The top of the first inning ended quickly.
Three up.
Three down.
No one found it surprising.
Facing a monster like Zhou Hao, the fact that Hakuba Academy's players didn't turn and run was already commendable.
Still…
There was regret.
The three batters hadn't truly followed their coach's instructions.
Each of them had been shaken—more or less—by Zhou Hao's pitching.
Back in the dugout, their eyes were unfocused, their expressions blank.
Anyone could guess what they were thinking—
With our level… how are we supposed to face someone like him?
The Hakuba Academy coach adjusted his glasses with his ring finger… and suddenly chuckled.
"I really envy you guys."
The unexpected remark drew everyone's attention.
The players looked at him in confusion.
"You get to face the best pitcher in the country on the field."
His voice softened slightly, as if drifting into the past.
"I wasn't that lucky back then. My team was eliminated in the second round… and the team that beat us didn't last much longer either."
The atmosphere eased.
The players relaxed unconsciously, drawn in by his calm, conversational tone.
Even though flashes of Zhou Hao's pitches still lingered in their minds—
Their attention slowly shifted.
"At the very least, you've seen what the strongest looks like."
"That alone is something worth being proud of."
"So don't overthink it. We're not beating him anyway."
A few players blinked in surprise.
The coach smiled faintly.
"What matters… is playing our own game."
"No matter how this match drags on, don't forget our style."
"I believe every one of you can show it."
At those words, the Hakuba players instinctively straightened.
Just moments ago, they had been on the verge of collapsing.
Now—
It felt like a shot of adrenaline had surged through them.
Zhou Hao was overwhelming.
Especially that Spiral Ball.
Across the entire country, the number of people who could hit it was as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
Failing against it—
Was nothing to be ashamed of.
So why not focus on what they could do?
When a person lets go of their burdens—
They often discover strength they didn't know they had.
Bottom of the first inning.
Seido High School Baseball Team at bat.
"First batter, Number 6—Shortstop, Kuramochi Yoichi!"
Kuramochi stepped into the batter's box, raising his bat high.
His sharp eyes locked onto the pitcher on the mound.
The centerpiece of Hakuba Academy—
Kazama.
He wasn't particularly tall, standing at around 180 cm.
His build wasn't especially imposing either.
From any angle, he didn't stand out.
And yet—
He was a reserve member of the National Youth Team.
That alone spoke volumes.
Out of only three pitcher slots, he had secured one.
Which meant—
In the eyes of the national selectors, his ability ranked among the top three of his generation.
Standing on the mound, Kazama exuded a quiet but undeniable presence.
"A top-three pitcher in the country, huh…"
Kuramochi's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Now I really want to hit your pitch."
Recently, Seido had been steamrolling their opponents.
Once the other side collapsed, scoring became effortless.
Even Kuramochi—never known for his batting—had racked up multiple hits.
His success rate had soared.
But after playing on "easy mode" for so long—
Anyone would start craving a real challenge.
And right now—
That was exactly what he wanted.
He tightened his grip on the bat, eyes burning with focus.
"Show me… what a top-tier pitcher looks like."
As if responding to his thoughts—
Kazama moved.
Kuramochi, ready to swing, suddenly noticed something unusual.
His arms… are long.
Almost like a gibbon's.
As Kazama lifted his arm to pitch—
A strange feeling crept over him.
That release point… is high.
The thought had barely formed—
When the pitch arrived.
Whoosh!
The ball came straight down the middle.
A perfect opportunity.
Kuramochi didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward and swung.
WHIR!
The swing was powerful—
But the result wasn't what he wanted.
Ping!
The ball connected…
But flew high into the air.
It arced upward—
And dropped right into the third baseman's glove.
Pop!
"Out!"
One out.
Bases empty.
Moments ago, Hakuba Academy's morale had been on the brink of collapse.
Zhou Hao's dominance had filled them with despair.
But now—
They stood tall once more.
Their ace might not be as terrifying as Zhou Hao—
But as long as he could get outs…
As long as he could suppress Seido's lineup—
Then the result was what mattered.
"Scoring off our ace won't be easy!"
"If you've got what it takes—then hit it!"
Even the crowd joined in, shouting provocations.
They were trying to shake Seido's batters—
To throw them off balance.
The Seido players, hearing those words…
Couldn't possibly remain completely unaffected.
And that thought—
Only made the Hakuba side more excited.
Come on…!
Whatever skills you have—bring them all!
Hakuba Academy wasn't afraid.
With that conviction burning in their hearts, their voices grew louder and louder, echoing across the field.
In that charged atmosphere—
Seido's second batter stepped into the box.
Kominato Ryosuke.
A gentle smile rested on his face, giving him the appearance of someone easygoing and kind.
But anyone who truly knew him—
Would never describe him that way.
