the ground.

Inashiro's Shirakawa made a diving stop, trapping the ball under him.

"There's a chance!!"

Seeing this, Seidou's players didn't feel despair.

On the contrary, they saw an opportunity.

Since Shirakawa had fallen, he wouldn't be able to throw the ball right away.

But just as they thought that, Shirakawa rolled forward and, in one fluid motion, got back on his feet!

At the same time, he swiftly threw the ball to second base, where it was immediately relayed to first.

Pop!

"Out!"

"Out!!"

Before Seidou's players could even react, Inashiro had pulled off a brilliant double play.

"Three outs! Change sides!"

Inashiro's players erupted with excitement.

Their supporters in the stands cheered just as loudly.

"They held them off!"

"They actually held them off!!!"

Despite Seidou's overwhelming offensive power…

Inashiro had managed to limit them to just one run.

Narumiya's pitching, combined with his teammates' solid defense—

It was undeniable proof that Inashiro had the strength to stand toe-to-toe with Seidou.

Even though they had lost in the Kanto Tournament finals…

That wasn't the full story!

Inashiro's players and supporters were certain of one thing.

They would take back everything they had lost.

"We are the true kings of Tokyo!!!"

Meanwhile, in Seidou's dugout, a wave of disappointment washed over their players.

That had been a golden scoring opportunity.

If they had capitalized on it and extended their lead, they might have taken full control of the game.

Both teams had elite aces on the mound and top-tier defenses.

This meant that runs would be hard to come by.

Neither side would likely score too many.

The team with the stronger defense—

Would be the one to emerge victorious.

In other words, if Seidou High School had managed to score three or four runs at the start of the game, they would have had the game firmly in their grasp.

Unfortunately, that ideal scenario didn't come to pass.

Bottom of the first inning – Inashiro Industrial High School's turn to bat.

Just as Seidou's players were about to take the field, Coach Kataoka suddenly spoke up.

"The opponent will do everything in their power to score this inning."

Even though he didn't finish his sentence, Seidou's players understood his meaning clearly.

If they could shut down Inashiro's counterattack here, the momentum would remain in their favor.

A one-run lead wasn't much, but if they could deny Inashiro any scoring opportunities, that single run would start to feel like a dagger in their opponent's hearts.

"Understood!!!"

Without unnecessary words, Seidou's players gave their coach a firm response.

They would never let Inashiro seize control.

At that moment, Furuya Satoru took the mound without hesitation.

The die-hard Seidou supporters in the stands erupted with excitement upon seeing him step up.

"The monster is finally here to show his power!"

"Let them experience what a real fastball looks like!"

Though Furuya hadn't been playing high school baseball for long, his blistering pitching speed had already made him a sensation.

Many of the neutral fans in the stands were here just to witness his overpowering fastballs.

In Seidou's dugout, Team Manager Ota rubbed his hands together excitedly.

Seeing the crowd's reaction, he couldn't help but feel emotional.

The young player he had scouted had now become a true star on the field.

He sighed nostalgically.

"Kid, you better put on a great show."

Up in the stands, Sawamura Eijun's family was discussing the pitcher on the mound with Wakana, his childhood friend.

"So that's Furuya? The genius who pushed Eijun to the bench!"

Meanwhile…

Inashiro's leadoff hitter had already stepped into the batter's box.

"Batting first, number 8, outfielder—Carlos!"

The first to bat for Inashiro was the dark-skinned speedster Carlos.

He eyed Furuya on the mound and let out a bitter smile.

Then, grinning wide enough to show his stark white teeth, he muttered,

"Still just a first-year rookie, yet already a superstar. He's even more hyped than Narumiya was in his first year.

I guess that's the charm of a prodigy who can throw a 155 km/h (96 mph) fastball…"

Despite his grumbling, Carlos bent his knees and gripped the bat tightly, adopting a bunting stance.

"No matter how many times I've practiced this…

If it's to beat you, every single repetition was worth it!"

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