On the mound, Zhou Hao wound up for his pitch.
In the batter's box, Matsumoto Taka Hiro narrowed his eyes.
"His pitching form… it's different!"
Unlike Inashiro or Ichidai Third, Osaka Kiryu hadn't been caught off guard. They had studied Seidou from the moment the West Tokyo semifinals ended. For a powerhouse like the Cosmos Team, there were few worthy rivals in their own region—so they scouted nationally, searching for future threats.
Seidou was high on their list. And Zhou Hao, the rookie Ace, was at the very top.
They had replayed his footage countless times. His Spiral ball was terrifying, yes—but not flawless. If you watched closely enough, you could distinguish the pitch from his stance. That meant you could anticipate it.
Of course, knowing was one thing, hitting it was another. Their leadoff and second batter hadn't been able to touch it. But their third and fourth hitters had. And now Zhou Hao had clearly adjusted his plan.
Besides the Spiral ball, he possessed a sharp Straight. Sometimes it even carried a faint rise.
Matsumoto Taka Hiro grinned, his smile twisting like that of a hungry demon. If we hadn't prepared, even Osaka Kiryu might have been shredded by this kid. But now?
The camera panned to his face on the stadium screen, and children watching at home shivered. That grin was nightmare fuel.
Seidou's supporters broke out in cold sweat. Could Zhou Hao really withstand this monster?
"Swish!"
Zhou Hao delivered. His motion looked simple, almost identical to a Straight. The ball shot low into the strike zone.
"Heh!" Matsumoto adjusted perfectly. The angle was clear. Even if the ball danced a little, he was sure he could crush it. The so-called 'Monster Boy'? His myth ends here.
He swung with confidence—
And missed.
The ball blurred, flickered, and vanished like a phantom before dropping neatly into Chris's glove.
Thwack!
"Strike!"
Matsumoto froze, disbelief etched on his face. Even the dugout fell silent.
"How… how did he miss?" Osaka Kiryu's players couldn't understand. From any angle, his timing had been flawless.
For the first time, Matsumoto's expression twisted. "He was still hiding pitches? Even against Inashiro?"
It made sense. In those matches, Zhou Hao's Spiral and Straight alone had dominated. He hadn't needed to reveal everything. And now, against Osaka Kiryu, he unveiled a new weapon.
This kid is too terrifying.
Director Matsumoto's sharp eyes burned from the dugout. "No matter what, you have to make contact! Only then can we learn what trick he's using."
Zhou Hao set again. Another pitch.
Matsumoto grit his teeth. "I'll hit it this time!"
He swung with everything—
And hit nothing but air.
Thwack!
"Strike two!"
"Thwack!!"
"Strike three!!"
"Strikeout!"
The crowd erupted. Tens of thousands in the stands, millions watching at home—none could comprehend what they had just seen.
All they saw was a confident slugger swinging again and again at a ghost.
Three outs. Side retired.
The inning ended with Osaka Kiryu up 1–0, but momentum had shifted.
Chris glanced at the stunned batter, then at his own glove. A smile tugged at his lips. Even I missed it the first time I caught it… this Illusion Ball is something else.
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