Goldensun Doesn't Fall - 2
They'd given up a single run, but Im Tae-yul was still locked in career-best mode today.
Paang!
"Strike three!!"
"Argh, you bastard!!"
Choi Adam swung through for a whiff and flung his helmet in frustration.
The chance with two outs and runners on second and third had fizzled into nothing.
"'Choi Nine Pinch' isn't just an empty nickname, huh."
"His sister's got 'Choi Bench Pinch' too, but for Choi Adam, the bench is just right...."
"Gahhh, even you guys!!"
Choi Adam spat blood and collapsed onto the bench.
Munhyeok High's offense ended, and the teams switched sides.
They spotted Park Chan-jun heading to the bullpen, so Cheonghyeon High harbored some hope—but Geum Seong-muk was slowly climbing back to the mound.
Tch, pulling him in the bottom of the fifth was a bit greedy, huh?
Cheonghyeon High coach Kim Dae-yeop clicked his tongue.
He wasn't dismissing Munhyeok High's relievers like Park Chan-jun or Ri Dong-hyeok, of course. But compared to Geum Seong-muk, who had evolved into a straight-up monster, they were in another league.
"...For now, force Geum Seong-muk to max out his pitch count this inning and pull him no matter what. Then somehow come back in the last three innings."
Kim Dae-yeop instructed his players to keep padding Seong-muk's count even in the sixth. The team's response was positive—they were following orders to the letter.
"This could work."
"Who knew there was such a simple strategy!"
"Let's keep it going like this!"
Cheonghyeon High's players buzzed with joy at how smoothly things were unfolding. If they could just wear Seong-muk down, they felt like they could pull it off.
The score was still just a one-run difference, too.
Even the Cheonghyeon High fans were riding high on 'We can do this!' vibes.
Everything seemed to be falling into place.
Right up until that moment.
"..........!!!"
Goosebumps erupted across their skin.
An inexplicable chill swept over them.
The source? Seong-muk, who had just taken the mound.
This feeling—could it be!?
That thing from the practice game!!
The memory they'd buried deep.
The nightmare origin, where an unheard-of player suffocated them without mercy.
Bulruk!
“……!!”
“No, not that!”
Seong-muk's lower body surged upward.
He flashed a sinister grin at the Cheonghyeon High side.
“Had fun up till now, friends?”
He'd missed this so much.
Watching their hope-filled faces twist into despair.
Zzirik, zzirik!
As if to prove it, a tingling vibration rippled from his lower half, echoing through his body.
“Kekeke, that guy's got some twisted hobbies.”
Ma Deok-su shook his head from the dugout.
Seong-muk had conserved energy with his help all game. In Ma's eyes, the kid could easily throw another 50 pitches.
Stamina base stat hitting S means he's fresh even after 100 pitches, huh?
Olivia's lunch buff helped, and he'd been pitching with some restraint—but his body brimmed with more power than expected.
“Alright, time to get serious.”
User's stats are enhanced!
Fastball Stat: A+ → S!
Ball Power Stat: A+ → S!
Mid-game two-stage stat boost from the Solar Divine Vein.
Im Tae-yul, watching from the dugout, began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Not that again. Dammit…!!"
PTSD kicking in for Im Tae-yul.
The fifth batter stepped up praying 'Please, please!'—but Seong-muk showed no mercy.
Bbeoeung-!!
“...Strike!”
“Hup!”
167 km/h flashed on the scoreboard.
The batter froze solid.
Slow starts have limits— who the hell hangs a 100-pitch gear shift like that…!!
The batter shed invisible tears inside.
The announcers were floored by his insane stamina.
One pitch turned the Cheonghyeon High stands into a library. Seong-muk launched into full power demonstration mode.
Bbeoeung-!!
“Strike three!!”
“Woo-hyooo!”
Bbeoeoeung-!!
“Strike out!!”
“Woo-hyoooo!!”
The fifth and sixth batters went down on strikeouts in a row.
Seong-muk's fastball and ball power, now double S-grade, overwhelmed most hitters—they couldn't even touch it.
Of course, that wasn't all.
Focus too hard on the heater, and this pitch would come without fail.
“……!!”
A changeup that dove into the zone then stopped dead.
The batter's balance shattered.
Buwoong!
“Strike out!!”
“Woo-hyoooo…!!”
Seong-muk fanned three straight batters on exactly 10 pitches.
They'd wanted to cling and run up his count, but once he got serious, he shut that down cold.
“Dammit!!”
Kwang!
Coach Kim Dae-yeop punched the dugout wall. They'd been completely owned by Seong-muk.
His pitches were already wildly overpowering, and they'd only dragged him to 10 in the inning.
High chance he'd take the mound again in the seventh.
If Seong-muk came out next frame too, their whole 'strategy' would just hand him easy outs on a platter.
“Tae-yul, I'm counting on you!”
All Kim Dae-yeop could do was trust Im Tae-yul, who'd been dealing despite the luck factor.
But even his miracle meds were wearing thin.
Ddaak!
Ddaaaak-!
“Haa, haa….”
Im Tae-yul sweated like it was raining.
And to top it off, the worst of the worst stepped to the plate.
“Geum Seong-muk, Geum Seong-muk, Geum Seong-muk…!!”
His name echoed thunderously through Jongmyo Stadium. The crowd heated up as their flawless big-moment hero took his stance.
Seong-muk tapped the dirt with his bat, set up, and looked up at Im Tae-yul.
“Hm, right on cue.”
His body was shaking, alright.
Forcing his eyes wide, glaring back—but that fear was plain as day.
He'll walk me, right?
Even on the national team, Im Tae-yul had flinched every time they matched up.
In this prime scoring chance, Seong-muk figured he'd play it safe, pitch around him like before—but.
Paang-!
“Strike…!!”
“Oh?”
153 km/h heater right down the middle.
Seong-muk looked genuinely surprised.
Im Tae-yul came right at him again next pitch.
Buwoong!
“Strike…!!”
“Oh ho!”
Seong-muk whiffed on a slow curve.
Count 0-2, and he still looked intrigued.
Cheers exploded from Cheonghyeon High's stands and dugout.
"Ooooh!!"
"No way—are we gonna get Geum Seong-muk?!"
Stranding the clutch king in this spot? Perfect outcome. Even Im Tae-yul's heart raced with good vibes.
He'd plastered his room with 'Down with the Dick Monster!' posters, fighting trauma.
Face-to-face, he still shook like a cat before a tiger—but now, farewell to those nightmares.
I can win... against that horrific monster...!
Seong-muk was trembling too.
Some might think big spots rattle him—but nope.
Im Tae-yul... turns out he had it in him...?
In the original story, a pretty-boy pitcher who chased skirts, rode talent till it crashed.
But now? Totally different.
Seong-muk thought if he kept this up, the guy could be solid.
Mind made up.
As respect to Im Tae-yul, he'd give him the full treatment.
“Switch.”
Stat changes reset!
Power Stat: A+ → S!
Contact Stat: A → A+!
He hadn't planned to use it.
No outs, reliable Un-gang behind him, wanted raw stats at the plate to stay mound-focused.
But he couldn't ignore that gutsy showing.
A slider burrowing deep inside.
Im Tae-yul felt the snap off his fingers. Perfect.
Wrapped like a dream—couldn't ask for better!
His best pitch right now.
Seong-muk's bat coming with it.
Chasing this off the plate? Obvious foul or whiff. Victory was his.
I got you, Geum Seong-muk…!
But in that instant.
Seong-muk's hips snapped back.
Im Tae-yul sensed something wrong—but too late.
Ddaak!!
"………!?!"
Something rippled again.
Something enormous.