episode_0376

“Wow, did he really sharpen his sword today? Look at that fierce expression.”

“Just one more hit and it’s a 6-game home run streak. He’s capable of that.”

“I heard he didn’t even hang out with Junhu yesterday.”

“Maengho…? Seems like the guy who used to play around even during away games has made a big decision.”

The players of AT could sense a dangerous aura emanating from Ji Maengho even before training began.

“Wow, it’s going to be tough if we’re up against Maengho today, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. If it were me, I’d definitely try to avoid it.”

Pitchers instinctively knew that facing a batter exuding such an atmosphere was akin to committing suicide.

“We got one out on the count. The problem is Ji Maengho.”

Feeling this tension, starting pitcher Han Cheol, who caught leadoff hitter Jung Hwichul with a ground ball, felt the same way. However, there was no escaping it.

“[Player Ji Maengho. Raises his bat, pointing towards the left fence. Ji Maengho player’s patented warning home run! You can feel Ji Maengho’s determination to set the world’s first 6-game home run streak record.]”

“He always manages to hit a home run in situations like this. Looking forward to this at-bat as well. Personally, even though I’m also from Han Cheol, I want to see this 6-game home run streak record. Haha.”

“The outfield in Jamsil is already packed with fans waiting to catch Ji Maengho’s home run ball. There’s even someone holding a sleeping bag over there.”

“After Ju Hyeongjin’s home run record, I never thought we’d see another record like this, but Ji Maengho is doing it.”

Thinking about the fans gathered in Jamsil for Ji Maengho’s home run record,

– “Hey, did you see Ji Maengho’s interview? Crush them with your skills. Heemin.”

– “Do you know last year Coach Moon intentionally walked him and got cut off? Heemin. If you dodge now, you won’t be able to handle the backlash. Honestly, it’s just one game out of 144, so even if you lose, it doesn’t matter. Face him head-on. We can’t stand to see that guy walk because of a walk.”

– “Heemin. A home run? You can give it. We’ll make up for it. Throw your best pitch!”

There were also words from the coach, coaches, and teammates before taking the mound.

And then,

“Darn, if I dodge here, I’ll probably face backlash from the fans, right? It’s better to take the 6-game home run streak hit and be immortalized. Besides, Ji Maengho is already Korea’s best player… I have nothing to lose. Plus, if I manage to get him out…!”

Park Heemin himself didn’t particularly want to avoid it either.

To him, being immortalized by taking the 6-game home run streak hit and being ridiculed by baseball fans for avoiding the challenge, Park Heemin believed that the greater disgrace lay in avoiding the competition. Even Moon Gitaek, who had reigned like a king in UG Overlords, didn’t want to shy away from public opinion and risk being cut off.

With that resolve in mind, as he faced the plate,

“Darn, why are his eyes like that?”

Park Heemin shuddered at Ji Maengho’s gaze, unlike any he had seen before. Despite being tanned from the Asian Games they played together, the look in Ji Maengho’s eyes was something entirely new.

Eyes that seemed like they could kill a person. And an instinctual intuition that he was the target of that killing intent.

In that sense of dread, Park Heemin’s hand slipped.

“Park Heemin’s first pitch! The pitch is outside! It goes where the catcher can’t reach. Ball.”

“It went far outside, didn’t it? Park Heemin seems tense, doesn’t he? Normally known for his control, it’s surprising to see him miss like this. Clearly, he understands how crucial this match against Ji Maengho is. But Park Heemin must not succumb to the pressure here.”

If the left-handed pitcher Park Heemin threw a pitch that looked like it would hit the hip area of a left-handed batter, and Han Cheol’s catcher jumped to catch it, but couldn’t reach Park Heemin’s pitch.

– Woooo!!

With Park Hee-min’s pitch, a resounding chorus of boos echoed throughout the Jamsil Stadium. Despite being two teams sharing the home ground, the level of jeering was on a different scale. It felt as though AT’s fans had completely taken over the entire Jamsil Stadium.

“What! What kind of pitch am I throwing right now…”

Upon hearing those jeers, Park Hee-min, who had been frozen in place, snapped back to his senses.

If Ji Maeng-ho were a left-handed batter or if he himself were a right-handed pitcher… He would have become a laughingstock for stopping a record-breaking six consecutive home runs with a hit-by-pitch. If that were to happen, his career as a player…

“Damn it, that can’t happen.”

