Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 207: The Legendary Sawamura's Girlfriend!

The match between Seidou High School's baseball team and Sensen High School was in full swing.

Meanwhile, outside Jingu Stadium, a group of unassuming young people arrived.

Compared to Tokyo natives, their attire was noticeably simpler.

As they hurried toward the stadium, they grumbled along the way.

"Can't we move a little faster? We're already late!"

"Has the game started yet? I wonder if Eijun is on the mound."

"What if by the time we get there, he's already done pitching?"

"Don't jinx it…"

"Isn't today the semifinals? Why does it look so empty?"

Hearing their conversation, a girl walking at the back of the group couldn't help but interject.

"It's a weekday. Who has the time to come?"

This group of friends were none other than Sawamura Eijun's former teammates.

They were the original members of Nagano Akagi Junior High's baseball team.

Eijun had messaged Wakana, telling her that Seidou was about to play in the semifinals. After discussing it with their friends, they decided to come and cheer him on.

Before setting out, Wakana had, of course, sent Eijun a message.

But for some reason, she never received a reply.

And they had clearly underestimated the complexity of Tokyo.

The roads were confusing, the distance was longer than expected, and the city's characteristic congestion slowed them down even further…

They ended up arriving a good half-hour later than planned.

"We're here!"

The chubby boy at the front shouted excitedly.

It was only then that they finally saw the entrance to Jingu Stadium.

"Jingu Baseball Stadium!"

The large characters on the sign shone brilliantly.

For them, this place was an unattainable dream.

"I never imagined this place would be so huge!"

"Damn traffic… I wonder if the game is over. I read reports that Seidou is insanely strong this year!"

But as they stepped onto the stands, they were surprised to find that the game was nothing like they had expected.

They had thought Seidou would be overwhelmingly dominant, crushing their opponents with ease.

But the reality was quite different.

"1-1!"

The first thing that caught their eye was the electronic scoreboard.

"The game's already in the third inning, and it's tied?"

"Looks like Seidou's opponent today is really strong!"

"Wait, I thought it was a weekday? Why are there so many people here?"

They quickly realized that the crowd was far larger than they had expected.

"They're really popular!"

In junior high and even after entering high school, their games had always been played in front of empty stands.

At best, a few classmates or family members would come to support them.

But Seidou was completely different.

There were no family members in sight—only passionate fans cheering them on.

And this was just a weekday game.

"If they make it to the finals, won't the stadium be completely packed?"

"Look over there! Those must be Inashiro's fans!"

"Inashiro Industrial, huh?"

For the first time, Sawamura's friends truly felt just how close they were to the players they had only ever seen on TV.

Inashiro Industrial was a regular at Koshien!

They had seen them play on television before, watching their performances on the national stage.

But now, they were standing so close to them in real life.

"If Seidou advances, their next opponent will be Inashiro!"

That was yet another shocking revelation.

Even though they hadn't spotted Sawamura yet, they could already sense how much he had changed.

The childhood friend they once played alongside was now competing against the best players in the country.

"He must have found what he was looking for here, right?"

Wakana murmured, deep in thought.

She would never forget the sight of Sawamura boarding the train and leaving that day.

"Look! I found Sawamura!"

One of them suddenly shouted.

Despite the massive crowd, and even though they couldn't even see Seidou's dugout from where they stood, they managed to spot Sawamura right away.

They had initially assumed they wouldn't get to see him until he actually stepped onto the mound.

But reality turned out to be completely different.

Even in the midst of such a large audience, their eyes immediately locked onto their old friend.

"I'm all set and ready to pitch anytime!!"

Sawamura had been warming up since the second inning.

Earlier, Tanba had been pitching well, keeping the opposing team in check, so Sawamura had remained quietly watching.

But as soon as Tanba gave up a run, allowing the opponent to tie the game, Seidou's momentum shifted.

At that moment, Sawamura became more energized than ever, making his presence known.

Some fans in the stands were puzzled—why was this small guy from Seidou so loud?

But for Sawamura's old teammates, this scene was all too familiar.

Back when they played together, he would often use his voice to support his teammates, helping them shake off pressure.

Sometimes, he would hype up the entire team in his own unique way.

"That guy… he really hasn't changed one bit."

"Yeah… well, except for his pitching. Everything else is the same."

Wakana smiled sweetly.

She was truly happy that her childhood friend had retained his pure and unfiltered self.

Inside Seidou's Dugout

Coach Kataoka was under immense pressure.

This was Tanba's first game of the summer tournament, and he was starting on the mound.

Everyone knew the weight he carried on his shoulders was enormous.

And Kataoka himself was well aware of that.

Even so, he had made the decision to send Tanba out as the starting pitcher.

Seidou was no longer the team it once was.

Their players needed to be ready to step up at any moment and deliver results on the field.

Furuya couldn't pitch every game!

For the sake of both the team's long-term success and Furuya's own development, they had to find a reliable backup ace.

Seidou still had two more pitchers in their lineup, but…

But both of these pitchers had their own issues.

Take the first-year, Sawamura Eijun, for example.

Before the previous game, this rookie had been full of promise.

Although he hadn't been given many opportunities to pitch, whenever he did, he delivered solid performances.

This led his Seidou teammates to believe that they had not just one ace this year, but a pair of twin stars on the mound.

