Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

Ping!

After the ball was hit, it flew far off.

"FOUL!"

There was a hint of regret in the umpire's voice. If the ball had been in bounds, it could have almost been considered a home run.

'What a pity!'

The comeback by Seidou was clearly imminent, yet it had not succeeded.

The previously excellent pitcher, Raichi, seemed as if someone had suddenly turned on a switch.

Standing behind Maezono, Sawamura's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He hadn't expected this to happen!

No wonder Raizou-ossan would use his precious son as a secret weapon. This secret weapon could only be used as a secret weapon; if it were a regular weapon, Raichi wouldn't even be able to stand on the pitcher's mound.

He was finally starting to realize…

In the dugout of Yakushi High School.

Superintendent Todoroki Raizou, dissatisfied, slapped his head. He stared at his precious son on the mound, and eventually, his expression turned into a wry smile.

"This is the limit, huh?"

Having Raichi pitch earlier was just a last-ditch effort. This guy was a complete newbie in pitching, completely unaware of how fearsome the mound is.

That's why he was able to pitch freely!

Of course, such a strategy could only be used against teams like Seidou, which had more technical batters. If it were a power-hitting team, a pitcher like Raichi would have no place on the mound.

King Seidou.

It must be said that although Coach Kataoka had some shortcomings in terms of leading the team earlier when it came to coaching the players, there were no issues.

The players he had trained showed significant improvements in strength. Even if their original potential wasn't great, after two years of training, they now had considerable levels.

Just like Maezono in front of him!

If you were to talk about raw talent, this player's talent was not extraordinary. But his strength was undeniable. If he could continue to improve before his third-year graduation,

'He could very well experience a meteoric rise...'

Shaking his head, Raizou pushed these unnecessary thoughts aside. He stood up and prepared to ask for a substitution.

The moment he stood, there was still hesitation in his heart.

In truth, at this point in the game, even if they put their Ace pitcher, Sanada Shunpei, on the mound, it wouldn't be a big deal. There was still a chance to go head-to-head with Seidou High School.

If they won, they would be the champions of the Spring Tournament, creating history for the school.

After yesterday's game, the school's leaders had specifically called him. Although they hadn't given a direct mandate, it was clear from their tone what was expected.

"Alright!"

Having made up his mind, Raizou gestured for a substitution.

Though substituting their Ace pitcher at this stage wasn't as impactful as it might have been earlier…

There was no choice. In yesterday's game, Sanada had expended a lot of energy, and with his previous injury, the number of innings Sanada could pitch was actually quite limited. The current situation was already pushing it.

If they had done it earlier, his stamina wouldn't have lasted until the end.

"Yakushi High School player position change: former first baseman Sanada Shunpei-kun takes the mound!"

Raizou's substitution drew everyone's attention. The spectators stared in shock, their minds coming up with a thought they hadn't considered before.

Could it be that Yakushi High School was really pushing all their chips in just for the championship of this Spring Tournament?

For the fans at the scene, being able to watch a true battle between two of the top giants in the country should have made them feel good.

But in fact, the mood in the stands wasn't as enthusiastic. There was a subtle air of concern…

The scouts elite teams sent from across the country were right there, blatantly filming the game.

Especially those famous schools from the Kanto region, who had already identified the Tokyo teams as potential threats.

For the upcoming Kanto Tournament, their investigation into Seidou High School had been thorough.

In this case, if both Seidou High School and Yakushi High School showed their full strength to fight for the championship, it would be a total win for them.

As local fans of Tokyo, their feelings were naturally complicated.

The players on the field, however, weren't concerned with these twists and turns; they were focused on the momentum and changes in the game.

When they saw Sanada Shunpei replace Raichi in this situation, Seidou High School's players quickly realized that the so-called "Raichi pitching" was just a trick to buy time.

'Damn!!!'

They hadn't expected to be fooled by such an inexperienced pitcher. If they had known he was this much of a beginner, they could have handled it more boldly.

Once Seidou's batters find a weakness, the consequences could be disastrous.

Yakushi's actions successfully angered the players of Seidou High School. Filled with ire, they were determined to teach their opponents a hard lesson.

Unable to lash out at their opponents directly, the Seidou High School players turned their furious gazes toward Sanada, who had just stepped onto the mound.

Being stared down by so many intense eyes made even Sanada feel a chill run down his spine.

'I had just started pitching. Why did the players from Seidou have so much resentment toward me?'

From this moment onward, the game entered a new rhythm.

Sanada Shunpei was not a rookie pitcher like Raichi. He wasn't intimidated by Maezono's momentum. Instead, he threw an inside breaking ball.

There was no better pitch for Maezono, who was ready to swing.

Naturally, he swung his bat.

Ping!

The ball bounced off the ground and rebounded toward third base.

Raichi, who had just returned to third base, leaped like a whirlwind, stopping the ball and throwing it to first base.

Snap!

"OUT!!"

One Out, no one on base.

At this point, the game seemed to be at a stalemate, and it was clear it was about to turn into a pitching duel.

