"A bunch of idiots."
That was Zhang Han's honest evaluation of the players currently on the field.
He didn't say it out loud, but the thought was clear on his face. Zhang Han could swear he didn't mean it as a personal attack. But really, those guys were so clueless, it was almost impressive.
They didn't even take the freshmen from City University High seriously.
Zhang Han couldn't help but wonder what kind of logic these people operated on. Had they never heard of Ohmae? Manaka? Yamazaki?
These guys had been superstars back in middle school—the kind of players everyone talked about. Sure, they weren't even main players yet at City University High, but that didn't mean they weren't strong. If anything, it only showed how terrifyingly deep the talent pool at City University really was.
"Faced with strong opponents, they remained calm and played to their full potential. They didn't retreat or panic—they just wanted to make a statement."
A voice spoke behind him.
Zhang Han frowned and turned around to see a tall figure standing behind him, someone even taller than him—and Zhang Han was nearly 1.8 meters, which was already tall for a middle schooler.
"You're from Ishikawa... Amehisa Mitsuyoshi?"
Zhang Han narrowed his eyes as he spoke. Though it sounded like a question, his tone made it clear: he already knew the answer.
"You know me? Haha! I am pretty famous, huh?"
Tianjiu grinned brightly, then tilted his head with curiosity.
"You look kind of familiar too. Wait... who are you again?"
Zhang Han rolled his eyes and turned away. He had no interest in entertaining this lunatic.
Yes, lunatic was the right word.
Tianjiu was fairly well-known in their generation of Little League players. Not because he was particularly dominant, but because he had... a very unique personality.
Take his most infamous moment for example.
In one of the regional tournaments, the Ishikawa Little League team had made it all the way to the quarterfinals. They were on the verge of making history. Their ace? Tianjiu himself.
Their opponent's ace had been injured. Everything seemed lined up in their favor.
And then, just before the game, Tianjiu went up to his coach and said:
"I heard something pop in my shoulder this morning. I don't think I should pitch today."
And then he walked off the field.
Everyone on the Ishikawa team—players, coaches, even the benchwarmers—was stunned into silence. Sure, Tianjiu was known for being unpredictable, but no one imagined he'd pull something like that during such a crucial game.
Ironically, Ishikawa still won.
But in the semifinals, even though Tianjiu was physically fine, their coach benched him. From that point on, Tianjiu went from being a once-promising ace to the team's biggest joke.
Zhang Han glanced at him again.
"For someone like you to still get a recommendation from your coach... that's surprising."
Rumor had it that the Ishikawa coach had completely severed ties with Tianjiu, swearing he'd never speak to him again.
"Haha, that was all small stuff," Tianjiu waved it off. "But wow, you're really interested in me, huh? You're not my fan, are you? Want an autograph? Better ask now, before I become a professional baseball star!"
Zhang Han resisted the urge to gag. He ignored Tianjiu's nonsense.
But Tianjiu wasn't done.
"Just now, you looked down on those guys on the field. If you were out there, you think you'd do any better?"
"Of course I would," Zhang Han replied confidently.
He didn't hesitate.
In his eyes, the players out there were acting like amateurs. Charging straight at Ohmae and Manaka? Seriously? Did they think these guys were over the hill already?
No wonder they were getting crushed out there. The match was nearly over, and they still hadn't shown anything worthwhile. Mistake after mistake—constant beatdowns.
"If I were on the field, I'd play smart. Stick to my strengths, avoid my weaknesses. The opponents are stronger and better coordinated. Trying to beat them head-on is pure fantasy. The only logical move is to stabilize the defense and wait for an opportunity."
Zhang Han's words made perfect sense.
At first, Tianjiu just listened lazily, but his expression slowly grew serious as Zhang Han spoke.
"Wait... were you the backup player for Matsukata Little League?"
They'd faced off before. It took Tianjiu a minute to recall—his brain didn't have the best memory capacity.
"I remember now! We played against each other four times, right? Matsukata won three of them."
Zhang Han nodded coolly.
"That was ages ago! You still bring that up?"
Tianjiu laughed. "Anyway, from what you said, sounds like you're defending those guys?"
"Absolutely not. They're idiots. Rushing straight into the enemy's strength like that—adorable, but idiotic."
"Then what's your point?"
"I'm not like them. Sure, my playing style may be similar, but I'm different. I can control the situation. I'm confident."
"Shameless," Tianjiu muttered.
In truth, even though the freshmen at City University High weren't the main players yet, their skills had already been forged to a very high level. Tianjiu challenging them now would be a bit premature.
But Tianjiu just grinned.
"I'm super strong."
Round after round, elimination continued.
In just over an hour, the first two groups of challengers had been completely crushed. Beaten and humiliated. Most were instantly eliminated.
This was the true level of City University High.
The freshmen—only one year older—had shown the challengers just how wide the gap was between middle school and high school baseball.
"Third group, get ready to take the field! Pitcher, first baseman, outfielder—change!"
It was finally Zhang Han's turn.