"Congratulations to Seido High School!"
"With a final score of 6–0, Seido High School has secured the victory in today's game!"
At first, the commentator's voice wasn't particularly loud, as if he were deliberately holding back his emotions. But the moment the result was finalized, his tone suddenly surged with excitement.
"Let's congratulate Zhou Hao for achieving a no-hitter complete game!"
Not only had he prevented the opposing team from scoring a single run—he hadn't even allowed a single hit.
The Seido players themselves hadn't realized it at first. It was only after hearing the announcement that it truly sank in.
Zhou Hao had completely shut down Hakuba Academy.
If not for conserving his stamina, he might have even struck out every batter he faced.
Just because he hadn't done it today didn't mean he couldn't in the future.
The thought alone made Seido's players look forward to what was yet to come.
"In addition, Zhou Hao recorded a total of 16 strikeouts in this game, breaking the Kanto Tournament's single-game strikeout record!"
"He also achieved fifteen consecutive strikeouts—another record-breaking feat!"
"Let's give him a round of applause!"
The stadium erupted.
Even though many had already known, hearing it announced like this made it feel different.
Zhou Hao wasn't just a player anymore—he was becoming a legend.
On Hakuba Academy's side, silence filled the stands.
It wasn't that they didn't want to cheer for their team.
They simply didn't know how.
What they had witnessed went beyond defeat—it was overwhelming.
In their eyes, Zhou Hao had become an insurmountable mountain.
Still… the score was only 6–0.
Compared to how other national powerhouses had fared against Seido, perhaps this result wasn't the worst.
At least, that's what they told themselves.
Meanwhile, Seido's supporters were in complete celebration.
Their pride was impossible to hide.
"Even if their Ace was tough, so what?"
"Our Zhou Hao is the real cornerstone!"
"As long as he's on the mound, no underdog stands a chance!"
"You guys are still far from our level!"
"I wonder if Zhou Hao has a girlfriend?"
"Keep dreaming. Even if he doesn't, there'd be a line stretching across the school!"
That wasn't even an exaggeration.
Back at school, Zhou Hao received love letters almost daily.
Some people even confessed to him in public.
One particular confession had left a lasting impression—though not for the reasons people might expect.
The girl had been brave… but far too petite.
Standing in front of her, Zhou Hao simply couldn't feel any romantic connection.
In the end, he politely declined.
Still, he respected her courage.
Back in Seido's dugout, Zhou Hao was quickly surrounded by his teammates.
They spent every day together, so to them, Zhou Hao had always just been a talented teammate.
But now…
Even they couldn't help but feel something different.
Was he really just a "genius"?
What he had done today went far beyond that.
He hadn't simply overwhelmed the opponent with speed.
He had deliberately allowed them to make contact—guiding their hits into perfect defensive plays.
That level of control…
Even the slightest mistake could have cost everything.
And yet, Zhou Hao executed it flawlessly.
"You're amazing, Zhou-senpai!"
Oshima Shin's eyes were practically sparkling.
He couldn't help it.
Even as a standout player himself, he couldn't suppress his admiration.
"Beautifully done, as expected of you!"
Kuramochi's praise was as straightforward as ever.
Zhou Hao could clearly feel his sincerity.
That alone was enough.
"Thanks."
He responded to everyone with a calm smile.
The dugout had turned into a sea of celebration.
Even the third-year seniors couldn't hold back their praise.
"Having Zhou Hao on this team… that's our greatest fortune."
"This year, we can dominate the nation just like the previous generation!"
"Don't get ahead of yourselves," the coach interrupted firmly. "Focus on the next game. Prepare for the semifinals."
The players immediately nodded.
Step by step.
Game by game.
There were still matches ahead.
And if they wanted to stand at the very top—
They couldn't afford to slip now.
On the other side, the players of Hakuba Academy were all in tears.
If they had entered the game with no hope at all, they wouldn't have felt this conflicted.
They would have simply accepted defeat as inevitable.
But that wasn't what happened.
Throughout the match against Seido, although Hakuba Academy had been suppressed, they had still seen glimpses of opportunity—moments where they could have changed the course of the game.
And it was precisely because those opportunities existed, yet slipped through their fingers, that the pain of defeat hit even harder.
"Alright, that's enough. The game is over. Go out and give your final farewell."
