Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 156: Furuya Satoru's Strength!

The game between Seidou High School and Akikawa Academy had reached the top of the second inning.

The score remained 0:0.

Although Seidou High School was expected to dominate the match, the atmosphere in their dugout was far from positive.

In Seidou's dugout, the tense and heavy mood was palpable to everyone.

It wasn't because their opponents were particularly formidable.

Akikawa Academy, their opponents for the day, had indeed shown some surprising strengths, and the Seidou players acknowledged this.

However, if one were to suggest that Akikawa's current performance posed a significant threat to Seidou, that would be an overstatement.

Seidou's players had strong confidence in their abilities, certain they could rely on their superior skills to secure a clean and decisive victory.

Take the last inning, for example…

Even though it was their first time facing Akikawa's ace pitcher, You Shunshin, Seidou came extremely close to scoring.

What frustrated the Seidou players the most was how close they had been—so close, yet not quite enough.

Luck is an elusive factor in baseball.

In a game, especially one between two strong teams, genuine scoring opportunities are rare.

The outcome often hinges on whether a team can create such opportunities and seize them to score.

Seidou's strength surpassed that of Akikawa—this wasn't just their players bragging but a fact obvious to anyone watching.

That said, Seidou's players had to admit that their opponents were not without merit.

Especially that ace pitcher, You Shunshin.

It was clear he would pose considerable challenges for Seidou during this game.

This meant that while Seidou could create more scoring opportunities than Akikawa, the number wouldn't be drastically higher.

And this was precisely what worried the Seidou players most.

If Lady Luck continued to favor Akikawa and Seidou failed to capitalize on three to five consecutive opportunities, the outcome of this game could become unexpectedly grim.

This was a scenario Seidou's players had never even considered before.

When they finally realized this possibility, it was difficult for them to accept.

This sentiment wasn't limited to the players—even the coach and team captain were affected.

High school baseball often had its inexplicable twists.

A stronger team didn't always guarantee a victory.

"We need to find a way to turn the tide," someone muttered.

"It feels like Lady Luck has been bribed to favor them…"

In the dugout, Seidou's players were murmuring among themselves.

For some reason, as they muttered, their gazes naturally shifted toward Furuya.

Shift the momentum of the game?

The best way to do that would be to score quickly.

The problem was, Seidou's strongest hitters had just finished their at-bats.

The next batters up would be facing You Shunshin, whose precise control made it unlikely they could create a scoring opportunity so soon.

If scoring wasn't an option, then they would have to rely on their defense.

If Akikawa's ace could make a statement on the mound, then Seidou's own pitchers could do the same.

As everyone's attention focused on Furuya, a radiant smile appeared on his face.

For someone who was usually stoic, the sudden grin wasn't comforting—it was unsettling.

"Are we asking too much from him? No matter how reliable he is, he's still just a first-year rookie," Kuramochi said with a worried expression.

A rookie's mental resilience could only go so far.

If their current ace cracked under the pressure, Seidou's situation could take a dramatic turn for the worse.

"It can't be, right? If he managed to make his way here all the way from Hokkaido, then he must have made up his mind with serious determination," Ryousuke said, though his usual cheerful demeanor had completely vanished.

Although he tried to sound doubtful, it was clear that the second batter of Seidou High's lineup shared the same concerns as the rest of his teammates regarding their rookie.

If their current ace really faltered, the consequences would be unbearable for the second and third-year players on the team.

Seeing their junior seemingly troubled, Seidou's captain, Yuuki, was ready to step forward and offer some comfort.

In truth, Furuya didn't need to shoulder such immense pressure.

While he was now Seidou High's ace pitcher, no one on the team expected him to completely shut out the opponent.

It wasn't realistic—not for him or for any ace pitcher from any powerhouse team across the country.

None could confidently promise to prevent every run.

As long as Furuya could minimize the number of runs allowed, it would be enough for Seidou.

As for turning the game around on offense, that was a responsibility the senior players were fully capable of handling themselves.

But just as Yuuki was about to speak, he was interrupted by Furuya's grin and his unexpectedly fierce words:

"Don't worry. I'm strong too!"

The moment those words left his mouth, the expressions of everyone in Seidou's dugout subtly changed.

Though they had been encouraging Furuya earlier, to be honest, none of them had truly believed that their rookie ace could solve the problem on his own.

Their encouragement was meant to push Furuya to improve and to groom him into a suitable successor for Seidou's future.

But now, seeing the strong confidence radiating from Furuya, a new thought simultaneously formed in their minds.

Perhaps they really could believe in this young rookie.

And maybe, just maybe, he could deliver an even greater surprise than they had imagined.

"Then we're counting on you, Ace!"

The captain, Yuuki, swallowed the advice he originally intended to give and instead responded with a firm affirmation of Furuya's determination.

"We're counting on you, Ace!

"But if you can't get it done, be prepared to step aside and let someone else take the spot! There are plenty waiting in line… Right, Tanba?"

Out of nowhere, the previously silent Tanba found himself called out by his teammate.

He had thought that after passing on the ace title to Furuya, he might fade into the background.

