Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

"Has the list come out?"

"It should have, otherwise why would they have gathered everyone here?"

"I wonder who will be selected in the end?"

"Anyway, it won't be you."

"Oh Shut It! Let me Dream!"

Amidst whispers of conversation, all the players of the Seidou High School baseball team had gathered.

There were exactly 120 people, arranged in 8 rows.

The first two rows were made up of first-string players, while the third and fourth rows were second-string players.

The remaining players were those on the third-string team.

The sight of such a large team gathered together was truly overwhelming.

Coach Ochiai stroked his chin, clearly satisfied.

Although he had previously disagreed with this approach, if he were the superintendent, he would have preferred to focus his limited energy on teaching players who truly had potential.

As for those who didn't show potential, he would prefer to just give up on them.

But over time, as he spent more time with the Seidou High School baseball team, his mindset subtly changed.

Just like now, he genuinely believed that these players were the solid foundation of Seidou High School.

In reality, only the 20 players from the first-string team would truly represent Seidou High School in the competition.

That is, the next 20 spots to be announced.

These 20 players had fought their way out of the 120, and each one of them was a true elite.

Having gone through such brutal internal competition, their personal abilities, mental quality, and their fighting spirit were far beyond those of ordinary teams and players.

This was the true strength of Seidou High School.

"There is one week left before the Kanto Tournament, and the participant list has already been finalized. After discussing with the coaching staff, we've decided to select the following 20 players to represent Seidou in the upcoming Kanto Tournament."

"Before announcing the list, there is something I believe is very necessary to tell everyone in advance. If you are not selected this time, it doesn't mean your abilities are lacking; it could be due to various other reasons. And being selected doesn't necessarily mean you'll still be able to play during the Summer Tournament."

Superintendent Kataoka spoke briskly.

In essence, it was like giving a wake-up shake and then offering a reward—adjusting the mindset of the Seidou High School baseball team players.

Only then did he begin to announce the list.

"Number 1, Ace, Sawamura Eijun!!"

There was almost no debate. Eijun stood forward and grabbed his number 1 jersey.

Behind him, over a hundred people clapped in unison.

Everyone was truly convinced that Sawamura deserved the number 1 spot.

In fact, there was nothing to be dissatisfied about.

It was only the case with Furuya-kun, who clapped his hands hard while glaring at Sawamura with a vicious look.

He was probably thinking, sooner or later, he would snatch that number from Sawamura.

Of course, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing for Seidou High School.

After all, competition gave everyone the motivation to improve.

"Number 2, Catcher, Miyuki Kazuya."

This selection also came as no surprise.

Right now, players like Ono and Yui, who were competing for the position with Miyuki, didn't pose any real threat to him.

Considering that he was going to retire in a few months, the chances of him being replaced during this time were extremely low.

He was probably the most stable player on Seidou High School's baseball team with no rivals for the position.

Even Sawamura, the Ace, didn't have as secure a position as Miyuki.

It wasn't that Sawamura's ability wasn't impressive, but simply that the competition he was facing was much stronger than Miyuki's.

Behind him, there was only sparse applause.

From the intensity of the applause, Miyuki received less than half of what Sawamura got.

This clearly indicated that his popularity wasn't great.

Even though he was the captain of the Seidou High School baseball team, his sharp-tongued personality meant he didn't win many people over.

"Number 3, First Baseman, Maezono Kenta."

After careful analysis, Superintendent Kataoka, Coach Ochiai, and the entire coaching staff agreed that Maezono was the most suitable player for the first baseman position at this stage.

However, his advantage wasn't obvious, and there was a high chance he could lose his position in the coming months.

A particularly warm round of applause came from behind him.

Unlike Miyuki, who was unpopular, Maezono, the vice-captain, though a bit silly, was surprisingly well-liked.

If Seidou High School's baseball team captain were elected by the players instead of being appointed by the coach, Maezono might be the second most likely to be chosen as captain, after Sawamura.

"Number 4, Second baseman, Kominato Haruichi!"

This was another indisputable position.

"Number 5, Third Baseman, Kanemaru Shinji!"

During the spring of Koshien, Kanemaru's position was in jeopardy.

