"Zhou-san is totally getting superstar treatment now. Hahaha!!"
Even though Kuramochi felt a bit embarrassed, he was genuinely happy for Zhou Hao.
Before this, Zhou Hao had been under a lot of pressure.
After being promoted to the second string, he had consistently ranked at the bottom during training. This inevitably caused resentment among the second-string elites.
"A kid like him, who can't do anything right, why was he even promoted to the second string?"
"What do they think our second string is? A trash dump?"
Even if those upperclassmen didn't say it to his face, their gossip still reached the ears of both Zhou Hao and Kuramochi.
In that moment, Kuramochi had half a mind to pick a fight with them.
He'd do anything for a friend.
But the problem was—even if he fought them, what good would it do?
Zhou Hao's training results were plain to see, and even Kuramochi couldn't find a way to argue in his defense.
But now, things had changed.
Zhou Hao had stepped up to the batter's box as the cleanup hitter and helped the team score its only run, barely saving face for the team.
Even if some of the upperclassmen still thought it was dumb luck—like a blind cat running into a dead mouse—they couldn't openly badmouth Zhou Hao anymore.
Zhou Hao was now the team's hero.
If they truly didn't accept that, then they should step up themselves and try hitting against Mazochu's pitcher.
And it wasn't just his teammates—back in class, people were asking Zhou Hao about that practice game.
The influence of the baseball team at this school far exceeded Zhou Hao's expectations.
Even though he was only a second-string player with a modest performance, he had already become a hot topic among the students.
After this practice game, even the attitudes of the second-string upperclassmen began to shift.
Though they had badmouthed him before, deep down they hadn't seen Zhou Hao as a serious rival.
But now it was different.
If Zhou Hao's performance was just a fluke, that would be the end of it. But if he could keep it up...
The next time the coach came to inspect the team, Zhou Hao might just be the one to stand out.
When you keep chasing a dream, you'll eventually hear a response.
Five days later, a group of visitors from afar arrived at Seidou High.
They came by bus, pulling up right outside the Seidou baseball field.
"Is there a practice match scheduled today?"
Seeing such a big group, the first-string players naturally assumed they were facing off against this team.
Normally, second-string practice games didn't involve this kind of fanfare.
After all, no school is exactly rolling in money—if there's a bus, it's typically reserved for the first team.
To this question, a handsome boy with a Western-looking face frowned and shook his head. "Nope. Because of yesterday's game, the coach gave us free practice today."
After a tough match, it's common for coaches to give the players a break.
Even Seidou's prestigious team isn't an exception to that.
But because competition within Seidou is fierce, the players often use their rest days to get ahead of their teammates.
As a result, most of the first-string players were still present.
They were all training on Field A. Field B had been deliberately left empty.
One of Seidou's proudest assets is its two luxurious outdoor fields, identical in size and layout to professional stadiums—a 1:1 replica.
"It's not for us. Those visitors are here to play against the second string."
"They must be loaded. Even their second string gets a chartered bus?"
The players murmured in surprise.
While they were talking, the visitors started getting off the bus.
What caught everyone's attention were the names on their uniforms.
"Matsuyama!"
"Matsuyama High School Baseball Team!"
"Never heard of them before. Where'd this team pop up from?"
"They're one of Chiba Prefecture's top four teams. Pretty strong. Rumor has it they've got a shot at the finals this year."
The Western-faced boy provided the explanation.
"How do you even know that?"
The others were amazed.
Even if someone was good at collecting information, it was one thing to know Chiba's champion—but even knowing the top four?
The foreign-looking boy turned his head away smugly and refused to answer.
"Shouldn't a top-four team like that be playing against us instead?"
It's worth noting that West Tokyo is a fierce battleground. On top of that, Seidou's luck hadn't been great the past two years. They made it to the regional finals at best, often getting stuck in the top four or top eight.
So compared to Chiba's top four, it wasn't clear who was stronger.
"This team may not be a powerhouse, but they're no slouches either. Apparently, they brought their second string…"
A bespectacled boy added with a smile.
"Miyuki, are you saying we invited their second string, and they sent their main team instead?"
"I didn't say anything. That's your own assumption, Tou-senpai."
The boy with glasses was none other than Miyuki Kazuya—the rising star of Zhou Hao's cohort.
Not long after joining the team, Miyuki was promoted directly to the first string as a substitute.
And his guess hit the nail on the head.
Even the second-string players didn't expect to be playing a practice game against a top-four Chiba team—especially their main roster.
"Are we cursed or something? First we got stuck facing Ichidai Third High, now we're up against Chiba's top four."
"And it's their starting lineup!"
"No big deal. This is exactly the kind of chance to shine! Hahaha!!"
His expression looked like a man saying, "The rougher the seas, the more expensive the fish." (A nod to Gao Qiqiang, a pop culture reference.)
Kuramochi was always this energetic and optimistic.
Just like he said—if you can't perform when facing such a strong team...
Then what right do you have to be selected for the first string?
Hearing Kuramochi's words, Takashima Rei smiled and nodded. After entering the group, she said to him, "You're exactly right. It's in matches like these that you really have to show your stuff. Two first-string players will join to help out, and the coach will act as the main umpire."
This was Kataoka's usual tactic.
By acting as the home plate umpire, he could closely observe every player's on-field performance.
Hearing this, the second-string players all perked up.
Though the summer tournament hadn't started yet, and the draw was still about a month away, they didn't have much time left.
Seidou couldn't wait until after the draw to finalize its lineup—they had to submit the roster well before that.
If they couldn't stand out today...
Then at least for this year's summer tournament, their chances of making the main roster were gone.
Even the fact that two first-string players were being sent to help proved it.
Today wasn't just a practice match—it was a final battle for survival.
Perform well, and you get promoted to the first team.
Fall short, and it's back to second string with more grinding ahead.