Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Golden Sun Awakens
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I sat cross-legged, focusing on the flow of energy within my body. All I had to do was replicate the sensation from when Teacher Seo Hyeok-jun treated my Pitching Yin Blocked Meridian.
'Yeah, it was definitely like this.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The scattered energy in your body begins to condense. My target was the completely blocked meridian in my lower body.
I decided to give it a shot first.
Boom!
"Guh…!!"
A shock that made my brain go numb crashed into my lower body.
It must feel like a soccer player kicking a guy full force in the nuts.
It was more painful than any shock I'd ever experienced.
'Okay, I can still handle it. Once more!'
Boom!
"Kuhuk!"
An even stronger impact made my mind go hazy.
I had to endure more, but my vision was starting to blur.
'No, if I lose consciousness here….'
I desperately tried to hold on, but soon my vision went completely black.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hmm, I heard he went to the bathroom…."
Seok Un-gang had set out to find Geum Seong-muk at Manager Myeong Sin-u's request.
He felt bad just leaving him be, so the goal was to console him if he was beating himself up.
'Un-gang, aren't you Munhyeok High's lady of the house? Do me a favor.'
"Lady of the house, huh."
Un-gang knew that in Korea, catchers were commonly nicknamed "ladies of the house."
Determined to fulfill the manager's request, Un-gang—intent on comforting Geum Seong-muk if he was down—soon found the bathroom. He opened the door and froze in shock.
"Benefactor Geum Seong-muk…!?"
Geum Seong-muk, sitting cross-legged, was trembling violently.
His head hung low, as if he'd lost consciousness.
Un-gang realized immediately. The benefactor's qi was going berserk.
Known enough about qi to recognize the danger, Un-gang knew leaving him like this could turn him into a cripple.
"Benefactor Geum…!"
Un-gang placed his palm on Seong-muk's back and closed his eyes.
Peering into his condition, he realized it was too late to stop.
'The meridian in his lower body is completely blocked. Was he trying to force it open?'
The approach was sound, but too aggressive.
Bluntly slamming into a sensitive area without control wasn't easy.
At that moment, Geum Seong-muk came to.
"Kuk, Un-gang…."
"I'll help you. Don't lose consciousness!"
Un-gang hurriedly seized control of Seong-muk's qi and guided its direction.
"Gradual tempo—slow and fast in harmony—will open the path you need."
The somewhat erratic qi flow slowed, then slammed into the meridian again.
"Cough!"
Urk!
Seong-muk spewed blood from his mouth.
Yet Un-gang didn't stop.
The silver lining: unlike before, when he had to control precisely while enduring pain, now he just had to bear the spreading agony.
Bang!
Bang! Bang!
Seong-muk gritted his teeth and endured.
The eternal torment finally ended.
At some point, as it kept pounding the meridian,
Pop—
A sound echoed in Seong-muk's head.
All the bindings around his body seemed to shatter.
"Haa…!"
Realizing the meridian was healed, Seong-muk collapsed flat on the floor.
"Whew, I almost died for real. Thanks, Un-gang."
"No need. I'm just glad you're okay, Benefactor Geum."
Without Seok Un-gang, he'd probably be crippled, so Seong-muk felt even more grateful. A sudden curiosity popped into his mind.
"Oh, wait. How do you handle qi like that?"
"I learned it directly at Shaolin Temple."
"As expected of Shaolin… Do they teach you stuff like flying through the air or smashing rocks?"
"The martial arts Benefactor Geum imagines vanished from history the moment firearms appeared. Nowadays, it's just for slightly better health."
"Ah."
Un-gang added that modern qi only let ordinary people exert a bit more strength or aid in healing, and even then, its efficiency and versatility were poor, so few could wield it.
'Well, even in this crazy world, full wuxia levels would break the balance.'
Thinking that, Seong-muk suddenly chuckled.
Sweet rewards were incoming.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Body balance change detected! Major changes occurring in user's body! Stat rewards first.
The moment the meridian opened, stat-up alerts blared.
⚔ STATUS UPDATE ⚔ Fastball stat rises: B- → B+ Pitch Power stat rises: B- → B+ Shoulder stat rises: B- → B+ Shoulder stat rises: B+ → A "Oh…!!"
