Diamond No Ace: Echoes Of The Ace

Chapter 22: Igniting the Fire of Determination

The early pre-game meeting brought the freshmen together, uniting them in their efforts rather than relying on individual plays.

Though not every freshman participated, most of them began supporting and understanding one another.

During their daily defensive training, they emphasized teamwork alongside individual skills.

Though their initial movements were clumsy, they gradually began to grasp each other's abilities, ranges, and limits.

The pitchers and the lone catcher, Kariba, worked diligently as well.

Unlike the experienced Miyuki, not every catcher had the skill to immediately handle a new pitcher's throws.

With several freshmen having experience as pitchers, Kariba bore the significant responsibility of memorizing their traits and maximizing their strengths.

However, the pitcher who most intrigued Eijun, Furuya Satoru, did not join the training.

As an ordinary entrant rather than a scouted player, Furuya had little interaction with his peers.

Apart from essential training, he preferred to work alone, making him hard to approach.

Even Eijun had to admit that if Furuya were to join their training, their chances against the seniors would increase significantly.

When they couldn't train, the freshmen gathered in small groups to discuss strategies.

These discussions became more coordinated when circumstances allowed.

Since the lineups for the match would be decided by Coach Kataoka, Eijun speculated that the coach would focus on observing players with youth baseball experience.

Compared to players from middle school soft baseball programs, those with hardball experience were better prepared for high school-level competition.

Coach Kataoka's goal was to identify players capable of making the roster, and those with youth baseball backgrounds likely had a stronger chance.

This put Tojou Hideaki, the ace of Matsukata Senior League Baseball—one of the national final four teams—under the spotlight. As a pitcher, Tojou's ability to suppress the seniors and secure a strong start would be crucial.

When Tojou heard Eijun's reasoning, his face turned pale. Already lacking confidence in his abilities, the added pressure only heightened his anxiety.

"Don't worry, Tojou. The defense will back you up," Eijun reassured him.

"I'm sorry. I want to calm down, but… I just can't. The only reason I made it to the national final four was because my seniors were so strong. After they graduated, I couldn't accomplish anything."

Sitting on a bench, Tojou clenched his tightly intertwined fingers, trying to muster courage.

Seeing Tojou's pale lips and tense demeanor, Eijun walked over, crouched in front of him, and held his hands. Feeling the coldness in Tojou's hands, Eijun said,

"Your hands are freezing. Your nerves are written all over your face. Tojou, do you also think you lack talent and ability?"

"Also?"

"I think the same about myself. But everyone else seems to think I have talent. Honestly, I have no confidence. In middle school, I never won a single official match. I truly felt like I was the weakest player ever."

"But you were scouted to join Seidou, right? That must mean you have some special talent."

"Maybe they made a mistake. Tojou, your technical skills, physical ability, and mental strength—they're not fully developed yet. People with exceptional talent are inherently different, and the gap can seem impossible to close no matter how much effort you put in."

"But it's too early to say that you can't overcome it. Words like that should only be spoken after you've given your all. Instead of dwelling on how you're not like the geniuses, believe in your potential and forge ahead. It may be a difficult and painful path, but it's the only way."

Tojou stared at Eijun, his own disheveled state reflected in Eijun's clear eyes.

Eijun's words, though directed at Tojou, were also meant for himself.

"Grasp every opportunity to make your talent blossom. It could happen today, tomorrow, next year, or even when you're thirty. Talent isn't just something you're born with—it's something you cultivate and refine. Don't give up."

Eijun's gentle tone and warm amber eyes, glowing under the dim light, brought a sense of calm to Tojou.

Slowly, warmth returned to his hands.

'Maybe I can believe I have talent. Maybe it's worth trying harder.'

Seeing Tojou relax, Eijun felt relieved. In his eyes, Tojou was already impressive compared to their peers.

His pitching, batting, and defense were not perfect but showed great potential. Once Tojou overcame his inner doubts, he would be unstoppable.

"Um, I think it's about time you let go of my hands," Tojou mumbled, his face now red for a completely different reason.

Though it was just Eijun holding his hands, he couldn't shake the embarrassment. Seeing Tojou's flushed face, Eijun chuckled mischievously.

"Don't be shy, Tojou. After practice, let's hit the baths. I'll scrub your back."

"No thanks!!! Don't you have other things to do? Go do them!"

Leaving the bashful Tojou behind, Eijun cheerfully went off to gather intel.

Thanks to the new school year, the freshmen had opportunities to train alongside the second string, making it easier to collect information.

"Keisuke Miyauchi-senpai, catcher, right-handed pitcher and batter. While he doesn't match up to Miyuki's talent, he's highly skilled at receiving pitches."

"Most importantly, he has a strong bond with Tanba-senpai, and they often train together in private. Their coordination and chemistry are excellent, making them tough opponents."

"Tanba Koichiro-senpai, pitcher, right-handed. His decisive pitch is a powerful vertical curveball with significant movement, while his fastball is relatively weaker—but not to us."

