Koshien Qualifiers.
West Tokyo Tournament, semifinals.
Seido High School versus West Tokyo powerhouse Inashiro Industrial.
For an hour and a half, both sides had battled fiercely, neither yielding an inch.
After nine innings, they were still deadlocked—until the game entered its second extra inning.
Now, with the scoreboard reading 5–3, Seido finally had the advantage.
Two runs ahead, and only three outs away from victory.
But Inashiro wasn't ready to give up.
Especially Narumiya Mei.
Standing in the batter's box, his eyes burned with frustration and stubborn pride.
If the game ended like this, he wouldn't be able to sleep for days.
Zhou Hao wound up and fired.
Narumiya didn't hesitate.
"Fly, dammit!"
He swung with every ounce of strength, hoping to blast the ball into the stands—or better yet, out of Jingu Stadium entirely.
The crack of the bat echoed.
The ball shot upward… but not far.
It slowed, hung in the air, and began to drop.
"A pop fly!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The Ichidai Third players watching from the stands were the first to see it for what it was: a trap.
Narumiya's expression darkened.
"Kazuya…"
Of course—it wasn't just Zhou Hao's pitch speed. Miyuki Kazuya had read him perfectly. He knew exactly what Narumiya wanted and had baited him with a pitch too tempting to resist.
"You… used my eagerness against me?"
Miyuki only gave a cool shrug from behind the mask.
"Just returning the favor."
One out. No one on base.
Next up—Carlos.
Dark skin, long legs, and eyes sharp with determination.
Two runs down. Two outs from elimination. He had to get on base.
"Zhou Hao's as tired as Mei," Carlos told himself. "If I connect, I'm on."
Zhou Hao pitched.
The ball came exactly where Carlos wanted it.
A trap? Probably. But Carlos didn't care.
He dropped a bunt.
"Bunt?! With no one on base?!"
Gasps again from Seido's bench. This was pure confidence in his speed.
The ball rolled up the line.
Carlos exploded forward, legs a blur, eating the distance like a cheetah.
"So fast!"
But Azuma Kiyokuni scooped the ball and fired a rocket to first.
The throw slammed into Yuki's glove—just as Carlos's foot hit the bag.
"Out!"
Two outs. No one on base.
Kuramochi, watching from the dugout, felt a bead of cold sweat run down his back.
That speed… even he couldn't have made it.
"I need to get faster," he thought, clenching his fists.
Last chance—Hanaki, Inashiro's leadoff man and the hitter who'd faced Zhou Hao the most today.
Miyuki eyed him warily.
"A straight ball here could be dangerous."
Zhou Hao gave a small nod.
"Then let's surprise him."
The first pitch—Boom!—a Spiral Ball.
The crowd roared in disbelief.
"A Spiral Ball?! This late in the game?!"
Before they recovered, the second pitch came.
Another Spiral.
"Strike!"
Hanaki was cornered.
Zhou Hao didn't let up. He threw the third pitch—Hanaki committed, swinging with all his might…
Thwack!
A straight ball.
Swing and a miss.
"Strikeout!"
Three outs. Game over.
For a heartbeat, the stadium was silent.
Then—
"We won!!"
Before the announcer could even confirm it, Seido's bench exploded.
Players leapt from the dugout, shouting, hugging, and pumping their fists.
"Victory!!!"
Seido High had defeated Inashiro Industrial.
And the road to Koshien was still wide open.
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