Munhyeok High Takes Flight
Munhyeok High soared.
A grand slam beyond the outfield fence.
Geum Seong-muk had instantly pulled the score from a 4-11 deficit to 8-11.
Naturally, the dugout atmosphere was in the dumps.
"Nice homer…!!"
"Kya, you really did it!"
"Seong-muk hyung, you're amazing!!"
His teammates swarmed Geum Seong-muk, mercilessly pounding his helmet. He yelled "Hey, hey, hey!" but his lips curved into a grin—he was clearly pleased.
"……."
Kim Eol stood silent on the mound.
Cheolwon First High's coach, Park Kap-su, climbed up to join him.
"Switching pitchers after all, Coach?"
"Nah, just came up to encourage you to keep throwing."
Kim Eol stared at him in disbelief, as if to say, Even after this?
"I just gave up 8 runs?"
"Not gonna blame you for getting caught in a natural disaster."
The coach patted Kim Eol's shoulder. His eyes still brimmed with trust.
"Our one-dimensional hitting team made it this far thanks to you, and you're still our ace. Shake it off and throw with grit."
"……Hoo."
Kim Eol let out a deep sigh.
His expression hardened with resolve once more.
"Don't regret this. I gave you the chance to pull me."
"That's what an ace does."
Coach Park Kap-su headed back down.
Kim Eol scooped up some rosin and clapped it out.
Oh, Cheolwon First High's sticking with Kim Eol!
Judging by his velocity still holding up. Those two runs from Geum Seong-muk and Seok Un-gang—both S-grade sluggers—make this a defensible call!
Two outs, no runners on. Kim Eol faced Seok Un-gang again.
This time, he finally got the win.
Paang!
"Strike three…!!"
"Mm."
Seok Un-gang let out a groan.
He'd been had by the curveball.
And with that, the sides switched.
Hassan unleashed his ferocious stuff once more.
Bbeong-!!
"Strikeout!"
"…Wow, unreal."
Cleanup hitter Bong Ha-ram struck out.
The fifth and sixth batters made contact but grounded out on Hassan's two-seamer.
Hassan notched another clean inning.
Kim Eol matched him with stellar pitching of his own.
Paang!
"Strikeout…!!"
"Kuhwaaah!!"
Ji Suyong whiffed hard on the sinker, rolling across the dirt.
His teammates clicked their tongues at Ji Suyong, struggling in the lineup today.
"Ha, Suyong's skin got a bit pale, and now his bat's gone cold."
"Hey, someone grill him black again."
"!?!"
The managers had slathered sunscreen on him because he was burning up. His swing had tanked hard after that.
He probably felt unfairly treated—who cared about that?—but his black-as-night prime had shown monster potential. No helping it.
Seventh hitter Ri Donghyeok and eighth Seo Kyungsu followed with outs.
Kim Eol silenced Munhyeok High's lineup with eerie calm, like the guy who'd surrendered 8 runs earlier was a myth.
'Wish I could tack on a few here.'
But Hassan was scorching hot.
He had zero intention of letting Cheolwon First High score.
Bbeong--!!
"Strikeout!"
A 162 km/h fastball right down the middle.
The ninth-hole batter whiffed, ending the inning.
The game had reached the bottom of the seventh.
Kim Eol took the mound again.
'Starts with the ninth-hole guy.'
Opposing batter Lee Tae-kyung sported a sub-.100 average this year—a de facto breather spot in Munhyeok High's order. Kim Eol fired a fastball down the pipe without hesitation for a quick out.
Ddaak!
"……!"
Hit! A hit! Lee Tae-kyung turns on it like he was waiting!
"I got a hit off Kim Eol!"
"Lee Tae-kyung! Lee Tae-kyung, Lee Tae-kyung…!!"
A hit off the national team righty.
Lee Tae-kyung savored the lingering buzz in his hands. The crowd chanting his name left him visibly moved.
Kim Eol's poker face cracks for a split second! Letting Lee Tae-kyung on base hit him hard!
"Kuh…."
Too complacent.
Kim Eol bit his lip.
Even with his iron mentality, giving up a hit to a lifetime .100 hitter stung deep.
'Oh ho, that got under his skin.'
Choi Adam read it instantly.
He decided to twist the knife.
Thwoong!
Oh, bunt on the first pitch! Rolling toward first base…!!
