Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Nuclear Submarine Landing Operation
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"……."
"……."
Gulp!
A tense silence blanketed the stadium.
Everyone held their breath, focusing intently on this matchup that could decide the game's outcome.
The first pitch left Geum Seong-muk's hand.
And Choi Seok-ho panicked.
"……No way!"
The ball was hurtling straight at him.
Thinking it was retaliation for his earlier homer, he jerked back in a hurry.
"Strike!"
"What…!?"
Choi Seok-ho stared down at the mitt in disbelief.
The ball had perfectly kissed the edge of the strike zone.
It was the S-grade circle changeup that had previously fooled Ji Su-yong with a perfect looking strikeout. For a right-handed batter like Choi Seok-ho, it was an even more shocking pitch—one that barreled in like it would hit him, only to snap viciously into the zone at an impossible angle.
"Haha, so you really were holding back…."
This circle changeup was on a whole different level from the one he'd homered off earlier.
But he couldn't just stand there and take a strikeout.
Choi Seok-ho faced the second pitch.
Thwack—!
"…Hoo!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -153 km/h A brutal fastball jammed up high.
Choi Seok-ho started his swing but checked it, and the second pitch was called a ball.
'Almost swung at that one.'
That insane movement had nearly tricked him into swinging through.
Even if he'd connected, it would've been a pop-up at best.
'Whew, alright. I admit it. You're strong.'
Choi Seok-ho steadied his breathing.
He reignited his fighting spirit.
'Manly Choi Seok-ho always comes out on top…!'
He'd even homered off a pitcher as strong as Geum Seong-muk before. Calming himself, he waited for the next pitch. But Geum Seong-muk didn't throw.
"…………?"
All eyes locked on Geum Seong-muk.
He simply raised his thumb quietly and pointed it at his own throat.
Whoosh!
Then he dragged it across.
As if to say he'd kill him.
"…………!!"
Geum Seong-muk shocked everyone once more.
A planted lower body, the right-effect ceremony, murder foretold.
He was pulling out all the stops today.
"What the hell is that guy?"
Choi Seok-ho's mind raced.
What pitch was he planning that warranted a gesture like that now?
'Focus. No pitch is unhittable.'
As Choi Seok-ho poured all his senses into Geum Seong-muk, something utterly unexpected happened again.
"Hey, Manager. Pitcher change, please."
Geum Seong-muk twirled his finger, signaling the dugout unmistakably for a reliever.
"………???"
"…Huh?"
Everyone's eyes turned to question marks at Geum Seong-muk's request for a change after taunting 'I'll kill you.' Manager Myeong was no exception, but with the request made, he signaled the umpire to confirm the substitution.
The reason Geum Seong-muk called for the change was simple.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [The user's stamina has reached its limit!] [Stat changes from Sun God Meridian (EX) are reset.] His stamina was completely drained.
Sag—
The proud, taut presence down there now hung limp like a wilted seaweed stalk.
7.1 innings, 107 pitches.
Having flipped the Sun God Meridian's effect on and off multiple times, he'd burned even more energy. He didn't have the strength left to lift a spoon.
'Choi Seok-ho, see you at nationals. I'll kill you then.'
That was the backstory behind his parting taunt as he left the mound.
Geum Seong-muk smacked his lips in regret and greeted Ri Dong-hyeok climbing up.
"You made it?"
"…Comrade Geum Seong-muk."
Ri Dong-hyeok murmured in a voice too quiet for anyone else to hear.
His face was darker than expected.
"Why the funeral face?"
"Do you trust me, comrade?"
"…………?"
Geum Seong-muk tilted his head.
The story was this: During tryouts, Ri Dong-hyeok had boasted, "If anyone can get a hit off me!" only to get demolished by Seok Un-gang's massive homer and shrivel up in lost confidence.
Now facing Choi Seok-ho in the box, who was rated a notch above Seok Un-gang in power. Ri Dong-hyeok was scared—of dragging down the team he'd just joined.
'Damn, why's this closer acting all mopey the second he comes in.'
Geum Seong-muk wanted to light a joint but opted for kind words this time.
"I trust you, so get down there, man."
"…Hm?"
"I trust you, that's why I'm stepping down. If I didn't, I'd still be pitching."
Ri Dong-hyeok's eyes widened in surprise.
But he still seemed troubled.
"Yet nothing's certain. If I get hit…."
"It's fine if you do."
"………!?"
"You're not a mercenary anymore—you're Munhyeok High now. One bad day, and we've got your back for the next two, right?"
"W-Well, yeah…."
