Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 256: Pure Power Against Kiryuu

Top of the Second Inning: Seidou High School's Offensive, Cleanup Hitter, First Baseman, Yuuki Tetsuya.

Eijun quickly shut down Kiryuu High's offense in the first inning, setting the tone for Seidou High's attack in the second.

Offense and defense are inherently connected.

While one doesn't directly determine the other, a strong defensive performance can often provide momentum for an offensive push.

Eijun's dominant start propelled Seidou's offensive momentum to its peak.

Even more significant was the fact that Seidou's first batter in the second inning was their immovable cleanup hitter, the team's captain, and their most formidable offensive weapon: Yuuki Tetsuya.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Ball."

Damn it!

Just like last time—this guy is tough!

Thought Shibata Kyouhei, the catcher.

He doesn't even flinch at bad pitches.

If the ball's too low, he can smash it out of the park.

There's no way to get a decisive strike against him like this.

Tachi glanced at Yuuki, standing calmly in the batter's box.

His stoic demeanor only made Tachi grit his teeth harder.

Bad pitches didn't faze Yuuki, and any slightly hittable ball was easily punished.

With a 2-2 count on the scoreboard, it seemed like the pitcher-catcher duo had the advantage, but in reality, Yuuki had complete control over the situation.

In the dugout, Kiryuu High's coach Matsumoto wore a serious expression.

He had known since the last practice match how difficult it was to face Seidou's cleanup hitter.

But now, in the summer tournament, Yuuki had been unstoppable, repeatedly crushing decisive pitches from elite pitchers.

Even Narumiya Mei, the left-handed ace widely regarded as the best in Kanto and one of the top pitchers in the country, hadn't been able to completely suppress him.

"Let's just avoid letting him hit a home run," Coach Matsumoto instructed, exhaling deeply as he gave the signal.

On the field, Shibata and Tachi nodded solemnly.

The pitcher wound up again, his arm cutting through the air.

The catcher prepared to receive the ball.

"Whoosh!"

A fierce, icy glint and a roaring aura accompanied the pitch.

Shibata poured every ounce of focus into catching it, while Tachi unleashed a blazing fastball clocked at 145 km/h, hurling it toward home plate.

In the batter's box, Yuuki's sharp eyes tracked the ball's trajectory. His body shifted into position, his foot stepping forward as the metal bat in his hands sliced through the air with unstoppable force.

"Swoosh!"

The ball blurred as the bat swung.

"Ping!"

A thunderous sound echoed through the field.

Yuuki's expression subtly shifted as the impact reverberated through his hands.

The sheer force of the pitch, combined with its late movement, pushed Yuuki's limits.

Even he had nearly lost control of his bat.

However, with a determined look, Yuuki tightened his grip and drove the bat through with all his strength.

"Whoosh!"

The ball soared into the air, streaking across the infield and into the gap between center and right field.

"Thud!"

Unfortunately, despite Yuuki's solid swing, Tachi's powerful pitch with its heavy spin still managed to suppress him.

The ball didn't travel far, landing shallow in the outfield.

Yuuki could only manage to make it to first base.

"Safe!"

Damn it, still can't completely shut him down? thought Shibata as he stood behind home plate, a frustrated expression on his face.

On the pitcher's mound, Tachi's grim look hinted at his own displeasure, though his teammates knew his stoic demeanor well enough to sense his frustration.

After all, in their previous practice match, they'd struggled to deal with Seidou's cleanup hitter.

And now, in this pivotal summer tournament, Yuuki managed a solid hit right in the first inning.

It only confirmed what they already knew—Yuuki's batting was truly on a monster level.

"Batting fifth, third baseman, Masuko-kun."

Yuuki was Yuuki, and others were others.

While Tachi might have struggled against Yuuki, he still had the upper hand against the rest of Seidou's lineup in their first at-bat.

Especially against Masuko, a pure power hitter, Tachi's heavy pitches and intense velocity meant he didn't need to fear Masuko's strength.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

With precise control and his newly mastered forkball, combined with his original curveball, Tachi forced Masuko into a defensive position.

"Whoosh!"

"Ping!"

Masuko made contact, but…

"Foul ball!"

Masuko struggled to adjust to Tachi's pitches, unable to control them well enough to keep the ball in play.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Strike three! Batter out!"

Despite Masuko's raw power, Tachi's evolving pitching strategy proved effective, forcing Masuko out after several tough swings.

Compared to the last practice match, Tachi's improvement was evident, and Masuko needed more time to adapt.

Next up was Miyuki's at-bat.

Facing Tachi's combination of sheer power and heavy spin, Miyuki handled the pitches with relative composure.

Though his swing was slightly suppressed by the fastball's force, his timing was impeccable.

Anticipating the forkball, he executed a perfect swing.

"Ping!"

The sound of solid contact echoed through the field.

Miyuki intercepted the fastball and sent it flying, a clean sweep with power.

Unfortunately, Kiryuu's center fielder showcased their exceptional defensive skills, catching the ball just before it hit the ground.

Kiryuu High wasn't just a strong offensive team—their defense ranked among the best in the nation.

What should have been at least a single, allowing Yuuki to advance to second base, ended up being an out.

Miyuki was caught, and Yuuki remained stranded at first base.

"Ahhh, so close!"

"Their defense is ridiculously solid!"

"Just a little more and that would've landed!"

Seidou's dugout let out groans of disappointment.

Even Miyuki, who had already dropped his bat and started running, thought his hit was a sure thing, only to be stunned when it was caught.

His surprise was evident on his face.

In the batter's circle, Eijun's expression turned serious as he watched the unfolding events.

"Batting seventh, pitcher, Sawamura-kun."

As Miyuki walked past Eijun, he lowered his voice and whispered, "Be careful. Don't force it. His pitches are heavier and tougher than before."

Eijun nodded slowly, fully aware of the challenge.

With Tachi's pitch quality and velocity, there were some balls even Eijun wouldn't dare to swing at, especially using a metal bat.

The vibrations could sometimes affect finger sensitivity—a lesson Eijun vividly remembered from Kawakami's matchup with Raichi.

Such mistakes could lead to injuries, and Eijun wasn't about to take unnecessary risks.

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