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Diamond no Ace: Coach, I Want to Be a Batter, Not a Pitcher!

Chapter 7 7: Coach Kataoka’s Recognition and Appreciation · Nov 12, 2026

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Chapter List (248)

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1 Chapter 1 1: Seidou High School Baseball Club 2026-11-12
2 Chapter 2 2: The Evil Duo 2026-11-12
3 Chapter 3 3: Ushijima Wakatoshi’s Strength 2026-11-12
4 Chapter 4 4: Ushijima Wakatoshi’s Surprising Batting Average 2026-11-12
5 Chapter 5 5: Silver-Level Cutter Ball 2026-11-12
6 Chapter 6 6: Those Who Work Hard Will Always Have Privileges 2026-11-12
7 Chapter 7 7: Coach Kataoka’s Recognition and Appreciation 2026-11-12
8 Chapter 8 8: Tanba vs. Ushijima 2026-11-12
9 Chapter 9 9: The Ace Who Gets Excited 2026-11-12
10 Chapter 10 10: The Last Ball 2026-11-12
11 Chapter 11 11: The First String! Position: Outfielder? 2026-11-12
12 Chapter 12 12: Seido’s Batting Lineup 2026-11-12
13 Chapter 13 13 Shocked! Ushijima, what is your ball speed? 2026-11-12
14 Chapter 14 14: Coach! Please Listen to Me! 2026-11-12
15 Chapter 15 15: Physical Requirements of a Pitcher 2026-11-12
16 Chapter 16 16: A Beastly Shot 2026-11-12
17 Chapter 17 17: Terrifying Ball Power 2026-11-12
18 Chapter 18 18: The Drifting Two-Seam 2026-11-12
19 Chapter 19 19: One Dares to Call, One Dares to Throw 2026-11-12
20 Chapter 20 20: Give the Senior a Trick 2026-11-12
21 Chapter 21 21: Striking Out Yuki(Bonus Chapter) 2026-11-12
22 Chapter 22 22: Steal the Ace Number 2026-11-12
23 Chapter 23 23: Seido’s Chant 2026-11-12
24 Chapter 24 24: First Game! VS Ichidai San High School 2026-11-12
25 Chapter 25 25: Stealing Tactics 2026-11-12
26 Chapter 26 26: Continuously Torturing the Opponent 2026-11-12
27 Chapter 27 27: First-Year Ace 2026-11-12
28 Chapter 28 28: First Appearance in an Official Match 2026-11-12
29 Chapter 29 29: The Sinful Man & the Man with the Heart — A Perfect Match! 2026-11-12
30 Chapter 30 30: Calmness Unlike a First-Year 2026-11-12
31 Chapter 31 31: A Head-to-Head Battle with the Cleanup Hitter 2026-11-12
32 Chapter 32 32: A Low Batting Average Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Hit 2026-11-12
33 Chapter 33 33: Crazy 2026-11-12
34 Chapter 34 34: Continued Entanglement 2026-11-12
35 Chapter 35 35: First Battle a Success! Three Treasure Chests 2026-11-12
36 Chapter 36 36: Enhanced Strike Strength 2026-11-12
37 Chapter 37 37: One-on-One Starting Lineup 2026-11-12
38 Chapter 38 38: The Kominato Brothers’ Dream 2026-11-12
39 Chapter 39 39: The Passion of the Welcome Game 2026-11-12
40 Chapter 40 40 One Softness, One Hardness 2026-11-12
41 Chapter 41 41: Gold Cutter 2026-11-12
42 Chapter 42 42: The Future Belongs to You 2026-11-12
43 Chapter 43 43: The Upgraded Sense of Oppression 2026-11-12
44 Chapter 44 44: Seido’s Starting Lineup Batting Average 2026-11-12
45 Chapter 45 45: Hit Rate and Penalties 2026-11-12
46 Chapter 46 46: Shameless Sawamura 2026-11-12
47 Chapter 47 47: Sawamura, the Drama Queen 2026-11-12
48 Chapter 48 48: Showdown with Furuya 2026-11-12
49 Chapter 49 49: Furuya at Odds 2026-11-12
50 Chapter 50 50: Teaching Furuya a Lesson 2026-11-12

”Clang!”

”Yah ha—!”

After making contact, Kuramochi Yoichi spun around and sprinted toward first base at full speed.

The scorekeeper standing nearby immediately raised his stopwatch.

The moment Kuramochi stepped on first base, the button was pressed.

”4.18 seconds!”

Kuramochi’s expression stiffened instantly.

”Tch—damn it…”

The joy from the hit vanished without a trace.

He turned his head and looked toward the next batter stepping up for testing.

Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Standing calmly in the right-handed batter’s box, Ushijima stretched his body and loosened his shoulders.

He gripped the bat with both hands and took a smooth practice swing.

