Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

Kuki Youhei wasn't unaware that even the players from the Second String at Seidou were incredibly terrifying.

He graduated from Matsukata Junior Club, the same place as Toujou and Kanemaru.

After entering the school, he had a conversation with the two Senpais.

During their conversation, the topic of the Orientation game came up.

The answer he received at the time was astonishing. That very powerful Toujou-senpai could only play in the outfield now.

He was even unqualified to stand on the pitching mound.

At that moment, Kuki wanted to ask Toujou-senpai if he regretted it.

However, the question never left his mouth; he was afraid of unintentionally rubbing salt into his Senpai's wounds.

But from that time onwards, Kuki had a question in his mind.

What kind of team was it that could reduce Toujou-senpai to such a state?

You see, in his mind, Toujou Hideaki had always been a perfect and powerful figure in middle school. Not only was his batting strength outstanding, but also his pitching was also extraordinary.

He just wanted to see for himself.

With that determination, Kuki's fighting spirit soared.

But like a still target, he was struck down.

The second-year Senpai didn't opt for a direct confrontation but instead used bunts and base stealing.

Such an attitude was completely different from how one would treat a freshman; it felt more like a game against a bitter enemy.

"What are you daydreaming about?"

Matsumoto, who had called for a time, stepped into the Batter's Box and directly questioned Kuki Youhei.

"No…"

Youhei instinctively wanted to deny it.

"Don't worry about anything else. Just focus and throw your best pitch to me. I guarantee I'll catch it!"

Matsumoto said this with absolute confidence, without a single stammer.

"The acting coach on the other side is Sawamura Eijun! Don't be fooled by his affable appearance; when it comes to tactics, he's a cunning fox."

In the dugout of the Senpais, Sawamura inexplicably sneezed.

'Who's badmouthing me again?'

The freshmen's timeout didn't last long. It was over quickly, and the game resumed.

After Matsumoto's adjustment, the Senpais thought that the freshmen's formation would change, but to their surprise, it didn't.

Their defense remained unchanged, and if there was any change at all, it was probably with their pitchers.

Kuki became more serious, putting all his effort into each pitch.

Whoosh!

The ball was thrown with great precision.

The batter in the strike zone didn't hesitate, swinging his bat immediately.

Ping!

The ball was hit and flew toward third base.

'This is workable!'

Kuki's eyes lit up on the mound, and he quickly turned to signal the third baseman.

"Third baseman!"

Snap!

Almost at the same time, the ball hit the mitt of the freshman third baseman and bounced away.

The freshman third baseman, just entering the game, hadn't yet adjusted to the rhythm.

In the dugout of the Senpai team, Sawamura's eyes were dangerously bright.

The reason he suggested that everyone attack relentlessly from the beginning was to make sure the freshmen weren't mentally prepared enough.

To quickly grab the score and take the initiative in the game.

Now, these players from the second and third string aren't the most powerful in their class. The strongest ones have already been promoted to the first string.

While the freshmen are extraordinary in potential.

There's no need to mention that dragging all the freshmen out would only show that the difference between the two sides isn't overwhelmingly in the Senpais' favor.

-'If we want to crush the talented kids, we must seize the lead.'-

-'Don't give the freshmen any chance to react—take them down immediately, rub their face in the dirt, and keep pressing until they're worn out.'-

-'Otherwise, even if the Senpai team wins in the end, the score will likely not be as impressive as desired…'-

The players on the field understood Sawamura's strategy very well.

In the blink of an eye, the situation shifted to no Outs with runners on first and second base.

'Very good.'

'The goal of taking the lead had been achieved.'

'Now, let's see how the freshmen respond.'

Kuki Youhei on the mound wasn't one to admit defeat. On the contrary, the young man had a strong heart.

The more he was in a crisis, the less likely he was to back down.

At this moment, it was time for the Senpai's third hitter, a third-year named Oushima.

