Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 218: The Final Battle – Charging Toward Koshien!

Like all his teammates on the Seidou High School baseball team, Furuya woke up early.

However, it was clear that everyone wasn't feeling their best.

"You didn't sleep at all because you were too nervous, did you?"

The mustached senior was the first to notice that Furuya seemed a bit off and wasted no time in calling him out.

At those words, the Seidou players immediately became tense.

With the championship game just ahead, even the smallest disturbance could affect the entire team—especially when it involved their ace pitcher, Furuya.

If something happened to their starting ace…

The consequences would be too brutal to imagine. No one on the team dared to even think about it.

Facing the worried gazes of his teammates, Furuya shrugged helplessly.

To be honest, he hadn't slept well the night before.

But it wasn't because of nerves.

It was because he was too excited about facing Inashiro Industrial in the final.

So far, the Seidou team had faced their fair share of challenges.

But in reality, those challenges had only been temporary setbacks.

Whether it was You Shunshin, Raichi Todoroki, or Sensen…

They had all caused brief troubles for Seidou.

But when looking at the bigger picture, Seidou had always firmly held control over the games.

Their strength was overwhelming.

But today's game was different.

Even if no one said it aloud, they all knew that today's opponent posed a real threat.

And as the team's ace, Furuya felt this more strongly than anyone else.

During the Kanto Tournament, he had faced Inashiro's players before.

Back then, it was their first time going head-to-head on the field, and yet, those guys still managed to put significant pressure on him.

Now, more than two months had passed.

There was no doubt that the players from Inashiro had been preparing for this moment.

Just imagining it made Furuya's excitement surge.

Dominating every opponent along the way and leading his team straight to the Koshien championship—

That wouldn't be bad either.

But deep down, Furuya didn't enjoy one-sided games.

It was like a skilled chess player being forced to play against amateurs—too boring!

Furuya preferred facing strong opponents who could push him to his limits.

The teams they had played so far had provided varying levels of challenge…

But Furuya had always been confident.

With his pitching and the strength of Seidou's second- and third-year players, they wouldn't lose.

But this match against Inashiro was different.

This opponent had a real chance of beating them.

And that was exactly why Furuya was so excited.

"I'm just too fired up!"

He didn't shy away from the truth and admitted it openly.

"How do you feel physically?"

Miyuki frowned.

Having something like this happen the day before the game was concerning.

Furuya grinned. "I feel great!"

Seeing his confident smile, his teammates relaxed and smiled as well.

Yeah, they felt great too!

The team gathered and boarded the bus, heading straight to Jingu Stadium.

As soon as they stepped off, they were immediately surrounded.

Reporters, cameras, and microphones had been waiting for them for a long time.

"Kataoka-sensei!"

"Furuya-san…"

"Yuuki-san…"

"Miyuki Kazuya!!"

Seidou High School's baseball team had long expected the enthusiasm of the reporters. A few of the team's coaches quickly formed a barrier, blocking them off.

"Apologies, but our players have a game to focus on. All interviews will have to wait until after the match!"

It was clear that Seidou had already decided—they would not be accepting any interviews before the game.

After all, if they made bold statements now only to lose later, the embarrassment would be unbearable.

Even the reporters had anticipated this reaction.

But they still tried to push their luck, hoping that one of Seidou's players might slip up and say something.

Because by the time this match ended, any comments made before the game would become valuable content—possibly even an exclusive scoop.

Unfortunately for the press, Seidou's players were no longer inexperienced rookies.

They may not have played at Koshien yet, but they were the reigning Kanto Tournament champions.

And that title carried significant weight.

Even if the general public didn't fully grasp its importance, those in the baseball world certainly did.

Because of this, the Seidou players had already grown accustomed to media attention over the past few months.

No matter how large the crowd of reporters, they would not be flustered.

Leaving the reporters behind, the team now faced their fans.

These supporters had arrived incredibly early—nearly thirty minutes before the game was even set to begin.

And because they were so early, they had the rare chance to meet the players in person.

The excitement in the air was palpable!

"You have to win! We'll be cheering for you from the stands!"

The fans raised their arms, calling out especially to the third-year players.

It was clear that these were Seidou's most devoted supporters.

They knew exactly how much the seniors had sacrificed for the team.

Yuuki and the others nodded in response.

To these fans who supported them with genuine passion, the third-years were deeply grateful.

"Thank you, everyone!!!"

While the fans showed love for the entire team, most of their eyes were fixed on Furuya.

"That's the rookie who can throw 156 km/h?"

Even though they knew the reports weren't false, their voices still carried strong skepticism.

A fastball exceeding 150 km/h was already an incredible rarity.

But for a high school player to throw over 155 km/h?

Even in the professional leagues, such a pitcher would be considered a monster.

"It's him!"

"You'll see for yourself soon enough. He's going to blow your mind."

Fans who had already witnessed Furuya's pitching spoke with unwavering confidence.

"In that case, I'll be watching closely!"

Seidou's players continued into the locker room to change into their game uniforms.

"Man, I almost felt like a celebrity back there!"

