Not Me Getting Called Up to the Real WBC

The distance between Daeji High School and Haneul High School wasn't far, so the bus ride didn't take long at all.

"Hey, aren't they starting to announce the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠roster soon?"

"Ah, you mean the youth national team?"

I perked up my ears and caught the conversation drifting from the front of the bus. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sounded like the selection ceremony for the youth national team was right around the corner.

'Don't they usually wait until after the Blue Dragon Flag tournament?'

Oh, right. The KBL probably does things differently.

'That still pisses me off when I think about it.'

I remembered seeing a video on my phone where some Falcons executive kept saying the team was too weak, and then the national team manager dropped that legendary garbage line: "Why would I call up any players from the Falcons?"

'Was the roster announcement on Instabook? FaceBook? YouTube? I can't quite remember...'

Anyway, players usually get notified faster than the public, so the manager often contacts them directly.

'I can't miss out on playing in the WBC with Kim Sihu and Yang Uijin.'

The story was shaping up to feature all those players I'd seen at Baeksa High—like that outfielder, plus Lee Byungkyun and Lee Sanghwi—forming one team to take on the world.

And then there was the semifinal against the States? Or was it the final? I wasn't sure, but that American player was the reason Lee Taehyun became obsessed with the major leagues in the original story. He'd come watch in person and witness Lee Taehyun's growth.

'.....So this is where all the protagonist's major league foreshadowing started, huh.'

In the real world, he didn't exist, but in the world of 3X3, Ohtani Shotaro had a younger brother. I couldn't remember the name, but the setting was that he was trying to follow in his older brother's footsteps into the majors.

He was basically a +10 enhanced version of Kim Sihu when it came to looking down on the weak. Even Ohtani himself had said his brother's talent was outstanding but his personality was... well, that said everything.

'Ohtani's brother is the same age as me, right?'

It really hit me just how grand this world was, all revolving around the protagonist.

-Screeech...!

"Epinel, we're here."

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

".....Huh? Wait, we're already there?!"

"Yeah. Let's get off quick."

I got off the bus with Epinel, who had been sound asleep beside me. After a quick feedback session, the coach said we'd check the upcoming WBC roster and then head home.

...

...

...

Meanwhile, a few days earlier at KBL Baseball Association headquarters.

The managers from each professional team and the high-ranking officials of the association were gathered around a round table, discussing the national team selection.

"We must bring back a championship this time! We barely managed a comeback win against Japan in the Asian Games, but in major international tournaments like the WBC and Premier12, South Korea has held its place in the Top 4 alongside the United States, Japan, and Cuba. However..."

Heo Guyeon, president of the KBL Baseball Association and the man who had revolutionized Korean baseball by turning every stadium into a dome.

"Considering the rapid growth of Taiwan, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, this tournament will be the biggest test yet of whether we can maintain our Final Four status."

As the president stated the obvious, the Dragons' manager raised his hand with a question.

"Hmm... I understand that, but does that mean the selection criteria won't just be the usual veterans? You're looking for a perfect harmony between the old guard and new talent—a true generational shift?"

"That's correct. Our current starting catcher has been Park Sehyuk. But we can't keep relying on a player who's already entering the twilight of his career as the national team's catcher forever."

-Clack clack clack!

The reporters covering the event hammered away at their keyboards.

"Yes. Lee Seojun has already proven his worth."

"But there is no precedent for this! This isn't a youth tournament—this is a major international competition where the prestige of an entire nation is on the line...!!"

It was a shocking statement.

There had been cases of players who hadn't even completed their military service being called up to the WBC before. But those players had usually already turned pro...

Yet here was the president declaring that a high school freshman who hadn't even gotten his ID card yet would be joining the senior WBC squad, not the youth version.

"I understand that many of you will find my statement hard to believe. So let me make a promise."

Looking at an image of Lee Seojun, the president continued.

-Click. The moment he pressed the button, footage appeared on screen of a pitcher throwing with everything he had against a fellow youth prospect—Lee Taehyun.

-KABOOOOOOM!

".......Holy shit. I'd heard the rumors, but a freshman maintaining that velocity deep into a game...!?"

"Wait, more importantly—81 pitches and 27 strikeouts?!"

At that exact moment, the president played the footage of the Blue Dragon Flag semifinal that had just ended.

"If this high school freshman causes us to finish outside the Final Four at the WBC, I will take full responsibility and step down from my position."

It was a gamble where the president had literally staked his own job for the sake of Korean baseball's future.

...

...

...

Meanwhile, the Haneul High baseball team returned to their clubroom completely unaware of all this and began looking over the roster.

"Oh, is Park Donghwan a backup again this time?"

'Oof.'

If he was a sub again, he'd probably get roasted alive by Lee Sanghwi back in the Seoul High clubroom.

"The roster's here."

At Coach Kim's words, the list was projected onto the large screen. Most of the names were from Seoul High and Haneul High.

"Huh...... Seojun, your name isn't on the U-18 list?"

"Hm?"

"Ah, maybe your skill level is way beyond U-18 so they bumped you to U-20... but you're not there either. Not on U-23... huh?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh......."

Coach Kim's eyes spun like a fan on high speed.

After passing U-20 and U-23, the place they finally landed on was...

My name was listed on the roster alongside the starting players for the WBC. For some reason.

'Or maybe I'm just going crazy—why the hell is my name there?!'

"Uh, Seojun. Congratulations on being selected as an official WBC player...?"

'........What?'

What the hell. My plan to bond with the high school All-Stars...!!

More importantly, this was obviously going to get slammed by public opinion... shit...!!

I could already imagine the flood of baseless bribery and parachute accusations. Hordes of paparazzi-level reporters would swarm me asking how I managed to get on the WBC team...

And next week's game against Seoul High was definitely going to be all about this topic, wasn't it?

"So... Seojun, congratulations for now?"

".......Ugh."

SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU—!!!

'Man, what kind of bombshell is this all of a sudden?'

Thanks to this, my nice, easy plan to stomp on players my own age and steadily grind toward God of Baseball (H) had just gone up in smoke...

'No. Change of perspective.'

My high mental stat kept me from falling into a panic. Keep a cool head. An even colder heart.

'If I perform amazingly, I'm a superstar. If I flop, I'm a traitor. Simple as that.'

Rather than seeing this as a crisis, I could use it as an opportunity to grow my fanbase. Then next year during the Monsters game, if I could get Park Yongtaek's legend data and unlock Man Who Lives for the Fans (H)...!

For now, under the influence of Copy All (L), the skills I currently possessed were...

'Iron Arm (H), Fireball (L), and Revolver (E). That's it for now...'

Since I wasn't listed as a hitter, I'd focus only on pitching for now.

Without skills like Hurricane (H), Rising Fastball (H), Rocket (H), Conductor (H), BORN TO K (H), or Wizard of Control (H), there was no way I could show in the WBC what I'd shown in the high school league.

'I've been saving this.'

Looked like I'd have to use it today. If I didn't, there was no way I'd be able to perform on the insane WBC stage packed with current major leaguers...!

I'd been planning to save it for when I went to America, but unfortunately the WBC this time was being held in Japan, not the States.

Still, that was fine. Japan had plenty of players who'd become major league legends too. If I could get their skills, somehow it'd work out.

'I'll do the gacha once we get to Japan.'

With that, I threw myself onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep...

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the sparkling system window that appeared before my eyes.