Home / Diamond no Ace: Coach, I Want to Be a Batter, Not a Pitcher! / Chapter 74 74: Shootball

Read free on Ficlyn

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

Chapter 74 74: Shootball · Nov 12, 2026

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Chapter List (248)

Page number / 5

51 Chapter 51 51: Seido’s Tradition 2026-11-12
52 Chapter 52 52: Intensive Training — Begins!!! 2026-11-12
53 Chapter 53 53: The Sweat of Youth and Passion 2026-11-12
54 Chapter 54 54: The Determination of the Starting Lineup 2026-11-12
55 Chapter 55 55: That’s It? Getting Old? 2026-11-12
56 Chapter 56 56: Silver Sinker 2026-11-12
57 Chapter 57 57: Seido vs Kiryu 2026-11-12
58 Chapter 58 58: Miyuki’s Sin 2026-11-12
59 Chapter 59 59: Osaka Kiryu’s Shock ( 100 Power Stone) 2026-11-12
60 Chapter 60 60: Who Doesn’t Have a Hidden Skill? 2026-11-12
61 Chapter 61 61: Seido’s Fourth Batter 2026-11-12
62 Chapter 62 62: Seido’s Ace and Fifth Batter 2026-11-12
63 Chapter 63 63: The Cunning Miyuki 2026-11-12
64 Chapter 64 64: An Unfathomable Pitch! A Powerful and Fearless Throw 2026-11-12
65 Chapter 65 65: The Cutter’s Surprise for Kiryu 2026-11-12
66 Chapter 66 66: A Surprisingly Low Pitch Count 2026-11-12
67 Chapter 67 67: The Sinker’s Despair for Kiryu 2026-11-12
68 Chapter 68 68: The Power of the Sinker 2026-11-12
69 Chapter 69 69: Inashiro Ace, King Narumiya Mei 2026-11-12
70 Chapter 70 70: Narumiya Mei’s Tricks 2026-11-12
71 Chapter 71 71: Narumiya Mei’s Provocation 2026-11-12
72 Chapter 72 72: A Head-on Clash! A Strong Response to the Provocation 2026-11-12
73 Chapter 73 73: Who Said These Are All My Trump Cards? 2026-11-12
74 Chapter 74 74: Shootball 2026-11-12
75 Chapter 75 75: The Summer Preliminaries Begin 2026-11-12
76 Chapter 76 76: Blind Cannon — Masashi 2026-11-12
77 Chapter 77 77: Masashi — Dangerous and Addictive 2026-11-12
78 Chapter 78 78: Preliminary Round 1 — Chris Starts 2026-11-12
79 Chapter 79 79: Good Swing. Don’t Swing Like That Next Time. 2026-11-12
80 Chapter 80 80: Chris Is Excited 2026-11-12
81 Chapter 81 81: The Trust of the Senior Students 2026-11-12
82 Chapter 82 82: The Arrogant Outfield Trio (100 Power Stones) 2026-11-12
83 Chapter 83 83: Addicted, Chris 2026-11-12
84 Chapter 84 84: An Inside-the-Park Home Run 2026-11-12
85 Chapter 85 85: The Speechless Trio 2026-11-12
86 Chapter 86 86: A Howl! The Outfield Interception! 2026-11-12
87 Chapter 87 87: The Shootball That Excited Chris 2026-11-12
88 Chapter 88 88: Your Goals as First Years 2026-11-12
89 Chapter 89 89: Untitled 2026-11-12
90 Chapter 90 90: The Evolutionary Direction of the Shootball 2026-11-12
91 Chapter 91 91: Two People Came to Ask for Advice 2026-11-12
92 Chapter 92 92: Silver Home Run 2026-11-12
93 Chapter 93 93: Signing In for 100 Days 2026-11-12
94 Chapter 94 94: Chris’s Rice Crackers Are Mine ( Bonus Chapter) 2026-11-12
95 Chapter 95 95: Pitch Pairing Strategy 2026-11-12
96 Chapter 96 96: A Powerful Offense 2026-11-12
97 Chapter 97 97: Playing with the Opponent 2026-11-12
98 Chapter 98 98: The Precise Machine — You Shunshin 2026-11-12
99 Chapter 99 99: If You’re So Good, Then You Do It! 2026-11-12
100 Chapter 100 100: A Powerful Response! 2026-11-12

Hell week was finally over.

Four brutal training matches had come and gone. As for the results?

They didn’t matter.

What mattered was what happened yesterday.

During the game against Shohoku High, Tanba was struck by a pitch after a wild throw slipped from the opposing pitcher’s hand.

The diagnosis wasn’t catastrophic — but it was serious enough.

He would miss the early stages of the Summer Preliminaries.

That single piece of news cast a shadow over Seido.

”There are five matches before the final,” Miyuki said after reviewing the West Tokyo tournament bracket.