"Nobody expects you to shut 'em down perfectly. Don't stress."
"……."
"The rest is yours, Ri Dong-hyeok."
Of course, inwardly Geum Seong-muk was screaming, 'Fuck, if he gets hit, I'm really screwed…!' but he played it cool, striding off the mound without a hint.
"……."
Ri Dong-hyeok gripped the ball Geum Seong-muk had handed him.
Now alone on the mound, he closed his eyes, deep in thought.
'This is an order, Ri Dong-hyeok. Sacrifice your body for your brothers.'
'Got it? That's all your existence is worth.'
"Trust, huh…."
It was the first time he'd ever felt it.
Words like "order" or "usefulness" fit his life far better than "trust."
Grip!
Ri Dong-hyeok clenched the ball fiercely.
His expression was more serious than ever.
"I'll repay that trust."
A small spark ignited in his damp-log heart.
Inheriting Geum Seong-muk's 1-1 count against Choi Seok-ho.
The teammates knew Ri Dong-hyeok was solid, but they were anxious inside. Compared to what Geum Seong-muk had shown, Ri didn't carry the same gravitas.
"Dong-hyeok hyung gonna be okay? That's the Asan Black Tiger up there."
"Yeah, the Asan Black Tiger."
"Right, and he's killer against righty pitchers too…."
Geum Seong-muk chuckled at the nickname.
It was laughable.
He didn't even entertain the idea of Ri losing.
Underhand pitchers are often called "submarines."
Throwing heat from down there is tougher than overhand, so fastball submariners get dubbed "nuclear submarines."
Ri Dong-hyeok was nuclear incarnate.
Made in North Korea, genuine DPRK nuclear sub.
"…How's a tiger supposed to beat a nuclear sub?"
While Geum Seong-muk thought that, Cheonghyeon High saw Ri's entrance as Munhyeok forfeiting.
"That blonde punk finally came down…!"
"Lee Dong-hyeok or whatever—blast one, Seok-ho!"
Unlike Geum Seong-muk, who had some recognition in Busan circles, nobody knew Ri Dong-hyeok. They pegged him as a nobody scrub.
"……Hoo."
Ri Dong-hyeok took the mound, dusted the rosin, and set up. He bent deep at the waist, whipping his arm from an insane angle that nearly scraped the dirt.
Thud—!
"Strike!"
His fastball drilled the low zone.
"………!"
Geum Seong-muk, over 190cm tall, had dropped them from above. Now one rocketed up from the basement. And not slow—148 km/h heat. The extreme sink-short hop twisted Choi Seok-ho's face.
"Tch, no helping it."
Choi Seok-ho had solid hitting technique despite his looks.
He was great at spoiling borderline pitches.
Foul off the iffy ones, let the zone ones go. That was his mindset.
Facing Ri's second pitch.
As it dove for the zone, Choi timed up early and readied his swing.
'Good, connect clean and it's a solid hit—.'
Whoosh!
".......!"
The ball danced.
It popped up, then sank sharply toward his body.
Ri Dong-hyeok's signature: the sinker.
Ting!
"…Ngh!"
Fouled weakly off Choi's bat, it dribbled toward shortstop Choi Adam.
Munhyeok's infielders couldn't hide their excitement, calling out plays loud.
"Second, second!"
"Got it, first!"
6-4-3 double play.
Munhyeok's first twin killing.
Against a national-level hitter like Choi Seok-ho, no less.
"Arghhh…!!"
Choi Seok-ho slammed his helmet down, fully had.
Descending the mound, Ri Dong-hyeok faced a wave of teammates' welcoming hands. The Munhyeok members, half-doubting when Geum stepped off, now saw Ri differently after he dismantled Choi so easily.
"Whoa, Dong-hyeok hyung. That was insane…!!"
"My pants are soaked already. What kinda sinker angle is that?"
"………!"
Ri Dong-hyeok's eyes bulged at the unprecedented welcome. What was this warmth from his teammates?
"Good work, Dong-hyeok."
"Leave the rest to us. We'll lock it down…!"
Big bro Park Chan-jun and shortstop Choi Adam chimed in too. Ri felt an indescribable lump in his throat.
'Is Comrade Seong-muk really right…?'
Back north, he'd only hear, "Don't act proud over the obvious."
For some reason, his mother's words surfaced.
'Dong-hyeok. The people's sinker isn't just you being good.'
'Then what must I do?'
'The people—that name isn't light. It's the uplift from bonding with comrades. That's where it starts.'
'How can someone who can't care for those close move the people?'
'……….'
Words he hadn't grasped back home.