"However, he's still a high school student, so there will be openings. His stamina is a weak point. To showcase his skills, he's likely to rely heavily on curveballs, which could lead to some sweet fastballs we can target. Those confident in their power can try fouling off a few pitches to create opportunities for the next batter."

"Masuko Toru-senpai, third baseman, right-handed. He excels at hitting fastballs, and his build suggests he's a power hitter. If we're not careful, he could hit a home run, or even a long hit that allows the runners to score. If needed, throw breaking balls to disrupt his rhythm and rely on the defense."

"Wow, where did you gather all this information?" one of the freshmen asked, amazed.

The admiring gazes of the group were fixed on Eijun, who confidently shared his insights.

However, Eijun paid no mind.

Ever since experiencing the difficulty of finding a reliable catcher, he had developed a habit of observing those around him.

The information he shared was collected over time.

He had even compiled trivial details like preferences and habits, but since they were irrelevant to the upcoming match, he didn't bother organizing them.

Although he had gathered data on the seniors, something didn't feel right.

It seemed as though he had overlooked something important.

Suddenly, he recalled a strange conversation with Miyuki-senpai not long ago.

"Sawamura, how do you know Chris-senpai?"

"Huh?"

"When did you meet him? What do you guys usually talk about? Did Chris-senpai ever mention me? Who do you like better, him or me?"

"…Did you take the wrong medicine?"

A light bulb went off in Eijun's mind. He had missed something critical.

"In this match, we might face an incredibly strong senior," he announced.

Everyone stopped talking and waited for him to explain.

"Before Miyuki-senpai joined Seidou, there was a third-year senior who made the roster as a regular catcher during his freshman year. That senior is incredibly strong—Takigawa Chris Yuu."

"Back in middle school, he was known as Tokyo's 'Iron Wall Catcher.' Under the guidance of his father, a former professional baseball player, Chris-senpai's baseball knowledge is unmatched."

"Unfortunately, he hid a shoulder injury during his first two years of high school to meet everyone's expectations, which led to him undergoing rehab until recently."

"If all went well, he should be ready to play now. Chris-senpai is a catcher skilled in pitch selection and understanding the pitcher's condition."

"Tanba-senpai has always wanted to team up with him. Oh, and by the way, Miyuki-senpai never managed to beat him in middle school."

"Whoa, that's amazing."

"Even stronger than Miyuki-senpai?"

"But here's the good news—Coach Kataoka won't pair Tanba-senpai with Chris-senpai."

"Huh? Why not?"

"To evaluate their abilities. The coach wants to see Tanba-senpai's individual strength and Chris-senpai's recovery progress. So, they'll be split up. One of them will pitch the first half, and the other the second."

"This is basically a hell-level challenge. Chris-senpai's observational skills are exceptional, so he'll likely exploit any gaps he sees."

"We'll need to work extra hard on our defense. It's frustrating that the lineup and batting order are decided by the coach, making it difficult to practice consistent hitting. We'll just have to do our best."

"Understood. We'll give it our all in training."

"Yeah, let's do our best together."

---Ugh, I'm exhausted. I've barely managed to finalize a few plans. I hope they'll be useful when the time comes.

Eijun stretched his stiff neck and decided to reward himself with a drink.

As he turned a corner toward the vending machines, he overheard a conversation.

"Man, I've been pushing myself too hard lately."

"Right? I'm not even sure it'll help us against the seniors."

"I think it might. Don't let Sawamura scare you so much. Remember that match against Ichidaisan? Tanba-senpai's form was terrible."

"I heard it's been like that for a while now. He might not be as good as people say. Stuff like that happens with big teams all the time."

"Exactly. If Tanba-senpai's in that kind of shape, I might be able to hit a home run off him."

"Ha, yeah right. I think I've got a better chance. And that senior coming back from rehab? After such a long break, his form must be awful. Let's just play a few practice games to get some momentum."

"Ha ha ha…"

Eijun hadn't intended to interrupt them, planning to wait until they finished buying their drinks.

However, hearing their comments made his face darken.

Without hesitation, he cut into their conversation.

"Underestimating your opponent before the match has even started? And it's your seniors you're talking about? You've got some nerve. I'm already terrified—how about you come teach me a thing or two instead?"

Striding up to the three, Eijun fixed them with a fiery glare, his large eyes seemingly ready to burst into flames.

"Sawamura…"

The three were startled by Eijun's sudden appearance. Realizing he'd overheard their earlier remarks, their faces turned pale.

"I don't care if you were just talking or trying to boost your own confidence before the match. But if you disrespect those seniors, I won't let it slide."

"If you're really so confident, then go hit Tanba-senpai's pitches. If you can manage that, I might actually respect you. But honestly, I doubt anyone who only sticks to basic training every day can even touch the ace's pitches."

Realizing how angry Eijun was, the three had no choice but to apologize repeatedly before quickly fleeing the scene.

Watching them scurry away, Eijun's scowl remained. Standing in front of the vending machine, he glared at the drinks for a moment before slamming the button for his selection.

"Taking out your anger on a machine isn't a good look," a voice teased from behind.

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