Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 167: Senior Pudding Is a Good Person

Three days after joining the First String, late at night:

"Are you heading out, Sendo-kun?" Watanabe asked, noticing Sendo getting up.

"Yeah, senpai! I want to check on Eijun. He hasn't been in great shape lately."

"Come to think of it, you two went to the same school, didn't you?"

"Yeah! I've known Eijun since elementary school. Our families have been close since my grandfather's generation."

"I see."

"Well then, I'm off!" Sendo noticed a hint of envy in Watanabe-senpai's tone but chose not to delve further, knowing it would only make things worse. Both tactfully avoided the topic.

...

This time, Sendo decided on a whim to check on Sawamura.

However, as soon as he reached the door, he overheard a conversation inside.

Sendo's eyes lit up as he thought, How could I have forgotten about this?

Thankfully, he arrived just in time.

"You're still sulking?"

"I got a chance to prove myself during practice, and all I managed was to throw a curveball during long toss. What a joke!" Kuramochi's mocking tone came from inside the room.

"Even if I'm not needed here, eavesdropping on this conversation is pretty entertaining!" Sendo chuckled quietly to himself as he leaned against the door to listen.

"Three days have passed since then, and you've been stuck running laps without practicing. At this rate, you might not get another chance for the rest of the year!"

"Ugh!" The response indicated Kuramochi's words hit Sawamura hard.

"All the other first-years are already playing in games. By the way, that friend who runs with you every day—that bakemono—will likely appear in official matches right after the Spring Tournament's opening ceremony. But you? A fellow recruit running alongside that monster? You're just running laps!"

"What now? Are you going to aim for the Olympics? Maybe as a marathon runner?" Kuramochi could barely contain his laughter, forcing himself to finish his sentence.

"Ahhhh!!!" Sawamura wailed.

"Shut up!!! I already know how pathetic I am…" Sawamura began, only to be interrupted by Kuramochi's classic sharp commentary.

"But listen! You still have three years—technically two and a half years—left to go, don't you? Take Masuko-senpai, for example. He's been coming back late every day. He's a third-year with no room for failure. Right now, he's probably swinging his bat with everything he's got. In the previous match, just one error was enough to kick him off the starting roster!"

Even Sendo, standing outside, was shaken by the brutal yet emotional truth Kuramochi delivered.

"Everyone here wants to be the ace, bat fourth, make the starting lineup, and play in games. But there are only nine positions, and nearly a hundred people competing for them. Only those who produce results can survive. The rest have to wait for another chance. You're not the only one feeling anxious!"

Hearing this, Sendo silently walked away. He hadn't expected to overhear such a heartfelt conversation, especially one that mentioned him so much.

It was clear that Sendo's recent performances had left quite an impression on this prestigious team.

Though he held back most of the time, his stunning debut had silenced earlier doubts.

While he didn't care about criticism, he disliked the incessant buzzing of rumors, so he let his skills do the talking.

Afterward, Sendo took it easy, only chasing balls he considered manageable.

However, even with his "lazy" approach, he still performed at a level that impressed his teammates.

No one knew just how fast Sendo truly was because he hadn't fully unleashed his speed yet.

"This so-called 'lazy efficiency' works perfectly for me," Sendo thought. Since the team wasn't in training camp mode, he could get by with minimal effort.

"Speaking of Masuko-senpai, he's out swinging his bat again? Maybe I'll go find him." Feeling a bit weighed down by Kuramochi's words, Sendo decided to lift his spirits by paying Masuko a visit.

...

Later that night, Sendo found Masuko swinging his bat outside the back entrance.

Staying a few meters away, Sendo watched quietly.

He didn't want to disturb him, nor did he feel like returning to Watanabe-senpai's study session.

Despite not being very social, Sendo had a knack for getting along with others, unlike Miyuki.

He got along well with both First String players and his Second String roommates, including Watanabe.

Everyone understood that Sendo wasn't much of a talker, and his occasional sarcastic remarks were taken in stride.

"This must be the spot where the third-years practiced their swings a year and a half ago," Sendo mused, sitting near a vending machine. He played a simple game on his phone, lamenting the lack of better technology in 2008.

"If I knew it would take this long, I'd have brought some manga." Sendo had borrowed a stack of shoujo manga from Jun, who looked intimidating but secretly loved them.

"Speaking of which, his sister is gorgeous. I wouldn't mind being her brother-in-law…" Sendo joked to himself. Just then, Masuko finished his practice.

"Oh? Sendo-chan! What are you doing here?"

"Please don't call me Sendo-chan…" Sendo groaned internally but kept a straight face.

"When I went to check on Eijun, I overheard that delinquent senior say 'Pudding-senpai' was out practicing. So I came to find you since I had nothing else to do!"

"Don't call me Pudding-senpai, alright, Sendo-chan!" Masuko retorted, exasperated. Neither seemed willing to concede on the nickname issue.

"Senpai, do you practice here every day?"

"Yeah. This is my last summer, after all."

"Would it be alright if I watched sometimes? I have a lot of free time." Sendo asked, careful not to disrupt Masuko's routine.

"Sure! We used to practice here together as a group, too."

"Oh? The third-years?" Sendo's interest was piqued, his radar seemingly picking up on something.

"Yeah."

