Goldensun Masters the Changeup?!
“………Hmm.”
I paced around the training field, deep in thought.
“Ugh, what should I train next…?”
Once the upcoming finals were over, the youth national team would disband. That meant the golden growth opportunities I'd been sucking dry would come to an end.
Now, I had time for just one more theme.
I needed to choose carefully, with no regrets. Something to develop for sure.
“…Status window.”
Name: Geum Seong-muk
Nationality: Republic of Korea
Age: 19 (High School Senior)
Height: 192cm
Affiliation: Munhyeok High School
Skill / Solar Divine Vein (EX)
: Surging yang energy like the sun boils up from the lower body, strengthening the power throughout the body. When feeling intense excitement, stats rise up to 3 levels based on that excitement. The user can choose which stats to boost.
Potential Keywords: Heavenly Pitching Body (EX+), Heavenly Hitting Body (EX)
# Pitching Stats (*Potential)
/ Left-handed three-quarters
Stamina: A+ (*S)
Control: A
Fastball: A+ (*S+)
Ball Power: A (*S+)
Breaking Balls: A (*S)
12-6 Curve: A
Sweeper: A
Circle Changeup: A+
# Hitting Stats (*Potential)
/ Left-handed throw, left-handed bat
Power: A+ (*S+)
Contact: A (*S)
Speed: A (*S)
Eye: A
Defense: A
Shoulder: S (*S+)
“Hmmmmm…”
There were no glaring weaknesses in my stats anymore.
Which made the decision even harder.
What could I squeeze out of the national team without regrets? As I pondered that, sharp pang-pang sounds echoed from the bullpen across the way, balls slamming into the mitt.
Thwack--!!
“Haha…!!”
There was Ma Cho-won, a macho type mid-pitching practice with gadgets plastered all over his upper body. I walked over and figured out what they were.
“…Nebula Tracker?”
You've probably seen motion capture gear in movies, with sensors stuck all over actors to track their movements.
The Nebula Tracker was a sports-optimized evolution of that. In this world, tech had advanced more toward sports applications, making it far superior to real-world versions.
‘…With Rapsodo and TrackMan, it's no exaggeration to say it records virtually everything about a pitcher's mechanics.’
It captured detailed muscle and joint movements, along with outcomes—super effective, but costing tens of billions of won.
Right now, though, I didn't need pricey gear. I needed training perfectly suited to my situation. With limited time on the national team, I had to be cautious.
‘That equipment shines for players with inconsistency.’
It meticulously analyzes and dissects body mechanics to narrow the gap between good and bad days.
For the old Geum Seong-muk, maybe. But for me now? A bit iffy.
Not to brag, but I'm the consistent type. My experience dwarfs the average hothead's.
‘Tch, guess I'll look elsewhere.’
As I turned to go, a bolt of inspiration struck.
‘Wait, I do have inconsistency…!’
It was the Solar Divine Vein.
This cheat skill boosts stats based on my lower body's rigidity, giving me an edge over opponents.
Even high school baseball fans openly say, “Geum Seong-muk only hits his stride mid-game.” So yeah, I'm not perfectly consistent.
Could I capture the Solar Divine Vein sensation with the machine and replicate it?
“…Impossible.”
I shook my head.
The boosts to power, speed, vision, shoulder—they're pure physical spikes.
No machine could replicate that.
But one area showed promise.
“Breaking balls……!!”
Sure, finger width and grip strength matter, but breaking balls rely more on experience and feel than other stats.
I decided.
For the remaining time, train breaking balls with this gear.
‘I have three now: A+ Circle Changeup, A Sweeper, and A 12-6 Curve.’
Time-wise, I could deep-dive just one.
So, which would make Geum Seong-muk the most terrifying?
‘Obvious answer.’
My first breaking ball post-possession, my strongest weapon.
The Circle Changeup.
I immediately asked Coach Bae Jun-ho to hook me up, plastering Nebula Tracker sensors all over my body.
‘Plastered like this, brings back memories.’
Back in my rookie days, some indie game dev approached me for player data in exchange for a fee.
Sensors everywhere back then too. The company name's foggy now, but it jogged the memory.
Anyway, before starting, I called over Ma Cho-won, who was wrapping up.
“What, you want live batting help?”
“Yeah, just stand there with a bat.”
“If I can really swing, count me in…!!”
Ma Cho-won joined as my practice partner.
I unleashed Circle Changeups at him nonstop.
“Hup…!”
Crack!
As I repeated, he started timing it. I kicked it up a gear.
