Samurai of Seidou: The Otherworldly Ace Who Challenges Koshien - Episode 4

The cold morning air seeped deep into his lungs. On the hill behind the school, where dawn had yet to fully break, Kujou Touya knelt alone on the dirt, one knee pressed to the ground. "Haah... haaah..." His chest felt like it was about to split open. His heart pounded so loudly it seemed to be beating right in his ears, and the edges of his vision flickered with spots. There was no strength left in his arms. His fingertips were cold, as if they no longer belonged to him. Sweat poured from his entire body, yet chills ran down his spine. His limit was closing in. Just a little further now. But. "...Not yet." Touya pressed his trembling arms against the ground and stood. His knees were shaking. Just standing upright felt like he might collapse. (*I can still go.*) If he stopped here, everything would be over. That sensation from his previous life crawled up from beneath his feet. The moment his ligament snapped on the professional mound. The white walls of the rehab room. The nights in his empty apartment, staring at his right hand that could no longer throw. All of it—because he had been weak. Because he hadn't known his limits, he couldn't surpass them. This time, he had to break through. Touya clenched his teeth and started running. One step. Then another. His legs tangled. His body pitched forward. He caught himself through sheer willpower. In the early morning, there was no one on the hill behind the school but Touya. Until last week, another set of footsteps had been here. Fujiwara Takako. The team manager, the daughter of an osteopathic clinic, a meddlesome busybody—and the girl who worried about Touya's elbow more than anyone else. But today, those footsteps were absent. In fact, he hadn't heard them once in the past week. (*...Doesn't matter.*) Touya muttered the words in his mind. Whether she came or not, he would do what he had to do. He didn't need to rely on anyone, and no one had any reason to worry about him. Her absence didn't affect his training in the slightest. —Or so he had told himself. "Kujou-kun!" At the sudden voice, Touya's body jolted. He looked up. Through the morning haze, he saw Fujiwara Takako running toward him. She wasn't wearing her Seidou jersey, just casual clothes with a thin parka thrown over them. In her hand, she carried the usual plastic bag filled with gel packs. "[surprised]...Fujiwara." "[angry]...Why didn't you wait for me?" Out of breath, Takako stopped right in front of him. Her face was slightly flushed. Maybe from running. Or maybe she was angry. "I came at the usual time, but no one was here." "[cold]...I just started earlier than usual." A lie. The truth was, he had shifted his schedule because he didn't want to see her. He'd been doing that all week. That night, when Takako had treated his elbow on the field, Touya had definitely felt it. The warmth of having someone there for him. It was a sensation he hadn't experienced since losing it in his previous life. And that was exactly why it terrified him. In his past life, his lover had drifted further away the more he devoted himself to baseball. *"I want you to quit baseball. It's going to destroy you."* When she said those words, Touya couldn't say anything back. Without a word, he simply walked out of the room. Ever since, he hadn't been able to rely on anyone. Whenever someone got close, he unconsciously put distance between them. "[serious]Kujou-kun, wait a moment." Takako planted herself in front of him. The height difference was more than a full head. But she didn't back down. "[serious]You've been avoiding me all week, haven't you?" Touya didn't answer. "Did I do something?" "...Nothing in particular." "[angry]What do you mean, 'nothing in particular'?!" Her voice echoed through the mountain's silence. Takako's fists were clenched tight. In her eyes, anger flickered—and something else, too. "I was just worried—" "[cold]...None of your business." Touya said it coldly and tried to walk past her. But. "[crying]That's not true!" Takako's voice trembled. "I know it's not. You always do this, Kujou-kun—you always keep everything bottled up inside. But that's wrong. If you destroy your body, it'll all be for nothing. If you can't play baseball anymore, then none of it will mean anything." She spoke as if it were her own pain. "[crying]Please. Just a little is fine. Let someone help you. I can't do much, but at least I can take care of your elbow." Her voice was thick with tears. Touya stopped walking. With his back still turned, he listened to her words. Deep in his chest, a dull ache throbbed. (*That's not it, Fujiwara.*) You're not the one in the wrong. You're right. Everything you're saying is right. But I— "[serious]...You don't know, do you?" Touya didn't turn around. "[sad]What it really means... to break." His voice was quiet. "Once you break, you can never go back. No matter how hard you try. No matter how much you wish for it. What's broken... can never be the same again." Those words were meant for his past self. The self who had destroyed his elbow as a pro and been handed his release notice. The self who had spent years in rehab and still couldn't get back to a hundred percent. The self who, in the end, hit his limit even in corporate league baseball and hung up his uniform at twenty-seven. "I never want to feel that way again." "[whispers]...Kujou-kun." "So don't do anything unnecessary. Just leave me alone." With that, Touya started running—this time for real. Takako's voice chased after him from behind, but he pretended not to hear it. That afternoon. The summer Koshien West Tokyo tournament bracket draw was held, and Seidou's first-round opponent was decided. Their opponent: Inashiro Industrial High School. One of the top powerhouse schools in the city, their