"Congratulations to Seido High School Baseball Team for defeating Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team by a score of 2–0!"
"With this victory, Seido High School Baseball Team are the champions of the Kanto Tournament!"
"And with that, the national powerhouse claims its second championship title of the year!"
The moment the announcement echoed throughout the stadium, the players and supporters of Seido erupted into cheers.
Their smiles grew even brighter.
After winning the Tokyo Spring Tournament earlier in the year, many players had regarded that title as little more than a warm-up.
To be blunt, neither Seido nor the other Tokyo schools had placed much importance on it.
But now, things were different.
As the reigning national champions, Seido carried the burden of remaining undefeated.
Every tournament they entered was another battlefield they had to conquer.
Looking back, even that seemingly insignificant Tokyo Spring Tournament title now felt like the perfect beginning to their campaign.
"We won!"
"We're champions!"
"This is the second time we've beaten Inashiro this year!"
"We've finally settled the score from last autumn!"
"This is only the beginning!"
"There'll be a third victory waiting for us!"
The next time the two teams met, barring any surprises, would most likely be during the Summer Tournament.
As the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, Seido and Inashiro would be placed in separate brackets.
If both teams advanced as expected, they would inevitably collide in the finals once more.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
The players.
The supporters.
The reporters.
Everyone present shared the same expectation.
The next chapter of this rivalry would be written in the Summer Tournament.
And when that day arrived, the stage would be even bigger.
"What a spectacular game."
"Seido only scored two runs, but Narumiya Mei's pitching was outstanding."
"Other than Zhou Hao's home run and that crucial stolen base, he was nearly flawless."
"If he'd avoided the direct confrontation with Zhou Hao, perhaps the result would've been different."
Many spectators couldn't help but discuss the turning point of the game.
From an outsider's perspective, Inashiro's defeat seemed to stem from a single decision.
Narumiya Mei had insisted on challenging Zhou Hao head-on.
Not only had Zhou Hao homered against him, but he had later drawn a walk, stolen second base, and eventually scored.
Had those moments been avoided, perhaps the outcome would have changed.
No one knew for sure.
But believing so made the loss easier to accept.
At the very least, today's game had taught Inashiro an important lesson.
Scoring against Zhou Hao was unbelievably difficult.
If they wanted to defeat Seido in the future, they would have to rely on Narumiya Mei's pitching to drag the game into a prolonged battle.
Only then would they have a chance to turn the tables.
"Thank you for the game!"
"Thank you for the game!"
After the final out, the players lined up and bowed to each other.
Although the voices of the Inashiro players sounded somewhat subdued, their expressions had already regained their composure.
The disappointment remained.
But they were no longer consumed by it.
Instead, they looked like warriors who had simply completed another battle.
The defeat had not broken them.
If anything, it had strengthened their resolve.
When they met Seido again in the summer, they intended to be better prepared.
Much better prepared.
"When we meet again in the summer, don't expect to be this lucky."
Narumiya Mei grabbed Zhou Hao's hand during the postgame handshake and squeezed with all his strength.
The gesture was so childish that Zhou Hao almost laughed.
"I really hate that temper of yours."
"You're already in high school, yet you still act like an elementary school kid."
While speaking, Zhou Hao squeezed back.
Unfortunately, the temporary boost from his Strength Card had long since expired.
Otherwise, Narumiya Mei would have immediately regretted starting this contest.
"Who are you calling a kid?"
"You're the immature one!"
Neither was willing to back down.
Normally, Zhou Hao carried himself with remarkable maturity.
Despite being younger than many of his teammates, his strength and status as Seido's Ace meant few people treated him as a first-year.
Likewise, Zhou Hao interacted with everyone as an equal.
Seeing him bicker like this was a rare sight.
The players from both teams immediately looked away.
None of them wanted to be associated with these two idiots.
"We'll get our revenge next time."
"We'll definitely win."
Harada and Carlos both made similar declarations before leaving.
Among them, Harada's determination was the strongest.
Carlos and Narumiya Mei were only second-years.
Even if they failed in the Summer Tournament, another opportunity would still await them.
Harada had no such luxury.
As a third-year, summer would be his final stage.
His last chance.
The thought alone made his resolve even firmer.
"We'll be waiting."
"But don't expect us to lose."
Yuki Tetsuya and Isashiki Jun answered on Seido's behalf.
Their determination was equally unwavering.
They had stood at the top of the nation once before.
They fully intended to do it again.
As third-years themselves, they understood better than anyone that there would be no second chance after summer.
Afterward, Seido ascended the award podium.
The moment they stepped forward, countless flashes exploded around them.
Click!
Click!
Click!
For an instant, the players felt as though the world had turned white.
Cameras surrounded them from every direction.
The flashes were so intense that many could barely keep their eyes open.
For veterans like Yuki and the other members of Seido's championship generation, the experience felt familiar.
They had stood on grander stages before.
Compared to the national championship ceremony, this was nothing extraordinary.
But for the players who had only become regulars after autumn, everything felt different.
When they won the Tokyo Spring Tournament, there had certainly been reporters present.
Yet it was nothing compared to this.
Now, people packed every available space around the podium.
Cameras pointed at them from all directions.
The flashes never stopped.
It felt less like a high school baseball tournament and more like a gathering of professional athletes or celebrities.
Yet this was reality.
For one shining moment—
They stood at the center of the baseball world.
Not only were they receiving such treatment, but the sheer size of the crowd surrounding them was overwhelming.
For a moment, many of the Seido players felt dazed.
It wasn't until the reporters began firing questions at them that they gradually came back to their senses.
