Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

The score on the field remained 5:2, with the mighty Seidou High School still trailing their opponents by three points.

But strangely, almost everyone present did not perceive Seidou High School to be in a weak position.

In the stands.

Fujio, a senpai reporter for Baseball Kingdom magazine, commented on Sawamura with deep emotion.

"A player like Sawamura is truly rare! Before, I thought he was an outstanding pitcher, an Ace of a generation. It seems I underestimated him..."

"How so?"

Owada Akiko, sitting beside him, widened her eyes and asked in agreement.

"Sawamura-kun is also an excellent leader!"

Fujio was not unaware of Sawamura Eijun's performance in middle school. Thanks to the media's promotion, Sawamura's name and deeds were well-known to baseball fans everywhere.

Given Sawamura's current display, it was clear that he had done the same in middle school!

With natural talent and ambition, future success seemed almost inevitable. As long as there were no unfortunate accidents…

Sawamura's future achievements were bound to be great.

Fujio had known this even before.

But now, it seemed that he had still underestimated Sawamura.

The boy on the pitcher's mound in front of him might be even greater than he had imagined…

The game continued.

Soon, Sawamura got three Outs.

It took him a total of four pitches to secure those three Outs.

It wasn't all Sawamura's credit. The players from Yakushi High School also helped him a lot.

If it weren't for their aggressive swings, Sawamura wouldn't have been able to get those three outs with just four pitches.

Three outs, change of sides.

In Yakushi High School's dugout.

Superintendent Todoroki Raizou glared at the mound, with an annoyed look.

'As expected, Trying to rely on the lower half of the lineup to get a hit off Sawamura seemed completely impossible.'

In the end, all hopes rested on his precious son...

'The next inning, the next inning would be the key...'

Bottom of the fourth inning, Seidou High School's turn to bat.

It was now time for the third batter, Shiratsu, to step up to the plate.

Before he did, Ochiai suddenly called Shiratsu, Maezono, and Sawamura over.

"The opponent hasn't changed pitchers yet, Mishima will probably continue to pitch..."

Ochiai's opening statement was very captivating. Though he didn't say much, the players immediately understood what he was getting at.

He was about to tell them about Mishima's weaknesses.

The three listened carefully.

With a sly and deep look, he said the next words in an even tone.

"Mishima's pitching looks wild! But it's not without its weaknesses..."

He relayed to them what they had to do to take this pitcher down.

In the Batter's Box.

Shiratsu, who had just stepped onto the field, adopted a stance that suggested he was preparing for a long at-bat.

Mishima noticed this immediately!

'Already getting anxious?'

Although there weren't many innings left in the game, the gap between the two teams was significant.

A full three points!

It was understandable that Seidou High School's players would be anxious.

In fact, if they didn't catch up soon, the result might truly become unpredictable…

Although Yakushi High School's ace, Sanada Shunpei, had already pitched an excellent game the day before, expending a great deal of physical energy, making it difficult to pitch again today…

That didn't mean they couldn't put a few more innings in!

If Yakushi's Superintendent Todoroki suddenly decided to do it…

Seidou would be in trouble.

Mishima understood this.

The more he understood, the less he was willing to give Seidou High School a chance to turn the game around.

The opponents were swinging in a hurry, so now he needed to throw Balls…

With his mind made up, Mishima set his stance and pitched.

Shiratsu, standing in the Batter's Box, recalled what coach Ochiai had told him earlier.

"Don't be fooled by that pitcher. He looks silly on the surface, but he actually is a smart type of pitcher. His pitching is very cautious, almost textbook. But this means that his actions aren't hard to predict…"

With Ochiai's guidance, Shiratsu suddenly felt enlightened.

The opponent's pitching and game-calling were standard. That meant Mishima didn't have many personal traits in his pitching style but would instead choose what most pitchers considered the right course of action.

'What would the majority of pitchers do in this situation?'

Realizing this, Shiratsu acted without hesitation.

Whoosh!

As the ball flew toward him, Shiratsu raised his bat high.

But although the bat was held high, Shiratsu had no intention of swinging.

SNAP!

The ball landed in the catcher's Mitt.

"BALL!"

This ball had clearly missed the strike zone. With Shiratsu's skills, it was only natural that he didn't swing…

No one thought much of it, including Yakushi's battery, Mishima and Akiba.

The ball was just thrown too far.

'Control!'

Mishima blushed slightly on the mound.

He knew this was all due to his subpar control. If his control were better…

These were just fantasies, and they didn't help the current situation. Mishima shook his head, dismissing these unnecessary thoughts.

He focused on dealing with the opponent in front of him.

He opened his stance again and pitched.

SNAP!

"BALL!!"

Another ball and Shiratsu didn't swing the bat either.

The count was now two Balls and zero strikes.

Mishima was close to being chased.

"Damn!!"

Mishima furrowed his brows. The situation was frustrating, but there was nothing he could do.

After all, he was up against Seidou's Shiratsu, one of the best in terms of technique.

'This opponent was certainly not easy to solve. It would take a lot of effort and cost.'

