Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Chan-jun Ham, Fire Away!
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"Knuckleball, you say?"
Seok Un-gang asked back with a surprised look on his face.
Park Chan-jun had come back having learned something new, and it turned out to be a knuckleball. It was a pretty shocked reaction.
"Yeah, I learned it from Sergei of Kirin High."
"...A knuckleball is never an easy pitch, but there's no doubt it's an incredible one if mastered properly. Let me catch a few to see if it's usable in a real game."
He pulled out a large bag from the locker room and took out a glove. Inside was a mitt noticeably bigger than a standard catcher's mitt.
"What? You even have a knuckleball-specific mitt?"
"Yes. With all the donors who bring knuckleballs when challenging Shaolin Temple, we had to prepare. I never imagined it'd see use at Munhyeok High."
After switching to the mitt, Un-gang headed to the bullpen and crouched down in the catcher's position.
"Park Chan-jun, benefactor, give it a toss."
"Got it, here goes."
Park Chan-jun took a deep breath.
His knuckleball wobbled as it flew toward Seok Un-gang's mitt.
Thwack!
"......!!"
Even though he'd caught it, Un-gang looked shocked.
His face stiff and rigid, he called for the next pitch.
"Let me see one more."
Thwack!!
"...This."
Seok Un-gang, uncharacteristically shaken. True to his reputation as a catching prodigy, he didn't drop it, but the pitch's movement had clearly rattled him.
"Geum Seong-muk, benefactor, would you mind stepping into the box?"
"Hm?"
What could it be?
I slapped on a helmet haphazardly and stepped up to the plate. Park Chan-jun's knuckleball came flying toward the mitt, and soon I understood why Seok Un-gang had said that.
'...What the hell is this?!'
Forget the knuckleball's unpredictable movement—the release point varied slightly with every pitch.
Since he hadn't followed the standard path to becoming a pitcher, his form wasn't fully established. What would normally be a flaw was creating something intriguing.
"Geum Seong-muk, benefactor, what do you think?"
"...It's good? Who knew a lack of fundamentals could be an advantage."
Despite the varying releases, Park Chan-jun had decent control. It wasn't intentional; his unstable form naturally jittered each pitch, synergizing perfectly with the knuckleball's dance.
"It's a different feel from Sergei Rasputin."
"Yeah, if his curves, this one's like a straight line suddenly zigzagging."
If Sergei was a butterfly, Park Chan-jun was a bee. A matter of taste, but it earned points for being so unlike typical knuckleballers.
'It's already B+ and this good—what happens at higher proficiency?'
This might've created a downright scary knuckleballer.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Thwack!!
"Strike three!!"
"........!!"
Cleanup hitter Shin Cheol-woong, the sixth batter, flailed wildly at the sudden knuckleball and struck out. He looked more flustered than ever.
💬 Comments — Anonymous Shin Cheol-woong looks flustered...! We're just as shocked! — Caster Park Chan-jun's showing top-tier knuckleball stuff...!! All five pitches just now were knuckleballs. Was he always a knuckleball guy!? — Caster2 No, even recent game logs have no trace of a knuckle. Probably picked it up on the fly!! — Caster Crammed like that and it's this good? Unbelievable. For Munhyeok High chasing Daegwalleong, how long Park holds 'em is key!! Who could've predicted it?
A garbage-time pitcher picking up a unique knuckleball and returning. Caught completely off-guard, Daegwalleong couldn't cope.
Crack!
"Out...!!"
The ninth batter grounded out to the pitcher.
Bottom of the inning—Munhyeok's turn at bat again.
They'd been giving up homers every inning, but the patch pitcher shut it down clean. With the score narrowed from 8-0 to 8-5, this performance sparked unavoidable hope.
💬 Goya Gallery — Anon -Whoa, random-ass knuckleball??? Was he always a pitcher? — Reply ㄴ Nah, looks newly learned — Reply ㄴOnly memory is him eating garbage innings and getting shelled ㅇㅇ — Anon ㄴCrammed and it's that good? ㄷㄷㄷ ⭐ Top Comment — Anon -ㅅㅂ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Munhyeok's turning baseball into a riot ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Every weirdo's popping up — Anon -But is this dude even in high school? Looks like my uncle — Reply ㄴ ㄹㅇ Check his ID — Anon ㄴPro scout here, I'd sell smokes to Park Chan-jun no questions — Anon -Whoa, Seok Un-gang's catching is insane. High schooler not leaking a single knuckler — Reply ㄴWhy do you think it's the Seok Un-gang Challenge ㅋㅋㅋ Knucklers flock there and he catches 'em all — Anon -Daegwalleong manager must wanna curse ㅋㅋ Was padding runs then boom knuckleballer Top of the fifth—Munhyeok's bats.
Ninth hitter Lee Tae-kyung and leadoff Choi Adam out, bringing second-spot Do Do-jin to the plate.
"Hoo..."
Do-jin steadied his breath.
Seong-muk grinned, eyeing his stat screen: Plate Vision A+, potential S.
'Who'da thought he'd voluntarily hit the zoo again.'
Skipped training to raise Plate Vision there. As captain, Seong-muk couldn't help adoring this teammate.
"Ugh, we need a big one soon..."
"True, but Do-jin's up, so probably not."
Seo Kyung-su whipped around at Seong-muk's words, taking it as same-age trash talk.
"Eh, Seong-muk hyung...! You never know!"
"It's like hitting the lotto. Ever seen Do-jin reach the fence?"
"Uh, nope...!!"
Seo Kyung-su nodded quickly.
With Power F, big flies weren't Do-jin's thing. Getting on base? Different story.
'Do-jin's vibe's totally changed.'
After tangling with the tiger, he'd found his spark—dull eyes now laser-sharp, radiating 'he's got this' energy.
