Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 403: The Arrival of the Quarterfinals

After Seido High School concluded their third-round match against Ugumori High School, news of the results from other regional stadiums began to pour in.

Among the most attention-grabbing was the highly anticipated rematch between Yakushi High School and Ichidai Sankou at Hachioji Citizens Stadium.

Originally, Ichidai Sankou, a powerhouse team expected to suffer a significant drop in strength due to the departure of many third-year players, saw a dramatic turnaround with the unexpected return of Amahisa Kousei.

Their combat strength skyrocketed once again.

Although their batting lineup didn't quite reach the same level of dominance as it had with their previous third-years, their defensive solidity not only remained intact but arguably became even stronger than during the summer.

Amahisa Kousei's slider, which far exceeded the level of an average high school pitcher and approached professional quality, was a thing of beauty.

The sheer power, the late movement, the sharp break, and the precise angles—Amahisa was nothing short of a prodigy.

Under the leadership of this genius pitcher, Ichidai Sankou continued to demonstrate the strength befitting a powerhouse team throughout the fall tournament.

Including the preliminary rounds, Amahisa maintained an exceptional pitching record of zero runs and zero hits allowed across several games.

The only times runners reached base were due to his own overly aggressive pitching or slight lapses in control, resulting in a few walks.

Other than that, every other batter was completely shut down by Amahisa.

It was under the guidance of this extraordinary pitcher that Ichidai Sankou faced Yakushi High School once again in the third round of the fall tournament—a round of 16 match to advance to the quarterfinals.

This was supposed to be Amahisa's chance to prove himself once more and Ichidai Sankou's best opportunity for revenge and redemption.

However, in the end, Amahisa still fell to Yakushi's relentless offense.

Unlike the original storyline, where he defeated Raichi but was later humbled by a key hit from Shunpei, this time, in the top of the eighth inning, during his fourth direct confrontation with Raichi, he gave up a massive hit that slammed into the left-field wall.

Originally leading 2-1, Ichidai Sankou found themselves in a tough spot in the top of the eighth inning.

With two outs, Raichi's hit tied the game, and then, in an unexpected turn of events, Shunpei followed up with a devastating home run. This gave Yakushi a three-run inning, instantly flipping the score to a 4-2 lead.

Even someone as prideful as Amahisa Kousei completely crumbled in that inning.

With the stellar performance of Yakushi's fourth and fifth batters, they defeated the prestigious Ichidai Sankou for the second time this year, securing their spot in the quarterfinals. By stepping over the fallen body of Ichidai Sankou, Yakushi boldly declared themselves the fourth powerhouse school in West Tokyo.

On the other side, traditional strong teams like Inashiro Industrial, Sensen High, Seiko High, and Ouya High also defeated their respective opponents.

Thus, the quarterfinalists for the Tokyo Fall Tournament were decided.

In the following week, these eight teams would compete to determine the final four, who would advance to Jingu Stadium and vie for the sole championship title of the Fall Tournament.

At the same time, Seido High's opponent for the quarterfinals was confirmed. In a turn of events identical to the original storyline, they would face Ouya High, a renowned public school from East Tokyo with a history of representing the region at Koshien and even reaching the quarterfinals.

Ouya High was known for their cerebral approach to the game. Both their offense and defense were meticulously calculated, relying on strategy and tactics to outwit their opponents rather than brute strength.

This wasn't to say they lacked skill—they simply excelled at using their intelligence to suppress and defeat their rivals.

A few years ago, during their run to Koshien, they had used this approach to overcome strong teams like Kasugaichi, and even the true East Tokyo powerhouse, Teito High.

A sharp mind, decisive decision-making, excellent tactical execution, and solid player ability were the hallmarks of Ouya High. Oh, and one more thing—their coach was famously handsome.

In the original storyline, Ouya High had managed to control the tempo of the game against Seido High for a significant period.

This alone proved that Ouya High couldn't be underestimated based solely on the original outcome.

They were a formidable opponent with real strength.

After their close call against Ugumori High the previous week, the players and coaching staff of Seido High, including Coach Kataoka, had gained a deeper understanding of this fact.

Ouya High was not a team to be taken lightly. If Seido underestimated them, they would pay a heavy price.

With the opponent confirmed, Seido High quickly began their preparations.

The players engaged in targeted training, while Watanabe-senpai and his scouting team focused on gathering and analyzing information.

The coaching staff, led by Coach Kataoka and Assistant Coach Ochiai, worked diligently to develop strategies and tactics for the upcoming match.

The match against Ugumori High had been both a lesson and a valuable experience. It served as a wake-up call for the entire team, pushing them to work harder and stay grounded. Some players who had become complacent due to their earlier smooth victories were now fully alert and focused.

Seido High was ready to give their all, preparing thoroughly and fighting with everything they had in every match to come.

In every future match, they would not forget the lessons learned from this tournament, especially Furuya, the protagonist of this story. For him, this experience would undoubtedly become one of the most valuable lessons of his career.

In a certain district of East Tokyo, at Ouya High School, a public school known for its strong baseball program, preparations were also in full swing.

While Seido High was busy gearing up for their next match, Ouya High was not falling behind.

After witnessing the intense battle between Ugumori High and Seido High firsthand, Ouya High had gained new insights into how to approach their upcoming match.

The sheer strength of Seido High was deeply ingrained in the minds of every Ouya player.

However, the weaknesses exposed during Seido's match against Ugumori had also caught the attention of Ouya's handsome coach, Araki Ichirou, and their mushroom-haired ace, Wakabayashi Gou.

In the Ouya High baseball club's meeting room, Coach Araki and several key players were gathered to discuss the focus of their training and strategies to counter Seido High.

"The key point should be on how to suppress Seido's batting lineup," Wakabayashi Gou said calmly, his hands clasped behind his back, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Shouldn't the focus be on their ace, the so-called 'Diamond'? If we don't figure out how to break through their ace, we won't be able to score, and without scoring, we can't win the game," Yamazato, the team's fifth batter and right fielder, chimed in with a puzzled expression, turning to his ace for clarification.