User's stats have been boosted by Solar Divine Vein!
Circle Changeup stat boosted from A+ → S!
S-grade Circle Changeup entered the chat.
Ma Cho-won struggled again.
Whoosh!
“Kuhaha, still insane movement…!!”
About 10 pitches in, enough data collected. I thanked him and sent him off. Coach Bae Jun-ho beckoned me over.
“Seong-muk, left side's your normal Circle Changeup data, right side's the elite version.”
“Oh…?”
Crystal-clear charts.
Details like “Rotating a specific joint 1/100th second faster, or relaxing muscles more, generates killer movement.”
Priceless intel for someone as growth-hungry as me.
“Whoa, this is nuts…”
I wanted to stay on the team longer, but no dice. Every minute counted now.
“Coach, feedback as I pitch, please.”
“You got it, let's see what you've got…!”
Coach Bae clapped, hyped.
Thus began my final national team session.
Good or bad pitches judged by “sync rate” with ideal data.
Thud!
“Sync 65! Shoulder focus threw off your hips…!”
Thud!!
“Oho, 78! Better than last!”
Thud-!
“Ooo…!? Sync 86…!!”
10 pitches,
30,
50,
100.
The more I threw, the more it clicked.
Coach Bae marveled at my pickup speed—totally natural, though.
‘I've walked this path before.’
Thanks to Solar Divine Vein, I'd already nailed the higher level. Gear-assisted? Unmatched pace.
On pitch 121, certainty hit.
‘…Got it.’
Thud!!
Ball buried in the net.
Coach Bae's jaw dropped.
“…Sync rate 99.7%.”
Unbelievable eyes, staring like I was a monster.
“Seong-muk, were you a pro in a past life? This growth defies logic…”
Close to the truth.
I grinned and shook my head.
“Nah, all thanks to your coaching.”
“Ahem, you little…”
Blushing coach.
I beamed at the alert above my head.
Circle Changeup stat boosted from A+ → S!
Gulp!
First true S-grade stat, excluding shoulder synced to fastball.
With this weapon, next game's blueprint formed effortlessly.
‘Solar Divine Vein stage 3 makes Circle Changeup S+, fastball S…?’
Could get interesting.
Leaving the field, I dialed someone.
Ten minutes later, exhausted Hwang Tae-gang shuffled out of the dorms.
“Aish, summoning me outta nowhere. What's up?”
“Tae-gang, catch for me.”
“Pitches? Why now?”
“My Circle Changeup leveled up big. But if you let it slip like vs. USA, disaster. Practice ahead.”
“Pfft, selling wolf tickets?”
He laughed, dropped his bag, geared up.
“If I snag every one today, you buy Korean beef back home?”
“Deal. You drop one, you buy.”
“You're on. You'll regret it—I'll wreck you.”
Hwang Tae-gang settled in.
No easing in.
I fired up Solar Divine Vein stage 2.
User's stats have been boosted by Solar Divine Vein!
Circle Changeup stat boosted from S → S+!
High school peak: S+.
How nasty? Even I didn't know.
I wound up big, same as always.
“Hup……!!”
Ball rocketed off my fingertips.
Hwang Tae-gang looked chill, set to catch.
“Dude, I've caught hundreds of your national team pitches…!”
His face twisted.
Pupils shook wildly.
“What the hell is this monster…!”
Pop!
Ball bounced hard, scooted back.
Hwang Tae-gang gawked at the rolling traitor.
“…Geum Seong-muk, you madman, what'd you forge?”
“Just a normal Circle Changeup?”
“Normal my ass—if this was normal, hitters'd starve to death…!”
Hwang Tae-gang raved about the S+ beast, shivering in delight.
“Seong-muk, finals opener? Might not end there…”
Coach Shin Cheol-hyeong declared 1-2 innings, but this pitch planted the same thought in him.
“…Let's sync up. Keep me from getting yanked.”
“Gotcha—throw till you're empty.”
Fist bump.
I gazed at the starry British sky.
‘Bit selfish, maybe…’
Lots of pitchers itching for finals innings.
But I wasn't handing off while I had gas left.
Best way to hold the mound?
‘…Overwhelming dominance.’
Coaches prioritize wins over fairness. Crush USA perfectly? No early hook.
Plan: Full throttle from inning 1, batter 1.
Exhaust myself, then descend.
‘Sorry, American buds…!’
Prayed for the doomed noses.
Nearly over, British nights.
I'd prepped to pour everything into the finale.