"No! That's not right!!!"
The Hosen catcher, who had been prepared to catch the ball and immediately throw to second base, suddenly felt his vision darken.
A bat appeared between him and the incoming baseball.
Without any warning, Zhang Han, who had seemed to be patiently waiting, swung his bat fiercely.
What audacity.
When the pitcher realized Yuuki had started stealing, he could not completely abandon his control, but he still applied extra force with his fingers.
As a result, the baseball curved toward the outside of the plate, clearly missing the strike zone.
Unless Zhang Han had been mentally prepared from the very beginning, there was absolutely no way he should have been able to hit that pitch.
But Zhang Han was prepared.
He had already anticipated that Baldy's pitch would drift off target. He stepped forward, shifting his entire body weight ahead and forcibly extending his reach.
This movement brought a ball that should have been unhittable into his swing zone.
"Ping!"
The bat struck the white ball solidly, sending it flying.
At the moment of impact, Zhang Han felt a tingling sensation spread through the insides of both hands.
Originally, Baldy's pitching relied almost entirely on speed.
In other aspects, it held little advantage.
But now, it felt different.
Using an exaggerated expression, it was as if this pitch had begun to gain a soul.
Even Zhang Han, who had predicted the trajectory in advance, could not hit it perfectly. The ball did not fly high, rising only about a meter before shooting forward in a straight line.
Fortunately, his swing was complete, and the baseball traveled extremely fast.
The Hosen players tried their best, but none of them could reach it. They could only watch as the white ball flew past and bounced after landing.
"It went through!"
The fans in the stands cried out in surprise.
They had every reason to be astonished. Zhang Han's hit was brilliant.
Not only was his individual performance outstanding, his coordination with Yuuki Tetsuya was even more shocking.
It was chaotic, yet perfectly executed.
Yuuki did not hesitate for even a moment when he stole the base.
He trusted Zhang Han completely, believing that Zhang Han would definitely make contact with the ball.
That was why he could charge forward without any restraint.
From this alone, the Seido High School Baseball Team's ability to develop players was astonishing. Considering how recently Zhang Han had joined the team, he was already capable of executing such a coordinated play.
Without exaggeration, Zhang Han had fully integrated into Seido's system.
His individual talent was unquestionable, and Seido's infectious team spirit was even more impressive. It was no wonder that a team with such strong charisma could continue to attract outstanding players even after years of dormancy.
There had once been rumors that Seido High School Baseball Team was struggling to recruit, and that the quality of its players was declining with each new class.
Some even said that within a few years, Seido might fall out of the ranks of powerhouse teams.
Such a scenario was not impossible.
After all, the hierarchy of powerhouses is never permanent.
In Tokyo alone, schools like Sensen High School and Nioh Gakusha had once been dominant forces on the national stage.
Later, with the rise of capital-backed private schools and prestigious academies, those former giants gradually faded.
Even with excellent facilities, if a team fails to reach Koshien for an extended period, its overall strength will inevitably decline.
At that point, dropping out of the powerhouse ranks would only be a matter of time.
Of course, that was merely a possibility.
Judging from the present situation, those rumors could be dismissed entirely.
The Seido High School Baseball Team possessed an extraordinary team spirit.
So many people admired them, and so many talented players were willing to join them. Such a team might experience temporary dormancy, but it would never truly decline.
Given an opportunity, they would rise again and shock everyone. And right now, Seido appeared to be doing exactly that.
The confrontation on the field did not end when Zhang Han's hit landed.
It continued.
After reaching first base, Zhang Han did not stop and instead pushed forward. Yuuki did not halt at second base either, charging straight toward third.
The Hosen outfielders could not understand what kind of play Seido was attempting. But they could not ignore the apparent opportunity presented to them.
Zhang Han, with his slow running speed, was actually trying to reach second base. What kind of fantasy was this?
Earlier in the game, Zhang Han's running had seemed acceptable.
But now, his rhythm was completely off, giving the outfielder a perfect chance.
"Pop!"
The ball was thrown to second base, and Zhang Han was tagged cleanly by the Hosen shortstop, like a lamb led to slaughter.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
Zhang Han was out.
Yet there was no trace of disappointment on his face.
Had he been frightened into stupidity?
That was the thought shared by the Hosen shortstop and many others present.
Until the referee's voice rang out from home plate.
"Safe!"
The Seido High School Baseball Team scored their third run.
Many of the Hosen players did not understand what had happened until they saw Yuuki standing on home plate.
Only then did realization dawn.
Everything just now had been a trap set by Seido.
Zhang Han's reckless attempt to steal second base was nothing more than bait, meant to draw attention. While everyone focused on him, Yuuki Tetsuya slipped home unnoticed.
The strategy was simple, yet incredibly difficult to execute.
Compared to Zhang Han, most people would naturally focus on Yuuki, who had already reached third base.
Only if Zhang Han's performance was dazzling enough would all eyes shift to him.
Only then could he serve as effective bait.
Just moments ago, Zhang Han had shone brightly, pulling everyone's attention toward him. Even the Hosen third baseman glanced at him repeatedly.
The instant his head turned, Yuuki accelerated.
In just over three seconds, Yuuki crossed home plate.
At that moment, Zhang Han had just been tagged out, and the Hosen players were still celebrating the first out of the inning.
Before they could even finish celebrating, this cruel reality struck them.
The score was now three to zero.
Hosen High School was certainly not weak.
Yet even such a team was being completely suppressed by Seido High School Baseball Team.
Many veteran fans could not help but feel tears welling up in their eyes.
The Seido High School Baseball Team they had long yearned for had finally returned.
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