Osaka Kiryuu's Director, Matsumoto Takahiro, was a portly, middle-aged man with a potbelly. His features were not particularly striking; he simply liked to squint his eyes, making it impossible to see his eyeballs.
Before the game began, he met with the Seido High School Baseball Team players, a wide smile plastered across his face.
"Coach Kataoka, yesterday's game was truly a feast for my eyes. This year's Seido High School is exceptionally strong. When we play later, please go easy on us. After all, our two teams have a long-standing friendship and relationship."
Kataoka's expression remained serious. He was not swayed by Matsumoto's praise. On the contrary, his face showed great caution, and when he assessed Matsumoto, there was a faint hint of apprehension in his eyes.
Inashiro Industrial's Coach Kunitomo was known as the most outstanding Director in all of Tokyo. Why only Tokyo and not the entire country? The reason was simple: there were still several Directors nationwide who could rival Kunitomo.
Matsumoto Takahiro was one of them.
As the man in charge of the Cosmic Team, Osaka Kiryuu, he consistently led his team to Koshien and into championship contention. Although they did not always lift the trophy, they were contenders almost every single year.
Their status was comparable to the old Brazilian team in the World Cup.
For them, only the championship counted. Second place was not success.
How could Kataoka possibly be careless against such an opponent?
Not to mention that Matsumoto Takahiro himself was one of the most outstanding Directors in the country—a notorious old fox.
If Kataoka truly believed his polite words, he probably would not even know how he lost.
"You flatter us. I look forward to a meaningful game," Coach Kataoka replied calmly.
His tone was neither humble nor arrogant.
The two schools were affiliated institutions with a long-standing relationship. Although they belonged to different regions, they played two or three practice games against each other every year.
Their familiarity with one another was beyond question.
"You're becoming more and more impressive, Kataoka."
Matsumoto maintained his ever-present smile. With his squinted eyes and fixed expression, he resembled a stone statue in a temple—unchanging, unreadable.
The Seido High School Baseball Team players stepped aside, allowing the Osaka Kiryuu players to pass first.
Although the two teams were about to clash as equals, Coach Kataoka was nearly twenty years younger than Matsumoto Takahiro. If the Director yielded, how could the players fail to follow?
As the Osaka Kiryuu players walked past, Zhang Han felt a wave of shock.
They were taller.
On average, four to five centimeters taller than Seido's players.
It didn't sound like much, but when standing side by side, the difference was clear. Osaka's players appeared almost half a head taller.
But height was not the most alarming factor.
It was their physiques.
Even through their uniforms, Zhang Han could see the powerful muscles pressing against the fabric. Broad shoulders. Thick arms. Solid legs.
These guys were strong.
Without even playing, Zhang Han reached a conclusion.
In sports, superior physical fitness does not automatically guarantee victory. Skill also plays a crucial role, especially in baseball.
However, given equal skill, physical condition often determines potential.
These Osaka Kiryuu players had already been elite in middle school. Now, with this level of physical development, their strength was frightening.
"This opponent will be very difficult."
Even against Inashiro or Ichidai San, Zhang Han had never felt this subtle sense of pressure.
It was not fear.
It was awareness.
The awareness that the opponent's foundation might be stronger.
What Zhang Han did not realize was that Matsumoto Takahiro was equally wary.
When Kataoka stepped aside first, the Seido players immediately parted without discussion or hesitation.
There was almost no sound during the entire process.
Their gazes were calm.
When they looked at Osaka Kiryuu, there was admiration in their eyes—but not fear.
They were not intimidated by the name Cosmic Team.
They were not unsettled by the difference in physique.
They had truly been trained.
Matsumoto Takahiro found it difficult to imagine how Kataoka had molded the Seido players into such a disciplined, composed group in just over a month.
This was an elite team.
The practice game from a month ago would not be repeated so easily.
After the brief exchange, both teams returned to their locker rooms to change into full uniform and gear.
Then they stepped onto the field.
As Zhang Han walked out with Captain Tanaka and the others, a thunderous roar filled his ears.
The stands were packed.
Not a single empty seat in sight.
He could not count them individually, but there were easily tens of thousands of spectators.
It was the first time he had played before such a massive crowd.
The sun blazed overhead.
There was not even the faintest breeze.
The weather forecast had said the temperature would not exceed thirty-two degrees Celsius, supposedly cooler than the previous days.
Zhang Han did not feel it.
To him, the entire stadium felt like a steaming basket.
Surrounded by so many people, the heat seemed even more suffocating.
Logically, such heat should have made him irritable.
But strangely, he was not.
Neither were most of the Seido players.
At this moment, they did not feel the heat.
All their attention was fixed on their opponent.
Leaving aside the Osaka players themselves, just their cheer squad was enough to leave one stunned.
One entire side of the Koshien stands was filled with Osaka Kiryuu supporters.
In previous games, Seido, as a powerhouse, often overwhelmed their opponents in terms of cheering support.
Now, the situation had reversed.
They were being suppressed.
And severely.
Seido's cheer squad was impressive—several thousand students and die-hard fans had made the trip.
But compared to Osaka Kiryuu, it was only about half.
This was already remarkable by national standards. Very few schools could bring that many supporters to Koshien.
Yet Osaka Kiryuu was different.
They were the Cosmic Team.
Their presence dominated the stadium.
"Koshien Quarterfinals, Game Two—Seido High School versus Osaka Kiryuu High School—officially begins!"
The announcer's voice echoed across the stadium.
The real battle was about to start.
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