Mid-swing, he deliberately loosened his grip.

The bat spun through the air in front of him due to inertia.

After a single rotation, Ushijima caught it cleanly again.

It wasn’t a particularly flashy move.

Anyone who had played baseball for many years could do it.

Practice made perfect.

But when Ushijima performed it, the motion looked effortless—natural.

The Assistant Coach wasted no time and quickly tossed a pitch.

Ushijima’s gaze sharpened.

His hands tightened.

He swung.

Clang!!!

The metal bat struck the ball cleanly, sending it screaming low and fast.

The instant the ball left the bat, Ushijima dropped it and exploded toward first base.

A tall figure surged forward like a gust of wind.

The baseball landed near the third-base foul line.

The scorekeeper stared at the stopwatch.

The moment Ushijima’s foot touched the base—

Click.

”4.07 seconds.”

A pause.

”Ushijima’s fastest time so far.”

”…Even if it’s only by 0.01 seconds.”

Kuramochi froze.

Despair quietly crept into his chest.

Sensing the pressure radiating from Kuramochi, Ushijima turned and spoke calmly.

”Senpai, you really don’t need to worry about a difference of around 0.1 seconds.”

”I’m eighteen centimeters taller than you. My stride is naturally longer.”

”So it’s normal that my time is slightly faster.”

”If I were your height, without that advantage…”

”I might not even break 4.2 seconds.”

Those words—

Didn’t comfort Kuramochi at all.

Instead, they made it worse.

”Nonsense!”

Kuramochi snapped immediately.

”You’re completely wrong!”

”The taller you are, the worse your agility usually is!”

”You’re eighteen centimeters taller than me, and you’re still faster!”

”That just proves I’m inferior, doesn’t it?!”

That logic…

Was hard to refute.

The nearby players burst into laughter.

”Seriously, what kind of monster is this kid?”

”Insane stamina, insane speed.”

”And now his batting is ridiculous too!”

”First in infield hits across the whole team?”

”Are you even going to let us senpais survive?”

Isashiki complained loudly, half-joking, half-serious.

Ushijima merely smiled.

Then he turned toward the third-years and spoke softly—but clearly.

”Senpais, if you feel pressured by me, I can hold back.”

”But for you third-years…”

”This is your last Summer Tournament.”

”If Seido fails to reach Koshien this time—”

”Your high school baseball careers will end with regret.”

”I’m different.”

”I still have more than two years.”

”But you only have six months.”

”The stronger I become, the more reliable a teammate you gain.”

”And with one more reliable teammate…”

”Your chances of reaching Koshien increase.”

”…Isn’t that right?”

Silence fell.

The third-years were stunned.

Isashiki, who had been complaining just moments ago, felt his chest tighten.

He hadn’t thought about it like that.

Not even once.

Yuki Tetsuya looked at Ushijima quietly.

He said nothing—

But he could feel it.

This cousin of his wasn’t trying to stand out for himself.

He was trying to become a pillar.

For the third-years.

”Tch… you brat.”

Isashiki turned his head and shouted loudly.

”Don’t say such sentimental nonsense!”

”You’ll make me soft!”

Ushijima didn’t respond.

He simply straightened his posture and calmly removed his glove.

On the other side of the field—

Coach Kataoka Tesshin had been watching everything.

The words.

The attitude.

The presence.

This exchange student… was different.

Reliable.

”Tanba!”

Coach Kataoka’s voice rang out sharply.

”Yes!!”

Tanba Koichiro snapped to attention instantly.

”Get on the mound.”

”…Huh?”

Tanba froze.

”Miyauchi.”

”Yes!”

”Catch for Tanba.”

The two exchanged confused glances.

Why now?

Before anyone could process it, Coach Kataoka turned his gaze toward Ushijima.

”Ushijima.”

”Get in the batter’s box.”

”——!!!!”

Every player on the field stiffened.

What?!

The Ace Pitcher—

Against a first-year?!

Already?!

But when they thought about it…

Ushijima’s infield-hit success rate was the highest on the entire team.

His on-base percentage was first.

And Tanba?

Within Seido, he had a nickname.

The Phantom God of In-House Battles.

In internal matches, Tanba was nearly untouchable—his pitching rivaled national-level pitchers.

Though he faltered in official games, inside the team—

He was at his strongest.

A collision was inevitable.

The two stood twenty meters apart.

Eyes locked.

Fighting spirit surged between them.

Even the surrounding players felt the pressure.

A calm blue aura rose from Ushijima Wakatoshi—steady, vast, and unwavering.

The same aura once seen on Captain Yuki Tetsuya.

At the same time, a fierce red aura erupted from Tanba Koichiro—sharp and aggressive.

Like needle against awl.

Like Mars colliding with Earth.

The entire field buzzed with excitement.

This—

Was no ordinary practice.

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