With a resolute mind, Mishima finally decided to throw a Strike.

Otherwise, if this continued, not only might he not be able to get Shiratsu Out…

'It might even lead to a Walk!'

Although their Coach was usually very carefree, he was actually very strict.

In this case, if Mishima walked Shiratsu…

That would probably be the end of his pitching for the game.

After steadying himself, Mishima threw the ball.

Shiratsu didn't swing!

"STRIKE!!"

The count was now two Balls and one Strike.

The next two pitches were a Strike and a Ball, which led the count to three Balls and two Strikes—

Full Count.

With the Full Count, the showdown between the two players became even more intense. It was now a matter of one pitch deciding everything.

In the dugout, Ochiai's lips curled into a smile.

'It was time!'

'This last pitch would definitely be a Ball.'

'It was Mishima's habit.'

He often threw a Ball when others least expected it.

In fact, this was the thinking of most pitchers.

Once the batter is in a full count, how could they not swing? The mental strength needed to resist that is extraordinary!

'It was impossible to resist!'

Most people thought this way, and Mishima was no different.

Whoosh!

As predicted by Ochiai, the pitch was once again off the strike zone.

Standing in the Batter's Box, Shiratsu didn't swing once again!

With this, he had earned a walk to first base.

SNAP!

"BALL FOUR!"

"Walk to Base!!!"

No Outs, runner on first.

Seidou High School's counterattack had begun.

With the umpire's announcement, Shiratsu dropped his bat and ran to first base.

Mishima on the mound almost had his eyes popping out.

'What exactly just happened?'

'The opponent hadn't swung the bat once.'

In fact, this was an inevitable outcome, much like a gambler who has been losing continuously and is desperately hoping that the next game will be a big win to redeem all the losses.

Subconsciously, he would believe that the next pitch would be a successful one.

However, it really isn't that simple. No matter how many times you test it, the probability of a big win in the next round is still the same.

Mishima had gotten caught up in his own delusions...

In the Yakushi High School dugout.

"Is it time?"

Mishima, the one directly involved, still couldn't understand what had happened. Meanwhile, as an observer, Todoroki Raizou had already pieced things together.

'I have to say, Seidou really has some tricks up its sleeve. They even thought of combining intelligence with psychological warfare.'

Thinking this, Todoroki Raizou looked up at Seidou High School's dugout.

Coach Kataoka had led the team to national championships twice. While part of their success was due to the excellent players, it was clear that his leadership played a significant role.

'It worked...'

If Ochiai had suggested this idea to Shiratsu at the beginning, it probably wouldn't have succeeded.

'But now, the timing was perfect.'

Next, it was Maezono's turn!

Maezono stepped up to the Batter's Box and raised his bat.

His stance was quite ordinary, neither too far forward nor backward.

But the pressure he brought to his opponent was far greater than Shiratsu's.

First, his expression and appearance. After stepping into the Batter's Box, Maezono looked like an angry warrior, exuding immense pressure on his opponent.

At the same time, everyone knew that Maezono was a power hitter.

Power hitters were always troublesome. As long as the ball grazed their bat, it could lead to a huge surprise.

Mishima furrowed his brows and looked at Maezono, constantly calculating strategies to deal with him.

Meanwhile, Maezono was also preparing himself seriously.

'If Shiratsu hits the ball, the opponent's first pitch is likely to be a Ball as a test. If Shiratsu gets Walked…'

Ochiai's words echoed in Maezono's mind.

Maezono had to admit that coach Ochiai was impressive.

He had already thought through all the factors in advance.

'If Shiratsu was Walked...'

'To avoid this from happening again, the opponent would certainly adjust the rhythm by throwing a Strike.'

'Since Shiratsu hadn't swung the bat, the opponent would subconsciously relax.'

'In this situation, the first pitch was the best time to hit.'

Whoosh!

Without making Maezono wait too long, the ball came flying towards him.

It was a straight pitch aimed at the inner corner.

This should have been the last pitch the opponent would throw, considering how everyone knew Maezono was best at hitting inside straight balls.

But the opponent did it anyway, without hesitation.

'Do you look down on me?'

It was impossible to say that Maezono wasn't a little upset. Anyone had their limits, not to mention Maezono, a hot-blooded teenager.

But he knew that anger wouldn't help in this situation.

It might even lead him into the opponent's trap.

He needed to remain calm, wait for the ball to come in, and then swing without hesitation.

'Closer!'

'Closer!!!'

The ball drew closer and closer. Maezono suppressed the urge to swing.

Coach Kataoka's words echoed in his ears.

'With your strength and swing speed, there's no need to rush. You can wait until the ball is closer to your hands and then swing to hit it.'

The ball kept getting closer until it was right within Maezono's reach.

'IT'S HERE! NOW!'

It was as if a sudden flash of insight struck him, and Maezono knew it was time to swing.

WhooshPAAANNGG!!!!

There was a faint sound like distant thunder as the bat made contact with the ball.

The ball was struck and flew off in a huge arc.

"It might go out of bounds!"

The ball flew close to the fence.

