"Stop him!"
The players of Ikeda High School had bloodshot eyes, their faces flushed with frustration and defiance.
They were furious.
At this point, even they knew the truth — the game was already beyond saving.
To score six runs against Seidou? Forget them; even a powerhouse like Osaka Kiryu wouldn't be able to do that right now.
But just because they had accepted defeat didn't mean they would let Seidou humiliate them.
From Matsumoto's perspective, this was his moment to prove his worth — to show everyone his strength.
And that was something Ikeda's players absolutely couldn't accept.
The scoreboard still read 6–0.
As the biggest dark horse of this Koshien, Ikeda had dreamed of reaching the finals. Never had they been beaten so thoroughly before.
Now, crushed by Seidou and still being attacked relentlessly, their pride was burning.
Ikeda's third baseman rushed forward to scoop up the ball, but just as he turned to throw, he froze in disbelief.
Matsumoto, who had barely started running, had already covered more than half the distance!
How is he so fast?!
The third baseman's mind went blank.
This wasn't his fault — Matsumoto hadn't been on base before, so his speed hadn't been revealed yet.
Earlier, Zhou Hao had stolen the spotlight.
Now that Matsumoto finally had his turn, how could he hold back?
He ran with everything he had.
Even though Ikeda's third baseman threw desperately to first base, by the time the ball reached the glove—
"Smack!"
—Matsumoto's foot was already on the bag.
"Safe!"
No outs, runner on first.
Even Seidou's supporters, as excited as they were, felt Matsumoto's play was a little too aggressive.
They already held a commanding lead. Couldn't they take it easy?
But despite their words, their true feelings were clear.
They were thrilled. From the top of their heads to the soles of their feet — thrilled.
"This is how Seidou plays!"
"The opponent's already collapsing—finish them off!"
"Zhou Hao—!"
The dugout erupted with energy. The players were fired up.
If they could widen the lead even more, it would allow Yoshida to finish the game on the mound while Zhou Hao could continue conserving his strength.
It was the perfect strategy.
Ikeda's "dark horse" title came mostly from their ace pitcher, Akahoshi, and their solid defense.
Their offense, on the other hand, was unique — but not powerful.
And as Seidou advanced further in Koshien, the competition would only get tougher.
The more energy Zhou Hao could save, the better.
"Let's finish this," someone murmured.
"Second batter, outfielder—Zhou Hao!"
As Zhou Hao stepped into the batter's box, Seidou's fans roared.
Everyone remembered his painful struggle in Seidou's first Koshien game against Osaka Kiryu. Back then, he'd been completely overwhelmed.
That match was a brutal test — one that left many of his fans heartbroken.
But today, Zhou Hao looked like a completely different player.
He was untouchable.
Seidou's first and second runs had been entirely his doing. His batting, his running — everything shone.
He was, without a doubt, the brightest star on the field.
Now, as he faced Akahoshi for the fourth time, the anticipation was electric.
"Hit it out!"
"One more run!"
Meanwhile, Ikeda's players and supporters held their breath, their eyes locked on Zhou Hao.
To them, he was a walking nightmare — a legend in flesh and blood.
Should they walk him again?
Just as hesitation rippled through the team, Akahoshi raised his hand.
"Let's get an out first!"
His calm, commanding tone instantly steadied his teammates.
Up in the stands, several professional scouts leaned forward, their eyes gleaming.
That's the kind of player we want.
Not only did Akahoshi have elite pitching skills, but also an unshakable spirit — a refusal to give in, no matter the situation.
Earlier, when he intentionally walked Zhou Hao, it wasn't out of fear — it was for the team's sake.
Now, with nothing left to lose, he faced Zhou Hao head-on, proving his iron will.
"He's perfect," one scout muttered.
"If we can bring him in, we'll strengthen both our pitching and our locker room morale."
To them, Akahoshi's value was clear.
Scouts didn't care who won. They cared about who could play.
And while Zhou Hao's raw potential was incredible, Akahoshi's combination of skill, mentality, and cost-effectiveness made him even more appealing.
Not everyone could afford a superstar. But a hidden gem like Akahoshi? That was a dream come true.
Now, the long-awaited duel began.
"Swish!"
Akahoshi threw with everything he had.
As the ball hurtled toward him, Zhou Hao's Sharingan activated.
For opponents he respected, he always gave his all.
The moment the ball entered his strike zone—
"Ping!"
The crack echoed through the stadium.
The white ball soared high into the sky.
Twenty thousand pairs of eyes followed its arc.
It flew past a hundred meters—
And then began to fall.
At the deepest part of the outfield, Ikeda's fielder was already waiting.
As the ball descended, tears welled in his eyes.
Finally… we stopped him!
This wasn't just for himself. It was for their team — and for their ace, Akahoshi.
"Smack!"
"Out!"
They'd finally gotten Zhou Hao out.
"One out, runner on first."
Even so, Seidou's fans didn't look disappointed — only slightly regretful.
"Ah, just a little more!"
"That would've been a homer!"
"They had their outfielder standing that deep, anyone else wouldn't have caught it!"
From the crowd's perspective, it wasn't a miss — just bad luck.
But in reality, fatigue had started to creep in.
Zhou Hao's stamina was draining in the heat, while Akahoshi's endurance was shocking — his final pitches had even stronger movement than before.
Even so, Zhou Hao smiled faintly.
If not for the system, how could he stand toe-to-toe with monsters like these?
Since heaven gave me this chance, he thought, I'll enjoy every moment of it.
Although Zhou Hao was out, Seidou's offense didn't stop.
In fact—it intensified.
Yuki, stepping into the box, swung without hesitation.
"Ping!"
The ball shot off like white lightning, slicing across the field.
Ikeda's defense reacted too slowly.
"It went through!"
Matsumoto was already off like a predator chasing prey, sprinting with explosive speed.
In the blink of an eye, he rounded second, then third.
Before the throw even reached home—
"Safe!"
The crowd erupted.
"Oh my god!"
"Is he a sprinter or a baseball player?!"
Seidou scored their seventh run.
"Congratulations to Seidou High School for their seventh run of the game! The score is now 7–0!"
And moments later—
"Congratulations to Seidou for their eighth run! 8–0!"
When Yuki crossed home plate, Seidou's offense finally ended.
Ikeda's players stood in stunned silence.
Back in the fifth and sixth innings, they had still fought toe-to-toe.
Now, they couldn't even resist.
By the ninth inning, their only wish was to score — or at least, get a hit.
But fate wasn't kind.
Every ball they struck was caught cleanly.
"Ping!"
"Smack!"
"Out!"
"Ping!!"
Even their last pinch hitter connected beautifully—
Only for Seidou's fielder to sprint forward and snatch it out of the air.
"Smack!"
"Out!"
"Three outs. Game over!"
The umpire's call was drowned out by the thunderous cheers.
The ninth inning ended — and with it, the game.
"Congratulations to Seidou High School Baseball Team for defeating Ikeda High School! They have officially advanced to the National Top Eight!"