The score had ballooned to 7–0.
Inside Yakushi High School's dugout, Coach Todoroki Raizo sat in the front row, wearing a bitter smile.
"This fell apart much faster than I expected..."
According to his original plan, Seido's batting lineup was supposed to explode.
Only then would Seido consider changing pitchers.
Once that happened, the game would shift into Yakushi's rhythm, and the flow of the match would change completely.
At the very least, they could begin stringing together hits and scoring runs, turning the momentum in their favor.
Instead...
The relief pitcher they had sent to the mound accomplished nothing.
He had been completely overwhelmed by Seido's relentless offense.
"The game's only in the third inning..."
"If this keeps up, will we even have a chance to mount a comeback?"
High school baseball had a mercy rule.
If one team led by ten or more runs after five innings, or seven or more runs after seven innings, the game would end early.
If Seido kept Zhou Hao on the mound until then...
Yakushi would have no chance at all.
Seven runs.
Just three more, and the game would be on the verge of becoming a complete blowout.
Can our carefully prepared plan still work?
Just as Todoroki Raizo was lost in thought—
Clack!
Shirasu put the ball into play.
Unfortunately, it didn't land where he intended.
Yakushi's third baseman sprinted toward the ball, fielded it cleanly, and fired it to first in one smooth motion.
Thwack!
"Out!"
"Three outs! Side retired!"
Yakushi had gone from trailing by a single run...
To suddenly finding themselves down by seven.
For a brief moment, the players felt as though they had survived a terrible storm.
At least...
Seido's terrifying offensive inning was finally over.
But before they could breathe a sigh of relief, another thought crept into their minds.
No...
The real nightmare was still waiting.
Standing on the mound was Zhou Hao—the nation's undisputed number one player.
It looked as though he was preparing to deliver the finishing blow.
With their newly substituted third-year pitcher unable to stop Seido's offense...
And Zhou Hao still dominating on the mound...
Scoring even a single run seemed almost impossible.
Even Yakushi's ever-optimistic players couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.
Are we really going to be eliminated this early?
Meanwhile, inside Seido's dugout...
Behind his brown sunglasses, Coach Kataoka's expression remained calm, though a trace of hesitation flickered in his eyes.
He knew exactly what had to be done.
And he also understood the consequences of making that decision.
"Prepare for a pitching change."
Manager Ota froze.
For a moment, he thought he had misheard.
"Coach... please reconsider."
"This isn't the right time."
Yakushi's greatest threats were still their three first-year batters.
Wouldn't it be safer to let Zhou Hao finish this inning first?
Once those three dangerous hitters were retired, the rest of Yakushi's lineup wouldn't pose much of a threat.
Even if Zhou Hao left the mound afterward, Seido would still be firmly in control.
Manager Ota looked anxiously at Kataoka, hoping the coach would change his mind.
But he was destined to be disappointed.
Having made up his mind, Kataoka had already accepted everything that came with the decision.
"Flowers that never endure wind and rain can never truly bloom."
"Our goal isn't simply to win this game."
"Our goal is to stand at the top of the nation."
"So we have to prepare for every possibility."
Zhou Hao was Seido's ace.
Coach Kataoka had absolute confidence that as long as Zhou Hao remained healthy, Seido could win the national championship.
But as the team's head coach...
He couldn't afford to think only about the present.
High school baseball was demanding.
No pitcher could shoulder every game alone.
Especially not Zhou Hao.
His explosive pitching style required far more stamina than that of an ordinary pitcher.
Even if he could throw a complete game today...
What about tomorrow?
Or the game after that?
Developing reliable backup pitchers had become an urgent priority.
That was precisely why Zhou Hao hadn't been pitching every game.
Partly because it wasn't necessary...
And partly because Kataoka wanted to accelerate the development of Seido's two first-year pitchers.
Unfortunately...
The results hadn't been particularly satisfying.
Their previous opponents simply hadn't been strong enough.
Even after Furuya and Sawamura took the mound, they hadn't encountered any real pressure.
The scoreboard spoke for itself.
Up until now...
Neither rookie had allowed a single run.
Did that mean the two first-years were already elite pitchers?
Other people might think so.
Coach Kataoka didn't.
In his eyes, the two rookies still had a long way to go.
Their opponents had simply been intimidated by Seido's overwhelming reputation.
By the time they stepped into the batter's box...
They had already lost the confidence to challenge Seido's young pitchers.
That wasn't the kind of experience Kataoka wanted.
If Furuya and Sawamura were truly going to grow...
They had to face real adversity.
Fortunately, Zhou Hao wasn't leaving the game.
He would simply move to the outfield.
That way, if either rookie found himself in trouble...
Seido's ace could immediately return to the mound and put out the fire.
"Our next opponent is Inashiro..."
"A true powerhouse capable of winning Koshien."
"Having a chance to test our young pitchers before facing them..."
"...is a blessing."
Originally, Coach Kataoka had still harbored a trace of hesitation.
But after hearing Manager Ota's objections...
His resolve only grew stronger.
"Top of the fourth."
"Furuya Satoru."
"Take the mound."
The announcement stunned Seido's players.
One after another, they turned toward Coach Kataoka, only to meet his cold, unwavering expression.
No one questioned him again.
"Good luck, kid."
"The stage has already been set."
"Don't waste this opportunity."
Although many of the players didn't fully understand the decision...
Once they realized it was final, they accepted it.
Several third-years glanced toward the two first-year pitchers with mixed emotions.
Coach really does favor those two.
When they had first joined the First String, they had never received treatment like this.
Back then, competition within the team had been ruthless.
One bad performance...
And someone else would immediately take your place.
In contrast, these two first-years had not only been promoted to the First String early, but had also received special attention and personalized training from Coach Kataoka.