His performance had been lackluster.

After the new freshmen arrived, he didn't show the crushing power expected from an upperclassman.

He seemed very likely to be cut.

However, during recent practice games, he suddenly stood out and became a highly visible presence on the team.

This improved the evaluations of both Superintendent Kataoka and Coach Ochiai.

Additionally, considering his consistently reliable defense, the coaching staff concluded that he was more suited for the starting third-baseman position.

Of course, this was just for now. Compared to his competitors, he didn't have a particularly significant advantage, so his position wasn't entirely secure, and he could still lose it.

But even with the possibility of being replaced, the number 5 jersey was still the starting position.

'I DID IT!!!!!!'

Kanemaru was overjoyed when he received it.

He finally got his main number.

Now, he stood on the same starting line as Sawamura, Furuya, Toujou, and Kominato.

No one could imagine how embarrassing his situation had been before—his friends, who he had once played with, had all been promoted to the first-string team and became indispensable main force.

He had been stuck in place.

Now, he had finally been promoted.

However, seeing Higasa and Takatsu beside him, Kanemaru's excitement began to fade.

It wasn't because of his teammates, but because he knew his position was not secure.

Higasa-senpai had far more experience than him, and his overall strength wasn't far behind.

There was a very real chance that Higasa could take his place at the last moment.

Even though Kanemaru secured a starting spot for the Kanto Tournament, who would be the main player for the Summer Tournament wasn't so certain.

'Then there was Takatsu.'

In terms of defensive ability, Kanemaru was just slightly better than Takatsu.

But when it came to batting, Kanemaru probably wasn't as strong as Takatsu right now.

During practice, Superintendent Kataoka had already allowed Takatsu to try out as a third baseman.

If Takatsu did indeed change positions, then between the two of them, it would be hard to say who was superior.

Kanemaru himself didn't really have any outstanding advantages.

This made the situation quite awkward...

If someone like Takatsu took his position, Kanemaru would probably feel so embarrassed that he'd want to smash his face into a block of tofu.

"Number 6, Shortstop, Kuramochi Youichi!"

If there were a ranking for positions with no controversy, this one would probably come in third, right after Sawamura and Miyuki.

Everyone gave him a round of applause, with a few people even shouting in excitement.

Although he usually acted like a mobster, Kuramochi still had a group of admirers.

Sawamura, standing nearby, couldn't help but secretly drop a sweat.

He was quite puzzled about where these admirers came from.

By now, the roster, though with some changes, was generally in line with what everyone had expected.

It wasn't until the left fielder position was announced that everyone's expression became serious.

'The next one, it's my turn!'

Asou tightly clenched his fist.

Currently, in the Seidou High School baseball team, the left field position is quite awkward because of the presence of Sawamura Eijun.

But no matter how awkward it is, it's still a starting spot.

Asou still hopes to secure it.

Although he wouldn't be satisfied just with this position, anything he can secure should be taken first.

Afterward, he can focus on improving his batting order.

He isn't content to always stay in the ninth spot.

His teammates around him watched Asou with eager eyes, whispering words of encouragement.

Maezono and Asou. Both are prominent figures in the third year.

Although their positions in the Seidou High School baseball team aren't particularly high right now, among the third years, their status is very notable.

Asou tried to calm his expression, striving to appear calm and composed.

He tried his best to conceal any emotions.

However, his stiff body and tightly clenched fists betrayed him.

Right now, he was very nervous.

If this spot already belonged to him, even if he cherished it, he wouldn't be this nervous.

Asou's current state precisely indicated his inner anxiety.

The source of his anxiety was a figure not far in front of him.

"Number 7, Left Fielder, Nishiyama Kibo!"

And in the end, his ominous premonition suddenly turned into reality.

Asou's pupils widened.

Even though he had sensed something like this, when it actually happened, he still found it hard to accept.

Asou never doubted the fairness of Coach Kataoka and the Seidou baseball team's coaching staff.

The result before him could only mean one thing.

Nishiyama's abilities had completely surpassed his in the eyes of Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff.

To say that he wasn't the least bit reluctant would be a lie. Asou's eyes were red, and the look on his face became hard like he was in pain but holding back the scream.

