One out, no runners on base.
Seisho High School's second batter stepped up to the plate.
The moment Akutsu appeared, the stands erupted in cheers.
There was no helping it—this pitcher's reputation was simply too great.
He was one of the three star pitchers of this year's high school Koshien. Because of Akutsu's presence, some even predicted that Seisho High School might not be able to win the championship.
Zhou Hao, needless to say, had become the most talked-about player after the first three rounds of the tournament.
Before Koshien began, Zhou Hao couldn't even be compared to the three star pitchers.
Now, when his name was listed alongside theirs, not only did no one question it—many even felt it elevated the reputation of the star pitchers themselves.
Many fans bought tickets for this game just to see the direct confrontation between Zhou Hao and Akutsu. Unexpectedly, this clash of titans was happening right from the very start.
"Zhou Hao!"
"Akutsu!"
The supporters of both teams shouted the names of their heroes, eagerly anticipating their head-to-head battle.
At the plate, Akutsu narrowed his eyes.
He had just learned the secret behind Zhou Hao's Straight ball from Hayakawa. Zhou Hao's fastball wasn't just quick—it had exceptional spin control.
"No wonder Akahoshi was completely helpless against him. It's a pity Ikeda High School's overall strength was too weak—they couldn't force out Zhou Hao's true ability," Akutsu thought, feeling a twinge of regret.
If Akahoshi had managed to push Zhou Hao further, their pre-game preparation could have been even more complete.
"Well then, there's no helping it. On the Koshien field, I'll just have to draw it out myself."
Akutsu's eyes locked onto the pitcher's mound. As soon as Zhou Hao threw the ball, he was ready to swing without hesitation.
Behind the plate, Chris noticed the opposing batter's stance and frowned slightly.
He could feel the threat radiating from Akutsu.
"This guy's definitely not simple."
They had felt this same pressure once before—against Kuroda.
"Should we change the pitch?" Chris asked quietly.
Zhou Hao nodded decisively.
He had learned this lesson before—against Osaka Kiryu High School. Even now, just thinking about that game made him grit his teeth in frustration.
If you sense danger, avoid it.
If you want to test it again, be fully prepared.
Never charge in recklessly.
No opponent in Koshien was easy to face. Every team required absolute caution.
Giving up a hit or even a run was sometimes unavoidable—but every single one mattered.
In this kind of game, a single mistake—a single run—could cost them everything.
Just like in their first-round match against Osaka Kiryu. Even though they eventually won, the process was grueling. Seidou High School trailed until the bottom of the ninth. They almost lost by that one run.
That painful lesson completely changed Zhou Hao's mindset.
Individual pride was important, but the team's victory came first. A true player never sacrificed the team for his own ego.
"Let's deal with him first," Chris said firmly, signaling.
If Zhou Hao wasn't restricted in his pitching choices, his arsenal of weapons was too vast.
"The Spiral Ball's out—it drains too much stamina," Chris thought as he gave the sign. "Let's throw an inside pitch to test him first. A smoke screen."
Seeing the signal, Zhou Hao nodded and pitched.
Whoosh!
The baseball flew straight toward the batter.
But Akutsu didn't flinch. He watched, calm and composed, as the ball whizzed past his chest.
Thwack!
"Ball!"
The players and supporters of Seisho High School went silent.
They all understood what Zhou Hao was doing—yet that only made it more shocking.
Such terrifying control!
Zhou Hao was confident enough to throw that close to the batter, knowing the ball would miss him by a hair's breadth.
"How does Seidou's Ace have control that precise?"
"I don't know! I thought Zhou Hao just relied on speed—his pitches are usually too fast to even hit!"
Even Seidou's fans were stunned. In their impression, Zhou Hao's control was never the focus. If no one could touch his pitches, why would it matter?
But now… being able to throw that close without hitting the batter—
That kind of precision and confidence was something only the truly elite possessed.
"As expected of Zhou Hao! He can do anything!"
In the stands, where Seidou's second-string players sat, Kuramochi couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Zhou Hao, who once struggled as a first-year rookie, had now transformed.
On the field, there was almost nothing he couldn't do.
Speed, late movement, control—
Every part of his pitching was top-tier in the nation.
At the plate, Akutsu remained expressionless.