Of course, everyone understood why.
The reason Coach Kataoka could confidently develop these two rookie pitchers was because Seido had a reliable guardian watching over the team—their current Ace, Zhou Hao.
They already held a seven-run lead. Even if Yakushi's three talented first-years suddenly exploded offensively, there was a limit to how many runs they could score.
A seven-run advantage was more than enough.
Even if something unexpected happened, Seido's Ace could always return to the mound and put out the fire.
When the current third-years had first joined the First String, Seido had been going through one of its weaker periods. Naturally, they had never received this kind of treatment.
That was simply how things worked.
The stronger the team became, the better the environment and opportunities available to its rookies.
Now that Seido stood at the top of the nation, the resources devoted to developing young talent were on an entirely different level.
"Yes!"
"Coach, I'm ready too! I can take the mound anytime!"
Sawamura eagerly stepped forward, afraid of missing his chance.
The Seido players exchanged strange looks.
They already knew that this first-year didn't care much about preserving his pride.
As long as it was an opportunity he wanted, he would fight for it with everything he had.
Still, none of them had expected him to keep promoting himself even after the Coach had already made his decision.
"Sometimes... I really want to learn that level of confidence from this kid."
"Zhou Hao, head to the outfield for now."
Coach Kataoka couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
As the team's Ace, Zhou Hao should have been the one pitching the most innings. Yet because he was so dependable, the Coach kept reducing his workload to give others valuable experience.
"No problem."
Zhou Hao answered without hesitation.
It would be a lie to say he didn't have any thoughts about it.
As the Ace, of course he wanted to stay on the mound.
But he understood Coach Kataoka's reasoning.
In fact, if Zhou Hao were the head coach, he would probably make the exact same decision.
If the team lacked talent, that would be one thing.
But Seido possessed exceptional young pitchers. Naturally, they had to be developed.
On one hand, it was for the team's future. Zhou Hao would eventually graduate, and Seido needed successors who could carry the team forward.
If the two first-year pitchers matured quickly, Seido's dynasty could continue.
On the other hand, it was simply good risk management.
If Zhou Hao became exhausted or suffered an unexpected injury, the team needed a reliable backup plan.
That was the mentality of an elite program.
No matter how indispensable a single player was, the team's long-term interests always came first.
Even if that player was Zhou Hao.
An emergency plan had to be prepared before an emergency actually occurred.
Looking back, one of the reasons Coach Kataoka had failed to lead Seido to Koshien in previous years was because of this very issue.
He had been too sentimental.
He had placed all of his hopes on a single Ace.
If that Ace happened to be someone like Zhou Hao, Seido would naturally become a powerhouse.
But the problem was...
How many pitchers like Zhou Hao existed in the entire country?
Coach Kataoka had gone years without finding another talent of that caliber, so Seido's results had naturally suffered.
Now that Seido had reached the pinnacle of Japanese high school baseball, Coach Kataoka had also grown as a leader.
As a member of the team, Zhou Hao understood that better than anyone.
As long as Seido kept winning, he didn't mind sacrificing a few opportunities.
After all, he didn't need to pitch a few extra innings just to increase his reputation.
Compared to that...
He was far more concerned about the system.
If the system could truly be repaired...
Wouldn't that mean it was connected to more than just this world?
Within the world of baseball, Zhou Hao already possessed everything he needed to stand at the top.
But if he were transported into another world...
A world of ninjas...
Or pirates...
Everything would be different.
"No... that probably won't happen."
The game resumed.
Seido sent its first-year flamethrower, Furuya Satoru, to the mound.
The moment Todoroki Raizo saw the pitching change, his eyes lit up.
"Perfect."
"It's exactly as we expected."
For Yakushi, Seido removing Zhou Hao from the mound was the best opportunity they could have hoped for.
"The game has gone this far, and Seido hasn't allowed a single run."
"Once they finally give one up..."
"It'll be like the final boss finally losing its first bar of health."
A sly smile spread across Todoroki Raizo's face.
Just imagining that scene made him excited.
"Whether we feast today or leave with scraps..."
"...depends on this inning."
"Raichi."
Top of the fourth inning.
Yakushi High School's offense stepped onto the field once more.
The first batter was one of Yakushi's three outstanding first-years—
Akiha Kazuma.
The moment he stepped into the batter's box, he settled into a focused stance, fully prepared.
On the mound, Furuya Satoru wasted no time.
Without the slightest hesitation, he unleashed his first pitch.
Boom!
The baseball exploded out of his hand with a deafening roar.
The Seido supporters immediately broke into smiles.
"See that?"
"They actually thought they had a chance to fight back?"
"They're still a long way from that."
Their first-year pitcher possessed overwhelming speed.
Every opponent Seido had faced so far had been crushed without Zhou Hao ever needing to return to the mound.
This game, they believed, would be no different.
But just as everyone was thinking that...
The batter moved.
Akiha clenched his teeth and swung with all his strength.
Ping!
The sharp crack of the bat echoed across the stadium.
The baseball shot through the infield before the Seido fielders could react.
"It got through!"
Furuya's blazing 151 km/h fastball had been cleanly driven into the field.
The cheering Seido supporters instantly fell silent.
Their smiles disappeared.
None of them could understand how Yakushi had managed to hit a pitch that fast.
"Safe!"
No outs.
Runner on first.
The moment Zhou Hao left the mound, Furuya Satoru was immediately thrown into a difficult situation.
The Seido supporters turned toward their dugout in confusion.
"Why did they take Zhou Hao off the mound?"
"If they were going to make the switch, they should've at least waited until the fourth inning was over."
"Two more batters..."
As the crowd continued discussing the decision, Yakushi's second batter calmly stepped into the batter's box.
Mishima Yuta.