Only a day had passed, and the players of the Seido High School Baseball Team had already shaken off the excitement of their championship celebration.
There simply wasn't much time left.
One day of celebration was enough.
The night before, many of the third-year players had remained under the streetlights long after the banquet ended, continuing their swing practice.
Although everyone considered this Seido High School Baseball Team the strongest contender for the national championship...
They had not allowed themselves to become complacent.
The third-year seniors understood this better than anyone.
If they wanted to stand at the top of the nation for a second time, they would have to earn it with their own hands.
One swing at a time.
One hit at a time.
It wasn't something that could be achieved through praise and compliments.
The first and second-year players shared the same determination.
As a result, their training remained just as intense.
Every morning, they woke up early to run with their teammates, practice their swings, and work on their batting.
Since time was limited, the mornings were devoted primarily to fundamental drills rather than scrimmages.
Every player capable of becoming a regular on the Seido High School Baseball Team understood one truth:
Fundamentals were everything.
Only by building a solid foundation could a player produce extraordinary performances during a game.
Countless examples had already proven this fact.
Therefore, any player who wanted to go further would never neglect basic training.
After morning practice ended, the players returned to their classrooms for lessons.
"Congratulations on winning the Kanto Tournament!"
"You're going to dominate the nation again this year, right?"
"Can you give me Zhou Hao's contact information? My younger female cousin wants it."
The players exchanged amused looks.
Previously, people had claimed they were asking for a "friend."
Now they had upgraded to "cousin."
Only then did many members of the Seido High School Baseball Team truly realize what they had accomplished.
They had defeated every opponent.
They had won their second championship of the year.
And they had become the undisputed kings of Kanto.
"Those are just small achievements," one player said proudly. "The real challenge is still ahead of us."
Others remained silent, deliberately maintaining a cool expression.
But inwardly, they all felt the same.
So many people at Seido High School were paying attention to their accomplishments.
It made them feel genuinely appreciated.
The baseball culture at a national powerhouse was truly something special.
It wasn't only the baseball club that followed the team's results.
Almost the entire school cared.
At that moment, many players quietly made a promise to themselves.
They couldn't afford to become lazy.
They couldn't let down everyone's expectations.
This year, they would lead Seido back to the top of the nation.
When afternoon club activities began, the players arrived at the field earlier than usual.
As they approached, they noticed many teammates staring at their phones.
Everyone seemed focused on reading something.
"What's going on?"
"The reports from yesterday's game are out."
"Come take a look."
Soon, several voices began reading the headlines aloud.
"The Clash Between the Summer Koshien Champions and the Spring Koshien Runners-Up: An Early National Final."
"Despite the low score, the game showcased the extraordinary quality of both teams."
"Especially Zhou Hao..."
"Even while not in peak condition, he delivered a no-hit shutout performance."
"A future superstar and the number one high school player in Japan today."
"National powerhouse Seido High School wins the Kanto Championship with authority."
The number of articles praising Seido seemed endless.
Among them were also reports analyzing Inashiro Industrial.
Although they accounted for only a small portion of the coverage, many writers acknowledged the tremendous strength displayed by Inashiro's players.
Particular attention was given to their ace pitcher.
His performance had been outstanding.
Some analysts even argued that if Inashiro had employed the same tactical approach they used the previous autumn, their ace might have been able to shut Seido out entirely.
Had that happened, the outcome of the game might have been impossible to predict.
Even so, most articles ultimately reached the same conclusion.
While Inashiro was undoubtedly powerful, Seido remained the stronger team overall.
In every major category, Seido held a slight advantage.
As for exactly how large that advantage was...
That would ultimately depend on the players' performances and physical condition when they met again on the field.
"Practice starts now!"
A loud voice suddenly rang out across the field.
No matter how curious the players were about the media's evaluations...
No matter how flattering the articles sounded...
Everyone immediately put away their phones and rushed onto the field.
For the players of the Seido High School Baseball Team, media praise could never compare to the value of their own hard work.
There was a phrase often repeated within the team:
"Who sweats the most?"
Whenever the question was asked, everyone answered confidently:
"Seido!"
Why were they able to say it with such certainty?
Because they had earned that confidence through countless hours of training.
That confidence came from effort.
The figures practicing relentlessly on the field were impossible to ignore.
Today, many spectators had gathered outside the grounds.
Some were attracted by Seido's growing fame.
Some were alumni.
Others were former Seido baseball players who had returned to support their successors.
"Everyone looks especially motivated today."
"Well, they just defeated Inashiro Industrial."
"I read the reports this morning."
"A lot of people are already calling Seido the favorite to defend its national title."
The supporters of Seido High School were more than willing to believe it.
After all, last year's championship run had already proven their strength.
Combined with everything the team had accomplished this season, the conclusion seemed obvious.
If any team could become one of the rare back-to-back champions in Koshien history...
It was Seido.
At least, that was what their supporters believed.
The players overheard those conversations as they trained.
Many of them couldn't help blushing slightly.
Partly from embarrassment.
Partly from excitement.
Among the current roster, aside from Zhou Hao and Miyuki, only Yuki Tetsuya had been a regular starter during last year's championship run.
Most of the others had either been substitutes or barely seen playing time.
Some hadn't even made the First String roster.
As members of the team, they were naturally proud that Seido had become a national powerhouse.
They shared in that glory.
And now, they wanted to create a legacy of their own.
But back then, they had merely been spectators to the team's success.
No matter how glorious Seido's achievements were, they could never have felt the same level of involvement.
Things were different now.
They had become the core players of the Seido High School Baseball Team.
They represented Seido themselves.
