Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 143: Shocked by a 156 km/h Opening Pitch!

The game began with Seidou High School on offense in the top of the first inning.

To everyone's surprise, Seidou's lineup of powerful hitters was inexplicably shut down, with all three batters retiring in quick succession.

This left Seidou's supporters in the stands frowning in disbelief.

"What's going on here?"

"This is their first game of the tournament!"

"Aren't they the champions of the Kanto Tournament? How can they go scoreless in the first inning?"

If their opponent had been a formidable team, the fans might have understood.

Seidou's die-hard supporters were not completely lacking in patience, but the issue was that their opponent wasn't considered a strong team at all.

In the eyes of the fans, this was just a small public school that wasn't even strong enough to challenge Seidou seriously.

If Seidou High School's baseball team struggled this much against such an opponent, it would cast doubt on their overall strength.

Was this the team that aimed to dominate the entire nation?

Wasn't that a joke?

Meanwhile, in Maimon West High School's dugout, Coach Chiba—his black-and-white streaked hair and burly frame making him a standout figure—was grinning ear to ear.

"I told you, overconfidence leads to defeat! They probably never even considered us, a public school, as a real opponent. Seeing Mamoru's pitching must have shocked them! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you all."

Under Coach Chiba's encouragement, Maimon West's players were visibly energized.

Facing Seidou, the reigning Kanto champions, in the Summer Tournament and holding their own in the first inning was thrilling for the players.

Even though Coach Chiba didn't express it explicitly, most of the Maimon West players were genuinely exhilarated.

Thanks to Mamoru's pitching, they had come to a realization:

The so-called national powerhouse wasn't as invincible as it seemed.

There was nothing to fear.

As long as they stayed focused and gave their all on the field, they believed they could put up a good fight against Seidou.

"We can win!"

"Just make solid contact with the ball!"

"Watch carefully and don't miss a good pitch!"

With no cheering from the stands, Maimon West's players motivated themselves. In that brief moment, they felt an overwhelming surge of confidence.

They were convinced that in the upcoming innings, they could make Seidou pay, even if their opponents were a national powerhouse.

In the bottom of the first inning, it was Maimon West's turn to bat.

As they watched Seidou's pitcher, Furuya, take the mound wearing the number 1 jersey, excitement rippled through Maimon West's dugout.

"Is the pitcher Furuya Satoru?"

"Wasn't he the one who threw a 155 km/h pitch during the Kanto Tournament?"

The sight of Furuya, standing confidently on the mound, left the Maimon West players visibly awestruck.

As the game continued, Seidou's ace Furuya stepped onto the mound, his aura commanding attention.

The Maimon West players, still reeling from the reports of his 155 km/h fastball during the Kanto Tournament, were now face-to-face with the real deal.

A speed of over 155 km/h? Even when practicing with pitching machines, they had never dared to imagine facing such velocity.

While the players were still digesting this, their coach, Chiba, waved his hand dramatically, redirecting all attention to himself.

"You don't need to be so alarmed!" he began with a smug grin. "This is just a lucky kid riding a streak of fortune. The fact that Seidou High gave their number 1 jersey to a rookie who's only been on the team for three months shows just how desperate they are for pitchers."

"That's good news for us! A first-year like him doesn't have the stamina to pitch a full nine innings. And in a high-stakes summer tournament like this, he's bound to make mistakes. Stay steady. If we hold our ground, their collapse is only a matter of time. That's my foolproof Chiba strategy!"

Coach Chiba's confidence was infectious, and his players, who had initially been daunted by Furuya's reputation, began to nod in agreement.

"Maybe their strength is just an illusion. Be patient, don't swing recklessly, and observe carefully…"

The first batter from Maimon West stepped up to the plate with an air of caution, adopting a defensive stance as he prepared to face Furuya.

Behind the plate, Miyuki crouched, studying the opponent's determination. A faint smile tugged at his lips, carrying a hint of pity.

He admired the fighting spirit of Maimon West's players, who, even knowing they were up against Furuya, didn't show any signs of retreat.

Their resolve to battle until the end was commendable.

However, there was one issue.

Their opponent was Furuya.

And worse, their earlier performance had irritated Coach Kataoka, which meant Furuya was about to pitch with full intensity.

"It's been a while since you've gone all out, hasn't it? Not since that match against Osaka Kiryuu. Let's see if your arm's gotten rusty! Let's go!" Miyuki signaled with his glove, almost as if daring Furuya.

The catcher's glove seemed to emanate a gravitational pull, and Furuya nodded subtly.

He took his stance, lifting his leg high into the air.

In the stands, Seidou's supporters, who had been grumbling moments ago, now sat up straight, their eyes shining with anticipation.

"It's coming!"

"It's coming!"

Despite this being only the opening round of the tournament against a modest public school, thousands of fans had shown up.

They weren't there for the competition—they were there to witness Furuya's pitching.

As Furuya prepared to throw, the crowd felt their excitement surge, their energy mirroring the pitcher's growing momentum.

And then, under the gaze of thousands, Furuya unleashed his first pitch.

"BOOMM!!!"

The pitch roared through the air, a blur of pure speed. The batter, standing frozen, could only perceive a blank void in front of him.

Before he could process what was happening, the ball had already flown past him.

"Pop!"

The sound of the ball slamming into Miyuki's glove echoed through the stadium.

Maimon West's leadoff batter felt his legs give out, collapsing onto the ground in disbelief.

"What… what was that?!" he muttered, his voice shaking.

Before he could recover, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers:

"156 km/h!!!"

"His velocity has broken through again!"

-----------------

If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Shu_21