One out, no runners on base.
At that moment, Zhou Hao stepped into the batter's box. His eyes locked onto Akahoshi, reading every subtle motion, every shift in aura.
He could feel it—the difference.
All truly powerful pitchers and batters possessed an aura that set them apart. Even casual spectators could sense it, let alone seasoned players like Zhou Hao.
Right now, standing in the box, Zhou Hao felt an immense pressure emanating from his opponent.
This aura… it was even stronger than Uekusa's, comparable to Kuroda's.
"Hoo…"
Exhaling slowly, Zhou Hao steadied himself.
Ever since joining Seidou High School's First String, he had performed exceptionally—both on the mound and at the plate. His only true setback came during the match against Osaka Kiryu High School, where Kuroda's blistering 155 km/h fastballs had completely overwhelmed him.
Now, facing Akahoshi, Zhou Hao's crimson eyes flickered faintly beneath the brim of his helmet.
On the mound, Akahoshi was unaware of this. He wound up smoothly, confidence radiating from his every motion, and unleashed his pitch.
"Swoosh!"
The baseball sliced through the air, appearing at first glance identical to a fastball. Even Zhou Hao's Sharingan detected no obvious irregularities.
It was indeed a straight pitch—but one that felt subtly off. Each pitcher's fastball had its own rhythm, spin, and bite. Akahoshi's was no exception.
Zhou Hao narrowed his gaze.
"No matter. I'll hit it and see."
One strike, no balls.
When the next pitch came, Zhou Hao swung without hesitation.
"Whoosh!"
The air trembled with the force of his swing.
Ikeda's catcher, crouched behind the plate, instinctively tensed. He had studied Zhou Hao's reputation, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely.
Zhou Hao's swing was low, powerful, and merciless. If that bat connected cleanly, the ball would soar.
"Ping!"
The bat met the ball with a sharp metallic ring.
The baseball shot toward the first base line—but veered just out of bounds.
"Foul ball!"
One strike, one foul.
A murmur rippled through Seidou's supporters, then faded into silence. Tens of thousands of fans filled the stadium, yet the air felt still enough to hear a pin drop.
Zhou Hao seemed to be struggling. But his expression told a different story.
"So that's it…"
Just observing with his Sharingan hadn't been enough. Only by actually hitting the ball did Zhou Hao grasp Akahoshi's secret.
It wasn't a normal fastball—it was a cut ball.
The pitch looked like a straight ball right up until it entered the strike zone, where it subtly veered off course. The change was slight but sharp, barely perceptible until the last instant.
That was Akahoshi's weapon.
Such deceptive movement left no time to think. Batters had to react purely on instinct, swinging where they thought the ball would be.
Even knowing the trick didn't make it easier to hit.
Zhou Hao took two deep breaths, eyes flashing scarlet once more. His Sharingan spun at full intensity.
On the mound, Akahoshi began his motion again.
To Zhou Hao's heightened vision, the world slowed. Every frame of Akahoshi's delivery unfolded in perfect clarity. The ball's spin, the wrist angle, the release point—all laid bare before him.
"Here it comes…"
The ball left Akahoshi's hand—slower, almost crawling in Zhou Hao's eyes. He could see every rotation.
"This angle… this is it!"
"Now!"
Zhou Hao clenched the bat, muscles coiling like springs, and swung with his full might.
"Whoosh!"
The air cracked as his bat cut through it.
Ikeda's catcher, barely meters away, felt the sheer pressure of the swing.
"As expected of Seidou High School… to produce such a terrifying rookie."
Just from that swing alone, the catcher could sense the grueling training Seidou's players endured.
"What a pity," he thought. "Akahoshi's cut ball isn't something brute strength can overcome."
But before that thought could settle—
"Ping!"
The sharp sound of contact echoed across Koshien.
At first, the players of Ikeda High School stayed calm. They'd seen plenty of hits that seemed solid but died short.
Then, their expressions changed.
The baseball soared high, tracing a magnificent arc through the summer sky.
"No way…"
The catcher's eyes widened as the ball kept climbing, higher and higher, before finally landing deep in the outfield stands.
"It's out!"
A brief silence—then an explosion of cheers.
"Home run!"
"Zhou Hao hits his first home run at Koshien!"
The scoreboard flickered—1:0.
Zhou Hao trotted around the bases calmly, while Seidou's dugout erupted.
Under the blazing Koshien sun, his crimson eyes gleamed like fire.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 🥳 🎉