Rebirth of Toujou Hideaki

The crowd at the inter-district tournament buzzed with excitement as teams from across the district gathered for the opening ceremony.

Hikari Gakuen Elementary, dressed in their modest but neatly pressed uniforms, stood out—not for reputation, but for the nervous determination on their faces.

Their captain, Toujou Hideaki, held his head high, masking the jitters even he couldn't entirely suppress.

Around him, his teammates fidgeted, their gazes darting toward the tournament favorites.

As the announcer listed the names of participating schools, murmurs rippled through the stands.

"Shirokane Elementary... Narumiya Mei."

"Akikawa Academy... Miyuki Kazuya."

Both teams were powerhouses, their aces already making names for themselves.

Meanwhile, Hikari Gakuen remained an unknown—an afterthought in a tournament filled with giants.

But Toujou wasn't here to admire the giants. He was here to challenge them.

---

After the ceremony, Hikari Gakuen gathered in their dugout, casting cautious glances at their first opponent: Minato Elementary.

Minato was well-drilled, their movements precise as they warmed up. Their captain, Haruto Yamada, carried himself with confidence, and their pitcher, Shohei Tanaka, had an effortless rhythm as he snapped off sharp curveballs in warm-ups.

Coach Ichiro Tachibana brought his players into a huddle. His voice was calm but firm.

"This is your chance to prove yourselves. Play smart, stay focused, and trust each other. If we stick to our game, we can win."

Toujou glanced at his teammates. Some were tense, some were doubtful. But doubt had no place here.

He stepped forward. "No matter what happens, let's keep our heads in the game. We're not just playing for ourselves—we're playing for each other. Let's make this count."

A chorus of nods. The game was on.

The umpire called the teams onto the field.

Game Start.

---

Top of the 1st (Minato Elementary at Bat)

Hikari Gakuen started on defense.

Toujou took his place on the mound, gripping the ball tightly. The first batter, Kenta Saito, stepped in. A contact hitter known for his quick reflexes.

Toujou rocked back and fired his first pitch—a 55 mph fastball, though not his usual but precise.

Saito swung early. The ball sliced foul down the right field line.

"He's got a fast swing," Ryoma muttered. "Let's slow him down."

Toujou smirked. His next pitch, was a slow-spin fastball that appears to be 45mph, floated toward the plate."It's too slow?" Saito hesitated, his bat coming forward too late—strike two.

"I'll hit the next pitch." A flash of determination flickered in the batter's eyes. But Toujou was ready.

He unleashed an high-spin fastball up and inside.

Saito flinched as the thrown ball suddenly appears to be faster than he expected, but his bat was already in motion—too late! Strike three.

The next batter, Yuki Tanaka, was more patient. "Let's see what kind of pitch that you have."He watched the first pitch—a slow fastball—go by. Ball one.

Ryoma adjusted his stance. "Let's bring the heat."

Toujou obeyed. The next pitch—a high-spin fastball low and in—made Tanaka flinch. "It speed increases by 10mph?" He swung and missed.

Then, a normal fastball on the inside corner—grounder to shortstop. Kazuki fielded it cleanly and threw to first.

Out. Two down.

Minato's third batter, Hiroto Fujii, dug in. A power hitter, the most dangerous kind.

Toujou started with a high-spin fastball. Fujii took a massive cut—and missed completely.

The next pitch, a slow-spin fastball, made him hesitate before he fouled it off.

"Now finish him," Ryoma signaled.

Toujou unleashed another high-spin fastball, inside.

Fujii swung underneath it.

Strike three.

Three up, three down.

---

On Bottom of the 1st (Hikari Gakuen at Bat)

On the mound, Minato's ace, Shohei Tanaka, exuded confidence. His sharp curveball was his greatest weapon.

Kazuki Hoshino led off for Hikari Gakuen but struggled with Tanaka's tight curveballs.

He flinched as the sharp curveball was thrown in. Strike one. Before he can adjust his grip on the bat, another pitch was thrown again.

A fastball that cut the edge of the zone, chasing Kazuki as he adjusted his stance in the box.

Another curve. Kazuki swung and missed—strikeout.

Ryoma was up next. He let the first pitch, a low fastball, pass. Ball one.

