Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Golden Sun Carries Munhyeok High
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Top of the 4th, Munhyeok High's turn at bat.
The lineup has come full circle, starting with leadoff hitter Choi Adam.
[Munhyeok High's lineup has made a full turn. Leadoff hitter Choi Adam steps up to the plate...!] [Daegwallyeong High's starter today, Cheon Dong-chan, is in great form. He's held every batter perfect through three innings!] ⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔ Name: Cheon Dong-chan Nationality: South Korea Age: 18 Height: 182 cm Skill: Leg Trip (A) - Fly ball rate increases in crisis situations.
> Pitching Style: Right-handed Three-Quarter Stamina: A+ (*S) Control: C+ Fastball: A (*A+) Ball Power: A (*A) Breaking Balls: B+ - Slider: B+ - Curve: C 'Definitely no slouch as a No. 2 starter.'
Daegwallyeong High was holding back their ace, Ma Cho-won, for the next game against Seoul powerhouse Hancheong High. Their No. 2, Cheon Dong-chan, might seem like an easy mark, but he was no pushover.
A former ssireum youth standout, Cheon Dong-chan had proven his worth with rock-solid pitching backed by his massive frame.
'I'll crush you guys, and at the Sejong Tournament, I'll crash the Four Heavenly Kings...!'
Munhyeok High, having toppled Geumgang High and Girin High, seemed like the perfect stepping stone for Cheon Dong-chan to join the elite Four Heavenly Kings.
With that thought, he fired his first pitch.
Crack!
[Oh, Choi Adam's hit ball! It drifts deep into the 5-6 hole. Shortstop Altan fields it and fires with a cannon arm...!!] [Safe, safe...!! Choi Adam is lightning fast!!] "Uratssa...!!"
The leadoff man celebrates reaching base.
Up next was No. 2 hitter, Do Do-jin.
"......"
Do Do-jin stood utterly still, unflinching even as pitches narrowly missed the zone.
'What the hell, this guy's not budging?'
Catcher Ha Hu-dong furrowed his brow. After a moment's thought, he called for an outside fastball.
'Grab one count first and think...'
Crack!
[Oh! Do Do-jin drops a single right in front of right field...!! Runner Choi Adam races to third! No outs, runners on first and third! Munhyeok High is fighting back!] [That was a perfect push bunt hit? Do Do-jin picks his pitch with insane plate vision!!] Munhyeok High's table setters had gotten on base in succession. Stepping up now was today's No. 3 hitter, Takahina Ryuji.
[Here's Takahina Ryuji with the big power. How will the Cheon Dong-chan and Ha Hu-dong battery handle him...?] 'Honestly, I want to swing.'
In his previous at-bat, Ryuji had crushed a deep fly caught at the warning track. Now that he was seeing Cheon Dong-chan's stuff better, he felt good about it. But he hadn't forgotten Seong-muk's words.
'Load the bases in front of me. I'll clean it up.'
Smirk.
The team captain's words to fire up his teammates. Sure, Ryuji could handle it himself, but he was more curious about what the man he'd acknowledged would deliver.
"...I'm yielding this one, Seong-muk!"
Thwack!!
"Take your base...!!"
[Takahina Ryuji draws a walk with incredible discipline! He trots to first!] [He was selective this at-bat, barely swinging? Looks like he planned it from the start.] [And that plan? To set the table for Geum Seong-muk, right?] [Exactly...! Munhyeok High's core, Geum Seong-muk, steps up with bases loaded, no outs!] Bases loaded, no outs for Geum Seong-muk.
Goya Gal, quiet since Munhyeok High's early collapse, exploded back to life.
