Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 175: Seidou Crushes Their Opponent!

Bottom of the First Inning, Seidou High School Takes the Offensive

"Let's go!!"

When Kuramochi stepped up to the batter's box, he exuded confidence. It was as if he had already hit the ball out of the park.

Meanwhile, in Yakushi High School's dugout, the players exchanged uncertain glances.

"When we watched their game footage earlier, was this guy really that strong?"

"He didn't seem to do anything particularly impressive…"

"Then why does he look so confident?"

Kuramochi's overflowing confidence seemed almost contagious, spilling out with every move he made.

"Who knows? Maybe this guy is just naturally cocky!"

"Well, he's just fast. As long as we can exploit his weaknesses and keep him from making solid contact, he should be easy to deal with."

Sitting in the dugout was Sanada, who had yet to take the mound or act as the team's ace pitcher.

Despite this, his judgment carried a lot of weight among Yakushi's players.

"Then there's nothing to worry about!"

"Give it your all and shut him down, senpai!"

The Yakushi dugout erupted with spirited cheers.

Even Raizou, watching the players' enthusiasm, held back a comment that would have dampened their spirits.

Though it was important to caution these younger players, he understood that dousing their rare momentum with a warning could backfire.

For now, he decided to stay quiet and let the game unfold.

On the field, Yakushi's starting pitcher—a third-year player with an imposing build—took the mound. His presence alone made him look tough to face.

But Seidou's players remained calm and composed.

The pitcher that truly concerned them, Sanada, was not starting.

This indirectly confirmed a theory Seidou had formed earlier.

The first to suggest this idea was their team's record keeper, the half-Japanese player, Chris.

Chris believed that the reason Sanada wasn't starting wasn't because Yakushi underestimated Ichidaisan, but because they had no other choice.

"But why?"

Facing doubts from everyone, Chris offered two theories.

"Either he's recovering from an injury and hasn't fully healed, or his stamina isn't enough to sustain nine innings!"

As it turned out, Chris's analysis was almost prophetic.

Seidou High's baseball team had already devised strategies to address this situation.

No matter how flashy Yakushi's starting pitcher tried to be, Kuramochi didn't take him seriously.

At this moment, Seidou's leadoff hitter had clearly made up his mind.

"Come on! Just throw the ball, and I'll make sure you regret it!"

As Kuramochi steeled his resolve, the white baseball suddenly shot towards him.

It was evident that Yakushi's starting pitcher wasn't a steady player.

On the contrary, he seemed impatient.

The moment the umpire signaled, he hastily delivered the pitch.

"Perfect!"

Seeing the ball coming, Kuramochi's eyes lit up with determination.

Instead of opting for a bunt, he swung with all his might, going for a powerful hit.

Ping!

Yakushi's scouting report wasn't entirely wrong.

Compared to his speed, Kuramochi's batting skills were considered average.

But this "average" only applied when facing the top-tier teams in the nation.

Yakushi's starting pitcher clearly didn't qualify as one of those elite players.

Taking advantage of this, Kuramochi's batting skills truly shone.

Thud!

The white baseball was launched into the outfield, bouncing on the ground.

Yakushi's fielders reacted quickly.

The moment the ball hit the ground, they rushed to retrieve it.

"Nice play!"

Yakushi's players and supporters couldn't help but cheer for their fielder's performance.

Such a stellar defensive play was rare and could only happen once or twice in ten attempts.

However, even with such a strong play, they were still no match for Kuramochi.

When the fielder turned to throw the ball, he was shocked to see Kuramochi, who had been sprinting wildly, was now less than five meters away from first base.

By the time he prepared to throw, it was already too late.

Thud!

"Safe!"

No outs, runner on first.

"Ha! Beautiful hit!"

Standing on first base, Kuramochi excitedly raised his arm in celebration.

Meanwhile, Mishima, the first baseman, looked utterly flustered, his face turning a deep shade of purple.

"You're really calling that a hit? That was clearly just a stolen base!"

Kuramochi's lightning-quick sprint made him seem like a flying cheetah. It was terrifying.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of Mishima—well before the ball even arrived!

The memory of that scene sent a shiver down Mishima's spine.

Yakushi High had previously faced Ichidaisan High in a match and emerged victorious.

Because of this, Mishima and many of his teammates believed they had gained insight into what it meant to play against a top-tier national powerhouse.

Even though they were nervous about facing another such team, they felt a bit more confident than before.

After all, they had seen it once already!

But now, Mishima's confidence wavered.

Even though they had played against one national powerhouse, it didn't seem to mean much.

Powerhouse teams weren't all the same. Their styles differed, as did their players' unique strengths.

"So this is the intimidation of a true top-tier powerhouse? No two teams are alike, even among the elites…"

As this thought crossed his mind, Mishima suddenly grinned widely.

"Earlier, I made a mistake. No matter what happens, I have to make up for it later. This is a rare opportunity!"

The stronger the opponent, the better he could showcase the gap between himself and ordinary players.

Mishima suddenly felt that facing a powerful team wasn't so bad after all.

"Is this guy insane?"

Kuramochi glanced over, bewildered.

He had safely reached base! No matter how he got there, this was bad news for Yakushi High.

It could easily put significant pressure on their team.

And yet, in such a disadvantageous situation, Yakushi's first baseman was grinning like an idiot?

What was wrong with him?

