"Seidou High School Baseball Team has made a comeback!"
"The score is now 2–1!!"
"This is incredible—Seidou, the powerhouse finally back at Koshien, has taken the lead over the Universe Team!"
"Seidou! Seidou!!"
"I knew it—their offense is among the best in the nation!"
In the stands, countless Seidou supporters roared. Many had traveled all the way from West Tokyo, and they knew better than anyone how much this team had endured.
The pain of past failures still lingered, enough to draw tears just by remembering. Yet after years of frustration, Seidou now stood tall at Koshien—having toppled their rivals and seized a lead against the country's most fearsome opponent.
It meant one thing: Seidou was no longer inferior to any powerhouse.
Even Osaka Kiryu—the number one team in the nation—was being forced back.
In Seidou's dugout, the players crowded around Zhou Hao, their cheers deafening.
Their shouts weren't just for the batters at the plate—they were a pledge of support for their ace.
Even if Zhou Hao's bat had been silenced today, they would stand beside him and shoulder the fight.
Zhou Hao felt that warmth. His heart swelled.
With these seniors by my side, no matter how strong the enemy, I'll never be afraid.
"The victory today will be ours," he declared firmly.
His words lit smiles across his teammates' faces.
This is how an ace should sound.
Miyuki, pushed to the outer edge of the huddle, curled his lips in a faint smirk.
"He's really becoming more and more like an Ace…"
The truth was, everyone felt it. Zhou Hao's influence was growing, and his presence in the team was undeniable.
Meanwhile, Kiryu's dugout told a very different story.
Manager Matsumoto Takahiro's expression had hardened. His earlier calm had vanished.
"How can they be this troublesome…?"
A strategist of his stature knew better than anyone the level Seidou was displaying. The team that failed to reach Koshien in recent years—the one he had scouted against Inashiro—was not the same team before him now.
Zhou Hao's baffling changeup had thrown them off balance. And Seidou's sluggers were far fiercer than expected.
This wasn't the Seidou of the scouting reports.
This was something else entirely.
In the stadium, tens of thousands held their breath, while millions more followed the game on television and online.
Seidou High School Baseball Team was on the verge of becoming a national sensation.
And Osaka Kiryu, despite their pedigree, was already being cast as the stepping stone to Seidou's rise.
For Matsumoto, who had long held ties with Seidou through practice games and friendly competition, the thought was unbearable.
"We must find a way…"
But outside his control, the story had already spread across the nation.
Far away in Nagano, a family sat glued to the broadcast.
At Sawamura Eijun's home, his parents, grandfather, and a group of friends from Akagi Junior High all watched in awe.
"Unbelievable. Eijun is really joining that team?"
These friends had once shared the field with him. They knew their own level—and compared to this blazing battle at Koshien, their skills felt like nothing.
Yet watching Seidou stirred something deep in them.
If only we could be part of a team like that… If only we could stand on a stage like this.
For Sawamura, that dream was within reach. And yet, doubt gnawed at him.
Can I really find a place on this team?
Seidou looked too strong, too perfect. So perfect, he wasn't sure what role he could even play.
His friends saw the same truth and fell silent.
But then—
Smack!
A sharp slap landed across his cheek, leaving a red handprint.
"Grandpa!" Sawamura sputtered, stunned and angry.
Why hit him now, of all times?
His grandfather's eyes were stern.
"Didn't you say you wanted to go to Tokyo to chase your dream? Then stop hesitating. When you chase a dream, you go forward without looking back. If it doesn't work out, the land here will always be waiting. You can come back and farm. But if you never try—will you be content with your life?"
Sawamura froze. His confusion evaporated. His grandfather's words pierced his heart.
Yes, Seidou's strength was terrifying. Yes, he wasn't sure he could keep up.
But if he didn't go, he would never know.
He clenched his fists.
"I understand. I'll give it my all!"
"Look—Seidou's making a pitching change!"
The scoreboard still read 2–1 as Osaka Kiryu recorded the third out. The game shifted into the top of the fifth inning.
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