Attending the Game [1]

There was nothing for me to do. The baseball team ran extremely, extremely, extremely well even without me, and the Weekend League games never made it to the ninth inning—they ended in cold games by the fourth or fifth.

'Definitely, it's because I'm using Kim Sihu and Jeong Taehun like macros now. That lets us grind Haneul High's bullpen pitchers to our heart's content.'

Before pitchers like me and Kim Sihu enrolled, Haneul High didn't even have anything as basic as a starting rotation. They simply sent the pitcher with the best condition that day to the mound, and if he gave up runs, the batting lineup would bail him out. That was how they won.

But now, with the crisis of my arrival and Kim Sihu's, and even Jeong Taehun breaking into the pitching staff, they must have realized their spots would disappear if things continued this way. The quality of their pitches had started improving dramatically. The new pitching coaches Coach Kim brought in were a huge help too.

They didn't do what the old KBO used to—talk about mental strength and make them walk on hot coals, or hit them with bats if they failed. The coaching staff stopped mindlessly ordering them to throw endless pitches and only train their lower bodies. Instead, they began using biometric data and sports science to rapidly improve the pitchers' quality.

As a result, the old Haneul High bullpen—which used to be nothing more than a run-giving vending machine—had risen to the level of a reliable winning group for an average high school team. The current rotation had settled into something like this: Game 1 (four or five of the old bullpen guys each throwing one or two innings), Game 2 (Kim Sihu or me, followed by Jeong Taehun).

'Yeah, giving the pitchers proper rotation without overworking them and increasing their media exposure is good, but...'

That bastard Kim Sihu was pitching too well. It looked like I wouldn't get a chance to take the mound. Well, maybe they were trying to be considerate because my training load was already so brutal. I could feel the intention to preserve me as much as possible. Still, they didn't need to baby me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this much.

Thanks to that, my daily routine had fallen into a simple loop: go to school, finish classes, do pitching practice, outfield/infield/catcher defense drills, hitting practice, then drag my exhausted body home.

'...Still, it's nice.'

Listening to Coach's worried-sounding praise, I glanced at the system window.

'Training like a madman has made my stats rise to insane levels too. That's at least some consolation.'

Thanks to Iron Arm (H), my stamina depletion was greatly reduced. A normal player would have already suffered various injuries and been unable to stand properly from that kind of overwork, but unfortunately it didn't work on me. As a result, my pitching stats had only gone up slightly, but my batting stats had skyrocketed. My defense in particular had reached 95, which made the applications for Professor (L) at the plate virtually limitless. My defensive ability had risen high enough that I could step in as a defensive replacement immediately if Yang Uijin couldn't play due to injury or rest.

It seemed the catcher's abilities were included within the defense stat rather than having a separate category. 'My game-calling might still be lacking, but in terms of blocking and picking off runners, I might already be better than Yang Uijin.'

Of course, if Yang Uijin activated his History-grade skill Captain (H), which boosted all his overall stats and increased hit probability for batters or induced weak contact for pitchers, the story would change again.

'Maybe the skill I need most right now is Captain (H).'

I play both ways. The stat increases from Captain (H) would benefit both sides, and I could use both the additional effects—increased hit probability for batters and increased weak contact rate for pitchers.

'If I copy Yang Uijin's Captain (H), I'll have exactly three History-grade skills.'

Then what would happen if I used the guaranteed History-grade skill random draw ticket when I already had three?

'...That's something to think about after I get God of Baseball (H).'

God of Baseball (H) was also a skill I hadn't seen while playing Strike the Show, just like Copy All (L). It wouldn't be too late to think about it after obtaining that one.

'So until that moment... the guaranteed History-grade skill draw ticket stays sealed.'

Well, if I couldn't copy Yang Uijin's Captain (H), I could just use it immediately.

While I was lost in these trivial thoughts, I was already on the subway with Epinel, heading to the Heroes' home stadium, Gocheok Sky Dome, to watch the opening game between the Heroes and the Oceans.

...

...

...

When we sat down at our table seats, I saw that Epinel had brought an enormous amount of food and snacks.

'...Is all her nutrition going there?'

Epinel really seemed to have a special constitution that others would be insanely jealous of—she simply didn't gain weight. As I slowly sipped water and ate the snacks, the Heroes players gradually came out onto the field and began warming up.

'Ah, they haven't gone to America yet in this world?'

In the world before I possessed this body, both Lee Jeong-hoo and Kim Ha-seong had gone to the major leagues.

'Should I check? Player information.'

'Whoa... As expected of major-league talent.'

I had expected him to have Son's Wind (H) since he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was Lee Jong-beom's son, but he possessed Grandson's Wind (L).

'What about Kim Ha-seong...'

'This guy's insane too.'

The condition to copy both of their skills was to induce 75 outs (strikeouts, fly balls, ground balls, or double plays) against each of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them respectively.

'I probably won't get them, will I?'

By the time I debuted in the pros, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠these two would likely have already crossed over to the majors. It was a shame I wouldn't be able to obtain Gold Glove (L), which greatly boosted defensive stats, or Grandson's Wind (L), the lower compatibility of Son's Wind (H). But if I went to the majors later, I'd have another chance to meet them.

Our table seats were right next to the Heroes' dugout. Thanks to that, I could faintly hear the conversations between the Heroes players.

And what I managed to catch in that moment was...

'Hmm... That's too bad. Usually in these cases, they just grab a staff member or someone nearby and have them throw...'

'Fuck.'

There was no time. Before that staff member went off to find someone else...

I had to survive first.