Boom!!!
The moment Tian Mu—one of Osaka Kiryu's top three sluggers—saw the Spiral Ball, his body froze.
Before stepping into the batter's box, he had been skeptical. What kind of pitch could reduce their lineup, the strongest in the nation, to helplessness?
Now he understood.
That Spiral Ball wasn't just a pitch. It was a cannonball with impossible force and wicked movement. Just standing in the box and watching it bear down on him made his body tremble uncontrollably.
His instincts screamed at him to run—to flee from this natural disaster disguised as a baseball.
But as a member of Osaka Kiryu, the nation's strongest powerhouse, retreat was not an option.
No matter how terrifying Zhou Hao's pitch, he had to grit his teeth and swing.
The second Spiral Ball came.
Tian Mu swung with all his might, but his timing was destroyed. By the time the bat cut through the air, the ball was already in the catcher's glove.
Thud!
"Strike!!"
The sound was heavy, like a boulder dropped into water, dragging down the hearts of every Osaka Kiryu player.
Two strikes. No balls.
For a national slugger like Tian Mu, it was unthinkable—he couldn't even form an idea of how to approach the pitch. His mind was blank.
Zhou Hao, merciless, unleashed another.
Boom!!!
The Spiral Ball screamed past. Tian Mu's swing was mechanical, hopeless.
Thud!
"Strike!! Strikeout!!"
One out. Nobody on base.
The lead was still theirs, yet none of Osaka Kiryu's players could smile.
Somehow, it felt like their one-run advantage wasn't earned at all—but stolen.
"Make him throw more pitches," Director Matsumoto barked. "He's not made of iron."
He had to give his players something—anything—to focus on. If they let themselves dwell on Zhou Hao's power, their confidence would crumble. It didn't matter if exhausting Zhou Hao was realistic; what mattered was keeping their minds from collapsing.
The score remained 3–2. Protect the lead, and victory was theirs.
The sixth batter stepped up.
Boom!!!
The Level 3 Spiral Ball detonated. A pitch he couldn't hit before had now become even sharper, faster, heavier. The batter didn't even try. His body refused.
Thud!
"Strike!"
Another.
"Strike!!"
And another.
"Strikeout!!"
Two outs. No one on base.
The seventh batter dragged himself forward.
Even the crowd, once thunderous, had gone silent. Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball had stolen their breath. Each pitch was a calamity unleashed.
The batter swung—and missed everything.
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
Three outs. Side retired.
The Seidou dugout erupted.
They were still down by one run, but after watching their Ace dismantle Osaka Kiryu's powerhouse lineup, they couldn't contain their excitement.
"Great!"
"As expected of Zhou Hao!"
Osaka Kiryu wasn't just any opponent. They were the number one team in the nation—the undisputed kings. And yet, against them, Zhou Hao had displayed overwhelming strength.
If not for appearances, Seidou's supporters would have leapt to their feet, cheering with wild abandon.
"We'll come back! We will, definitely!!"
Bottom of the seventh.
Leadoff hitter: Azuma Kiyokuni.
Boom!!!
He connected with Kuroda's blazing pitch, but the ball died in the outfielder's glove.
Pop!
"Out!"
Director Matsumoto smirked in the dugout.
"As expected. Splitting up their third and fourth batters rattled them. No matter how mature they try to act, this is still Seidou's first Koshien. Except for Zhou Hao, the nerves will eat them alive."
And once nerves crept in, mistakes followed.
Kuroda struck out the next batter with ruthless efficiency.
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
Three outs. Side retired.
The score remained 3–2.
Top of the eighth. Osaka Kiryu's offense.
Boom!!!
Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball exploded across the plate once more. The batter could only stare, numb.
By now, Zhou Hao had thrown over sixty pitches, even with his brief rest. But his stamina showed no signs of faltering. His Spiral Ball still screamed in at 145 km/h, sharper and more crushing than ever.
The Osaka Kiryu batter stood frozen.
"This… this can't be real."
How could anyone hit such a pitch?
--------------
Support me at patréon com/DaoOfPeeking