Now, he felt he understood a little.
A chemical reaction stirred in Ri Dong-hyeok's core.
Ding!
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 📈 Control Stat: B+ → A "Huh……!?"
Geum Seong-muk jumped at the sudden stat-up alert and quickly pulled up Ri Dong-hyeok's stats.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Ri Dong-hyeok Nationality: Democratic People's Republic of Korea Age: 19 Height: 178cm Skill / Nuclear Submarine (S) : Increases ground ball probability on contact.
Potential Keywords: Baekdu Bloodline (A+), Control Master (*S), Adaptable (*S) Pitching Stats (*Potential) / Right-Handed Underhand
Stamina: C Control: A (*S) Velocity: B+ Fastball: A (*A+) Breaking: A (*S) ─ Curve: A ─ Slider: A ─ Sinker: A+ "Ha……."
Control rises with training, but sometimes a mentality shift alone boosts it. Geum Seong-muk realized recent events had profoundly changed Ri Dong-hyeok's mindset.
"Cheonghyeon guys are gonna cry."
Ri already had a freaky underhand delivery, wicked breaking angles, and velocity. As closer, no need to pace stamina—every pitch full throttle.
Now with even sharper control?
Game over.
Thud—!
"Okay, first!"
Ri Dong-hyeok stabbed the corners with heat; batters flailed. Weak shortstop grounder—first out bottom ninth.
Crack!
"Mine!"
Next batter grounded to second—out.
In this grounder parade, Geum Seong-muk noted the skill effect.
'Three batters, three grounders. Gotta be S-grade bonus too.'
Nuclear Submarine (S): Boosts grounders on contact. Vague, but Geum thought it damn effective.
One out left till game end.
Cheonghyeon realized by now.
The guy on the mound was top-tier high school closer material.
"Where'd they dig up a pitcher like that…!!"
Whoosh—!
A+ sinker robs timing. Even Cheonghyeon's last hope, the final batter, collapsed.
"Strike three out…!"
Last one: rising fastball K.
Ri Dong-hyeok pitched a perfect ninth—no one reached.
Final: 5-4.
Munhyeok's thrilling comeback win.
First game since founding, exhibition or not—they toppled a powerhouse.
"Insane, for real…!!"
"Woooaaah………!!"
Teammates bounced in first-win joy.
Geum Seong-muk swallowed hard, eyes glued to the alert.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Congratulations! Victory over powerhouse high school! MVP: Munhyeok High 3rd year, Geum Seong-muk Additional stat bonuses for MVP. "Oh……!?"
Unexpected MVP bonus.
And sweet rewards.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Contact stat upgraded: C+ → B!] [Breaking stat upgraded: B → B+!] [Slider stat upgraded: B → B+!] [Plate Vision stat upgraded: C → C+!] [Control stat upgraded: C+ → B!] "Hell yeah……!!"
Massive stat jumps.
One win, huge step-up for Seong-muk.
"Stat screen."
Ding!
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Geum Seong-muk Nationality: Republic of Korea Age: 18 (3rd year) Height: 192cm Affiliation: Munhyeok High School Skill / Sun God Meridian (EX) : Surging yang energy like the sun from the lower body amplifies full-body power. When intense arousal hits, stats rise up to 3 levels based on excitement. Caster chooses boosted stats.
Potential Keywords: Heavenly Pitching Body (EX+), Heavenly Hitting Body (EX) # Pitching Stats (*Potential) / Left-Handed Three-Quarter
Stamina: A+ (*S) Control: B Velocity: B+ (*S+) Ball Power: B+ (*S+) Breaking: B+ (*S) ─ Curve: B ─ Slider: B+ ─ Circle Changeup: A # Hitting Stats (*Potential) / Left-Handed Left-Handed Batter
Power: B+ (*S+) Contact: B (*S) Speed: B (*S) Plate Vision: C+ Defense: D Arm: A (*S+) "Ahh, so full."
Many stats hovering at plain B got the +, and C+ ones jumped to B.
Olivia's lunch was long digested, but the stat screen filled him up.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Choi Adam's Plate Vision stat…] [Do Do-jin's Defense stat…] [Seo Kyung-su's Power stat…] Not just Seong-muk's stats rose.
Beating a powerhouse levels up the whole team—not just motivation, but massive EXP bonuses.
Munhyeok gained tons from this game.
But the real main course? Poaching their players.
'Hey, your guy's a beast. Lend him for a year.'
No plans to return him, but yeah—time to borrow some talent.
Fired up for the main dish, Seong-muk licked his chops at Cheonghyeon's dugout.