VS Seoul High (2)

Park Donghwan was in a foul mood today.

It wasn't because Seoul D Division teams always got knocked out by other schools in the national tournament despite winning their regional title, earning them the mocking nickname of "Haneul High's knockoff." Nor was it entirely because he'd had the title of top catcher prospect stolen from him by the younger Yang Uijin back in middle school. Those things might have played a small part, but they weren't the main reason for his bad mood today.

His batting practice had been flawless. Thanks to a better stadium than Seoul High's own field, his condition was at its peak. Their head-to-head record was overwhelmingly against them, so calling the schools rivals felt like a stretch... but Seoul High was still one of the few schools in the Seoul area that could even approach Haneul High's stature. This was a chance to close that gap. (Even if it was just a practice match and wouldn't count in the official records.)

The opposing pitcher was Kim Sihu, already regarded as the best left-handed pitcher among this year's freshmen. An elite among elites who'd come up through the Haneul Elementary, Middle, and High pipeline. Rumors said Major League teams were already keeping an eye on him. At seventeen he supposedly had control issues but could already throw close to 150 kilometers per hour.

It was enough to make anyone a little nervous, but the moment Park Donghwan saw that first pitch, he knew. Compared to the pitches from Lee Sanghwi—Seoul High's ace and his own battery partner—this was nothing special.

Crack!

He'd swung with everything he had. There was a reason he was considered a prospect; right before contact, the ball's filthy movement had caused his hitting point to shift slightly. That should have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠been a ball capable of clearing the fence, but because he'd gotten under it, the fly ball looked like it would die in front of the wall. The center fielder had been playing shallow, almost as if mocking him, so what should have been a routine fly out was about to become a lucky single.

"...What the hell."

Like he'd glitched the game, Haneul High's center fielder suddenly took off at insane speed. He glanced at the ball, then jumped diagonally backward—like he knew exactly where it would be—and snatched the would-be hit out of the air.

It was a play that defied common sense. Even starting from a normal position, that ball would have been nearly impossible to catch. But he'd done it after already charging in?

Haneul High's number 11. From what the coach had told him, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kid had thrown a perfect game against Lee Surin during Haneul's entrance tryouts. He'd known the boy was a monster, but no one had mentioned his defense was this good too.

The hope that they could beat Haneul High. The delusion that he would be the one at the center of that victory. The grand dream of defeating Yang Uijin here. All of it crumbled like a sandcastle before a tidal wave.

"He plays baseball like shit."

"Right? If I were on their side, I'd be thinking the same thing."

The curse slipped out of Park Donghwan right in front of Oh Hanil, Haneul High's first baseman.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The one who'd actually made the play... didn't think much of it.

It was a little dangerous.

My steps had gotten tangled when I jumped backward to make the catch, but... if this weren't a dome stadium and was an open field instead... If I'd been even a split second slower, that would have been a hit.

"That was headed for a hit all the way. Catching it is what's crazy."

Senior Hyunbin clapped from the outfield.

"Wow, I knew it from practice, but you're seriously a monster."

After I flipped the ball I'd caught in that awkward position, Park Donghwan trudged back to the dugout with a hollow expression. Oh Hanil gave me a thumbs-up. Kim Sihu, that bastard—if not for me it would've been at least a double—simply tugged his cap down and offered a slight bow. That was it.

Or is that his version of going all out to show gratitude?

I returned Oh Hanil's thumbs-up, then turned my attention to the next batter. Ryu Ji-hyuk's at-bat.

Thump!

Kim Sihu's four-seam fastball buried itself in Yang Uijin's mitt like it had been sucked in. Unlike the right-handed Park Donghwan, Ryu Ji-hyuk stood in the right-handed batter's box. Against a lefty with sidearm delivery, that was the worst possible matchup. The pitch was nearly impossible to square up.

Knowing that, Yang Uijin called for an inside slider on the second pitch to get the strike. Ryu Ji-hyuk's body jerked away from the strike zone, clearly aware that if the 130-kilometer slider hadn't broken quite as much, it would've drilled him.

Whoosh!

"Yeah, that's an out."

It was the same pitch type but in a different location. Ryu Ji-hyuk spun like a windmill fan and fell over comically. Kim Sihu roared as if he'd just thrown a complete game ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shutout instead of recording a single strikeout. The second out was in the books.

Kim Sihu struck out the third batter as well, then jogged back to the dugout.

"Alright, let's go destroy them."

Haneul High's offense was about to begin.

Heo Kangmin, the leadoff hitter, stepped into the box. I was batting sixth, so I'd probably get my turn in the bottom of the second.

"......"

Crack![149 km/h]

Info window.

First-round draft talent. Figures.

It seemed the system had gotten some kind of patch; it was even showing locked skills now. I'd noticed Yang Uijin had Captain (H) too. I was genuinely shocked to see that Kim Sihu possessed Big Unit (H) even though it was still locked. Everyone else had domestic player skills, but of course the third-generation chaebol kid had managed to snag Randy's skill. What a ridiculous overachiever.

Back to Lee Sanghwi... his mental was already at pro level, and both his control and velocity stats were excellent. The skill was still locked, but if he overcame his trials and grew, he would eventually awaken a Historic-grade ability. He too would become a legendary pitcher who left his mark on baseball history.

I'd definitely face him again once we turned pro.

The first batter, Heo Kangmin, hung in there until the fourth pitch but struck out swinging on a high fastball. Oh Jihun, batting second, went down on three pitches while standing still. Yang Uijin somehow managed to lay off those insane pitches and reached base, but when Lee Surin made contact, Seoul High's outfielder Lee Byungkyun snagged it perfectly. The sides changed.

"...That guy's pretty talented too."

This guy has a Historic skill too, even if it's locked.

Those two were definitely going to become incredible players. There was no way they could fail with skills like that.

I'd already decided which skill to copy with the ticket.

I'll take Fireball (E).

For that, I needed to complete the quest.

Guess I need to put on a show.

The spectacular defense I'd shown earlier had already completed that objective. All that remained was recording at least one home run and getting at least two hits for the multi-hit.

"Ball four!"

Kim Sihu's first pitch to Seoul High's fourth batter was taken for a walk. An enraged Kim Sihu struck out the fifth batter on three pitches.

"Strike! Batter out!"

Next up was Seoul High's sixth batter, Lee Byungkyun.

Crack!

"Nice! Yuta hyung-nim—catch it!"

"Got it, Byungil sunbae!"

He'd hit Kim Sihu's first pitch on a perfect line, but Oh Jihun was already there exactly where I'd told him to be. He scooped it up and tossed to second baseman Lee Yuta, who fired to first. A lightning-fast double play ended the top of the second.

"Yuta hyung-nim! Nice hit!"

When did those two get so close?

Maybe it was the power of Oh Jihun's cheer, but Lee Yuta successfully laid down a surprise bunt and beat the throw to first.

"Go hit a big one."

Yang Uijin handed me the black bat. I took it and spoke confidently.

"No need to worry. I will."

Home run or base hit, I'm putting something in play this at-bat.

Haneul High's sixth batter, Lee Seojun. Stepping up to the plate.