"It's out!!!"
The moment the baseball landed deep in the outfield stands, the Seidō supporters erupted.
The dam holding back their emotions finally broke.
God knew what they had endured to get here—
From Seidō's commanding early lead… to the crushing moment in the sixth inning when Inashiro tied it,
their hearts had been lodged in their throats, refusing to settle.
Their opponent wasn't just anyone—it was Inashiro Industrial.
The unshakable kings of West Tokyo, famous for countless come-from-behind wins.
No one dared voice it, afraid to jinx the team…
but every fan had been thinking the same thing:
Will today be another chapter in Inashiro's comeback legend?
By the eighth and ninth innings, Seidō had squandered prime scoring chances.
Every Inashiro at-bat was a threat.
The tension was suffocating.
And then—extra innings. Eleventh inning.
The deadlock shattered.
Zhou Hao, the one they had placed all their hope in, delivered.
Not just a hit.
Not just a timely RBI.
A home run.
"The score is now 4–3! Seidō High takes the lead!"
The stadium roared.
No more bottled-up nerves—now they could scream, cheer, and cry all they wanted.
"We're ahead!"
"It's ours! It's ours!"
Inside the dugout, grins spread across every face.
The fans in the stands could sense it—the relief, the fight, the joy.
The players on the field felt it tenfold.
"It's Zhou Hao again!"
"When he gets back, I'm hugging that kid!"
"Did you see that ball?!"
No one needed the question—everyone had seen it.
The ball blasted into the stands.
Inashiro's players, heads down, still couldn't accept the reality.
Narumiya Mei must be reeling… Did he not realize his velocity was slipping?
Miyuki Kazuya's sharp eyes narrowed.
If he were Inashiro's catcher, he'd call time right now.
Narumiya was proud—too proud. And this was a brutal blow.
As if reading his mind, Harada signaled for a timeout and jogged to the mound.
Inashiro wouldn't give up, but the damage was done.
Zhou Hao rounded the bases, crossed home plate, and confirmed Seidō's fourth run.
Back in the dugout, his teammates swarmed him.
"That was beautiful!"
"You're the brightest star out there!"
"After this game, yakiniku's on me!"
Shimoji's offer instantly had everyone laughing.
"Can you feed all of us?"
"Everyone's coming!"
Given the bottomless appetites of Seidō's roster, it wouldn't be cheap.
Three bowls of rice was standard. Some could put away five or six without blinking.
"We'll eat through his living expenses!"
"Nah—Shimoji's loaded."
Zhou Hao chuckled. A rich senpai? No reason to hold back, then.
"Deal!"
The mood in Seidō's dugout was infectious.
Fans in the stands smiled, envy written across their faces.
"This team's atmosphere is amazing!"
"No senior-junior walls—it's like a family."
"That's what happens when everyone's all-in for baseball."
But among the scouts and rival teams watching, the tone was different.
Every powerhouse in the stands shared the same goal:
Win. Reach Koshien. Excel on the grand stage.
"The deadlock's broken. If nothing crazy happens, Seidō's got this."
"Not so fast. Inashiro bats last… and that first-year, Zhou Hao, is too bright to ignore."
Even before his home run, Zhou Hao had been the most dazzling player on the field.
Now? His brilliance was blinding.
But in such a high-intensity duel, that brilliance came at a cost.
No matter how talented, no ace—let alone a first-year—was immune to fatigue.
The only question was when the breaking point would hit.
If it came late, Seidō would win.
If it came early… all bets were off.
Still, everyone here would leave remembering the same thing:
Zhou Hao's name goes at the top of the scouting list.
Back on the mound, no one knew what Harada told Narumiya.
But as the game resumed, the pitcher's focus had returned.
"Third batter, number three, first baseman—Yuki Tetsuya."
No outs. No runners.
Seidō's attack wasn't done yet.
Yuki stepped into the box, eyes locked on the mound.
Inashiro didn't make a change—Narumiya would continue.
Whoosh!
The pitch ripped through the air.
Yuki tracked it, hands tightening on the bat.
The instant it entered his zone, he unleashed a full swing.
Boom! The cut of the bat through the air made Harada's stomach sink.
Ping!
The ball exploded off the bat like a bolt of lightning—
and for a heartbeat, the entire stadium forgot to breathe.
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