The ball trickled between the pitcher and first baseman.
Caught off-guard, Kim Eol scrambled to grab it and race to the bag—but collided paths with the first baseman.
Oh, he hesitates a beat! Late grab to first!
"Safe, safe…!!"
A moment's hesitation spelled crisis.
With S+ speed, Choi Adam was uncatchable if you gave him even a tempo.
"Choi Adam! Choi Adam, Choi Adam…!!"
"Yo hoo!"
Choi Adam pumped his fist toward the stands.
True to his showman streak, he strutted proudly.
No. 2 hitter Do Dojin lays down a sac bunt.
Looks like they're playing for sure runs!
Thwoong!
"Out…!"
Do Dojin out at first—one out, runners on second and third! One hit closes the gap to one run for Munhyeok High!
Up now: No. 3, Takahina Ryuji! He's got a double and a walk today!
Ryuji twirled his bat on his final swings and headed to the plate.
He paused at Geum Seong-muk's voice from behind.
"Hey, good luck again, Ryuji."
Geum Seong-muk's pointed joke: Hand over the golden opportunity again.
Ryuji smirked and bumped fists back.
"Gotta eat too, punk."
At the plate, Ryuji found Kim Eol's type comfy.
'Not super fast, so easier to pick up.'
Plus, nearing 100 pitches with the weight of responsibility—he was gassed.
No way Ryuji missed a fat one in that spot.
Ddaak!!
"Wheee!"
Ryuji tossed the bat mid-flight and started trotting.
Kim Eol's eyes finally twitched in fury.
Oh! Big hit! Huge…!! How far does it go!?
Over the left-field wall! Three-run bomb here!! Score's 11-11! Takahina Ryuji resets the game!!
"Woooaaahhh…!!"
"Ryuji! Ryuji! Ryuji, Ryuji!"
Munhyeok High turned a 7-run hole into a tie in a flash.
The stands erupted in frenzy.
"Agh, that heartless Jap bastard."
"Haha, no way this black kid pulls it off."
They bantered, then high-fived with a sharp smack! Munhyeok High's vibe soared; Cheolwon First High turned funeral-quiet.
Finally pulling Kim Eol. Today's line: 6 1/3 innings, 11 runs.
Kim Eol, who'd never allowed 4+ runs in high school history—surrenders 11 to Munhyeok High today!
Kim Eol trudged off, deflated.
He'd given everything, but couldn't contain Munhyeok High's bats.
Cheolwon First High's closer took the mound next.
But even he couldn't stop Geum Seong-muk.
A walk after nibbling, then lucky double play on Seok Un-gang to end the inning.
Hassan climbed the mound again.
A smile now lit his face.
'Pitching's fun!'
His heaters went exactly where he wanted.
Batters flailed helplessly.
No greater dopamine rush.
Bbeong-!!
"Strikeout!"
Strikeout, another K! Hassan Iqbal shuts down the inning perfectly!
From the fourth bottom to the eighth—Hassan's the reason Munhyeok High stayed in it!
"Hassan! Hassan! Hassan, Hassan…!!"
Munhyeok High fans gave Hassan a standing ovation back to the dugout. Touched, he smiled and waved.
Now 11-11 tie. Both teams get one last regular-inning shot!
Who laughs last? Munhyeok High's ninth-hole Lee Tae-kyung leads off!
Lee Tae-kyung stepped up, tense.
The stakes amped his nerves.
Ddaak!
"Out…!"
Infild fly on the third pitch—one out.
Choi Adam followed.
"Khm, khm!"
Determined to get on, Choi Adam dug in.
He crushed closer Park Han-yong's fastball.
Ddaak!
"Huh?"
The ball rocketed deep.
Not a power guy, Choi Adam lacked confidence in the feel and sprinted full tilt anyway.
Wha—what!? How far's this drive!?
Deep! No way this one's…!! Over the wall! Choi Adam's solo shot!!
The ump circled his finger. Undeniable homer.
ㄴ??: Power tool? Nah, basic implant lol
Solo over the wall.
But Choi Adam was sprinting like a maniac.
He never checked the flight—he just hit and ran.
'Okay, second secure…! Wait, third too!?'
Seo Kyungsu, base coach, swirled his arms wildly. He should've signaled homer, but mischief won—he kept waving.
