The game entered the top of the fifth inning, with Ikeda High School stepping up to bat.
After pitching four consecutive innings of Spiral Balls, Zhou Hao was moved to the outfield by Coach Kataoka.
Taking his place on the mound was Seidou's No. 1 pitcher—Yoshida.
The moment Seidou made the substitution, the Ikeda players and their supporters all exhaled in relief.
Zhou Hao's performance earlier had been nothing short of terrifying.
His speed, his control—everything felt inhuman.
For a while, Ikeda's players and even their coach had almost forgotten—
Zhou Hao wasn't invincible.
He had weaknesses too.
The biggest one was his stamina.
Even though Seidou led 2–0, the game was far from over.
If Zhou Hao's endurance were limitless, Coach Kataoka would never have replaced him now.
The fact that he was substituted meant only one thing—
Zhou Hao needed rest.
And for Ikeda, that meant this was their only window of opportunity.
"This is our chance," their coach growled, eyes gleaming with predatory intensity. "We absolutely cannot waste it!"
Though the score gap was small, the Ikeda coach understood their position better than anyone.
They had been pushed to the edge of a cliff by Seidou.
If they didn't strike now, there would be no later.
Once Zhou Hao returned to the mound, their hopes of scoring would vanish completely.
He knew it clearly:
None of Ikeda's batters could handle Zhou Hao's pitching.
The only way to score against him would be if his body failed him—or if he made an unforced error.
But would that ever happen?
No.
The coach didn't believe it for a second.
Which meant they had to score now, while Yoshida was pitching.
Ikeda's cleanup hitter—the Fourth Batter—stepped into the box, his stance tight and focused.
Determination burned in his eyes.
Miyuki crouched behind the plate, watching carefully. After a few seconds of observation, a faint smile formed on his lips.
He raised his fingers, giving Yoshida the signal.
"Let's go!"
Yoshida nodded sharply, teeth clenched.
A fire ignited in his chest.
So that's how it is...
You think I'm the weak link. You think you can score off me?
He took a deep breath.
His eyes sharpened like blades.
"You think I'm an easy target? You're eight hundred years too early!"
Yoshida wound up and unleashed the pitch.
"Whoosh!"
The white ball whistled through the air.
Ikeda's Fourth Batter's eyes widened. His expression turned fierce—he swung with all his might, pouring his determination into that single moment.
"Ping!"
The bat connected. The ball skipped sharply off the ground.
But before he could even think about running, a Seidou infielder darted forward, scooped up the ball smoothly, and fired it to first base.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
The umpire's voice rang out.
On the mound, Yoshida smirked coldly.
He could see right through their intent—
They thought with him pitching, Ikeda could finally breathe.
What a joke.
We're Seidou, he thought. We were a national powerhouse long before Zhou Hao joined us.
Ikeda's mistake was clear. They'd been dazzled by Zhou Hao's brilliance and forgot the foundation beneath it.
Seidou's strength wasn't built overnight—
Zhou Hao merely amplified it.
"One out!"
Next up was Ikeda's Fifth Batter.
Compared to the previous hitter, this one looked visibly nervous as he stepped into the box. His grip on the bat trembled slightly, eyes locked on Yoshida.
But Yoshida didn't spare him even a glance.
He exhaled, focused, and threw the next pitch.
"Whoosh!"
The ball cut through the air with speed and precision.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
The batter gritted his teeth and swung hard on the next pitch.
"Ping!"
The ball bounced weakly along the ground. Yoshida moved swiftly, scooped it up, and fired it to first base.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
Two batters down in quick succession.
In the Ikeda dugout, their coach—who had been roaring with confidence only minutes ago—now sat frozen, his expression blank.
"Coach! Coach, what's wrong?"
"Are you okay?"
Hearing his players' anxious voices, the Ikeda coach let out a bitter laugh.
"…I was too naive."
Only now did he fully grasp just how foolish his earlier optimism had been.
How could he have underestimated a team like Seidou—a true national powerhouse?
Even without Zhou Hao on the mound, Seidou's strength remained overwhelming.
It was at that moment that the Ikeda coach realized the truth—
Seidou High School wasn't strong because of Zhou Hao.
Zhou Hao was strong because he was part of Seidou.
-------------
Support me at pa-treon com/DaoOfPeeking