Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 163: Departure

"Sendo! You bastard!" Sawamura finally realized this guy was just messing with him the whole time!

"Come on, calm down! By the way, how did you figure out I like Wakana? I can't follow your thought process at all!"

"Hmph! I'm going back!" Sawamura turned around angrily and stormed off.

"Hey, Eijun!"

"What now?" Sawamura looked back, trying to suppress his fury. If he could beat this guy in a fight, he would've already punched him!

"Since you've made up your mind, I'll go to Seidou too! Didn't I tell you? I'll make you a real ace—with my bat!"

"Huh?" After what just happened, Sawamura couldn't tell if Sendo was serious or not.

"Speaking of which, you were invited to visit the school too, right? I see how it is now!" Sawamura finally began to catch on.

"Then hurry up and head back!" Before Sawamura's slow reaction fully kicked in, Sendo decided to bluff and shoo him away quickly.

"Alright, I'm heading back!" As expected, Sawamura's memory was as short as a goldfish's.

"Bye-bye!" Sendo said as he moved to close the door.

"Sendo Akira!!!" Before the door shut, Sawamura finally pieced everything together.

"Hm?" Sendo feigned ignorance.

"Don't 'hm' me! You bastard! If you're also going to Seidou, why did you slap me earlier, huh?" Sawamura was furious.

If he had only realized this after reaching home, the frustration would've driven him crazy!

"Because I could!" Sendo smirked and slammed the door shut, leaving Sawamura fuming helplessly outside.

"You're bullying Eijun again, aren't you? That kid's yelling so loudly outside. Can't you just let him be?" Sendo's grandfather remarked as he returned inside.

"He's just too amusing! Anyway, I'm going to bed now. Good night!" Sendo casually dismissed the scolding and went to his room. He chatted with Fumino for a bit before falling asleep.

Fumino, upon hearing Sendo's decision to go to Seidou, announced she'd go as well, even though it was far away.

...

The next day, when Sawamura shared the news, instead of sympathy, everyone was thrilled for Sendo.

After all, Akagi had two players scouted by Seidou, the prestigious baseball powerhouse.

The little angel cried in the bathroom out of sheer emotional overload.

Meanwhile, Sawamura sulked the entire day, refusing to talk to Sendo at school.

Later that week, on the weekend, Sano treated everyone to a barbecue to celebrate Sendo and Sawamura being scouted.

However, when Sawamura was just about to let loose and enjoy himself, Sendo and the others organized a study session, forcing him to cram elementary-level math under supervision.

Being hopeless at fractions, Sawamura's academics were a looming disaster if left unchecked.

Throughout the fall, the reigning champions of Akagi were repeatedly invited by Susabano for practice matches.

Despite their lighter practice schedule due to exams, Akagi, led by its two aces, overwhelmed the newly crowned Nagano champions.

For the Akagi team, these matches were a great way to unwind, while the Susabano boys were nearly driven to tears from the relentless thrashing.

The girls, Sendo's ardent fans, were heartbroken when they learned he was heading to Tokyo but quickly rallied, promising to cheer him on from afar.

Even the Susabano couldn't help but admire Sendo and Sawamura's skills as they faced off repeatedly.

Sendo's playstyle, in particular, turned casual spectators into die-hard fans.

...

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, at the Autumn Tournament, Seidou faced Ichidaisan High.

Among the spectators that day was a special guest—Coach Nakanii of the Wildcat Little League team.

To his disbelief, the woman he had casually chatted with once, bragging about Sendo, actually managed to recruit him to Seidou.

Coach Nakanii feigned indifference, but inwardly, he was green with envy.

When Rei invited him to watch the game and discuss Sendo, he couldn't refuse.

Now, sitting in the stands, he silently regretted tossing out Rei Takashima's business card.

Even if he claimed he "lost" it, it would still reveal he had thrown it away.

Watching Rei, Coach Nakani couldn't help but notice her polished professionalism, stunning looks, and impeccable style.

A mature, beautiful OL radiating competence—could she have seduced Sendo to Seidou?

Of course, he only dared to entertain such thoughts privately. Outwardly, it was all envy and admiration.

...

Suddenly, the crack of the bat echoed as a player smashed a double.

"Coach Nakani, this is our team! What do you think?"

"Impressive as always! Kataoka Tesshin truly lives up to his predecessor, Coach Sakaki, producing such excellent players year after year," Coach Nakani replied, watching the cleanup hitter standing on second base.

"Coach Nakani, there's something about Sendo-kun I'd like to ask you."

"Oh? Didn't he already commit to your school? Why so eager?"

"Actually..." Rei recounted Sendo's comments during his visit.

"Defeat, huh? I don't know the pitcher he mentioned or his current ability, but if Sendo said it, he can do it."

"But many middle schoolers tend to overestimate their abilities. It's a common occurrence."

"You said 'many,' but that kid isn't like the rest! If he's not an enemy or doesn't have ulterior motives, he wouldn't spout empty boasts. What he can't do, he admits. What he can do, he does. If he's unsure, he won't even bring it up. In this case, he didn't want to leave without saying something."

"..." Rei remained skeptical of Coach Nakani's unwavering confidence.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Coach Nakani noticed her hesitation.

"It's not that... I just find it hard to believe," Rei admitted cautiously.

"Well, as Sendo would say, time will prove everything! From my assessment, although Sendo's technique is rough, his physical abilities are exceptional. His batting skills are not far behind your cleanup hitter's, and in some aspects, even stronger! Here, take this."

