National Team, Takeoff!
From the youth national team announcement to Ri Dong-hyuk's bombshell coming out as the leader's illegitimate son.
After the storm had passed, surprisingly, things at Munhyeok High stayed quiet.
"What do we do? He's so pitiful...."
"...Who would've thought that guy had such a past."
Just like the public's wave of sympathy, the students at school looked at him warmly too, so no one picked fights using his background as an excuse.
'Not that anyone would dare start trouble in the first place....'
'The baseball team guys are scary as hell....'
With guys like Geum Seong-muk, the former Busan thug; Ryu Ji, the firstborn son from a yakuza family; and Seok Un-gang from Shaolin holding down the baseball team.
Not to mention Ri Dong-hyuk's own impressive physique, backed by his solid teammates—no rowdy students dared run their mouths.
Of course, with the national competition happening worldwide, news about other Munhyeok High students started trickling in too.
"Hassan, you got picked for the Pakistan national team...!"
"Congrats, congrats!!"
"Haha, thank you!"
Hassan beaming with a bright smile as he expressed his gratitude.
As Pakistan's rising fastball ace drawing nationwide attention, there was no way he wouldn't make the cut.
With his injury nearly healed, as long as he didn't push too hard, playing for the national team shouldn't be an issue.
The next bit of news came from the Japanese side.
"Takahina-kun, you got picked for the national team...!"
"C-Congrats. National team!!"
".........Ah, thanks."
Ryu Ji, hearing the news from classmates right after waking up. A few looked tense because of his background, but he just grinned and thanked them.
Of course, the one getting the most congrats was probably me.
"Oh, Seong-muk sunbae...! Congrats on the national team!"
"My little bro said to tell you he's cheering for you. Do your best...!"
I got endless congrats from Munhyeok High students whose faces and names I didn't even know. Break time had turned into fan service hour long ago.
This would probably last straight through the Sejong Tournament.
Next up was English class. After switching classes, I really felt the absence of one person.
'Olivia must be tied up with filming for a while.'
Olivia had taken leave for a special shoot and was skipping school. Without her, English class felt pretty lonely.
As I was thinking that, my phone buzzed.
'Oh...!'
Perfect timing—she'd messaged me right then.
I replied immediately.
I'd prefer if they held it in Korea so we didn't have to travel far, but since the last one was in Seoul, this time it's Japan.
Of course, after breaking through the prelims with four teams per group, we'd head to another country for the main tournament if we advanced. The main host this time was definitely...
No reply for a good while after that.
Then, after some time, she sent a long message.
She ended with a cute emoticon.
I tilted my head.
'Good news...?'
Couldn't guess what it was.
She said it wasn't certain, so I'd just wait quietly.
School ended, and the baseball team gathered at the field. Before training, Coach Myeong Sin-u gave a speech.
"Geum Seong-muk, Ri Dong-hyuk, Ryu Ji, Hassan—come up front for a sec."
We stepped forward at the coach's call.
Coach Myeong gave each of us warm words, then prompted cheers from the others.
"Your precious teammates are heading out tomorrow to represent their countries. We might face them as opponents—who knows what'll happen—but for now, let's cheer them on. Everyone, clap...!"
Clap clap clap—!
We four got another round of cheers from the team.
I saw it as hugely encouraging that four from our team made the national squads.
'The youth national team is basically a growth cheat—a massive opportunity.'
Chances to play alongside your country's top talents or face off against foreign stars don't come easy.
In the prime growth phase of youth, the youth team adds stat EXP bonuses, letting you level up faster than regular games.
'Plus top-tier coaching staff as a bonus.'
The youth coaches are always verified experts in player development. Injury recovery specialists come standard. Exploit that well?
'Solar Divine Vein recovery aside, we can grow in all sorts of ways and come back stronger.'
My heart was already pounding.
As I steeled myself, I noticed Un-gang clapping with a bitter look.
'Right, Un-gang turned it down.'
Hong Kong's team merged into China's due to politics. As Korea's top catcher prospect, Seok Un-gang naturally got an offer, but...