💬 Goya Gal — Anon1 Full bases!!!!!!! Home run!!!!!!! Let's goooooooo!!!!!!! — Anon2 Gal Lord's shoulders carrying the team's fate lololol so heavy lololol — Anon3 ↳ Reply I believe in you, Gal Lord... please... one bomb for 4 runs... anything can happen... please... ㅠㅠㅠㅠ — Anon4 Gal Lord swings or strikes out here lololol I bet he Ks and bet my balls lololol (please swing ㅠㅠ) — Anon5 8 runs means needs two grand slams? lololol Gal Lord back-to-back grands? lololol — Anon6 ↳ Reply Han Mandu dddddd ↳ Reply Hey...! Don't say that word lightly...! ⭐ Top Comment — Anon7 If he Ks here, Gal Lord gets roasted to dust today lololol pressure incoming lololol — Anon8 Even a bases-clearing double would be fine, for real lololol please any hit ㅠㅠ "Geum Seong-muk, Geum Seong-muk, Geum Seong-muk...!!"
Munhyeok High fans squeezed out cheers following Noah's lead. If they didn't produce now, this might be their last.
'I won't let that happen.'
⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔ Name: Geum Seong-muk Nationality: South Korea Age: 19 (Senior) Height: 192 cm Weight: 89 kg Team: Munhyeok High School Skill: Solar Divine Meridian (EX) - Sun-like yang energy boils from the lower body, enhancing full-body power. On intense impulse, stats rise up to 3 levels by excitement degree. User selects stat.
> Potential Keywords: Heavenly Pitching Body (EX+), Heavenly Hitting Body (EX) Batting Style: Left-handed Throw, Left-handed Bat Power: B+ → A (*S+) Contact: B (*S) Baserunning: B+ (*S) Plate Vision: B Defense: B Shoulder: A+ (*S+) 'Who knew Olivia could whip up a power-boosting lunch like this.'
Seong-muk's power stat had jumped a level thanks to Olivia's lunch buff. Add the Solar Divine Meridian on top?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Stats reinforced by Solar Divine Meridian!] [Power stat: A → A+!] [Power stat: A+ → S!] Only a mid-level impulse for a two-step buff, but Seong-muk had reached 'Power S' for the first time.
'...Fuck yeah, this is it.'
He savored the feeling that he could launch any pitch right now.
Cheon Dong-chan unleashed his first pitch—a tight fastball inside, a warning shot to back Seong-muk off. But it was the worst possible choice.
"Hey, thanks."
Crack!!
"......!!"
Seong-muk's bat, like it was lying in wait, pulverized the ball. A whoosh of immense power sent it soaring high into the sky. Already certain, Seong-muk flipped his bat skyward.
[Whoaaaa!! Geum Seong-muk flips the bat! It's gone!! Gone! How far will it go!!] Thud!!
[Clears the right field wall at Jongmyo Stadium! Geum Seong-muk's grand slam! The game's not over yet!!] Cheon Dong-chan, hammered for the grand slam, stared blankly beyond the fence in disbelief. Seong-muk, as if it were the most natural outcome, rounded the bases leisurely.
"Geum Seong-muk, Geum Seong-muk, Geum Seong-muk...!!"
The crowd went berserk.
"Hic, Oppa Seong-muk..."
Noah, forgetting even to dance, teared up.
"...Yeah, knew Seong-muk would do it."
Do Do-yeon shredded the paper marked '3% chance'—the wild card himself had delivered.
"Eut, as expected...!!"
Olivia clenched her fist, rewarded for packing the lunch. Countless Munhyeok High supporters reignited their hopes with that one blast.
💬 Goya Gal — Anon9 Gal Lord up! Gal Lord up! Gal Lord up! (x15) — Anon10 wtf lololol he cleared it ffs — Anon11 Look at pitcher's face lololol soul left his body lolololololololol — Anon12 We won... ㅠㅠ fr won... just insane... — Anon13 No lololol wasn't easy pitch but smashed first one lol is this talent? — Anon14 Damn, closing to 4 runs now? Real shot? The impact of that monster blast was huge.
The score jumped to 8-4 in a flash.
Munhyeok High had clawed back to within 4.
