The Majesty of Top-Tier Talent
The day of the match between the Korean national team and the Mongolian national team.
A cloud of around 50,000 spectators flooded into the Tokyo Dome.
Koreans, Mongolians, Japanese—no matter their nationality, a huge crowd had gathered. High school baseball fans were showing no small amount of interest in this game.
"……Tch."
Seong-muk pocketed his phone with a click of his tongue.
Contrary to the public's expectations, his Solar Divine Vein needed time to recover.
Overpowering them like in the spring tournament, blasting 160km/h fastballs, was impossible. Still, he silently stepped out of the dugout.
Top of the 1st, Korea's defense.
To fulfill his role as the starting pitcher.
As he loosened his shoulders, macho Won standing nearby slapped Seong-muk's back with a grin.
"Puhaha, Geum Seong-muk! If it's too much, hand over the baton anytime! I'll throw till the end!"
Lee Dong-hyuk chimed in.
"…Seong-muk comrade, leave the rest to me."
"Got it, thanks everyone."
Seong-muk nodded in gratitude.
Next to him, Ryu Tae-jin yawned hugely with a lazy expression.
"Yawn, throwing's a hassle. Just shut 'em out yourself."
"…Not thanking you, you punk."
With that, Seong-muk left his teammates behind and climbed the mound.
Cheers erupted from the stands toward him.
"Geum Seong-muk! Geum Seong-muk! Geum Seong-muk! Geum Seong-muk…!!!"
Mongolian National Team Lineup
1. Solungo CF
2. Chechek LF
3. Ochir 3B
4. Börgin RF
5. Altan 1B
6. Münghe SS
7. Jolbo C
8. Ganbaatar DH
9. Shagai 2B
Starting Pitcher: Arslan / LHP
"Tsuglaraarai (gather up)."
"Tiim! (Yes!)"
The Mongolian coach, with a long beard nearly reaching his navel.
He called his players together in a booming voice.
He seemed well aware of today's starter, Seong-muk.
"Geum Seong-muk, was it? Thought he'd save himself for Japan, but he's facing us. Could be good news—means we're seen as a real threat."
The Mongolian players nodded vigorously.
The coach clenched his fist, emphasizing one thing.
"Aggressive offense, powerful swings! That's all you gotta do. Show him Mongolia's strength!"
"Tiim! (Yes!)"
The Mongolian hitters stepped up to the plate at their coach's words.
"Play ball…!!"
The game began with the umpire's signal.
On the mound stood today's starter, Seong-muk.
'Whew, time to have some fun.'
Seong-muk took a deep breath, recalling what coach Bae Jun-ho had taught him yesterday.
Bae Jun-ho, the pitching coach watching Seong-muk's throws, stroked his chin and pinpointed the improvements.
"Seong-muk, you need more precision in your matchups."
"Precision, you say?"
"Watched all your games. You sometimes miss spots and blow the count."
"…Ugh."
Seong-muk was hit right in the gut. It was a problem he'd sensed himself.
'Control stat's scraped to B+, but true command's still far off…'
"Video will make the cause clearer. Come here."
Bae pulled a tablet from his bag and played a clip, split-screen of Seong-muk pitching.
"Geumgang High footage. Left's calm lower body, right's pumped."
Two Seong-muks throwing simultaneously on screen.
Seong-muk and Tae-gang watched intently.
"Feel the difference?"
"…Not really," Tae-gang tilted his head.
But Seong-muk spotted it, being his own pitch.
"Right release is a tad quicker. Just a bit."
"Exactly. And it's not just fastballs."
Bae showed variances across sweepers, curves, circle changeups—tiny differences, but Seong-muk broke a sweat.
'Didn't notice that.'
Seong-muk guessed Solar Divine Vein boosts subtly altered balance on release.
Sometimes velocity up, control or bite another time. Shifting conditions created cracks bleeding into normal pitching.