This was a very strong player, or else he wouldn't be serving as the cleanup of the second-string lineup.

"Get the score!"

"Let these freshmen see what high school baseball is really like."

In the dugout, the Senpai team cheered for their teammates!

The spectators and supporters watching the game from outside the stadium were also enthralled at this moment.

"As expected of a team coached by Kataoka, their overall ability is truly impressive."

"By the way, I think that freshman pitcher is doing well, but it's a pity…"

Unfortunately, he's facing the Senpais of Seidou. Plus, his teammates aren't very strong.

Kuki on the mound didn't blame anyone.

He was fully immersed in the confrontation with his opponent, completely ignoring everything around him.

'His focus was truly remarkable.'

Sawamura nodded at that.

Although Kuki Youhei hadn't been performing for long, Sawamura could still pick up on some signs.

The ball was hit, and the teammates guarding the field were weak.

In such a desperate situation, Kuki didn't become discouraged and kept pitching.

Of course, the final decision would be up to Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff, not him.

The level of Oushima and the previous two batters was entirely different from that of the freshmen.

Ping!

Without hesitation, he aimed directly at Kuki Youhei's fastball and swung powerfully.

The ball landed in the gap of the defense.

The runner originally on second base immediately sprinted back to home plate.

This helped the Senpai team take the first point.

The score became 1:0.

The runner on first base made it to third, and the batter also made it to second.

Now the situation was no Outs with runners on second and third base.

At the same time, the Senpai team is now led by one point.

Under such circumstances, today's game saw the Senpai team's Cleanup hitter, Takatsu, step into the Batter's Box.

"So much pressure!!"

Takatsu Hiroomi exuded a fierce aura as if he was going to devour the pitcher alive.

As an opponent, Kuki felt this pressure more acutely than the surrounding spectators.

At this moment, he somewhat understood why Toujou was completely crushed in the Orientation game.

The enormous gap in strength between the two teams, combined with the panic of the teammates, made it almost impossible to play.

Especially these batters, who seemed even more terrifying than before. They didn't give you a chance to breathe, their attacks were like a stormy sea—relentless.

But no matter how difficult it was, the boy named Kuki Youhei didn't give up the struggle.

"The defense behind me, it's all up to you!"

The pressure from his opponent was too strong, and with his instincts, Kuki Youhei knew it well.

It was impossible to make the opponent miss his swing.

At most, he could only hope to make him miss the center of the ball.

Thus, if he wanted to secure an Out, he could only rely on his solid defense. So, he gave his teammates a heads-up.

Unfortunately, his teammates didn't respond to him.

But it wasn't that these freshmen players were being jerks and refusing to help; they were under intense pressure themselves and couldn't afford to worry about anything else.

Before the game, many players saw it as a friendly exchange and guidance match.

Wasn't the Orientation game meant to welcome the freshmen? To let them showcase their skills, see who was better, and decide who to train or promote.

Wasn't that the normal way to open an Orientation game?

But judging by the attitude of the Senpai at Seidou High School, it seemed they had no such plans.

On the contrary, their understanding of the game was completely different.

One by one, they resembled hungry wolves fighting for survival, aiming to take out their opponents.

Many players had this thought in their minds.

Not to mention that Seidou High School's first-string spots were already filled, even if there was any change in the roster, they would never give this opportunity to a freshman.

The second- and third-year students on the field came to the game with this mentality.

Whoosh!

With a firm resolve, Kuki Youhei threw the ball with all his might.

Takatsu in the Batter's Box had eyes that seemed as calm as a still pond.

He watched as the ball came toward him, then swung his bat.

BUZZ!

The sound of the bat swinging echoed as if a helicopter was taking off.

PING!

The ball was hit with such speed that it instantly tore through the freshmen's defense.

A long hit! A clean and powerful one.

The runners on second and third base both crossed home plate.

The Senpai team's lead was extended to three runs.

Takatsu's timely hit brought in two runs, and he made it to second base.

