Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 116: Bases Loaded, One Out!

The game has entered the ninth inning, and the final showdown between the two sides is about to unfold.

The players of Inashiro Industrial High School stare intensely at Seidou High's team, their eyes like a pack of hungry wolves, as if they're ready to tear them apart.

"These guys…"

The players of Seidou High School's baseball team can clearly feel the hostility emanating from their opponents, making the hair on the back of their necks stand on end.

"It's all up to you now!"

Although Furuya had made a noticeable error during his at-bat, his Seidou teammates don't seem to mind.

They're aware that while his batting can be promising, Furuya is first and foremost a pitcher, and they're eagerly looking forward to his performance on the mound.

"I'll give it my best!"

Having pushed his stamina past its limits, Furuya feels like his body is no longer fully under his control.

Even so, he doesn't want to give up his spot on the mound. He wouldn't be stubborn, though; if the team decided to switch him out, he would understand.

But Coach Kataoka chooses not to make a change.

Perhaps he feels that substituting a pitcher at this point poses too high a risk, or maybe he wants to test and develop Furuya's resilience.

With Tanba injured, Coach Kataoka seems intent on grooming Furuya to become the team's ace.

Everyone on Seidou's team is aware of the coach's intentions, and Furuya is no exception.

There's no need for Coach Kataoka to take such measures; Furuya had embraced the mindset of an ace pitcher a long time ago.

Top of the ninth inning, Inashiro goes on offense.

Leading off is Inashiro's eighth batter, and they immediately substitute in a pinch hitter—a third-year player with a pair of adorable buck teeth.

Sitting behind the plate, Miyuki's mind sharpens as he sees the substitution.

Here it comes!

He isn't surprised at all by this move. As one of the nation's top teams, Inashiro has had no trouble attracting talent. Not only are their main players impressive, but even their substitutes are highly skilled.

Naturally, this includes batters who specialize in clutch hits and are brought in at key moments to turn the game around.

"Though he may not be well-known, you should be ready for how tricky this guy can be," Miyuki warns Furuya.

The connection between Miyuki and Furuya is nearly seamless now. Without needing many words, Furuya understands Miyuki's intentions from just a glance.

Stay cautious, huh? Furuya chuckles to himself, aware that his only reliable option now is to throw a changeup and hope for the best.

With that thought, Furuya clears his mind. He sets his stance on the mound and makes his move.

Whoosh!

The white ball streaks through the air.

In the batter's box, the Inashiro player with buck teeth watches it closely, his eyes glinting.

So slow!

While Furuya's changeups have always varied in speed unpredictably, he has never thrown one this slow before.

Pop!

The batter lets it go, watching as it sails past him.

"Strike!" the announcer yells excitedly.

In the stands, Seidou's loyal supporters are ecstatic.

"86 kilometers per hour!!!"

Compared to Furuya's top speed, this pitch seems slow as a turtle. In the past, Seidou's fans might not have understood the strategy, but thanks to expert commentary, they now realize how remarkable this pitch truly is.

The ability to control speed variance so precisely can thoroughly disrupt a batter's timing. Just like now—Inashiro's substitute batter seems stunned.

The players of Seidou High School are thrilled, feeling that the first out of the ninth inning is within reach. If they can secure this out, Furuya only needs two more to claim victory.

And with it, the championship of the Kanto Tournament!

For Seidou High School's players and supporters, winning the championship had once felt like an impossible dream. But now, they can almost reach out and touch the trophy with one hand.

"This feeling is amazing!"

Perhaps they'd been holding back for too long; even this small step toward victory has Seidou's loyal fans beside themselves with excitement. They can't help but start dreaming of the championship…

But just as Seidou's players and supporters begin to imagine the glory of victory, Inashiro's batter with the buck teeth swings!

Without any warning, the moment he sees the ball approaching, he decisively strikes.

Crack!

The white baseball makes contact, flying high into the air. Seidou's third baseman scrambles backward to intercept it, but he can't keep up with the ball's speed.

In the end, Masuko can only watch as the baseball soars over his head.

Thud!

The ball lands and bounces.

In the stands, Inashiro's loyal fans, who have held back their excitement, finally let loose.

"Yes!"

"It made it through!!"

They'd had their stumbles along the way, but now, in this final inning, their pinch hitter has broken through Seidou's defense.

Although Seidou's outfielders quickly retrieve the ball, they only manage to keep the Inashiro batter from advancing to second base.

"Safe!"

No outs, runner on first.

In Seidou's dugout, everyone's expressions darken.

They'd warned Coach Kataoka earlier that Furuya's stamina was reaching its limit. Shouldn't he be substituted?

But their coach ignored them.

And now…

The players know that even if Kawakami had been brought in, the outcome might not have been any different. Inashiro's players are fired up, their eyes wild with determination.

