As soon as Zhang Han and the others entered Seido's second team, the older students welcomed them in their own way. Their actions made their stance clear. They did not welcome newcomers. They wanted the freshmen to understand that there would be no warm, brotherly atmosphere here.
The moment you joined the second team, you became a rival.
"This isn't bad."
Zhang Han didn't dislike this feeling. In fact, the older students' attitude actually made him feel more comfortable. In Tokyo, the divide between older and younger students was sharp. It was basically a superior-subordinate dynamic. First-years weren't completely without human rights, but their rights were few.
Even in Matsukata Little League, this existed. Not as severe as other places, but still present. Without Ono Binchi protecting him, Zhang Han would never have become a main member so quickly.
But the stance of Seido's upperclassmen, while unfriendly, carried a message: a message of fair competition.
Speak with strength.
For rookies, there was no better news. Here, seniority didn't decide your future. Ability did. If you had the strength, promotion would follow.
Zhang Han steadied himself and focused on the three upperclassmen taking batting practice.
Their stances were solid. Before the pitch, they barely moved. But the moment Miyuki tossed the ball, they erupted like volcanoes and unleashed everything in an instant.
"Buzz!"
He could faintly hear the air being cut by their bats.
The first and third hitters aimed for the fences; the balls were nowhere near Zhang Han. But the second hitter, the one who sent the ball toward him earlier, aimed straight at First Base.
Here it comes.
"Ping!"
The bat smashed the ball, and it shot across more than twenty meters in an instant. It bounced in front of Zhang Han's left side.
Already prepared, Zhang Han stepped forward as the ball took its first hop. He caught it cleanly in his glove.
"Thwack!"
The ball refused to settle and thrashed around in the pocket. Zhang Han tightened his grip and barely kept control.
"Ow…"
A sting shot through his palm, and he grimaced. He had expected Seido's upperclassmen to be strong, but he didn't expect the ball to still carry such force after bouncing. If he had tried to catch it directly off the bat, it might have blown past him.
"My god… the second team has this kind of strength? Are these guys monsters?"
Zhang Han was shocked. And judging from the voices around him, so were the others.
"That guy actually…"
"He caught Hidezawa-senpai's ball."
"Who is he?"
"I don't think I've seen him before."
Hidezawa Mayumi. The third-year Ace Pitcher of Seido. Known for his explosive pitching power and terrifying hitting strength. One of the three pillars of the third-year lineup.
Zhang Han had heard the name, of course. He had even seen him in person, but from far away. With a hat on earlier, he didn't recognize him immediately.
Once he realized who it was, he felt more at ease. Of course the Ace would hit with that level of force. If an ordinary second-team player swung like that, Zhang Han would start to wonder if he would ever get a shot before his third year.
"Isn't he the Ace? Shouldn't he be preparing for the Spring Tournament? Why is he here?"
"The Director said he was too impulsive with his pitching, so he sent him to the second team to cool off."
Hearing this, Zhang Han let out a small groan in his heart.
Their first fielding practice, and they had run into an angry Ace. And not just any Ace, but one who hit like a titan.
Terrible luck.
Judging from his stance, the guy seemed to be aiming specifically at Zhang Han. He would need to be even more cautious going forward.
"Swish!"
"Hee-ha!"
Not just Zhang Han, but the other two newcomers also began showing their abilities.
Kuramochi chased down a ball far outside his defensive range purely with speed. His return throw wasn't fast enough to stop the runner at First, but the defensive potential he showed was no worse than Zhang Han's.
The quietest performer was Shirasu. Every ball hit to the outfield happened to land right above his head.
"What a lucky guy!"
Spectators had gathered to watch. Many were die-hard Seido fans or alumni who loved seeing talented rookies arrive. Zhang Han and Kuramochi had impressed them right away by keeping up with second-team rhythm on the first day.
With that ability, they were destined to become Seido's core in the future.
In contrast, Shirasu didn't leave much of an impression. If not for the fact that every fly ball drifted directly above him, people might forget he was even there.
"Heh, good luck."
Manager Ota's round face was full of smiles. It seemed his earlier worries were unnecessary. At least Zhang Han and Kuramochi had adapted and shown potential.
"Good luck?"
Takashima Rei, who had come specifically to observe, shook her head.
"Once or twice, sure, that's luck. But so many? How could it be luck? Didn't you notice? He's arriving at the landing point of the ball before it lands. His eyesight is incredible. He predicts the ball's fall perfectly. He's a natural outfielder."
Originally, Seido had only casually recruited Shirasu. He had balanced abilities and decent stats in middle school. Usually, players like him didn't lack potential, but they weren't heavily fought over either.
He certainly didn't receive the scouting effort given to Zhang Han, Miyuki, or Asou. Not even as much as Kuramochi.
Yet here he was, a hidden treasure.
Quiet, steady, unassuming, but undeniably strong.
This year's freshmen were truly extraordinary.
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From this week I have decided to start a little initiative. For every 50 power stones donated to the book I will release an extra chapter that very moment on top of that day 2 chapters.
Remember For Every 50 Power Stones An Extra Chapter.
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