The game pressed on.
Bottom of the third inning — Seidou's offense.
Whether standing in the batter's box or waiting in the dugout, every Seidou player burned with fighting spirit. Zhou Hao's dazzling performance on the mound had lit a fire in their hearts.
So what if the opponent was the so-called "Universe Team"?
Their Ace had forced Osaka Kiryu into confusion. They could definitely win this!
But that swelling confidence was smashed to pieces in an instant.
On the mound, Kuroda loomed like a demon. His pitches came screaming in, faster and sharper than ever. Even now, deep into the third inning, his velocity showed no sign of faltering.
Boom!
Seidou's ninth batter stiffened as the ball hurtled toward him. His mind went blank.
He wasn't a weak hitter — for a ninth batter, he was solid — but facing a heater well over 150 km/h was a different world entirely. That was a nightmare usually reserved for Seidou's core sluggers.
Now it was his turn, and he wanted desperately to connect.
But could he?
The answer was merciless.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!"
Three pitches. Gone.
The boy who had stepped in brimming with ambition walked back with glassy eyes, forced to recognize the truth: not only was their Ace monstrous, but the enemy's Ace was every bit as terrifying. If Seidou wanted to topple Osaka Kiryu, they would have to conquer this man — a pitcher who could sling 150 km/h fastballs like it was nothing.
Next came the leadoff, Matsumoto.
Boom!!
The high-speed fastball tore through the strike zone. Matsumoto swung with all he had, teeth clenched, will burning.
But his bat carved only air. The ball had already thundered into the catcher's mitt.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!"
Back-to-back strikeouts. Two outs, bases empty.
Kuroda stood tall, his presence swelling until it felt like an immovable wall.
Now it was Seidou's second batter — pitcher Zhou Hao.
Once, his mere appearance in the box had been enough to lift Seidou's spirits. They believed he could always deliver.
But reality had caught up. The myth of Zhou Hao at the plate was no longer untouchable.
Kuroda's eyes gleamed as he saw him. His aura spiked higher.
Boom!
The fastball exploded through the air, like a bolt of lightning. It buried itself in the catcher's glove with a heavy thud!
The Osaka Kiryu catcher smirked. Scared, aren't you?
Strong as Zhou Hao was, today their Ace was stronger. And with Kuroda in this form, Seidou would be lucky to even foul one off.
"Right down the middle," the catcher signaled. He didn't even bother with the corners. Let's end this clean.
The Seidou dugout bristled with anger, but they couldn't deny the truth: even if Zhou Hao touched the ball, the chances of him sending it flying were slim.
Boom!
The fastball roared again, a cannon shot straight at the heart of the strike zone.
Zhou Hao's eyes snapped wide. With the Sharingan, he tracked every stitch of the ball. He had switched to a heavier metal bat, lowered his stance, coiled every ounce of strength into the swing.
"Go!!"
The bat cracked forward.
Ping!
The impact rattled his arms until it felt like they might snap. So heavy…!
The ball sailed off, tracing a sharp arc through the sky. For a moment, the entire stadium held its breath.
Then it fell. Just twenty meters.
Osaka Kiryu's second baseman was already in position, gloved it smoothly, and rifled to first.
Pop!
"Out!!"
Zhou Hao didn't even make it halfway down the line.
Three up, three down. Side retired.
The Osaka Kiryu supporters exhaled, relief and pride flooding back.
"For a second, I thought he'd actually send it flying…"
"Impossible! You can fake a lot of things, but not raw power!"
"Unless Kuroda suddenly weakens, that first-year will never hit him out!"
Top of the fourth inning. Osaka Kiryu back to bat.
Leading off — Kuroda himself.
It was he who had cracked Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball in the opening inning, giving Osaka Kiryu their first run. And now, stepping in again, the crowd roared his name.
"Teach them a lesson! Don't let that first-year brat get cocky!"
The atmosphere had shifted in a single inning.
Behind the plate, Chris gave a firm signal. His eyes burned.
We have to shut them down. We must take back control of this game.
The crack in Zhou Hao's myth had been a blow to the whole team. They couldn't let it fester. They had to show everyone — opponents and fans alike — that Seidou's strength was real.
Zhou Hao nodded, tightening his grip on the ball.
Yes.
It was time for payback.
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