"Zhang Han, Got a Huge Hit!!!"
The announcer's voice rang out across the stadium, filled with excitement that could no longer be contained.
"In the top of the second inning, Seido High School Baseball Team conceded a run. But they didn't even wait an entire inning to respond. In the bottom of the second inning, Seido strikes back immediately! Consecutive hits by Yuuki Tetsuya and Zhang Han have tied the score. The game is now one to one!"
The moment the words left the announcer's mouth, the stands erupted.
Just moments earlier, the supporters of Seido High School Baseball Team had been eerily quiet. Their cheers had been hesitant, restrained, as if they were afraid to hope. Too many times before, they had watched Seido falter at crucial moments. Too many times, they had seen promise crumble under pressure.
Over the years, they had grown used to disappointment.
When Ichidai San scored first, many of them felt that familiar sinking feeling. The sense that history was repeating itself. That once again, Seido would struggle valiantly only to fall short.
Some had even subconsciously accepted the idea of defeat.
But now, all of that was gone.
Yuuki and Zhang Han had shattered that invisible weight hanging over the stands.
They didn't do it with words. They did it with their bats.
They proved that this Seido High School Baseball Team was no longer the same team that collapsed year after year. This team had backbone. It had teeth. More importantly, it had the ability to strike back immediately.
"Seido! Seido!!!"
The chant started from the Seido second team, then spread to the third team, the cheerleaders, and finally the general supporters. The rhythm grew stronger with every repetition, echoing through the stadium like rolling thunder.
It felt as if the fans were pouring their strength directly onto the field, pushing their voices into the backs of the players.
Even the most critical evaluators had no choice but to acknowledge what they were seeing.
Yuuki Tetsuya.
Zhang Han.
When the team had been in trouble, after Seido's strongest hitter had been retired, these two did not panic. They didn't waver. They didn't hesitate.
Instead, they stepped forward.
With calm minds, iron will, and precise swings, they carried the team on their shoulders.
"This is like a smartphone," one spectator joked. "Dual-core is already better than single-core. But the current Seido? That's at least a tri-core processor."
"Just retiring Azuma Kiyokuni alone isn't enough to shut down Seido's batting lineup anymore."
"I read in a magazine that Seido High School has the strongest batting lineup in Tokyo this year. Looks like those reporters weren't exaggerating."
"Baseball Kingdom has always been reliable."
"I'm more curious about one thing," someone said thoughtfully. "Why would Kameshima throw a fast ball like that? And one that drifted toward the center, no less."
"Maybe he underestimated Seido's newcomer."
"Too arrogant."
The discussions in the stands grew louder and more animated, overlapping with one another.
And it wasn't just the audience.
Inside both dugouts, players from Seido High School and Ichidai Third High School were asking the same question.
In that situation, facing Zhang Han, who had already gained a reputation…
Was Kameshima out of his mind?
Why would he throw a fast ball as the first pitch, and one that practically invited a swing?
It felt less like pitching and more like a gift.
The Seido players desperately wanted to ask Zhang Han what he had seen at the plate. But Zhang Han was standing on first base, adjusting his gloves calmly, his expression unreadable. They would have to wait until he returned to the dugout.
On the other side, the Ichidai San players wanted answers too. Especially Kameshima and his catcher.
What were they thinking?
But Kameshima was still on the mound. The inning wasn't over. And more importantly, Director Tahara would never allow such questioning during an active inning.
After Zhang Han's timely hit, Director Tahara's expression finally changed.
Earlier, when he had looked toward Kataoka and the Seido players, his caution had been mixed with faint condescension. Not enough to be obvious, but enough to exist.
Now, that was gone.
The relaxed smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a sharp, serious gaze.
Director Tahara realized something important.
Even though Ichidai San held a clear advantage in terms of ace pitching, that alone did not guarantee victory today.
Seido High School's offensive power was far stronger than he had anticipated.
Yuuki Tetsuya was already a known threat.
But Zhang Han…
That was the real surprise.
The speed at which these two had improved was astonishing.
Tahara had seen them just a few months ago. Back then, they were talented, but still rough around the edges. Now, their batting had undergone a complete transformation.
What puzzled him most was Zhang Han.
Without saying a word. Without any obvious signal.
He had somehow led Kameshima into throwing exactly the pitch he wanted.
Director Tahara had coached baseball for decades. He saw more than the players did, and because of that, he had more questions.
What kind of awareness did Zhang Han possess?
What kind of mindset allowed him to manipulate the pitcher so subtly?
Tahara wanted answers. But he knew this wasn't the time. Right now, Ichidai San's most urgent task was simple. Get the remaining two outs.
As team captain and ace, Kameshima understood this as well.
Even so, he couldn't stop himself from glancing toward first base. Zhang Han stood there quietly, almost casually, as if he hadn't just changed the flow of the game.
Kameshima's chest tightened. Questions swirled in his mind, but he forced them down. He turned back to the plate.
Once he committed, he committed fully.
The next batter was Isashiki Jun.
With a runner on base, Kameshima immediately switched tactics. This time, he chose a breaking ball.
The pitch dipped sharply.
Isashiki Jun took the bait.
"Ping!"
The bat connected, sending the ball bouncing into the infield.
A sharp gasp rippled through the stands.
That was clean. That was dangerous.
"Cool…"
It was a reminder of why Ichidai San was feared. Even after giving up a run, they didn't retreat. They pressed forward, aiming for a double play.
"Snap!"
Ichidai San's shortstop charged, scooping up the ball in one smooth motion and preparing to fire it to second base.
Then he froze. What he saw made his eyes widen. Zhang Han was already there. He was already approaching second base.
Impossible.
From the moment the ball was hit to the moment it was fielded, barely a second had passed.
How could Zhang Han have covered that distance?
Unless…
Unless he had started running early.
"Safe!"
"Out!"
The umpire's calls came down one after the other.
Isashiki Jun was out without question.
But Zhang Han, having anticipated the play, slid into second base just ahead of the throw, narrowly escaping the double play.
Two outs.
Runner on second base.
The Ichidai San cheerleading squad exploded into cheers. From their perspective, this outcome was still favorable. Two outs on the board meant they were one batter away from ending the inning.
All they had to do now was retire the next hitter.
"Eighth batter, catcher, Miyuki Kazuya."
The announcement echoed.
As Miyuki stepped out of the dugout and walked toward the batter's box, something stirred among the Seido players.
Hope.
Zhang Han's hit had been pure skill.
Objectively speaking, the gap between Zhang Han, Azuma Kiyokuni, and Yuuki Tetsuya had shrunk dramatically. Each of them now had distinct strengths, and none could be easily dismissed.
Compared to them, Miyuki's batting ability was clearly weaker.
His batting average wasn't impressive. His hits weren't frequent.
But this guy…
He was lucky. Almost absurdly so.
Whenever there were opportunities, whenever there were "grapes to pick," Miyuki always seemed to be standing right there, ready to grab them.
His RBIs told the story.
Second only to Azuma Kiyokuni and Zhang Han. Even higher than Yuuki Tetsuya. As Miyuki adjusted his helmet and stepped into the box, the atmosphere shifted once more.
Something was about to happen.
Everyone could feel it.
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