For those familiar with Seido High School Baseball Team, Zhang Han's jersey number was incredibly eye-catching.
Seido High School Baseball Team previously had an Ace Pitcher, Koichiro Tanba, who was a third-year.
Theoretically, as long as Tanba didn't suffer any major setbacks, Seido High School Baseball Team would never easily change their Ace Pitcher in their final Summer.
One move affects the whole situation.
Changing the Ace of the team just over a month before the Summer Tournament would have a huge impact on the entire baseball team.
Let alone a powerhouse like Seido High School Baseball Team; even a strong team wouldn't change their Ace just over a month before the Summer Tournament.
This is similar to changing generals on the battlefield, both are major taboos in military strategy.
However, Seido High School Baseball Team, knowing this, still decisively replaced their third-year Ace with a second-year pitcher.
The Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team, which regarded Seido High School Baseball Team as their primary imaginary enemy, frequently cast their gaze upon Zhang Han.
Looking at his number one jersey, their eyes gleamed with a different kind of light.
Those familiar with Zhang Han even gathered around him. For instance, their second-year players, including Narumiya Mei, all converged around Zhang Han.
Narumiya Mei, Carlos, Shirakawa, Yamaoka Riku...
They were all well-acquainted from their junior high days. Back then, Zhang Han was still a pitcher, and while he didn't have any particularly outstanding features, his abilities were very well-rounded in all aspects. Most importantly, he possessed a strong heart.
When the team faced a crisis, he knew what was best for the team.
Therefore, these second-year players had often been at a disadvantage against Zhang Han back then.
But Zhang Han at that time, although performing well, didn't give off a strong impression. He wasn't an opponent who made people feel despair or helplessness, nor was he an opponent who felt unconquerable.
This formed a stark contrast with Narumiya Mei.
This was also why these star second-year players from Inashiro chose to form a team with Narumiya Mei after graduating from junior high.
Narumiya Mei didn't deceive them; they quickly became core members of the team and successfully dominated the nation on the Koshien field.
However, the Spring Invitational Tournament ultimately had less influence. It was still a little short of their ultimate goal in their hearts.
After winning the Spring Invitational Tournament, the teammates of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team immediately set their sights on the Summer Koshien.
They wanted to achieve their highest goal and ideal in this scorching summer.
Previously, even though Seido High School Baseball Team had defeated them in the Kanto Tournament finals, the players of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team still had immense confidence in their own strength.
They were very similar to Seido High School Baseball Team; their players at every position were good, and their hitting also had its own strengths.
But their Ace was Narumiya Mei, and Seido High School Baseball Team's Ace was Koichiro Tanba.
Just this point alone was enough to fill the teammates of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team with confidence.
The gap in this one position was enough to give them a huge advantage in games against Seido High School Baseball Team.
They also believed that this huge advantage would ultimately determine the final outcome of the game.
Unexpectedly, Seido High School Baseball Team actually replaced their Ace with Zhang Han.
This meant all their previous assumptions were no longer valid.
The national record holder for fastest pitch, last summer's super rookie, was in no way inferior to Narumiya Mei in terms of fame and ability.
Inashiro Industrial's original advantage was gone...
Most of the teammates of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team felt some apprehension. Only a few second-year players had excitement in their eyes.
Compared to the third-year players' anxieties, these second-year players were clearly much more carefree.
They had long held a grudge over their loss in the Kanto Tournament finals, and this time, no matter what, they intended to get their revenge.
"Previously, our win-loss record against each other was two to two."
Seido High School Baseball Team won last summer's preliminary round and the recently concluded Kanto Tournament.
Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team won last autumn's Tokyo Autumn Tournament and a practice game in winter.
Over the past year, the two teams had played each other a total of four times, winning twice each.
Shirakawa saying their win-loss record was two to two was indeed true.
"Let's settle it in this summer's semi-finals!"
Carlos understood his teammate's meaning and proactively declared war.
Zhang Han alone against the five of them did seem a bit outnumbered.
However, since it had come to this, Zhang Han naturally had no reason to back down. He nodded with a smile.
"I'll definitely make you lose convincingly."
"Who wins and who loses is still uncertain!"
Narumiya Mei said unhappily.
After speaking, he gave Zhang Han a strange look.
They had often met during their junior high days, and although they weren't teammates and didn't spend every day together, their understanding of each other was no less than that of teammates.
According to Narumiya Mei's original impression, Zhang Han didn't seem to be such a competitive person.
Whether he won or lost a game, his face always had a calm and detached expression, as if he was merely enjoying the process of the game.
It was precisely because of Zhang Han's personality that his relationship with his teammates in the Matsukata baseball team wasn't actually that great.
It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't good either.
Just like the perfect athletes portrayed on television.
Humble, hardworking...
He wouldn't be arrogant after winning a game, nor would he give up on himself after losing.
He seemed perfect, but his relationships with those around him always felt a bit out of place, making it hard for him to truly integrate into a whole.
He didn't know when, but Zhang Han had changed.
He became more talkative, and his smile became more frequent. In the past, when they talked to Zhang Han, they could still tease him with words.
Now, Zhang Han had also learned to fight back.
He wondered if it was because he had grown up, or because he had joined Seido High School Baseball Team.
