The Old Baseball Player System

"And now, please step up to the stage to receive your medals, the winners of the second bracket of the Tokyo tournament, Shoto Junior High School!"

Shun heard the cheers and applause coming from the stands as his teammates began walking toward the stage. He felt his hand tremble slightly as Ren, who was in front of him in line, started walking.

Shun looked down to see his hands shaking with anticipation. He glanced at his still feet, then looked up, watching his friends stepping onto the stage. He didn't hesitate any longer. Shun took the first step, then the second, the third... Only when he reached the step and climbed onto the stage did he see the medals resting on a cushion, being handed out one by one to the Shoto players.

Time seemed to slow down as Shun waited for his turn. After a few seconds, which felt like hours to Shun, it was finally Ren's turn. Shun watched as the young samurai bowed to a man, receiving a beautiful gold medal. He noticed that Ren was quite emotional, almost on the verge of tears, but Shun didn't say anything at that moment. He knew how much effort Ren had put in over the past year to reach this point.

"Your turn. Please step forward." - Right after Ren received his medal, the man who gave it to him spoke, looking at Shun.

"Ah! Yes, sir!" - Shun had been distracted, watching the medal around his friend's neck, when he heard the man's voice. He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully toward the man.

"It was a great game. Congratulations!" - Shun looked at the man in surprise after hearing his words. Now he actually looked at the man, realizing he was quite tall with broad shoulders, his hair graying, and his face showing signs of age. Yet, Shun could sense from the man's expression that he wasn't just an ordinary elder.

"Thank you." - Shun responded awkwardly as he shook the man's hand. The man didn't waste time, as there were more players waiting behind Shun. After the handshake, he picked up a medal from the cushion beside him and held it up.

Shun bowed slightly, and soon he felt the gray-haired man placing the medal around his neck. Shun bowed again to the man before returning to the line, clutching his medal in one hand and examining it closely.

The gray-haired man watched Shun return to the line for a few seconds, smiling mysteriously. At that moment, Shun didn't think much about the man who had just given him the medal, but little did he know that this man was someone extremely important in the world of Japanese baseball and would play a major role in Shun's career in the future.

Shun quietly returned to the line, staring at the medal around his neck. As he looked at it, memories of all the effort he and his teammates had put in over the past year flooded his mind. Yet, looking at the medal, he couldn't help but feel that it had all been worth it. Of course, he knew that their work wasn't entirely done, they still had one more medal to win!

Lost in thought, Shun barely noticed as the rest of his teammates received their medals and returned to the line. Once everyone had received their medals, the man in the suit resumed speaking into the microphone.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the award presentation for the tournament's Most Valuable Player!" - The man in the suit announced enthusiastically, as people in the stands rose again, eagerly looking toward the stage.

"Please give a round of applause! This year's Tokyo Tournament MVP, from Shoto Junior High School... Shun Takahashi! Please step up to the stage!" - The man in the suit declared with excitement.

"Yeeeeaahhh!" - The crowd's cheers echoed through the stadium as Shun's name was announced.

"Huh?" - Shun looked at the stage in confusion, hearing the cheers and applause coming from all directions. He had been absentmindedly gazing at his medal when his name was called, taking a moment to process what was happening.

'Did I really win?' - Shun wondered in confusion, a hint of hesitation crossing his face. But before he could think any further, two hands clapped firmly on his back.

"What are you waiting for, man? Go get your award!" - The young samurai Ren said with a smile after giving Shun a pat on the back.

"You deserve this, Shun!" - Kenta added with a smile, also giving his friend a pat on the back.

"Guys..." - Shun murmured as he looked at his two friends, but after their nudges, he didn't hesitate anymore. Shun quickly walked toward the stage, hearing the applause from the crowd and his teammates.

Shun climbed the steps of the stage once again, finding the same gray-haired man who had given him his medal, now standing with a trophy in his hands and smiling.

Discover hidden content at empire

The trophy was large, featuring the bronze figure of a baseball player swinging a bat atop a wooden base, with a small plaque on the front reading "Tokyo Tournament Most Valuable Player."

"Congratulations!" - The gray-haired man said as Shun stepped in front of him. Without delay, he handed Shun the trophy and then shook his hand.

"Thank you." - Shun bowed as he shook the man's hand, holding the trophy with his other hand. He greeted the others on stage before returning to the line.

Shun was met with smiles and applause from his teammates as he rejoined the line, feeling a bit embarrassed. This was his first individual award in his life, so he wasn't quite used to it.

"As you all know, next week, these two teams will represent Tokyo Prefecture in the Kanto middle school tournament. So please, ladies and gentlemen, give a round of applause for our representatives. Best of luck to you!" - The man in the suit spoke once more into the microphone after Shun returned to the line. As he concluded his speech, the stands erupted in a final round of applause, wishing good luck to Shoto and Seishin.