Kuramochi instinctively shifted his position, trying to put some distance between himself and the "weirdo."

But just as he moved, Yakushi's starting pitcher quickly threw the ball to first base.

Kuramochi immediately dove back to the bag.

"Safe!"

Kuramochi had to admit, while Yakushi's starting pitcher wasn't particularly skilled in pitching, his training was thorough and precise.

Kuramochi marveled as he realized something:

The pitcher's pickoff moves were as precise as those of top-tier powerhouse teams.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the pitcher sprang into action again.

He wound up and delivered the pitch with full force.

In the batter's box, Ryousuke Kominato smiled warmly, as if already anticipating the outcome. The ball flew toward him, and with the same gentle smile, he swung his bat.

Ping!

The white baseball soared through the air, tracing a perfect arc before landing in the outfield.

Kuramochi sped around the bases like a whirlwind, passing second and charging straight for third.

Meanwhile, Kominato dashed to first base without hesitation.

"Safe!"

"Safe!!"

Now, with no outs, Seidou had runners on first and third.

In the stands, the Yakushi supporters who had come specifically to cheer for their team were dumbfounded.

This was nothing like what they had imagined.

"How could this happen?"

"They already beat another national powerhouse, didn't they? Why are they struggling so much against Seidou High?"

"The difference is obvious," someone in the crowd analyzed. "Not all powerhouse teams are created equal. The team they beat was just one of the top three in West Tokyo. But Seidou? They're the champions of the Kanto Tournament! Even among national powerhouses, winning the Kanto championship places them in a league of their own."

Yakushi High wasn't weak—it was just that their opponent was overwhelmingly strong.

"Is there no hope?"

Despair was evident in the eyes of Yakushi's supporters as they exchanged glances.

In contrast, Seidou's fans were practically glowing with delight.

There's nothing more satisfying than watching your opponents struggle and despair.

"Do you know who you're up against?"

"This is Seidou! The King Seidou!!!"

However, Seidou's diehard supporters might have celebrated a bit too soon.

Just as they believed their team was about to score, the unthinkable happened.

Jun Isashiki, who had performed spectacularly in the previous game, was caught out.

He had calculated everything—the angle, the timing of his swing—and everything seemed to go according to plan.

When the ball flew off his bat, Isashiki dropped the bat and prepared to sprint.

The ball soared just above the third baseman's left side, nearly three meters off the ground, and it traveled with impressive speed.

Based on Isashiki's experience, this was a guaranteed hit.

The ball was destined to land just behind third base. Even though it wasn't a long shot, it would easily qualify as an extra-base hit.

With that, Kuramochi would definitely score, and even Ryousuke Kominato might follow him home.

A textbook clutch hit.

But that wasn't what happened.

Just as the ball was about to land safely, a figure darted out of nowhere, leaping into the air like a flying fish.

Though he wasn't particularly tall, his jumping ability was extraordinary.

Against all odds, he snatched the ball out of the air.

"Thwack!"

"Kehehehe... kehehehe!!!"

When Raichi's eerie laugh echoed through the stadium, it used to either disgust or amuse those who heard it.

But now, at this moment, it struck fear into the hearts of everyone—both Seidou High's players and their supporters.

Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.

It was a bone-chilling sensation that no one from Seidou wanted to experience ever again.

"Where did this monster come from?"

Confused and filled with questions, the players and fans were left baffled.

With one out and runners on first and third, Seidou High's previously seamless offensive flow was abruptly interrupted.

In contrast, Yakushi High's players and supporters were overwhelmed with excitement.

They had survived!

Not only that, but their team's momentum seemed to soar to a new height.

This surge in morale felt incredible, even to them.

"Keep it up! Shut them down in one go!"

"

Just two more outs to go!"

Thanks to that extraordinary catch, Raichi's name was firmly etched into everyone's memory.

Though his frightening swings had yet to yield any results, his performance at third base was enough to leave a lasting impression.

Meanwhile, in Seidou High's dugout, the atmosphere was tense.

"A perfectly good scoring opportunity, ruined just like that?"

Looking around, the players couldn't help but feel frustrated.

"This isn't over!" Chris reassured them, his voice calm yet firm.

"While this setback is significant, it's not enough to stop our offense entirely," Miyuki added, nodding in agreement.

With their calming words, the players began to regain their composure.

They might doubt others, but Chris and Miyuki's judgment was something they implicitly trusted.

"Now batting, cleanup hitter, number 3, first baseman, Yuuki Tetsuya!"

As Seidou's captain stepped into the batter's box, the team's confidence began to solidify.

Yakushi's starting pitcher, riding the momentum of his recent success, exuded confidence as he wound up for the next pitch.

"Seidou's nothing to be afraid of!"

He aimed to send a clear message to his team and supporters in the stands: This game is far from over!

However, the moment the pitch reached the batter, everything changed.

Expressionless, Yuuki tightly gripped his bat and swung without hesitation.

"Boom!"

The sharp crack of the bat cutting through the air left Yakushi's catcher stunned.

"How is it this fast?"

"Ping!"

The ball soared into the air as everyone watched in disbelief.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

It wasn't until the ball bounced on the field that Yakushi's players snapped out of their daze.

But by then, it was already too late.

Kuramochi sprinted across home plate.

Even Ryousuke Kominato, who had been on first base, made it safely back to home plate.

"One out, runner on second!"

The score shifted to 2-0 in Seidou's favor.

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