"Senpai is giving it his all!"
Zhang Han's ears were sharp. Even from where he stood, some distance away from the field, he vaguely caught the number being shouted in the stands. One hundred and forty-three. There was no need to ask what it referred to. It could only be the ball speed.
Admiration surged through him.
During the internal team test not long ago, Hidezawa-senpai's fastest recorded pitch had been 142 kilometers per hour. That alone had already pushed his limits at the time.
Now he had thrown 143.
And this was right after yesterday's grueling match.
The fatigue from the previous game should not have fully dissipated. On top of that, the game had just started. His muscles should not even have been fully warmed up yet. Under normal circumstances, this should have been the phase where a pitcher eased into rhythm, not where they shattered their previous limits.
Yet Hidezawa had done exactly that.
Taking everything into account, Zhang Han could only arrive at one conclusion. Senior Hidezawa's pitching ability had risen by at least one clear level.
After the bitter battle against Ichidai Third, almost everyone believed Hidezawa's stamina was on the verge of collapse. People whispered that problems were inevitable in the next game. That belief wasn't limited to outsiders or Inashiro Industrial's players.
Even within Seido High School's own ranks, many shared the same thought.
Zhang Han included.
Before the game, he had honestly felt that if Hidezawa could just hold out until the seventh inning, it would already be a success. The remaining two innings would be dangerous, of course, but with Seido's current batting strength, that risk might still be manageable.
But reality had slapped those assumptions aside.
Not only was there no sign of trouble, Hidezawa's condition looked frighteningly good. What no one had anticipated was that his pitching speed would actually increase. For a pitcher, that wasn't a small improvement. It was the kind of change that could redefine their entire presence on the mound.
Director Kunimoto's earlier decision suddenly made complete sense.
Zhang Han remembered being confused when Inashiro shifted all their core hitters forward in the lineup. At the time, it seemed excessive, almost impatient.
Now he understood.
And he understood it thoroughly.
The older the ginger, the spicier it was.
That old fox of a coach had likely already guessed it. After the fierce duel with Ichidai Third, Senior Hidezawa wasn't burned out. He was on the verge of being reborn from the ashes.
If that was the case, then Inashiro's hitters wouldn't get many comfortable chances at the plate. By pushing their strongest batters forward, Kunimoto was trying to seize what little opportunity they might have before the game slipped completely out of reach.
It wasn't just a contest of strength. It was a battle of judgment, timing, and insight. A single decision made before the first pitch could ripple through the entire game.
That was one of the reasons Zhang Han loved baseball so much. It gave him a kind of enjoyment he couldn't find in any other sport. Every moment felt layered, as if something unseen was always happening beneath the surface.
If Zhang Han was impressed, then the most shocked person on the field was probably Miyuki.
The surprise Hidezawa delivered was far beyond expectations. Before the game, Miyuki had prepared multiple strategies to deal with Inashiro's terrifying lineup. He had rehearsed patterns, pitch sequences, and contingency plans in his head.
Now, almost all of them felt unnecessary.
Overly complicated tactics didn't just burden the catcher. They drained the pitcher as well. They demanded precision, focus, and constant adjustment.
But now?
Now Hidezawa had speed. Real speed. And more importantly, his control hadn't suffered at all.
With that combination, there was no need to overthink things.
They could take a simpler, more brutal approach.
Miyuki lowered his stance and gave the next sign.
Fastball.
Straight down the middle.
The moment Hidezawa saw it, something flared in his eyes.
He had always been a straightforward person at heart. He liked settling things with pure force. In the past, his lack of raw power had forced him to rely on tricks, on movement and deception, to survive against stronger opponents.
He fought that way because he had to.
Not because he wanted to.
Deep down, Hidezawa had always preferred this. A clean showdown. Pitch against bat. Strength against strength.
A fastball, no hiding, no detours.
"Whoosh!"
He poured his strength into the throw.
From his own perspective, it didn't feel dramatically different. His body moved smoothly, naturally, as if this was how it was always meant to be.
But to everyone watching, the difference was obvious.
The ball tore through the air faster than before, leaving behind a sharp, cutting sound.
"Thwack!"
"Strike!"
Another clean call.
Two consecutive strikes. The count was instantly against the batter.
What made it even more terrifying was that Kobayashi hadn't even managed to swing. This was a fastball right down the middle, yet he was completely late.
The stands erupted.
This time, no one hesitated. Speed guns came out everywhere. Eyes locked onto the digital displays as numbers flickered and stabilized.
"One hundred and forty-five kilometers!"
The shout rang out, and the stadium fell into stunned silence for a heartbeat before exploding.
One hundred and forty-five.
That number carried weight.
People had always said Hidezawa was merely Kameshima's substitute. A shadow. A backup. But with that kind of velocity, even Kameshima himself might not have been able to throw it so cleanly.
Was this what they called the student surpassing the master?
The way people looked at Hidezawa changed completely.
Respect, shock, disbelief. All of it mixed together.
Under countless astonished gazes, Hidezawa finished Kobayashi with authority, striking him out cleanly. Inashiro Industrial's second batter went down without even making contact.
Then came the third batter, Nishimonji.
He was more composed. He managed to connect, but only barely.
"Thwack!"
The ball skipped along the ground.
"Out!!"
A clean groundout.
Three batters. Three outs.
Two strikeouts and one forced out.
And it had taken only eleven pitches.
The opening performance was dazzling. No other word fit.
As Hidezawa stepped off the mound, his teammates swarmed him.
"Haha, you little brat, that was insane!"
"Good pitching!"
"As expected of our Ace!"
"Eleven pitches for three outs, that's ridiculous!"
Compliments flew at him like they cost nothing.
Hidezawa ignored most of them. Instead, he turned his head and looked directly at Zhang Han, his expression practically screaming, Come on, praise me.
Zhang Han felt speechless.
You're the Ace of Seido High School's baseball team. Could you be just a little more composed?
And you're a third-year senior. Is it really necessary to keep picking on a first-year like this?
Ever since that welcome game, Senior Hidezawa had made a habit of targeting him. If Zhang Han had known it would turn out like this, he would have gone easier back then instead of making the senior look bad.
In the end, Zhang Han said nothing. He simply raised his thumb.
Excellent.
If this rhythm continued, the so-called uncrowned king of West Tokyo might really fall here today.
Not only did Seido's ace show no stamina issues, he displayed strength that surpassed his previous form. That alone was a massive boost to the entire team.
The pressure they had carried into the game quietly dissolved.
Their mindset changed.
When they faced Inashiro now, it no longer felt like standing before an insurmountable wall.
Bottom of the first inning.
Seido's turn to bat.
Even before the first batter stepped up, cheers thundered through the stands. Seido High School's supporters were filled with confidence. Especially the newer fans, whose perceptions had completely shifted.
Inashiro Industrial, once thought untouchable, suddenly didn't seem so overwhelming.
On the contrary, Seido's potential felt vastly underestimated.
For the longest time, Seido's weakest link had been the pitcher's mound. Hidezawa had a well-known name, but his strength was considered average at best. Fans found it hard to trust him. He had disappointed them too many times in the past.
And yet, now?
In the previous game, he had gone blow for blow with Kameshima, Tokyo's top pitcher.
Now, against Inashiro, he had outright dominated.
If this continued, how could he not soar?
All that remained was for the batters to do their job.
If Seido could score first, the initiative of this game would firmly fall into their hands.
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