And honestly, it wasn't hard to understand why.
The questions were sharp enough to wake anyone up.
"Zhou Hao-kun, was there some kind of problem today? It seemed your super-fast pitches were restricted."
The reporter instinctively used an honorific despite being significantly older.
Moreover, the very first question was directed straight at Zhou Hao.
"I'm not entirely sure of the exact reason."
Zhou Hao shrugged.
"It might have been the strain from those explosive pitches I threw earlier."
Naturally, he couldn't mention the existence of the System.
The Strength Card was a secret he could never reveal.
As a result, the explanation he offered was the only reasonable excuse he could think of on the spot.
Whether the reporters believed him or not was another matter entirely.
As long as he didn't reveal the truth, no one would ever connect the dots to something as absurd as a System.
The second reporter immediately followed up.
"Even without your signature fastballs, you threw a no-hitter complete game against a powerhouse like Inashiro Industrial. How do you feel about that performance?"
Like the first reporter, he unconsciously used an honorific.
After asking the question, he seemed momentarily surprised himself.
But after a brief pause, he realized there was nothing strange about it.
The young man standing before them wasn't simply a high school baseball player.
He was widely regarded as the brightest future star in Japanese baseball.
Back when Azuma Kiyokuni was still active, even veteran coaches had treated him with respect.
The reason was simple.
Strength earned respect.
And Zhou Hao had already demonstrated a level of ability that surpassed even Azuma's achievements at the same age.
Receiving such treatment felt completely natural.
"I think I got a little lucky today."
Zhou Hao answered honestly.
Unfortunately, nobody believed him.
To the reporters, it sounded like nothing more than modesty.
Not only was he the nation's top player, but he also remained humble despite all the praise.
That alone greatly increased their favorable impression of him.
But Zhou Hao genuinely meant what he said.
Although he had controlled the flow of the game for most of the afternoon, there had been several dangerous moments.
Had the Inashiro batters enjoyed slightly better luck...
Had Seido's defense been even a little less reliable...
Then allowing hits would have been inevitable.
The loss of his Spiral Ball and high-speed fastball had undeniably affected his pitching.
That was a fact.
Under those circumstances, successfully shutting out Inashiro without surrendering a single hit required more than skill alone.
A bit of luck had certainly played its part.
After the interview concluded, the reporters continued discussing him among themselves.
"Zhou Hao is incredibly humble."
"Against one of the strongest teams in the nation, he throws a no-hitter and still says he was lucky."
"Most players his age would've been bragging about it for months."
"But Zhou Hao never seems affected by success."
"No matter how difficult the situation, he always remains calm."
"That's the bearing of a true Ace."
"With a player like him around, Seido's future looks terrifying."
"Let's wait and see."
Meanwhile, Seido's players had already boarded the bus home with the championship trophy and certificates.
The moment the bus started moving, most of them fell asleep.
The fierce battle against Inashiro had drained every ounce of their energy.
Not a single player had the strength to celebrate anymore.
Even Kuramochi and Isashiki, who were usually the loudest on the team, were fast asleep.
Their heads swayed with the movement of the vehicle.
"Congratulations on winning the championship, everyone!"
Takashima Rei stepped onto the bus with a bright smile and an energetic greeting.
Immediately, the driver raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh."
Only then did Takashima notice the scene inside.
Nearly every player was asleep.
The atmosphere was unusually peaceful.
"They're this exhausted?"
She looked genuinely surprised.
Normally, after winning a game, the team would be overflowing with energy.
This was the first time she had seen them completely worn out.
The driver simply shrugged.
"It couldn't be helped."
"Today's opponent was Inashiro Industrial."
Although Seido had won convincingly, everyone had been under immense pressure.
Even the players who spent most of the game in the dugout felt exhausted from cheering and supporting their teammates.
The fatigue wasn't purely physical.
It was mental as well.
Throughout the match, Seido had appeared calm and composed.
But that didn't mean they had actually been relaxed.
Quite the opposite.
The burden on their shoulders had been enormous.
They had simply hidden it well.
Takashima's gaze eventually settled on Zhou Hao.
Curled up in his seat, he was sleeping soundly.
The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window and landed softly on his face.
Bathed in golden light, he almost seemed to glow.
A gentle smile appeared on Takashima Rei's face.
"We'll have to reward them properly when we get back."
These children had truly made Seido proud.
And at the center of everything stood Zhou Hao.
As long as he remained on the team, it felt as though nothing was impossible.
Even the upcoming Summer Tournament seemed less intimidating.
Of course, confidence alone wasn't enough.
Training still mattered.
Because in baseball, nobody could guarantee the final result.
The bus continued forward.
Eventually, it arrived at the front gate of Seido High School.
The driver immediately stopped.
Not because he didn't want to continue.
But because he physically couldn't.
The scene waiting outside was simply too overwhelming.
The round-faced principal.
The loud and energetic Head of Academics.
Teachers.
Students.
School staff.
Countless people had gathered near the entrance.
The marching band and cheer squad, who had returned ahead of the team, immediately sprang into action.
Music burst through the air.
Colorful flags waved.
Cheers erupted from every direction.
The moment the players stepped off the bus, the entire school exploded with excitement.
"A warm welcome to the triumphant Seido High School Baseball Team!"
"Kanto Tournament Champions!"
"Welcome home, Champions!"
Thunderous applause echoed across the campus.
For a moment, even the exhausted players couldn't help but smile.
No matter how tired they were.
No matter how intense the battle had been.
At this moment—
Every sacrifice felt worthwhile.