Hakuba Academy's coach had already regained his composure. With a calm smile, he clapped his hands and directed his players.
It was as if the previous game hadn't affected him at all.
After all, it was only 6–0.
In the Kanto Tournament, that was a very ordinary scoreline.
If the players still felt unwilling to accept it, all they had to do was think about how other powerhouse teams had fared against Seido.
Instantly, they would feel better.
That was human nature.
As long as there was someone worse off, one's own situation didn't seem so unbearable.
Hakuba Academy's players were no exception.
Many national-level powerhouses had faced Seido—and all of them had been crushed.
Compared to them, Hakuba could at least say they had fought back.
For six full innings, the score had been locked at 0–0.
That alone proved their strength.
They weren't weak.
They were simply unfortunate enough to face Seido.
"Thank you for the game!"
"Thank you very much!!"
During the handshake line, Hakuba Academy's players gathered around Zhou Hao.
Logically, he was the one who had crushed them.
They should have resented him.
But strangely… they couldn't.
Instead, their eyes were filled with admiration.
From their perspective, they had played well—very well, even.
Yet in front of this man, none of it mattered.
He hadn't even allowed them a single hit.
The gap between them felt suffocating.
It was like a nightmare they couldn't escape from.
"Zhou Hao… your pitching is incredible. I hope we can face each other again someday."
Kazama said this sincerely as he shook Zhou Hao's hand.
"There will definitely be a chance."
Zhou Hao nodded.
As long as they remained on the baseball field, their paths would cross again someday.
After the game, Seido lined up to thank the audience.
The response they received was… enthusiastic, but not entirely pleasant.
"You played well today—even if you only scored six runs."
"But Zhou Hao was perfect!"
"With him, even one run is enough to win!"
Those comments felt less like praise and more like thinly veiled sarcasm.
"Are they mocking us?"
Sawamura Eijun couldn't hold back.
"Anyone can tell they are," Kuramochi replied with a bitter smile.
After all, their batting performance had been far from ideal.
Criticism was inevitable.
"It's not us, it's you guys! I didn't even play!"
Sawamura suddenly straightened up, as if he had discovered a loophole.
Since he hadn't stepped onto the field, this had nothing to do with him.
Why should he take the blame?
Seeing him shift responsibility so shamelessly, Kuramochi could only sigh.
Annoying as it was… Sawamura wasn't wrong.
Back in the locker room, the atmosphere quickly turned serious.
"This isn't the time to argue about responsibility. We need to think about what to do if this happens again."
Compared to previous games, their offensive output today had been painfully low.
All their runs had come late—in the seventh and eighth innings.
For most of the game, they had been deadlocked with Hakuba Academy.
For Seido, that was unacceptable.
They weren't supposed to be evenly matched.
They were supposed to dominate.
But reality had said otherwise.
"Kazama's pitching is unique. Hitting him isn't something you can solve overnight. Don't forget—he's a National Youth Team substitute."
Zhou Hao spoke calmly, not sharing the others' frustration.
To him, this result wasn't surprising at all.
In baseball, the pitcher holds the most crucial role.
Compared to other positions, Hakuba's players weren't far behind Seido's.
But their Ace was exceptional.
Kazama's pitching was refined, precise, and highly effective.
He had left a deep impression—even on Zhou Hao.
With an Ace like that, Hakuba Academy could never be underestimated.
Especially their defense.
Given that, it was only natural that Seido hadn't scored much.
Take their previous match against Inashiro Industrial.
They had scored nearly ten runs.
But what if their opponent's Ace had been Narumiya Mei from the start?
Would they still have scored that much?
Of course not.
Even getting one or two runs would have been difficult.
That was the impact a true Ace pitcher could have.
The truth was simple—
But also harsh.
And not everyone was willing to accept it.
With this victory, Seido successfully advanced to the semifinals of the Kanto Tournament.
Their next opponent?
Another national powerhouse.
There was no avoiding it.
The Kanto region was filled with strong teams.
Every district produced contenders.
And only the best made it this far.
Their next challenge would be Akiba High School.
To prepare, Seido's players barely slept that night.
They studied their opponent, analyzed strategies, and refined their plans.
Because they knew—
If they didn't prepare now,
It would cost them in the next game.