Furuya’s eyes scanned the sheet.

”So we’ll only meet Inashiro in the final.”

”Before that, they’ll face Ichidai Sankou in the quarterfinals,” Kominato added calmly.

Only Ushijima Wakatoshi remained silent.

He remembered something.

A dark horse.

Yakushi High School.

But speculation meant nothing.

If they stood in the way, they would be crushed on the field.

Still, the third-years were unusually quiet.

”Are the seniors okay?” Kuramochi asked softly, glancing at Yuki and the others.

”There’s nothing we can do,” Miyuki replied. ”But losing Tanba right now… it hurts.”

The third-years had trained together for three years.

Now, just before their final summer, one of their pillars had fallen.

It was a heavy blow.

At that moment, Coach Kataoka approached.

”Ushijima.”

”Yes, Coach.”

”Your responsibility will be even greater from here on.”

Ushijima nodded.

No hesitation.

Even with the tournament approaching, training continued as usual.

But summer vacation meant one more obstacle.

Final exams.

After exams, the Summer Preliminaries would begin.

Inside the classroom, Ushijima yawned lazily.

”Haa…”

Then suddenly—

A face appeared inches away from him.

”Ugh—!”

Sawamura looked like a dying puppy.

”Ushijima! Please save me!”

”I’m going to fail math! Tell me the secret to passing quickly!”

”If I fail, I’ll be banned from practice!”

Ushijima stared at him silently.

Refusing was pointless. Sawamura had no shame.

He circled key formulas and important problem types.

”Review these.”

Sawamura looked at the notes.

”…I don’t understand any of this.”

And so, between chaos and bickering, the last day of June arrived.

Ushijima opened the final Silver chest of the month.

Money again.

Several thousand.

Not bad.

But today was what truly mattered.

The June Golden Treasure Chest.

He inhaled.

Exhaled.

[Ding! Treasure Chest Opened.]

[Congratulations! You have obtained: Gold High-Speed Jet Ball.]

For a moment, Ushijima didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh.

No Golden-level Control.

But…

A Shootball upgrade.

A standard Shootball is a breaking pitch that moves in the opposite direction of a Slider.

For a right-handed pitcher:

A Slider breaks from right to left (toward a left-handed batter’s inside).

A Shootball breaks from left to right (toward a right-handed batter’s inside).

It’s essentially mirrored movement.

The Shootball usually tops out around 145 km/h.

The Slider typically sits between 130–140 km/h, with high-speed versions exceeding 140.

But the High-Speed Jet Ball?

It was different.

It sacrificed some movement for velocity.

Maximum potential speed:

160 km/h.

Nearly indistinguishable from a blazing four-seam fastball out of the hand.

That was its true terror.

If a batter mistook it for a straight fastball—

The late inward movement would shatter their timing.

Ushijima went to a secluded practice net.

He didn’t want Miyuki or the others to know yet.

Not until it was game-ready.

He began throwing.

And quickly noticed something.

With his current Silver-level Control, the Gold High-Speed Jet Ball couldn’t reach full velocity.

At most—

Just above 140 km/h.

To unlock 150+ consistently, he would need at least Gold-level Control.

To reach 160?

Diamond-level Control.

Otherwise, forcing velocity would ruin stability and turn it into a bad pitch.

”System mechanics…” Ushijima muttered.

Silver Control → ~140+

Gold Control → stable 150

Diamond Control → 160 with sharper break

He clicked his tongue.

Still no Control upgrade.

That was the true missing piece.

With Golden-level Control, his four-seam, sinker, and now this High-Speed Jet Ball would become lethal weapons.

But in the end, he accepted it.

A Gold pitch was still better than opening a Golden chest and getting cash.

…Although.

If a Golden chest dropped hundreds of thousands?

Signing in every month might make him a billionaire.

He paused.

Then shook his head.

Money was meaningless.

Speed.

That was what mattered.

And now—

He possessed another weapon capable of breaking 150.

The West Tokyo Summer Preliminaries were about to begin.

And Seido’s ace…

Was still evolving.

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Recommended Novels

The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era Tyramisu

Rebirth: The Courtyard Bride Is Cool and Radiant Spring Splendor in the Garden

Supreme Warrior in the City River Handsome

The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated Ruqing Rusu

My Silly, Sweet Wife Bu Fei

Library of Heaven’s Path Heng Sao Tian Ya

The Divine Urban Physician The Wind Laughs

King of Gods Fast Food Resturant

Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying Yamaha

Prodigal System in the Flourishing City Wind and Thunder Brewing Wine

The Lovely Heiress Is Actually A God Beast Have a Bowl of Noodles

Sect Recruitment: I Can See Attribute Entries joyce_4070

Master Of None 1King_Rep1

The King's Avatar Butterfly Blue

D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Vongrak