Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 295: The Finals – On the Momentum

The Five-Seam Fastball.

At this critical juncture, Miyuki's choice remained as bold as ever.

Even though Eijun's earlier attempt at this pitch had already revealed his struggles with control, Miyuki unwaveringly signaled for it once more.

This daring call, one that ignited a fire in Eijun's blood, epitomized the combative spirit of Seidou's pitcher-catcher duo.

The will to fight, unwavering to the end—this was the true style of Seidou High School.

Risks?

Mistakes? Hits? Runs allowed?

If one were to constantly play it safe, sticking to cautious strategies in the pursuit of victory, that team or ace might become good, perhaps even great.

But they would never achieve greatness.

Seidou High School, and Eijun, were aiming for nothing less than the pinnacle.

So...!!

The rising dust, the faint golden hue glowing in Eijun's eyes, and his unyielding stance—all of it served as his response to Miyuki's trust and his call.

"Whoosh!"

With a decisive motion, Eijun raised his hand.

His right leg planted firmly as his body exploded with momentum, his fastball tearing through the air like a tiger descending a mountain, fierce and unstoppable.

In the batter's box, Iguchi's eyes caught the flash of white light streaking toward him.

The icy chill of the pitch wasn't just physical—it seemed to pierce into his very soul, sending shivers down his spine.

"Damn brat, this isn't your home ground!"

Clenching his teeth, Iguchi's resolve shone in his gaze. With steely determination, he stepped forward, preparing to meet the oncoming pitch with everything he had.

"Whoosh!"

The brilliant streak of the ball's path matched the ferocity of Iguchi's swing.

He planted his left foot firmly, and with all his strength, his bat roared to life, aiming to intercept the fastball he had so carefully calculated.

"Swish!"

The pitch's sharp brilliance darted past his bat, evading his calculated swing by the slimmest of margins.

The next moment, as Iguchi's pupils constricted in disbelief—

"Pop!"

The ball, having slowed slightly in its final moments, floated into Miyuki's glove with precision, creating a crisp and decisive sound.

"Strike three! Batter out! Three outs! Change sides!"

A perfect pitch.

As Iguchi stood stunned in the batter's box, slowly regaining his senses, he watched Eijun's composed figure jog back to the dugout. A thought surfaced in his mind:

A clean pitch, flawless delivery. This one... I have no choice but to admit defeat.

Shaking his head, Iguchi gathered himself and walked off the field, his respect for Eijun evident in his calm departure.

The umpire's high-pitched call echoed across the field as the audience erupted into deafening cheers.

Eijun's figure, jogging back to the dugout with a calm and composed demeanor, drew waves of astonishment from the crowd.

"Three up, three down! And in the latter half of the game, no less!"

"This is Komadai Fujimaki's top-order lineup!"

"Unbelievable! This kid is something else!"

"The true ace of Seidou, huh? Sawamura Eijun has turned this summer into his stage!"

"Seidou maintains the lead heading into the final stretch. Just one more step to the summit!"

The cheers from Seidou's supporters, loud and unrelenting, added an air of intensity to this final battle.

Meanwhile, Eijun, completely drained, plopped down on the bench without a care for appearances.

Leaning against the backrest, he wiped the sweat off his forehead, gasping for breath.

By this point in the game, Eijun's stamina and focus were more than halfway depleted.

Even more concerning was the strain on his shoulder from continuous pitching.

His left arm felt numb and sore, and there were moments when he struggled to generate power effectively.

Eijun was acutely aware that, while his stamina might seem sufficient, his condition had already dropped below its peak. At best, he was operating at 70-80% of his usual level—possibly even lower.

Miyuki handed Eijun a cup of water, a flash of worry crossing his eyes.

He knew the next three innings of defense would be the most critical of the game.

If Komadai Fujimaki seized even a single opportunity, the resulting chain reaction could lead to an avalanche of runs.

Maybe it's time to consider a relief pitcher.

But who?

Miyuki furrowed his brows in thought. Should they rely on Tanba-senpai? Or Furuya? Neither seemed like an ideal choice in this situation.

The reality is, Seidou's pitching rotation still has gaps, Miyuki admitted to himself with a heavy sigh.

The prolonged tension of the match was starting to expose the differences between Seidou and Komadai Fujimaki.

At the same time, Coach Kataoka's gaze fell on Eijun, a faint frown forming on his face. His thoughts, too, drifted toward the question of a relief pitcher. But deciding on one wasn't easy.

Turning to the players, Kataoka issued a decisive command:

"There are four more innings of offense. Attack. Keep attacking. Use your bats to suffocate their chances. This is the final stretch, and their nerves are bound to be stretched to the limit. Listen carefully: Don't aim for the pitcher. Focus on their fielders. In this heat and under this pressure, even Komadai is bound to make mistakes. Seize those opportunities and swing your bats with intent!"

His stern words carried weight, resonating deeply with the team.

"Yes, coach!!" responded the third-years—captain Yuuki, Isashiki Jun, Kominato Ryousuke, and Masuko Tooru—with loud, determined voices.

Their juniors had already proven themselves with their exceptional performance.

This was their stage—the final one for the third-years.

No matter what, they couldn't let down the expectations of their juniors.

This is a battle of no return, a fight to the death.

At that moment, the faces of the third-years bore resolute expressions. Isashiki Jun, in particular, radiated a faint yet intimidating aura, a hint of ferocity that revealed his unrelenting determination.

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