Only if this team stood at the top of the nation could they proudly tell everyone:
We are members of the strongest baseball team in Japan.
Just imagining that scene filled every player with motivation.
They trained harder than ever, determined to sweep through the upcoming Summer Tournament.
While everyone was immersed in practice, one of the visiting fans suddenly looked around in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Where's Zhou Hao?"
"I saw him just a moment ago. How did he disappear?"
"Isn't he participating in practice today?"
The moment those words were spoken, several Seido players immediately turned and stared at the fan.
Their gazes were anything but friendly.
The fan froze.
"I... did I say something wrong?"
Being stared at by so many people at once made his heart race nervously.
Yet he genuinely had no idea what he had done wrong.
What he didn't know was that the players couldn't even bear to think about the possibility his words implied.
Zhou Hao unable to practice?
Just imagining such a scenario made everyone uncomfortable.
Although Seido was no longer a team that relied solely on one player...
That didn't mean Zhou Hao's importance had diminished.
On the contrary.
The reason the players could stand proudly above so many rivals...
The reason they could confidently challenge every powerhouse in the country...
Was because they possessed an ace like Zhou Hao.
If something truly happened to him, Seido would still have excellent pitchers.
Furuya, Sawamura, and others were more than capable.
But the psychological impact would be enormous.
The confidence they carried into every game would inevitably suffer.
It was a cruel reality.
Yet it was reality nonetheless.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on campus, Zhou Hao was undergoing a medical examination.
"What's the issue exactly?"
"Why can't he throw his high-speed pitches anymore?"
Takashima Rei had used her connections to find a renowned sports physician.
When it came to athletic injuries, few people were more qualified.
The moment the doctor met Zhou Hao, his eyes lit up.
"So you're the famous Zhou Hao?"
"I'm actually one of your fans."
Zhou Hao smiled politely.
Compared to when he had first become famous, he had matured considerably.
Simple social interactions now came naturally to him.
His responses were smooth and courteous, without revealing the slightest trace of insincerity.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the doctor began a thorough examination.
Several key members of Seido's staff watched anxiously from nearby.
Of course, they cared about every player on the roster.
But even the fingers on a hand weren't all the same length.
Everyone understood that Zhou Hao was Seido's most important player.
His condition would directly affect the team's future prospects.
In fact, he had already undergone a preliminary examination immediately after yesterday's game.
Based on that doctor's assessment, everyone already knew the situation wasn't particularly serious.
Otherwise, Takashima Rei would have taken him to a specialist immediately instead of waiting until now.
After completing the examination, the sports physician nodded.
"It doesn't appear to be anything serious."
"It should simply be a minor muscle strain."
"Your body is currently struggling to handle the load created by the pitches you're throwing."
As expected of a specialist.
The explanation immediately helped Zhou Hao understand what was happening.
In simple terms, he had pushed himself beyond his body's limits.
An increase in strength wasn't the same as an increase in physical durability.
The burden created by his growing power had eventually caught up with him.
That was why he had been unable to continue throwing his highest-speed pitches during the Kanto Tournament Final.
"So what's the situation now?" someone asked immediately.
The doctor smiled.
"There shouldn't be any major issues anymore."
"The discomfort has already subsided."
"He can try pitching."
Hearing those words, the baseball team's leaders finally relaxed.
The tension that had weighed on them all day instantly eased.
"Then let's go test it."
Meanwhile, outside on the practice field, speculation had already begun spreading among the spectators.
At first, nobody had paid much attention.
But once the topic was raised, it was as if Pandora's Box had been opened.
Everyone's imagination started running wild.
What if something had really happened to Zhou Hao?
What would Seido look like without him?
The thought alone sent chills down the backs of many alumni and supporters.
No one wanted to imagine Seido facing its rivals under those circumstances.
Just thinking about it was enough to make them uneasy.
Surely that wouldn't happen...
Right?
Just then, Zhou Hao appeared.
Several members of Seido's coaching staff walked beside him.
Every one of them was smiling.
Some smiled broadly.
Others were more restrained.
Even Coach Kataoka's usually stern face seemed noticeably more relaxed.
The moment the spectators saw those expressions, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
There was no need for an official announcement.
The coaches' reactions already told them everything they needed to know.
Zhou Hao was fine.
Not far away, several scouts and observers from rival schools were also watching closely.
Sometimes, a team's secrets weren't revealed during official games.
Practice sessions often exposed far more information.
Because of that, several schools had sent people specifically to observe Seido's training.
Some even recorded every practice session they could.
Was it worth the effort?
For those schools, absolutely.
Their ultimate goal was to defeat Seido.
As the largest obstacle standing between them and national glory, Seido had to be overcome somehow.
Since defeating them through conventional means would be extraordinarily difficult, gathering information in advance was the next best option.
And now, more than one school was doing exactly that.
Under countless watchful eyes, Zhou Hao walked toward the bullpen.
The spectators unconsciously held their breath.
Everyone wanted to know the answer.
Had he really recovered?
Chris was already waiting as the catcher.
Among the crowd, someone quietly pulled out a radar gun.
A nearby spectator looked at him in surprise.
"Isn't that a bit excessive?"
The man holding the radar gun snorted.
"Kid, what do you know?"
"That's Zhou Hao."
"The omnipotent Zhou Hao."
"Who knows? The fastest pitch of his entire life might happen during practice instead of an official game."
The moment those words were spoken, everyone's anticipation rose another level.
As Seido's ace, Zhou Hao naturally understood the expectations resting on his shoulders.
He stepped onto the bullpen mound.
His expression became serious.
Slowly, he lifted his front leg high into the air.
Then—
He drove it down with explosive force.
BOOM!!