Yet, to his surprise, his teammates not only remembered him but still held high expectations for his future.

Even though he was recovering from an injury...

Moved, Tanba's eyes burned with renewed determination.

"You're absolutely right!" he said passionately.

Seeing Tanba's resolve, the atmosphere in Seidou's dugout heated up even more.

Meanwhile, stepping up to the plate for Akikawa Academy was their fourth batter, Shiratori—a tall and imposing player.

As the clean-up hitter, Shiratori had proven himself to be one of the top two batters on Akikawa's roster, even surpassing You Shunshin in offensive prowess.

Naturally, his appearance drew an enthusiastic response from Akikawa's dugout.

"Shiratori! Watch carefully and knock it out of the park!"

"You're the strongest hitter on the team!"

Hearing his teammates cheer him on, Shiratori could only smile wryly.

They made it sound so simple…

As if hitting the ball and taking the lead was an effortless task.

But was it really that easy?

Back in the dugout earlier, Shiratori hadn't felt the pressure as intensely.

But standing in the batter's box, facing Seidou High's ace pitcher and their entire defensive system, was a completely different experience.

Shiratori, the cleanup hitter for Akikawa Academy, felt as if he were sinking into quicksand.

He could clearly sense the overwhelming strength of Seidou High's defensive structure.

Especially Furuya Satoru, the core of their defense. When that man stood on the pitcher's mound, he seemed towering, almost larger than life.

It felt like any pitch he threw could crush him into nothingness.

The thought crossed Shiratori's mind to back down.

But as the team's cleanup hitter, retreat wasn't an option.

If he backed down now—no, even if he merely showed a trace of fear—it would deliver a devastating blow to his entire team.

At that point, no amount of luck would give them a chance to fight back.

"I can't back down. I must face this head-on!"

Shiratori bit down on the tip of his tongue, the sharp pain shooting through his body and snapping him back to focus.

Only then did he fully understand what he needed to do.

No matter how slim their chances, he had to adopt an aggressive stance.

If they didn't give their all, even with Lady Luck's favor, there would be no miracles on the field.

If they chose to give up resisting, no amount of luck would save them from defeat.

"I will not…"

Just as Shiratori steeled his resolve, the white baseball came hurtling toward him.

Boom!

A thunderous crack echoed, followed immediately by a flash of white lightning.

Shiratori could only watch as the white baseball zipped past him.

He wanted to react, but the pitch was too fast—so fast that his swing felt like it was in slow motion.

The two existed in entirely different dimensions of speed.

The baseball had already flashed by, and his bat had yet to even move.

Pop!

"Strike!"

The players in Akikawa Academy's dugout, who had been cheering moments earlier for their ace and Lady Luck's apparent favor, fell silent.

Furuya Satoru, like a menacing demon king, had dragged them from the heights of hope straight into the depths of despair.

Sure, they had managed to hold off Seidou's top four batters, and Lady Luck hadn't entirely abandoned them.

But what of it?

Faced with an opponent who seemed utterly unbeatable, the players of Akikawa Academy were lost in a deep sense of helplessness.

In their hearts, they couldn't deny the harsh reality: could they truly gain any advantage against such an opponent?

The answer wasn't just uncertain—it was a resounding no.

Their cleanup hitter, one of the top two batters on their team, looked like a complete amateur against Furuya Satoru.

Though Shiratori swung at every pitch, his bat was miles away from the ball—light-years apart.

By the end, not even a single pitch had been touched.

"Strike!"

"Strikeout!"

One out, no runners on base.

When Seidou High initially seemed to be on the defensive, their die-hard supporters in the stands had been worried.

But now, it was clear that their concerns were unnecessary.

With an ace like Furuya, dealing with Akikawa Academy's team was a walk in the park.

"Stunned, aren't you? You've got a long way to go!"

"With skills like that, you dare to act cocky in front of Seidou?"

"Go eat dirt!"

The loyal supporters in the stands had found their backbone again, cheering loudly and confidently.

At this point, Akikawa Academy's fifth batter stepped into the box.

This batter, You Shunshin, was their ace pitcher.

Furuya needed only three pitches to completely extinguish the momentum Akikawa had built from their earlier fortunate plays.

Not only that, but Seidou's fans became even more energized. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, as if their team had already sealed the victory.

Standing in the batter's box, You Shunshin carefully analyzed Furuya.

There was no doubt that Seidou's first-year pitcher was immensely powerful—truly deserving of the title "monster-level player."

But in You's opinion, players with such standout skills and personalities often had weaknesses.

If they could just find the right opportunity, it might be possible to overwhelm him and turn the game around.

Yet now, it seemed their previous assumptions had been far too naïve.

When a pitcher's strength reaches an extraordinary level, they truly become a monster on the field.

"We have to take down this monster and score against him!" You Shunshin thought, determination flashing in his eyes.

Originally, his plan was to wear down Furuya's stamina over time.

But after carefully observing Furuya, he realized their only hope was to act decisively and swiftly.

The longer they delayed, the more the advantage would shift to Seidou.

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