Seido High School.
On the Baseball Club's B-field, Zhang Han stood in the batter's box, calm and ready.
Earlier, he had two at-bats and delivered one home run and one lead-off extra-base hit. The New School Teammates' early three-run lead was thanks largely to him.
But things had changed. The freshmen, once ahead, had been overtaken. The Old-timers had stretched the score to a crushing margin.
10 to 3.
With a score like that, no matter how hard the freshmen tried, catching up was nearly impossible. Only a few freshmen could even get hits. As a whole, their team lacked firepower. Closing a small gap was one thing, but closing a seven-run deficit was another.
This was why the freshmen felt such despair. There was no hope. Playing out the remaining innings felt like torture.
It wasn't until Zhang Han stepped into the batter's box that their faces lit up again. He had become their last ray of hope. If even he couldn't break through, the freshmen had nothing left.
"Zhang Sang, go for it!"
"It's all on you!"
"Aim and hit!"
The dugout erupted in scattered cheers. For the first time, Zhang Han realized just how popular he was among the freshmen.
He always thought Asou or Maezono were the most popular. Normally, players from their year crowded around those two. Compared to them, Zhang Han and Miyuki didn't seem like the center of the group.
Behind the plate, Chris studied Zhang Han carefully.
His memories of Zhang Han went back two years.
Matsukata Senior League, one of the core three batters.
Their lead-off hitter.
A player who rarely let scoring chances slip away.
Back when Chris was still in Little League, Zhang Han was already a key figure in the Matsukata lineup. Pitching or hitting, he was frighteningly precise.
He could paint the corners as a pitcher, and he always found the gaps as a hitter. He lacked raw power, but it never stopped him from being a menace.
Back then, getting him out was not easy.
But now? What on earth had Zhang Han eaten? His power had skyrocketed. He even blasted one of Hidezawa's pitches out of the park.
As a First-string catcher, Chris knew Hidezawa's pitching strength better than anyone. Even Azuma Kiyokuni, the strongest hitter on the First-string, needed some luck to homer off Hidezawa.
Zhang Han did it on his first at-bat. And almost repeated it on his second. No wonder Hidezawa fell apart afterward. Anyone would break down after being crushed by a freshman like that.
Now, even with the Old-timers firmly in control of the game, Chris didn't dare underestimate him. If Zhang Han got another hit, or worse, another home run, the damage wouldn't stop at Hidezawa. The second and third-years watching might start doubting their own strength.
If the freshmen were this strong, what did that say about them?
To avoid that, Chris had to handle this at-bat carefully.
He made up his mind and called for a low pitch.
After being hit twice and giving up a home run, it was impossible for Hidezawa to have no mental scars. But with Chris catching, even with the fear lingering, he believed he could hold steady.
"Our match starts now."
"Whoosh!"
The white ball cut through the air with a sharp whistle.
With Chris catching for him, Hidezawa's pitching had sharpened noticeably. His velocity and force were both stronger.
A low pitch.
Zhang Han knew the location the moment Hidezawa released it. It was indeed a tricky spot.
He had to admit, Chris was impressive. Even after all these years, he still remembered Zhang Han's weak point: low pitches.
But the current Zhang Han was not the same boy Chris faced two years ago. Even low pitches were within his reach now.
Zhang Han stepped forward, lowered his center of gravity, and swung with full force.
Clean.
Decisive.
"Ping!"
The instant the bat connected, a heavy shock surged up Zhang Han's arms. The force behind Hidezawa's pitch was real.
If this were two years ago, Zhang Han would have lost the duel instantly. But now, though it was heavy, it wasn't beyond his ability to handle.
Gritting his teeth, he put all his strength into his swing and drove the ball forward.
"Whoosh!"
The incoming pitch had been just over 140 kilometers per hour. After being struck, it left the bat at least 20 kilometers per hour faster.
"Hah!"
Exhaling sharply, Zhang Han tossed his bat and prepared to sprint to first. The ball's trajectory was good. He was confident he would get on base.
But just as he lifted his foot, he saw a light blue figure flash in the corner of his eye.
A fielder leaped into the air and cut off the blazing line drive before it could land. He caught it mid-air, then tumbled twice before regaining balance.
"Kominato Ryosuke!"
"That's crazy!"
"Out!"
Just like that, Zhang Han's perfect swing ended in failure. The upperclassman who robbed him wore a gentle, harmless smile. But his words were anything but gentle.
"Don't underestimate your seniors, junior."
"Strike!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
Three outs. Side retired.
This time, the Old-timers finally managed to stop Zhang Han.
With a seven-run lead, 10 to 3, they were overflowing with confidence. Their morale was high; they were more than ready to crush the freshmen completely.
As the inning ended, Chris glanced toward Zhang Han again.
If Kominato Ryosuke hadn't made that play, the ball would have flown through. At the very least, it would have been a clean hit.
For a freshman, Zhang Han's performance was nothing short of astounding.
************************************
Remember 1 Chapter For Every 50 Power Stones. Do Support