"Conquer the nation!!!"
The familiar slogan echoed again—this time in the hotel lobby.
The hotel staff exchanged glances, clearly bewildered.
It wasn't as if they didn't understand the determination of Seidou High School's baseball players.
After all, they'd been hosting them for quite some time and already knew these kids well.
But when the Seidou players started shouting in the lobby as if no one else existed, it felt as though they'd been possessed by some fiery spirit.
One of the employees, looking worried, whispered, "Should we… tell their coach?"
Her concern was genuine. The Seidou players weren't troublemakers—they were polite, humble, and incredibly talented. It would be such a tragedy if something was wrong with them mentally.
The hotel manager, however, just chuckled.
"Don't worry. This is exactly how young people should be."
He smiled, his eyes soft with nostalgia. "They're full of energy—different from us old-timers. Just look at them."
"I heard you played baseball yourself, Manager. Do you see a bit of your youth in them?"
The man laughed. "I wish! We were eliminated in the second round of the regional tournament. They're on a completely different level—favored by heaven itself."
The other staff couldn't help but laugh along.
Being eliminated that early really did highlight the massive gap between them and a powerhouse like Seidou.
"Hey, don't underestimate us," the manager added with mock pride. "Reaching the second round means we already knocked out half the teams!"
Everyone chuckled again. It was true—high school baseball's single-elimination format was ruthless. One loss, and your dream was over.
Time passed quickly, and soon, the quarterfinal matchups were announced.
The Seidou players crowded around the TV, their eyes sharp and serious as the pairings were revealed.
"…Aren't we a bit too unlucky?"
Even the ever-optimistic Isashiki Jun couldn't help but complain when he saw the results.
Honestly, no one could blame him.
Once again, Seidou had drawn one of the toughest opponents in the tournament.
In the first round, they'd already faced Osaka Kiryu—the reigning powerhouse.
Maybe the organizers wanted an explosive opening match for Koshien, underestimating just how strong Seidou had become.
The result? Fans were still joking that the first round had been the final battle.
The organizers were probably regretting that decision now.
After proving themselves as one of the strongest teams in the tournament, surely, the organizers wouldn't put them in another difficult bracket… right?
Wrong.
They did it again—without hesitation.
In the quarterfinals, Seidou's opponent was none other than Seisho High School, the third seed of the tournament, right behind Osaka Kiryu and Seibang.
Though Osaka Kiryu had already been eliminated, that didn't make things any easier. Qingzheng was a top contender—many believed they had what it took to win it all.
"This draw feels rigged," someone muttered.
Chris just shook his head, a wry smile forming. "There were only eight balls in the draw, and our people participated too. Maybe this really is our luck."
Though he felt it was too much of a coincidence, he knew that by this stage, every opponent was strong.
If Seidou truly wanted to conquer the nation, they couldn't afford to fear anyone.
"Their team's structure is very similar to ours," Chris continued. "A dominant ace pitcher and a lineup of solid players all around."
It was only after reaching Koshien that Seidou's players realized just how many incredible pitchers existed across Japan.
Each team they'd faced so far had a unique ace with distinct strengths.
Kuroda.
Akahoshi.
Both were national-level star pitchers.
And now, Seisho High School's ace was no exception.
"This guy's name is Akutsu. When he was young, he practiced Aikido, Judo, martial arts, Taekwondo, even Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—"
Just hearing that list made everyone's scalp tingle.
"He started playing baseball in his second year of junior high," Chris continued, "and his rise was meteoric. Some say Kuroda is the best pitcher in the country. Others say it's Akutsu. And then there's Oonogi from Seibang. Before Zhou Hao appeared, these three were considered the top high school pitchers in Japan."
The high school baseball world wasn't that large—but true stars were rare.
Before Zhou Hao's rise, the three great pitchers and seven great batters were the defining figures of this generation.
Seidou had already faced three of those ten — all from Osaka Kiryu.
Now, in the quarterfinals, they were about to face another.
Akutsu was 186 cm tall, lean but muscular, with explosive power and lightning-fast reflexes.
"His fastball reaches 148 km/h," Chris explained, "and his control is pinpoint accurate. He's like Narumiya Mei—but with his own signature pitch."
That pitch was known as the Bullet Pitch.
As the name implied, it shot out like a bullet — blindingly fast, giving the batter no chance to react.
If it came over the plate, it was a guaranteed strikeout.
The room fell silent.
The Seidou players didn't need to say it aloud — this matchup was brutal.
Takashima Rei finished her opponent analysis with a serious expression.
"Their defense is among the best in the country," she said. "And as for their batting lineup—there's nothing more to say. They're stacked."
Top national teams never lacked strong hitters.
And Seisho High School even had one of the seven great batters in their lineup.
"To beat them, we'll need absolute focus and composure."
As her words sank in, she noticed that the players around her had gone quiet.
Rei sighed inwardly. She couldn't really blame them.
They had already faced Osaka Kiryu in the first round, one of the toughest draws imaginable.