Stats that hadn't budged finally jumped at once.
The training points accumulated in his body weren't wasted, just as he'd predicted.
Most of his training had been to recover from the bindings, so related stats rose—especially Shoulder, a skill reflected in outfield throws, skyrocketing two levels.
A massive boost.
In that instant, something else of Geum Seong-muk's rose too.
Whoosh—!
"…Huh?"
The 'down there' that had been dead quiet sprang to life.
It'd probably stay angry during skill activation, raising natural concerns.
'Won't it be uncomfortable to pitch with it this big?'
Curious, Seong-muk checked with his hand.
"Well, damn?"
Despite the enormous swell, it was amazingly flexible—no hindrance to movement.
'No way this is possible?'
Game-like corrections, probably.
No issues for hitting or pitching.
Relieved, Seong-muk withdrew his hand from his pants.
"…….."
He locked eyes with Seok Un-gang, staring meaningfully.
"…Uh, um."
Two guys alone.
His crotch suddenly standing at attention.
Seong-muk had no clue how to explain.
"Un-gang, don't misunderstand. I've been backed up a bit lately…."
"…?!"
His desperate excuse backfired.
"Ahem…."
Un-gang, usually detached from worldly matters, started sweating.
Avoiding eye contact, he stammered.
"B-Benefactor Geum. As a Buddhist, I can't indulge such desires…."
"Hey, hey! It's not like that, man!"
Seong-muk spent ages clearing the misunderstanding.
That he wasn't after bromance.
"Hmm, I understand. A rebound effect after clearing the meridian."
Seok Un-gang seemed to get it.
Seong-muk warned him not to be shocked when defense improved dramatically next, then sent him back to the dugout first.
He wanted to savor the biggest, sweetest reward alone.
"Alright, let's check it out."
Seong-muk swallowed hard.
This mattered most.
Crazy stat boosts were great, but not game-changing yet.
What he craved was a proper game-changer—a cheat skill.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Tingly Sensor (F) skill reveals its true form! ⚡ SKILL ACQUIRED ⚡ Solar God Meridian (EX) "What the hell…!!"
An EX-grade skill beyond S-rank. Thrilled, he read the description.
Skill: Solar God Meridian (EX) Sun-like yang energy surges from the lower body, strengthening power throughout the body. When intense impulse strikes, stats rise up to 3 levels based on excitement intensity. User selects stats to boost. 'Jackpot…?'
No question—an ultimate jackpot.
He'd expected something good.
But not a total cheat like this.
Skills like Seok Un-gang's—2-level stat boosts on conditions—were S-grade cheats. This? Up to 3 levels, user-selected?
'Reason they retired it without making it playable.'
Fix the fatal flaws, and it's planet-busting.
Of course, higher chance of crippling yourself fixing them.
⚔ AWAKENING BONUS ⚔ Yang energy explosive power enhanced Enhancement uses temporarily: 3 → 4 "Sweet…!"
A new skill with bonus enhancements—Seong-muk grinned.
No need to overthink; he picked stats to pump.
"Real men go Fastball!"
⚔ SKILL ENHANCEMENT ⚔ Fastball stat enhanced: B → A Fastball stat enhanced: B+ → A+ Pitch Power stat enhanced: B → A Pitch Power stat enhanced: B → A+ Skill-pumped fake stats, sure—but Seong-muk had a monster weapon now.
"Repeat after me: we're screwed. You fucking bastards."
Seong-muk couldn't picture it.
A future where he lost.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, Cheonghyeon High's bench.
"Hey, Seok-ho, what about that thug's pitches?"
Lee Seong-gwon asked Seok-ho, who was sucking on an Oyes candy.
The next national team left fielder prospect was up first next inning.
"Hm, that blondie? Not bad. But you can hit it."
"Yeah?"
"Velocity and power are average. Good command, but not enough against us."
Seok-ho crumpled the empty Oyes wrapper and chucked it in the trash.
Buoyed, Lee Seong-gwon swaggered to the plate as a lefty.
He locked eyes with Geum Seong-muk.
His breath caught.