Narumiya Mei had a premonition that this opponent, whom they had once known so well, might truly be different now.
This difference referred not only to his pitching ability but also to other things.
Just as the few of them were talking, the team of the super dark horse, Yakushi High School Baseball Team, also ran out.
When these guys saw Seido and Inashiro, they were like cats smelling fish, coming over without anyone calling them.
"What a coincidence!"
Sanada Shunpei had a brilliant smile on his face.
"This is truly a grand occasion!"
Mishima actively moved closer to Zhang Han and Narumiya Mei, as if doing so would allow him to stand shoulder to shoulder with these two.
Narumiya Mei instinctively moved away.
Zhang Han subtly shifted his body.
"A-amazing!"
Raichi Todoroki babbled a long string of words, but the only ones that could truly be distinguished were those two words.
This guy's eyes gleamed as he looked at Narumiya Mei and Zhang Han.
He was already impatient, hoping to continue his showdown with these two opponents in the batter's box.
Zhang Han shook his head helplessly.
He wondered if it was his imagination, but why did the bus feel so slow, to the point where he was being pestered by some strange guys?
Zhang Han himself was very helpless; he wasn't someone who liked talking to strangers. Although those around him couldn't be entirely considered strangers, Zhang Han still felt uncomfortable.
It was fine when he was with Narumiya Mei and the others; although they weren't teammates, they had known each other since junior high.
Zhang Han could even joke with them.
With Yakushi, he really couldn't.
Especially in front of others, as a public figure, he had to maintain his image.
Zhang Han himself was in agony, yet he didn't know how many people envied him at that moment.
People who specifically came to watch the opening ceremony, seeing Zhang Han and those gathered around him, immediately recognized Zhang Han's central position.
The young man they admired, indeed, was the absolute core no matter where he went.
Even with so many players nearby, people's first attention was still drawn to Zhang Han.
Not only because of his handsome appearance, but also because these star players seemed to orbit around Zhang Han like stars around the moon.
Seido High School Baseball Team's own teammates were also discussing among themselves in private.
Sanada, Zhang Han, and Narumiya Mei gathered together, attracting the most attention.
Miyuki patted Sawamura's shoulder.
"Did you see them? Standing before you are the Ace Pitchers of our West Tokyo's strongest teams. They are all goals you need to chase. As long as your pitch can surpass theirs, then you will be the strongest in Tokyo. Although I think you have no chance in this lifetime, you might as well strive for this goal."
"Isn't there still Ichidaisan Third High School?"
These three individuals were all second-year players, yet they already bore the heavy responsibility of being their team's Ace.
To be able to surpass their seniors and become the Ace of their teams in powerhouses and strong teams comparable to powerhouses.
This itself proved their strength and talent.
The last of the three powerhouses, and currently the only one whose Ace Pitcher was still a third-year.
When Ichidaisan Third High School was mentioned, Miyuki paused slightly.
He had unconsciously forgotten about Senior Manaka Kaname.
Senior Manaka's pitch was naturally very good.
But it's not about not knowing the goods; it's about comparing them.
Compared to these three, the gap between Senior Manaka and them was probably not small at all.
At least in Miyuki's mind, the difference between them was quite significant, so much so that Miyuki unconsciously overlooked him when ranking.
"Look, Ichidaisan Third High School is here!"
He didn't know if the bus broke down, or if these people came out too quickly. In just this short time, the strongest teams in West Tokyo had gathered at the main entrance of Jingu Stadium.
The players from the few teams who were originally exchanging pleasantries now unconsciously turned their attention to Ichidaisan Third High School.
"Where's Manaka?"
Now, with three of the four powerhouses present, people naturally began to look for Ichidaisan Third High School's Ace.
It didn't take much effort; he was easily found. Manaka seemed to have recovered from his previous defeat in the Kanto Tournament, and the smile on his face was very genuine.
He seemed to have recovered well, and perhaps he could return to his form from this spring.
"What's that number?"
Immediately after, someone exclaimed.
At first, Zhang Han and the others hadn't noticed.
However, with the exclamations of the crowd, they naturally turned their attention to Manaka Kaname's jersey number.
It wasn't number one.
It was number nine.
Given Manaka's hitting ability, there was no way he could be excluded from the starting lineup.
When he couldn't be the Ace, one of the three outfield positions would definitely be his.
Zhang Han and the others were not surprised by this.
What surprised them was that Ichidaisan Third High School had also replaced their own Ace.
The most frightening thing was that when Seido High School Baseball Team changed their Ace, they had an Ace to change to.
The super rookie Zhang Han possessed the fastest pitch among high school students; this was no secret, and everyone who needed to know knew it clearly.
In this situation, although everyone was surprised by Zhang Han's promotion, they didn't think Seido was taking a huge risk.
What did Ichidaisan Third High School mean by this?
The players present racked their brains, but they couldn't figure out who else in Ichidaisan Third High School could replace Manaka.
There were definitely no third-years; could it be a first-year rookie?
Soon, the mystery was revealed.
The man who replaced Manaka Kaname and took Ichidaisan Third High School's Ace number had long legs.
He yawned lazily, as if completely uninterested in everything happening before him.
A hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Han's eyes.
"It's him!"
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