In the stands of Hachioji Stadium, almost everyone wore a dumbfounded expression.
Zhang Han.
This newcomer, who had already caused a sensation with a home run at the start of the tournament, once again stood at the center of attention. Rapid, overlapping camera clicks rang out as reporters and enthusiastic fans scrambled to capture the moment.
Many people had a premonition that, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, they would witness the birth of a legendary hitter.
A first-year student. For a newcomer to perform like this, it was impossible not to cause a stir.
"Director!"
The assistant coach of Ichidai Third High School had reddened eyes.
Others were simply marveling at Zhang Han's strength, but Ichidai Third High School felt something more complex. Alongside amazement came deep regret, mixed with irritation.
There are no secrets that time does not reveal.
Although Takashima Rei had tried to keep things low-key, the way she had recruited Zhang Han was already an open secret among elite high school baseball circles. It was almost the same treatment offered elsewhere, except the tuition waiver had been replaced with a scholarship.
While people praised Takashima Rei's shrewdness, they also quietly mocked Ichidai Third High School's arrogance.
Times had changed. Young players were far more open-minded than before. In the past, when a prestigious school invited a player, other teams rarely interfered. Once a player tacitly accepted an invitation, he wouldn't consider alternatives.
That was the past.
Nowadays, recruitment was a two-way choice. If negotiations weren't handled properly, situations where a "cooked duck flew away" happened more than once or twice.
Even local players behaved this way, let alone Zhang Han, an international student.
Ichidai Third High School normally wouldn't care about such gossip. Similar cases were common in recent years. People talked privately, but Ichidai Third High School remained Ichidai Third High School.
At least, the assistant coach had never taken Zhang Han seriously before.
He had originally believed that Zhang Han was dispensable. Paying such a high price for him simply wasn't worth it.
But now, that opinion had completely changed.
Zhang Han had become a starter for Seido as a first-year, batting sixth, wearing the odd-numbered jersey. All of this showed just how much Seido valued him.
And Zhang Han had not disappointed them.
In the first game against Musashi High School, it was Zhang Han who broke the deadlock. He even hit a home run in that game. In the second game, although his performance was more subdued, he still drove in two runs.
Now, in the third game, facing a suddenly emerged dark horse, Seido encountered its first real challenge of the tournament.
And once again, it was Zhang Han.
A two-run home run to open the scoring.
Such performance from a first-year—whether judged by personal statistics or team contribution—was flawless.
Even under the strictest standards, anyone evaluating Zhang Han would have to give a thumbs up.
Recalling how their team had brushed shoulders with such a talent, the assistant coach of Ichidai Third High School felt a surge of regret.
"Don't be upset," Director Tahara said calmly. "We knew Zhang-kun's talent long ago."
"Zhang-kun has strong ability and has trained at Seido for three or four months. On top of that, opponents know almost nothing about him. Under these circumstances, it's only natural for him to shine."
"As for whether he can reach the heights you imagine in the future—that remains uncertain. But I can say this: by the Autumn Tournament, his performance won't be as dazzling as it is now."
Director Tahara's analysis was reasonable.
Anyone who truly understood baseball knew how important information and scouting were in modern games. A dark horse suddenly appearing would naturally catch opponents off guard.
Even so, it couldn't erase the fact that Zhang Han's performance was outstanding.
After a brief silence, the stands erupted.
"Home run!!"
"Oh my god, that guy is a first-year, right?"
"Seido never lacks great hitters—Azuma, Yuuki, and now Zhang Han. All of them hit home runs in their first summer!"
"If only their pitchers were as talented as their hitters, Seido would be unstoppable!"
The crowd buzzed with excitement.
In a tightly contested pitchers' duel, the team that scores first holds a huge advantage, especially when that team is Seido.
Once Seido took the lead, it became extremely difficult for the weaker side to catch up. In most cases, the score gap would only continue to widen.
When Zhang Han returned to the dugout, his teammates welcomed him like a hero.
"You little rascal!"
Azuma Kiyokuni wrapped an arm around Zhang Han's neck while high-fiving everyone nearby.
"Two home runs already—you're catching up to me!"
"I believe in you!"
"Nicely done!"
With his neck clamped tightly, Zhang Han felt it stretch three inches longer. He couldn't say a word, only frantically signaling with his eyes. Please let go while praising me. Someone is about to die here.
Even Kataoka, usually so strict, rare praise slipped out.
"Well done."
Little Rei's effort to snatch Zhang Han from Ichidai Third High School had been worth it.
"Yes!"
Once the Director spoke, Azuma and the others finally released Zhang Han.
After catching his breath, Zhang Han quickly said, "Even though we're leading, don't be careless. The fire in our opponents' eyes hasn't gone out. This game has only just begun."
Because of Zhang Han's home run, the situation on the field fundamentally changed.
Naturally, Seido's strategy had to adjust as well.
Originally, they had planned to wear the opponent down through stamina and experience before scoring. Now that they had the lead, there was no need to stay conservative.
They could fully open up their offense and test their true batting strength.
"Oh!"
The teammates responded in unison and went back onto the field.
Unfortunately, Isashiki Jun and Miyuki Kazuya didn't repeat Zhang Han's miracle. Both were quickly retired.
It was a timely reminder.
Aoyama High School hadn't collapsed yet.
It was still far too early to celebrate.
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