Could Kawakami hold them off? Honestly, probably not.

And if Kawakami were to come in and Seidou lost both the game and the Kanto Tournament title, it would likely haunt him for a long time.

After all, he's a relief pitcher, not the ace.

An ace has room to make mistakes—like Tanba before, and Furuya now. Seidou's coaches will keep giving them opportunities, helping them learn from their errors.

But a relief pitcher isn't as fortunate.

One mistake on the field could mean disaster.

To place an ace's responsibilities on someone who isn't an ace isn't fair.

Coach Kataoka's belief in the ace position is intense; that's the real reason he's so reluctant to replace Furuya.

Catching behind the plate, Miyuki's expression was solemn. He knew well just how much pressure Furuya was bearing at this moment.

"This is the test of fate, perhaps. Even if Tanba's injury isn't severe, maintaining his pitching form will be difficult. The coach has staked our hopes on you. If you can overcome this challenge, you'll be Seidou High's ace, an irreplaceable force."

Even if Tanba returns, that won't change.

"Young man, prepare to go all in!"

Furuya, sensing Miyuki's intense gaze after their long partnership, knew it was time to go all out.

He had already started doing so long ago.

Otherwise, after exhausting his stamina, how could he still be on the mound, fighting?

Taking a bold step forward, Furuya stood on the pitcher's mound, unfazed by the runner on base. His eyes, tinged with red, were fierce with focus.

Whoosh!

The white baseball shot toward the plate.

Inashiro's ninth batter, standing in the box, felt his legs tremble uncontrollably.

"Has his speed increased again?"

Furuya's changeup allowed him to freely adjust his pitch velocity, leaving Inashiro's batters unable to stay in rhythm with him. They had no choice but to swing quickly and make contact.

But even Inashiro's top players weren't all heavy hitters. Just because others succeeded didn't mean their ninth batter could do the same.

Despite keeping his eyes locked on the ball and his arm tense with anticipation, when the ball reached him, he barely managed to make contact.

Crack!

The white baseball popped into the air, but Ryousuke, who was ready and waiting, caught it effortlessly.

Thud!

"Out!"

One out, runner on first.

Seidou High had secured an out, and their fans in the stands felt hope reignite.

"That's it!"

They felt the adrenaline surging within them, electrifying the atmosphere.

Though there had been a slight hiccup with the pinch hitter, it was merely a ripple in the game.

As long as Furuya on the mound could hold this form, Seidou's devoted supporters in the stands had complete faith in him.

"Only two outs left!!"

A fan raised two fingers in the air. In an instant, the rest of Seidou's loyal supporters caught on.

Top of the ninth, one out!

This was the current situation of the game: if Furuya could secure just two more outs at this moment…

Thinking of this, the fans were practically bursting with excitement. It was as if they could see the goddess of victory beckoning to them.

"Let's keep the momentum; don't give the opponent any chances!"

Of course, the players and supporters of Inashiro noticed this shift in momentum too. Their faces reflected growing unease.

"Do you think you can take the victory so easily? You're underestimating us completely!"

Carlos, the standout player, stepped into the batter's box with determination. He lifted his bat high, eyes fixed firmly on the pitcher's mound. His resolve to hit the ball out of the park was more apparent than that of any opponent.

"This guy?"

The Seidou players felt a shudder run through them as they observed Carlos's confidence. Inashiro's prowess didn't need further elaboration; anyone with eyes could see it.

Among all their hitters, Carlos was the most formidable.

If everything had gone smoothly, he might not even have come up to bat in this final round. But with Tanba injured and Furuya's condition far from optimal, the situation had turned against Seidou.

"Get him out!"

Miyuki, crouched behind the plate, had a fierce gleam in his eyes. The current scenario was undoubtedly harsh for them, but it was also an essential hurdle they needed to overcome to claim the championship glory.

Furuya's fatigue was visibly mounting. Yet, this was precisely why Miyuki had to offer him support and confidence.

Seeing Miyuki's determination, Furuya's own state improved significantly. His form while pitching became noticeably more fluid.

Whoosh!

The white baseball sped toward home plate, and Carlos showed no hesitation. He stepped forward and swung his bat.

"Here we go!"

Crack!

The baseball connected solidly and shot off the ground. Seidou's infielders were a bit slow to react. By the time they retrieved the ball and attempted to throw it back, it was already too late.

"Safe!"

With one out, there were runners on first and second.

Now, it was time for Inashiro's second batter, Shirakawa. But the situation became even more dire just a minute later.

What had started as runners on first and second quickly turned into a full house.

With one out, the bases were loaded.

Shirakawa had battled Furuya through seven pitches and managed to draw a walk. He reached base, pushing the other runners ahead.

Now, Seidou faced an unprecedented crisis as they approached the end of the game: one out and the bases loaded.

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