"Hup……!!"
That day, he felt it.
Primal fear stimulating survival instincts.
Bulge—
'W-Why…?!'
Geum Seong-muk's body loomed.
Something that shouldn't be that big asserted impossible presence, even questioning if they were the same race.
'Crazy, is he… looking at me?'
Human-to-human terror.
A first in his life.
'No, no! Focus!'
Flustered, but Geum Seong-muk was still an average early-140s pitcher.
Focus on the ball and swing—that's it.
Or so he thought…
Thwack—!
"Strike…!"
"…!?"
A far stronger fastball than expected slammed the zone.
Lee Seong-gwon panicked, checking the scoreboard.
-150km
"Wha…?"
Nearly 10km above average velocity. The batter doubted his eyes.
The ump was flustered too, radioing to check the speed gun—no issues.
From average pitcher to fireballer in a flash.
Even in Korea's top baseball, high schoolers touching 150km weren't common.
But Lee Seong-gwon was Cheonghyeon High's star, next national rep.
He had confidence against fastballs.
'Early 150s…? Faster, but hittable…!'
150km pitchers were common in summer leagues. He figured no problem.
Geum Seong-muk's second pitch came; Lee swung accordingly.
'Good, this trajectory's a solid hit… Huh?'
Pitches naturally drop post-release.
Batters swing to match.
Lee did too. But…
'The ball's not dropping…?!'
Thwack!
"Strike!"
The fastball stuck higher than his swing path.
Lee glanced at the board, stunned.
-153km
"Even faster…?"
Velocity up was one thing—but more crucial: unnatural movement on that fastball.
Lee knew the term.
'Rising fastball?!'
A fastball that sinks less, seeming to rise—due to massive backspin.
Only elite power pitchers could replicate it.
Having faced many as a Gangho High alum, pitchers throwing this were nationally rare.
'And a lefty throwing rising stuff…? Insane!'
Thrown crisply, but hit like a rock.
Great deception too—hard to pick up as a lefty batter.
Count: 0-2 already.
Batter's head spinning.
'Ah, feels great.'
Geum Seong-muk was euphoric.
His current Fastball and Pitch Power: both A+.
Rising movement from insane pumping.
Finally mimicking his pro peak.
'Body feels light.'
Blasting heat into the mitt—unmatched thrill.
He could strike out anyone now.
'Hit it if you can, bastards.'
Overwhelming confidence infused the ball.
He'd gotten guys out twisting his body at early 140s.
Now with 150s?
Nightmare for batters.
Nod—
Seong-muk exchanged signs with Seok Un-gang.
Into motion.
'Here it comes…!'
Lee prepped his swing stance.
This time, he'd crush it. National rep title wasn't cheap.
Rising fastball?
Adjust for the rise.
So he thought.
'Good, timing's perfect…!'
It rose—more than expected.
Bat sliced empty air.
"Ugh…!"
CRACK!!
Batter's back bent like a bow.
The ball vacuumed into Seok Un-gang's mitt.
"Strike three! You're out!"
Three whiffs—total domination.
Dejected, he stared at the board.
-155km
"…!"
Lee's jaw dropped.
Never imagined even harder.
"That guy's what the—hup!"
Glancing at Geum Seong-muk, he whipped his head away.
That mound presence still loomed.
Felt wrong to meet eyes—like staring at the sun.
Eyes down, he slunk to Cheonghyeon dugout.
"………Whew."
Three strikeouts on fastballs alone against a youth rep.
Monstrous performance.
Geum Seong-muk felt it.
Hot gazes fixated solely on him in the stadium.
'…Burning hot, damn.'
Awe, admiration, confusion—whatever.
One thought in his mind.
'Ceremony time?'
Ace ceremony.
Taunt foes, rally team—straightforward.
'Not like I ever planned 'em.'
Truth: just wanted to.
Best mood ever.
Do it or not—that's key.
What? Obvious.
'Only one choice.'
How he became known as pitcher Geum Seong-muk.
The spark that made fans love him.
The way to declare to all: I am Geum Seong-muk.
"………Uhyo!!!"
Fists clenched, Geum Seong-muk roared.
A new sun had descended here.