With this swing, he showcased his efforts.

And made it clear to all the freshmen present just how big the gap between the teams was.

In the dugout, Sawamura raised his eyelids and carefully examined Takatsu Hiroomi.

For some reason, he felt that the way Takatsu had made the hit was oddly familiar. As if he had seen it somewhere before…

"This fourth batter looks good. His swing should be useful in the team." Ochiai murmured while caressing his chin.

Although it had been a while since he became the coach of Seidou High School, over the past few months after the new team was established, his main role had been assisting Coach Kataoka in supervising and guiding the first team.

He didn't know much about the current second-string players, though.

President Ota, sitting next to him, had a proud look on his face. This young man could be said to be his most impressive achievement this year.

"This boy's name is Takatsu Hiroomi. When the freshman first entered last year, he was already well-known and had a lot of potential. Back then, his physique wasn't strong enough, and he didn't stand out much. But in the past six months, as his physique has grown, his presence has become much more noticeable."

Toujou, Kanemaru, Takatsu!

Apart from Sawamura, these three were the most powerful freshmen in this year's class.

Big names, strong abilities.

However, each of them had a different fate. There were two reasons Takatsu hadn't been promoted yet. One was due to him not being strong enough, and the other was because of his position.

Shortstop!

Besides Sawamura and Miyuki, if there's anyone else in the first-string lineup who is irreplaceable, it is without a doubt shortstop Kuramochi.

Previously, he was Seidou High School's strongest fielder in terms of defense and speed, with only his weaker batting holding him back.

Now, his offensive abilities have also improved. It's even harder to replace him now.

So, it is very regrettable that, despite Takatsu's improvement, there's still no place for him in Seidou High School's first-string lineup.

To get the attention and promotion of the coaches, players must demonstrate an ability that is absolutely necessary for the team.

Takatsu had clearly realized this.

That's why he worked so hard and so proactively to show his potential.

The veterans' offense wasn't over yet. After Takatsu reached base, their entire lineup seemed to be connected, one after another.

Their offense was ruthless, and there was no sign of holding back at all.

In fact, the Senpais team wasn't thinking about that at all.

At this point, they weren't concerned with taking care of the freshmen; their focus was to showcase their own skills and gain recognition from Coach Kataoka.

Any player with strength and ambition didn't want to continue burying their talent at this stage.

During the following series of attacks, the veterans scored four more runs in one breath.

The total score became 7-0, and the lineup rotated to the top.

Although they lost two Outs due to luck in the process, it didn't affect the momentum of the veterans.

In the Senpais' dugout, Sawamura leisurely tapped his knee with his fingers.

Everything was going as he had expected.

'Despite Kuki Youhei's strong fighting spirit on the mound, most of the freshmen were overwhelmed.'

Even Mogami, who wasn't weak, made two errors.

The terrifying pressure, the heavy atmosphere.

It felt like a giant mountain, weighing down on the hearts of the freshmen.

Kuki Youhei on the pitcher's mound felt this pressure most acutely.

This is the Seidou High School baseball team.

You know, they were now facing the players of Seidou's second- and third-string.

Even these players were already putting a lot of pressure on him.

'They weren't even Seidou's first-string players, which means they weren't the main lineup at all.'

Kuki couldn't even imagine how strong Seidou's first-string players must be.

Seidou, the strongest team in high school, who has won the whole thing twice.

How strong were they?

Whoosh!

Despite his burden, Kuki Youhei's pitching didn't slow down.

Ping!

The ball was hit by the second batter, and this time, the freshmen managed to defend it.

Three Outs, offense and defense exchange.

The veterans' first inning of offense finally ended, with the score standing at 7-0.

President Ota, watching from the sidelines, nervously rubbed his hands. He was worried Kuki Youhei might not recover from this.

After all, he had high hopes for this young player.

"Sure enough, it was too early for them."

Seven runs scored in one inning; the strength gap between the two teams was clear to see.

