Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

"The first team to advance to the finals is the reigning champion, Seidou High School!"

Although everyone had already anticipated this result when the announcer said these words, the atmosphere at the scene erupted in excitement.

In the 36,000-seat stadium, nearly 20,000 people stood up to join the celebration.

It's important to note that this wasn't Seidou High School's home base, Tokyo, but rather the unfamiliar Gunma Prefecture, where they had no deep roots.

Even so, they were still treated to a grand celebration.

After dominating nationwide last summer and this spring, Seidou High School's momentum had reached an unprecedented level.

Wherever they went, their players were treated like celebrities.

"It's truly enviable!"

In the stands, the players of Hakuryu High School were gathered together.

Kitaooji looked at the celebrating fans and said with feeling.

Both teams played baseball, both were top-tier national powerhouses.

But the difference in popularity was still glaring.

Hakuryu High School's players usually played with a solid group of supporters.

This made them feel good about themselves.

But compared to the Seidou High School team…

They were on an entirely different level.

It's not that you don't recognize quality, it's that when you see the difference, it becomes clear.

Compared to the support Seidou High School received from its fans, Hakuryu's fans were nothing.

"After beating Inashiro, we'll have the chance to challenge Seidou High School."

Coach Sasaki, stopwatch in hand, said calmly.

He didn't get too sentimental.

But the players all understood what their Coach meant.

Once they beat Seidou, they would be the ones receiving that kind of treatment.

With the Coach's subtle encouragement, the players at Hakuryu High School felt a surge of determination.

Their ambitions were growing wildly.

The remaining two matches were crucial for Hakuryu High.

First, the semifinal against Inashiro Industrial.

The two teams weren't strangers to each other; just two months ago, at the Spring Koshien, they faced off in a brutal match.

It was in the quarterfinals, where Hakuryu High lost to Inashiro Industrial.

Since losing that match, every player at Hakuryu High had endured two months of hardship, waiting for this opportunity to take revenge on Inashiro.

Across from Hakuryu, the players from Inashiro Industrial High were equally determined.

They had reached the semifinals!

It was impossible to say they didn't want the Kanto Championship.

Having made it this far, no matter who stood in their way,

They would push through without hesitation.

Anyone who showed up would be knocked down.

So, when Hakuryu players showed a provoking expression, the Inashiro players immediately shot back without holding back.

Seidou's match had just finished,

But the clash between these two teams had already begun.

They were still pumped from watching Seidou's match, and now they had nowhere to release their energy.

Both teams in the stands were on edge.

On the field, the two teams were in stark contrast.

Seidou's players were excited. Winning today's match gave them a deep sense of accomplishment.

The spectators felt that Seidou had not played to their full potential.

But the Seidou players didn't share that view.

The strength of Shonan High, especially their Ace pitcher Kawaki,

Was definitely not as simple as the audience had thought.

For Seidou to lead 5-0,

They needed both skill and luck.

Truthfully, the Seidou players were very satisfied with the scoreline.

If they weren't, they'd be aiming for the impossible.

Although they acknowledged the opponent's strength, the Seidou players didn't say anything unnecessary during the handshake.

It would be tactless to walk up and say, "You played well, excellent!"

That would be a serious lack of emotional intelligence.

Except for that idiot Narumiya, probably no one would do such a thing.

In the end, Kawaki grabbed Sawamura's hand and held it for a long time.

"Is something the matter?"

Sawamura could immediately tell that the young man had something to say.

So he put on a listening attitude.

He was genuinely curious about what Kawaki had to say at that moment.

"Now that you've beaten us, don't lose!"

Kawaki stared at Sawamura, speaking seriously.

Sawamura's expression also turned serious.

"Don't worry!"

No matter who the opponent was, Sawamura had never considered the possibility of accepting defeat.

Whether it's Inashiro or Hakuryu,

They were opponents that stirred his blood.

Whoever he faced in the final, he would give it his all.

Only then did Kawaki release Sawamura's hand.

For some reason, when Kawaki looked into Sawamura's eyes, he could tell that the man wasn't lying.

After the players parted ways,

Astonished, Aota approached Kawaki.

In his impression, Kawaki was not someone who would say such words.

"What were you thinking just now?"

With doubt in his heart, he asked directly.

Kawaki looked at him as if it were obvious.

"If they win, then lose to someone else, won't we look bad? As for the score with Seidou, I'll settle it this summer."

Kawaki's eyes grew sharp.

Sawamura had no idea that his small actions had caused a ripple effect.

In the high school baseball world, more monsters were emerging.

Kawaki was one of them.

But that's another story for later.

After the match ended and the players thanked the crowd, Seidou High School participated in a media interview.

Although Coach Kataoka would prefer to focus entirely on preparing for the finals,

He had no choice but to comply with the organizer's request.