Maezono gripped the bat tightly, staring intensely at the ball's flight path.

The ball, hit with immense power, showed no signs of slowing down.

It eventually passed the fence before soaring into the stands.

"A HOME RUN!!!!!"

The ball was officially out of the park, making it a home run.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Seidou High School had pulled ahead by two runs with a home run from Maezono.

The score was now 5-4.

Seidou High School was only one point behind.

In the Yakushi High School dugout.

Todoroki Raizou smiled bitterly. He had originally thought there was a chance. If Yakushi High School was still leading after five innings, he would have no hesitation in putting Sanada on the mound.

'Although Sanada was resting after a tough game yesterday…'

If there was still a chance to win the Spring Championship, he would still take the gamble.

'But it didn't seem likely now.'

The difference was only one point. Even if Sanada took the mound, it wouldn't guarantee a win.

'Sawamura!'

Initially, he only thought this guy's pitching was terrifying and that his hitting was also impressive.

What he didn't expect was how his presence affected the team.

With him on the field, Seidou High School looked like a different team than when he wasn't.

Although Todoroki Raizou was a little frustrated, he wasn't too upset.

It made no sense to try and fight Seidou High School at this point…

In high school baseball, all that mattered was grabbing the biggest fruit.

The game continued.

Maezono completed his lap around the field and returned to home plate.

As he walked back to the dugout, he was greeted with cheers from his teammates as if he were a hero.

"ZONO!!"

"WELL DONE ZONO!!!"

"NICE BATTING!!"

"I KNEW YOU HAD IT!"

Of course, the players had every reason to be happy. Maezono's performance had truly earned them respect.

This was also due to Maezono's own hard work.

On a normal day, he was the last to leave after practice among all the third-year players. He had a high reputation among his peers this year.

Everyone believed that sweat and hard work would not deceive them.

This was also the core value of Seidou High School.

Maezono now was the perfect embodiment of this value.

Seeing that he could achieve results, whether it was the players in Seidou High School's dugout or the players from the second and third strings in the stands,

Everyone felt excited.

It turns out that to stand out, you don't need to have extraordinary talents like Sawamura or Miyuki.

Hard work can also get you there.

After Maezono's home run, Todoroki Raizou briefly considered replacing Mishima.

After some hesitation, he ultimately decided not to.

After all, the next batter was someone special.

Replacing Nishimura Kibo was Sawamura Eijun, Seidou High School's fifth batter in today's game.

If someone had been on base, he might have considered Walking Sawamura Eijun.

But in this situation, with no one on base, Walking Sawamura outright didn't seem appropriate...

This hot potato would have to be handled by Mishima. Once Sawamura was dealt with, the next pitcher could be brought in.

Mishima on the mound had no idea that his Coach had already considered him a sacrificial pawn.

After giving up the home run, he hadn't been replaced, and Mishima felt grateful to Raizou.

"Coach, I won't let you down!"

Mishima's ability to adjust his mindset was impressive. Just moments ago, he had given up a home run, but now it seemed like he had already forgotten about it.

"Truly admirable!"

Such strong mental fortitude, even Sawamura admired it.

Sometimes, being able to brush off setbacks is rare.

Especially as a baseball player, you never know when you'll get hit. At those times, having a strong heart is even more important.

Though Sawamura thought that, he had no intention of showing mercy.

Although Shiratsu and Maezono had tied the score, the gap was still just one point.

Seidou High School was still behind.

This was something Sawamura could not tolerate.

Seidou High School was the king—how could they fall behind?

Especially when he was on the field—this situation was even less acceptable.

Sawamura raised his bat high and fixed his eyes on Mishima on the mound.

His bat swayed slightly as if it could swing at any moment with thunderous force.

'What a troublesome guy!'

Akiba, the catcher, secretly furrowed his brows.

No matter how many times he faced off against Sawamura, this batter's stance always made him feel uneasy.

It was as if no matter what pitch came, Sawamura would hit it.

'No wonder he's my goal!'

Mishima, standing on the mound, stared at Sawamura, his eyes sparkling.

For Mishima, who had followed Sawamura's games in middle school, every move from Sawamura was a highlight.

If they weren't opponents now, he might even be cheering for him as part of the Demon King's Guards.

'But sorry, I've promised my Coach.'

In the face of his ideal player and his team, Mishima didn't hesitate to choose his team.

He poured all his strength into the pitch he threw to Sawamura.

In the Batter's Box, Sawamura's eyes were as cold as ice.

In his line of sight, Mishima's movements seemed incredibly slow.

He could see every motion Mishima made.

'A Sinker! To the outer corner!'

Sawamura clearly saw the type of pitch and its trajectory. He waited for the slow-moving ball to get close to him.

Then he swung his bat.

PANNGGG!!!!

The ball was hit and flew high into the air, continuing to soar until it flew out of the Jingu field.

"The ball broke through the wind's barrier and flew out of the field! The Maou Sawamura Eijun hits a home run."

The score was now 5-5. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Seidou's lineup exploded.

Both teams were now back at square one.

…