Seido High School successfully broke through the fourth round and advanced to the quarterfinals. To many teams, this was only natural and not surprising at all.
What truly stood out, however, was that they had played three consecutive games, all of which ended effectively within five innings. The significance of this achievement was extraordinary.
Although Ichidai Third High School had scored a total of twenty-five runs in their previous games, showcasing their powerful offense, the quality of their matches was completely different from Seido's.
Taken as a whole, Seido High School was likely the most powerful offensive team in the entire Tokyo area at the moment.
Led by Azuma Kiyokuni, along with Yuuki Tetsuya, Zhang Han, Tanaka, Hidezawa, Yamada…
It was nothing short of a dream-level batting lineup.
Not only was the strength of the middle and upper batting order shocking, but even the lower lineup included formidable players like Isashiki Jun, Miyuki, and Kou Shunmin.
West Tokyo this year was truly a land of rising heroes, with an unpredictable outcome.
Outside the school, chaos reigned. More than a dozen media reporters lingered at the main gate of Seido High School, all requesting interviews. Without exception, they were turned away by Coach Kataoka.
In his words, the team was fully focused on preparing for the semifinal against Ichidai Third High School, and the players had neither the time nor the energy to accept interviews.
But could such an answer make those persistent reporters give up?
Of course not.
Each of them used their own methods, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, relying on their unique abilities. Through various connections and channels, they tried their best to contact anyone with influence within the Seido High School Baseball Team.
Manager Ota's and Vice-principal Takashima Rei's phones were ringing almost nonstop. Yet they had no real choice.
The only person who truly held authority over the team was Kataoka. If he did not nod his head, there was absolutely nothing that could be done.
Not only the team's leadership, but even well-known players began receiving calls.
Zhang Han, in particular, received a call from Ono Binchi, who asked whether he had time and if he could spare some to accept an interview.
Zhang Han genuinely had no interest in interviews. However, Ono Binchi had treated him kindly before, and Zhang Han wanted to repay that favor. From that perspective, accepting an interview was not entirely impossible.
The problem was that Coach Kataoka had already issued a strict order forbidding players from privately accepting any media interviews.
Kataoka was now his leader, and he had been good to him as well. Zhang Han was torn.
Ono Binchi was perceptive. As soon as Zhang Han fell silent, he understood the dilemma.
"If you can't, don't force it."
"But your acquaintance…"
Zhang Han felt a bit guilty.
"It's fine. As long as your Director stands firm and no one accepts interviews, I'll be fine on my end."
It wasn't scarcity that caused trouble, but inequality. To put it bluntly, the issue wasn't having too little, but unfair distribution.
If no reporters could get news, Ono Binchi's acquaintance would feel balanced. Besides, Zhang Han was still a newcomer to the team. Even if his performance was outstanding, it was reasonable that he couldn't speak on such a major matter.
That reporter was likely just trying his luck anyway. It didn't matter if he failed, but what if he succeeded?
Two days later, the buzz gradually faded.
The team's training continued in full swing. The Director and the coaching staff worked diligently, studying Ichidai Third High School's performance throughout the tournament. After finishing their analysis, they planned to hold a team meeting to discuss tactics, followed by targeted training.
…
During those two days, something else happened.
Takashima Rei went on a business trip to Nagano Prefecture. When she returned, she looked as pleased as a fox that had tricked a crow out of its meat.
The teammates privately speculated that her trip had been for talent scouting in the Kanto region. Judging by her expression, she must have had a great harvest.
According to the seniors, the last time she looked like this was when she had successfully lured Zhang Han to the team.
This was big news, and the team buzzed with excitement. Could it be that Takashima Rei had found another Zhang Han?
During lunch, the first-year freshmen gathered together, chatting endlessly about it.
The third-year seniors couldn't take it anymore. Azuma Kiyokuni even stood up, his belly jutting forward.
"If you have time to gossip, you'd be better off using it to polish your skills. With abilities as mediocre as yours, when do you think you'll ever get a chance to play?"
The freshmen lowered their heads, faces flushed with shame.
They knew they needed to work harder. But training was monotonous, and it wasn't something enthusiasm alone could sustain. They were simply enduring it as best they could.
"If a real genius joins the team, you useless guys will probably have even less of a chance."
The third-year seniors were clearly anxious, and their words were far from gentle. To be fair, they couldn't be blamed.
Although Seido's games so far had gone smoothly, the challenges ahead hadn't diminished. This was evident from the information circulating online.
People praised Seido High School as the most powerful offensive team in Tokyo. Yet not a single person claimed that Seido was the strongest overall.
No one even said they had a real chance of reaching Koshien this year.
Zhang Han silently finished three bowls of rice, his stomach completely full. Just as he cleared his dishes and prepared to leave, Takashima Rei suddenly appeared in the cafeteria looking for him.
"Little Rei!" Zhang Han greeted casually.
"How many times have I told you? I'm your teacher. Use respectful language, you idiot!" Takashima Rei snapped.
Zhang Han didn't mind at all. "What do you need me for?"
"I saw a raw gem in Nagano Prefecture."
As she spoke about the player she had met, Takashima Rei's eyes sparkled.
"I saw the shadow of a true Ace in him."
For some reason, Zhang Han felt slightly uneasy.
"A raw gem? So he hasn't been polished yet. Isn't that risky?"
"When you first came here, weren't you unknown too? Don't you trust my judgment?"
"How could I not?"
Takashima Rei had clearly made up her mind. Zhang Han stopped arguing and asked directly, "What do you need me to do?"
She liked Zhang Han's sharpness. He always knew what was expected without needing extra explanation.
"After our tournament ends, I'll bring him to visit the school. I'll arrange for you to compete against him. You just need to let him experience what high-level baseball looks like. Azuma would actually be more suitable, but by then, he'll probably have retired."
"No problem," Zhang Han replied confidently. "When that junior comes, I'll make sure we have a proper match."
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