The baseball sailed into the stands.
The score on the board instantly changed.
1:0.
For the players of Kasuga Ichiko High School baseball team, the feeling was indescribably unpleasant—
Like biting into a freshly steamed bun… only to discover half a worm inside.
"How is that possible?"
"He's just a first-year rookie—"
"How could he hit it out of the park?!"
If their Ace pitcher had been overwhelmed, that would have been one thing.
But before this at-bat, he had already retired several batters from Seido High School Baseball Team.
And those weren't ordinary players.
They were core members from Seido's second and third years.
So why—
Why was it a first-year who broke through first?
"That's Oshima!"
"As expected of a nationally renowned star rookie—he really is different!"
"It feels just like Zhou Hao back then. The moment he appeared, he shocked everyone!"
The shock rippled through Kasuga Ichiko's bench, through the stands, and through the reporters watching closely.
But even combined, their astonishment couldn't compare to what was happening inside Seido High School Baseball Team.
In the stands, the first-year rookies who hadn't made the First String were completely dumbfounded.
"How… how is that even possible?"
Their team had scored the first run.
Naturally, they were excited.
But mixed into that excitement was an unavoidable bitterness.
They were also first-years.
Yet one of their peers had already blasted a home run on the field—
While they could only sit in the stands and cheer.
Forget playing.
They didn't even have a seat on the bench.
That gap pierced straight into their hearts.
For players without much talent, perhaps this reality could be accepted.
But for those who believed in their own ability—
Ambition ignited instantly in their eyes.
They couldn't just keep watching.
They had to step onto the field.
They had to enter the First String and fight for a starting position.
"First… we have to prove ourselves."
No matter how strong you were, without a chance to perform, it meant nothing.
They had to break the current situation.
In Seido's dugout, the shock was even greater.
Zhou Hao, Yuki, and Isashiki Jun weren't playing.
But Kuramochi, Kominato Ryosuke, Masuko Toru, Miyuki Kazuya—
These were still elite players.
Yet even they had been suppressed by Kasuga Ichiko's Ace.
That pitcher was undeniably strong.
Combined with his team's tight defense, the pressure was enormous.
Under normal circumstances, Seido would have needed time.
Second or third time through the lineup.
Maybe even dragging it to the seventh inning before ending the game early.
If Kasuga Ichiko had a bit more luck, a full nine innings wasn't impossible.
After all, they weren't weak.
Especially not against a Seido lineup missing its three absolute cores—
particularly Ace Zhou Hao.
Up to this point, everything had been acceptable.
Even without the core trio, Seido was steadily taking control.
The pitching was stable.
The rhythm was theirs.
No one expected—
That Oshima Shin, in his first appearance today, would directly hit a home run.
All the seniors—
Reduced to mere background figures in that instant.
Only now did Seido's players truly realize something.
Their team didn't only have one first-year capable of dominance.
Such rookies were rare—
But they did exist.
Just like Narumiya Mei last year.
Just like Zhou Hao before him.
And now—
Oshima Shin.
Oshima finished rounding the bases and returned to the dugout.
For a moment, silence fell.
Seido wasn't a team obsessed with hierarchy.
They respected strength above all else.
But even so, it was natural for seniors to guide juniors.
Oshima was famous.
Many seniors had been looking forward to teaching him, guiding him—
Making up for the regret of never being able to guide Zhou Hao back then.
Yet now?
They hadn't been able to solve the pitcher.
Oshima had.
They knew the Ace liked to probe the outside corner.
They anticipated it.
Still, none of them had broken through.
And then—
A first-year did it.
The irony was suffocating.
No one knew what to say.
Only Zhou Hao stood up.
He casually patted Oshima on the shoulder, the way a senior praised a junior.
"Nice hit. That outside pitch—does it have outward spin?"
Zhou Hao hadn't batted.
And from his angle, he couldn't see everything clearly.
But by simulating the trajectory—
By instinct—
He had already grasped the truth.
Oshima nodded immediately.
"Yes. There was a slight outward spin when it reached the outside corner."
The others turned their heads away in silence.
They were First String players.
Strong enough to represent a national powerhouse.
Yet—
Zhou Hao, sitting on the bench, saw the flaw.
Oshima, facing it directly, crushed it.
This was what they called genius.
And between geniuses and ordinary talents—
The gap was painfully clear.
Zhou Hao's gaze shifted.
It landed on another first-year.
Furuya Satoru.
Two rookies had been promoted today.
One had already shaken the field.
Based on Zhou Hao's understanding of Coach Kataoka—
There was no way Furuya would be left watching.
In the bottom of the third inning, Seido added another run.
Besides Oshima's home run—
Kuramochi reached base and stole second.
With Kominato Ryosuke's clean hit as escort, Kuramochi crossed home.
2:0.
Three innings complete.
For most teams facing Seido, this score would already be merciful.
But Kasuga Ichiko High School wasn't ordinary.
They were a team that had once defeated Teito—
A powerhouse that had reached Koshien.
Against a full-strength Seido, defeat was inevitable.
Even Osaka Kiryu had fallen.
But this Seido—
Was not at full strength.
They had weaknesses.
Top of the fourth inning.
Kasuga Ichiko went on offense.
"Second time through the order—it's time to deal with Tanba."
Tanba had dominated them for three innings.
But Kasuga Ichiko wasn't clueless.
They knew Seido well.
Tanba's high-drop curveball was terrifying.
Against ordinary batters, even contact was difficult.
But—
He had weaknesses.
And once pressure mounted—
His performance would drop sharply.
Kasuga Ichiko's Coach had given only one instruction:
Apply pressure.
The leadoff batter stepped in, standing close to the strike zone.
A sharp-eyed reporter noticed immediately.
"Kasuga Ichiko is making their move."
A strong team's execution was never weak.
Once they acted—
There would be consequences.
Just as that thought spread—
Coach Kataoka moved.
Decisively.
Unexpectedly.
"Seido High School Baseball Team requests a substitution!"
The stands erupted in confusion.
Even Kasuga Ichiko's Coach frowned.
Already?
Were they really bringing Zhou Hao back now?
If Zhou Hao returned—
There would be no suspense left.
Then—
The announcement came.
"Furuya Satoru enters the game!"
Relief swept through Kasuga Ichiko's bench.
It wasn't Zhou Hao.
Just another first-year rookie.
Then—
Anger followed.
So Seido planned to humiliate them twice?
One rookie had already crushed them with a home run—
And now another was stepping onto the mound?
"Hit him hard!"
Kasuga Ichiko's Coach was furious.
A first-year pitcher?
He would make Seido regret this arrogance.
The batter raised his bat, eyes blazing.
Kid—don't expect mercy.
Furuya Satoru began his motion.
Long stride.
Explosive release.
The white baseball tore through the air.
Before the batter could fully react—
It was already in front of him.
BOOM!
The speed guns lit up.
The numbers appeared.
And the entire stadium froze.
"…How is that possible?"
150 km/h.
From the very first pitch.