Chapter 510 - 510: Terrifying Control!

The Round of 16 in West Tokyo was about to begin.

The reigning national powerhouse, Seido High School, would face Akikawa High School.

Fifteen minutes before the game started, nearly eighty percent of the stadium seats were already filled.

Having just entered the stadium, Oowada Akiko stared at the sea of spectators in disbelief.

"Wasn't there a heat warning today? It's supposed to reach thirty-three degrees."

Although the weather was clear, most people would rather stay in an air-conditioned room than sit under the blazing sun.

If it weren't for work, even Oowada had no desire to be here.

"The weather this year has been strange," she muttered. "It's not even peak summer yet."

"You can't look at it that way."

Beside her, veteran Baseball Kingdom reporter Fujio smiled knowingly.

"Everyone knows about the heat. Their phones have been sending warnings all morning."

He glanced around the packed stadium.

"The fact that they're still here means today's game is worth enduring the heat for."

Oowada immediately understood.

The reason was obvious.

Seido High School.

Their recent performances had attracted unprecedented attention.

After all, Seido wasn't some unknown school.

They were the reigning national champions.

Any baseball fan, whether hardcore or casual, knew their name.

Yet despite their already massive popularity, they continued to attract new fans.

That alone spoke volumes.

At this point, Seido was no longer merely a high school baseball team.

They had become a phenomenon.

Their overwhelming strength and spectacular performances had pushed their fame beyond the baseball world itself.

Even people who had never cared about baseball before were becoming interested because of Seido.

More specifically—

Because of Zhou Hao.

From him and from Seido, people saw something extraordinary.

Something that felt almost miraculous.

That was why, even under the scorching thirty-three-degree sun, thousands of spectators were willing to fill the stadium.

When Akikawa's players entered the field, this was the first thing they felt.

It was as if they had stepped into enemy territory.

A stadium that might as well have been Seido's home field.

"That's unfair."

One of Akikawa's players couldn't help complaining.

"The game hasn't even started, and everyone's already cheering for them."

Their coach rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"That's only natural."

"Our opponent is Seido."

"How many supporters they have and how influential they are is impossible to estimate."

Even from the reactions of the crowd alone, Akikawa could feel the pressure.

The strength of a national powerhouse wasn't limited to the field.

It extended into the stands as well.

For a moment, several Akikawa players wondered the same thing.

Could they really compete with a team like this?

Although they had never faced Seido officially, they had studied them countless times as a hypothetical opponent.

Even during practice and analysis sessions, they could feel the immense pressure Seido created.

Just then, the player sitting at the very back of the bench removed his headphones.

Yang Shunchen.

"How are you feeling?" a teammate asked.

"We're finally facing Seido. You must be excited."

Yang's expression remained calm.

"There's nothing to be excited about."

His voice was steady.

"It's the same as always."

"Pitch well."

"Suppress the opponent."

"Win."

"Seido may be a national powerhouse, but once the game starts, both teams stand on the same field."

He slowly raised his head.

"The team that performs better will move on."

For some reason, hearing those words made everyone's blood boil.

So what if the opponent was Seido?

Before Yang joined the team, they had still played baseball.

Back then, they played simply because they loved the game.

Now they had tasted victory.

And once someone experienced winning, it became addictive.

None of them wanted to return to being ordinary.

Even against Seido, they refused to surrender before the game began.

The Akikawa coach glanced at Yang.

Yang gave a small nod in return.

At that moment, the coach felt relieved.

Fortunately, they hadn't brought the entire team to watch Seido's earlier games.

Otherwise, many players might have lost confidence before ever stepping onto the field.

Against a team as overwhelming as Seido, belief was everything.

"Get ready."

"It's time."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the stadium, Seido's players were also making their final preparations.

Following the home plate umpire's command, both teams rushed toward the field.

"Let's go!"

"Today's ours!"

The first-year players were especially excited.

Everyone knew that Seido's true Ace, Zhou Hao, would not be pitching today.

That fact alone filled them with motivation.

Games like this were precious opportunities.

The more responsibility they carried, the faster they could improve.

Who would willingly give up such a chance?

Although Zhou Hao's position as Ace was untouchable, the remaining pitchers were still competing fiercely among themselves.

Furuya.

Sawamura.

Tanba.

Each was fighting for opportunities.

Among the first-years, one had already secured a place on the First String, while another had become an important pinch hitter.

For them, this was the most crucial stage of their development.

A strong performance could earn Coach Kataoka's trust.

And once they gained that trust, more opportunities would follow.

Eventually, they could become the next generation of Seido's core players.

Of course, the competition within Seido was brutal.

One mistake could cost a player his chance.

At least until the third-years retired after the Summer Tournament, opportunities would be limited.

There was no helping it.

Seido simply had too many talented players.

Yet despite the fierce competition, not a single first-year backed down.

Instead, their fighting spirit burned even brighter.

The players from both teams lined up across from each other.

Then, in unison—

"Please take care of us!"

"Please take care of us!!"

After both teams exchanged bows, the game officially began.

Unexpectedly, Akikawa High School, a team that wasn't considered particularly strong, showed no signs of intimidation when facing Seido High School. This was very different from what Seido's supporters had grown accustomed to seeing.

