This was the first time Miyuki Kazuya had caught Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball in a game since it had been upgraded to Level 3.
And it had to be said—its power was simply explosive.
Ikeda High School was known as the strongest dark horse of this year's Koshien, which already implied that they weren't a traditional national powerhouse.
After all, no matter how brilliant their performance had been, they wouldn't have earned that title if they were already an established giant.
That also meant their roster didn't have many truly elite players.
And indeed, that was the case.
Ikeda High School only had about three or four batters capable of being called "core players." To make the most of them, the team deliberately placed these players at the top of the batting order, maximizing their at-bats to create a menacing offensive core.
It was this aggressive strategy that had allowed them to score runs and upset stronger teams in previous rounds.
But now—
Even those top batters could only stand there, completely helpless against Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball.
Forget hitting it—just making contact was already a luxury.
Zhou Hao didn't rely on any fancy tactics or clever pitch sequences. He simply overwhelmed them with his Spiral Ball.
The effect was immediate.
The fans in the stands were ecstatic, roaring in excitement with every pitch. The Seidou players in the dugout could barely contain their enthusiasm.
But only Miyuki, crouched behind the plate, could truly feel how terrifying Zhou Hao's pitch really was.
After catching just two Spiral Balls, he already felt a burning sting spreading across the web of his hand.
It was only then that Miyuki fully understood why Chris had insisted that the two of them should rotate catching duties.
If a catcher tried to handle Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball from start to finish… his wrist would be destroyed!
They might look like adults in build, but they were still high school students — still developing physically. The sheer force behind Zhou Hao's pitches wasn't something a teenage body could easily withstand.
If this continued, the impact could even warp the catcher's arm.
If it could cause that much strain to his own teammates… imagine what it did to his opponents.
No wonder the batters of Ikeda High School looked so shaken.
They weren't scared for no reason.
"Boom!"
"Clap!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
The first batter swung hard at the last pitch, more out of pride than hope.
It didn't matter if he couldn't hit it—he couldn't afford to back down.
But the bat only sliced through empty air.
Strikeout.
Silence fell over the Ikeda dugout.
No one said a word.
There was nothing to say.
They had already discussed their game plan against Seidou High School long before this match began. They knew why their batters were struggling — but knowing didn't help.
They had no countermeasure.
"Just stay calm," the coach finally said. "Make him throw more pitches."
It wasn't that he wanted to play conservatively. He simply had no other choice.
If they went all out and still couldn't touch Zhou Hao's ball, their players' confidence might collapse completely.
One out. No one on base.
The second batter stepped into the box — another of Ikeda's core players. His bright, focused eyes locked on Zhou Hao, determined to figure out the secret behind the Spiral Ball.
Miyuki sneered inwardly.
"Go ahead and watch all you want. Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball isn't something you can hit just by 'figuring it out.'"
He used to think Chris was exaggerating. But now he understood completely.
When Zhou Hao threw his Spiral Ball, no matter how the batter resisted — it was meaningless.
The outcome was already decided.
There was no way they could hit it.
"Come on," Miyuki muttered, giving the signal.
On the mound, Zhou Hao didn't hesitate.
He wound up and threw.
"Boom!"
The ball screamed through the air like a falling meteor.
The second batter froze. His once-determined eyes widened in disbelief as the pitch whistled past him.
Can't hit it… no matter what, I can't hit it!
They didn't want to admit it, but the feeling of helplessness was undeniable.
Even trying to swing against Zhou Hao's pitch felt meaningless.
"Clap!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
Two outs. No one on base.
When the second batter returned to the dugout, his teammates surrounded him anxiously.
"What's going on? Why can't anyone hit him?"
The batter sighed, raising both hands helplessly.
"The motion is a bit different from a normal fastball. If you watch closely, you can spot it. That's probably how Osaka Kiryu managed to make contact before."
His teammates leaned in eagerly. "So we can see it too—?"
"But even if we see it…" He gave a bitter smile. "…it doesn't help."
"The movement and spin of that ball make it almost impossible to hit squarely. Even if you do make contact, it's not going anywhere."
That was his way of softening the blow for the others.
But everyone understood the truth.
Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball was untouchable.
"Boom!"
"Clap!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
Three up, three down.
The game had barely begun, and Ikeda High School — the so-called strongest dark horse — hadn't even made contact with the ball.
The Seidou supporters roared with laughter and pride.
"This is incredible! Keep up that pace!"
"Did you see their faces? They're completely lost!"
"Strongest dark horse? Please — they've just never faced a real powerhouse before."
"When it's Seidou or Osaka Kiryu, these teams show their true colors."
Bottom of the first inning.
Seidou High School was now up to bat.