Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 268: Advancing to the Finals

Furuya took the mound, but his presence did not bring much hope or opportunity to Kiryuu High School.

Although Kiryuu High's morale had not completely collapsed, their players were gritting their teeth and persevering, refusing to give up until the very last second of the game.

However, it was clear that Furuya's current abilities were more than enough to handle Kiryuu High's batting lineup for at least an inning.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, as soon as Furuya stepped onto the mound, Kiryuu High, perhaps seeing a chance, launched an aggressive offensive right away.

Their effort yielded some success with a clean hit to the outfield, putting a runner on base.

But after that initial hit, Furuya quickly adjusted himself.

Over the summer, he had frequently appeared on the mound, including several outings at Hanshin Koshien Stadium.

With Miyuki providing guidance at home plate, Furuya managed to contain Kiryuu High's offense.

Though Kiryuu advanced a runner to third base and scored a run through a forced play, breaking Furuya's control was clearly impossible.

After conceding one run, Furuya fully unleashed his pitching ability.

He completely dominated Kiryuu High's batting lineup, leaving them with no further opportunities.

In the top of the ninth inning, Seidou High School launched their final offensive.

Even with a five-run lead, Seidou showed no intention of easing up.

Continuing their aggressive play, they managed to score another run off Kiryuu High's ace, Tachi, bringing their total to eight runs.

With the gap widening further, Kiryuu High's last shred of hope and determination was visibly faltering.

In the bottom of the ninth, it was Kiryuu High's final turn at bat.

The batters approached the plate with a do-or-die mindset, but their efforts only ended in disappointment.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Batter out!"

Furuya's fastballs overwhelmed the first batter, and with a sharp forkball, he secured the out. His pitching grew sharper as the game progressed.

With the first out recorded, the expressions of Kiryuu High's players turned grim.

Those in the dugout clenched the railing tightly, their hands trembling with tension.

"Come on! Don't give up, Kiryuu!"

"Go, Shibata! We're counting on you!"

"Just one hit! The game isn't over yet!"

"There's still a chance! Push forward, Kiryuu!"

The cheers from Kiryuu High's bench and supporters echoed loudly, unwilling to let their team surrender, no matter how slim the chances seemed.

"Whoosh!"

"Ping!"

"Thud! Foul!"

"Whoosh!"

"Thud! Strike!"

However, with Miyuki's sharp calls and Furuya's even sharper pitches, Kiryuu High was given no second chances, not even a sliver of opportunity.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Strike! Batter out!"

Furuya quickly struck out another batter, securing the second-to-last out of the game.

The finish line was just one out away.

"Great pitch, Furuya!"

"One more! Just one more!"

"Push through, Furuya!"

"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"

For Kiryuu High, desperation filled the air. Their only hope was to somehow extend the batting lineup.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Hit it! You have to hit it! Come on!"

"Whoosh!"

"Ping!"

"Thud!"

"Foul ball!"

"Why can't we get past him? Why!?"

"Whoosh!"

"Thud!"

"Ball!"

"Next pitch, next pitch, I have to make this one count!"

"Whoosh!"

A fierce pitch, a blazing fastball over 150 km/h, straight and intimidating.

"Swish!"

The swing of the bat, the flash of a figure—Kiryuu High's last desperate effort.

"Ping!"

A loud impact echoed through the field, and a white streak shot into the sky.

All eyes fixed on the brilliant white arc against the blue heavens.

The left fielder moved into position—Eijun, calm and composed, extended his gloved right hand.

"Pop!"

Effortlessly, without hesitation, Eijun caught the ball. The crisp sound resonated in the air, crushing the remaining hopes of Kiryuu High.

Their players stood in despair, and Tachi's expression was filled with pain.

Coach Matsumoto shook his head with a sigh.

The gap in strength was undeniable.

Seidou High was no longer the same team they were three months ago.

With their first-year ace, Eijun, and a batting lineup that had grown even stronger, the match left no room for doubt.

This game was a loss that Kiryuu High accepted with humility.

"Out! Game over!!!"

"The final pitch was an outside fastball. A high fly ball to left field, caught by first-year Sawamura Eijun for the out. This battle of the titans ends with Seidou High emerging victorious! After six years, the powerhouse Seidou advances to the national finals at Koshien!"

"We won! We won! We're going to the finals!"

"Haha, the finals! Here we come!"

"Advancing to the finals!"

"Great job, Furuya!"

"You guys are the best—Captain, Sawamura, Miyuki, Isashiki!"

"Coach Kataoka!"

"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"

The cheers echoed across the stadium, with Seidou's players and fans erupting in wild celebration.

The roar of tens of thousands of spectators and thunderous applause filled the air.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

The audience, awestruck, marveled at Seidou's dominance.

They had expected a Seidou victory, but no one anticipated such a one-sided match.

An overwhelming 8–2 score secured Seidou High's victory in the first semifinal.

On the field, Seidou's team gathered at the pitcher's mound.

Yuuki, Ryousuke, Miyuki, and others smiled broadly. Eijun wore a radiant grin as Isashiki enthusiastically ruffled Furuya's hair.

This was a moment of pure joy, with only one step remaining to achieve their ultimate goal.

While Seidou celebrated, Kiryuu High's players stood in silence, their expressions a mix of sorrow and regret.

Even Tachi could not hold back his emotions.

This was his final tournament, and just like last year, he left the field with unfulfilled dreams.

The championship flag, the national title—despite two and a half years of effort, he couldn't reach the top.

Frustration, regret, and pain overwhelmed him, and the ace finally shed tears of sorrow.

"Line up!"

"Salute!"

"Thank you for the match!"

The solemn sound of the air-raid siren accompanied the players' shouts.

The first semifinal at Hanshin Koshien, Seidou High vs. Kiryuu High, officially came to an end.

With an 8–2 victory, Seidou High swept past Kiryuu High and secured the first ticket to the finals!

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