Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 266: The King's Fourth Batter

Every pitch was precise, every pitch was bold.

Each one carried the will of the pitcher, a defiant struggle embodied by the ace himself. Under such pressure, Tachi, the ace of Kiryuu, remained unwavering in his pitching style.

Every hit was powerful, every strike precise.

This was the strength of the King's fourth batter!

The fierce confrontation, the relentless exchanges—it was as if both sides were walking a tightrope. A single step back, a moment of concession, and what awaited them was utter destruction.

Whoosh.

Pop.

"Ball!"

"Hah… Hoo…"

The weight of the pressure was suffocating, an indescribable sense of tension. At the plate, Yuuki Tetsuya's calm demeanor created an oppressive atmosphere that left Tachi struggling to breathe.

Every pitch, every swing felt like he was being bitten and held tightly in place.

Gradually, bit by bit, the grip on his collar climbed higher, until it reached his neck, choking him. His breathing became rapid, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

This was pressure—a crushing force that worked from the outside in.

I can't give in. I absolutely can't give in!

Tachi bared his teeth in a horrifying grin, his expression becoming even more menacing in that moment.

Whoosh.

His arm swung once more.

A sharp, icy glint sliced through the air.

The ball shot forward.

In Yuuki's eyes, a sharp gleam flickered.

Just as he was about to swing, he suddenly stopped himself.

The bat remained still as he watched the ball trace an imperfect path through the air before landing in the catcher's mitt with a crisp sound.

Pop.

"Ball!"

"That was a curveball, but it missed the strike zone. Two strikes, three balls—the count is full!"

This is bad.

Tachi's arm is getting stiff.

In the dugout, Coach Matsumoto's heart tightened. His brows furrowed slightly, revealing a trace of concern.

Ten pitches into the battle, the strain was no longer just physical; it was mental.

Coach Matsumoto knew all too well the pressure a strong batter could place on a pitcher.

Especially when facing a batter as composed and seemingly in control as Yuuki.

With every additional pitch, the pitcher's pressure multiplied exponentially.

This situation was perilous—extremely perilous—for Kiryuu High.

I can't handle him.

This batter is too strong.

It feels like I'm at my limit.

Should I give up?

No.

Giving up is easy, simple—but utterly foolish.

As Kiryuu High's ace, how could I ever do something so meaningless?

Tachi's eyes snapped open, a fierce determination flashing within.

This was the resolve of Kiryuu's ace.

Let's settle this.

This next pitch will decide the outcome.

"Tachi…"

Shibata, who had planned to call a timeout and strategize, froze as he looked at the determined expression on the mound.

His eyes widened in shock before a small smile appeared on his lips.

"So, you're still you, Tachi. Alright, let's show those Seidou guys the resilience of Kiryuu High!"

The fierce glint in Shibata's eyes sharpened.

An Osaka native, he wasn't the type to back down at the final moment.

That twisted grin, the savage look—this was the ultimate pride of an ace.

Slowly, Tachi raised his left leg, his arm reaching its highest point.

A peculiar tension filled the air.

Yuuki's pupils contracted sharply, his expression growing more solemn.

Whoosh.

The decisive moment was at hand.

A glint of cold light exploded in the sky at that moment.

The blazing white ball surged forward like a roaring wave, carrying an overwhelming momentum.

This was the pitcher's all-out pitch.

A fierce aura, an unstoppable force.

In this instant, in this space, Yuuki seemed to forget everything. His eyes focused solely on the ball, on its trajectory as it streaked toward him.

Step!

A sudden step forward, his body aligning instinctively—every move from Yuuki was purely subconscious.

Swish!

The sharp sound of the ball cutting through the air thundered like an explosion.

Every eye in the stadium locked onto home plate, their attention focused on even the tiniest movement.

The batter, the pitcher, the ace, the cleanup hitter.

A sharp spear and an unyielding shield.

This was the ultimate collision!

Clang!

The sound of the bat meeting the ball roared like a tiger's growl—piercing and sharp.

The white ball, intercepted by a swift shadow, sent a resounding echo through the stadium.

As the ball shot skyward, Tachi's face twisted with unwillingness.

Whoosh.

The ball soared high into the sky, dazzling everyone.

With countless eyes fixed on its path, the ball quickly passed over the infield, piercing straight and sharp.

Kiryuu High's center fielder gritted his teeth, his determined expression unwavering as he backpedaled and sprinted.

But against this hit, all efforts seemed futile, all resistance powerless.

As disbelief filled the faces of Kiryuu's players and Coach Matsumoto closed his eyes in resignation, the ball reached the deepest part of center field.

Bang!

It slammed hard into the towering electronic scoreboard, emitting a dull, resonating sound.

For a brief second, the stadium fell into an eerie silence.

But only for a second.

The next moment, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers and gasps of amazement.

Everyone roared in celebration of the hit, of Seidou's cleanup hitter, Yuuki Tetsuya.

A bases-clearing home run to deep center field.

"It's out of here! Out of here! A home run to center field! Seidou High's cleanup hitter has lived up to expectations in this critical moment, blasting away Kiryuu's ace Tachi's all-out pitch for a grand slam! Seidou High instantly extends their lead to five runs! This is the might of Seidou, the King's cleanup hitter, Yuuki Tetsuya!!!"

The announcer's almost frenzied shout, combined with Tetsuya's fist-pumping as he rounded the bases, electrified the crowd.

Seidou's fans erupted in cheers, while Kiryuu's players and supporters stared in disbelief.

A home run? Their ace was taken deep?

And a grand slam at that?

This hit was a crushing blow—not just to Kiryuu's chances but to Tachi himself.

Though the game was only in the middle innings with four more to play, this home run was a significant blow to their morale.

Kiryuu's spirits visibly plummeted.

Meanwhile, Seidou's dugout and fans were a sea of exhilaration, their shouts and cheers echoing through the stadium.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Tetsuya, you beast! You absolute beast!"

"Captain, you're incredible!"

"Four runs! A grand slam! Haha, Tetsuya, you're stealing all the glory!"

"Cleanup hitter extraordinaire! That was magnificent!"

"Haha! Five-run lead secured!"

The King's cleanup hitter—when he strikes, it's earth-shattering!

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