Chapter 523 - 523: Shocking the Entire Stadium!

Clang!

The instant the bat collided with the baseball, the home plate umpire felt a sense of impending doom.

Almost instinctively, he bent his knees and ducked his head.

The movement was so practiced that it was almost heartbreaking.

Fortunately, that reflex saved him.

The bat that had been knocked free from Todoroki Raichi's hands came hurtling directly over him. Had he reacted even a moment slower, it would have struck him squarely.

Even with protective gear, taking a hit from a bat carrying that much force would have been no laughing matter.

"I knew it..."

If he weren't concerned about maintaining his image, the umpire would have patted his chest in relief.

It was simply too terrifying.

Officiating Seido games sometimes felt like putting one's life on the line.

One always had to be prepared to dodge a flying bat.

Meanwhile, the baseball that Raichi had managed to connect with rolled weakly toward the pitcher's mound.

Still standing in the batter's box, Raichi stared blankly ahead.

Zhou Hao calmly stepped forward, picked up the ball, and fired it to first base.

Pop!

"Out!"

Three outs!

Side retired.

Yakushi had intentionally stacked their lineup with three monster first-years at the top of the order.

Their objective was obvious.

Score as many runs as possible before Seido could settle into the game.

Unfortunately for them, reality turned out very differently.

Especially because of one person—

Zhou Hao.

A fastball exceeding 160 km/h was something many pitchers could only dream of throwing once in their entire lives.

Yet Zhou Hao unleashed them one after another as though they cost him nothing.

And that wasn't all.

Between those overwhelming fastballs, he mixed in breaking balls with perfect timing.

Then, when the moment was right, he unveiled his signature Spiral Ball.

Akiba.

Mishima.

Both were struck out.

Then came Todoroki Raichi.

Rather than striking him out, Zhou Hao did something even more shocking.

He knocked the bat right out of Raichi's hands.

The display of dominance was so overwhelming that words like "powerful" or "impressive" no longer felt sufficient.

It was downright terrifying.

He was simply too strong.

Strong enough to make people despair.

Facing such a monster, many Yakushi players found themselves thinking the same thing.

Can we really win?

It wasn't because they lacked confidence.

Nor was it because they wanted to praise their opponents while belittling themselves.

It was simply the natural reaction anyone would have after witnessing Zhou Hao's performance firsthand.

His strength made people feel powerless.

"As expected of Zhou Hao!"

"I knew that first-year brat couldn't beat Zhou-san!"

"Go home and practice for a few more years first!"

Inside Seido's dugout, the atmosphere had completely transformed.

Only moments earlier, many players had been visibly nervous after seeing Raichi's monstrous swing.

Now they had relaxed completely.

"I told you from the beginning."

"Zhou Hao is invincible."

"A first-year trying to challenge him is just dreaming."

"This makes things a lot easier."

Manager Ota rubbed his hands together happily.

Of course, he knew the players were exaggerating somewhat.

Just moments ago, he had clearly seen how tense even the substitutes had become.

Raichi's presence alone had placed enormous pressure on the entire team.

For a national powerhouse like Seido, there weren't many players capable of creating that kind of atmosphere.

That alone was proof of how extraordinary Todoroki Raichi truly was.

Fortunately...

Seido possessed an even greater monster.

As long as Zhou Hao stood on the mound, nobody could surpass them.

Suppressing Raichi so thoroughly in his first at-bat wasn't just important for that single inning.

It carried tremendous significance for the entire game.

The opponent's momentum had been crushed before it could even begin.

Now...

It was Seido's turn to strike back.

"Yakushi..."

"Are you ready?"

Zhou Hao's performance had shocked the entire stadium.

Reporters.

Fans.

Players from both teams.

Everyone had been deeply shaken.

Even after returning to the dugout, Todoroki Raichi remained lost in thought.

His mind replayed the image of Zhou Hao's pitches over and over again.

That overwhelming speed.

That terrifying force.

That impossible movement.

The feeling made his entire body tremble.

Not from fear.

But from excitement.

Pure excitement.

For the first time, Raichi had met someone his own age who was vastly stronger than him.

When he finally regained his senses, his gaze toward Zhou Hao had completely changed.

His eyes burned with determination.

Determination to hit that pitch.

No matter what.

"Just wait..."

"I'll hit it someday."

The game continued.

Bottom of the first inning.

Seido's turn to bat.

Yakushi immediately took the field on defense.

The pitcher standing on the mound was Sanada Shunpei.

The moment Seido's players saw him, many of them frowned.

The scene felt strangely familiar.

They had experienced something similar before.

During their first major game of the summer, against Mishimon High School.

Back then, Mishimon's ace hadn't started the game.

Instead, they had sent out a submarine-style pitcher.

That unexpected move had caught Seido completely off guard.

As a result, they failed to score in the opening inning.

For most teams, that would have been a forgettable incident.

But Seido was a national powerhouse.

They remembered every opponent that had managed to put them in a difficult situation.

And now Yakushi appeared to be using the same strategy.

Their ace wasn't starting.

Instead, the pitcher on the mound wore number eighteen.

At first glance, he looked like an ordinary reserve player.

To make matters more surprising, he was only a second-year.

During scouting preparations, Seido hadn't paid much attention to him.

His number was simply too low to attract concern.

But now...

Every player understood they could not afford to underestimate him.

"This is their hidden ace."

"Stay alert."

Coach Kataoka's warning came in a low voice.

What exactly were Sanada's strengths?

No one knew.

Until they faced him directly, all information remained speculation.

Sometimes even Coach Kataoka wondered if Seido's luck was unusual.

Not only did extraordinary pitchers constantly gather on their own roster...

The opponents they faced always seemed to have remarkable pitchers as well.

