"We might be famous?"
"Not might—definitely!"
Azuma craned his neck toward the hotel entrance, his voice filled with barely contained excitement.
Outside, dozens—no, hundreds—of reporters and photographers had crowded the front doors, their flashes and microphones forming a sea of chaos.
Hotel staff stood in formation, desperately holding the line.
But it was clear these weren't just any reporters. They had connections—powerful ones.
Even though the staff didn't let them in, the hotel manager had no choice but to contact Coach Kataoka.
"Mr. Kataoka," he said apologetically, "this isn't good for the hotel. The reporters are blocking all entrances. How about holding a press conference? We have a dedicated conference room available."
Coach Kataoka and Seidou's coaching staff exchanged helpless looks.
Seidou was indeed a prestigious, well-funded school—but not even they could book out the entire hotel. At best, they had one floor.
That meant other guests—and even other teams—were also staying here.
And yet, thanks to the endless crowd of reporters outside, the entire hotel was surrounded so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through.
It was, without a doubt, causing trouble for everyone.
"We'll handle it as soon as possible," Coach Kataoka promised.
Exclusive interviews were out of the question. The team had already been featured on national television. Their fame was secured; any more interviews would just waste precious time—something Kataoka would never allow.
The schedule was tight.
Though they'd just finished their first-round match, their second-round opponent had already been announced.
And this time, the team wasn't weak.
For others, defeating Osaka Kiryu High School would have been a miracle.
But for the players of Seidou High School, it was just another hard-fought game on the road toward their ultimate goal—national domination.
Under such pressure, there was no room to relax.
Even so, the younger players couldn't hide their excitement.
"I'm famous!" one of them laughed.
This wasn't just ordinary fame—it was nationwide. From this moment on, Seidou High School had returned as kings.
Any future opponent who faced them would inevitably feel a shiver of apprehension.
"Our next opponent isn't weak," Chris reminded them. "We still have to study them carefully."
"No matter how strong they are," someone said, "they can't be stronger than Osaka Kiryu, right?"
It had to be said—the victory over Osaka Kiryu had left a deep mark on the team.
On the bright side, their confidence soared.
But on the darker side… a subtle shift had begun to creep into their mentality.
Chris noticed it immediately.
Koshien wasn't just a battlefield—it was a crucible. It didn't only test a player's skill, but also their heart.
He turned to look at Seidou's ace.
While everyone else was caught between excitement and exhaustion, Zhou Hao sat quietly in the corner, flipping through scouting reports on their next opponent.
Even after a glorious victory, he was already preparing for the next challenge.
The others eventually joined in—Chris, Yuki, Miyuki, Yoshida, even Azuma—but Zhou Hao's focus and composure stood out above the rest.
"Having a player like him choose Seidou… we're really blessed," Chris murmured.
Without Zhou Hao, Chris couldn't imagine where the team would be now.
But from the hotel staff's perspective, none of that inner conflict was visible.
All they saw were the Seidou players huddled together, analyzing data, discussing strategies, and doing light workouts whenever possible—push-ups, sit-ups, squats.
Even after yesterday's grueling match, they never seemed to rest.
"No wonder they beat the so-called Universe Team, Osaka Kiryu," one staff member whispered.
"These guys are incredible."
"Did you see that Zhou Hao? After pitching an entire game yesterday, he was still up early doing squats this morning!"
Hearing that, Coach Kataoka's expression darkened.
He shot a cold glare at Zhou Hao.
While he allowed most players to manage their own training load, his instructions to Zhou Hao were absolute—rest.
No extra training. No unnecessary movement.
"Your most important task right now," he said firmly, "is to conserve your stamina."
Zhou Hao scratched his cheek, smiling awkwardly. "If I don't move around, I feel like I'll rust."
Though exhausted, he couldn't bring himself to stay idle.
Their victory against Osaka Kiryu had brought Seidou one step closer to their dream—and Zhou Hao was determined to lead them to the very end.
Not only the third-years, but even Zhou Hao himself couldn't hold back his burning desire.
He wanted to dominate the nation.
Time passed quickly. Before they knew it, a new day dawned.
Seidou High School Baseball Team stood ready for their second-round match.
Their next opponent: Arayashiki High School.
A plain name—but a powerhouse team.
Under a clear blue sky, with the blazing sun high above, both teams arrived at the stadium, eyes sharp and spirits fierce.
"Koshien Round 2, Game 3—Seidou High School vs. Arayashiki High School! The match officially begins!"
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