"It flew out!!!"
The commentator shrieked. It was as if he couldn't express his inner excitement any other way.
"It was said that the appearance of Raichi Todoroki of Yakushi High School Baseball Team would become a competitor to Zhang Han. In today's game, we were very fortunate to see three Homeruns from both players. Especially Raichi Todoroki, his performance was truly impressive..."
The commentator first praised Raichi Todoroki greatly. But the topic ultimately returned to Zhang Han.
"But comparatively, Zhang Han's strength is still superior. He faced Kikuta for the first time today, and also Sanada Shunpei for the first time. Although the process was a bit bumpy, he ultimately hit both of their pitches out. This alone is enough to prove that Zhang Han, at this stage, is one of the top powerful hitters in the entire nation..."
When the commentator praised Zhang Han, there wasn't a single pause. This wasn't reading from a script, but the commentator's truest thoughts. And it wasn't just the commentator's view; the fans on site, including those watching Tokyo Television, also felt mesmerized.
Close-up shots were constantly on Zhang Han's face, allowing everyone to clearly see his appearance. Handsome men were not uncommon in this era. Movie stars on television, internet celebrities, good-looking athletes. They were diverse and all-encompassing. Almost every girl could find someone to admire.
Among these, Zhang Han's presence was undoubtedly very special. It wasn't that his looks far surpassed everyone else's. Rather, it was the temperament he exuded, which perfectly combined with his appearance. It wasn't just pretty, but truly handsome. Tall and upright, with a striking face. If there was an ideal boyfriend type, that person would definitely be Zhang Han. He carried that kind of universally appealing quality.
In the stands, the girls standing in the front rows excitedly raised their hands and waved continuously. At this moment, they even forgot about dancing; they were all trying to show their presence, attempting to get Zhang Han to notice them.
Seido High School Baseball's cheerleading captain's face turned pale with anger. She didn't even have time to admire the big close-up of Zhang Han on the large screen, only glaring fiercely at the girls in the front row.
"Where did these B**ches come from?"
If the people of Seido had heard their cheerleading captain, whom they revered as a goddess, say such words, their feelings would surely be very complicated.
"Captain, he's so handsome!"
The cheerleading captain glanced at Zhang Han on the big screen and said disdainfully, "Where? He's just average."
Her teammates next to her all looked at their captain with starry eyes. As expected of their captain; for the sake of sisterly affection, she would even give up such a high-quality resource.
"Do you think I should write a love letter too?"
"Haven't you already written two?"
"Who said that? Rumors, all rumors."
The fans in the stands and in front of their televisions, especially the considerable number of women, deeply remembered Zhang Han's name and appearance at this moment. Many of them later became die-hard baseball fans.
However, these fans were different from ordinary baseball fans; they had little interest in intense games or the players' wonderful performances. Their only goal was to follow one player. In fact, compared to watching him play, they preferred to read his magazine features or watch his variety show appearances.
Perhaps it seemed shallow to outsiders, and perhaps many people would disdain their actions. But whose youth isn't like this? To have the opportunity to do what you most want to do, even if it's just wasting time, isn't that also a kind of happiness?
Besides the fans, the players of the two teams were also moved. When Zhang Han returned to the Seido dugout, he received a unanimous welcome from his teammates.
"You little rascal, did you use cheats?"
"Good hitting!!"
"With this, you've already hit two Homeruns in today's game alone. In this Spring Tournament, you might even break the Spring Tournament Homerun record..."
"Incredible!"
"Well done!!"
They chattered, saying all sorts of things. Zhang Han smiled and waved to his teammates, humble but not overly modest. Modesty was good, but it also depended on your position and environment. With the achievements Zhang Han had already made, he could no longer be as modest as before.
Not only would it fail to fool his opponents, but even his own teammates would think he was putting on an act. Rather than being misunderstood as pretentious, it was better to show the demeanor of a strong player. As long as it wasn't overly ostentatious, there would be no problem.
Even Coach Kataoka nodded to Zhang Han, indicating that he had played well. For Coach Kataoka, this was already a rare compliment.
"Thank you, Coach!"
Zhang Han respectfully returned the greeting. Coach Kataoka could be subtle, but Zhang Han couldn't pretend not to see it.
The total score was 5:1, with Seido High School Baseball Team leading by four runs.
In the stands, in the second and third string areas, many teammates were already wide-eyed, looking at their seniors with disbelief. Could it be that all the regular players were this strong? If so, they wouldn't have to daydream about getting into the First string. That was simply unrealistic.
