No outs. Runner on first base.
Carlos stood on the bag, restless and eager to move.
He looked as if he could dash off at any moment.
In fact, that was exactly his plan.
From the moment he reached base, his goal had been to distract the pitcher.
As long as he made a move toward second base—even just a feint—the pitcher's attention would naturally shift toward him.
Once that happened, the pitcher wouldn't be able to focus entirely on the batter.
And that was exactly the opportunity Inashiro Industrial needed.
As a core player for a powerhouse school, Carlos was extremely skilled at this type of base running tactic.
Even if the chances of success weren't high, he had to try.
But soon, Carlos noticed something strange.
The pitcher on the mound wasn't even looking in his direction.
Furuya Satoru stood there stiffly, his attention fixed solely on the batter.
He looked unbelievably green.
For a player from a national powerhouse like Seido, he seemed inexperienced to an almost shocking degree.
"Yosh!"
Carlos's eyes sparkled like black pearls.
Given the pitcher's performance, he couldn't possibly be blamed for taking advantage of the situation.
The moment Furuya began his pitching motion—
Carlos exploded off first base like a cheetah.
"He's running!"
The fans in the stands gasped.
No one expected the first batter of Inashiro Industrial to attempt a steal so boldly.
By the time the Seido players reacted, it was already too late to stop him.
More accurately—
Furuya himself had no way of stopping him.
"He's running!"
Squatting behind the plate, the catcher had already noticed Carlos's movement.
Miyuki Kazuya had seen it earlier than anyone else.
But because Furuya lacked experience, Miyuki didn't dare risk giving him a sudden signal.
All he could do was anxiously wait for the pitch.
"Boom!"
The blazing fastball shot out of Furuya's hand at over 150 km/h.
The speed startled Shirakawa, Inashiro's second batter.
Shirakawa Katsuyuki
He didn't swing at all, simply watching the ball pass.
"Snap!"
Miyuki caught it cleanly.
In the same motion, he sprang to his feet and fired the ball toward second base.
"Swoosh!"
The throw shot across the field like a beam of light.
"Hee-haw!"
The shortstop had already moved into position.
Kuramochi Yoichi covered second base perfectly.
"So fast!"
The speed of Seido's reaction left the fans stunned.
"As expected of a national powerhouse!"
"It's not just Ace Zhou Hao who's amazing!"
Watching the play unfold, many spectators felt the same admiration.
Seido's strength clearly didn't lie with one player alone.
Their teamwork, reflexes, and defensive coordination were all elite.
From identifying the threat to executing the countermeasure—it all happened in the blink of an eye.
And judging by the catcher's quick response, it was clear how outstanding he was.
Everyone assumed the runner would be caught.
But just then—
Carlos, sprinting at full speed, had already reached second base.
Kuramochi received the throw and immediately lunged forward, attempting to tag him.
However, Carlos proved incredibly cunning.
The moment he saw the glove approaching, he twisted his body and slipped away with a perfectly timed dodge.
Kuramochi froze for a split second.
This was the first time he had faced Carlos this closely.
The two were in the same year, and their playing styles were very similar.
Many people had compared them before.
Kuramochi hadn't taken those comparisons seriously.
But now…
Perhaps he had been careless.
This guy named Carlos might actually be stronger than he expected.
"Safe!"
Carlos successfully stole second base.
The situation on the field suddenly became:
No outs. Runner on second.
A heavy silence filled the Seido dugout.
It felt like dark storm clouds hanging over a city.
In the previous two games against other national powerhouses, Seido had performed brilliantly.
They had secured victory early in both matches.
Even if today's performance wasn't quite as dominant, they should still have held the advantage.
Yet now—
They had fallen into a disadvantage right from the start.
Tanba had struggled with similar issues in previous starts.
Tanba Koichiro
And now, with a first-year pitcher on the mound, the situation didn't seem any better.
Aside from their Ace—
Zhou Hao
Did Seido truly not have another reliable pitcher?
The thought made several players frown.
Honestly, none of them wanted to accept such a reality.
But the brutal truth unfolding on the field was difficult to deny.
While Seido's players struggled with these thoughts, the batter in the box remained sharp and focused.
Shirakawa's eyes burned like bright lamps.
Terrifyingly bright.
He had clearly seen Furuya's hesitation.
And he had also sensed the subtle wavering within Seido's team.
Facing a powerhouse like Seido, what did such hesitation mean?
No one understood the significance better than Shirakawa.
Opportunity.
And he had no intention of letting it slip away.
When Furuya delivered his second pitch—
Even though the speed exceeded Shirakawa's expectations—
He swung without hesitation.
"Clang!"
The ball bounced sharply off the ground.
"A chance!"
Shirakawa immediately dropped the bat and sprinted.
However—
The ball rolled directly toward first base.
Yuki Tetsuya charged forward and fielded it cleanly.
A few steps later, Shirakawa ran straight into him.
Yuki calmly reached out and tagged him with his glove.
"Out!"
One out.
But before Seido could celebrate their first out—
Something they feared happened.
"Third base!"
By the time anyone noticed, Carlos had already taken off again.
He sprinted toward third like an arrow released from a bowstring.
Yuki immediately threw the ball to third base.
But it was just a fraction too late.
"Snap!"
"Safe!"
Carlos slid safely onto the base.
One out. Runner on third.
For Seido's die-hard supporters in the stands, the sight was heartbreaking.
They had followed Seido for years.
Yet they had rarely seen the team pushed into such a difficult position.
