Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 209: Furuya's Problem Is Beyond the Syllabus!

"What About Furuya?"

Hearing this question, Watanabe was visibly stunned for a moment.

Then, he gave a bitter smile and said helplessly to his friend,

"Your question is beyond the syllabus!!"

The examples and reasoning he had just shared all applied to ordinary prodigies.

For example, the current main players of Seidou High School's baseball team—most of them had grown and developed in that way.

But in this world, there are always a few people who don't follow that conventional path of growth.

These individuals are the true geniuses.

Take their same-year teammate, Miyuki, for instance.

When he first joined the team, some people lamented his misfortune.

Back then, Chris firmly held the catcher position at Seidou, and no one could see any real opportunity for Miyuki.

People felt sorry for him because, even in practice, Miyuki displayed an unbelievable level of talent and skill.

Many Seidou players thought that if he had joined another powerhouse school instead of Seidou, his future would have been much brighter.

But what happened in the end?

That year, Seidou failed to make it to Koshien.

Yet, thanks to a featured interview in Baseball Kingdom magazine, Miyuki's name became known nationwide.

Now, even though he is only a second-year player, multiple professional scouts—and even coaches—have come to personally observe his practices.

Even if Seidou never makes it to Koshien or achieves remarkable success on the national stage, Miyuki's future is already set.

His path to the professional league is clear, and his success is inevitable.

That is what it means to be a true winner in life.

And someone like him is beyond Watanabe's understanding.

That was why he had smiled bitterly.

Aside from Miyuki, there was another player who fit this description even better—Furuya.

Forget about Furuya already making a name for himself—

Even if he had no fame right now, even if he graduated high school without much recognition—

With his terrifying pitching speed alone, as long as he stayed in baseball, his future was guaranteed.

A super talent like him had already surpassed the standards by which others could judge or evaluate him.

...

While everyone was deep in discussion—

Sawamura had finally regained his pitching form.

After making mistakes in his previous game, he had stepped onto the mound today only to face an immediate onslaught from the opposing batters, giving up a run.

All of Seidou's players were sweating anxiously for him.

Under these circumstances, they couldn't imagine how Sawamura could possibly turn things around.

If he continued to struggle in this game, no matter how much Kataoka trusted him, he wouldn't get many more chances in the future.

Sawamura's former teammates were even more worried, their faces pale with anxiety.

At this moment, there was no room for jealousy in their minds.

They all had only one thought—

"Hang in there, Sawamura!!"

If their eyes could speak, Sawamura would be hearing countless voices right now.

And yet—

Right then, Sawamura finally rediscovered his rhythm.

Lifting his leg high, he stomped down heavily.

As his body shifted, his arm snapped forward like a whip.

The batter from Sensen, watching from the box, froze in shock.

"His pitching form changed! I can't see his release point at all!"

After regaining his condition, even Sawamura's pitching motion had undergone a subtle change.

It wasn't a drastic shift—

If you weren't in the batter's box, you might not even notice anything different.

But for the batter facing him—

It was a whole different story.

From the batter's perspective, Sawamura's body completely obscured his arm as he swung forward.

By the time he actually saw the ball leaving Sawamura's hand, it was already right in front of him in the blink of an eye.

The batter instinctively widened his eyes in shock.

"So fast!"

When they had studied Seidou's game footage before, they had seen Sawamura's pitch speed—just above 130 km/h.

That was about the average for a strong high school pitcher—not slow, but definitely not fast.

But now, it felt completely different.

From the batter's perspective, Sawamura's pitch speed felt like at least 140 km/h—maybe even faster?

"Was this guy always such a fast pitcher?"

Just as that question flashed through the batter's mind, he watched helplessly as the ball whizzed past him.

"Pop!"

"Strike!!"

In Sensen High's dugout, their coach gripped his chin tightly.

"Your expression is too obvious—it's like you're completely intimidated by his pitching! Acting so timid will only boost your opponent's confidence!"

Say what you will about Sensen's coach—he might be a little arrogant, but his eye for the game was sharp.

And what he had just pointed out was a very serious issue.

High school baseball battles weren't just about skill—they were also fights of momentum and mentality.

Once they lost their confidence, the game would only get harder and harder.

And just as their coach predicted—

After regaining his rhythm, Sawamura unleashed pitch after pitch with unstoppable momentum.

Sensen's batters had only two options—swing desperately or lose control of their bats entirely.

The result? Either they struck out completely, or they barely managed weak contact.

For Seidou's fielders, those weakly hit balls were basically free outs.

"Out!"

"Out!!"

"Three outs! Side retired!!"

Sawamura's dominant performance sent the crowd into a frenzy.

And as for his old teammates from Akagi—they were completely stunned.

Then, just like everyone else, they erupted into cheers for him.

Among them, a girl named Wakana smiled in relief.

She understood their feelings better than anyone.

They had just been completely overwhelmed by Sawamura's performance.

Sure, when he first stepped onto the mound, he had made a small blunder—

But after that, he delivered something far beyond their expectations.

Once again, Sawamura's old teammates were forced to recognize the undeniable truth—

Sawamura was no longer the same player he once was.

He had grown into an extraordinary baseball player.

