Heading to the Sejong Tournament
"Damn it, what's stopping us from scoring? Let's go for it!!"
"Fighting...!!"
They were determined to scrape together some runs for the sake of their exhausted ace, Seong-muk, no matter what. But it wasn't as easy as it sounded.
Crack!
"Out!!"
Thwack!
"Strike three!"
"Kuh!!"
The eighth batter, Seo Kyung-su, struck out swinging.
Munhyeok High went down scoreless again this inning.
The scorching bats they'd shown in the spring tournament had vanished without a trace. They had incredible potential, no doubt, but this moment laid bare the fact that they still fell short against top-tier pitchers.
ㄴ fr lol where'd he burrow to, come out tester
ㄴ clueless noobs lol I spotted him from the start yeah
ㄴ submarine pitcher = water element duh? stronger in rain
ㄴ lmaoooooo insane
ㄴ world's first ICBM-loaded pitcher whoa whoa whoa
ㄴ not a baseball, straight ballistic missile lolololololol
[We're heading to the top of the ninth! Ri Dong-hyeok takes the mound once more...!!]
Facing him steps up the sixth batter, Ko Eun-chan. He smirked at Ri Dong-hyeok.
'Finally that annoying prick's off. I'm hitting this at-bat for sure.'
Whoosh!
Crack!
"Out...!!"
"Fuck, what kind of sinker is that...!"
He grounded out weakly.
The batters after him fared no better.
Crack!
"Out!"
[He swings! But the seventh batter, Han Ian, grounds out weakly...!!]
Thwack!
"Out...!!"
[Oh, and Shim Geon-woo! Grounds to third! Ri Dong-hyeok with that unreal sinker!! He retires the side in order, shutting down Hancheong High's offense completely...!!]
[What incredible movement! Ri Dong-hyeok's putting on a show that scouts are drooling over!!]
ㄴ pretty much yeah
ㄴ Ryu Taek-jin only pitches in leads in the 9th, otherwise never…
ㄴ picky eater with his spots? acts like the boss lol; if I was manager I'd bench his ass
ㄴ stfu lolol you'd be thanking god for that Untouchable closer and bowing, not bench talk
ㄴ fr that matchup stuff. team's stacked anyway, easy to set up
Ryu Taek-jin only pitched in the ninth when his team had the lead.
He'd declared he wouldn't take the mound in ties or when trailing, and Hancheong High had accepted. Those in the know about his monstrous talent as a pitcher snapped him up, and now he reigned as the nation's top high school closer.
Today's game met his condition perfectly.
He'd been warming up to pitch and was indeed scheduled to go. But just before the bottom of the ninth, his younger brother Ryu Han-ul approached him directly.
"Hyung, can I close it out myself?"
"What? You've already thrown nearly 100 pitches. Since when do you care about a shutout?"
"You said before the game that the crowd loved it and I could finish games solo."
"That was just talk, man."
"Anyway, you'll be throwing every day once we hit Sejong Tournament. Least I can do is save your arm now, right?"
"You little... "
Ryu Taek-jin chuckled at his brother's words. He clapped Ryu Han-ul on the back.
"Alright, go close it."
"Got it."
Ryu Han-ul returned to the mound.
The announcers sounded shocked.
[Oh! Ryu Taek-jin isn't taking the mound...!! Ryu Han-ul's going for the shutout!]
[He looks fully warmed, but after a close brotherly chat, Ryu Han-ul's back out there. What will this decision bring?!]
[Bottom of the ninth, Munhyeok High's final regular-inning at-bat. They start with the ninth hitter, Lee Tae-kyung!]
"Gotta hit it, gotta hit...!!"
Lee Tae-kyung stepped up, trembling.
But for a defense specialist like him, squarely hitting a top high school pitcher's stuff was near impossible.
Thwack!
"Strike three...!!"
Lee Tae-kyung trudged back after a frustrating strikeout.
Next up: Choi Adam.
"Fuck this, you think you can end my glorious spring like this...!!"
Choi Adam stormed the plate, snorting.
His fire paid off—he squared up Ryu Han-ul's slider perfectly.
Crack!
The ball sliced between center and right.