"These guys…"
Thinking about it carefully, it wasn't surprising.
After all, this was the team that had defeated Seido in the Autumn Tournament.
Inashiro Industrial was simply too strong.
Their control of offensive rhythm was just as sharp as Seido's.
The third batter for Inashiro stepped into the box.
Without hesitation, he immediately squared around to bunt.
The offensive tactics they used were extremely standard.
But precisely because they were standard—
It meant they had practiced them countless times.
That was why their execution looked so smooth and natural now.
As for Furuya Satoru—
He had never encountered such a situation before.
With little game experience, suddenly facing this level of pressure—
Even Miyuki couldn't help but feel a little sorry for his junior.
Yet his sympathy meant nothing to the man watching from the bench.
Coach Kataoka's gaze remained sharp and cold.
Kataoka Tesshin
He had already anticipated that Furuya might face difficulties early in the game.
But that was exactly the point.
Only under this kind of pressure could Furuya's true potential be revealed.
It would never be easy for a first-year rookie to replace the second- and third-year seniors and become the second reliable relief pitcher behind the Ace.
Zhou Hao
Furuya Satoru's performance right now would directly influence the team's evaluation of him.
After all, no honor comes without effort.
If he wanted to stand out among Seido's current pitching staff, he had to show strength that clearly surpassed the others.
"Can you do it?"
Under the sharp gaze of Coach Kataoka, the answer came quickly.
Furuya Satoru gave up the first run.
"Clang!"
The players of Inashiro Industrial executed a perfect squeeze play.
The bunted baseball rolled slowly toward the pitcher's mound.
Furuya Satoru reacted a moment too late.
By the time he realized what was happening, Carlos had already sprinted home.
The run scored easily.
Fortunately, a shout from behind snapped him back to reality.
"First base!"
Miyuki Kazuya urgently reminded him.
Furuya hurriedly picked up the ball and fired it to first.
"Snap!"
"Out!"
The batter was retired.
Two outs. Bases empty.
But the scoreboard had already changed.
0 : 1
If it were another team, conceding a single run might not matter much.
But this was Seido High School.
A national powerhouse.
Even a one-run deficit felt glaring.
Just look at the supporters in the stands—many of them had flushed faces filled with agitation.
"This first-year kid…"
Some fans couldn't help but start complaining.
But before their complaints could grow louder, others quickly shook their heads.
"Hold on. He gave up one run, sure but he still got two outs."
"He may not become an Ace like Zhou Hao, but as part of the pitching rotation, this performance is acceptable."
Hearing this, the dissatisfied voices gradually quieted.
After all, they couldn't deny the truth.
The game continued.
The next batter stepped into the box.
"Fourth batter, catcher—Harada Masatoshi!"
Harada Masatoshi
For the Inashiro Industrial players, this was a golden opportunity.
They had just scored.
Seido's first-year pitcher was clearly shaken.
And now their cleanup hitter had stepped up.
From every perspective, their chances of scoring again were frighteningly high.
With a little luck, they might even completely break Seido's rookie pitcher.
Everything depended on whether Furuya could endure the pressure.
"Swoosh!"
The baseball shot out of Furuya's hand.
But this time—
The change was obvious.
Everyone watching could tell the difference immediately.
The speed of the pitch wasn't as explosive as before.
Behind the plate, Miyuki's throat suddenly felt dry.
He should have noticed earlier.
Unfortunately, he was already a step too late.
Furuya's pitching speed had dropped by an entire level.
The pitch now traveled at only 146–147 km/h.
A straight fastball without special movement.
At that speed, it wasn't weak.
But against Harada, one of the Three Great Sluggers of West Tokyo, it simply wasn't enough.
Harada's eyes lit up the moment he saw the pitch approaching.
There was no way he would let such an obvious opportunity escape.
The muscles on his arms bulged like coiled steel cables.
As the ball entered the strike zone—
He swung with all his strength.
"BOOM!"
The terrifying sound of the bat slicing through the air echoed across the field.
Hearing that sound alone made Miyuki's heart sink.
He should have known.
Harada would never miss a pitch like that.
"Clang!"
The baseball was launched high into the sky.
In the stands, Seido's supporters instinctively widened their eyes.
An ominous feeling spread through their hearts.
No one said a word.
They could only watch helplessly as the ball soared into the distance.
Even Furuya, standing on the mound, was stunned.
Although he knew his pitch lacked its usual power, he had never imagined the opponent could hit it this far.
Until now, no one had ever driven his pitch deep like that.
But reality was merciless.
The baseball arced high through the sky—
And then descended into deep outfield.
Everything happened too suddenly.
None of the Seido players had expected it.
They had always believed that even if someone hit Furuya's pitches, the ball wouldn't travel too far.
Now it was clear.
That confidence had been far too optimistic.
Real competition was far more brutal.
Watching the ball fly toward deep center field, the Inashiro supporters began to stir with excitement.
"That mustached guy won't make it!"
"A huge extra-base hit!"
But just as their cheers were about to erupt—
Something unexpected happened.
A player in Seido's white-and-blue uniform was already sprinting toward the landing point of the ball.
And judging from his speed—
He might actually intercept it.
"Who is that?!"
"Why is he there?!"
The Inashiro players and fans were stunned.
This was center field.
Logically, only the center fielder should be there.
Isashiki Jun
But someone had reached the landing spot even earlier.
Then someone finally recognized him.
"It's Zhou Hao!"
"Why is he there?!"