Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 215: Obsession with Reaching Koshien!

The players of Seidou High School's baseball team gathered in their strategy meeting room, attentively watching several matches of Inashiro from start to finish.

As they watched, they discussed the games, but gradually, their discussions grew quieter.

Before long, they realized something peculiar—no matter how much they analyzed, all they did was praise Inashiro's strengths.

However, their upcoming game was against this very team. If they couldn't pinpoint their opponent's weaknesses, how could they formulate a winning strategy?

Once the footage ended, Chris took his notebook and began his analysis.

"He's only thrown four changeups in total. Even sliders and forkballs combined were used less than twenty times. His pitching relies mainly on fastballs, and most of his outs come from corner pitches."

"Not only that!" someone added. "Since that final, Inashiro's ace hasn't given up a single run!"

Narumiya Mei had now built an invincible reputation.

The expressions on Seidou's players darkened.

Back in the Kanto Tournament finals, they had faced Narumiya before, so they had some understanding of his strength.

Although they had won that game, it had made them deeply aware of just how formidable he was.

If they had to play that match again, no one on Seidou's team could confidently claim victory.

And now, their opponent seemed to have grown even stronger!

For the third-year players, the weight of this battle was even heavier.

Last year, in the West Tokyo semifinals, Seidou had lost to Inashiro.

Back then, under the leadership of their captain, Azuma-senpai, the team had been at its peak, and many believed they had a legitimate shot at reaching Koshien.

But fate had other plans.

They ran into Narumiya Mei.

At the time, he was just a first-year backup pitcher for Inashiro.

Yet that very rookie had completely shut down Seidou's offense.

In the end, they lost by a single run.

And now, Narumiya had only gotten better!

The weight of last year's loss still lingered in the hearts of the third-year players, filling them with mixed emotions.

Sensing the atmosphere growing heavy, a player with a small mustache furrowed his brows.

He took the initiative to break the silence.

"Captain!" he called out, drawing everyone's attention toward their team leader.

With a grin, he asked, "As the only person who managed to hit that guy's pitch last time, do you think we can break through their defense?"

Last year, while most of Seidou's batters were completely shut down by Narumiya, there had been one exception—Yuuki Tetsuya.

He was the only one who had managed to land a solid hit and even secured a double.

That performance left such a strong impression on the coaching staff that they overlooked his personality and made him the team captain.

Without that hit, Seidou—one of the nation's top powerhouse teams—would have become a laughingstock.

A prestigious lineup, unable to land a single hit off a first-year pitcher? That would have been unacceptable.

Now, as all eyes turned to Yuuki, he understood their concerns.

On defense, Seidou had nothing to worry about.

Not only was their fielding among the best in the country, but they also had another source of confidence— Furuya!

The Inashiro Industrial High School baseball team did indeed have a monstrous pitcher, but Seidou High School was not lacking either.

Their own "monster rookie" had been just as flawless in this regard.

Narumiya Mei hadn't given up a single run.

But neither had their own ace.

The real challenge was whether their batters could break through Inashiro's defense and get hits off their ace.

That, more than anything, could determine the outcome of this game.

Narumiya's strength, combined with Inashiro's solid defensive play, left a deep impression on everyone.

Deep down, could Seidou's batters honestly say they had no doubts?

The answer wasn't so simple.

At first, as they watched Inashiro's game footage, the team had been relaxed. But as the matches played on, an eerie silence settled over them.

What did that mean?

It meant that, in their hearts, they had concerns.

They weren't fully confident that they could score against Tokyo's Prince.

As captain, what was his role now?

Yuuki's mind drifted back to a conversation he'd had with the coach.

"Why me?"

When Yuuki first heard the news, he was taken aback.

He never thought he was qualified to be team captain.

"I know what you're worried about. But this team has professionals handling the management and logistics. As captain, you don't need to concern yourself with those things. Your role is to lead the team forward with your performance on the field."

Those words had echoed in Yuuki's mind for a long time.

It was only then that he truly understood the coach's intentions.

As captain, his job was to set an example.

"We have agile and adaptable batters in the first and second spots. And we have a solid lineup behind them. I don't believe we won't be able to get hits or score runs against them."

"In the past year, especially since our Kanto Tournament final, Inashiro has undoubtedly improved. But we've improved just as much."

His words struck a chord with every single player on Seidou's team.

That's right!

Over the past year, it wasn't just Inashiro that had gotten stronger—they had, too.

"Hahaha, now that's our captain!"

The third-years broke into smiles.

The younger players looked even more determined than before.

After the meeting, the players were given free time.

But the third-years all chose to stay behind, rewatching Inashiro's game footage.

Meanwhile, a few of the first-years gathered together as well.

As they left, Haruichi stole a glance at his older brother.

In Haruichi's mind, his older brother, Ryousuke, had always been someone who remained unfazed, no matter how dire the situation.

But this time, he clearly noticed something unusual in his brother's demeanor.

Even Sawamura, who usually seemed carefree, picked up on the strange atmosphere among the upperclassmen.

"Didn't we already beat them in the Kanto Tournament? Why do the seniors still seem so tense?"

Hearing Sawamura's question, Furuya glanced at his rival in surprise.

In truth, the third-year players of Seidou were doing their best to stay composed.