batting lineup was known as the "Nine Cannons"—every player from the leadoff to the ninth batter possessed home-run power. In particular, their three-hole hitter, a slugger named Kitou, was a monster boasting forty-two career high school home runs. When the announcement was made during the pre-practice meeting, the air in the clubroom instantly grew tense. "[serious]Inashiro, huh..." Miyuki Kazuya, the second-year starting catcher, murmured the words with his arms crossed. "They're not unbeatable. But half-hearted pitching will get crushed." Miyuki's gaze shifted toward the pitching staff. Furuya, Sawamura—and Touya. "[serious]I'm gonna shut 'em down with everything I've got!" Sawamura clenched his fist and roared. Furuya said nothing, only giving a small nod. Touya didn't say a word. Two weeks until the game. That night. After finishing practice, Touya was about to head back to the dorms when he stopped at the entrance. A single sheet of paper was posted beside the door. *URGENT NOTICE: Tanba Kouichirou injured during practice. Diagnosed with right elbow contusion. Estimated recovery: three weeks.* His heart froze in an instant. "[surprised]...What?" Touya stared at the paper. He read it over and over. But the words didn't change. The ace, Tanba, was out right before the tournament. "[angry]You've gotta be kidding me!" Sawamura's shout came from behind him. Apparently, he had seen the notice at the same time as Touya. "Tanba-san... the ace..." Sawamura slammed his hand against the wall with enough force to nearly tear the paper. His voice shook with anger—and an indescribable anxiety. Drawn by the commotion, the other team members began to gather. Everyone looked at the notice, their faces stiffening in the same way. Fujiwara Takako was not among them. Three days later. On the field in the early morning, before anyone else had arrived, Touya was alone, throwing against the wall. He adjusted his forkball grip, fine-tuning the release angle. He was searching for the optimal solution—minimizing the strain on his elbow without sacrificing the pitch's drop. Tanba's withdrawal. For the team, it was a heavy blow. But for Touya personally—it was also an opportunity. The pitching hierarchy would change. No. It *had* to change. (*I'm the one who has to do this.*) Just as he made that resolution, he heard soft footsteps behind him. "...Kujou-kun." He turned around. Takako stood there. It was their first meeting in a week, since that morning. She looked a little thinner. Faint shadows lingered beneath her eyes. "[cold]...You're still coming here?" "[gentle]Of course. It's my job as the manager." Takako said it with a small smile. He could tell she was forcing herself to act cheerful, just like before. "I heard you might get to play in the game." "...Nothing's been decided yet." "But it's a chance, right?" Touya silently adjusted his grip on the ball. "I'm... still angry about what happened the other day." Takako lined up beside him and leaned against the wall. "But I've come to understand something, too. You really can't rely on anyone, can you, Kujou-kun?" "...Yeah." "But even so—I'm not giving up." Takako's voice grew a little stronger. "Before your elbow breaks, I'll definitely stop it from happening." Without a word, Touya threw the ball against the wall. A sharp *crack* echoed across the quiet field. "[gentle]...And also, here." Takako held out the plastic bag. When he took it, a cool sensation met his hand. "New gel packs. The old ones were getting worn out." "[surprised]...Why would you—" "[gentle]Isn't it obvious? So you can go to Koshien, Kujou-kun." Takako said it with a mischievous smile. Touya couldn't say anything. He didn't know what he was supposed to say. But deep in his chest, a warmth slowly spread. "[gentle]Well, I'll be going now. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?" With that, Takako ran off. Left alone, Touya stared at the gel pack in his hands. "...Yeah." He murmured the word to no one on the empty field. The following evening. Summoned by Coach Kataoka, Touya waited in front of the clubroom. The coach spoke in a solemn tone. "Kujou." "...Yes." "In place of Tanba, I'm giving you the starting role." The words reverberated inside his head. "...Understood." "Is that all you have to say?" "[serious]...I'll just do what I have to." The coach paused for a moment, then gave a small nod. "I'm expecting great things." Just a few words. But those words made him feel as if everything he had done up until now had been acknowledged. When he returned to the field, Sawamura was lying in wait. "[angry]Hey, Kujou! I heard you're starting!" His face bright red, he got right up in Touya's face. "[serious]I'm not accepting this! I'm way more amazing than you!" "...Is that so." "[angry]But... but still!" Sawamura took a step back, then shouted at the top of his lungs. "[serious]If the coach decided it, then it can't be helped! But you'd better not screw up! I'll definitely back you up!" It was Sawamura's own way of cheering him on. The corner of Touya's mouth twisted slightly. "...Yeah." For the first time, he felt a little grateful to this guy. That night. Waiting until the clubroom was empty, Touya slipped on his uniform alone. His new number: 11. From the ace number 18 to number 11—the mark of a starting pitcher. He stood in front of the mirror. The person reflected there wasn't the man who had once stood on a professional mound. He was still a nobody—just a sixteen-year-old high school student. But. "...With this, finally." He had made it to the starting line. Ten days until the game.

日本語

What is Novelia? →

Episode 4

Name: Samurai of Seidou: The Otherworldly Ace Who Challenges Koshien
Author: Novelia

What is Novelia?

Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.

Learn more about Novelia →New sign-ups get 5,000pt