Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 157: Striking Out You Shunshin!

In the Batter's Box, You Shunshin Felt the Pressure.

As the cornerstone of Akikawa Academy's baseball team, You Shunshin could clearly sense the shadow of defeat looming over them.

Despite their streak of good fortune, in the world of baseball, luck was only a small part of the equation. Beyond luck, it was strength that decided the outcome.

Seidou High's ace pitcher had just displayed an overwhelming level of dominance from the mound.

To be blunt…

Even You Shunshin, the ace of Akikawa Academy, felt a sense of despair in the face of the opposing pitcher's skill—a despair born from the realization of insurmountable strength.

It wasn't just about how his teammates felt.

For You Shunshin himself, surrender was not an option.

He clenched his fists, determination blazing in his eyes. He had to act, had to do something to change the current situation.

"Coach, I want a head-on confrontation!"

You turned toward his coach, signaling his intention to change strategies.

Akikawa Academy's players had done an excellent job of masking their true strategy. Even Seidou's players probably hadn't noticed that their initial goal wasn't to score runs by hitting the ball.

Their real aim was to wear down Furuya's stamina.

On the surface, it might have seemed like Akikawa was being dominated. But in reality, they had been steadily achieving their goal.

Furuya Akira had been pitching at full throttle from the start. At his current pace, it was clear he wouldn't be able to last the entire game.

Akikawa's strategy had been to drag out the game, betting on the likelihood of changes in the later innings. Those changes would present their opportunity for a comeback.

If nothing unexpected happened, You Shunshin would have preferred to stick with this strategy.

However, the momentum Furuya displayed was far beyond their initial expectations.

At this rate, if they didn't change their approach, Akikawa Academy's players would lose their confidence entirely.

Moreover, Seidou High's offensive strength, displayed earlier in the game, also made You Shunshin uneasy.

Even though he had immense confidence in his pitching abilities, You Shunshin was keenly aware of the truth.

In today's game, he couldn't guarantee a shutout.

Whether it was two runs or three, once he started giving up runs, and if Akikawa couldn't find a way to counter Furuya, their fate would be sealed—a crushing defeat.

Such a loss was unacceptable to You Shunshin.

It wasn't just about him; his teammates couldn't bear such an outcome either.

The current game felt like a spider's web, slowly ensnaring Akikawa Academy.

If they didn't fight back now, they would end up like insects caught in the web—doomed with no escape.

...

Coach Ozaka frowned deeply.

Just moments ago, he too had felt the overwhelming momentum of Seidou High's relentless attack.

However, he hadn't anticipated that the situation had already deteriorated to such an extent.

Was it really that bad?

Looking at Seidou's composed players, then at the uneasy expressions of his own, it suddenly dawned on him—like a flash of insight.

Perhaps his ace saw further ahead than he did.

Coach Ozaka was a firm believer in trusting his players.

When he saw the unwavering determination in You Shunshin's eyes, he decided to place his faith in his ace's judgment.

"Go for it! Be bold, even if it means not wearing him down with pitch counts. We have nothing to lose!"

Gripping his bat tightly, You Shunshin fixed his unblinking gaze on Furuya.

On the mound, Furuya wasn't about to hold anything back. With a wide stance, he wound up and unleashed his pitch.

"Boom!"

The white ball tore through the air with a screeching sound, like the roar of a beast, cutting through the resistance.

In the Akikawa Academy dugout, the players shivered just hearing the ball slice through the air.

Seidou High's first-year ace was far beyond what they had imagined, his pitches enough to make their hair stand on end.

Even as bystanders, the oppressive force of Furuya's throws made them want to shrink back.

As for the batter standing in the box? It was a whole other level.

"I get it now… no wonder you guys couldn't hit it."

One of Akikawa's players muttered quietly to his teammates who had just returned from failed at-bats.

In the batter's box, You Shunshin stared down the oncoming pitch and swung decisively.

"Whiff!"

His bat missed the ball entirely.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

Furuya had the advantage with a first-pitch strike.

The Seidou supporters in the stands erupted in cheers, waving their arms wildly.

"Did you really think your half-baked skills could challenge our ace?"

"Dream on!"

Their voices resonated as one, celebrating Furuya's dominance.

But crouched behind the plate, Miyuki wasn't as thrilled.

His expression remained tense.

While the fans cheered loudly, they had failed to notice the real issue.

Just now, even though You Shunshin didn't hit the ball, his bat had crossed paths with it.

This meant he had already started to time Furuya's pitches on his very first swing.

"This guy is something else," Miyuki muttered under his breath.

"Stay sharp!"

On the mound, Furuya gave an almost imperceptible nod, understanding Miyuki's unspoken warning. He had also realized that You Shunshin had begun to adjust to his rhythm.

"This guy really is different!"

Among the nation's elite players, You Shunshin might not stand out.

But within Akikawa Academy, he was like a blazing sun—impossible to ignore.

Gritting his teeth, Furuya unleashed his second pitch.

"Boom!"

This pitch was even faster than the first.

The players in Akikawa's dugout felt their scalps tingle.

This wasn't the same Furuya they had seen earlier. His pitches were faster, his presence more ferocious.

If Furuya had been pitching like this from the start, they couldn't even imagine how their earlier batters would have fared.

In the batter's box, You Shunshin swung again.

He didn't flinch at Furuya's overwhelming momentum. Instead, he stepped forward to meet the pitch head-on.

"Ping!"

This time, his bat connected with the ball.

But the pitch's sheer speed and power were too much.

Despite using every ounce of his strength and lowering his center of gravity, You Shunshin couldn't drive the ball far.

