Top of the first inning. Two outs, runnerless bases.
Zhou Hao had opened the game by striking out two batters with his Spiral ball, electrifying the stadium. The third man stepped up to the plate—Kuroda, the Ace pitcher and cleanup slugger of Osaka Kiryu.
He was a giant of a man, over 185 centimeters tall, with rugged features that gave him a simple, almost goofy look. But the moment he stood in the batter's box, that impression vanished. A dangerous aura rolled off him in waves. His sharp gaze locked onto Zhou Hao like that of a predator sizing up its prey.
Zhou Hao felt the pressure but didn't flinch. He had faced sluggers like this before, and while he used to be nervous, his experiences against top powerhouses had forged his composure. As long as he pitched his game, he could handle anyone.
Chris flashed the sign. Zhou Hao nodded, raised his leg, and in one smooth motion delivered his pitch.
"Boom!"
The ball shot from his hand with a roar, spinning violently. Seidou's supporters leaned forward in anticipation, their hearts swelling with pride. They had come to see Zhou Hao pitch, and he didn't disappoint.
The ball crashed into Chris's mitt.
"Thwack!"
"Strike!"
Kiryu's dugout frowned. Even Kuroda couldn't touch the Spiral ball? If so, their only hope was to somehow knock Zhou Hao off the mound.
Zhou Hao's next pitch came like a missile.
"Boom!"
Kuroda's eyes gleamed. Now! He tracked the ball, unleashed his swing—
"Ping!!"
The bat connected.
Gasps erupted across the stands.
The Spiral ball's late movement still bit fiercely, the impact jolting Kuroda's hands as if they were splitting apart. But he clenched his teeth, muscling through with raw strength.
"Go!"
The ball exploded off his bat, rocketing into the outfield.
Seidou's fielders sprinted desperately, but the ball carried too much heat. By the time it was retrieved, Kuroda was already standing on second base.
Two outs, runner on second.
Osaka Kiryu's dugout roared, Director Matsuzaka grinning broadly. "Zhou Hao's myth has been broken! What will you do now?"
In Seidou's dugout, Coach Kataoka's face stayed stoic, but unease rippled among the players. Zhou Hao had never been hit so cleanly before. Even seasoned Aces sometimes wavered after moments like this—how would a first-year rookie respond?
Seidou knew the danger well. They had lost too many games because their pitchers collapsed after a single setback. That worry clung to them now.
Chris, crouched behind the plate, shared the same concern. His eyes flicked to Zhou Hao, searching his expression.
But Zhou Hao stood calm, unshaken.
Chris exhaled in relief—until doubt crept in. Was that hit a fluke? Should we change the calls?
Before he could decide, Zhou Hao shook his head firmly.
"Continue."
Even if it meant risking a run, he had to test the Spiral ball head-on. A single hit wasn't enough to abandon it.
Chris nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Got it."
The cleanup batter, Sato, strode to the plate. Built almost like Kuroda, he exuded raw power.
Zhou Hao wound up and unleashed another Spiral ball.
"Boom!"
"Thwack!"
"Strike!"
Two outs, runner on second. Zhou Hao was still attacking, still fearless. And once again, the Spiral ball proved sharp enough to slice into the zone.
Kiryu's supporters shifted uneasily. For all their confidence, the storm on the mound hadn't passed yet.
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