"These freshmen are doing pretty well!"
"Especially that catcher and the kid who hit the home run earlier. Even if they get promoted to the First-string, they should be able to handle it."
Outside the stadium, several alumni who had come specifically to watch the Seidō High School Baseball Club's welcoming match were talking animatedly.
The start of today's match had gone far beyond what anyone expected.
They had heard faint rumors that this year's freshman class was unusually strong — that multiple players had shown impressive potential during the entrance tryouts. But potential was only potential. Turning that potential into real competitive strength required time, discipline, and pressure.
Therefore, before the match began, the alumni's expectations were modest at best. If one or two freshmen performed well, that would already exceed their outlook.
But to actually lead the Old-timers Team? To go toe-to-toe with experienced upperclassmen?
That was something nobody even dared to imagine. People had to be realistic, after all.
But the moment the game started, all such assumptions were shattered.
Truly astonishing.
The freshmen's performance was shockingly good — far beyond what anyone had prepared themselves for.
Not only had they taken the lead early, but they had also held onto it.
At the end of two innings, the scoreboard still showed 2–0 in favor of the New School Teammates.
Such a result left not only the alumni but even the coaching staff and current players completely stunned. The freshmen were far more capable than anyone had imagined.
Those upperclassmen who originally wanted to simply "put the newcomers in their place," show off their superiority, and crush their spirits now had no choice but to adjust their attitude.
They had to recognize these newcomers as actual competitors.
—
Inside the New School Teammates' dugout.
Because the team was leading and performing well, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy.
Smiles, laughter, excited whispers — the freshmen were in high spirits. They were proud of what they'd shown so far and eager to build on it.
Of course, not everyone had performed exceptionally.
Superficially they looked united, but in reality, many of them had their own silent pressures building behind their cheerful expressions.
Because in Seidō, performance was everything.
If they wanted to be promoted…
If they wanted Director Kataoka and the coaching staff to recognize them…
They needed more than just the team's momentum — they needed individual brilliance.
Underneath the good atmosphere, hidden tensions simmered.
And once the team hit a rough patch, those cracks would widen instantly.
Among the clear-headed freshmen, Zhang Han was one of the few who sensed this.
Watching his optimistic, excited teammates, his worries only grew deeper.
Because unlike most of them, Zhang Han usually practiced with the second string's upperclassmen. He knew extremely well just how powerful the seniors actually were.
In his view, the current situation existed mostly because the Old-timers Team had been caught unprepared.
They had not expected the freshmen to be this capable.
They had not expected Zhang Han's explosive batting.
They had not expected Miyuki's ruthless pitch-calling.
In short — they were blindsided.
But that would not last long. Once the Old-timers adjusted, they would unleash a merciless counterattack. And when that came… Zhang Han doubted the freshmen would be able to withstand it.
A mere two-point lead was nowhere near enough. If the freshmen wanted a fair fight — a proper game where they could compete on equal footing — they had to score more.
Runs couldn't guarantee victory, but they could at least build a stable stage for them to display their true strength.
With that thought, Zhang Han stepped into the batter's box for his second at-bat.
He wanted to score.
Gripping the bat with both hands, he made a noticeable change. Unlike earlier, he didn't fully extend his grip for maximum reach. He shortened it slightly — sacrificing distance for control.
Behind the plate, catcher Miyauchi immediately understood what this meant.
"Hmph…"
He snorted sharply through his nose like an irritated bull.
This junior was too cunning!
He and Hidezawa had already prepared a full set of pitch calls to counter Zhang Han's long-range batting. They had even been quietly confident they could neutralize him this time.
But now? Now Zhang Han had switched to a normal swing. Their entire strategy was useless.
On the mound, Hidezawa — Seidō's proud Ace pitcher — didn't need to hear a word.
Just seeing Miyauchi's expression was enough for him to infer the situation.
He exhaled lightly, then shook his head… and finally nodded.
So it was going to be a head-on confrontation.
Zhang Han's earlier home run had been impressive. But not without a hint of luck.
Hidezawa refused to believe he couldn't handle a kid who had only just entered high school. If he pitched at full power — truly full power — there was no way he would lose.
Seeing Hidezawa's determination, Miyauchi straightened slightly.
"I believe in your strength. You can take him."
Both pitcher and catcher aligned their resolve.
Hidezawa lifted his leg high, gathering all of his power into this pitch. After giving up that humiliating home run earlier, he could no longer treat Zhang Han as just another freshman.
This time, he would go all out.
"Whoosh!"
The ball shot forward like a spear, slicing through the air in a perfect trajectory.
Zhang Han didn't react. He simply watched it pass.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
Director Kataoka, standing as the umpire with his sunglasses on, nodded slightly. Hidezawa had finally returned to form.
If he pitched like this consistently, he was easily one of Tokyo's top pitchers.
"Whoosh!"
Without a pause, Hidezawa unleashed his second pitch.
This one was not as sharp as the previous — not perfectly placed, and drifting a little off center — but it was still a central strike. Close enough to challenge the hitter head-on.
And Zhang Han would never let a central fastball go.
He stepped forward, body rotating with precision, and swung at full intent.
"Ping!"
A clear, crisp contact rang out.
The ball struck the bat, bounced off sharply, and shot behind Director Kataoka's position.
"Foul ball!"
The battle between the Ace and the freshman had truly begun.
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