Yakushi High School, as the opponent, was undoubtedly the most affected. Todoroki Raizo stared seriously at the Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout, watching Zhang Han celebrate with his teammates. He had to admit that this young man was not at all weaker than his son in terms of strength. As of now, he was even a step ahead.
"I never thought that there would be such a monster among the players trained from youth baseball!"
Unbelievable. However, from a long-term development perspective, Todoroki Raizo still favored his son's future prospects. He believed that one day, his son's hitting ability would definitely surpass Zhang Han's.
Definitely.
No outs, batting turned to Seido High School Baseball Team's fourth batter.
"Keep it up!"
"Hit the ball, Yuuki!"
"It's up to you!"
"Captain..."
In the Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout and in the stands, countless people cheered for Yuuki Tetsuya. It was clear that everyone's expectations for him were no less than for Zhang Han.
Looking at the current situation, Yakushi High School Baseball Team had just brought in their Ace, and Zhang Han had immediately hit a two-run Homerun. If Yuuki Tetsuya also followed up with a hit, it was highly likely that Yakushi High School Baseball Team's newly introduced Ace would directly collapse.
As long as he collapsed, Seido High School Baseball Team's subsequent game would undoubtedly be much easier. Perhaps they could deal with this troublesome opponent without much difficulty.
Seido High School Baseball Team's supporters felt increasingly pleased the more they thought about it. Especially when they remembered that it was this team called Yakushi High School Baseball Team that had previously defeated the powerful Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team. And now they were being handled by Seido.
Wouldn't that mean Seido was even stronger than Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team? Just thinking about it was incredibly satisfying. That's why they were so looking forward to Yuuki Tetsuya's at-bat now, hoping he could hit the ball out.
Yuuki did not disappoint. He calmly scrutinized Sanada's pitching, waiting until the baseball flew over before decisively swinging.
"Ping!"
The hit baseball landed behind the pitcher, Sanada. Yakushi High School Baseball Team's second baseman and shortstop didn't have time to get there and stop the ball. They could only watch helplessly as the baseball landed in front of them and bounced into the outfield.
"It went through!"
A hit through the center. Yuuki ran to First Base without stopping.
"Safe!"
No outs, runner on First Base.
Although Yuuki Tetsuya didn't hit a Homerun or a super long hit, his performance was still impressive. For Seido at this moment, the most important thing wasn't actually to continue scoring. After all, the run difference was already sufficient.
Their most important task was to demonstrate unparalleled offensive capability. The benefits were obvious: first, in the next confrontation, the opponent wouldn't dare to easily walk Zhang Han, since there were powerful batters behind him. Another benefit was that it could smoothly extend the batting line.
Continuous attack. One Homerun wasn't enough; they had to deliver another heavy blow. This was the biggest purpose of Yuuki's at-bat. Generally speaking, a pitcher who receives such a heavy blow would find it difficult to pitch calmly afterward.
Even if he didn't collapse, it would be difficult for him to display his best form again. This was also the fundamental goal of Yuuki and Zhang Han: instead of trying to decipher complicated tactics, it was better to destroy the pitcher's rhythm from the start.
But their efforts ultimately proved futile. Because their opponent was also not easy to deal with.
"Heh heh heh..."
Sanada, who had been hit repeatedly, let out a series of soft laughs. He really hadn't expected the opponent's strength to be this formidable. Sanada had thought before that Seido High School Baseball Team's players must be extremely fierce and terrifying.
Otherwise, how would they dare to call themselves the National First Batting Line? It was only after truly facing them that Sanada clearly realized he had underestimated them.
Zhang Han, Yuuki. Although their styles were different, the sense of threat they brought to Sanada was exactly the same. Both felt like a thorn in his back, as if he could be attacked at any moment.
"So strong!"
Sanada genuinely sighed. But precisely because of this, wasn't it worth the challenge? He had already faced Seido High School Baseball Team's two strongest hitters, so the next batters should be more manageable.
"Fifth batter, center fielder, Isashiki Jun."
Isashiki Jun stepped into the batter's box. After he did, he tried to intimidate his opponent. This was also his usual batting routine: a combination of hitting and intimidation when facing an opponent. However, unfortunately, Sanada was not intimidated. On the contrary, it aroused the ferocity in him.
Sanada, on the pitcher's mound, looked as if he was about to lunge forward. As he did, the baseball in his hand whistled out.
Fast. Very fast.