Watching their old friend become a true star on the field—

Of course, they felt shocked. Of course, there was a sense of disparity.

But that feeling was fleeting—

Because their friendship was unshakable.

Their bond with Sawamura was real.

And when he turned to wave at them, that moment burned into their memories.

No matter how high Sawamura climbed in the future—

Their friendship would never change.

And one day, they'd be able to proudly tell others—

"You know Sawamura Eijun? That baseball superstar?"

"Yeah, that's my buddy!!!"

At that moment, any lingering sense of distance between them vanished completely.

In Seidou's dugout, the players collectively let out a deep breath.

Sawamura had successfully shut down the opposing batters, and more importantly, he had regained his previous form.

For Seidou's players, this was an unexpected but welcome surprise.

Even though they were still trailing in the game, with the scoreboard showing 1-2, they didn't truly believe they would lose.

Sensen's ace, Maki, was indeed a skilled pitcher, and their team's overall strategy was annoyingly effective.

But even so, Seidou's players remained confident—they believed they could make solid contact and turn the game around.

Rather than worrying about the game's outcome, their biggest concern had been whether the team's other pitchers could hold the fort if Furuya wasn't on the mound.

But now, it seemed that their earlier worries had been unnecessary.

With Sawamura's resurgence, the answer to that question had become obvious.

Moreover, their future opponents—Inashiro—were watching from the stands, keeping a close eye on them.

Sawamura's strong comeback wasn't just important for this game—it carried a much greater significance.

Back in the Kanto Tournament Finals, Seidou had won largely thanks to Furuya's dominant performance.

But now, things had shifted.

When they faced Inashiro again, their opponents would undoubtedly focus more on Furuya.

And while confidence was good, there was always the chance that Furuya could be stopped.

If that happened, having another pitcher step up could very well determine the outcome of the match.

Not only that, but Seidou's players realized another crucial factor—

With Sawamura back in form, Inashiro's players wouldn't be able to ignore him.

Even if their focus shifted only slightly, it would give Furuya—the team's current ace—a chance to breathe.

"Our juniors have stepped up—now it's our turn to show what we can do!"

The game entered the top of the fifth inning, and it was Seidou's turn to bat.

By now, they had thoroughly studied Maki's pitching and Sensen's overall game plan.

The batters stepped into the box with clear intentions.

And just like that—

Led by third-year Ryousuke as the spark, the upperclassmen—along with Miyuki—erased the deficit in a single burst, scoring three runs.

The scoreboard flipped—4-2!

Seidou had completed the comeback.

It all seemed so effortless—like it was simply meant to happen.

In the stands, Seidou's die-hard supporters erupted with excitement.

"Ha! Stunned, aren't you?"

"Did you really think a single oversized ace could stop us?"

"This is Seidou!!"

Though Furuya's overall performance had been shaky, both the team and their supporters were more than satisfied.

Furuya had done his job.

Hadn't he scored the first run at the start?

Sure, Sensen had mounted a fierce counterattack, which slowed Seidou's offense for a while.

But that initial breakthrough had given them a chance to crush their opponent's spirit.

And after adapting to their opponent's strategy, the third-years had delivered when it mattered most.

One by one, they connected with the ball, bringing in three crucial runs—

And with that, Seidou had taken the lead.

Bottom of the Fifth Inning

With Sawamura fully locked in, his presence on the mound became a nightmare for Sensen's players and their coach.

His hidden release point combined with his unpredictable breaking pitches left the batters completely unsettled.

Even against the powerhouse lineup of the "Cosmic Team," Sawamura had delivered a commendable performance.

Now, facing Sensen, he pitched with even greater ease and confidence.

In the blink of an eye—

Three up, three down!

Sensen went down without a single runner reaching base.

With that, the game moved into the top of the sixth inning.

...

The players from Inashiro Industrial stood up from the stands.

They had seen enough.

It was time for them to prepare for their own upcoming match.

As they left, Narumiya Mei cast a deep, lingering glance at Sawamura—

And at Furuya, who had yet to pitch.

Their finals matchup in two days would pit them against these two threats.

They would need to be on full alert.

Furuya was already a major concern for them.

Ever since the Kanto Tournament Finals, he had been the biggest obstacle in their way.

Inashiro had been preparing countermeasures for months to stop him.

But now, they had another problem—Sawamura.

This unexpected rising force could no longer be ignored.

Most pitchers would have crumbled under the pressure of the crisis Seidou had faced earlier.

But Sawamura had endured—

And not just survived, but shined with outstanding performance.

That made him a serious threat in their eyes.

...

Top of the Sixth Inning

Despite his exhaustion, Sensen's ace Maki dug deep and fought through the inning.

However, he still ended up conceding one more run.

Score: 5-2—Seidou extended their lead to three runs.

This scoreline was proof of the insanely high level of the West Tokyo Semifinals.

After all, Seidou wasn't just any team—they were the reigning Kanto champions.

On the national stage, they were one of the top teams in the country.

Yet, even they had struggled against Sensen, one of West Tokyo's Top Four.

Six innings had already passed—more than half the game was over.

And despite their dominance, Seidou's lead was still only three runs.

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