"Out!"
Two outs, no one on base.
The opposing pitcher wasn't the Ace of Osaka Kiryu High, and his fastball didn't reach the terrifying 150 km/h mark. Given that, many people believed Zhou Hao would have no problem connecting with the ball once he stepped up to bat.
And that belief wasn't blind worship.
It was because Zhou Hao had done this countless times before.
So much so that Seidou's supporters had almost taken it for granted—
As long as Zhou Hao stepped up to the plate, there was no pitch he couldn't hit.
The pitcher from Arayashiki High School might have good control, but surely, he couldn't escape Zhou Hao's swing.
Unexpectedly, that confidence was shattered almost instantly.
When Zhou Hao returned to the dugout, a group of teammates immediately surrounded him.
They didn't even need to say anything—Zhou Hao already understood what they were thinking.
"It's not an irregular breaking ball," Zhou Hao said, his tone calm but focused. "He can control the baseball's movement, and he knows each of us very well."
The moment Zhou Hao saw the shortstop shift positions, he'd already pieced the puzzle together.
Their opponents knew exactly what kind of hitter he was—and they had set a trap specifically for him.
"A pitch that can control its movement?"
The Seidou players looked stunned. If they hadn't experienced it themselves, they would've never believed it.
"As expected of a Koshien regular," someone muttered. "They're not easy to deal with."
But instead of feeling defeated, the Seidou players felt a surge of respect.
This level of precision and strategy was exactly what made a team worthy of standing on Koshien's stage.
"Third batter, number three, first baseman—Yuki!"
Yuki stepped into the batter's box, his expression unreadable.
On the mound, Uekusa remained composed, winding up for his next pitch.
Boom!
Ping!
The ball bounced sharply off the ground, straight toward first base.
The Arayashiki High School first baseman moved quickly, fielded the ball cleanly, and—
Smack!
"Out!"
Three outs. Side retired.
The first inning ended with the score locked at 0–0.
Both sides had made their statement—
Zhou Hao with his blistering straight balls, and Arayashiki High with airtight defense.
"This game's gonna be intense!"
A fan in the stands couldn't hold back their excitement.
Everyone knew how terrifying Zhou Hao and Yuki's batting was.
Anyone who'd seen their last game against the "Universe Team" knew exactly how powerful they were.
Even against a national powerhouse—against a 150 km/h Ace—they could still produce hits.
Yet today, both of them were retired cleanly by Arayashiki's defense.
Their strength was no joke.
"This is good too," another fan said eagerly. "Maybe we'll finally see that legendary Spiral Ball!"
That speculation wasn't groundless.
With things turning out this way, there was no way Seidou would just sit quietly.
Perhaps Zhou Hao would bring out something even more dangerous.
Top of the second inning.
Arayashiki High School was now on offense.
Their cleanup hitter—a tall, powerfully built player—stepped into the box. His grip tightened around a large metal bat, his eyes burning with fierce intent.
He was clearly ready for a head-on showdown with Zhou Hao.
His glare was sharp enough to pierce steel, but Zhou Hao remained completely unfazed.
Expressionless, calm, he set his stance and delivered the pitch.
Whoosh!
The ball shot forward like lightning.
146 kilometers per hour!
The cleanup hitter's eyes gleamed with determination.
He believed—no, he knew—he could hit it.
The moment the ball entered his range, he swung with all his strength.
Buzz!
The dull thud of the bat cutting through the air made the crowd's hearts tighten.
If that swing connected cleanly—even without hitting the sweet spot—it would still be sent flying.
Behind the plate, Miyuki Kazuya narrowed his eyes.
He had called this pitch. To say he wasn't nervous would be a lie.
But Zhou Hao didn't disappoint.
Just before reaching the strike zone, the baseball suddenly dropped—cleanly evading the bat.
Smack!
"Strike!"
The cleanup hitter froze, eyes wide with disbelief.
Miyuki couldn't help but smirk slightly behind his mask.
"As expected of Zhou Hao… he never misses. And with that sharp vision of his, I bet he can tell exactly where the opponent plans to swing."
Of course, Miyuki didn't know about Zhou Hao's Sharingan.
He simply assumed Zhou Hao's eyesight and judgment were extraordinary.
With Miyuki's pitch-calling and Zhou Hao's precision, their combined accuracy wasn't 100%,
but it was easily 80 to 90 percent—and that was terrifying enough.
The Arayashiki High School batters were completely stunned.
It wasn't that they didn't want to hit the ball…
They simply couldn't.
"Again!" Miyuki signaled without hesitation.
He wasn't one to show mercy—especially when the opponent was shaken.
This was the perfect chance to strike.
Zhou Hao nodded slightly, wound up again, and unleashed another straight ball.
Whoosh!
Smack!
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
The cleanup hitter—Arayashiki's strongest batter—walked off the field, head down.
He hadn't even touched the ball.
It was a devastating blow to the entire team.
And that was just a straight ball.
What would happen once Zhou Hao brought out his Spiral Ball… or his breaking pitches?
For the first time, the players of Arayashiki High School began to feel genuine despair.
Against Zhou Hao—how were they supposed to win?
"Don't lose heart," their Director called out, trying to comfort them. "He can't stay on the mound forever."
But even though his words were true, they offered little comfort.
Was that really the only way they could score—
to wait until Zhou Hao stepped off the mound?
Just as that thought crossed their minds—
Strike!
Strikeout!!
Strikeout!!!
Zhou Hao ended the inning with two more clean strikeouts.
-----------
Support me at patréon com/DaoOfPeeking