Bae added, thinking similarly.
"Fine in high school, but pros analyze deep. Others'll spot it too. That release variance messes control."
"Hmm…"
As Seong-muk groaned, Bae patted his shoulder.
"Bright side: You're no wild velocity guy. Young but solid command, talent for pinpoint accuracy."
"Master identical releases in any state, and not only do weaknesses vanish—you gain pro-level control."
"Oh…"
"Of course! Since you can't get pumped now, fix it gradually with your team after nationals…"
"Thanks, I'll fix it now."
"Huh??"
He panicked. It wouldn't fix overnight, especially without Solar Divine Vein.
'Normal vs pumped imbalance—fix it now when not 100%?'
Bae, planning post-nats sessions, crossed arms to watch.
"Coach, towel please."
"Sure, go ahead."
Seong-muk gripped the towel.
Bae and Tae-gang got it.
'Shadow pitching?'
Towel as ball substitute for form simulation.
With a catcher and coach available, Seong-muk chose shadow. Eyes closed, he gripped tight, swung through motion.
Paang!
Paang!
About 20 reps.
Changed grip, another 20.
Paang!
Pang!
Grip switches, repeats.
Eyes open, met Bae's gaze.
"Fixed it. Lemme throw."
"…………!?!"
Bae's jaw dropped. Impossible.
"Ahem, skeptical, but go for it."
Shadow fixes issues? Even geniuses can't, Bae thought.
But who was Seong-muk?
Pre-possession ace, now world-class talent incarnate.
Unaware, maybe not—but knowing? He fixed faster than anyone.
'Can't use Solar Divine Vein? Simulate the feel…!'
"…Hup!"
Peng…!
Perung…!
Perung…!!
"N-Nice ball…!"
Bae gaped.
10 pitches, flawless form.
Soon, even with Solar Divine Vein, balance holds.
"…Crazy bastard."
Pinpoint strikes.
Weeks-long fix? Done in minutes.
Training wrapped.
Seong-muk grinned at the window.
├─ Previous:B+
└─ New:A — UNLOCKED ★
"Okay, Mongolia's fucked."
One more weapon acquired.
His final toss of the day.
Perung…!!
Crack!
Thwack!
Crack!
Seong-muk breezed through the 1st.
Next inning brought familiar names.
"Oh ho, Daegwallyeong High's Four Heavenly Kings make their entrance."
Already faced Ha Hu-dong in the China game. Macho Won on the same team, Börgin and Altan slotted 4th and 5th.
"Geum Seong-muk, the guy who knocked Daegwallyeong out…!"
Börgin glared daggers.
Seong-muk fired the first pitch.
Perung-!!
"Strike…!!"
Fastball jammed inside perfectly.
Börgin glanced at the board.
148km/h
'Velocity's meh.'
Geumgang High: blasting 160s. Expected, though.
'Slow starter type.'
Holds till mid-game, then erupts when hitters adjust. Seong-muk's pattern.
'Rack up runs before he heats up!'
Count evened 2-2. Fifth pitch left his hand.
'Yes, fastball…!'
Börgin swung with monster power. Bat started to crush it—but—
Thong!
"…!?"
Feeble pop-up over the plate.
Catcher Hwang Tae-gang snagged it without moving.
Next, Altan and Münghe equally fooled.
Thwack!
"Out…!!"
Perung!
"Strike out…!"
"WooHyoo…!!"
Seong-muk smacked his glove, descending the mound.
While he held firm, Korea's bats ignited.
Opponent Arslan, Sejonggi ace leading his high school, but Korea's relentless lineup exposed gaps.
Mongolian hitters strutted confidently—score and done—but through 6 innings, zilch off Seong-muk.
Thwoong!
"Out…!!"
"Kuh…!"
Cleanup Börgin Temur out again.
Genghis Khan descendant, Mongolian hope—but helpless vs Seong-muk.
After two whiffs, he got it.