Now, Sawamura stepped into the Batter's Box.

None of Seidou High School's supporters roared. They all sat quietly, staring at the duel on the field.

To be honest, they were genuinely afraid that they might accidentally yell too loudly and scare the players of Yakushi.

Originally, Sawamura had just Walked Raichi. Now, Yakushi's Ace pitcher might follow suit.

He could also use the strategy of Walking Sawamura Eijun…

Thinking it over, this tactic still seemed quite feasible.

Even Sanada, the Ace pitcher, hesitated for a moment in his mind.

Undoubtedly, in this situation, Walking Sawamura and facing the batter behind him would be the safest choice.

But…

Looking at the remaining red-eyed players in Seidou's dugout, Sanada quickly abandoned the idea.

'It wouldn't work.'

Even if Sawamura was Walked, there were still strong players behind him, and it wouldn't offer much of an advantage.

'Seidou would have two Outs to work with, and Sawamura was a fast runner. Helping him steal bases and forcing him forward won't be a problem.'

On the contrary, facing Sawamura directly, handling him head-on, would carry much more significance.

After all, Seidou had to Walk their clean-up hitter!

Here, Sanada could solve Sawamura directly...

What kind of impact would this have on the audience? What kind of impact would it have on the players of Seidou?

Continuing to drag out the game like this would be very disadvantageous for Yakushi High School.

Even if it was a little risky, he had to do it.

Sanada on the mound stood with a determined attitude, ready to face Sawamura head-on.

This gave Yakushi High School's supporters great relief.

'What if you're the king? We'll face you head-on!'

Such a contrast made Seidou High School's supporters instinctively fall silent.

To be honest, they were still feeling a bit fired up inside.

Sawamura, standing in the Batter's Box, paid no attention to these matters.

His eyes were shining brightly.

Before, Sawamura had heard about the depth of dynamic vision.

The simple dynamic vision breaks the continuous shadowy fast movement down into something like a high-quality movie.

It feels like everything becomes incredibly clear.

Talented people with a particularly good dynamic vision would be able to follow the fast baseball in its flying course...

As for the highest level of dynamic vision, it is said that only a few athletes in history had it.

It is rumored that the football legend Lionel Messi had this talent too.

It was said that people with this level of dynamic vision could make everything in front of them appear to slow down, allowing them to see the finer details of the ball.

Someone had once tested this by writing a letter on a baseball and throwing it at 160 km/h.

The batter was asked to identify the letter.

Sawamura had done this test before, but before his regression, he wasn't able to read any letters.

Now, he felt like he was touching the edge of it.

He could see the trajectory of the ball's spin...

If there were a letter on the baseball Sanada threw now, Sawamura believed he might be able to read it!

Sawamura feels incredibly magical!

This state of concentration is not something Sawamura is experiencing for the first time. In his time in the Major League, Sawamura entered this state many times while pitching.

In this life, Sawamura's situation has changed drastically, leading to a significant improvement in his overall strength.

Not only in pitching but even in hitting, he has made great strides.

That feeling is as if everything in the world is in his hands as if he can do anything…

But no matter how good he felt before, Sawamura knew very well in his heart that he hadn't really changed. It was simply that his brain was working a little faster than usual, and his reactions were sharper.

In the end, it all comes down to concentration. When highly focused, a person's reactions are definitely faster than usual. The state Sawamura refers to is simply the result of his focus.

It is just a deeper level of concentration than usual.

Those are all mental aspects, specifically regarding Sawamura's hitting power and eyesight.

In reality, there hasn't been any improvement.

The ability to observe details is only due to greater focus and a more agile mind.

But now, it's different. Sawamura can truly feel that his vision has changed.

The world in his eyes has undergone a dramatic transformation.

It is a completely different level of advancement...

In Eijun's eyes, time seems to have really slowed down.

It's the result of snowballing experience, combined with this wonderful State, that has allowed him to undergo a transformative evolution.

From his clueless rookie years before his regression to the present, Eijun has played baseball for nearly 20 years. In those years, he has seen countless pitches…

These pitches have left their mark on his mind, to varying degrees. The more he has seen, the easier it becomes for Sawamura to deal with them.

Originally, Sawamura thought this was just a process of accumulation, and never expected that a quantitative change could lead to a qualitative one. After encountering countless pitches, Sawamura has reached a miraculous State where he can achieve the effects of top-level dynamic vision.

He knows every break in baseball inside and out.

Just by looking at Sanada's pitching stance, Sawamura can roughly predict the path and movement of the ball. With the trajectory of the ball, both are confirmed.

His mind is as clear as a mirror.

However, before entering this miraculous state, Sawamura couldn't reach this level.

But, as time passes, as Sawamura grows more mature his strength increases, and as he sees more and more pitches…

Sooner or later, Eijun will be able to achieve the same effect in an ordinary state.

Eijun will no longer be just a simple 'Prince of Breaking Balls', but a true baseball legend.