The submarine pitcher from Mishimon.

Yang Shunchen from Akikawa.

And now Sanada.

Though the game had barely begun, Kataoka could already sense it.

The aura radiating from the mound was different.

This pitcher was no ordinary player.

As the thought crossed his mind, Sanada delivered his first pitch.

The batter stepping into the box was Seido's leadoff hitter—

Kuramochi Yoichi.

"Heh-heh-heh!"

With his trademark grin, Kuramochi entered the batter's box looking ready to attack from the very first pitch.

His aggressive aura spread throughout the field.

Everyone in the stadium could feel it.

As the leadoff batter of the reigning national champions, simply standing there was enough to create pressure.

Many fans were already convinced.

Kuramochi was about to make something happen.

And just as that thought appeared in their minds—

The man on the mound made his move.

Sanada looked gentle and refined on the surface, and his build wasn't particularly imposing.

But the moment he released the ball...

Everyone's impression of him changed completely.

Whoosh!

The baseball exploded out of his hand like it had been fired from a cannon, reaching Kuramochi almost instantly.

Kuramochi had entered the batter's box fully prepared to bunt if the opportunity presented itself.

But the instant he saw the pitch, he abandoned that plan.

He could only watch helplessly as the ball zipped past him.

Pop!

The baseball slammed into the catcher's mitt with a sharp crack.

"Strike!"

The spectators were stunned.

"That pitch was like a bullet!"

"The batter didn't even have time to react."

"Incredible..."

"Who would've thought Yakushi had another pitcher like this?"

While the crowd was still buzzing, Sanada was already delivering his second pitch.

Whoosh!

Again, the ball shot toward the plate like a rifle round.

Even after seeing it once, Kuramochi still couldn't react in time.

He watched helplessly as the white blur flashed past him again.

Pop!

"Strike!"

The Seido leadoff hitter, whom everyone had placed such high hopes on, had yet to swing the bat.

Just like that, he found himself down 0-2.

Only when Sanada threw his third pitch, aiming for the outside corner, did Kuramochi finally see an opportunity.

There's my chance!

The sudden outside pitch reignited his fighting spirit.

He raised the bat high and committed to the swing the instant the ball entered the hitting zone.

Clang!

The white baseball rocketed off the bat.

Yet Kuramochi showed no hint of satisfaction.

The moment the ball left the bat, he knew.

He hadn't made solid contact.

As expected—

The ball tailed foul.

Even worse, the foul flew directly toward first base, where Yakushi's first baseman had already positioned himself.

Pop!

"Out!"

One out.

Bases empty.

The atmosphere inside Seido's dugout immediately became much heavier.

"An inside shootball..."

"An outside cutter..."

"He not only has pinpoint command, but his fastball-style breaking pitches are incredibly sharp."

"Where did this guy come from?"

Everyone was caught off guard by Sanada's performance.

It wasn't that his overall ability surpassed every pitcher Seido had faced before.

Far from it.

They had faced stronger pitchers.

What shocked them was that someone this talented had remained virtually unknown.

A player of this caliber should have attracted attention long ago.

Unless he had deliberately stayed hidden, someone with this much talent should have become famous the moment he stepped onto the field.

"Second batter, number four, second baseman, Kominato Ryosuke."

Before anyone could dwell on the mystery, Seido's second batter stepped into the box.

Kominato Ryosuke wore his usual gentle smile.

His eyes narrowed into thin crescents as they remained fixed on Sanada.

Yakushi's new ace...

...was much stronger than expected.

He was even more troublesome than the submarine pitcher Seido had faced earlier in the tournament.

Even with Seido's powerful lineup, overwhelming him wouldn't be easy.

"Looks like he needs a little lesson."

Against a pitcher of Sanada's caliber, Ryosuke wasn't certain he could collect a clean hit.

His objective was much simpler.

Force Sanada to throw as many pitches as possible.

Seido knew almost nothing about him.

The more information they gathered now, the easier it would be for the hitters behind him.

As Ryosuke settled into the batter's box—

Sanada suddenly released the ball.

Whoosh!

The pitch came straight down the middle.

A perfect strike.

It almost looked like an open invitation.

If you've got the ability... then hit it.

The players in Seido's dugout widened their eyes.

They had already witnessed Sanada's exceptional command.

There was no way a pitcher like him would accidentally leave a ball hanging over the heart of the plate.

There had to be a trap.

What exactly was he planning?

Ryosuke reached the same conclusion.

Originally, he had intended to gather information.

But...

If he could drive this pitch into the outfield, there would be no need to worry about testing anything.

Behind him stood Zhou Hao and Yuki.

That was more than enough firepower.

"So you're asking for it."

"Don't blame me."

Ryosuke lifted the bat.

The instant the ball entered his hitting zone—

Vwoom!

The bat cut through the air with a sharp whistle.

Clang!

The baseball shot toward third base like a laser.

If it got through...

It would be an easy extra-base hit.

"Nice!"

"He got him!"

The Seido dugout erupted in cheers.

They had already begun imagining the ball landing safely in left field.

Then—

A figure suddenly exploded upward.

The Yakushi third baseman leaped almost straight into the air, rising nearly a meter off the ground.

At the peak of his jump—

Pop!

He snatched the line drive cleanly out of the air.

"Out!"

Two outs.

Bases empty.

The cheers around the stadium died instantly.

It felt as though someone had grabbed everyone's throat at once.

Yakushi's third baseman wasn't just an incredible hitter.

His defense was every bit as spectacular.

"Great catch!"

"That's two outs!"

As Yakushi celebrated the brilliant defensive play, Seido's third batter calmly walked toward the plate.

"Third batter, number one, pitcher..."

"Zhou Hao."