The game entered the top of the ninth inning—Seisho High stepping up for their final offensive.
The scoreboard showed 2–0.
This Koshien quarter-final had finally reached its decisive stage.
Seido High School Baseball Team did not change pitchers.
Zhou Hao continued to stand tall on the mound, ready to close the game out.
Before this match, some still doubted whether Zhou Hao truly deserved the Ace title. After all, Seido's official No.1 wasn't him, but Yoshida, who was playing in the outfield today.
But after this battle?
No one could question it anymore.
At a glance, it seemed as if Seisho High had been crushed from start to finish, barely able to fight back. But anyone who truly understood baseball knew—Seido's victory was anything but easy.
Especially because of Akutsu, Seisho High's Ace.
His dominance over Seido's lineup was monstrous.
Until the previous inning, Seido was holding onto a fragile 1-run lead.
And in baseball, a single run could be overturned at any moment.
Only when Seido scored their second run in the eighth inning did the players and supporters truly breathe.
Now, entering the ninth inning with a two-run cushion, the Seido players and fans were calm—not because the danger was gone, but because of the man on the mound.
As long as Zhou Hao was pitching, they felt nothing could overturn the game.
Seisho High's Ninth Batter stepped into the box.
He knew his chances to hit Zhou Hao's pitch were almost zero.
But what of it?
This was likely his last appearance in Koshien.
He refused to leave the field with regrets.
"Just one hit… even a small one… I have to make contact."
His gaze locked onto Zhou Hao like a burning searchlight.
Chris, crouched at the plate, gave a subtle shake of his head.
It wasn't arrogance.
It was reality.
Against any of Zhou Hao's other pitches, Seisho High's lower order might have stood a chance. They were a national powerhouse—every batter was strong.
But the pitch coming now…
The Spiral Ball.
Even at reduced stamina, Zhou Hao's Spiral Ball wasn't something lower-order hitters could dream of touching.
Chris gave his signal.
Zhou Hao's lips curled slightly.
Sometimes, his senior was even more ruthless than Miyuki.
Boom!
The high-rotation Spiral Ball shot toward the plate like a vortex of white light.
It was the batter's third time facing Zhou Hao—
But his first time seeing the Spiral Ball.
The instant he saw the ball, his mind went blank.
Too fast.
Too heavy.
Unhittable.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
When he looked up again, Zhou Hao overlapped with the image of Akutsu in his mind—
monsters whose pitching talent stood on a completely different level.
He gritted his teeth.
Even though he knew he had no chance, when Zhou Hao wound up again—
He swung.
"Pop!"
"Strike!!"
His bat didn't even come close.
On the third pitch, he swung with everything he had left—
But reality was merciless.
"Pop!"
"Strikeout!!!"
One out. Bases empty.
Even knowing Zhou Hao's stamina was dipping, Seido's supporters still hadn't expected this.
Another clean strikeout.
And what a strikeout.
Their excitement exploded.
"That's our Ace!!"
"Even when he's tired, you still can't touch him!"
In the dugout, Seido's players were on the verge of jumping.
Two more outs—
Two more outs until they advanced to the national top four.
Seisho High sent a pinch hitter next.
His legs nearly buckled the moment he saw the Spiral Ball.
"Boom!"
"Pop!"
Strike.
Strike.
Strikeout.
The bat never moved.
Two outs.
Seido's fans erupted again.
"He froze!!"
"The poor guy didn't even swing!"
Meanwhile, Seisho High's coach could only clutch his head.
He couldn't stop trying—not until the very end—but the situation was brutal.
Their First Batter stepped in.
Their final hope was simply to get one hit.
Just one—to extend the inning, give Akutsu one last chance to bat.
He gripped the bat so tightly his fingers turned white.
For Akutsu.
For their team.
For their pride.
Zhou Hao didn't care.
He calmly delivered the Spiral Ball again.
"Boom!"
The batter's breath caught in his throat.
The pressure was suffocating.
"Pop!"
"Strike!!"
He bit down hard.
It didn't matter if he had no chance—
He had to swing.
Zhou Hao delivered the second pitch.
The batter swung with everything he had.
"Ping!"
He hit it.
He actually made contact!
But joy lasted only a fraction of a second.
His hands split open from the impact.
His arms felt crushed under a truck's wheels.
The ball rolled weakly toward the mound.
Zhou Hao calmly fielded it.
"Pop!"
Throw to first.
"Out!"
"Game set!!"
Akutsu would not get his final at-bat.
The announcer's voice thundered through the stadium:
"Quarter-final of the Koshien National Tournament—
After nine intense innings, Seido High School defeats Seisho High with a final score of 2–0!"
"Congratulations to Seido High School Baseball Team for advancing to the national top four!"
The stadium erupted in a tidal wave of cheers.
"WE WON!!"