Drums and cheers thundered across Koshien as people flooded the stands.
The moment the Seidou High School Baseball Team stepped onto the field, they were met with a breathtaking sight.
The stands on both sides of the stadium were already packed to the brim with spectators.
How many fans had come?
No one in Seidou could tell.
But one thing was absolutely certain —
the popularity of today's game was no less than their previous battle against Osaka Kiryu High School.
The fans were too enthusiastic, their cheers roaring like waves.
Hearing those shouts — especially when they called out their names —
Seidou's players felt their blood boil.
They could hardly wait to play.
At that moment, every Seidou player felt like they could crush their opponents beyond recognition.
Among the substitutes, Kuramochi clenched his fists as he watched from the sidelines.
In his heart, he whispered Zhou Hao's name.
Sooner or later, I'll stand out there too… among the First Team… and feel this glory for myself.
Seisho High School Dugout
Across the field, the players of Seisho High School — another top national powerhouse — looked around in disbelief.
None of them had expected this kind of scene when they stepped onto the field.
They were a famous team too — one of the strongest in Japan.
Logically, even if Seidou had more fans, Seisho's supporters should have been able to hold their own.
But what they saw now was far beyond their imagination.
Even though many of their own school's students and alumni had come to cheer,
the total number of Seisho supporters was less than one-fifth of Seidou's.
They were squeezed into just one small corner of the stands,
while the rest of Koshien seemed to have turned into a sea of Seidou blue.
"As expected of the first seed," their coach muttered with a calm smile. "Their momentum really is something else."
Seisho's coach was a middle-aged man with a slightly plump build and a face that gave off an air of reliability —
he looked more like a successful businessman than a baseball coach.
Turning to his players, he found their eyes clear and steady.
Not one of them looked intimidated by the overwhelming atmosphere.
If anything, there was a hint of eagerness burning in their expressions.
"That's right, boys," the coach said with a grin. "No matter what kind of opponent we face, we give our best. Let's make them taste a little surprise right from the start."
Top of the First Inning — Seisho's Offense
According to the coach's plan, Seisho intended to strike first and catch Seidou off guard.
That terrifying Spiral Ball of Zhou Hao's was undoubtedly a threat —
but it wasn't like no one had ever hit it before.
"Koshien Tournament, Round 4, Game 2 — Seidou High School vs. Seisho High School — begins now!"
The announcer's passionate voice echoed through the stadium.
She was a beautiful female commentator,
and though her appearance was gentle, her tone carried an infectious excitement.
"Seidou, go for it!"
"Zhou Hao! Let's go!!"
The fans erupted again as the two teams bowed to each other.
Then, Seidou's starting lineup took their defensive positions.
At the center of it all, standing tall on the mound, was their Ace — Zhou Hao.
Seisho's leadoff batter stepped into the box — a short, slender player around 160 centimeters tall.
His name was Hayata.
Among the burly figures of high school baseball, he looked almost out of place.
But being chosen as leadoff hitter for a team like Seisho meant one thing —
this player was no pushover.
Seisho High School was the undisputed powerhouse of their region.
Unlike West Tokyo — where schools like Seidou, Inashiro, Yakushi and Ichidai competed fiercely for talent —
Seisho dominated their area completely.
Any player they wanted, they got.
Even if their fame wasn't as high as Osaka Kiryu's,
their overall strength and individual player quality were nearly the same as that of the so-called Universe Team.
To stand out in such a team meant Hayata's ability was exceptional.
He crouched slightly in the batter's box, eyes locked on Zhou Hao.
His determination to hit the ball was palpable.
Although small, his grip on the bat was strong —
and under his sleeves, his muscles bulged tightly.
Behind the plate, Chris, who was catching today, immediately noticed this detail.
He recalled the scouting report —
Hayata was short, but his batting power was astonishing.
Chris's expression hardened. This guy's dangerous.
"Should we give them a little warning?" he muttered, half to himself.
But Zhou Hao, standing on the mound, shook his head slightly.
He understood what kind of team Seisho was —
one that couldn't be intimidated easily.