And now, in the quarterfinals, they were up against another powerhouse—Seisho High School.
To say Seidou's players didn't feel frustrated would be a lie.
Rei knew that deep down, some part of them wanted to shout at the heavens for giving them such "luck."
Just as she was wondering how to break the mood, Miyuki Kazuya suddenly spoke.
He reached out and patted Zhou Hao's shoulder, a small grin on his face.
"As the Ace," he asked, "facing the third seed in the quarterfinals—what do you think?"
The room fell into silence.
Every player turned toward Zhou Hao, waiting for his answer.
Miyuki wasn't the only one curious; all of them were.
Zhou Hao wasn't just their Ace—he was the heart of Seidou's team now. His opinion carried weight.
Even Takashima Rei was slightly taken aback. She hadn't realized how much Zhou Hao's presence had grown until this moment.
Then it clicked.
Among the three great pitchers—Kuroda, Akutsu, and Oonogi—Zhou Hao had already faced Kuroda head-on.
And that match had ended in a draw.
Kuroda was widely regarded as the strongest high school pitcher in Japan.
If Zhou Hao could go toe-to-toe with him, it meant that his ability was at least on par—if not stronger.
In truth, Zhou Hao had already become recognized as one of the four great pitchers of Japan. Some even whispered he might be the strongest of them all.
With such a player on their side, the team naturally looked to him for confidence.
Zhou Hao met everyone's gaze, then gave a calm, almost teasing smile.
"Senior said we're unlucky," he said lightly. "But I don't think so. They're the third seed, and we're the first seed. Shouldn't they be the unlucky ones?"
For a second, no one spoke.
Then, like a heavy rock thrown into a still lake, his words rippled through the room—until they burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"You're absolutely right! They're the unlucky ones!"
"At this point, the ones who should be crying are them!"
"No matter who we face, our goal stays the same—to conquer the nation!"
The players' shouts grew louder and louder, echoing with pride and fire.
Some of the third-years even had tears in their eyes as they roared out their conviction.
Zhou Hao's words hit them hard—not just as encouragement, but as truth.
They had already beaten Osaka Kiryu, the so-called "Universe Team."
They were no longer the underdogs—they were the first seed now, the team to beat.
In their hearts, every player knew: there was no room for fear.
Coach Kataoka watched silently, his expression calm, though pride flickered in his eyes.
Good.
This was how Seidou should be.
They had made it all the way to the national quarterfinals, just a few steps from the championship.
It was time to let the world see the true Seidou High School Baseball Team.
"It's not bad for them to be this fired up," Kataoka thought. "At the very least, it shows how much they've grown. Now, we just need to channel it on the field."
"Tomorrow's game," he announced, "Zhou Hao will start as pitcher. Yoshida, begin warming up from the fourth inning. You'll take over in the fifth or sixth."
He had thought it through carefully.
Previously, in matches like the one against Ikeda High, Zhou Hao had only pitched through the third inning. But this time, Kataoka wanted him to go longer—to the fourth or fifth inning, depending on the situation.
That way, Zhou Hao could face the core batters at least once more before handing the ball over.
And besides, there weren't many games left in the tournament. Zhou Hao no longer needed to hold back to conserve stamina.
Despite the grueling schedule, his condition remained excellent.
Even after facing powerhouses like Osaka Kiryu, his innings against Arayano and Ikeda were short, meaning he'd preserved his energy for the most crucial stage.
"First batter, Matsumoto.
Second, Zhou Hao.
Third, Yuki Tetsuya.
Fourth, Azuma Kiyokuni.
Fifth, Shimoi Teru.
Sixth, Chris.
Seventh, Yoshida.
Eighth, Isashiki Jun.
Ninth, Koike."
The lineup was almost unchanged, except for Koike stepping in as ninth batter—a move that surprised no one.
Everyone nodded in silent agreement.
"Tomorrow's game," Kataoka said firmly, "give it everything you've got!"
"Yes!!!"
Their voices roared in unison.
The night passed peacefully.
At dawn, the Seidou players ate breakfast together before boarding the bus to Koshien.
Maybe they were too early this time—there weren't even reporters waiting when they arrived.
They changed into their uniforms, stretched, and waited through a long thirty minutes before it was finally their turn to enter the field.
Azuma Kiyokuni walked at the front, pushing open the door to the dazzling sunlight of Koshien Stadium.
It was their fourth time stepping onto this sacred field.
And yet, this time felt completely different.
The moment they appeared, a thunderous wave of cheers greeted them.
"Seidou!!!"
"Yuki!"
"Zhou Hao!"
"Azuma Kiyokuni!!"
The crowd's shouts rose and fell like ocean waves.
They weren't just cheering for the team anymore—they were calling out the names of Seidou's stars.
The Seidou High School Baseball Team was no longer the quiet underdog it once was.
They now had their own heroes—Zhou Hao, the unstoppable Ace; Yuki Tetsuya, the captain; Azuma Kiyokuni, the power hitter—and even players who had once been overlooked were now being remembered.
Seidou High had become the team of legends in the making.