Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 95: The Monster is Back!

Furuya finished suiting up and returned to the mound.

At that moment, the stands filled with Seidou supporters, along with most of the spectators, erupted into applause.

It was clear that everyone had high expectations for what Furuya would deliver next.

In a stadium that held over ten thousand people, the applause of one or two people would hardly make a ripple. Even a few dozen or a hundred claps would only create a small splash.

But the current situation was different. Out of over ten thousand spectators, at least 8,000 people were clapping simultaneously.

The thunderous applause instantly filled the entire stadium.

In Inashiro Industrial's dugout, the players exchanged glances.

"That first-year kid is this popular on the field?"

To be honest, Inashiro's players were a bit surprised.

"It's inevitable. Fans love a spectacle. And with a fastball over 150 kilometers per hour, it's only natural for the fans to be excited."

"After all, Furuya's speed is quite eye-catching."

Even though Inashiro's players felt frustrated with the game's current state, they had to admit that Seidou's monster first-year pitcher was the real deal.

Now that Seidou's ace was injured, everything Inashiro had meticulously prepared faced a massive challenge.

It was only natural that Furuya's strong return to the mound caused such a sensation in the stadium.

"This is a great opportunity! Last time we only faced him once, and then he was replaced. I'm not satisfied with that!"

One after another, the Inashiro players geared up.

To be fair, it was completely normal for them to feel this way.

The pitcher-batter duel might seem fair on the surface, but in reality, it favors the batter.

First, there are more batters, each with different styles. This is like a revolving door of nine players going up against one pitcher.

Second, each batter has multiple chances to face the pitcher.

Even if they fail once or twice, it doesn't matter.

As long as they can eventually hit the ball and help their team score a hit or run, they're considered successful.

In this match, Furuya, who had already thrown many pitches, had undoubtedly used up some stamina.

And as the game continued, his energy would continue to drain.

This would inevitably affect the speed and strength of his pitches.

And considering that Inashiro Industrial's players were gradually getting used to Furuya's pitching style, the likelihood of them hitting his pitches increased.

Before, they didn't have many opportunities. Even if they were dissatisfied, Inashiro's players had no choice but to accept it.

But now that they had this chance, they weren't going to let it slip away.

"Just sit back and watch this genius in action!"

Narumiya called out.

Although Seidou's ace had unexpectedly left the game, Inashiro's players couldn't help but feel conflicted.

They knew just how much of an impact this incident had on Seidou.

But baseball, and indeed all sports, follows certain rules.

As long as they were part of the game, they had to understand and accept those rules.

If Inashiro's players held back in the upcoming game out of sympathy for Seidou, they wouldn't just be letting themselves down, but also their opponents.

Narumiya raised his bat high, his focus locked on Furuya.

His sharp eyes seemed to speak.

He was ready to give it his all!

On first base, Harada was just as focused.

He hadn't let Tanba's departure affect him either.

With his large frame, he was inching closer to second base.

Behind the plate, Miyuki crouched down, his expression serious as he carefully observed the situation unfolding before him.

Despite Furuya's stellar performance up to this point, it had been during a period where everything was going smoothly for him. In those instances, he hadn't had to deal with any runners on base.

Now, suddenly brought back to the mound, he faced a daunting challenge: a runner standing on first base, eyeing second with fierce intent.

"This is your greatest test! How will you handle it, partner?" Miyuki wondered silently, watching the situation unfold.

Furuya, seemingly oblivious to the pressure around him, took several deep breaths, adjusting his rhythm and state of mind.

Then, without giving so much as a glance toward first base, he prepared to throw his pitch.

Harada, standing on first base, quickly picked up on this opportunity. Noticing Furuya wasn't even glancing his way, he instinctively began inching toward second, preparing to steal the base.

In Seidou's dugout, the team members noticed the brewing situation. They wanted to call out a warning, but the stadium was too loud, their voices likely drowned out by the noise. Additionally, they worried that Furuya and Miyuki might have some strategy in mind, so they hesitated to speak.

After a few tense seconds, Furuya finally got ready to pitch. During this time, Harada had crept far from first base, sensing his moment.

Opportunity!

While Harada wasn't particularly known for his speed, as Inashiro's captain, he wasn't slow either. From this distance, he had more than a 70% chance of successfully stealing second base.

Considering they were up against the fiery Seidou team, even a 60-70% chance felt significant.

Harada, ever decisive, bolted toward second like a charging rhino.

"He's stealing?"

The fans, wide-eyed in surprise, couldn't believe what they were seeing. But the unfolding drama was happening right before them.

"Not just that!"

At the same moment Harada made his dash for second, Narumiya readied his bat, prepared to swing.

"Is this a hit-and-run?"

"So early in the game?"

Inashiro's aggressive strategy caught the crowd off-guard. Why would their fourth and fifth batters take such a risk?

"Boom!"

Furuya released the ball from his hand with his usual ferocity.

"Perfect, I've been waiting for this!" Narumiya, facing Furuya's violent fastball, didn't flinch. With no hesitation, he swung his bat with all his might.

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