In the dugout, it was actually difficult to fully appreciate the terror of Sanada's pitching. Although his ball speed was much slower than Zhang Han's, his pitches were mostly concentrated on the inside corner.
For batters, this not only looked awkward but also felt very awkward to hit. Precisely because it was awkward, they could better appreciate the sharpness of it. It looked even faster than its actual speed.
"Snap!"
"Strike!"
In the Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout, the teammates felt a shock. To be honest, it wasn't easy for them to accept this result. In their impression, Isashiki Jun's swing was very aggressive. As long as it wasn't a clear bad pitch, he had an eighty to ninety percent chance of swinging directly. But now, he couldn't swing the bat.
In the dugout, Zhang Han subconsciously stood up; he couldn't see clearly while sitting.
Amazing. After being continuously attacked by him and Yuuki, even Narumiya Mei would find it difficult to remain completely unaffected. This player named Sanada had calmed his mind so quickly and started pitching again.
Moreover, his pitching hadn't changed significantly compared to when he faced him before. In other words, he was not affected by Zhang Han and Yuuki's hitting and could still calmly display his strength. This was truly extraordinary.
This game seemed even more difficult than they had imagined.
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
"Foul!"
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
For the next two pitches, Isashiki Jun swung the bat for both. However, he barely managed to make contact, and the baseball landed and bounced in front of the pitcher.
"Snap!"
Sanada easily caught the ball in his glove, then turned and threw it to Second Base. While Yuuki was still two steps away from reaching Second Base, the baseball had already been caught by Yakushi's fielder and thrown to First Base.
"Snap!"
"Out!"
"Snap!"
"Out!!"
He had given up a two-run Homerun, and then Yuuki had delivered another blow. No matter how you analyzed it, Sanada Shunpei should have collapsed. But he simply didn't. Not only did he not collapse, but he miraculously survived and successfully turned a double play.
The Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout suddenly went quiet. On the other side, Yakushi High School Baseball Team's dugout became a sea of joy.
"So capable!"
"As expected of Shunpei!"
"Sanada, invincible!!!"
The players spared no praise for Sanada. It was as if they had already won the game.
In contrast, Seido High School Baseball Team's teammates were much calmer. They quickly recovered from their disappointment and recognized the reality. Today's game had just begun. It was far from over.
Two outs, no one on base.
It was Miyuki's turn to bat, and Miyuki wanted to cry. What a great opportunity that was; if he had made contact, he might have scored. He couldn't explain why, but whenever there was someone on base, he usually hit very well. With no one on base, his hitting success rate plummeted.
Just like now.
"Ping!"
The white ball flew high, looking like a good hit, but ultimately fell into the opposing fielder's glove.
"Out!"
The third inning ended, with the score remaining at 5:1. Seido High School Baseball Team still led by four runs, unable to further extend their lead. It was at this point that the Seido High School Baseball Team teammates clearly realized that Zhang Han and Yuuki's consecutive hits were not due to the opponent's weak skills. Sanada Shunpei's pitching was not bad at all and was enough to suppress Seido's batters. It was those two whose strength was simply superior.
Thus, the game entered the fourth inning.
Coach Kataoka specifically looked at Zhang Han. Even though not many innings had passed, Zhang Han had been throwing at high speeds. For a high-burst pitcher, stamina was often a big problem. But this problem seemed not to exist for Zhang Han. There was hardly any sweat on his face.
In this year with the team, Zhang Han had improved not only his pitching skills but also his stamina. He could now not only keep up with the First string's training, but his stamina was even better than most of the First string players. This was truly a very good Ace candidate.
However, relying only on the Fastball was ultimately too monotonous. Moreover, Zhang Han's Fastball had only one characteristic: speed. When he had sufficient stamina, there didn't seem to be any problem. Once his stamina declined, it would be easy for opponents to find weaknesses. To help Zhang Han reach the next level, he had to be taught to master weapons other than the Fastball.
Kataoka thought this to himself but didn't say it aloud. After all, those were matters for after this game. The Seido High School Baseball Team's current task was only one: to win.
Zhang Han was in good form, and his stamina was not an issue. Under these circumstances, Kataoka certainly wouldn't take him out.
Top of the fourth inning, Yakushi High School Baseball Team on offense. The Seido High School Baseball Team's pitcher was still Zhang Han. And Zhang Han's opponent was Mishima Yuuta, the first Yakushi High School Baseball Team batter he had faced after returning from injury.
