Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 115: The Final Showdown!

"Scored!!!"

Seeing Tetsuya Yuuki make it back to home plate, the die-hard supporters of Seidou High School's baseball team, as well as the players in their dugout, were all wildly cheering with excitement.

Even though they knew that such behavior might be a bit excessive, they couldn't contain the overwhelming emotions surging within them.

"We're in the lead!"

"The opponent is Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team, and we're ahead by one run."

"Yuuki, Miyuki..."

The atmosphere around them felt like a festival.

Some neutral fans looked around in confusion, their eyes full of bewilderment.

"Seidou High is one of the top elite teams in the country. Is this really necessary?"

In their minds, while Seidou High School's baseball team might not have the same legendary reputation as the so-called Xxxx they were certainly not a team to be taken lightly.

They were a team standing at the pinnacle.

Given the situation, they were only ahead by one run, even though the opponent was Inashiro Industrial High School. But it shouldn't cause Seidou's supporters to act so unsophisticated, should it?

They seemed like overexcited bumpkins from the countryside.

"What do you know? You don't understand anything!"

One of Seidou's die-hard supporters couldn't stop wiping the tears from his eyes.

How could these people, who weren't Seidou fans, possibly know what the Seidou High School baseball team had been through in recent years?

Every single year, whether it was the players or their most dedicated supporters, they all had high hopes for their team.

To be fair, Seidou's lineup was never weak, no matter which year you looked at.

But none of that seemed to matter.

No matter how strong Seidou's baseball team was, when it came to the crucial moments in games, they just couldn't pull through.

In the end, they had to give up their spot in Koshien to other teams.

And throughout this struggle, the team that blocked them the most was the one they were facing right now — Inashiro Industrial High School.

That's just how the world works — some people are filled with sorrow, while others revel in joy.

Seidou High School baseball team had fallen into a dark period, unable to make it to Koshien for several years in a row.

If it weren't for their alumni shining in the professional leagues, Seidou's status as a top national team might have been stripped away.

Meanwhile, Inashiro was basking in glory on the field.

In just over a decade, they'd made it to Koshien almost 20 times.

One appearance per year wasn't enough — sometimes they went twice in a single year.

Because of this, the rivalry between Seidou and Inashiro grew even more intense.

Every time Seidou played against Inashiro, Seidou's most devoted fans couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for their team.

Who knew when they might get overwhelmed by their rival?

Even today, many of Seidou's staunchest supporters still had that worry deep in their hearts.

But now, it seemed like their fears were unwarranted.

Seidou's situation was far better than they had imagined.

Especially in these final crucial moments of the game, it wasn't Seidou who faltered — instead, their opponent was the one showing signs of weakness.

And now, Seidou had the lead!

This filled Seidou's die-hard supporters with immense satisfaction.

That feeling of finally coming out on top was something only those who had experienced it firsthand could truly understand.

"The game is now in the eighth inning. We're just three outs away from victory!"

Seidou's die-hard supporters were brimming with confidence.

This wasn't just praise for Seidou as a team, but more importantly, it was a show of faith in Furuya.

The chubby reporter clearly noticed this as well.

Fearing he would forget this crucial moment, the reporter hurriedly pulled out his notebook and began jotting down notes.

"It's as if the entire Seidou High School baseball team has undergone a transformation just because of one pitcher substitution. Their spirit has completely changed. This is the power of an ace pitcher; a good one can elevate the entire team!"

Not only the chubby reporter, but many journalists present were also frequently glancing at Furuya, taking notes on their phones or with pens.

All the reporters in the stands had remarkably sharp instincts. Even though Seidou High was playing well, considering past encounters and Inashiro's performance, logically, Inashiro should not be at a disadvantage.

Yet here they were, trailing behind and losing a crucial run as the game neared its end.

Why was this happening?

Just look at Furuya, who was about to step into the batter's box; everything became clear.

It was his sudden appearance that had brought about this unexpected turn of events on the field.

Because of this, the fans in the stands were filled with anticipation for Furuya's upcoming performance.

One out, with a runner on first base.

"Come on! Let's get another run!"

"Even if Inashiro's ace is rock-solid, he can't hold out forever! Let's keep the momentum going..."

After the celebrations ended, the die-hard supporters of Seidou High School began to roar with excitement for their team's offense.

Taking advantage of Inashiro Industrial High School felt exhilarating for Seidou's supporters, making them feel alive from head to toe.

In that moment, they even forgot about the lows their team had faced over the past few years.

It felt as though they had returned to the era of the mighty Seidou High School baseball team.

Once the fans started cheering, many neutral spectators around them joined in.

After such a prolonged battle, the breakthrough had finally come.

There was no doubt that Seidou's morale was soaring.

On the other hand, their opponents could very well be on the verge of collapsing.

Everything that Inashiro had worked so hard for seemed to lose all meaning in that instant.

However, unfortunately, this was merely a one-sided fantasy for the die-hard supporters of Seidou High.

While Inashiro was indeed overshadowed by gloom after losing a run, they did not let it get them down, let alone collapse.

Standing on the mound, Narumiya was as cold as ice.

"One out!"