A few of his teammates were dumbfounded, looking at Asou with concern.

Their mouths were open as if they wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.

To be objective, when comparing Nishiyama and Asou for the left field position.

Asou might be slightly better defensively than Nishiyama. But the difference wasn't that big.

However, when it comes to batting, the gap between Asou and Nishiyama is vast.

Considering all factors, Nishiyama is undoubtedly more suited for the left field position than Asou.

Not to mention that Nishiyama is also a pitcher, able to swap positions with Sawamura at any time, and with Furuya…

In this situation, it's not surprising that Asou was cut from the starting lineup.

Nishiyama himself was also a little surprised. For him, just staying in the first string was already fortunate.

He never expected that he would take the starting number.

It was clear that Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff had high expectations for him.

He felt a little bit undeserving.

Nishiyama felt deeply moved. Even though he was somewhat reluctant to accept the main left field position, he obediently took the number.

During this process, hardly anyone applauded.

It wasn't that they disliked Nishiyama, but out of consideration for Asou's feelings, no one had the heart to add insult to injury.

"Number 8, Center Fielder, Toujou Hideaki!"

Coach Kataoka seemed oblivious to the atmosphere and continued to announce the numbers.

Toujou stepped forward and took his number.

"Number 9, Right Fielder, Shiratsu Kenjirou!"

With that, the starting lineup for Seidou High School was complete.

Looking at it, theoretically, this could be considered the strongest lineup Seidou High School has at this stage.

Of course, if some positions were switched around, it might show stronger performance in offense or defense.

But as for overall strength, this starting lineup was absolutely Seidou's best!

Except for Nishiyama, the other positions were not far from what everyone expected.

Coach Kataoka did not stop after announcing the starting players but swiftly announced the remaining numbers.

"Number 10, Kawakami Norifumi!"

Kawakami was certainly deserving of this position, both by qualifications and ability.

"Number 11, Furuya Satoru!"

Before Kawakami's graduation, this was the largest number Furuya could have earned.

"Number 12, Ono Hiroshi."

This was the main backup catcher's number. Although the newcomer was very strong, Ono managed to retain his position.

"Number 13, Yamaguchi Ken."

One of Seidou's few power hitters, with exceptional strength.

"Number 14, Kijima Rei."

This third-year student had a bald shaved cut and didn't stand out, but his overall strength was impressive. He was a very strong infielder.

If his position hadn't overlapped with the Kominato brothers, he might have had a chance to fight for a starting spot.

"Number 15, Higasa Shoji!"

The fellow bald guy had a bit of a tragic story, as he lost the positional battle to Kanemaru. Now, he was only a substitute.

Up until now, everything was quite calm, as the choices weren't too different from what everyone had anticipated.

But from here on, things would be very different.

"Number 16, Takatsu Hiroomi!"

One of the players promoted to the first string for joint practice had finally made it. Takatsu managed to outplace another first-string player, earning his spot.

Seeing Takatsu, full of spirit, everyone had their own thoughts.

But one thing was clear: Takatsu deserved this position.

His performance in practice games was absolutely worthy of a spot.

The applause was particularly enthusiastic, especially from the second-string and third-string players.

It felt almost like a reversal for someone who had been overlooked.

"Number 17, Asou Takeru!"

Having lost the starting spot, Asou would now be a substitute for left field and got number 17.

"Number 18, Yuuki Masashi!"

This choice wasn't unexpected.

Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai, as well as the entire Seidou baseball coaching staff, were particularly fond of the Yuuki family, and there was almost no chance of him being replaced.

"Number 19, Yui Kaoru."

This caused quite a stir.

Although the promotion of Takatsu had been expected, it still shocked everyone when it actually happened.

With this, there were now two players who would be excluded from the first string.

And only one spot remained.

There were 20 spots in total, and 19 had been assigned, leaving only number 20.

Coach Kataoka's gaze was like an 800-watt spotlight even from behind his sunglasses, constantly scanning over some players.

His eyes focused on Mimura, Seki, and the others.

In the end, Coach Kataoka didn't beat around the bush and directly announced the name of the last player.

"Number 20, Han Lee-Hyun!"

…