The first batter of Arayashiki High School turned back in disbelief, staring blankly at the baseball sitting snugly in Miyuki Kazuya's glove.
His mind was filled with question marks.
When did it happen?
How did the ball end up there?
He had no idea. The only image imprinted in his mind was the baseball vanishing right before his bat made contact.
"Only a breaking ball could do that… right?"
The batter felt like his brain was about to short-circuit. No matter how he replayed it in his mind, he couldn't figure it out. Why did the ball suddenly disappear from his swing zone?
Unlike the confused batter, the Arayashiki High School Director immediately pieced together what had happened.
"Spin… he used the spin to make it evade the bat. But that's not his Spiral Ball or breaking pitch…"
Even the director, who had seen countless pitchers, looked shaken by Zhou Hao's pitch.
As for the fans—
The entire crowd was roaring with excitement.
Even though many of them had never seen Zhou Hao's infamous Spiral Ball, they were already thrilled just watching him pitch.
"Did you see that? That batter looked like a total fool!"
"He couldn't even touch it!"
"And that was just a straight ball!"
Zhou Hao's straight ball wasn't truly "normal," but compared to his monstrous Spiral Ball and sharp breaking pitches, it was considered the easiest of his arsenal to deal with. Yet, the batter from Arayashiki High couldn't even graze it.
How could Seidou's supporters not burst with pride?
"Didn't they say this team made the Top 16 in last year's Summer Koshien and Top 8 in the Spring Invitational?"
"Maybe their strength just hasn't shown yet."
Even so, from what the fans could see, it didn't matter. Zhou Hao had complete control of the game's rhythm.
One out. No one on base.
The second batter stepped up to the plate, his expression far different from his teammate's.
Where the first batter had faced Zhou Hao with confidence and fighting spirit, the second stepped up with visible apprehension.
They could accept losing to the Spiral Ball or breaking pitches — even the sluggers from Osaka Kiryu couldn't handle those. It was normal.
But to be beaten by an ordinary straight ball… that was another story.
That would be a blow not only to the players' morale, but to the pride of their entire team.
Determined not to repeat his teammate's humiliation, the second batter steadied his stance.
When Zhou Hao wound up and threw, a sharp whoosh cut through the air.
"The ball's spin controls its vertical movement… you have to swing above or below the line," he reminded himself, narrowing his eyes.
He made up his mind and swung.
Crack—!
Or at least, that's what he expected.
Instead—
"Slap!"
"Strike!!"
The second batter froze, his face pale.
He had aimed precisely to counter Zhou Hao's spin-based pitch… but this ball didn't rise or dip at all. It was a true, clean straight.
"Damn it…" he muttered, gritting his teeth.
Even when he's bullying us, there should be a limit!
If Zhou Hao could've heard his thoughts, he would've felt wronged.
This wasn't his decision.
Before the match, Coach Kataoka had gone over Arayashiki's data and given clear instructions:
"Two innings. No more."
Unless Seidou ran into serious trouble, Zhou Hao would only pitch the first two innings today.
As for what pitches to use, that was up to Miyuki to decide.
After a long discussion, the captain made his call.
"Straight balls."
When the team first heard it, everyone was stunned.
"What? Just straight balls?"
Sure, Zhou Hao's straight pitch was powerful, with both speed and subtle movement, but how could it compare to his terrifying Spiral Ball or his precision breaking balls?
Especially that Spiral Ball — even Osaka Kiryu's top hitters couldn't touch it.
But Miyuki's response was firm and confident.
"Precisely because the straight ball is the least expected — it's the most effective."
He knew Coach Kataoka wanted to conserve Zhou Hao's stamina. Koshien was a brutal grind; every inning mattered.
If they could use this "ordinary" approach to confuse and crush Arano early, it would send a powerful message.
And the results were already proving him right.
"Whoosh!"
"Slap!"
"Strike!!"
The second batter's arms trembled slightly as he gripped his bat. Down two strikes, a chill ran down his spine.
"Slap!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!"
Three up, three down. Side retired!
At the start of the second round of Koshien, Zhou Hao struck out all three batters using nothing but straight balls.
The entire stadium erupted into chaos.
Even the director of Arayashiki High School, who had studied Zhou Hao's data for days, was dumbfounded.
Wasn't his strength supposed to be in the Spiral Ball and breaking pitches?
Yet here he was — mowing down batters with sheer, overwhelming straight power.
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