Right then—
Crack!!
Do-jin's ball rocketed out.
He sprinted full tilt; the drive looked ominous.
— Caster Do Do-jin connects! W-wait. Whaaat...!!? The ball should've dropped by now—but it kept carrying.
"Wh-what is this!"
".......!?"
Even teammates gawked. The liner sailed over the right-field wall.
Thud!!
— Caster It’s gone...!! Do Do-jin’s solo shot! Already rounding third, he stares at the ump in disbelief! — Caster2 Picture-perfect barrel. Do Do-jin’s first high school homer! Score 8-6! Munhyeok closes to two...!! "Whoa, lotto hit for real..."
Stunned by the unforeseen blast from Do-jin, Seong-muk and the crew. Still, points however scored—good news.
Do Do-jin returned to the dugout dazed, only to get helmet-pummeled by teammates.
He winced but beamed. Goya Gallery flooded with question marks.
💬 Goya Gallery — Anon -????????? — Anon -What??? ⭐ Top Comment — Anon -Whoa random homer what — Reply ㄴㄹㅇ Random homer, Cheon Dong-chan's face ㅋㅋ — Anon ㄴContact tool always good. But that far?? — Anon -Fact) Pitcher just threw garbage — Reply ㄴSwing was pretty af, clueless take; — Anon -Do Do-bird hiding power ㄷㄷ — Reply ↳ Reply How's a name an extinct birdGoat ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ — Reply ㄴPterodactyl 진 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ — Reply ㄴArchaeopteryx 진 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Munhyeok's momentum didn't stop.
Crack!!
— Caster Hit! Takahina tosses the bat...!! — Caster2 No need to watch! Liners out...!! Clangs off center scoreboard! Takahina Ryuji’s back-to-back bomb!! "Wooooaaah...!!"
"Insane, totally insane!!"
Munhyeok fans in frenzy. Given four homers and demoralized, they'd hit four back to tie within one.
Students sticking around went berserk.
💬 Goya Gallery — Anon -Back-to-back here ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ — Anon -Da Hwang bon (epic) ⭐ Top Comment — Anon -Kya~ Samurai swing ㄹㅇ — Reply ㄴWrestler? Instant beheading ㄷㄷㄷ — Anon -One-run game flipped ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ — Anon -Daegwalleong manager not pulling pitcher? Dumbass? — Reply ㄴGoldma famous for no mid-inning changes ㅇㅇ — Reply ㄴWon't change, no blowup? — Anon -Ryuji ham godlook but baseball too ㄷㄷ — Anon ㄴ ㅅㅂ Dick small? Gotta be... — Anon ㄴRed long hair whipping while rounding bases fucking cool ㅂㄷㅂㄷ — Caster Munhyeok's on fire! Chasing what seemed lost...!! 8-7!! One run!! "Nice homer, Ryuji hyung...!!"
"Nice swing!!"
"Uh, thanks thanks!! Easy now, kids!"
"Huh, can't hear~"
"Just take it like a man...!"
Thud thud thud!
"Arghhh...!!"
Munhyeok savored the surge, helmet-bashing Ryuji. Daegwalleong fans grew uneasy.
'We getting reversed...?'
'Crazy, Cheon Dong-chan's at 7 already. This keeps up, danger...!'
As Daegwalleong supporters fretted, a man trudged in from right field to the mound.
"Step down, Dong-chan. You're done."
".........!!"
Ma Cho-won declared, long brown hair flowing. First time yanked by a teammate—Cheon Dong-chan's eyes wavered.
He wanted to atone, pleading urgently.
"Ch-Cho-won sunbae. Manager hasn't said anything yet. Can't I keep going? I'll make it up."
"I can hear it."
"Pardon..?"
Cheon Dong-chan looked around. Nothing but crowd noise.
"What do you mean hear...?"
"The wind's speaking—if you keep pitching, we lose!"
"Eh...!?"
Ma Cho-won added Geum Seong-muk and the monk would homer. His sixth sense tingling. He clapped Cheon Dong-chan's shoulder, laughing heartily.
"Leave the rest to me! Cleaning junior's mess is senior duty! Onomatopoeia-hah!!"
Cheon Dong-chan shuffled off, shoved aside. Casters were stunned.
— Caster Ma Cho-won to the mound...!! Thought saved for Hanchung, but! — Caster2 Looks voluntary! Sensing crisis!? — Caster Facing Munhyeok's cleanup Geum Seong-muk today...!! "Damn, wanted some honey too."
Seong-muk grumbled stepping up.
Goya Gallery reignited at the matchup.
💬 Goya Gallery ⭐ Top Comment — Anon -Gallery Lord appears X!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — Anon -Two-sword style showdown????? — Reply ㄴGallery Lord's got three-sword down there? — ?? ??: Excellent! Roronoa Seong-muk!! — Anon -ㅅㅂ Can't breathe h huff huff huff — Anon -Ma Cho-won throws heat, can Gallery Lord hit it? — Reply ㄴFastball? In front of Lord it's Arirang ball~ — Anon -Plz... just one...!!! Trust Gallery Lord ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ — Anon -Ma full gas vs Gallery full rip ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Can't miss — ?? ??: K if he Ks here I'm Gallery Lord — Reply ㄴCho-won narrow that login angle — Anon ㄴFact) Cho-won's too blockhead for Gallery ㅅㄱ The stadium heated up. One run back, now Geum Seong-muk vs. Ma Cho-won—two teams' dual-wield aces.
"Let's do this, Geum Seong-muk...!"
"Bring it, druid."
All eyes gripped tight. Ma Cho-won kicked high, firing his first offering powerfully.
And as if waiting, Seong-muk's bat exploded forth.
Crack!!