"Bang!"
The white ball that had been launched into the air was forcefully intercepted. The fielder grabbed it cleanly and, without a pause, fired it straight to First Base.
"Bang!"
"Double play!"
"Seido High School Baseball Team Captain Tanaka secures a beautiful double play! Once again, Ichidai Third High School's batting lineup is shut down by this man!"
The commentator's voice boomed with excitement.
"Captain!"
"So cool!"
"As expected of the 'Moving High Wall'!"
In both the dugout and the stands, countless Seido supporters pumped their fists.
Tanaka's flawless defense had just pulled Seido back from the edge of a cliff.
"Thanks, Captain!"
As Tanba came off the mound, he waved gratefully. Without Tanaka's play, he might not have survived the inning. Tanaka nodded, but the dark clouds on his expression did not lift. By the end of the top of the fourth inning, Seido had only produced two hits.
Zero runs.
Ichidai, meanwhile, had executed a clean squeeze play and scored another. The scoreboard now read 5–0.
If this continued, Seido was heading for certain defeat. In the stands, Zhang Han and the others felt the tension rising.
"If our lineup doesn't score next inning, the First-string seniors are in deep trouble," Miyuki said, eyes fixed on Chris, who had just returned to the dugout.
Since giving up the four runs in the first inning, Tanba had taken over and stabilized things. He had still allowed one run, but overall, Seido had regained its footing.
For that, Chris deserved credit.
Tanba was slightly better than the second-team pitcher they'd seen before, but only slightly. His characteristics weren't sharp. His pitching strength was average.
In Miyuki's view, Tanba might not even be as strong as Zhang Han sitting beside him. Yet under Chris's guidance, Tanba was barely holding his own against Ichidai's fierce lineup.
"Still as strong as ever," Miyuki muttered.
"What are you thinking about?" Kuramochi asked when he noticed Miyuki staring into space.
"Thinking about how to beat Chris," Miyuki replied without hesitation.
"You—!" Kuramochi blinked, shocked and excited at the same time.
What newcomer didn't want to climb up fast? To earn a uniform number, to challenge the First-string, to replace a senior someday?
Miyuki had the guts to say it out loud—and Kuramochi wasn't someone who would ever admit defeat either.
While they plotted quietly, Zhang Han's entire focus stayed on the game.
"Right now, we need a strong hitter to turn the situation around," he thought.
A home run would be ideal. But even without one, Seido needed to respond. They had to show Ichidai that Seido wasn't giving up. A hard hit, an RBI, even a fierce swing—anything to spark momentum.
From his seat, Zhang Han could sense the problem clearly. After being suppressed early, Seido's players were fired up, but too fired up. Their swings lacked strategy. Their decisions were impulsive.
Even if Kataoka wanted to calm them, he couldn't.
This wasn't just a matter of strength. It was mental. A confidence issue.
Zhang Han had watched Seido's games before. Against weaker teams, they were perfect. Against equal or stronger teams, their performance dipped sharply.
They simply weren't used to facing opponents of this level. That was why they looked rattled today.
Watching the First-string crumble like this, Zhang Han finally understood why Kataoka was desperate to promote new players.
He didn't want to do it. He had no choice.
With the current lineup, Seido reaching Koshien was a fantasy—difficult even in other regions, let alone Tokyo. Here, even luck couldn't save you.
While Zhang Han was deep in thought, a sudden cheer exploded across the stadium.
Hidezawa, batting third, smashed a clean hit behind Ichidai's Second Baseman and reached First Base.
Seido's third hit of the day.
The excitement from the cheering squad seemed strangely intense, and Zhang Han wondered why. Then he understood.
The cheers weren't mainly for Hidezawa. They were for the next batter.
"Kid, get ready to die!"
A burly man stepped into the on-deck circle, his face strangely mature for his age. His stomach bulged so much Zhang Han doubted even an eight-month pregnant woman could match him.
This was Seido's strongest hitter.
The monster.
Azuma Kiyokuni.
When Zhang Han first joined the team, he had heard Kusunoki and Isashiki Jun speak of this senior countless times. Their tone was pure admiration.
Zhang Han had never faced Azuma in middle school, so he didn't have an impression of him. But judging from how the entire Seido crowd reacted…
Could this man really be that strong?
His appearance was so ordinary, his belly so round—yet he commanded this much support.
Zhang Han suddenly felt a surge of ambition.
One day, I'll replace him. One day, I'll stand where he stands.
At this time, he hadn't truly experienced how difficult it was to shine in a foreign land. Right now, with his small reputation, everyone around him was helping him. But once he grew strong enough to threaten local stars, the resistance would come—from everywhere.
But that was in the future. Zhang Han wasn't thinking that far ahead yet.
"Boom!"
Azuma swung his bat. The sheer air pressure made it feel like he had torn the space apart.
"Ping!"
The bat struck the ball hard. It wasn't even the sweet spot, but the raw power behind it forced the ball to rocket away.
The baseball screamed through the air, tore across more than a hundred meters, and landed in the outfield stands.
A two-run home run.
Azuma Kiyokuni had struck.
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