"156 kilometers per hour???"
When that number appeared on the radar gun, the entire stadium fell into a strange, suffocating silence.
For a brief moment, it felt as if even the sound of a needle dropping to the ground would echo loudly.
Then—
The uproar exploded.
"Oh my god, how is that even possible?!"
"156 km/h—that's even faster than Zhou Hao's previous fastest pitch!"
"Is that really the point?"
"What do you mean, is that the point?"
"Idiot! That was a Spiral ball! A 156 km/h Spiral ball! Even the pitchers in history who specialized in Spiral balls never threw one this fast!"
"In that sense… Zhou Hao is already number one in history!"
Number one in history.
Those four words alone silenced countless voices.
This wasn't just the best among high school pitchers.
This was the fastest Spiral ball ever thrown by a human—on a pitcher's mound.
"Unbelievable… this is truly unbelievable."
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it even if someone beat me to death."
"Can a human being really do something like this?"
The reporters in the stands were completely stunned.
Then, almost simultaneously, they snapped out of it.
Camera shutters clicked furiously, sounding like a torrential downpour.
They weren't just taking photos—they were recording history.
Zhou Hao's name had already been famous.
But 'the fastest Spiral ball in history'—and thrown by a high school student?
This headline alone was enough to sell out newspapers and magazines nationwide.
Promotions. Raises. Fame.
They could practically see it waving at them.
If they missed this opportunity, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.
They had to seize it—no matter what.
On the other side, inside the dugout of Seido High School Baseball Team.
Everyone had some understanding of Zhou Hao's Spiral ball.
They knew it was fast.
They knew it was terrifying.
But even so—
No one had expected it to be this fast.
156 kilometers per hour.
"He's not even sixteen yet…"
"He's only a second-year…"
As teammates who spent every day together, they were actually the ones most likely to underestimate Zhou Hao.
Familiarity dulled the sense of awe.
Unlike outside observers—supporters or rival teams—who viewed Zhou Hao with fresh, objective eyes.
Yet even they couldn't deny it any longer.
Zhou Hao's potential had reached an utterly absurd level.
To put it bluntly—
He was outrageously strong.
At this moment, everyone felt it clearly.
The distance between themselves and Zhou Hao.
This wasn't just a talented ace.
This was a future baseball superstar.
Perhaps even an emperor-level figure on the diamond.
"Zhou Hao…"
Oshima murmured softly.
Around him, everyone wore the same expression.
Manager Ota rubbed his hands excitedly.
"As expected of Zhou Hao," he said with a grin. "This time, we'll teach Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team a proper lesson."
Compared to the players, Ota had been with Seido for far longer.
He wasn't young anymore. He didn't burn with youthful recklessness.
But his resentment toward Ichidai Sanko ran far deeper than most.
Years of frustration.
Years of rivalry.
It had long since become instinct.
Many of Seido's third-years—and even some second-years—shared that same feeling.
Anyone could see it.
Zhou Hao didn't need to use the Spiral ball against Sasaki.
With his arsenal, he had countless safer, simpler options.
This was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Yet after seeing the result—
Everyone felt it was worth it.
To shock their old rivals.
To let Ichidai Sanko understand just how terrifying Seido High School Baseball Team had become.
Just look at their faces.
Even from this distance, Seido's players could sense the gloom and heaviness weighing on the Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team.
Those guys probably never imagined—
That the gap between them had grown so vast.
So vast that they couldn't catch up even if they rode horses.
"Keep it up… crush them completely."
The Seido players stared at Zhou Hao, fire burning in their eyes.
They were eager—desperate—to see their opponents utterly overwhelmed.
Zhou Hao seemed to hear their unspoken expectations.
He took his stance again.
And without hesitation, he threw.
"Boom!"
The second time Sasaki saw that white streak of light, he almost wanted to turn around and leave the field.
As a power hitter, he had never feared challenges.
Even against professional pitchers, he would still try to compete.
Even if he lost, at least he could broaden his horizons.
But this—
Facing Zhou Hao's Spiral ball—
His mind went completely blank.
There was no curiosity.
No desire to explore.
He understood something instinctively.
Even if he knew how Zhou Hao threw that pitch.
Even if he understood every rotation and every change—
He still wouldn't be able to hit it.
The gap was too large.
So large that no amount of effort or unwillingness could bridge it.
For the first time, Sasaki felt the urge to escape.
And just as that thought surfaced—
The baseball whistled past him.
"Thud!"
Miyuki caught the pitch, feeling his wrist sink slightly.
Partnering with Zhou Hao was no easy task.
That Spiral ball wasn't just torture for batters—
It was pressure even for the catcher.
Fortunately, their opponent showed no intention of resisting.
That was understandable.
Miyuki himself had stood in the batter's box and faced Zhou Hao's Spiral ball.
With his ability to read pitches, after seeing it many times, he could maybe guess two or three out of ten.
If he was lucky, perhaps he could make contact once every five at-bats.
But even then—
He never wanted to face Zhou Hao seriously.