Most of the park would've been a double; with Choi Adam's speed, even a triple seemed possible. But Hancheong High wasn't pushovers.
Swoosh!
[Ahh, Carlos slides and snags it! Incredible outfield defense!! Two outs...!]
[Ryu Han-ul must've had a scare! He gives Carlos a thumbs-up. Hancheong High now needs just one more out to clinch Sejong!]
"......Haa, damn it."
Do Do-jin, who might be the final batter of the game, pulled his helmet low and stepped up.
Thwack!
"Strike...!!"
Even late in the game, Ryu Han-ul fired late-150s heat. It was clear why he ranked among the nation's top three righties.
Thwack!
"Ball...!"
The ump called a ball just off the plate. Catcher Kwon Seok-jun glanced at the ump—still a ball.
Crack!
"Foul...!"
He fouled off a fastball weakly. Count now 1-2.
Do-jin steadied his breath, thinking of what he could do.
'...Gotta get on base somehow.'
To do that? Play to his strength: elite plate discipline.
He couldn't square Ryu Han-ul's stuff consistently.
But he could work counts.
Thwack!
"Ball...!!"
Crack!
"Foul...!!"
Do Do-jin grinded, piling up pitches and balls. Around the 13th pitch to him—
Thwack!
"Take your base...!!"
".........!!"
A changeup just off the plate.
Do-jin flinched but held the bat. With one out left, he trotted to first.
"Nice play, Do Do-jin...!!"
"Great job, Do-jin!!"
Cheers erupted from the Munhyeok dugout.
Do-jin pumped his fist—not over yet.
'...Ryu Ji sunbae, the rest is yours.'
"Got it, mission accepted."
Pouring rain!
Heavy drops pelted his helmet.
Takahina Ryuji yanked on his batting gloves and stepped up. His uniform was soaked through long ago, and the shadow of defeat loomed at his feet.
"......... "
Ryuji glanced back at the dugout.
There sat Seong-muk, head down, seemingly asleep.
"Sorry, Seong-muk. Shouldn't have left it all on you."
No-ah had told him what happened before the game. Seong-muk was crushing it as a player and leader, but the pressure ahead of this matchup had been immense.
"...Let's carry that load together."
Whoosh!
Ryuji's Dragon Blood activated, radiating fierce aura.
Catcher Kwon Seok-jun flinched at the ominous vibe.
'...This guy's bad news.'
Thwack!
"Strike...!!"
Ryuji watched an outside fastball.
He crowded the plate. Kwon Seok-jun aimed to back him off and kill his momentum.
'Let's see if he stays put when inside heat comes.'
He called for tight-inside heat.
Ryu Han-ul nodded and fired.
Slipped in the rain? The fastball sailed way outside, straight at Ryuji's head.
"What...!?"
Kwon Seok-jun jumped up in shock.
Thwack!
Popped right into the mitt.
Kwon exhaled in relief—then froze staring at Ryuji.
'This guy's not even flinching at a head-high fastball...!?'
Anyone would've dodged instinctively.
But ignoring 160km heat? A chill crept over Kwon Seok-jun.
No calling up Ryu Taek-jin over personal jitters, though.
Crack!
"Foul...!"
Thwack!
"Ball......!"
Foul on high heat, frozen on the drop—count even at 2-2.
Kwon signed to Ryu Han-ul.
'Inside-low slider, end it.'
Ryu Han-ul nodded and unleashed the fifth pitch.
Strike here, and the game was over.
Hancheong High to Sejong.
Swoosh!
'Perfect location.'
'If he swings, it's ours...'
Chill!
'...!?'
Ryu Han-ul and Kwon Seok-jun felt a jolt the instant the ball left his hand.
'What is this...!?'
'This feeling...!'
Swoosh!
Ryuji stepped back with his right foot like he'd been waiting.
The deep-inside slider now sailed belt-high center to him.
"...Been waiting for this."
Ryuji's world went silent.
No crowd roar, no rain on his helmet.
The ball approached in frames, the world in slow motion.
Hyper-focus: every seam visible.
Squelch!
Back foot dug into the muddy ground.
Explosive power surged—from ankle to knee to hips to torso.
"Hup......!!"
