"Zhou Hao struck out Teito's top three batters with nothing but fastballs!"
"The number one pitcher in high school — no doubt about it!"
What might have been controversial last year—
Now had no opposition.
Seido's supporters were ecstatic.
They had long known Zhou Hao's strength.
But even they hadn't expected this.
No Spiral Ball.
No trump card.
Just fastballs—
And three consecutive strikeouts.
It was like a martial arts duel.
One side used ultimate techniques, rotating three fighters.
The other side lifted a hand—
And crushed them effortlessly.
The difference was obvious.
And that was precisely why Seido's momentum exploded.
"As long as Zhou Hao stands on the mound, we're invincible!"
In Seido's dugout, the atmosphere was relaxed.
Almost too relaxed.
"Every fastball over 150 km/h."
"And stable."
"Those guys from Teito were stunned."
It wasn't exaggeration.
Teito's dugout had fallen into complete silence.
Their faces were pale.
They understood something the fans didn't.
If Zhou Hao's stamina held—
They might not score a single run today.
And Zhou Hao's stamina?
He had completed full games before.
More than once.
Seido hadn't played any draining matches recently either.
Which meant—
There was no visible weakness to exploit.
For ordinary spectators, it was just the first half-inning.
For skilled players—
It already felt like an endgame.
Like expert chess players, they could see 80–90% of the result from the opening.
And the board looked bleak.
"This is Zhou Hao's charm," Chris said calmly.
As long as he stood there—
Seido didn't have to worry.
Half an inning in, and it already felt like victory was leaning toward them.
"Bring it on!"
"We'll crush them!"
"As long as Zhou Hao is here!"
But that was the trouble of being the King.
When one man becomes synonymous with victory—
Everyone begins to rely on him completely.
In the stands, Seido's first-years watched with shining eyes.
They had just witnessed a true Ace at work.
"Sawamura… we might not have a chance. But you still do."
"Eijun, you have to carry our expectations."
Among their class, a few had already been promoted early.
But Sawamura had spent the most time with them.
Unknowingly, he had become their symbol.
Sawamura puffed up his chest.
"Don't worry! I'll become someone everyone can rely on just like Senior Zhou Hao!"
His sense of responsibility surged.
In his mind, he was already leading the First String to national dominance.
The other first-years stared at him.
…Did we praise him too much?
Dream big — sure.
But comparing yourself to Zhou Hao?
Even dreams should have limits.
The momentum shifted.
Now Seido would attack.
"First batter, number six. Shortstop — Kuramochi Yoichi!"
Kuramochi swaggered to the plate, bat resting lazily on his shoulder.
He looked more like a delinquent than a national champion leadoff hitter.
Teito's supporters were baffled.
This was Seido's first batter?
But Teito's players knew better.
Kuramochi wasn't flashy.
But his speed was among the best in the nation.
Once he reached base—
Chaos followed.
The weakness?
His batting consistency.
If they could take him down first—
They could breathe.
On the mound stood Teito's Ace.
A handsome, scholarly-looking pitcher.
Refined.
Wearing special sports glasses.
No oppressive aura.
No explosive presence.
He looked gentle.
Almost mild.
Facing Kuramochi's wild swagger—
His presence seemed faint in comparison.
He lifted his leg high.
Brought it down cleanly.
Even his pitching motion looked elegant.
Kuramochi narrowed his eyes.
"So weak?"
Seeing the aura the opponent gave off, Kuramochi, standing in the batter's box, stared in disbelief.
Teito High School's ace had an excellent pitching record.
Combined with his distinctive presence, Seido had paid special attention to him while studying Teito.
According to their analysis, this ace was someone they absolutely couldn't underestimate.
But when the pitch actually came—
It was weak.
"An opening!"
The moment the baseball approached, Kuramochi didn't hesitate. He stepped in and swung decisively.
Ping!
Everyone in the Seido dugout instinctively stood up.
To be honest, this wasn't what they expected… but the result wasn't bad either.
At least Kuramochi had made contact.
The ball bounced sharply along the infield.
Teito's third baseman didn't even have time to think. His body reacted first as he lunged forward.
The stands gasped.
Teito's training really was solid — the third baseman's movement was flawless.
This ball… looked impossible to get through.
Just as everyone thought that, the charging third baseman pinned the bouncing ball to the ground.
"You think a grounder's getting past me?"
The moment he secured it, he believed the out was guaranteed.
But when he rose to throw to first—
Everything had already changed.
Like a cheetah, the runner had already burst forward.
Kuramochi was now less than ten meters from first base.
"How is he that fast?!"
The third baseman felt the strength leave his body.
Even knowing the outcome, he still threw.
Too late.
Kuramochi stepped on the bag first.
"Safe!"
No outs. Runner on first.
Seido's players themselves were stunned.
Kuramochi… got on base that easily?
In past games, although he was the leadoff batter, his performance against powerhouse teams had been mediocre at best.
No one expected such a clean start here.
And Teito's boastful ace—
He suddenly looked more like a showpiece than a threat.
With no outs and a runner on first, the second batter stepped up.
"Second batter, No. 4 — second baseman, Kominato Ryosuke."
Ryosuke smiled and fixed his gaze on Teito's ace.
It felt less like a stare… and more like a death sentence.
The ace clearly sensed it and grew furious.
His next pitch came out sharper.
But Ryosuke's smile only widened.
When people get provoked, they make mistakes.
Just like this ace he'd already allowed Kuramochi a hit.
Originally Ryosuke intended to drag out the at-bat, but now he changed his mind.
This moment was perfect.
Time to prove the ace was already shaken.
As the ball arrived, Ryosuke swung without hesitation.
Ping!
The fielders were on full alert.
They had already failed once — even after stopping the ball, they couldn't stop Kuramochi.
For Teito, even a routine hit now felt humiliating.
This time, they swore it wouldn't happen again.
But no matter how hard they tried—
They couldn't reach it.
The ball shot past them and struck the ground beyond.
"Through!"
Seido's supporters erupted.
Without even needing Zhou Hao or Yuki, the first two batters had already landed a devastating blow on Teito.
The Teito players stood frozen in shock.
"Safe!"
"Safe!!"
No outs. Runners on first and third.
Two consecutive hits instantly pushed Seido's momentum to its peak.
And now stepping into the batter's box—
Seido's ace, Zhou Hao.
From every angle, a scoring chance lay right in front of them.
Yet Zhou Hao, standing at the plate… had troubles of his own.