Not just a legend of pitching, but also a legend of hitting.

It took long to explain, but in reality, waiting for the baseball to fly toward you is just the blink of an eye.

"So slow!"

He muttered subconsciously.

For a ball like this, there's no reason for Sawamura to make a mistake.

He held the bat high, and as he watched the small ball fly toward him, Eijun's whole body twisted like a rope. In an instant, he released all the power in his body, hitting the ball with force.

BANG!!!

As soon as Sawamura hit the ball, Akiba Kazuma, who was out of position, sighed in relief.

'Sanada-senpai's Cutter isn't something you can just hit with a full swing. Sawamura's careless approach may not have solved the pitch, but a foul ball was certainly inevitable.'

Watching the small ball fly near the sideline, Akiba waited, expecting it to land out of bounds.

But, things didn't seem to go as he expected.

Although the ball flew close to the sideline, it didn't go out. It continued flying toward the outfield stands, staying along the sideline the entire way.

Snap!

The small ball reached the stands in the outfield, and several kids watching the game immediately rushed to grab it.

This was a home run by Sawamura Eijun, the Maou, and it could be bragged about for a year or more if they took it back.

For the game and the tens of thousands of spectators at Jingu Stadium, it meant little.

What really mattered was the score on the field right now.

With Sawamura Eijun's home run, Seidou finally got rid of the embarrassing three-point difference before and overtook their opponent by one point.

The score became 6:5!

"WOOAH!!"

"AMAZING!!"

"Damn!"

"That bastard always makes it look easy!!!"

In Seidou's dugout, a sea of joy erupted. Originally, when they saw Yakushi's Ace on the field, there had been some concern.

In this situation, Sawamura Eijun, the Ace, used the bat in his hand to declare Seidou's unquestionable position.

King, inviolable.

Even if the opponent was Yakushi High School, a rising star from West Tokyo who had made it to the top eight in the spring Koshien, it didn't matter.

On the mound.

Sanada looked at Eijun running around the field, heading back to home plate, and could only smile wryly.

"As expected of the Maou!"

Sanada felt that he had said this several times already, but every time, it felt different.

It's like the feeling he has right now—bad. Really bad.

The outcome of this game doesn't matter that much, but the current situation is key.

It seems that Yakushi has already used everything they could.

It's no exaggeration to say that they've given their all…

But in this situation, Seidou still kept four of their main force, including the main catcher Miyuki Kazuya.

Just relying on the Maou Sawamura and half the main team, Seidou High School has completely suppressed Yakushi High School, leaving them without any room to fight back.

Originally, Sanada Shunpei thought that even if Yakushi was still not as strong as Seidou High, the gap should be small.

But he didn't expect the difference to be this large.

Especially challenging Sawamura himself—it now seemed a little reckless…

'No time to think about that'

Not dwelling on the mistakes he had made, Sanada quickly adjusted his mindset and faced the next round of challenges.

Yakushi's Ace pitcher, in terms of pitching skills, is still somewhat far from the top in the country. Compared to Amahisa Kousei, the pitcher from Sankou High, they are not much different in terms of raw pitching.

So why has Sanada reached the top ranks nationally, while Amahisa Kousei has always been slightly behind?

It's because Sanada knows how to assess the situation and has a strong heart.

After being hit by Sawamura, Sanada quickly adjusted his mentality. He disrupted Seidou's offensive flow by continuously attacking the inner corner.

He quickly got three Outs and completed his defensive duties for this inning.

In Seidou High School's dugout.

'What a strong heart!'

Coach Ochiai stroked his chin and calmly suggested to Kataoka beside him.

"The opponent's Ace pitcher's pitching is as sharp as ever. Plus, he just came on the field, it's hard to imagine our players consistently getting hits off him!"

He didn't express his opinion directly, but Coach Kataoka understood.

After all, they were both experienced coaches. It wasn't hard to understand the meaning of the words.

"Just leave it to Sawamura. Since he didn't ask for it, he must have a plan."

Sawamura Eijun and Ono Hiroshi's partnership.

'Coach Kataoka had probably been planning this from the start.'

Ochiai paused for a moment, subconsciously touching his chin.

The game continued.

Both sides had completed the switch between offense and defense, and now it was Yakushi's turn to attack.

Since the previous four-ball walk to Raichi, Sawamura's pitching had been as if he were playing in easy mode.

So far, no other players from Yakushi High had even reached base.

Now, Sawamura felt like the state he had awakened to earlier had taken another huge step forward.

Standing on the mound, Sawamura hadn't completely come out of that previous state.

It was truly spectacular and unforgettable.

Even in pitching, this state was useful.

Just by observing the opponent's movements, Sawamura could almost predict what pitch they were looking for.

In such a situation, it was incredibly easy for Sawamura to retire the batter.

Quickly, he registered and got Outs.

Back and forth they went, neither side giving ground.

The score remained very close.

It stayed at 6:5.

Until Sawamura Eijun faced Raichi once again, the game suddenly took on a new significance.

…