'Pitching pattern's transformed. Nailing the edges…!!'
Usually zone-hunting blasts trusting stuff.
Today? Different.
No 160s, but early 150s everywhere precise.
Low-inside to high-away.
Outside circle change slip to inside sweeper dive.
Zone-dancing pitches—batters couldn't square.
Seong-muk blew rosin, next up.
'Lucky it's a power-one-tool fan club. Dodged a bullet.'
Mongolia no finesse hitters.
Exploited hard.
Perung!
"Strike out…!"
"WooHyooo…!"
Top 7th done.
5-0 Korea. Seong-muk: 78 pitches.
Mongolians gnashed teeth at descending Seong-muk. Fury obvious. Reasoned.
"Damn, doesn't even need his fireballs against us…!"
"So arrogant!!"
Not won't—can't. They couldn't know.
Online reactions similar.
Top 8th, two out.
Korea's bullpen creaked open; a pitcher warmed up then sat.
Lee Dong-hyuk, just in case.
Ryu Tae-jin, chewing gum lazily since start, spoke to Dong-hyuk.
"Yo, back already?"
"…Ryu Tae-jin comrade was wise. Didn't expect a shutout pace."
"Told ya, wasn't kidding?"
Lazy truth repackaged as foresight. 8th ended; Macho Won plopped down too.
"Damn, Geum Seong-muk…!! Give me a shot too…!!"
But Seong-muk unrelenting.
9th inning, 91 pitches—coach Shin Cheol-hyeong nodded approval.
Seong-muk stayed on from first pitch to last.
Perung…!
"Strike out…!"
"WooHyoo!"
Casual K of no. 3 Ochir.
Next: cleanup Börgin.
"Damn, can't go down like this…!"
Whoosh!
Teasing circle changeup dives under zone. Börgin whiffed.
"Strike out…!"
"WooHyoo…!"
No. 5 Altan.
Crack!
"Foul…!"
Perung!
"Strike…!"
Tight inside fastball.
Then corner away.
Altan gritted.
But Seong-muk loomed.
Perung…!!
"Strike OUUT!!"
High cheese fastball—empty swing. KKK end to 9th. Seong-muk shut out Asian power Mongolia.
"WooHyoooot……!!"
Didn't forget the tagline.
Catcher Hwang Tae-gang and teammates approached slowly.
"Nice pitching…!"
"Good work, beautiful stuff!"
"This the same Geum Seong-muk? Unrecognizable…!"
Park Tae-je, Choi Seok-ho, Hwang Tae-gang—teammates celebrated with awe.
"Knew Seong-muk would deliver something special."
Ryu Ji in the stands, unsurprised. Beside him, Noah tagging along to visit family and cheer bro.
"Hehe, knew Seong-muk oppa would crush."
"Noah, who you rooting next game?"
Korea-Japan next.
Blood or lover.
Tough for Ryu Ji—but Noah answered easy.
"Oppa of course!"
"Hm, figured."
"If Seong-muk oppa started vs Oppa, I'd root Seong-muk! But yeah."
"…Tch, knew you'd say that."
Ryu Ji scratched head at Noah's words.
He couldn't hide regret watching.
"Wanted to face Seong-muk's stuff. Shame."
Pitched today—no Japan for him. Teammate Ryu Ji rated him highest among pitchers. Bigger letdown.
'No one stimulates my dragon blood like him.'
Tsking.
Sudden curiosity to sis.
"Next Korea starter announced?"
"Just in coach interview! Hancheong High ace, Ryu Han-wool!"
"Hmm."
Spring semis, rainy 9th down 2—Ryu Ji's tying homer off Ryu Han-wool.
"…Guess I'll smash Ryu Han-wool instead."
Ryu Ji licked lips, stood. Noah toddled after.
Korea vs Japan.
Asia's best vs perennial no. 2.
No room for complacency. Massive clash incoming.