Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Acquired the Starting Center Fielder!
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Acquired the Starting Center Fielder!
"Argh, my junk hurts."
The intense pain assaulting my battered lower body from yesterday's game.
I tottered over to Teacher Seo Hyeok-jun.
And got royally chewed out.
"Do you really want to die?! Never pull a reckless stunt like that again!"
"S-Sorry."
It's true what they say: when someone who never gets mad finally does, it's terrifying. His sheer intensity left me stunned.
"Sigh... I get that you were desperate, but still..."
Even so, he let out a sigh like he understood to some extent.
He meticulously checked my condition, making sure there were no lingering effects.
"Having a Shaolin disciple there was a massive stroke of luck. Your other meridians are fine—no damage anywhere else, just cleanly unblocked."
"So that means..."
"Yes. You don't need to worry about your condition at all now."
The diagnosis: no potential side effects whatsoever.
I'd been inwardly anxious, but now a grin spread across my face.
"Thank you so much!"
I bowed deeply in gratitude.
Since I was already there, I asked about the things bugging me.
"Oh ho, so when you face a strong opponent, the energy flows out from your lower body? Is that it?"
"Yes, exactly. How can I strengthen it?"
Seo Hyeok-jun was the only one I could consult about this.
Who else could I even ask?
"Simple. Just build up more vital energy, right?"
"First, do more lower body exercises."
"Second, eat foods good for men. That's it."
".........!!"
Seo Hyeok-jun's conclusion was straightforward.
The Sun God Meridian draws power from the lower body, so boosting vital energy would do the trick!
'Hah, what a crazy game.'
My head might've thought that, but my hands were busy scribbling notes.
"Double the lower body workout schedule for now..."
I jotted down every golden nugget of advice without missing a beat. Until all my potentials unlocked, the Sun God Meridian skill was my lifeline!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ To give the exhausted players a break, Manager Myeong Sin-u postponed the game feedback to the next day.
The Munhyeok High School baseball team gathered.
Standing before the white blackboard, Manager Myeong began the feedback.
He first wrote the big characters 'Defense' in bold strokes.
"You all know it best, but your defense yesterday was painful to watch with eyes open. You guys know that better than anyone."
"........."
"Until right before the spring tournament, we'll prioritize defense training. It'll be brutal, so brace yourselves!"
Manager Myeong's declaration of intensive defense training.
With so many guys who had defense potential, I had no doubt we'd improve a ton.
"Next up are the hitting issues..."
Manager Myeong pointed out every problem from the game, one by one.
It was feedback that showcased some serious analytical chops.
"...But you beat Cheonghyeon High."
"You did great, and I want to say good job."
"Now, let's give a round of applause for our teammates who fought together."
Clap clap clap!
That wrapped up Manager Myeong's game feedback.
But it felt like something was still left.
"Alright, I've got three pieces of good news for you all."
"...?"
In a situation where it was hard to imagine what could qualify as good news, everyone tilted their heads.
"First, we've finally got a dedicated nutritionist for the baseball team. She'll provide optimal nutrition for athletes, so eat up without holding back."
"Ooh...!!"
The team wasn't that old, but the school lunches were hit-or-miss. Hearing that worry was gone for good? The first bit of news from Manager Myeong had everyone beaming.
'...Time to let Olivia go soon.'
No more food cost worries, so keeping her chained here out of spite felt bad now.
I resolved to set a date and free her soon.
"Second piece of news. We've got a new pitching coach for the pitchers. Everyone, stand up."
"Hello...!!"
The team members greeted the new pitching coach loudly.
The new coach had an intellectual vibe, complete with glasses.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Tae-jeong, the new pitching coach for Munhyeok High."
'Not bad.'
Monsters like Ma Deok-su were in a league of their own, but on a high school level, this guy seemed solid enough.
'He can check my pitching form, teach Hassan some breaking balls, care for Ri Dong-hyeok's mentality...'
That alone would make him worth his salt.
"Now, the last, third piece of news. This one might shock you."
"...........?"
"We've got a new teammate. Come on in."
I already knew this one.
Soon, someone appeared from a distance.
"Th-That guy...?"
"What? The starter from Cheonghyeon High's lineup...!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "What, no interest in coming to Munhyeok High?"
Choi Seok-ho stared at me with utter disbelief.
After that brutal mind game during the match, he couldn't believe I'd say something like that. He probably never imagined someone poaching from a powerhouse to a newbie school.
But I was dead serious.
'A slugger like Choi Seok-ho would be a huge help.'
Our first base was empty, and I'd noticed during the game that he despised the manager and Im Tae-yul. Seeing Im Tae-yul cornered and mess with Ji Su-yong? No surprise if his respect plummeted. I figured there was a shot, so I made the offer.
"Kukuku, pfft hahaha...!!"
Choi Seok-ho burst into laughter.
After laughing his eyes to tears, he gave his answer.
"Sorry, but I'll pass."
"Tch..."
"Honestly, it's tempting. Facing you guys firsthand, your team's pretty appealing."
"But?"
