Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 251: The Kiryuu Strategy

Cutter Kai/Improved Cutter

History often repeats itself, or perhaps it's inertia.

In some ways, the patterns remain unshakably strong.

Somehow, even though it wasn't Eijun himself who came up with the name, this pitch ended up being called exactly the same as in the original story.

A faint smile, one only he could understand, tugged at Eijun's lips.

"Alright, let's move on to confirming the other pitches..."

"Yes!"

Step by step, Eijun was steadily incorporating the lessons learned from his battles against teams at Koshien into his pitching.

Through continuous refinement and elevation, he was gradually improving—identifying weaknesses during matches and sharpening himself through competition.

This is how a raw gem is polished, slowly transforming into a shining jewel.

...

At the Northeast Side of Hanshin Koshien Stadium: Kiryuu High School's Hotel

While Seidou High School was fully focused on preparing for the semifinals, Kiryuu High School was doing the same on their end.

Their loss in the previous practice match against Seidou did nothing to shake their belief in ultimate victory.

Unlike the original timeline, during that practice game, Coach Matsumoto refrained from providing detailed tactical instructions to better test his team's batting lineup and defensive coordination.

Coach Kataoka had adopted a similar approach for Seidou.

Before the game, Coach Matsumoto had explicitly instructed his players to try out different tactics and strategies against Seidou.

Both teams were in separate brackets, and any real clash would only happen at Koshien.

By then, both teams would be in completely different states, so Matsumoto had no concerns about revealing weaknesses during the practice match.

Instead, it became an opportunity to identify and address flaws.

Moreover, Kiryuu's ace pitcher, Hiromi Tachi, had not yet fully mastered his forkball at the time and did not use it during the match.

This alone meant that scoring runs off him in the upcoming semifinal would be significantly harder.

Seidou's batting lineup, although free from training fatigue, now faced the strain of consecutive tournament games.

Meanwhile, Tachi, likely at his peak form, would pose a formidable challenge.

However, there was one silver lining: Tachi was also fatigued from pitching in multiple games and, as the cleanup hitter for Kiryuu, bore dual responsibilities.

This might be a gap Seidou could exploit.

...

Inside Kiryuu High School's Training Room

Whoosh!

Clang!

Bang!

"That pitch was too high, Tachi. It needs to be sharper," Coach Matsumoto said with a slight frown, his voice calm yet authoritative.

"Yes, Coach," Tachi responded, catching the ball with a neutral expression.

His composed demeanor and mature features made him look far older than a high school student.

His intense, almost intimidating presence felt overwhelming.

Frankly, he'd look less scary if he smiled.

While his smile might still carry a certain edge, it had an odd warmth to it—at least from an observer's perspective.

The original series often noted the peculiar charm of Tachi's rare smiles.

"Kyouhei, you know how critical pitch selection is against Seidou's batting lineup, right? There mustn't be even a hint of weakness in your calls. Understood?" Coach Matsumoto asked Shibata Kyouhei, the team's catcher, with a sharp tone.

"Yes, Coach, I understand," Shibata replied solemnly.

"Listen up, all of you!" Coach Matsumoto addressed the players gathered around for free practice. "Seidou is the strongest team we've faced so far. You've experienced their strength in the practice match. Their pitching rotation is formidable, and their batters are relentless.

"When you swing, do it decisively. Hit hard, aim true, and don't hesitate. Even if you miss the sweet spot, trust in your power to overwhelm their defenses. Victory is within our grasp."

"Yes, Coach!" the Kiryuu High School players responded loudly in unison, their resolve echoing in the room.

The previous practice match defeat was not something Kiryuu High School intended to repeat.

In the upcoming official game, they would hold nothing back, bringing their full strength to bear.

This time, it would be a true clash, with neither side giving an inch. Only one victor would emerge, and Kiryuu High School was determined to claim that victory.

Last year's runner-up finish was a painful thorn in their side, a constant reminder of what they had failed to achieve.

This time, they vowed to remove that thorn themselves.

The championship could belong to only one team, and for them, it had to be Osaka Kiryuu.

After delivering his final instructions, Coach Matsumoto left the training field with his assistant coach.

Everything that needed to be said and done had been handled.

What remained was for the players to adjust their own conditions and deliver their best performances during tomorrow's match.

On game day, the coaches' roles would be limited to oversight and providing strategic guidance.

The true outcome would hinge on the players themselves—their power, performance, and execution would decide everything.

...

On the Way Back to Their Rooms

"Coach Matsumoto, about Seidou's starting pitcher for tomorrow?" Kiryuu's assistant coach asked in a soft, curious tone.

"Heh, knowing Coach Kataoka's style, it's highly likely—no, almost certain—it will be that first-year lefty," Matsumoto replied with a faint smile, his eyes narrowing as though amused by the prediction.

"Are you referring to Sawamura Eijun, the left-handed pitcher?" the assistant coach asked, unsurprised.

Their analysis had already pointed to Eijun as the most probable starter.

"Exactly. We witnessed his skill during the practice match. Who would have thought that in just under three months, he could grow to this level? It's no wonder he's already considered Seidou's de facto ace. Without a doubt, he'll be the team's official ace pitcher soon," Matsumoto said with a calm voice, tinged with admiration.

The assistant coach nodded in agreement.

In any team, a player of Eijun's caliber and potential would undoubtedly be the top candidate for ace.

Unless the team had someone like Narumiya Mei, a second-year ace already at the peak of their abilities, Eijun's ascension to ace status would be a given.

"And the other three pitchers?" the assistant coach inquired.

"Prepare accordingly. The second-year sidearm pitcher isn't much of a threat. The third-year ace still has exploitable weaknesses, and while the first-year power pitcher might be formidable in the future, for now, he's not a major concern. The key is to target the lefty. If we take him down, Seidou's defense will crumble," Matsumoto explained, his tone sharp and confident.

He was clear about where to focus their efforts.

The assistant coach agreed silently.

Eijun's performance, both in regional tournaments and the Koshien games, had been outstanding.

He was the linchpin of Seidou's defense.

If they could neutralize him, the scales of victory would undoubtedly tip in Kiryuu's favor.

...

"Coach Kataoka, the score we need to settle from the last game—we'll make sure to resolve it this time," Matsumoto thought to himself as he gazed at the moonlit night from his window, his eyes glinting coldly.

The serene summer night was filled with a quiet tension, the gentle breeze and milky moonlight setting the stage.

It was the calm before the storm—a prelude to the clash that would shake the very foundations of the Koshien stage.

This peace was merely the harbinger of a brewing tempest.

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