Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 349: Teito Battle – The Heavy Artillery

The rain and consecutive hits had undeniably affected Teito High's ace pitcher, even if only slightly.

Especially after Eijun's home run—whether it's a young player or even a professional, getting blasted for a home run on the field is bound to shake one's mentality.

The difference lies in how people react: some completely crumble, while excellent pitchers make the necessary adjustments to regain their form.

That doesn't mean the home run had no effect at all.

After all, humans are made of flesh and blood, not cold, unfeeling machines. No matter the sport—no, in any aspect of human society—people are inevitably swayed by certain events.

Mukai was undoubtedly an outstanding pitcher. His years of experience as an ace allowed him to quickly shake off the impact of Eijun's home run.

However, as mentioned before, there were still lingering effects.

Adding to that was Miyuki's solid base hit and the rain, making it unavoidable that Mukai's pitching condition dipped slightly.

Whoosh!

A streaking white blur—a slightly inside pitch.

Maezono didn't miss the opportunity.

Boom!

Swish!

His stance widened, stepping forward.

Ping!

With a downward sweep of his bat, he unleashed his full strength. Waiting for the ball to get as close as possible, he swung with all his might at the perfect moment.

A fierce impact resounded.

The ball shot skyward, its brilliance flashing before everyone's eyes once again.

Mukai's expression finally changed.

If this ball got past the fielders, it wouldn't necessarily decide the game, but it would undoubtedly shift the momentum completely in Seidou's favor.

And for Teito, that was a disastrous scenario.

Whoosh!

Pop!

Fortunately—by sheer luck—this time, the goddess of fate smiled on Teito High.

The combination of rain and a sudden gust of strong wind, which even the spectators could feel, slowed the ball's trajectory.

The left fielder barely managed to reach the ball in time.

His glove was positioned perfectly—just barely catching it. As the ball settled into the pocket, Teito's players collectively let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Maezono looked visibly frustrated.

Seidou's players also showed clear disappointment.

That should have been a clean hit to the outfield.

Given the distance, Miyuki might have even made it all the way home in one go. Just plain bad luck.

"Out! Three outs! Switch sides!"

Teito finally caught a break, ending the first inning's battle.

However, they had still allowed Seidou to strike first and take the lead.

For now, Seidou held control over the early-game rhythm.

Almost as if heaven itself was watching, the moment Seidou's attack ended, the rain, which had intensified, began to let up.

Originally, the umpires had been considering a temporary suspension of the game, but after a brief discussion, they decided to continue.

As per the rules, as long as the rain wasn't too heavy, the game couldn't be stopped.

"That kid sure got lucky."

On the third-base side, in Seidou's dugout, Eijun slid on his glove, glancing toward Teito's bench with a faint smirk.

"That kid? You two are the same age, aren't you?"

Miyuki, now fully geared up in his catcher's equipment, stepped forward with a smirk and lightly patted Eijun on the head.

Eijun pouted but said nothing.

If they were talking about mental age, he was definitely a few years older, okay?

"Next up is their cleanup hitter, Sawamura. Don't let your guard down. If we shut him down, we'll have full control over the game's rhythm."

For once, Miyuki spoke with a serious tone. He knew exactly how formidable Teito High's cleanup hitter and captain was. As a senior, captain, and catcher, it was his duty to remind Eijun.

"Yeah, I know, Miyuki-senpai. Right now, I just can't wait to get back on the mound!"

Eijun's eyebrows shot up, his eyes flashing with a faint golden hue. That intensity—this was his presence on the field.

"Top of the second inning! Teito High at bat—cleanup hitter, catcher, Inui-kun!"

"Let's go, let's go, Teito!"

"Go, go, go! Let's go, Teito!"

"Captain, give us a hit!"

"Inui-senpai, we're counting on you!"

"Kengo, crush it!"

Raw power, refined technique, delicate touch, sharp intuition, and fearless decision-making—Inui Kengo had all these qualities. As Teito's cleanup hitter, catcher, and captain, his batting skills were absolutely top-tier.

Against a batter like this, most pitchers would start cautiously, testing the strike zone.

But the duo currently on the mound weren't just any ordinary pitcher and catcher.

They were a golden battery.

"First pitch—Cutter Kai! If we're facing a powerhouse, we might as well bring out our true strength. In this weather, a five-seam fastball is too risky, too hard to control. Let's open with this!"

As Kengo stepped into the batter's box, Miyuki didn't hesitate for even a second, decisively signaling for the pitch.

Aggressive play-calling—this was the battle style of the genius catcher, Miyuki Kazuya.

And the only pitcher who could match that intensity and respond perfectly—was Sawamura Eijun.

Whoosh!

His arm snapped forward, right leg driving off the mound.

The wet dirt splattered slightly under his landing foot.

Through the misty drizzle, the ball shot forward like a lightning strike.

A roaring force.

Kengo's pupils contracted as he locked onto the incoming pitch.

Inside pitch!

Just as he started to swing—

The ball, upon reaching home plate, suddenly jolted.

A sharp deflection, cutting deeper inside with a fierce angle and blistering speed.

In that instant, Kengo's eyes widened in shock.

Shifting his weight, he tightened his arms, gritting his teeth as he swung with every ounce of strength.

A near-limit swing speed.

Eijun's face tensed. Miyuki furrowed his brow.

Swish!

The bat sliced through the air.

Ping!

A sharp, solid impact.

The stadium erupted with a collective gasp.

Was that another solo home run?!

In Teito's dugout, players were already on the verge of celebrating.

"Plop!"

But in the end, the ball didn't find the perfect angle or timing.

Despite soaring deep—

It veered just outside the right-field foul line.

Shirasu, who had sprinted toward the ball, let out a relieved sigh.

"Foul ball!"