'I'm a Hong Kong citizen—I can't play for China.'
He shut it down flat.
Couldn't argue with convictions that firm.
I just asked him to captain in my absence.
As we headed to the field for training, I spotted Coach Myeong Sin-u sighing.
'He's worried, huh? Can't scrimmage for a month with three of our four pitchers on national duty...'
No way to schedule games like this.
We'd have to tough it out with team and individual drills till the national tournament—real-game sharpness was bound to drop.
Coaches couldn't help but fret.
I approached him.
"Coach."
"Oh, yeah. Seong-muk-ah. What's up?"
"A gift. Take it."
"A gift...?"
Coach Myeong took what I handed him.
His eyes went wide.
"This is...!?"
########
'...Gotta set things up before I leave.'
Couldn't let the team slack while I was gone.
I had a plan for that.
It'd need a big budget, though, so first I had to squeeze someone.
I headed straight to the chairman's office without hesitation.
Knock knock—
"It's Geum Seong-muk. Mind if I come in?"
"...S-Seong-muk?!"
The chairman's startled voice.
Some fumbling sounds, then he composed himself.
"Come in."
"Alright...'
I flung the door open.
The chairman stood gazing out the window, back to me.
Ever since I had dirt on him, he was extra careful not to slip up.
'...This guy used to piss me off so much at first.'
Hate turns to familiarity, I guess.
Seeing him sweat after I got leverage dulled the edge.
"Chairman, I was iffy when you gained weight from all the awards, but yeah, you've packed it on. Living the good life, huh?"
"Haha, the baseball team's success has me wining and dining everywhere— all thanks to you, Seong-muk."
The chairman laughed heartily.
He was now hailed as the chairman who backed the "impossible" baseball team to historic Sejong glory.
Applications were already pouring in for next year's team.
'Sure, it's a bubble that'll pop quick...'
Munhyeok High lacked the heritage of top schools.
Losing the third-years would shake us, but the chairman's moves could extend this glory.
"Ahem, so, Seong-muk. What brings you here...?"
Sweat beading as he asked.
Still wary since I held the power dynamic.
I sank into the central sofa and got to it.
"Chairman, you want the team in Sejong next year too, right?"
"N-Next year too...?!"
"Yeah, next year."
He swallowed hard.
With MVP Seong-muk and the third-year stars graduating, next year seemed tough.
Two years straight?
This year's miracle already brought massive gains—back-to-back Sejong?
"Uhahaha...."
He looked blissed out, dreaming of the future.
His face lit up as he replied.
"Of course! Sounds like a dream...!"
"Then how about some solid support? Here."
"Wh-What is this...?!"
He took the stack of papers.
It was a budget proposal based on my training plan.
Top of the ledger: the name I'd given this regimen.
Breakthrough 30 Days
Named to signify breaking untapped limits and leaping to a new level.
I'd pour every bit of know-how from playing this game into it.
'Won't join myself 'cause of nationals, but...'
It'd be priceless time for the team.
Of course, the chairman wouldn't buy it instantly. He trembled at the numbers.
"It's a training schedule by Coach Myeong Sin-u, the player development master who got us to Sejong in our first year as a club. Figured we need at least this much. Too tough?"
"Ahem......"
Couldn't claim it as mine, so I borrowed the coach's name. Not total lies, and rumors already painted him that way—perfect leverage.
The chairman rubbed his chin, troubled.
He grabbed a pen and started marking up the ledger.
"First issue: why split into groups of 3-4 for individual training? Group travel and lodging would cut costs big time..."
"Right now, we need tailored drills to fix each player's weak spots. Can't avoid splitting for efficiency."
"Ngh..., fair enough..."
He tinkered more.
After haggling, the final version was surprisingly lean.
"This work?"
"Oh..."
I hadn't gouged him.
Bundled what could be, cut what could—amount dropped nicely.
'Not incompetent, huh.'
Piggy greed aside, maybe usable after all.
"Anyway, we'll fund this. Donations are rolling in thanks to you guys—got the slack."
"Excellent decision."
"Ahem, we'll keep supporting, so keep winning."