Actually, scratch that.
Make it 3.
Crack!
[Seok Un-gang connects!! Gone, gone...!!] [Clears the left field wall! Seok Un-gang's solo homer! Back-to-back here! Out-of-the-park back-to-back from Munhyeok High! This game's wide open!!] "Waaaaaah...!!"
Back-to-back homers narrowed it to 3. The stadium erupted like a volcano once more.
💬 Goya Gal — Anon15 Fuck turned it off but turned back on lololol heard monk homer and flipped to stream lololol — Anon16 Ball comes in, ball goes out hitting style ddddd rlly~ — Anon17 Won..., won't harbor impure thoughts before Monk Un-gang.... — Anon18 Pitcher on verge of enlightenment;; hit by monk straight to nirvana lololol — Anon19 Gal Lord and Monk feeding Munhyeok fr lololol rest just chant and bus it lololol ⭐ Top Comment — Anon20 Back-to-back out-of-park insane insane where'd that fly go? — Anon21 ↳ Reply Breaking: Crashed thru Japan's Emperor's mansion window, security on alert ddddd ↳ Reply Pitcher's mentality flew to Andromeda with it, hasn't landed lololol ↳ Reply Just landed in grandma's veggie patch, wrecked all the pepper seedlings;; how much you paying Gal Lord/Monk? lolol Thwack!
"Out!!"
No more runs after the follow-up hitters fizzled, but Munhyeok High had closed the gap tight, injecting massive tension.
For the team being chased, Daegwallyeong High couldn't relax. Manager Yu Hwi-woong, his scruffy beard bristling, barked.
"Get your heads in the game!! Score more this inning so they don't even dream of coming back..., wait, Cho-won, where the hell you going?!"
"Bullpen! Just loosening up!"
"What...!"
Ma Cho-won, their ace saved for powerhouse Hancheong High, volunteering to warm up. Known for his uncanny foresight, it basically screamed they were doomed otherwise.
At the same time, Munhyeok High's bullpen door swung open. Out stepped Park Chan-jun, taking the mound this inning.
"......Hoo."
"Chan-jun ham, nervous?"
Park Chan-jun steadied his breath at Seong-muk's question and nodded honestly.
"A bit...?"
"Just throw like before. They'll be shocked silly."
"Got it. One just like that."
"Yessir, believe in you, Chan-jun ham...!"
Seong-muk saluted and headed to first base. Park Chan-jun stomped the mound, glaring at the batter with a steely expression.
'You got this, Park Chan-jun. You got this...!!'
From scrub reliever to knuckleballer reborn, Park Chan-jun held Munhyeok High's counterattack in his hands.
Seong-muk smirked at Park Chan-jun's stat screen.
⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔ Name: Park Chan-jun Nationality: South Korea Age: 20 Height: 184 cm Skill: Yard Weed (B) - Fatigue reduced in back-to-back outings.
> Potential Keyword: Steel Stamina (A+) Pitching Style: Right-handed Three-Quarter Stamina: A (*A+) Control: B Fastball: C+ Ball Power: C+ Breaking Balls: C+ - Knuckleball: B+ (*S+) 'They say knuckleball talent is heaven-given...'
Right after possession, he'd jammed a towel in his mouth and brutalized hundreds of scuffed balls to hit B in offspeed. Yet after a few days of intense training, B+ already—and knuckleball potential S+. Top-tier like Sergei.
Like catching a rat when chasing a cow, but maybe thank Manager Myeong Sin-u for picking Park Chan-jun.
'Chan-jun ham, please hold. If you collapse too, we're done.'
No expectations of a B+ knuckleball shutting down Daegwallyeong's powerhouse lineup completely. But bridging to Ri Dong-hyeok solidly? That'd be beyond expectations.
"Hup...!"
Park Chan-jun fired his first pitch with vigor.
The knuckleball honed through lightning drills debuted to the world.
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