"Senpai, when you have time, could you tell me about what you and the upperclassmen were like in your first year? I'm really curious!" Sendo, ever the gossip, couldn't possibly let such a golden opportunity slip away.

Besides, Masuko was undoubtedly one of the best sources for stories about the third-years' fun and chaotic pasts.

As for who else could provide such tales?

That went without saying: of course, it would be Takako-senpai and Captain Yuuki.

However, since it was still spring break, Takako was at home enjoying her vacation, and Yuuki didn't stay in the dorms.

That left poor Masuko as Sendo's prime target!

"If you want to hear about it, sure!" Masuko readily agreed, barely glancing at the pudding in Sendo's hand. His willingness to sell out his teammates was instantaneous.

Of course, Masuko wouldn't reveal any of his own embarrassing stories.

Those could be unearthed later by asking Takako after school started or subtly coaxing Yuuki.

Sendo figured that with Yuuki's oblivious nature, he might unknowingly spill the beans about himself.

In any case, the two had a great time chatting. So much so that Sendo, who had already taken a bath, ended up accompanying Masuko for another round.

As he followed Masuko, Sendo silently declared to himself, "Tremble, mortals! Your embarrassing pasts are about to become mine!"

...

Time flew by, and the Spring Tournament had already begun.

As one of Tokyo's seeded teams, Seidou wouldn't play their first game until the third round.

Sendo was sure he wouldn't be involved in Seidou's first match.

He wasn't even sure what the requirements were to participate in Tokyo's Spring Tournament, but he did know that out of the 256 schools in East and West Tokyo, only 96 teams were participating.

The start of the new school year was a great relief for Sendo.

Spring break had meant all-day training, but now practice sessions were limited to after-school hours following morning workouts.

For Sendo, this was the best news—less training time meant more opportunities to slack off!

Sendo also discovered that he and Fumino were in the same A-Class, while Sawamura was placed in C-Class, just like in the original timeline.

Sendo didn't know anyone in his class, not even the baseball club members, apart from Kanemaru and Sawamura.

He was vaguely aware of Tojou but had never spoken to Matsukata or the others.

Meanwhile, Fumino and Haruno both became baseball club managers.

Fumino could cook, and Haruno was meticulous, so they complemented each other well.

With the new school year came new privileges—Sendo was now eligible to participate in games.

Coach Kataoka wasted no time registering him, assigning him jersey number 19.

Seidou's next opponent would be the prestigious Tokyo Ichidaisan High.

Sendo, expecting to be a substitute, wasn't particularly excited and planned to treat the game as a learning experience.

That was until…

"Tomorrow's starting lineup: Sendo, you'll be in left field," Coach Kataoka announced.

"???"

Sendo wasn't the only one baffled—so was Ota, the team manager.

"Coach, isn't this a bit too soon? Sendo has performed well, but he's still a first-year. Won't the pressure be too much for him?" Ota voiced his concerns after the meeting.

"As if that guy would get nervous. If anything, he needs a little push. All he does is slack off," Kataoka replied confidently.

"Well… okay, then," Ota relented, silently praying that Sendo wouldn't be traumatized by the experience.

...

The next day, Coach Kataoka addressed the team before the match.

"As you know, compared to the Selection Tournament in the fall and the crucial Summer Tournament, the Spring Tournament isn't as significant." He drew a diagonal line on the ground with his bat, his voice calm yet serious.

"But today's opponent is Ichidaisan High, the team that defeated us in the fall. The humiliation we suffered must be repaid tenfold!"

"Yes!!!" The players responded with determination. Sendo, feeling the intensity, mimicked their enthusiasm to avoid standing out.

"Yuuki, as usual, lead us," Kataoka ordered.

"Yes!" Yuuki replied as the team formed a circle.

Sendo watched curiously, preparing to follow along.

"Who are we?"

"Seidou, the champions!!!"

"Who's shed the most sweat?"

"Seidou!!!"

"Who's shed the most tears?"

"Seidou!!!"

"Are you ready to fight?"

"Yeah!!!"

"Carrying the honor of our school, our only goal is to dominate the nation. Let's go!!!"

"Yeah!!!"

With fiery determination and a burning desire for revenge, Seidou was ready to settle the score with Ichidaisan High.

...

Knowing that Sawamura would meet his "true love" (a tire) that day, Sendo stayed behind for a moment.

He watched as Haruno handed Sawamura the tire in a gesture that was almost like a confession, exchanging it as if it were a token of their bond.

Satisfied with the scene, camera in hand, Sendo left with the First String, leaving Sawamura behind.

"Eijun, hurry and climb up. I'll be waiting for you in the First String!" Sendo thought, while Sawamura's eyes were solely fixed on Miyuki.

That's just too much! Sendo sighed inwardly.

...

Sendo never imagined his debut would be against Ichidaisan High, of all teams.

The stakes couldn't have been higher, and to top it off, Fumino would be watching alongside the other managers.

The pressure of his first start was immense, but Sendo quickly adjusted.

He couldn't afford to mess up—not when Sawamura might use it against him later.

Sendo needed to maintain the upper hand in their banter.

No way am I letting myself slip up.

My blackmail material on Eijun is too precious to risk.

With renewed determination, Sendo took his place as the seventh batter, right after Miyuki.

He carefully observed the opposing pitcher, determined to perform well and make this game a success.

This was Sendo's resolve.

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