Before Mishima went up to bat, Todoroki Raizo uncharacteristically called him aside and gave him some instructions. Mishima was incredibly excited at the time, thinking that the coach was going to impart some secret technique to him.
Unexpectedly...
Mishima immediately took a bunt stance.
Everyone who saw this scene was stunned. Yakushi High School Baseball Team, what kind of play was this? Were they admitting defeat because they couldn't win? Or were they really trying to get on base with a bunt?
With no one on base, the fans couldn't understand what Yakushi High School Baseball Team was trying to do. Zhang Han's pitch speed could reach over 155 kilometers per hour. Although he was not known for his pitching power, speed itself was power.
A ball that fast would not lack power regardless. Where did Yakushi High School Baseball Team get the confidence to think they could bunt such a pitch? Even as a long shot, this wasn't the way to do it.
The fans didn't understand, and most of Seido's players were also confused. Miyuki was about to call a timeout, and then he saw Zhang Han shake his head slightly at him. Although Miyuki didn't understand why, he still chose to trust Zhang Han. He might not show it normally, but at critical moments, Zhang Han was still very reliable. Miyuki was willing to trust his judgment.
Zhang Han completely ignored Mishima's bunt stance. He pulled back directly, and his whole body rolled forward at high speed like a wheel. As he rolled, the baseball in his hand whistled out.
This feeling was intoxicating. To outsiders, Zhang Han's movements were extremely wide, as if he was using all his might. But Zhang Han himself didn't feel it at all. His pitching felt very smooth, everything just flowing naturally.
After throwing the ball, Zhang Han replayed his movements over and over in his mind, desperately trying to record this feeling. He had a premonition that as long as he could firmly remember it and refine it, his pitching should be able to reach a higher level.
So fast.
Mishima, standing in the batter's box, was completely stunned as he watched the baseball fly towards him. How could it be so fast? It was even faster than when he faced Zhang Han last time.
"Pop!"
The baseball was like a white flash, instantly piercing the strike zone and landing in Miyuki's glove. From beginning to end, Mishima didn't have time to react at all. He just stared blankly as the baseball flew past his eyes.
"Strike!"
The umpire called.
At this moment, the entire stands erupted. They didn't know what they were excited about, but they were very, very excited.
"Zhang Han!"
"Zhang Han!!"
Nitta was also full of admiration, and he excitedly asked his assistant, "What was the speed of that pitch just now?"
Nitta's assistant's expression became very strange. He even rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then refocused on the screen and looked twice. Nitta impatiently pushed his assistant aside and looked at the numbers flashing on the screen.
"How could this be?"
At this moment, quite a few people shared Nitta's reaction. Many thought their equipment had a problem, or that something had been missed during the measurement. It wasn't until they asked several people around them and everyone gave the same answer that they had to accept a result that seemed incredibly, incredibly unbelievable.
Zhang Han's pitch speed was not as fast as everyone had imagined. Only 149.5 kilometers per hour. Not even 150 kilometers per hour, and compared to Zhang Han's fastest Fastball, it wasn't even in the same league.
How could this be?
Among them, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline scratched his forehead, puzzled. "But I just felt that ball was faster than all the previous ones!"
At first, no one dared to speak, but once the man said it, everyone opened up.
"That's right, I also felt that the ball just now was faster!"
"That's Zhang Han, of course the pitch speed is fast!"
Almost everyone had the same opinion. From their own feeling, that pitch just now, even if it wasn't Zhang Han's fastest in this game, should have been among the top ones. But in fact, what the machine showed was not that fast.
Only an old man, stroking his clean chin, looked at the people around him with a disdainful expression.
"You young people are too superstitious about those machines. You should know that a truly living ball cannot be measured by machines."
After hearing the old man's words, everyone around him fell silent. They wanted to question him, but they couldn't find any argument to refute his words. Ultimately, they could only remain silent.
Although they didn't say anything, they were certainly unconvinced in their hearts. What living ball? Did he think this was a manga? Most fans had never seen it, and what they had occasionally heard were just legends. Of course they wouldn't believe such a statement.
But for some others, the situation was completely different.
For example, the two professional scouts who had specifically come to see Yuuki that day. When they first saw Zhang Han pitching, although they were surprised by his extraordinary pitch speed, their interest was not as great as people imagined.
Only ordinary fans were obsessed with a player's pitch speed, believing that the faster the speed, the better. In a way, this wasn't entirely wrong. After all, if someone could truly throw a pitch over 280 kilometers per hour, as long as it entered the strike zone, 99.99% of batters nationwide wouldn't have time to react.