Unless someone was particularly perceptive or naturally sensitive, it would have been difficult to notice their unease.

Yet Sawamura had noticed!

This little guy genuinely cared about his seniors and had an innate sharpness about him.

"You really do have the instincts of an ace."

Furuya spoke with sincerity.

The moment he said that, however, he could feel Sawamura's sharp, beast-like gaze locking onto him.

"What did you just say? Are you mocking me?"

If it had been anyone else, Sawamura would have been thrilled.

He might have even grinned ear to ear!

But hearing it from Furuya, the ace of Seidou and his biggest rival, made it sound more like a taunt.

"I wasn't mocking you!" Furuya replied, shaking his head. "I'm just stating a fact. You still have a lot of flaws, but no one can deny your talent."

"Hah! Saying that won't make me happy. Don't forget—we're rivals."

Seeing Sawamura grin, Furuya had the sudden urge to punch him.

Haruichi, still unsure, turned to Furuya.

"You think Sawamura is sharp? Does that mean the seniors really are nervous?"

He had sensed something was off too, but he couldn't believe it.

Could his brother and his brother's teammates—those unshakable third-years—actually be nervous?

To Haruichi and most of the younger players, the third-years were like invincible giants.

They weren't just strong; they were unwavering.

On the baseball field, there was nothing they couldn't handle.

And now, Furuya was saying they were nervous?

Even in the Kanto Tournament finals, they had remained calm and composed!

"It's different."

Furuya nodded.

"Winning the Kanto Tournament was a great honor, but that was a professional achievement. It's important, but it's not something our seniors are obsessed with."

"But Koshien is different! That's the dream of hundreds of thousands of baseball players across the country. Many of them started playing baseball just to one day stand on that sacred field."

"Our third-years were once called a 'weaker generation,' but each of them was a standout player in their previous teams. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been invited to Seidou. From the beginning, they dreamed of playing in Koshien."

"Then, they joined Seidou—a powerhouse school that had failed to reach Koshien for years. Their desire to make it there only grew stronger as they inherited the regrets of their retired seniors."

In the past, Furuya hadn't fully understood this.

But after spending more time with his upperclassmen…

He had started to feel it.

If they failed to make it to Koshien again this year…

The remaining players in Seidou would go insane.

Reaching Koshien wasn't just an obsession for the seniors anymore.

It had become the biggest obsession for the entire Seidou baseball team.

No exceptions.

Both Sawamura and Haruichi were shaken by Furuya's words.

"You'd better step up, because we—" Sawamura started.

"Not just me. We all need to step up," Furuya interrupted. "This game isn't just for ourselves. It's for the team, and for our seniors. We have to make it to Koshien."

Sawamura and Haruichi felt a jolt in their hearts.

Furuya was their ace. He had also sat out the semifinal game, conserving his strength.

Naturally, they assumed he had already made up his mind to carry the team on his own.

But instead…

He was including them.

Even now, he still saw them as part of the fight.

"You're both part of the First String. You'll get your chance, too."

"Ohhh!!"

The two young players' eyes lit up.

Especially Sawamura—his face flushed red with excitement.

"So you've finally realized the importance of this genius! Don't worry, I'm always ready to take the field. I'll lead our seniors all the way to Koshien!"

Sawamura's enthusiasm was commendable.

But fate always seemed to enjoy messing with him.

Just as he finished speaking, the door to the room swung open, and the third-years from Seidou walked out one after another.

"S-Seniors… Weren't you watching the video?"

Sawamura stammered, his voice shaky.

At that moment, he wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

"Oh? So you're the one who's going to lead us to Koshien?"

Kuramochi, his usual smirk twisted into something almost menacing, stared him down.

"N-No, I—"

"Hmph."

Kuramochi didn't bother waiting for Sawamura's excuses. He simply walked past him and headed out.

Behind him, Chris gave a calm explanation.

"Every single frame of that game footage is already engraved in their minds."

With that, Chris left as well.

"Chris-senpai…!"

Sawamura's eyes filled with unshed tears.

"We're counting on you, 'temporary ace'!"

Ryousuke smiled, but there was an unsettling chill in his expression.

The kind that sent shivers down Sawamura's spine.

He immediately knew—life on the team was about to get a whole lot tougher for him.

Dreading what lay ahead, he turned and glared daggers at Furuya and Haruichi.

"Why didn't you two warn me?!"

If they had just given him a heads-up, he wouldn't have gotten carried away and embarrassed himself like that!

"I did!" Haruichi protested, looking wronged. "I gave you a look!"

"Your hair was in the way! How was I supposed to see it?!"

Sawamura rolled his eyes toward the sky, tears of regret streaming down his face.

He knew he shouldn't blame his friends. This was just another bump in the road of his fate.

The only problem was…

He sure seemed to hit an awful lot of bumps.

...

The Next Morning

The night passed without further incident.

When Seidou's players arrived at the field the next morning, they were stunned by the lively scene before them.

"What's going on?"

"Former graduates of Seidou—both seniors and alumni—came to bring gifts and show their support. And also…"

On the eve of the finals, many people had gathered to cheer them on.

But the most special visitor among them was none other than their former captain—Azuma Kiyokuni.

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