Coach Ochiai, sitting next to him, had a different view.

He looked at Kuki Youhei on the mound seriously.

"He was really trying to get the Outs just now. That was his goal when pitching. But from the start, he didn't expect the opponent's swing to be so strong, and the repeated mistakes from his teammates led to the situation we're seeing now."

"As the game progresses, his performance should improve."

In the second half of the inning, the freshmen attacked.

This time, the freshmen were determined to give their all and try to score some runs.

But Kawashima on the mound didn't give them any chance.

Pitcher Kawashima is one of the main pitchers of Seidou's second-string team.

When he went all out, the freshmen were truly helpless.

"OUT!"

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!"

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"

His fastballs, excellent control, and sharp breaking balls…

Kawashima's standard was very high.

In last year's Fall Tournament, Seidou had 20 players on their roster.

Among them was Kawashima.

At the end of the first inning, the score was still 7-0.

It was Kawashima who came on the mound and sent the freshmen back in three quick Outs.

To the freshmen at bat, Kawashima's pitching felt like it came from a completely different dimension.

They were helpless.

In the freshmen's dugout, Yui Kaoru crossed his arms with a strained smile on his face.

"Our coach is really devious!"

Even with him and Okumura giving directions, the freshmen were still a mess. They couldn't even form the strongest team, only trying their best to organize them reasonably.

In contrast, the Senpais of the second-string were much more mature. Especially with Sawamura-senpai as the acting coach.

Their explosive strength naturally rose with the tide…

'But this was probably what Coach Kataoka intended.'

'He was looking for players who could show their abilities under such pressure. If you didn't have that ability, why would Coach Kataoka care about you?'

'After all, we were only freshmen. With the same conditions, Coach Kataoka would still choose second- and third-year students.'

You have to perform better than your Senpais to stand out.

These thoughts flashed in Kaoru's mind, and his eyes shifted.

He had understood Coach Kataoka's intentions.

In the first half of the second inning, the Senpais attacked.

The situation on the field was: a runner on second base, with no Outs.

The batter was Takatsu, the Fourth Batter.

Although Kuki Youhei felt that the second- and third-year Senpais were terrifying, the one he was most wary of was probably the one in front of him—Takatsu.

Takatsu Hirofumi was different. Takatsu's strength had reached a level that Kuki Youhei couldn't understand.

At that moment, Sawamura, in the dugout, widened his eyes.

He had a strange feeling that Takatsu's swing was somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it before, but couldn't quite place it.

But one thing he was sure of: the current Takatsu Hirofumi was very dangerous. He gave off a dangerous aura.

Sawamura trusted his intuition a lot.

He trusted his instincts; they were never wrong. Even he could feel the danger in Takatsu now.

'In the past year, he had made incredible progress.'

Ping!

The small ball drew a perfect arc and flew past the outfield like a thunderbolt.

It was a standard home run.

A two-run home run.

The total score was 9-0.

At that moment, Sawamura finally remembered why Takatsu's swing seemed so familiar.

He had to think back to someone he knew.

Yuuki Tetsuya, who was drafted first overall in the professional draft.

'Now, Takatsu resembled Tetsu-san in many ways.'

'The speed of his swing, the absolute power, and the way the ball flew out with a thunderous rush made it even more similar.'

A smile curved on Eijun's lips, genuinely happy for his friend.

'Now that Takatsu had performed like this, Coach Kataoka would definitely not overlook him.'

This guy was probably about to turn the tide; he would surely receive focused training from Coach Kataoka.

Seidou High School was fortunate; last year, when they were lacking pitchers, they had Sawamura and Furuya join the team.

After the Senpais left, Seidou's offensive strength was greatly reduced.

Now, three powerful hitters had joined: Nishiyama, Hirota, and Yuuki Masashi.

And now Takatsu had surpassed them all.

'If arranged properly, a terrifying lineup would soon be completed.'

…

T/N: Takatsu is announcing his presence!

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