"Let's get another out!"

The other players from Inashiro High kept their heads held high, unwilling to show any signs of weakness.

It was as if they had completely forgotten about the run they had just lost and were preparing to regroup.

Seeing this, many of Seidou's older supporters felt a chill run down their spines.

The terrifying part of Inashiro was exactly this.

The closer they got to the end of the game, the steadier their performance became.

Last summer, when they faced off against each other, Seidou had been leading until the eighth inning.

No one expected Inashiro's cleanup hitter to go for a squeeze play, which completely threw Seidou off their game.

In the end, they lost to Inashiro by a single run.

With the graduation of last year's third-year seniors, Seidou had no reliable ace left.

The gap in strength between the two teams had widened.

Originally, Seidou's die-hard supporters thought they had little hope this year.

However, they were surprised that the finals of the Kanto Tournament had turned in their favor.

But now, as the game approached its climax, they once again felt the same ominous vibes they had sensed last year from their opponent.

"Could it be...?"

As if to confirm their inner suspicions, Furuya swung the bat repeatedly in the batter's box.

In the previous games of the Seidou High School baseball team, Furuya had not only excelled on the pitcher's mound, but his performance in the batter's box was also noteworthy.

Up until now, whenever his name was mentioned, it would draw praises.

However, now, even making contact with the ball proved to be exceedingly difficult for him.

Narumiya's pitches were not only fast, but most importantly, they were precise and sharp with breaking balls.

Furuya had relied on his unparalleled power to make significant contributions in previous games.

But against Narumiya's pitches, he clearly struggled.

Even as he gripped the bat tightly with both hands, veins bulging on his arms, the best he could manage was an infield fly.

"Ping!"

The white baseball soared skywards in the infield, impossible to escape the notice of Inashiro's players.

Shirakawa was the first to reach the ball's landing spot, and he securely caught it in his glove.

"Out!"

"Did you really think such swings could deal with our ace? Stop being naive!"

Shirakawa scoffed.

Two outs, runner on first.

Now it was the eighth batter's turn...

...

"Three outs, switch sides!"

Even though the team was at a significant disadvantage, the Inashiro Industrial High School baseball team did not choose to give up.

To be fair, their performance was, in fact, remarkable.

When Narumiya returned to their dugout, he sat down heavily on the bench.

His expression was anything but pleasant.

Despite his excellent performance up to the final pitches and successfully dealing with Furuya and striking out Seido's eighth batter, all in a decisive manner, he had still given up a run. Ordinarily, this might not have been significant.

As one of the nation's top powerhouses, Inashiro wasn't only strong in pitching.

Their players at other positions were also outstanding.

With their team's offensive capability, scoring runs on the field should have been easy.

But today's game was different.

Facing the so-called monster rookie pitcher, Furuya, Inashiro's entire offense had sputtered.

So far, not to mention scoring, they hadn't even managed many effective hits.

In such circumstances, they were as passive as could be.

The run Narumiya had just conceded might very well cost them the Kanto Tournament championship directly.

From their coach's perspective, the Kanto Tournament championship might be critical to Seidou, but not particularly significant to them.

Losing the game isn't a big deal.

Considering the potential encounter during the Summer Tournament, having insight into Furuya's pitching level in this game could mean that even if Inashiro lost, it wouldn't be to their disadvantage.

It's better to lose now than be caught off guard by Seidou during the Summer Tournament.

But this is from the team's standpoint; from the perspective of an individual player, Narumiya was deeply unsatisfied.

As the top pitcher in Kanto, Narumiya could assure he hadn't slacked off even once during today's game.

He had put all his effort into every pitch and used every trick he knew.

And yet, in the end, it looked like they were still going to lose.

"Don't sulk; we haven't lost yet."

Seeing their ace's demeanor, Harada grumbled in frustration.

The other players from Inashiro Industrial High School baseball team widened their eyes in response to their captain's unexpected remark.

Could it be they still had a chance?

Without needing Harada to explain, the players of Inashiro Industrial High School's baseball team had already filled in the gaps themselves.

Upon reflection, it was indeed true.

Although they found themselves unexpectedly trailing by one run, this was not the end of the game; it was only the top of the eighth inning. The game was nearing its conclusion, but it wasn't truly over.

They still had the ninth inning to play!

This meant that Inashiro Industrial High School's team had one last chance to bat.

"Our pitcher is starting to show signs of fatigue. There's no way he should still be bouncing back," said Coach Kunitomo, and to the players of Inashiro, it was like they had received a special buff.

They firmly believed that their opponent would encounter problems.

And so, the game moved to the top of the ninth inning.

Inashiro Industrial High School's offense was ready to seize this final opportunity.

They were all itching to get on the field, eager with anticipation.

Meanwhile, in Seidou High School's dugout, all the players were anxiously watching their coach.

Should they change pitchers?

Although the players didn't voice their thoughts, their eyes betrayed their concerns.

Furuyas stamina issues remained a significant risk.

Even though they wanted to pretend it didn't matter, it was impossible to ignore.

However, Coach Kataoka offered no response to their worries; he simply turned his head to the side.

Clearly, a pitching change was out of the question.

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