Tanaka adjusted, throwing a curveball, but Ryoma was ready. He smacked a clean single into left field.

Then came Toujou.

The first pitch—a fastball—came in hard. Toujou fouled it back.

Next, a curveball. Manages to get in contact but it was another foul.

Toujou exhaled. Focus.

Tanaka smirked. He went for another fastball.

Toujou reacted—CRACK!

The ball soared into the right-center gap. Ryoma bolted from first base, rounding third, but the throw was fast—he stopped.Toujou stopped at second.

There are now runners on second and third, one out.

As the next batter, dug in, Tanaka refocused.

The fourth batter struck out swinging, and Yuto grounded out to short.

A missed opportunity.

Toujou clenched his fist. They needed to capitalize next time.

Ending the first inning with the score of 0-0.

---

Toujou dominated the second and third, forcing pop flies, weak grounders, and another strikeout.

But Tanaka matched him, shutting down Hikari Gakuen's offense with his curveball.

Both teams remained scoreless.

---

In the second half of the innings, Hikari Gakuen was desperate for a breakthrough.

Ryoma stepped up, worked the count, and successfully drew a walk.

As the next batter took his stance, Ryoma took off—stealing second base! The opponent catcher throw the ball to the second but a step second late.

Safe!

Toujou followed him into the batter's box."Nice steal." He give Ryoma a thumbs up before adjusting his grip on the bat and stance on the box.

Tanaka started with a fastball—strike one. Then came a curveball—Toujou waited, then swung.

CRACK!

A line drive shot into left field.

Ryoma rounded third, sprinting home—SAFE!

Hikari Gakuen 1 – Minato 0.

----

In the fifth innings, Toujou's control wavered slightly, and Minato's leadoff hitter reached on a walk.

Taking advantage of the situation, the next batter made a sacrificial bunt.

With one out runner on second. Minato's cleanup hitter, Haruto Yamada, was their last hope.

Toujou started him off with a fastball—strike one.

Then a slow-spin fastball—ball one. Tamara pauses his swing and let the ball passed.

On the next pitch—high-spin fastball, inside.

CRACK!

A deep drive to center!

Minato's runner took off from second.

The throw to home—not in time!

Minato 1 – Hikari Gakuen 1.

Toujou clenched his fist. Time to lock in. "Don't mind! One out! He reassures his teammate and focuses on the next batter.

With a strikeout, he escaped the inning without further damage.

As Tanaka took the mound, Hikari Gakuen's sixth, seventh and eighth batters changes their strategy and work on the count to tire him.

---

The game was tied. The air was heavy with tension as Minato's disciplined play tested Hikari Gakuen's defense.

Minato's batter step in and targeted Toujou's slow spin fastball. He waited for the ball to come close to the zone before swinging.

He manages to hit the ball behind the second base.

"Was my pitch see through?" Toujou thought as the second batter step up. He adjusted his grip and throw the next pitch outside the strike zone. A slow spin fastball, the batter decisively swing his bat but miss the timing.

"Strike!"

"They are targeting my slow spin." He concluded as Ryoma seems to notice it too and ask him to throw high spin fastball next.

Toujou wound and throw the high spin fastball in the zone, the second batter let the ball passed and adjusted his grip on the bat to prepare for the next pitch.

Toujou curl up his lips as he throw a normal fastball, making the batter hit a grounder to the first as the first basement passed the ball on the third baseman tagging out the first batter.

Double play!

Kenya Saito click his tongue as he step in the batters box. "Your pitcher seems to be more calm with a runner on base." He commented as Ryoma smirk.

"Right. He's pretty calm right now." Ryoma answered as he asked for an inside pitch.

Toujou throw the ball but it slightly deviated from the zone. Saito eyes glinted as he swing his bat fast.

A deep fly ball into the outfield— danger!

Yuto Akamine sprinted, heart pounding. At the last second— he dove!

Caught!

The crowd erupted. From the mound, Toujou grinned as he wipe his sweat. "Nice play, Yuto!"

In the dugout, Coach Tachibana observed quietly. The team was coming together.

---

In the dug out of Hikari Gakuen.

"How are you feeling?" Coach Ichiro asks Toujou who was drinking his bottled water.

"You are sweating than usual. Tired aren't we?" Ryoma chimed with a grin.