"You can count on it."
We shook on it.
Leaps from our rocky first meeting.
#######
"Coach, your gift."
"Th-This is...!"
The paper I gave Coach Myeong detailed the chairman's promised eight-figure budget for training.
He beamed at first, then flipped pages and lit up more—his dream gear was listed.
'Seong-muk-ah, got more?'
'Like what?'
'Y'know, tiger-eye stare-downs or wild stuff that works wonders...!'
Hooked after one taste.
I'd shaken my head back then.
'Scattered nationwide—can't hit 'em during tournaments even if we wanted.'
Easter eggs stay hidden for a reason.
Too many in remote spots like land's end, Cheongsong-gun, Jeju, DMZ—impractical till now.
But with some freedom now, different story.
Game sharpness dipping sans scrimmages?
Two months till Sejong.
We could sharpen up in the last month post-nationals.
Raw stat grinding first would boost team power way more.
"We'll trust you and go, Coach."
"You got it—I'll run it smooth."
He nodded, patting my shoulder.
Thus, I wrapped my last team training before joining the squad.
#####
Rumble rumble!
Incheon Airport packed with reporters and fans.
Youth national team departure day.
Flashes popped as players appeared.
"There's Ryu Taek-jin...!!"
"Je Yun-chan! Look this way just once...!"
Even in the team, stars drew more eyes—top dogs especially.
And the supernova wasn't exempt.
"Ooh, Geum Seong-muk...!"
"The lefty fireballer they'd drag back from hell...!"
Seong-muk exuding pro-level aura.
He nodded lightly to fans, then joined the squad.
Some players already there.
Seong-muk scanned them quick.
'Some we've faced before...'
Ryu Taek-jin, Ryu Han-ul, Choi Hyeok-su, Park Tae-je from Hancheong High; Asan Black Tiger Choi Seok-ho, who'd promised a nationals reunion while trying to poach Ji Su-yong.
'Hey, we meet again.'
Choi waving cheerfully.
Next to him, a handsome pitcher flinching at Seong-muk.
'Im Tae-yul—yeah, he made it too.'
Back in that practice game for Ji Su-yong, Im Tae-yul tanked Seong-muk's bat flip and joat flip, fell into despair, got erectile dysfunction... but channeled it into baseball, pitched decently, and joined the team.
His school's Sejong run was a bonus.
Some selectors grumbled about starting him, but with the team's thin pitching, they let it slide.
Seong-muk turned—locked eyes with a burly guy.
'Bujeon High catcher Hwang Tae-gang... staring hard.'
From Seong-muk's old school, Bujeon High.
Hwang, their aggressive catcher, would be the squad's main battery man.
Yet he was eyeing Seong-muk intensely.
Like some shady history.
'Damn, gotta know what went down...'
With delinquent Geum Seong-muk's past, probably bad—could only guess.
Seong-muk scratched his head in annoyance when a stern middle-aged man stepped up, drawing eyes.
"Everyone's here. Welcome, lads. I'm Shin Cheol-hyeong, your coach for this national showdown."
His deep voice carried weight.
He scanned the players flatly.
"Heard the chatter lately. Weakest team ever, all the real talent snatched by other countries."
"......!!"
Players flinched.
Young and hot-blooded, they devoured news, forums, all of it.
That noise hit hardest.
Coach Shin told them:
"Ignore that bullshit."
"......!?"
"You're without a doubt the best high school baseball players in Korea."
"Unlike cowards who fled the Taegeuk mark's weight, you're brave souls who chose to bear the crown of 'world's best.'"
"......... "
Gulp!
Swallows echoed.
Coach Shin checked his watch—boarding time—then dropped final words.
"I'm not here for just a win."
"Our goal isn't some plain victory—it's overwhelming victory."
"Show the dignity of baseball's superpower no one can touch. Got it?"
"Yes, sir...!!!"
The team's roar echoed.
Coach Shin grinned satisfied, turned, and led the way.
Thus, Korea's youth national team took its first step.
To crush the hyenas eyeing the throne and prove Korean baseball reigns supreme.