From this perspective, speed was indeed king. But how could a human throw that fast? The current highest record was just over 170 kilometers per hour, not even reaching 180.
If you studied those who pitched particularly fast, you'd find that not everyone who threw hard was suited to be a pitcher. There had been cases in professional baseball where players with pitch speeds over 160 kilometers per hour could only play as outfielders.
If Zhang Han couldn't demonstrate other pitching characteristics, professional scouts would at most pay attention to him. And compared to his pitching, they would definitely recommend that Zhang Han focus on being a batter.
After all, Zhang Han in the batter's box was truly an unresolvable monster. As for pitching, it wasn't to say it was just a hobby, but for now, there didn't seem to be any particularly great potential.
But after seeing this pitch from Zhang Han, their eyes changed. This was already two completely different concepts from a simple Fastball. Zhang Han was actually able to produce a visual deception effect. If he could skillfully master this ability, then on the pitcher's mound, he might also be able to stir up something extraordinary.
Powerful arm, strong batter. On a baseball field, or any competitive sports field, there was no way to reject a player who could be called a leader in both respects. The two scouts looked at each other warily, then both pulled out their pens and quickly wrote down Zhang Han's name.
This was completely different from their original records. Previously, their notes on Zhang Han evaluated him as an excellent infielder and an Ace-level batter. Now the evaluation was "leader." A player capable of defining a team's identity.
The two even hesitated whether to call their clubs right now. Ultimately, both abandoned this tempting idea. Although the potential Zhang Han displayed made them feel unable to look away, there was one thing they also had to consider.
Zhang Han was only a second-year student, and whether his future performance would remain so outstanding was an unknown. Furthermore, if they made a big fuss now, it might not be them who would ultimately benefit.
On the pitcher's mound, Zhang Han had never felt his condition so good. Pitching, for him, was no longer a task, but an enjoyment.
"Whoosh!"
This pitch seemed almost silent, and its speed seemed even slower than the previous one. When Nitta saw it, he didn't even bother looking at the display.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
Mishima swung, but it was too late. By the time he swung his bat, the white ball had already passed by.
"This little guy seems to be in much worse form than last game!"
Nitta said.
His assistant, however, stared at the monitor in shock, wondering whether to tell his boss.
"154.5 kilometers per hour!"
Not only was this pitch not slower than the previous one, it was even much faster. Why? Why was this? Why did the pitch that looked fast have a slower reading, and the pitch that looked slow have an extraordinary speed?
At this moment, those fans who had originally dismissed the old man's comments now believed his words in their hearts. It seemed this was not an ordinary pitch. But a living pitch.
What was different about a living ball? It was simple: only a living ball could deceive the opponent.
In the Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout, Manager Ota, though puzzled, had eyes full of excitement.
"It's incredible, Zhang Han's condition is getting better and better!!"
Coach Kataoka was also surprised. Zhang Han's performance today was better than any previous game. Even with a four-point lead, his condition had not diminished. He had even thrown that kind of pitch. This was a threshold that only a pitcher in extremely good condition could touch, and the Fastball had to be very clean to achieve it.
Kataoka suddenly had a feeling that he might have misunderstood Zhang Han before. Zhang Han wasn't lacking in fighting spirit after taking the lead; rather, his living environment had shaped his personality to conceal his sharpness. A single-parent family, in a foreign country. Being too prominent could easily lead to disadvantages. Plus his appearance.
Coach Kataoka, who felt he vaguely understood everything, even felt a bit of pity for his player. Growing up in such an environment, Zhang Han had not gone astray at all. He was still actively facing life and diligently pursuing his dreams. Although he occasionally liked to conceal his sharpness, he already possessed the qualifications to become an Ace.
Coach Kataoka was even willing to believe that if Zhang Han became the team's Ace, he would surely lead this team to even greater glory. Seido's biggest need had always been an Ace pitcher.
With Zhang Han filling the void, they would have more confidence when competing against Ichidai Third High School and Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team later on. Most importantly, Zhang Han was able to step up and not hold back when the team needed him.
For example, today's game against Yakushi. Zhang Han had probably sensed that this team was unusually threatening. That's why he was so proactive.
"Pop!"
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
On the last pitch, Mishima didn't even have time to swing his bat before he was cleanly struck out.
************************************
Upto 50 Chapters In Advance At: P@treon/Vividreader123