'What, all the way home!?'
Choi Adam couldn't believe it.
He missed the defenders standing idle in surrender.
He dashed home—and slid desperately.
Shwaaak!
"Hahk, hahk! Hahk!!"
Choi Adam panted in joy.
His first inside-the-park homer overwhelmed him—until Do Dojin tapped him by home plate.
"Hyung, what're you doing?"
"Huh?"
"It cleared the wall. You could've walked it off."
"???"
Choi Adam's face flushed crimson.
He'd put on a solo show oblivious.
Do Dojin glanced around and whispered mercy.
"Fans think it's performance art—they're loving it."
"Performance…!?"
Realizing his blunder, Choi Adam leaped up, threw an uppercut ceremony to the crowd, and jogged back.
Choi Adam's solo! Munhyeok High grabs a one-run lead they can end it with in the top ninth!
Who saw that coming? Priceless run…!
Do Dojin and Ryuji followed with outs, closing the top ninth.
Choi Adam's run grew even more precious.
Bottom ninth now, Munhyeok High leads 12-11! Korea rep and Munhyeok High guardian deity Ri Donghyeok takes the mound!
Ri Donghyeok, rested without outfield duty today. Cheolwon First High's heart of the order? Not his problem.
Ddak!
"Out…!"
Leadoff Baek Ya-geon grounds to third! One out!
Ddaak!
"Out!!"
No. 3 Puncha Lama! Infield fly out! Just one out left to end it!
Batters couldn't touch Ri Donghyeok's sinker.
Only Cheolwon First High's cleanup, Bong Ha-ram, remained.
Name: Bong Ha-ram
Nationality: South Korea
Age: 19
Height: 184cm
Affiliation: Cheolwon First High School
Skill / Shooting Star (S): Power stat boosts when team is trailing.
Power: S (*S)
Contact: B
Speed: C+
Eye: A (*A+)
Defense: A+ (*A+)
Arm: A (*A+)
'No pushover.'
Bong Ha-ram crushed balls with insane power and solid contact. Tailor-made for Cheolwon Field—double-digit homers here alone.
But Ri Donghyeok felt no fear.
He was Munhyeok High's guardian deity, trusted infinitely by his team.
Whirrik!
Peoreong!!
"Strikeout…!!"
"Waaaahhh!!"
Batters whiff on the sinker for the K! Closer Ri Donghyeok seals the game!
Miracle Munhyeok!! Epic comeback from the brink to advance to the Sejong Tournament Round 4!!
Eight teams left in Sejong! How far does Munhyeok High's miracle go!? See you next game…!
Cheolwon Field flipped with deafening cheers.
Munhyeok High's game today pumped pure adrenaline—edge-of-your-seat thrills.
Captain Geum Seong-muk led the team to the stands, thanking far-flung fans.
MVP interviews followed. Noah, who'd sweated bullets leading cheers, finally caught her breath.
Then, a hand offered her a water bottle.
"Ah, Ye-bin unni!"
Noah beamed.
"Good work. Tough one, huh?"
"Hooah, tough's secondary—I thought my heart'd explode…!"
"Right? Had me shaking too."
Seo Ye-bin nodded fully.
Today's game toyed with both sides' fans—a devilishly addictive rollercoaster.
"Unni, seriously thank you! We didn't get drowned out in cheers thanks to you!"
Seo Ye-bin, the unsung hero and funder, had bankrolled thousands of cheer drums.
She brushed it off.
"You did the work. I just lent the card…."
Bzzzt!
Seo Ye-bin's phone buzzed.
No one should be calling—her brow furrowed hard.
"Haa, this asshole's at it again…."
"……!?!"
"Ah, sorry. Old pest who's been bugging me forever."
Seo Ye-bin apologized to startled Noah.
Her screen read 'Cheon Ji-uk'.
Geum Seong-muk's old teammate, now Bujeon High's ace—nation's No. 3 lefty.
The text: They'd face off in the quarters. Watch him crush Geum Seong-muk.
Seo Ye-bin scoffed.
She was certain.
'Who beats who?'
The Geum Seong-muk she knew didn't lose.
Especially not to Bujeon High.
Geum Seong-muk vs. Cheon Ji-uk.
Munhyeok High vs. Bujeon High.
A clash of tangled past ties.
Time to untie the knot.