Chapter 7 – Reward Rules of the Sign-In System
The night after the practice match, Seidou's dormitory carried a lively buzz.
The first-years were still fired up, replaying scenes from the game as if they had won the Koshien finals. Sawamura Eijun was the loudest of all, pounding his fist into his palm while boasting about how his "moving fastball" had completely overwhelmed the opposing batters. His noisy voice bounced off the walls of the dorm, making several upperclassmen groan.
Furuya, in stark contrast, sat at his bunk polishing his glove in silence. The tall pitcher glanced once at Sawamura's antics, then returned to his task with the same focus he used on the mound.
"Oi, tone it down, Sawamura." Kuramochi yawned, throwing a pillow at the excitable first-year. "Some of us actually want to sleep."
Sawamura dodged the pillow dramatically. "Hah!? How can I sleep when my pitching is evolving by the second! If I keep this up, I'll be the ace before anyone realizes it!"
His words sparked laughter, but also a few sharp looks.
Miyuki Kazuya leaned lazily against the doorway, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips. His eyes — sharp and calculating even when he looked relaxed — scanned the room. "You keep saying that, but shouting doesn't earn you the ace number. Results do."
That one line silenced Sawamura instantly. His face turned red as he puffed up, trying to argue, but Miyuki had already walked away with a chuckle.
In the corner of the room, Sendo Akira quietly tied his shoes. Unlike the others, he hadn't joined the chatter. He slipped out into the hallway, the faint sound of cleats clicking on the floor the only trace of his presence.
The practice field was dark, lit only by a few stadium lights still burning against the night sky. The cool air carried the smell of grass and dust, and each step Sendo took on the dirt felt heavier than it had during the day.
But he welcomed that weight.
He set down his glove, picked up a ball, and began a series of throws against the practice net. Each pitch smacked against the net with crisp precision, his form sharp even without a catcher. Sweat quickly rolled down his forehead, but he didn't stop.
(I can't afford to be satisfied with just one good performance. Not here. Not at Seidou.)
Everywhere he looked, talent surrounded him. Sawamura's unpredictable spirit, Furuya's raw power, Miyuki's overwhelming presence behind the plate, Tanba's senior confidence. Seidou wasn't just a school team — it was a furnace designed to melt away the weak and temper the strong into champions.
And he refused to be the kind of player who got melted down.
That was when the chime echoed in his head.
[Ding—Daily sign-in complete.][Day 12 reward acquired: Kanto-level Power.]
Sendo froze mid-motion. His fingers tingled around the ball. A rush of strength filled his muscles, not explosive like a sudden surge, but steady and undeniable. His arm felt sturdier, his legs firmer against the ground. Even the rotation of his torso as he wound up for a pitch seemed smoother.
He threw.
Boom!
The ball slammed into the net with a heavier impact than before, making the ropes rattle violently. Sendo's eyes widened slightly. It wasn't his imagination. His body had clearly stepped up a level.
(Kanto-level power… so this is what the system meant.)
The voice of the system returned, calm and mechanical.
[Upcoming Rewards]
Day 13: Kanto-level Ball Control
Day 14: Kanto-level Physical Strength
Then another notification appeared, different from the usual.
[System prompt: Reward probability rules unlocked.]
Sendo straightened. This was new.
[First week (Novice phase): Guaranteed high-level rewards.][Second week onward: Rewards shift to probabilities.]
99% chance: Kanto class
0.9% chance: National class
0.1% chance: World class
His breath caught.
(National class… World class…?)
Names flashed in his mind. Players who dominated high school baseball. Catchers and pitchers who stood out on the national stage. Opponents that even Seidou respected and feared.
If he could obtain abilities at that level…
Sendo clenched the ball tighter. His heartbeat quickened.
The system wasn't finished.
[Third week: 98% Kanto, 1.9% National, 0.1% World.][Fourth week: 97% Kanto, 2.9% National, 0.1% World.][Each subsequent week: Slight increase in chances of higher-tier rewards.]
The numbers etched themselves into his brain like the digits of a scoreboard.
(So that's it. As long as I persist, my odds keep climbing. It's not about a single throw of the dice. It's about enduring long enough to hit the jackpot.)
A fierce grin tugged at his lips.
(Fine. Then I'll endure as long as it takes. One day, I'll draw the reward that makes me unstoppable.)
Meanwhile, back in the dining hall, Miyuki adjusted his glasses as he glanced out the window. The faint outline of a lone figure running laps on the dim field caught his eye.
He chuckled to himself. "Still out there, huh? That guy doesn't know how to rest."
Sawamura perked up immediately. "What!? Sendo's still practicing!? Then I can't lose! I'll head out there right now and—"
"Sit down." Miyuki's voice cut like a blade. His smirk remained, but his tone left no room for argument. "If you think you can catch up by chasing shadows, you'll just exhaust yourself. Sendo's different. He doesn't talk about becoming ace — he works for it. If you slack off, you'll wake up one day and realize he's already far ahead."
For once, Sawamura was speechless. His fist trembled on the table, caught between pride and frustration.
Furuya, polishing his glove in silence, finally spoke. "Doesn't matter. I'll beat him."
His words were simple, but the quiet confidence behind them drew everyone's attention. Sawamura glared, sparks practically flying between the two first-years.
Miyuki only laughed, enjoying the sight. "Looks like things are going to get interesting."
On the field, Sendo Akira continued to run. His lungs burned, his legs screamed, but he refused to stop. Every lap was proof of his resolve.
The system's numbers echoed in his head.Kanto-level today. National-level tomorrow. World-class someday.
He didn't know when luck would strike, but he understood one thing with absolute clarity:
The others around him had talent. Some had raw genius, others had years of training. But he had something none of them could see, something none of them could take away.
As long as he signed in, as long as he endured…
One day, his chance would come.
And when it did—
Sendo Akira wouldn't just be another freshman at Seidou.
He would become the future ace.
End of Chapter 7