Especially not his opponents.
Kominato Ryosuke—
The Devil Batter.
A player who gave pitchers nightmares.
On the mound stood Hakuba's ace, Kazama.
A pitcher recognized as one of the best in the country.
Before the game, Seido's players had already prepared themselves for a difficult battle.
They had even considered the possibility of being suppressed for several innings.
After all—
Top-tier pitchers were monsters in their own right.
Seido had faced such opponents before.
And those memories were still fresh.
But from Kominato Ryosuke's perspective—
Although Kazama was impressive…
He wasn't unbeatable.
His pitches… can be hit.
"Taking down our junior with one pitch?"
Kominato's smile deepened slightly.
"Then I'll have to play with you a bit."
Originally, he had no intention of using his signature "demon style" this early.
But now—
Against Hakuba Academy—
It felt only natural.
He raised his bat.
Eyes narrowing to thin slits.
A sharp, oppressive aura quietly spread from his body.
On the mound, Kazama felt it immediately.
He lifted his gaze, carefully studying the batter before him.
As expected of Seido…
From the second batter alone—
He could already feel the pressure crawling up his spine.
But instead of fear—
Excitement flickered in his eyes.
This is interesting.
With that thought, he delivered the pitch.
The moment Kazama's long arm moved—
Kominato understood.
So that's why Kuramochi failed.
From such a high release point, the ball cut downward at a steep angle.
That trajectory made it extremely difficult to hit cleanly.
Even the slightest miscalculation—
Would send the ball into a weak fly or a harmless grounder.
Either way—
Hakuba's defense could handle it easily.
So that's their trick…
Kazama wasn't relying on complex technique—
This was pure talent.
A natural advantage.
His pitching style was reminiscent of a certain pitch—
Similar to the Jerk Pitch.
Except—
Unlike that uncontrollable pitch—
Kazama had complete command over his.
A top-three pitcher… huh.
At first, that title had sounded exaggerated.
Now—
Kominato knew better.
With this kind of talent… he deserves it.
"We've run into a troublesome one this time."
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
Two strikes.
And Kominato hadn't swung once.
He was watching.
Analyzing.
Searching for the perfect way to break this pitch.
Then—
The third pitch came.
Whoosh!
A strike.
Kazama had no intention of wasting pitches.
This time—
Kominato moved.
His bat cut through the air the moment the ball entered his range.
Ping!
The ball shot off—
Into foul territory.
"Foul!!"
At that instant—
Seido's bench and supporters lit up.
"He's got the timing!"
"He's reading it!"
That foul wasn't just a miss.
It was a signal.
A warning.
From here on—
The ball would keep being driven into foul territory, over and over, until the pitcher broke.
So what if he was a top-three pitcher?
Against Seido's Devil Batter—
He would eventually crumble.
…Or so they thought.
Kazama showed no hesitation.
He immediately threw the fourth pitch.
Whoosh!
Kominato adjusted his bat angle, fully prepared to send it foul again.
But—
At the last second—
Something felt off.
The rotation… was different.
This isn't a fastball!
It was a breaking ball.
And by the time he realized—
It was already too late.
The ball dropped sharply, slipping past the bat and diving straight into the catcher's mitt.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!!"
Two outs.
Bases empty.
The Seido supporters, who had been ready to cheer—
Felt as if they'd been slapped across the face.
That sting—
Was real.
Kazama had just reminded everyone—
Seido's dominance didn't mean every player was invincible.
Much of their overwhelming success…
Came from one person.
Zhou Hao.
Against Kazama—
Even Kuramochi and Kominato had been shut down.
What now…?
Just as that doubt began to creep in—
The next batter stepped forward.
"Third batter—Pitcher, Zhou Hao!!"
The moment his name was called—
Everything changed.
The Seido bench.
The stands.
Their confidence surged instantly.
"He's up!"
"Zhou Hao, blast one out!"
"Send it flying in one swing!"
Recently—
Zhou Hao's bat had been on fire.
Home runs had become almost routine.
For Seido's supporters—
No matter how many times they saw it—
It was never enough.
Now, every pair of eyes shone brightly.
Filled with anticipation.
On the other side—
Hakuba Academy felt the exact opposite.
Even with full trust in their ace—
Facing Zhou Hao was different.
Completely different.
He was a special existence.
Whether on the mound—
Or in the batter's box—
He carried an overwhelming presence.
Even his opponents could feel it.
A suffocating certainty—
That he would do something extraordinary.
Like a nightmare that refused to fade.
Kazama tightened his grip on the ball.
For the first time—
He hesitated.
As a pitcher, he was confident in reading batters.
Finding weaknesses.
Exploiting flaws.
But standing before Zhou Hao—
He saw nothing.
Not a single opening.