"Which of these schools offers the highest tuition reduction?"
"Actually, they're all roughly the same—about 50% to 60%. The highest is Cheng Kong. Their new principal is unhappy with the baseball team's current performance and is eager to bring in fresh talent, so their offer is the best—60%. If you're interested, I think we can even negotiate for more."
"I don't know much about high school baseball teams. Just give me your honest recommendation."
"Let's rule out Pharmacist High School! Although they've always hovered around the top 16 or top 8, that's about as far as they go. Whether it's their coaching staff or the team's overall strength, it's hard to see them making a breakthrough."
Coach Ono didn't hesitate and gave his frank assessment.
Zhang Han nodded.
He had some impressions of high-performing high school teams. Pharmacist had always felt like a background character—always in the mix, but rarely making real waves. If they didn't get lucky, they wouldn't even reach the top 16.
Even though Zhang Han was confident in his own abilities, he didn't believe he could carry such a team to Koshien on his own.
The more he learned about baseball, the more he understood how complex the sport really was.
This isn't a game that one or two people can win alone.
Sure, they say a great pitcher can carry a team—but in both anime and real life, every great team has more than just a strong pitcher. The teammates backing them up are strong too.
No matter how good the pitcher is, they can't win every game solo.
And Pharmacist High School? Their foundation was simply too weak.
Reaching Koshien with that kind of team was nearly impossible.
Unless they changed their coach and recruited a few more key players, hoping for a miracle was just wishful thinking.
"Kuroshikan and Kasuga have maintained solid performances in recent years. But besides Zaizen, the newer players aren't particularly strong. They might keep their rankings, but a breakthrough? Very difficult. Their chances of making Koshien are slim.
"Of course, there is an upside to joining such a team—with your strength, you'd likely be a key player immediately."
Ono Binzhi truly lived up to his reputation as a renowned coach in Tokyo. His analysis had proven accurate time and again.
"If you insist on staying in Tokyo, I recommend Cheng Kong Academy. Their coach is a well-known figure with a good track record. Although their current players aren't particularly strong, their foundation is solid and they train seriously. If you join, you might be able to elevate them, and making it to Koshien isn't out of the question."
He paused at that point.
Even though he didn't finish his thought, Zhang Han understood what he meant.
It's not impossible—but it won't be easy either.
Cheng Kong had the potential to rise. They had tradition, an experienced coach, a principal willing to invest, and a group of currently dormant players.
In another region, that combination might be enough for a real breakthrough.
But this wasn't some lesser-known prefecture—this was Tokyo, the world's largest city, with tens of millions of people.
There were countless teams like Cheng Kong, not to mention the big-name powerhouses at the top.
Breaking through was nearly impossible!
Qingdao High School, with its superior strength, momentum, and administrative support, had still failed to reach Koshien for several years in a row.
So why would Cheng Kong be any different?
"Just because you work hard doesn't mean you'll be rewarded."
This was the cruel reality of West Tokyo. If you wanted to reach Koshien from here, you needed more than just talent—you needed luck.
"If your goal is really Koshien, you might want to consider schools outside of Tokyo. There's one I've found that's interested in you."
Shonan Gakuin, in Kanagawa Prefecture.
"They didn't have a baseball team before, but after getting new investors, they just formed one. They've been recruiting talented players nationwide, but progress has been slow. Still, they've gathered quite a few promising players and should be able to achieve something. I've spoken with their coach and manager—they're willing to waive your school selection fee and even offer some financial aid."
Coach Ono's tone was serious.
The conditions were great.
Frankly, given Zhang Han's achievements, it was surprising that they'd offer him such favorable treatment.
But Zhang Han wasn't moved.
While he did want to reduce his tuition and fees, he had never considered leaving Tokyo.
Even though the two women in his house were annoying, as the only man in the family, he couldn't just abandon them.
"Teito, Nioh, Daocheng, Ichida, Qingdao, Red Devils… Is there really no way I can join one of them?"
Even though he already knew the answer in his heart, Zhang Han still asked, unwilling to give up.
A trace of guilt flickered in Ono Binzhi's eyes.
But he still shook his head.
"These elite schools already have more than enough players. If we recommended you, with Matsukata's reputation and your skill, they'd probably offer you a special admission spot—no entrance exam needed. But getting them to waive your school selection fee? That's the hard part."
They weren't lacking talent—so why would they go out of their way for Zhang Han?
Besides, these are all prestigious schools with dozens of international students already.
If they waived the selection fee for Zhang Han, it would open the floodgates to complicated problems down the line.
Coach Ono had reached out to his contacts and tried asking for favors—but it was no use.
"Then forget it…"
Zhang Han was very straightforward. He picked up Cheng Kong's invitation letter and had already made his decision.
Regret filled Ono Binzhi's expression.
Zhang Han was a foreign student. Achieving what he had wasn't easy. If he joined Cheng Kong, his future path would be even tougher.
How could he sit back and let that happen?
Bang!
Suddenly, Ono Binzhi slammed his hand down on the invitation letter.
Zhang Han looked at his coach in confusion, not understanding what he meant.
"It's not like there's no solution at all! Some traditional schools still maintain their old ways. Have you heard of private talent selection events?"
"I've heard of them! Some schools used to hold trials and competitions for prospective students to decide who would get special admission offers."
Zhang Han wasn't stupid—he immediately understood what Ono Binzhi was implying.
"Wait, do those still exist now?"
Ono Binzhi nodded.