On the pitcher's mound—
Zhou Hao's pitch detonated like a thunderclap.
The entire Akita Stadium seemed to freeze for an instant.
The last time Zhou Hao had unleashed a pitch like that was during last summer's Koshien.
After that—
Even in the Autumn Tournament, he had never thrown such an extreme Straight ball again.
Koshien was far from Tokyo.
Most of the fans present today had only heard rumors, watched clips, or read reports.
They had never truly seen it.
But now—
They saw it with their own eyes.
And at that moment, every description they had read suddenly felt inadequate.
This was exactly what people online had said—
A pitch that, even after a lifetime, you would never forget.
A terrifying speed.
An overwhelming presence.
Something that would be etched into memory forever.
Among the gathered first-year freshmen of Seido High School Baseball Team—
A tall, cold-faced youth suddenly spoke.
"I won't lose to him."
The surrounding freshmen stared at him in disbelief.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Did he even understand what he had just said?
The person he was challenging—
Was Zhou Hao.
The undisputed Ace of Seido.
The number one high school player in the nation.
Even acknowledging Zhou Hao's strength—
Saying something like that felt absurd.
This wasn't confidence.
It was reckless arrogance.
Just as the atmosphere began to stiffen—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A steady applause rang out.
Oshima Shin stepped forward, his tall frame relaxed, his expression calm.
He nodded toward the freshmen around him.
"Our first-years should have ambition like that," Oshima said evenly.
"Whether you can achieve it is secondary."
"But the heart that dares to look upward—"
"That must never be lost."
"I believe that's exactly what our coach and our seniors expect from us."
The tension dissolved instantly.
Several freshmen's eyes lit up.
Especially Tojo and Kanemaru.
They had come from national top-four teams.
They should have been confident.
Yet compared to Oshima, they suddenly realized—
Their perspective was narrower.
Far narrower.
"Well said!"
"We have to surpass our seniors!"
Sawamura clenched his fist, his eyes burning.
Before entering Seido, pitchers already lived under enormous pressure.
No pitcher—
No matter how humble—
Ever wanted to be a supporting character.
With a Buddha like Zhou Hao on the team, opportunities were already scarce.
After watching Zhou Hao practice—
Even without seeing his full strength—
They could all feel it.
The gap.
Huge.
Indescribable.
But painfully clear.
If they didn't harden their resolve now—
They might never shine in their entire lives.
No one wanted that.
Under Oshima's lead, competitive fire reignited.
Everyone wanted to play.
Wanted to fight.
Wanted their chance.
"When do you think the freshman welcome game will start?"
"It shouldn't be long. The slots are already reserved."
"If they hadn't been decided, we'd probably be playing soon."
As they spoke—
Zhou Hao finished dismantling the second batter.
Two outs.
Six pitches.
Not a single one touched.
Pitch speeds ranged from 149 km/h to 152 km/h.
The control was frighteningly precise.
No openings.
No mercy.
Hanada High School's third batter stepped up.
Instantly—
Screams erupted from the stands.
Clearly, this batter was extremely popular.
Handsome.
Confident.
A crowd favorite.
Seido had already investigated him.
Miyuki Kazuya glanced up at the mound.
He didn't say a word.
But Zhou Hao understood immediately.
A subtle nod.
Miyuki's lips curled.
Hanada High School had originally been an all-girls school.
After admitting boys, this batter—
Oda—
Had fallen straight into paradise.
According to gossip Chris had heard—
Seventeen girlfriends in two years.
Currently pursuing his eighteenth.
A playboy.
But—
Unfortunately—
He was also talented.
Two home runs.
Three extra-base hits.
Excellent academics.
Even strong teams had taken notice of him.
God opens one door and closes another, they say.
But Oda seemed to have all the doors wide open.
Which was precisely why—
Miyuki wanted Zhou Hao to crush him.
"Do a good deed," Miyuki thought.
"Wake those girls up."
Zhou Hao raised his leg and threw.
"Whoosh!"
The baseball screamed through the air.
The instant Oda saw it—
His expression sharpened.
Here it comes!
He swung.
"Ping!"
Impact.
But the moment contact was made—
Oda felt his arms go numb.
So heavy—!
The speed.
The tailing force.
It wasn't something he had ever experienced.
Now he finally understood—
Why Zhou Hao knocked bats out of hitters' hands.
Even so—
Oda gritted his teeth and forced the ball foul.
"Foul ball!"
The girls in the stands erupted.
"He touched it!"
"As expected of Oda!"
"He's as handsome as Zhou Hao!"
"They're both geniuses!"
"Maybe Oda will become a superstar like Zhou Hao someday!"
Nearby—
Seido supporters stared in disbelief.
What… did we just hear?
Compare him—
To Zhou Hao?
Touching the ball meant that much?
That pitch hadn't even been serious.
Anyone could tell—
Zhou Hao was casual.
On the mound, Zhou Hao narrowed his eyes slightly.
From his perspective—
Oda's body was loose.
Untrained.
Yet—
He had made contact.
That was underestimation.
Miyuki understood instantly.
"This pretty boy's better than expected…"
Even touching a 150 km/h pitch was proof of elite talent.
But—
Talent wasted—
Was still wasted.
"Change pitches?" Miyuki hinted.
Zhou Hao shook his head.
Absolutely not.
Was someone like this worth using other pitches?
"Straight ball."
Miyuki sighed inwardly.
Pitchers really are troublesome creatures…
But as his partner—
He would support Zhou Hao unconditionally.
"Then let's do it properly," Miyuki thought.
"Let's show them what a king looks like."
Anticipation flickered in his eyes.
What speed would Zhou Hao reach at full power?
Oda didn't understand any of this.
He only knew—
He could hit it.
In the stands were his exes.
And the girl he was chasing.
He couldn't embarrass himself.
Home run's impossible.
But a hit…
Just one hit—
I'll be famous.
Zhou Hao gripped the ball.
A specific grip.
Not an ordinary Straight ball.
Speed of Light Beam.
The fastest Straight ball Zhou Hao possessed.
"Boom!!"
The baseball vanished.
Oda froze.
Didn't swing.
Didn't react.
He stood there—
Like a statue.
"Slap!"
"Strike!"
Miyuki felt his wrist sink.
There it is.
The crowd inhaled sharply.
Speed guns flashed.
Then—
A unified shout exploded from the stands.
"155 km/h!!!"
Shock rippled outward.
"His max speed reached 155?!"
"And that's just the Straight ball—"
"What about the Spiral?!"
At that moment—
All doubts vanished.
All hesitation died.
Zhou Hao stood alone at the center of the field.
Unchallenged.
Unquestioned.
The one and only king.
And from this pitch onward—
Everyone understood.
The new season belonged to him.