After years of struggling to find a reliable ace, they finally felt a sense of relief.

It was as if the baseball gods had not abandoned them after all.

But reality proved otherwise.

Sawamura could handle average opponents, but the moment he faced an unpredictable team, his weaknesses were laid bare.

His ability to adapt was lacking!

That was why he got taken deep by Raichi.

And against the rest of the Yakushi lineup, he had looked powerless at times.

After that setback, the team hoped he would grow from the experience.

But in the end, he was still just a first-year.

Not every rookie could be as steady as Furuya.

No matter how high their expectations were, they couldn't put all their hopes on a single player.

As for Kawakami, his issue was simple—he wasn't strong enough.

Against a team of Yakushi's caliber, he couldn't be trusted to keep runs off the board.

The Semifinal Match

Seidou's opponent in the semifinals was Sensen High.

They were a solid team, strong in their own right.

But calling them a powerhouse? That would be an exaggeration.

For Seidou, this opponent was ideal.

Even if unexpected situations arose, they weren't too worried.

As long as they played their game, winning shouldn't be a problem.

A matchup like this was the perfect opportunity for some real-game testing.

Since neither of the other two pitchers were ideal options, Coach Kataoka naturally turned his attention to their former ace.

Tanba had recovered from his injury.

If he could make his return now, and do so in top form, Seidou's roster would be complete.

Reality Strikes

Unfortunately, while the idea sounded great, reality was much harsher.

Tanba's fighting spirit was indeed stronger than the other two pitchers.

In that sense, he was just like the other third-years on the team.

Perhaps because this was their final summer, their determination and resilience were at an all-time high.

But grit alone wasn't enough to win a game.

Tanba's weaknesses as a pitcher were still painfully clear in today's match.

His breaking balls were fine, maintaining their usual effectiveness.

But his fastball… was unreliable!

Every few pitches, he would throw one that lacked sharpness.

Sensen's batters capitalized on this, relentlessly targeting those weaker fastballs, and ultimately, they scored a run.

"If he can't fix this issue, there's no way we can trust him in the tougher challenges ahead!"

Meanwhile, in Sensen's Dugout

Their coach, who had been tense at the start, was now smiling again.

Sure, they had taken an early hit in the game.

But his players had adjusted quickly, sticking to their pre-game strategy, and their offense had found success.

Their defense had held steady as well, committing no major errors.

Feeling satisfied, he glanced over at Seidou's dugout.

For the past two months, Seidou's victory in the Kanto Tournament had been the talk of the baseball world.

It was as if, overnight, this once-struggling powerhouse—who had failed to reach Koshien for years—had suddenly become a favorite to win it all.

People weren't just expecting them to advance.

Some even predicted that once Seidou High School reached Koshien, their players would bring even greater surprises to the tournament.

"Still too naive, Kataoka!"

"You already have a new ace, yet you're still holding on to the old one. That's where your team will fail!"

The opposing coach's smug thoughts were unknown to Kataoka.

Even if he had heard them, it wasn't in his nature to care.

Right now, his primary concern was whether his players had adjusted to facing the opposing ace's pitches.

"Thanks to our practice sessions, we've gotten used to his high-drop curveball!"

"But actually hitting it still needs some work."

"That's good enough. During the game, always remember to think calmly and use your brain!"

"Yes, sir!"

The team responded in unison, their determination evident.

Seidou's Dugout

Miyuki suddenly turned his head in a particular direction.

"Something wrong?"

Miyuki nodded.

"Looks like Sawamura's friends. I see a few people talking to him."

"Where? Whoa, that girl's pretty cute."

The Seidou players couldn't help but admire her.

"I wonder what kind of relationship she has with Sawamura?"

Hearing this, Furuya lifted his head as well.

It really was them.

A warm smile appeared on his face.

Back in middle school, he had gotten along well with his teammates.

But even now, the most he ever got from his old friends was an occasional text message.

Not a single one had ever said they would come all the way to Tokyo to cheer for him.

Compared to that, Sawamura's popularity was enviable.

"She's probably his childhood friend, Wakana… or maybe his girlfriend," Furuya said casually.

"Childhood friend… girlfriend?!"

As the others were still digesting this, an energetic voice suddenly interrupted.

"Wakana? Who's Wakana?!"

The speaker was none other than Kuramochi, Sawamura's dorm senior.

A loud and impulsive upperclassman with a short temper.

"That one over there!"

Kuramochi turned and spotted Wakana.

Her clothes were simple, just sandals and a casual outfit—not expensive by any means.

But her youthful beauty still struck Kuramochi like a bolt of lightning!

"So that's Wakana! The Wakana who's been texting Sawamura?!"

"She's really his childhood friend…?"

Just as Kuramochi was processing this shocking revelation, Kataoka's voice cut through the dugout.

"Call Sawamura over. Tell him to get ready to pitch!"

It was a tough decision for Tanba.

But at this point, Seidou didn't have the luxury to dwell on such things.

They couldn't afford to let their pitcher continue faltering.

"I'll go!"

Haruichi moved immediately, but Kuramochi held him back.

This was his moment.

"You idiot, the coach is calling you. Get moving!"

With that, Kuramochi kicked Sawamura square in the rear.

Sawamura staggered forward, clutching his lower back in pain.

"Ow!! That actually hurt!"

"You're imagining things."

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