"Thank you for that!"
The mustachioed Isashiki Jun was the very definition of a hot-blooded player.
Whether it was batting or fielding, even if his overall skill ranked among the lower half of Seidou High School's lineup, once he stepped on the field, he was always brimming with passion.
It was precisely that fire that made Coach Kataoka choose him as a starter—over the third-year players whose abilities weren't much different.
In pure skill, Isashiki might have been on the same level as those seniors. But his energy and presence could ignite the entire team.
Just like now—Isashiki was nothing but honest.
If Zhou Hao hadn't made that play, he would have missed that catch for sure.
It would've been a long hit, likely a double!
Even if it wouldn't have resulted in an immediate score for Ikeda High, it would have completely shifted the game's momentum.
The scoreboard read 2–0.
The game had reached the sixth inning. While Seidou had been pressing Ikeda all game, their lead was still narrow.
If Ikeda managed to claw back even one run, the entire rhythm of the match could change.
At this point, Seidou's focus wasn't just on winning today's game—they were already thinking about the next rounds.
Of course, that was only possible if they secured this victory first.
Under these circumstances, conserving stamina and keeping their trump cards fresh was essential.
From that perspective, Zhou Hao's save had been nothing short of spectacular.
But naturally, everyone wanted to know: How did he do it?
When Zhou Hao returned to the dugout, everyone's curious eyes turned toward him. He scratched his head, unable to explain easily.
In truth, the reason was simple.
The incredible play had been made possible through the combined power of the Sharingan and the Body Flicker Technique.
The moment Zhou Hao saw the ball leave the bat, his Sharingan instantly locked onto its trajectory and landing point.
Isashiki Jun, influenced by Agawa's earlier deep hit into the stands, had assumed this one would also travel far.
He had positioned himself deeper in the field.
Because of that, he simply didn't have enough time to reach the ball.
Even if he had reacted immediately, by the time he picked up the ball after it hit the ground, it would've been too late to stop Agawa.
With the clarity granted by his Sharingan, Zhou Hao grasped all this in an instant.
He had to move—and his body acted before his mind could even process the decision.
Activating the Body Flicker Technique, Zhou Hao sprinted over twenty meters in the instant between the crack of the bat and the ball's descent—just in time to make the impossible catch.
Even he hadn't expected how terrifyingly effective these two abilities would be together.
Thanks to the Sharingan, his natural defensive range was already far greater than any normal outfielder's.
But with the Body Flicker Technique added in, Zhou Hao wasn't just confident in covering his own zone—he could even back up other positions.
Coach Kataoka gave him a thoughtful look.
Zhou Hao insisted it had been luck—but how could something like that be explained away as mere luck?
"Perhaps, compared to Isashiki Jun, Zhou Hao is more suited to be our center fielder…"
That thought flashed briefly through Coach Kataoka's mind, but he immediately dismissed it.
If Zhou Hao were just a normal outfielder, the adjustment would make perfect sense. He could easily make that switch.
But Zhou Hao wasn't an ordinary player. He wasn't a full-time outfielder—he was there mainly to recover his stamina.
The less active his position, the better.
If substitutions were allowed to re-enter the game, Coach Kataoka would've already sent him to rest on the bench.
The center fielder's area of responsibility was far larger, and the workload heavier.
Putting Zhou Hao there would only delay his recovery.
"I'll have to figure something out later…"
The game moved to the bottom of the sixth inning, with Seidou on offense.
Their ninth batter quickly went down.
On the mound, Akahoshi showed no signs of fatigue.
After realizing how tricky he was, Seidou's batters had shifted their tactics—moving from bunts to patient at-bats, trying to foul off and stretch the count.
In short, they were trying to wear down Akahoshi's stamina.
Even with a two-run lead, Seidou wasn't content.
They wanted insurance runs—to make absolutely sure of their victory.
But their plan didn't seem to be working.
Despite the inning count climbing, Akahoshi remained as sharp as ever.
Meanwhile, Seidou's hitters were falling one after another.
One out, no runners on.
The leadoff batter stepped into the box.
"It's already the third rotation through the lineup. Seidou should start scoring now,"
remarked Fujio, a veteran reporter from Baseball Kingdom Magazine, confidently from the stands.
Indeed, Seidou's batters had tried to break through in their second turn, but failed.
Now, they had two full rounds' worth of data on Akahoshi's pitching.
Even if the ace didn't look tired, he couldn't possibly maintain peak form forever.
From Fujio's experience, Seidou's offense would never let this opportunity slip.
They were going to act—and now was the moment.
A few fans nodded, impressed by his analysis. Fujio clearly sounded like an expert.
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
Matsumoto, stepping up for his third at-bat, swung decisively after two tricky pitches.
The ball bounced sharply off the ground—straight back to Akahoshi, who snatched it cleanly with his glove.
"Smack!"
"Out!"
Two outs, bases empty.
The same fans who'd just praised Fujio suddenly felt their faces burn in secondhand embarrassment.
Luckily, they were just spectators. It was Fujio who had made the confident declaration.
If anyone had to feel embarrassed, it was him.
"Next batter, second in the lineup—outfielder, Zhou Hao!"
Two outs, nobody on base.
Zhou Hao stepped into the batter's box for his third at-bat of the game.