One of the players couldn't help but marvel at the overwhelming attention they had received.

Even when they won the Kanto Tournament, the reporters and fans hadn't been this enthusiastic.

"What's going on all of a sudden?"

Hearing the question, the room fell into a thoughtful silence.

Then, Chris spoke up.

The players, who had been changing their uniforms, instinctively paused to listen.

Chris wasn't in uniform himself. Instead, he held a notebook, seemingly preparing to take notes.

Noticing the discussion, he decided to chime in.

Drawing everyone's attention, he calmly stated:

"There's only one more game after this… and that's Koshien."

"Most of your parents and loved ones are probably sitting in the stands right now, watching."

Hearing Chris's words, many of the Seidou players nodded silently.

The team hadn't confiscated their phones, so they were still able to keep in touch with their families while at the dorms.

This meant that they all knew—at least half of their parents were in the stands, watching them right now.

For example, Sawamura's parents and childhood friend were already seated in the stands.

And Furuya's grandfather had come in person, even though his parents couldn't make it.

Other teammates' families were here as well.

The Kominato brothers' parents had even traveled from another prefecture just to witness this match.

Chris clenched his fist and declared:

"This is the kind of battle we're facing today!"

"If we win, we go to Koshien!"

For the tens of thousands of high school baseball players across the country, that was the dreamland they all aspired to reach.

"If we lose… we have nothing."

"If you don't step onto the field with that understanding, today's game will be an impossible battle."

As he spoke, Chris raised his head, carefully studying each of his teammates.

The Seidou players met his gaze without flinching.

When it came to their resolve for this game—

They didn't believe for a second that they were any less prepared than Chris-senpai.

"We're all ready for this. You don't have to worry, Master!!"

Sawamura declared confidently.

The others didn't shout along, but the look in their eyes said it all.

They shared the same determination as Sawamura.

They had long been prepared for this game.

And they firmly believed—

Their resolve was second to none.

Not even their opponents could match it.

Stepping Onto the Grand Stage

"Let's take the field!"

Under captain Yuuki's lead, the Seidou players stepped onto the field one by one.

But the moment they truly set foot on the field—

They were stunned.

The stands at Jingu Stadium were completely packed.

Jingu wasn't a small stadium that could only hold two or three thousand people.

As one of the largest stadiums in Tokyo and the entire country, it had a capacity of tens of thousands.

Filling up such a stadium was no easy feat.

Yet right now—

Both sides of the stands were already full.

The outfield stands had even been opened up, and fans were flooding into those seats as well.

That meant…

Tens of thousands of spectators had come to watch this game live.

And on top of that—

This match was being broadcasted nationwide.

TV station crews were on-site, busy adjusting their equipment.

Who knew how many more countless fans were watching from their televisions?

Seeing the massive crowd, something awoke inside the Seidou players.

It was as if some hidden bloodline power had been triggered.

Their fighting spirit ignited.

They couldn't wait to face their opponent.

On the other side, Inashiro Industrial's players had also arrived on the field.

They, too, were shaken by the sheer magnitude of the crowd.

Standing at the dugout, Yuuki suddenly had a moment of realization.

He walked toward the side of the dugout, preparing for something.

The Seidou players immediately understood what their captain was about to do.

"Is it happening?"

The answer was clear.

Even Coach Kataoka nodded in approval.

The Seidou High School baseball team gathered in a large circle, with their captain at the center.

In the stands, Seidou's die-hard supporters were beyond ecstatic.

Even the neutral fans, upon witnessing this scene, couldn't hide the excitement in their eyes.

"It's that ritual, isn't it?"

"I've only seen it on TV before—it's incredible! When I was younger, I wanted to join Seidou too, but they never even considered me."

"Hah! Even if they invited you, it wouldn't matter! Most players don't even make it to Seidou's Second String, let alone wear the First string uniform and represent the school."

As the crowd buzzed with excitement, Captain Yuuki raised his thumb and pointed to his chest.

"Who are we?"

"SEIDOU!!"

"Who has shed the most tears?"

"SEIDOU!!!"

"Who has shed the most sweat?"

"SEIDOU!!!!"

"Are you ready?"

"RAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"

"For the honor of our school, we have only one goal—

To conquer the nation!!!"

"ROOOOOAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

At that moment, Jingu Stadium erupted.

It wasn't just the Seidou players roaring—

Even the fans in the stands, whether loyal Seidou supporters or not, couldn't resist joining the chant.

It felt as if not participating would be a betrayal of the moment itself.

"Go for it!!"

As the electric energy coursed through the stadium, Seidou's players completed their war cry and stepped onto the field, fully prepared.

With both teams now in position, the match was officially underway.

"The Summer Koshien West Tokyo Qualifier Finals—

Seidou High School vs. Inashiro Industrial—

The game has begun!"

"Seidou High School will bat first!"

"Leading off, shortstop—Kuramochi Youichi!"

As the first batter stepped up to the plate, the battle for Koshien had finally begun.

Holding his bat, Kuramochi's expression was uncharacteristically serious.

He understood all too well—

This at-bat could set the tone for the entire game.

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