The matchup between Seido High School and Ichidai San High School had originally been a back-and-forth struggle.
But as the game entered the top of the third inning, the balance suddenly tilted.
Starting with the ninth batter, Shirasu, Seido's offense ignited like a wildfire. One batter after another reached base, and what was even more troublesome for Ichidai San was that the methods were varied and unpredictable.
Hits, bunts, walks—nothing followed a fixed pattern.
Even though Manaka, the ace of Ichidai San High School, had already regained his pitching rhythm, he was still left completely bewildered by Seido's offensive diversity.
No outs. Bases loaded.
When this reality fully sank in, both the players and supporters of Ichidai San High School fell into stunned silence.
They knew better than anyone what this situation meant.
Especially when the man stepping into the batter's box was Seido's third batter—
Zhou Hao.
Who was Zhou Hao?
No one in the stands needed that question answered.
If Seido High School was a dark horse that had charged all the way to the top, then Zhou Hao was the head of that dark horse.
It was his emergence that had fundamentally transformed Seido.
And yet, at this point in time, Zhou Hao had only been in high school for just over a year.
He was still, technically, a second-year player.
But he had already been acknowledged by countless people as the number one player in high school baseball.
Much of that reputation came from his pitching—especially the terrifying Spiral Ball.
Only those who had faced it on the field truly understood how oppressive it was.
Even now, recalling it sent a chill through Ichidai San's players and supporters alike.
That overwhelming sense of domination seemed etched directly into their memories.
But Zhou Hao's terror didn't end on the mound.
Anyone who had seriously studied him would know—
He also held another astonishing record.
Zhou Hao possessed the highest batting success rate in all of high school baseball.
In terms of pure batting ability, he could very well be the strongest in the nation.
Now, Zhou Hao stood calmly in the batter's box.
Bases loaded.
Inevitably, the hearts of Ichidai San's supporters skipped a beat.
Facing Zhou Hao head-on in this situation was not just a technical challenge—it was a severe test of mental endurance.
Especially for their ace.
Just moments ago, Kominato Ryosuke had dragged Manaka into an exhausting foul-ball duel.
If they put themselves in Manaka's shoes, most pitchers would already be questioning their own abilities.
Sometimes, they couldn't help but admire how resilient pitchers on the mound truly were.
Despite everything, Manaka Kaname looked calm.
At least, on the surface.
His eyes burned as he stared at Zhou Hao.
It was worth remembering that when Zhou Hao had first joined Seido, he was still on the second string.
Back then, the two had faced each other in practice games.
"I never thought someone could grow this fast…"
Only about a year had passed.
Manaka still found it hard to believe that the boy who had once looked so inexperienced could now stand on equal footing with him—
Or even suppress him.
As Ichidai San's ace, Manaka knew he couldn't allow distractions.
No matter how much he respected Tanba, the opponent he truly had to deal with right now was Zhou Hao.
"If it's a hittable pitch," Manaka thought,
"then no matter how tricky it is, he'll hit it."
He understood Zhou Hao's batting ability very clearly.
Manaka wasn't foolish enough to insist on a straightforward power duel.
He knew that such a confrontation would almost certainly end in his defeat.
But walking Zhou Hao freely was also unacceptable.
Letting him swing comfortably was even worse.
"The only option… is the edge of the strike zone."
Manaka knew the risks.
Pitching to the corners could easily result in four balls.
But even that outcome was acceptable.
With the bases loaded, giving up one run was far from disastrous.
Having accepted this, Manaka pitched decisively.
The baseball flew toward the outer edge of the strike zone, arcing sharply like the horn of a hanging antelope.
"Whoosh!"
Seido's supporters erupted with excitement.
They knew Zhou Hao's style.
He swung aggressively.
There was no way he would miss a pitch in such a tempting location.
They were already imagining the crack of the bat and the ball soaring into the distance.
But—
Zhou Hao didn't move.
Even more shocking—
The pitch continued drifting outward, clearly missing the strike zone.
"Thwack!"
"Ball!"
Ichidai San's catcher had to stretch his glove wide just to receive it.
After catching the ball, he glanced at Zhou Hao with a complicated expression.
He hadn't expected Zhou Hao to remain so composed.
"Did he see through it already…?"
As Manaka's partner, the catcher had felt that pitch might barely graze the zone.
Zhou Hao's stillness spoke volumes.
The nation's number one player truly lived up to his name.
Still, their resolve didn't waver.
If Zhou Hao was patient enough to take a walk, they wouldn't resist that outcome.
"All right—keep going!"
Encouraged by his catcher's signal, Manaka's fighting spirit surged.
He wound up and threw again.
Before the ball could even reach the plate, it dropped sharply and bounced on the dirt.
Zhou Hao watched calmly.
Didn't flinch.
"Ball!!"
Two consecutive balls.
With the bases loaded, Manaka was boldly executing an intentional four-ball strategy.
The fans and reporters in the stands couldn't help but murmur in admiration.
Manaka was truly formidable.
This ace of Ichidai San High School understood both himself—and Zhou Hao—perfectly.