"A bit. Minato Elementary Baseball are pretty tough." Toujou responded honestly, he didn't just focus on his pitches today but also focuses more on reading the batter.

The scoreboard read 1-1.

"We need to score in this innings." Toujou added or he will pitching in the extended innings with his stamina being spent.

"We are going to end the game in this innings."

Kizuki intejected with a grin as he prepare his gear.

"Says the one who got struke with a curveball in the first innings." Ryoma teases because they could start bickering the ninth batter back with a slumped shoulder.

"Don't mind it. He's curve ball was hard to hit." Kizuki patted his teammate back shamelessly as he went out to take his turn in the batters box.

---

With one out, Kazuki stood in the batter's box, everything on the line.

"If you think I can't adapt to your curveball you are wrong."First pitch, curveball just as he expected— Kazuki swung.

The ball skidded past the infield.

Ryoma step in feeling irked at Kazuki smirk directed at him in the second base but still made a sacrificial bunt to maximize their advantage.

With runner on the scoring position, Toujou enters the box.

Hikari Gakuen's dugout watched in silence as Minato's pitcher, Tanaka , adjusted his grip on the ball. His curveball had been lethal all game, dropping sharply out of the strike zone and making batters chase. But Toujou had been studying him—his rhythm, his tendencies, and his micro-adjustments on the mound.

'He's going to start me off with a fastball.'

It was a standard move. With a runner in scoring position, Tanaka would want to get ahead in the count, forcing Toujou into a defensive position. A curveball right away was too risky—if Toujou read it correctly, it could be an easy RBI hit.

Tanaka nodded at his catcher's sign, wound up, and fired.

A straight fastball, slightly inside.

Toujou didn't even flinch. He let it go. Ball one.

In the dugout, Ryoma grinned. "That idiot didn't even react. He knew it was a ball."

Tanaka frowned on the mound. He exhaled and set for the next pitch.

'He'll want to adjust after missing the strike zone. This time, it'll be in the zone—probably a fastball outside to bait me into a defensive swing.'

As expected, the next pitch came—a fastball on the outer edge of the plate. Toujou kept his bat still, watching it into the catcher's mitt.

Strike one.

Hikari Gakuen's coach, Ichiro, crossed his arms, nodding in approval. "Good. He's seeing everything clearly."

Tanaka had two options now—either test Toujou's patience with another fastball or go for his signature curveball.

'He's got confidence in that curve. He'll want to use it now to throw me off.'

The pitcher went into his motion, his fingers shifting at the last second—just as Toujou expected. The moment the ball left his hand, Toujou recognized the spin.

A curveball.

Many batters would hesitate, seeing the ball drop sharply, but Toujou had been watching all game. Tanaka's curve had a distinct pattern—it started high before breaking down hard at the last second. If he swung at the wrong moment, it'd be a groundout at best.

He adjusted his timing. Wait just a fraction longer…

The ball dipped—Toujou swung.

Crack!

The ball shot past the shortstop, a clean hit into the outfield.

Kazuki sprinted from second base, rounding third as the outfielder charged in, desperate to make the throw. The ball arced toward home—Kazuki slid, dirt kicking up as the catcher reached for the ball—

"Safe!"

The umpire's voice rang through the field.

Hikari Gakuen's dugout erupted in cheers. Toujou stood on first base, watching the scoreboard shift—2-1. He exhaled, gripping his batting gloves. Game over.

Kazuki, still on the ground, turned to smirk at Ryoma. "Told you I'd adapt."

Ryoma scoffed, crossing his arms. "Whatever, we still won because of Toujou."

Toujou grinned as his teammates rushed onto the field, celebrating their first win in the inter-district tournament.

---

In the stands, scouts exchanged notes. One of them, scribbled down:

"Promising pitcher. Unique spin control. Needs refinement, but the potential is undeniable. His potential on batting is good too. Can recognize the pitch and have a good ball sense."

Meanwhile, in the Shirokane Elementary dugout as their scout reported the first team who won the preliminarily round, Mei Narumiya scoffed. "Hikari Gakuen? Never heard of them."

But something in his expression— a flicker of interest.

At Akikawa Academy, Miyuki Kazuya chuckled as he heard the result.

"Interesting. Let's see how far they can go."

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