If he tried to scare them early with the Spiral Ball,
even if they couldn't hit it, they'd simply adjust and drag him into a stamina battle.
That would mean letting the opponent dictate the pace —
something Zhou Hao refused to allow.
His goal was clear: pitch the whole game and crush them head-on.
Chris chuckled.
Most of Zhou Hao's reputation had come from his Spiral Ball —
and many people thought that was his only weapon.
But those people didn't know the truth.
"Our Ace isn't just a one-trick pony," Chris thought with pride as he gave the sign.
Zhou Hao nodded subtly, set his stance, and threw.
"Whoosh!"
The baseball shot out like lightning.
Hayata's eyes widened —
So fast!
Before he could even react, the ball was past him.
"Thwack!"
"Strike!"
On the massive Koshien screen, the pitch speed flashed in bold numbers.
147 kilometers per hour!
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"A straight ball at nearly 150 km/h, and he nailed the corner!"
"That's top-tier speed even in this tournament!"
"He's still a first-year rookie, right?!"
Every time Zhou Hao's name was mentioned, people couldn't help but remember —
he was still only in his first year.
That fact alone made his achievements even more dazzling.
Reporters murmured among themselves.
"If he's already this strong now… imagine him as a third-year. He'll be unstoppable."
Down one strike, Hayata still didn't back off.
His eyes sharpened as he stared at Zhou Hao.
That was fast… but I can hit it.
Every great player knows their limits — and their potential.
And Hayata's pride told him that this pitch was within reach.
He raised his bat, full of confidence.
Tens of thousands of eyes across Koshien focused on the two of them.
Under that spotlight, Hayata felt power surging through him.
As the next ball approached, he swung with everything he had.
"Whizz!"
The sound of his swing sliced through the air.
For a moment, the crowd thought he might actually connect.
But then—
"Thwack!"
"Strike!"
Two strikes.
The umpire's eyes widened.
That swing had been perfect — yet Hayata hadn't even touched the ball.
He stood frozen in disbelief.
He had clearly seen the ball…
so why hadn't it been there when his bat crossed the plate?
"Where did it go…?" he whispered, eyes wide.
From behind the mask, Chris smirked.
Excellent effect. Keep it up.
For confident players like Hayata, missing a pitch they thought they could hit was psychologically devastating.
And that was exactly what Zhou Hao wanted.
"Third pitch!"
At Chris's signal, Zhou Hao delivered again.
Another sharp, fastball whistled past the plate.
Still dazed, Hayata swung instinctively—
"Thwack!"
"Strike! Strikeout!"
One out, nobody on base.
The Seidou supporters exploded with cheers.
"Did you see that? Even without the Spiral Ball, our Ace dominates!"
As Seidou fans and reporters alike celebrated, they couldn't help but think back to all the criticisms Zhou Hao had faced —
that he was just a one-trick pitcher,
that he wouldn't last long in pro baseball.
But now, Zhou Hao's disappearing straight ball had silenced every doubt.
In Seisho's dugout, the players looked at each other in confusion.
The pitch didn't seem extraordinary —
147, maybe 148 km/h.
It shouldn't have been unhittable.
"Why couldn't Hayata touch it?" someone asked.
Hayata returned to the bench, pale.
"The ball… it just disappeared. I saw it, but— it was gone."
The coach frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"He's controlling the spin perfectly. The drop at the end dodged your bat by a hair."
He turned to his team. "When you swing, aim one to two balls lower than where you think the fastball will be."
Despite his heavy build, the Seisho coach wasn't just talk —
his baseball instincts were sharp.
If they hadn't expected Zhou Hao to skip the Spiral Ball early,
they might have been better prepared.
"Second batter, number one, pitcher — Akutsu-kun!"
As Seisho's Ace stepped into the box, the Seidou players exchanged glances.
"Their Ace bats second too? Are they copying us?"
"No way — they're a top team. Maybe he's a two-way player."
"Akutsu, huh… That makes four star pitchers now — Kuroda, Akutsu, Oonogi, and Zhou Hao."
The tension around Koshien grew even heavier.
The battle between the four great pitchers of Japan was finally about to begin.