To put it bluntly—
He had already made his judgment about the outcome of this confrontation.
Even if that judgment was unfavorable to him.
A player capable of seeing all of this so clearly was, in itself, terrifying.
And more importantly—
Manaka had already put that judgment into action.
From the beginning, he likely intended to walk Zhou Hao.
Or perhaps… provoke impatience and force him into making a mistake.
"Whoosh!"
The fourth pitch slid from the inside edge of the strike zone toward the outside once again.
Zhou Hao stood in the batter's box like a statue carved from stone.
His gaze never wavered.
"Thwack!"
"Ball?!"
Three consecutive balls.
The Seido supporters in the stands were already growing irritated.
This ace of Ichidai San High School was being far too cautious.
"Is he even a man? This is embarrassing!"
"Does he really not dare to face Zhou Hao head-on?"
"What are you saying? If he had that kind of courage, he would've done it long ago!"
Naturally, Seido's supporters were merciless.
Ichidai San's supporters immediately fired back.
"A walk is also a strategy!"
"Only fools charge in blindly. Baseball isn't just power—it's brains!"
"Are you all just muscle-headed brutes?"
The two sides clashed verbally, just as fiercely as the players on the field.
On the mound, Manaka narrowed his eyes.
Three balls.
Zhou Hao was clearly waiting to be walked.
A cold light flashed through Manaka Kaname's gaze.
For this final pitch—
If Zhou Hao didn't swing, he would concede the walk.
If Zhou Hao did swing, it would become a fly ball.
Either way, Ichidai San would not lose.
As the ace of a national powerhouse, Manaka Kaname was never a simple opponent.
Even if he couldn't win a direct confrontation—
He still wanted Zhou Hao to suffer once.
"Whoosh!"
The baseball tore through the air.
In Zhou Hao's eyes, every detail of its movement was exposed.
Through this pitch, he could even read Manaka's intentions.
Is this… the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?
Zhou Hao chuckled inwardly.
Not only could he see the ball's trajectory—
He could see the pitcher's mind.
Manaka was pretending to execute an offensive four-ball strategy, denying Zhou Hao any chance to hit.
But deep down, he still wanted Zhou Hao to swing.
Only by defeating Zhou Hao directly—
Only by gaining the upper hand in this confrontation—
Would Ichidai San have any hope of turning the game around.
Although the score was only 1–0 before this at-bat, the reality was obvious.
Ichidai San was already being strangled.
And desperation made mistakes inevitable.
Manaka's intentions were too exposed.
Zhou Hao almost felt bad disappointing him.
"Since you want me to swing…"
"Then I'll grant your wish."
Before stepping into the batter's box, Zhou Hao had quietly switched to a larger metal bat.
As the pitch approached, he subtly shifted his stance—half a step back.
In an instant, what had been a razor-sharp inside pitch transformed into a hittable one.
The crowd froze.
Zhou Hao's movement was far too precise.
It was as if he had already known exactly where the pitch would go.
Impossible.
Even if he guessed, how could he act with such certainty before the ball was thrown?
Just as doubts spread, the pitch Manaka released flew straight toward the inside corner—
With visible spin.
"Did it enter the strike zone?"
After three consecutive balls, who would expect a sudden strike?
But Zhou Hao's reaction made everyone hesitate.
He was too calm.
Too confident.
"No—it didn't enter!"
A sharp-eyed player made the call.
"Then why—"
"He's going to swing!"
Even before the bat moved, some people already understood.
Yuki Tetsuya, standing in the on-deck circle, had fully grasped Zhou Hao's intention.
As the baseball reached the exact spot Zhou Hao had anticipated—
He moved.
Manaka's full-power straight ball would have been difficult to send into the stands.
After all, he was the ace of a top national powerhouse, with terrifying late movement.
But—
This wasn't his straight ball.
It was a modified pitch.
And in Zhou Hao's eyes, that "change" only made it easier to hit.
Step.
Twist.
Zhou Hao recalled the advice drilled into him by his seniors.
Use the waist as the core. Rotate the body. Swing through.
"Buzz—!"
The instant Zhou Hao swung, Ichidai San's catcher felt a chill down his spine.
He couldn't understand—
Why swing at that pitch?
Then—
"Ping!!!"
The bat struck the ball dead center.
At that moment, the catcher realized something crucial.
Zhou Hao was holding the largest metal bat.
Which meant—
"He decided from the start to hit it out!"
Under the gaze of tens of thousands, the white baseball carved a magnificent arc through the sky.
Over a hundred meters.
The Ichidai San outfielder retreated all the way to the warning track—
Then farther.
Still not enough.
The ball sailed beyond his reach.
The Seido supporters were shaking with excitement.
They had seen Zhou Hao hit.
They had seen his home runs.
But—
This was the first time they had witnessed his grand slam in person.
"No way—!"
"I should go buy lottery tickets after this!"
"Thwack!"
The baseball slammed into the stands and bounced back.
"It's gone—!!"
"It's out!!!"
"A super grand slam by Zhou Hao!!!"
"Seido High School Baseball Team takes the lead—5 to 0!!!"