So, Seidou's players waited patiently for the reporters' questions.

Every time this happened, Sawamura would inevitably become the center of attention under the spotlight.

Even though he wasn't particularly fond of interviews, it was something he could not avoid as it was part of his career.

After all, he was the most famous player in high school baseball today.

In fact, it wasn't just in high school baseball. Sawamura Eijun had already become a living legend.

He had tremendous popularity in Japan.

For an ordinary high school student, this was an incredible achievement.

Not to mention, Seidou High School was still the candidate champion.

It wasn't just the Kanto Tournament; in every tournament Seidou participated in, they were always the first candidate.

The King, Seidou High School.

This title wasn't just for show; it was earned through real competition, true grit, and hard-fought battles.

Apart from Sawamura, some journalists also asked about Miyuki.

They asked if his performance today wasn't up to par, as he had struck out three times in a row.

To directly ask such a sharp question was quite confrontational.

Everyone nervously looked at Miyuki, fearing he might say something inappropriate with his sharp tongue.

Fortunately, as Seidou High's baseball team captain, Miyuki had excellent self-control.

He answered the reporter's question with a smile, not avoiding anything.

"The opponent is very strong! Not hitting the ball may involve some luck, but more importantly, their skills are truly excellent."

His words were flawless.

He raised Kawaki's position while subtly clearing himself of any blame.

He made it look like everyone was on good terms, a win-win situation.

Don't underestimate such diplomatic responses.

Why are these kinds of responses so popular?

It's simple: they sound nice, make everyone comfortable, and avoid causing trouble.

As a high school player, you can have pride, but you must not have arrogance.

People who are boastful, who clash with everyone—those kinds of players don't last long.

Some might call Miyuki an old hand at this.

But even a guy like Narumiya, who's known for his sharp tongue, behaves like a well-behaved kid during interviews.

Don't you think those players who boast all the time are a bit lacking in intelligence?

Miyuki, on the other hand, only shows his sharp tongue when he's with his teammates.

When it comes to public matters, he would never embarrass the school.

Because he represents more than just himself; he represents Seidou High's baseball team.

The same goes for Sawamura Eijun.

If you show too much of your sharp side on the field, it will only bring trouble off the field.

That's a lesson Sawamura learned through years of experience.

After the interview, Seidou's players didn't immediately return to their hotel. Instead, they headed to the stands.

They were there to watch the other semifinal match.

It was between Inashiro Industrial High from West Tokyo and Hakuryu High from the host Gunma Prefecture.

The winner of this match would face Seidou in the final.

Of course, Seidou wouldn't miss this match.

Before the game started, Coach Kataoka and coach Ochiai had sent someone to buy boxed lunches.

The players found nearby spots to eat before heading to the stands.

Out of the 36,000 seats, most of them were already filled.

It seemed this match was attracting a lot of attention.

As a team from the same Western Tokyo area, Seidou naturally supported Inashiro Industrial High.

This was very important.

After all, both teams were from the same region.

If they started bickering, it would only make others laugh.

Seidou High's baseball players would never act that way.

Moreover, from a personal standpoint, the Seidou players preferred to support Inashiro rather than Hakuryu.

"Senpai, which team do you think will win?"

After taking their seats, Nishiyama suddenly leaned in behind Sawamura and quietly asked.

To be honest, Sawamura hadn't thought much about this question.

He glanced at Nishiyama before quickly giving his answer.

Even though he hadn't given this much thought before, Sawamura still had his own judgment.

"It's been two months since I last saw these two teams play. It's really hard to say how strong they are right now."

He pondered for a moment, then added,

"Unless something unexpected happens, Inajitsu should win."

Inashiro Industrial High School!

To Sawamura, if you rated all the teams across the nation on paper,

And assuming all referees were fair,

The number one team in the country would most likely be Inashiro Industrial High.

Even with Seidou High's back-to-back national championships at Koshien,

Inashiro's overall strength on paper was likely even stronger.

"Does Hakuryu have no chance?"

Nishiyama murmured in disbelief.

It seemed like he was very invested in this match.

"Well, not exactly. After all, Hakuryu is one of the top teams in the country. When it comes to mobility, they are ranked first in the nation!"

"But in a real match, it all depends on whether Hakuryu's mobility can have any impact against Inashiro."

If it doesn't, there's no need to watch—the match is over before it even begins, and Inashiro will win.

But if it works, then it's a different story.

The match might be even more intense than people expect.

"And you? Who do you think will win?"

The more Sawamura thought about it, the more interesting it seemed. He couldn't help but ask Miyuki, who was sitting next to him.

"It's all the same to me!"

Miyuki answered with an indifferent attitude.

No wonder he felt that way.

Once you've reached the Kanto finals, it's unrealistic to expect an easy opponent.

No matter who the opponent is at this stage, they're all formidable.

...