Even Mishimen High School, despite hiding several trump cards, had displayed obvious nervousness when facing Seido. Everyone could see it.

And it was precisely because of that fear that Mishimen suffered such a crushing defeat.

Deep down, they had already convinced themselves they would lose.

Perhaps a few successful plays could have helped them regain some confidence, but they never got that chance. As the game progressed, they completely fell apart under Seido's pressure.

Akikawa, however, was different.

Not a trace of fear could be seen on the players' faces.

To them, this seemed like just another baseball game.

Whether they won or lost, they appeared ready to accept the outcome calmly.

"This isn't normal..."

Just as that thought crossed everyone's minds, Seido's leadoff batter stepped into the batter's box.

"First batter, Number 6, Outfielder, Kuramochi!"

As Kuramochi settled into the box, he recalled Coach Kataoka's instructions.

Since Zhou Hao would not be pitching immediately and the team also needed to look after its first-year players, Kataoka had put a great deal of thought into today's offensive strategy.

Particularly the roles of the first and second batters.

"Akikawa's ace has excellent command. The best way to deal with a pitcher like that is through an aggressive running game."

Seido had two specialists when it came to baserunning: Kuramochi and Zhou Hao.

With the two of them leading the charge, Seido intended to push that strategy to its limits.

"Honestly, I'd like to challenge you head-on," Kuramochi thought as he gripped the bat. "But the situation doesn't allow it. To play the running game, I first need to get on base."

Outwardly, he looked ready to swing away. In reality, he was already planning his next move.

"Watch out for a bunt toward third!"

The Akikawa players remained highly alert. The moment Yang Shunchen began his delivery, warnings rang out across the field.

At the same time, Kuramochi noticed Akikawa's third baseman charging forward.

"They reacted that quickly? Did they completely read me?"

The realization irritated him.

But irritation alone wouldn't solve anything.

"If that side's covered, then I'll go the other way."

Yang Shunchen's pitches weren't particularly fast.

Against his pinpoint control, Kuramochi might struggle in a normal batting battle.

But bunting was a different story.

With his skills, he could place the ball exactly where he wanted.

Thwack!

The ball rolled softly toward first base.

"Heh!"

Seeing his bunt succeed, Kuramochi exploded out of the batter's box and sprinted toward first.

As long as the first baseman had to leave the bag to field the ball, Kuramochi was confident he could beat the throw.

Just as he thought reaching base was guaranteed—

Something unexpected happened.

The moment Yang Shunchen finished his pitch, he broke toward first base to cover the bag.

It was as though he had predicted Kuramochi's plan from the very beginning.

The first baseman fielded the ball cleanly and tossed it to Yang.

The crowd gasped in surprise.

Pop!

"Out!"

One out. Bases empty.

The Seido dugout struggled to accept what they had just witnessed.

"How did that happen?"

"That reaction speed is ridiculous."

"It's like he knew Kuramochi was going to bunt."

Miyuki Kazuya narrowed his eyes.

"No. It wasn't prediction—it was control."

"Even if Kuramochi had taken a normal swing, a pitch in that location was likely to produce an infield grounder. Yang had already planned everything. The ball could only end up there."

The dugout fell silent.

Before facing Akikawa, Seido had already suspected that Yang Shunchen had been hiding some of his true ability throughout the tournament.

Perhaps he had been saving it specifically for Seido.

But seeing it firsthand was still shocking.

His reaction speed and defensive awareness were incredible.

People often called Seido a kingdom of pitchers, but looking at what Yang had just done...

Very few pitchers on Seido's roster could replicate it.

Even Zhou Hao, despite being their ace, wasn't this type of pitcher.

If Zhou couldn't do it, the rest of Seido's pitching staff certainly couldn't.

It was a harsh reality, but reality nonetheless.

"Second batter, Number 4, Second Baseman, Kominato!"

Seido's second batter stepped onto the field.

With one out already recorded, the responsibility on the second hitter's shoulders had only grown heavier.

Kominato Ryosuke twirled the bat lightly and stepped into the box.

On the surface, he looked eager to attack.

But beneath that calm smile, calculations were already running through his mind.

Coach Kataoka had made it clear: the top of the lineup would determine whether Seido could seize momentum early.

Kuramochi had already failed.

Now it was his turn.

If he couldn't produce results either, Seido would immediately find itself on the defensive.

"I acknowledge your determination."

Kominato glanced toward the mound.

"Traveling all this way to chase your baseball dream... you must truly love the sport."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"But unfortunately for you..."

"As a regular on Seido's first string, I still have to teach you a lesson."

The batter known as the Demon stepped into his stance.

His bat rose high above his shoulder, his presence sharp and intimidating.

He looked like a tiger poised to pounce.

The instant the ball entered his hitting zone, he would attack without hesitation.

Whoosh!

Thwack!

The ball rocketed off the bat—

Only to slice into foul territory.

"Foul!"

The Seido players and supporters erupted with excitement.

Meanwhile, Akikawa's players looked completely confused.

It was only a foul ball.

So why did Seido seem so happy about it?

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