Coiled spring unleashed.
Ryuji's hips exploded into rotation.
Power bat traced a beautiful arc.
Ryu Han-ul's slider never reached the mitt.
CRACK!!!
Delicious vibration up the bat.
The ball soared impossibly high, like it belonged there.
[Uwaaah!! He got it...!! This one's huge! HUGE!!]
[Takahina Ryuji's blast! Where's it going...!!]
"!!"
".........?!?"
The stadium fell silent at contact.
Then fans leaped up, tracking the flight.
"Shit...!!"
Right fielder Carlos sprinted wildly.
His speed couldn't keep up.
Thud!
He halted at the fence.
The ball plopped beyond right field.
Picture-perfect homer.
[Home run! HOME RUN!! A postcard two-run shot explodes...!!]
[Unreal! Clutch tie game!! Takahina Ryuji resets it...!!]
Whistle!
Ryuji whistled, tossed his bat skyward.
He pumped his arms at the Munhyeok crowd.
'Game's not over—let's go!!'
"WAAAAAAAAH.........!!!"
"Insane, insane...!!"
The fans roared back maniacally. Ryuji rounded the bases with a grin.
ㄴ lmao not that Ryu
ㄴ???: which Ryu family we talkin?
— RyuHanUl cut ~~~~~~~~!!!
ㄴ said he'd close instead of hyung then instant execution ending kekekekeke
ㄴ look at Han-ul's eyes shaking lolol
".........Haa."
Ryu Han-ul hung his head, breathing ragged. Watching from the dugout, Ryu Taek-jin's face twisted.
"Kuh, damn it... "
He knew his brother faded late.
But he'd let him pitch the ninth thinking it'd toughen him up. Not like this.
Ryu Taek-jin moved to salvage it.
"I'll go now...!"
"Sit down, Ryu Taek-jin."
"Coach, what the—!"
Manager Cha Gang-hun blocked him, face cold and firm.
"Not your time yet. You only go when we're winning. Forgot?"
".........!"
Ryu Taek-jin's eyes widened.
No retort—the condition was his own from enrollment.
"Coach Jeong, get Cheol-min ready."
"Yes, sir...!"
No Ryu Taek-jin until they regained the lead. Cha Gang-hun summoned another arm decisively.
Ryu Taek-jin sat, frustrated.
'If we want Sejong, time to leash that arrogant stud closer.'
Cha saw profit in breaking him here.
'We won't lose anyway.'
Ryu Han-ul surrendered the homer from fatigue, but Hancheong's pen was national-caliber.
Geum Seong-muk and Ri Dong-hyeok shone, but in a bullpen war? Victory certain.
'Takahina Ryuji, huh. Gotta handle him carefully.'
Stroking his goatee, the manager eyed Ryuji circling the bases.
"Ryu Ji! Ryu Ji! Ryu Ji! Ryu Ji...!!"
Ryuji touched home amid chants. He high-fived next batters Seok Un-gang and Ji Su-yong, then entered the dugout to wild cheers.
"You madman!! Great job...!!"
"Ryu Ji sunbae, nice homer!!"
High-fiving teammates one by one, he reached Seong-muk at the end.
"What, you're up? Should've slept more."
"Wanted to, but some noise polluter ruined it. Tell him he's getting smacked if caught."
Chuckle.
"You got it, message delivered."
Smack!
Hard high-five between them. As Ryuji turned to sit, he glanced back.
"How you feeling? Can you hit?"
Seong-muk grinned at the concern.
"Napped a bit—fresh as hell. Worry about yourself."
"Phew, good."
Ryuji sighed in relief and left. Seong-muk talked tough, but he was far from fine.
'Damn, even moving hurts like hell.'
Recoil from scraping every ounce from Solar Divine Vein. Soreness and fatigue crushed him—like carrying an adult on his back.
'Hope I don't need "that" one.'
The blind acupuncturist Seo Hyeok-jun's "last resort" for emergencies.
Potent effect, brutal side effects—Seong-muk wanted to avoid it.
Pouring rain.
Back to square one at Jongmyo Field.
Whose side would victory favor?
One ticket to the Sejong Tournament stage.
The mudslog no one could back down from had just begun.