The one time he barely made contact, the bat had been blown straight out of his hands.
For an instant, he even felt as if his arm no longer belonged to him.
In comparison—
The batters of Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team should be thankful they couldn't hit it.
Otherwise, they might be left with lifelong psychological trauma.
"Boom!"
"Snap!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!"
Sasaki never even moved his bat.
He was struck out cleanly.
The Seido supporters in the stands felt their blood surge.
Watching Zhou Hao bat was impressive—but they had seen it too many times.
Unless it was a home run, it rarely shocked them anymore.
But watching Zhou Hao pitch—
Especially throwing a Spiral ball—
That was something else entirely.
This was an intoxicating experience.
Zhou Hao gave everyone the feeling of crushing an entire era beneath his feet.
In the past, Seido High School Baseball Team's opponents had mostly been weaker teams.
That sense of absolute suppression hadn't felt so convincing back then.
After all, players from other powerhouse schools could also dominate weaker teams in the same way.
But today was different.
Their opponent was Ichidai Sanko.
A top national powerhouse.
Seido's longtime arch-rival.
And yet—
Even against such an opponent, Seido High School Baseball Team still displayed overwhelming dominance.
It felt as if they could deal with Ichidai Sanko effortlessly.
"So awesome!"
"As expected of Zhou Hao!"
"It's time to let those guys from Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team see what a national champion is really capable of!"
The excitement in the stands spread rapidly to the Seido players on the field.
Their expressions were bright, filled with confidence.
Those cheers weren't exaggerated.
They felt the same way.
This was complete suppression.
"Zhou Hao!"
"Zhou Hao!"
The second batter of Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team stepped into the batter's box.
He had a powerful build, and just standing there gave off a strong sense of pressure.
Seeing his stance, even the Seido supporters instinctively held their breath.
From experience, they knew—
A batter like this didn't need a perfect hit.
Even slight contact could send the ball flying.
What was even more eye-catching was the bat in his hands.
The largest metal bat allowed by the rules.
His intention was obvious.
He was here to hit it hard.
Just as these thoughts passed through everyone's minds—
Zhou Hao, standing on the pitcher's mound, acted as if he hadn't noticed anything at all.
He calmly threw the baseball.
"BOOM!!"
The instant the pitch left his hand, it tore through the air and appeared before the batter in a flash.
The second batter's mind went blank.
Despite all the mental preparation he had done before stepping onto the field—
He still collapsed the moment he faced this pitch.
"How can it be this fast?!"
Only now did he truly understand—
Why Seido High School Baseball Team, despite countless problems last year,
Had still fought their way through and dominated the nation.
With a monster like Zhou Hao on the mound,
How could unprepared teams possibly stand a chance?
Even this year—
Even as sworn enemies who had prepared extensively—
Facing Zhou Hao's pitch in person still left them utterly helpless.
The white blur exploded before his eyes.
No time to think.
No time to react.
"Snap!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
This outcome didn't surprise anyone in the stands.
After witnessing Zhou Hao's Spiral ball, they could say with certainty—
No one could hit it.
But what shocked them was something else.
The batters from Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team didn't even dare to swing.
Two consecutive strikeouts.
No swings.
Not even an attempt.
Even the Seido players were stunned.
"They're completely terrified…"
"They didn't even dare swing?"
"Their minds must be completely blank."
"If the rules allowed it, I bet they'd want to run off the field—"
Someone hit the nail on the head.
In the dugout of Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team, the atmosphere was heavy.
Manager Tahara's face was ashen.
He could accept his players being unable to hit Zhou Hao's terrifying Spiral ball.
But two powerful batters in a row—
Not even daring to swing?
That was unacceptable.
"What are you doing?!"
"This is not how Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team plays!!"
The two batters who had returned to the dugout lowered their heads in silence, like frostbitten vegetables.
When they were on the field, they had planned to swing on the third pitch.
Not swinging on the first two could be explained.
They could say they were forcing Zhou Hao to throw more pitches.
But the third pitch—
There was no excuse not to swing.
Even a blind guess would have been better.
At least there would've been hope.
But when the Spiral ball came—
Their minds went completely blank.
Their bodies refused to move.
By the time they came back to their senses, the ball had already slammed into the catcher's mitt.
Swinging after that would only be more humiliating.
Two outs.
No runners on base.
Ichidai Third High School Baseball Team's third batter—Hoshida—stepped up.
This was a genuinely dangerous hitter.
From junior high until now, Hoshida had always been a dazzling presence.
Standing in the batter's box, he exuded calm and confidence.
Even so—
Zhou Hao showed no mercy.
Another Spiral ball.
"BOOM!!"
The pitch exploded toward the plate.
Hoshida's pupils shrank.
"How can it be this fast…?"
Before he could process the thought—
The baseball was already buried in Miyuki's mitt.
"Snap!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
"Three outs—side retired!!"
Zhou Hao struck out three batters in a row.
The entire stadium fell silent.
Hoshida stood frozen in the batter's box—
Like a stone statue.