"If I were a freshman, maybe. But now, too many guys are hanging on for me. Can't just bail solo."
"Fair enough."
Choi Seok-ho had his reasons.
Made sense, so I nodded quietly.
"If you're poaching, try Ji Su-yong."
After turning me down, he mentioned another name.
Ji Su-yong had been my target from the start, with this guy catching my eye mid-game, but I played dumb.
"Oh yeah, that guy. But is it cool to just lure away a teammate?"
"That guy's already blacklisted by Im Tae-yul anyway—won't even get proper game time. Better he joins your team than lets that trash waste his talent."
"Hmm."
This guy was better than I thought.
Cool personality, no grudges held.
Made me regret not landing him even more.
"He's probably lying on the riverbank grass right now. That's his favorite spot."
"Ah, thanks."
I geared up to go meet Ji Su-yong right away.
Choi Seok-ho grabbed me, like he had more to say.
"Hey, Geum Seong-muk."
"?"
"You didn't forget about the national team showdown this year, right? Let's meet again on the rep team."
"Rep team...?"
"Yeah. We'll play on the same squad there."
National team.
A special event I'd forgotten amid scraping by day to day.
For someone aiming for a first-round pro draft like me, the youth national team was pure upside.
Scouts' eyes would naturally flock that season.
'The U-18 Baseball World Cup every four years is this year.'
Scheduled between spring and summer tournaments, from what I'd heard.
Meant I had to make a national team-level impact in spring alone...
"Alright, see you there."
Whatever. Nothing I couldn't handle.
Crush the spring tourney, join the nationals. Done.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ At the riverbank Choi Seok-ho mentioned, a familiar back lay sprawled on the grass.
"Hoo, it's tough. So tough...!!"
Ji Su-yong was rolling around, clutching his head over some unsolved problem. I approached quietly and spoke.
"Hey."
"Whoa! Y-You...!!"
He jolted up in surprise.
Then pointed at me, naming the face that clicked.
"Uh, um, Geum Seong-mu?"
"That's a Hong Kong actor, dumbass."
"Aha!"
"Sit. Let's talk."
"...?"
He sat beside me, head full of question marks.
"Guess why I came looking for you."
"Hmm, no idea..."
"Come to Munhyeok High."
"...........!!"
Ji Su-yong's jaw dropped at the scouting pitch.
I kept going.
"We need an outfielder like you, Ji Su-yong."
"M-Me?"
"Yeah. Elite hitting. Fast feet, good eye, cannon arm."
"Defense is trash, sure, but we've got ways to fix that. Trust me."
"Uh, uh..."
The sudden praise barrage left him speechless.
But his first answer was a no.
"Thanks for the high praise, but I'm good! Can't cause trouble for other teams!"
"You gonna keep riding the bench at Cheonghyeon High like this?"
"What can I do? I'm not good enough!"
"Hmm."
I'd expected this.
Time for plan B.
"You got bad ears or something?"
"............!!"
Congenitally deaf in one ear, and the other wasn't great either.
Why Ji Su-yong spoke loud? Not just his sunny personality. Soft speech barely registered for him, so instinct told him others might not hear either.
Word was, he joined student council unnecessarily to build a character where yelling fit.
"That center fielder collision? You missed the call."
"Ah, haha. Busted..."
"........."
"Wherever I go, teammates would hate it. Here, they're used to my screw-ups!"
"Plus, as a backup, I don't play big games anyway..."
His voice trailed off at the end.
Obvious he didn't mean it.
"No one on our team would hate you. Saw yesterday's error-fest? You're mild compared."
"Wha...? I'm mild!?"
"Our outfield errors are nightmare fuel. You'd be starter day one. Later, you'll beg for rest."
"For real...?"
"Mistakes happen. I believe you'll make up for it at the plate."
"Sniff..."
Tears welled up suddenly.
He was biting.
I pressed on.
"Hearing issues? We'll make hand signals for outfielders. I play outfield sometimes too—let's sync up."
Now tears streamed down his face.
He plopped to the ground.
"Really okay...? Even someone as flawed as me!!"
"Yeah, man."
"Sniffle, I'll pledge my loyalty to Munhyeok High...!!"
Snotty-faced, he bowed flat.
I knelt on one knee and patted his shoulder.
'Whew, easy peasy!'
And so, I successfully recruited the key to filling Munhyeok High's empty outfield. Feeling great, I pulled up the stat screen to check his current status one more time.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Name: Ji Su-yong Nationality: South Korea Age: 18 Height: 183 cm Skill: Pinch Hitter (A)
>Contact rises 1 rank after 2 strikes. Potential Keywords: Hitting Genius (S), Speed Runner (A+), Strong Shoulder (A+) Batter Stats (*Potential) / LHB LHH Power: B+ (*A) Contact: B (*A) Speed: A (*A+) Eye: B (*A) Defense: D Arm: B+ (*A+) Recommended Position: Outfielder 'Belly full, belly full!'
The player poaching project was off to a smooth start.
Awesome. Keep this momentum going!