The ball ricocheted off the bat, soaring high before landing behind the umpire.

"Foul ball!"

One strike, one foul.

Furuya had backed You Shunshin into a corner.

The players of Akikawa Academy couldn't hide their concern as they watched their ace, You Shunshin, struggling in the batter's box.

"Was it too naive to go head-to-head with Seidou High's ace?"

That was the thought crossing the minds of those watching from the sidelines. But for You Shunshin, standing in the batter's box, giving up wasn't even an option.

On the contrary, his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever.

Furuya's blistering speed and raw power had indeed shocked him. But that didn't mean he had no strategy to counter them.

"His pitches aren't as fast as they seem."

"His motion is consistent. If I time it right, I can hit the ball!"

"What I need now is enough power—enough to crush his pitch and send it flying!"

In the batter's box, You Shunshin began to subtly adjust his stance, preparing for the next pitch.

Even his movements as he waited to swing carried a hint of tension and determination.

From behind the plate, Miyuki noticed these changes and frowned.

"He's ready, isn't he?"

Once again, Akikawa Academy's ace was defying expectations.

Miyuki knew well that You Shunshin was more than just a formidable pitcher. His instincts and talent at the plate were just as impressive.

Throughout the Kanto Tournament, Furuya had faced many strong batters.

Yet, few had managed to apply the kind of pressure that You Shunshin was now exerting.

And this was despite Furuya being less polished back then than he was now.

"Across the nation, there are so many skilled players watching and waiting for their chance to face us," Miyuki thought as he cast a serious glance at Furuya.

"Let's settle this with one decisive pitch."

Furuya offered no response from the mound. He didn't need to.

With a firm stance, he lifted his leg high and brought it down hard, unleashing a pitch with the force of a whirlwind.

"Whoosh!"

This was a pitch radiating overwhelming presence and intensity.

In the batter's box, You Shunshin could feel the pounding of his heart, loud and forceful in his ears:

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound was low but powerful.

Gripping his bat tightly, You Shunshin focused intently on the ball.

He recognized Furuya's consistent motion and tracked the ball's path with clarity.

"Now!"

Timing his swing perfectly, You swung the bat with all his might, putting every ounce of strength he had into it.

"Fly!"

At that moment, You Shunshin believed he was about to launch the ball.

But then, the unbelievable happened.

The ball he was certain he would hit... wasn't there.

His bat sliced through the air, connecting with nothing.

For a moment, You Shunshin was frozen in place, stunned.

"Where's the ball?"

It didn't take him long to realize what had happened.

A changeup.

The white ball floated in late, landing softly in Miyuki's open glove.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Strikeout!"

Two outs, no runners on base.

Furuya had silenced Akikawa Academy's ace, and with him, much of their hope.

In the dugout of Akikawa Academy, a collective gasp swept through the players.

Even You Shunshin, standing in the batter's box, had been completely fooled by that pitch.

They had all assumed, naively, that it was another blazing fastball with overwhelming momentum.

Who would have thought it would turn out to be such a deceptively ordinary changeup?

"A changeup thrown with that kind of motion and intensity? Who could possibly hit that?"

At this moment, the players of Akikawa Academy finally understood the meaning of despair.

Their chances against Seidou High had been slim from the start.

But now, seeing Furuya's performance—far exceeding the intelligence they had gathered—they felt their hopes crumble.

This first-year ace wasn't just strong; he was a monster on the mound.

The players couldn't help but shiver. How could they possibly stand a chance against such a force?

It wasn't that Akikawa's players were prone to giving up.

It was simply that, after assessing the situation rationally, they realized they had no way to counter him.

In the batter's box, You Shunshin, visibly pale, turned to Miyuki as he walked back to the dugout.

"Was that your call?" he asked quietly.

A sudden changeup, delivered with the ferocity of a fastball—this was not the Furuya he had studied and prepared for.

It was hard to believe Seidou's ace had deliberately chosen such a deceptive strategy.

"What do you think?" Miyuki replied with a sly smile.

Even at this moment, You Shunshin was still trying to gather intel, still searching for an edge.

"What a terrifying guy."

But Miyuki wasn't someone who would give away anything easily. If You Shunshin wanted information, it would be nothing more than a pipe dream.

The game continued, and Akikawa's sixth batter stepped into the box.

As the batter positioned himself, Miyuki's lips curled into a faint smirk.

Though the player tried to mask his fear, Miyuki could see through him immediately.

"Facing Furuya, who wouldn't feel fear?"

From this perspective, the batter's reaction was entirely understandable.

Squatting into his catching stance, Miyuki signaled Furuya:

"Right down the middle."

If their opponent showed fear, they would respond with arrogance and dominance—until they shattered their opponent's mental defenses completely.

"Boom!"

The white ball screamed through the air, resuming its trajectory of straight, high-speed fastballs.

The sheer speed was overwhelming, as if the ball was cutting through the very fabric of reality.

In the batter's box, Akikawa's sixth hitter repeated his mantra to himself:

"Be patient. Wait for the right moment. Observe. Buy time…"

But even as he told himself these things, he failed to notice that his fear had already taken hold.

In this state, no matter how much he tried to resist, the outcome was inevitable.

The white ball zipped past him like a laser, over and over again. All he could do was swing his bat futilely, missing every time.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Pop!"

"Strike three! Batter out!"

"Three outs! Change sides!"

Akikawa Academy's offense in the second inning ended in another three up, three down.

Furuya's dominance on the mound had thrown the Akikawa players into a pit of despair.

Now, the pressure was on You Shunshin. If he broke under the weight, the game would effectively be over.

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