No matter how amazed everyone else was, it didn't matter to him.
"Is that all?" he said coldly, looking down on the mound.
Zhou Hao felt a small fire burn inside his chest.
"Unseal the breaking ball."
Chris's brow rose. Pitchers were emotional people, but he had always thought Zhou Hao was different.
Despite being a first-year, his calmness often surpassed even the seniors. Normally, his emotions didn't waver on the mound.
But now… this was different. Zhou Hao was angry.
Chris hesitated, then gave a small nod. If Zhou Hao wanted to use it, it meant he thought it was necessary.
"Alright. Let's do it."
Chris set his glove, and Zhou Hao began his windup.
Whoosh!
The baseball shot toward home plate.
Akutsu's eyes sharpened.
Here it comes!
He swung the moment the ball entered his zone.
"This pitch—I'll take it!"
He saw it clearly and was sure he could connect—
But the instant his bat cut through the air, his expression froze.
This wasn't a Straight ball!
Too late to adjust—his bat sliced through nothing but air.
Thwack!
"Strike!"
One ball, one strike.
Akutsu exhaled slowly.
"He's using a breaking ball already?"
Still, he wasn't discouraged. If Zhou Hao had changed tactics, that only made things more interesting.
Bring it on.
Zhou Hao's next pitch came almost instantly—no hesitation, no pause.
So fast!
Akutsu swung again.
This time, he was certain he'd made contact—
"Fly out!" he thought.
But then the ball… vanished.
What he hit was just a phantom.
"What the—?"
The ball had disappeared before his eyes.
"Strike!"
Two strikes.
The Seisho supporters were dumbfounded.
In their eyes, Akutsu was practically a professional-level player. One of the top three star pitchers—and an all-around powerhouse.
Pitching, batting, presence—he was the complete package.
Just like Kuroda of Osaka Kiryu, or Zhou Hao of Seidou, Akutsu was also his team's core slugger.
Yet now… their "invincible" ace was already at two strikes?
They couldn't believe it.
Seisho's coach narrowed his eyes.
Before the game, they had already known Seidou would be a tough opponent. But now, it seemed they had underestimated them.
Especially their Ace, Zhou Hao. His strength was far beyond what they had imagined.
Whoosh!
Zhou Hao threw again before the murmurs could even settle.
Akutsu swung once more—but the result was the same.
The ball was an illusion.
The real one had already landed firmly in Chris's glove.
Thwack!
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!!"
Two outs, no runners on base.
A grin spread across Chris's face.
For a moment, he had thought he'd seen wrong earlier—but now he was certain.
Zhou Hao's Illusion Ball had evolved.
And the improvement was enormous.
Zhou Hao felt it too. Subconsciously, he looked at his pitching hand.
Even without the system prompt, he could feel it—his breaking ball had leveled up.
Aside from the complex Spiral Ball, upgrading his Kunai and Shuriken-type pitches wasn't hard anymore.
Of course, that was thanks to his Sharingan. Every pitch let him correct his mechanics—
Not perfectly, but close enough to perfection.
Next up was Seisho High School's third batter—their cleanup hitter.
As the team's power hitter, the pressure on him was immense.
If Zhou Hao had been using his Spiral Ball, striking out wouldn't be shameful. Everyone knew that pitch was nearly untouchable.
But this? These were just "ordinary" fastballs and breaking balls—
And yet, they couldn't hit a single one.
Was that even reasonable?
"No matter what, I have to hit it!" the batter told himself.
Then Zhou Hao wound up again—smooth, fluid, precise.
Whoosh!
"Here it comes!"
"I see it clearly this time!"
The batter swung hard, confident—
But again, there was no impact.
"Where's the ball?!"
The baseball had vanished. A perfect illusion.
Thwack!
"Strike!!"
"This is magic… this is visual deception!"
The batter refused to believe the ball had literally disappeared. He was sure it was an illusion—a visual trick.
But how?
Before he could even process the thought—
Thwack!
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
Three up, three down.
The entire Koshien stadium fell silent.
All eyes were on the man standing proudly on the mound.
"Seisho's second and third batters didn't even touch the ball?"
"It wasn't even the Spiral Ball—it was just an ordinary breaking ball…"