Coach Nakani handed Rei an A4-sized sheet of paper, which contained some data.

Rei glanced at it and saw Sendo's name written on it.

She began reading.

"This is truly an impressive set of physical stats—most of them match or surpass the top high school level. Even his long-throwing record is excellent. But I still can't see how Sendo could reach the level you've described."

It took Rei only a few seconds to read through the sheet, which was a record of Sendo's physical evaluations and training data.

Despite the impressive numbers, Rei wasn't someone to blindly agree, even if the person speaking was as authoritative as Coach Nakani.

While the data was remarkable, it seemed a stretch compared to the lofty praise Nakani had just given. Furthermore, Rei had great confidence in Seidou's own batting lineup.

What Rei had overlooked, however, was a contradiction in Nakani's statements—he had earlier claimed not to know Sendo's current ability, yet now he was presenting detailed data.

As the two talked, the game concluded. Without responding to Rei's remarks, Coach Nakani turned to leave.

After a few steps, he paused as if recalling something and added:

"Oh, by the way, the data in your hand—that's from when Sendo had just joined the Wildcats in the fourth grade."

Rei's large, beautiful eyes widened in shock.

She finally realized Nakani's earlier claim of ignorance was not entirely true.

...

Winter break was approaching, marking Sendo's last winter at Akagi.

Nostalgia filled the air, as the end of the school year was fast approaching.

Although Sendo and Sawamura didn't need to take exams anymore, they still joined their classmates for study sessions.

Well, Sendo was more of a "drafted tutor" helping others study, while Sawamura was forced into attending extra lessons.

Even last year, Sawamura had been dragged into remedial classes by Sano during the winter holidays.

Despite having no entrance exams this year, he couldn't escape the same fate.

No matter how much Sawamura protested, Sendo remained as stubborn as ever.

...

The cheerful winter days quickly passed, and soon it was spring.

In March, Akagi held its final graduation ceremony, as scheduled.

One by one, the graduates were called to the stage to receive their diplomas.

As the ceremony concluded, everyone marveled at how quickly time had passed.

The moment Sendo stepped off the stage, he immediately ripped off the second button from his uniform.

"What are you doing, Sendo?" Sawamura asked curiously.

"Oh, this? It's promised to Fumino."

In Japan, there's a tradition where a boy gives the second button of his uniform to someone special as a memento of graduation.

"Why take it off now?"

"Baka! If you wait until later, the girls will snatch all buttons in an instant!" Wakana interjected.

"I see!"

"Don't say that out loud, can't you feel the murderous aura nearby?" Sendo muttered to himself.

"Eijun!" Wakana quickly shifted the topic.

"What?"

"Give me your second button!"

"Here, take it!" Sawamura handed it over without hesitation.

But did he even understand the significance of the gesture?

The answer was obvious: he didn't. Poor Wakana!

...

A Few Days Later

On a street lined with cherry blossoms, a group of young friends walked together, chatting and laughing.

"Hahaha! That really scared me at the time!"

"Yeah, seriously! Barging into my house in the middle of the night, asking me to slap you!"

Sendo was the only one who noticed Wakana's face turn slightly red, probably remembering how Sawamura had accidentally seen her at the time.

If Wakana ever found out what Sawamura and Sendo had discussed, her reaction would have been priceless.

"Wasn't that six months ago?"

"Borrowing everyone's strength to do something like that—it's so like you, Eijun!"

"Shut up! It's a Sawamura family tradition!"

"Hahaha!" Sawamura's words once again sent everyone into laughter.

Embarrassed, Sawamura finally realized the weight of his actions.

Just then, he saw a familiar figure waiting near the train station.

The person seemed to sense his gaze and turned to look.

Forgetting his embarrassment, Sawamura flashed Rei a big smile.

...

The train bound for Tokyo was scheduled to leave at 3:03 PM. Sawamura's parents, along with Sendo's grandparents, were chatting with Rei at the station, while the others gathered to send them off.

"If you're feeling down, call me anytime! I'll lend you my strength!" Sawamura's grandfather waved his hand dramatically.

As expected, it was truly a Sawamura family tradition.

"Baka! Just get going already!" Sano, visibly tipsy, was in high spirits.

With her face flushed, Wakana told Sawamura to keep in touch and send messages often.

The group presented Sawamura with a signed baseball cap as a farewell gift, while Sendo received a left-handed pen.

Though they cheered for the pair as they boarded, tears eventually flowed.

As the train departed, Sawamura looked bewildered at first, then broke into tears at the door.

Sendo leaned against the nearby railing, quietly taking in the emotional scene. Even for him, it was hard to hold back tears.

"Let's head back to our seats," Rei gently urged them.

"Eijun! There's no turning back now—not after everything they've done for us!" Sendo said firmly.

"This is what you meant by 'resolve,' isn't it?" Sawamura asked, addressing Rei.

"I'll do it! As their representative, I'll definitely make it to Koshien!" By this point, tears were streaming down Sawamura's face.

Even Sendo couldn't bring himself to tease him. He simply stood there silently, like a guardian watching over Sawamura.

After a while, Sendo helped the exhausted Sawamura to his seat.

Sendo believed that Sawamura had found a measure of resolve.

But how long would it last?

This time, Sendo believed Sawamura wouldn't forget—not even in the future.

As a pitcher, expressing every thought on his face wasn't ideal.

But as a person, Sawamura's loyalty and emotions were his greatest strengths.

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