His vision blurred, unable to even see the catcher’s signs clearly. Park Hee-min shook his head at the invisible signs and decided to call the pitch himself.

“Outside, fastball.”

A low outside fastball. That was Park Hee-min’s choice of pitch. Despite possessing a fastball in the mid-140s, the reason Park Hee-min could make it to the Asian Games was due to his ability to target the outside of right-handed batters with fastballs and sliders dropping off the plate.

However, with a sense of impending doom that throwing an off-speed pitch now might unravel everything, the only pitch Park Hee-min could throw was a low outside fastball.

“Damn it, swing or not!”

Resigned to whatever outcome, Park Hee-min threw the second pitch. Contrary to his hopes, Park Hee-min’s body, which had dedicated a lifetime to throwing that pitch, successfully delivered the ball to the location he had always thrown it to.

“Strike!”

The umpire’s strike call reverberated loudly throughout the stadium.

“Outside! Low! Strike! The count is now one ball, one strike!”

“Player Park Hee-min likes this kind of pitch. Player Ji Maeng-ho is watching closely.”

“All right! Got him! Even the greatest hitters can’t hit pitches like this!”

And with that strike call, confidence surged within him. After all, Ji Maeng-ho was only human. And where there’s a human, there’s a way to strategize.

Thwack!

“Ji Maeng-ho’s hit is deep! It’s flying! Ji Maeng-ho’s hit clearing the foul pole. Foul.”

“Oh, it could have been dangerous if the angle was slightly off. It seemed like a slider just now, but he managed to send it over the fence beyond the left field wall. However, the angle wasn’t favorable.”

“After a foul home run, there’s often talk of a strikeout. Will Ji Maeng-ho show us what kind of hit next?”

Just like that. Park Hee-min’s third pitch was a slider dropping inside. Ji Maeng-ho lifted the ball nicely, but it went outside the foul pole.

“Luck is on my side.”

As the moment of impact approached, Park Hee-min shook his head, but was it the influence of the wind? Or perhaps a miracle? Ji Maeng-ho’s potential home run turned foul. A chance bestowed by the heavens. A chance to thwart Ji Maeng-ho’s record-breaking streak of six home runs and become a hero.

“I’ll go with a forkball this time.”

Two strikes. Now, there was no fear similar to before. Instead, he felt like he was observing Ji Maeng-ho from above. It felt like the predator-prey relationship had reversed.

In that moment, Park Hee-min chose a forkball. In a two-strike situation, the basic strategy was to time the fastball and sweep away a ball coming near the zone. And the most effective pitch against such batters was the forkball.

When thrown from a position similar to the fastball, a batter in a two-strike situation had no choice but to swing the bat, and at that moment, the forkball dropped to the ground, leaving the batter swinging in vain, heading back to the dugout.

But his opponent was Korea’s best hitter, Ji Maeng-ho.

“I’ll throw it towards the knees.”

“What? Isn’t that risky?”

“You know we don’t get away with ambiguous pitches anyway.”

The forkball thrown at Geum Jimaengho has no chance of reaching him. To stop his streak of six consecutive home runs and turn Geum Jimaengho into a hero by striking him out, one must be willing to take some risks. The risk of throwing near the strike zone against Geum Jimaengho.

The hand holding the baseball feels as if it’s growing cold, as if someone is watching.

But behind him, there is always a reliable teammate to watch over him. Park Heemin soon realizes the identity of that gaze. It’s his own misconception, influenced by the media labeling Geum Jimaengho as a “demon.”

It’s just his misconception. There’s no way Geum Jimaengho could know his pitch.

“Yeah, damn. So what if he’s a demon? Then I’m a demon hunter. Damn.”

Shaking off the returning unease, he grips the baseball tightly in his hand. The familiar sensation of the baseball between his fingers. And he pushes off forcefully with his foot.

As Geum Jimaengho takes his batting stance, his body momentarily crouches, then the bat emerges from behind his shoulder, causing his knees to bend. And in the blink of an eye, Geum Jimaengho swings the bat.

Crack—thud!

As the ball splits the air, the sunlight, still far from its zenith at 5 o’clock, conceals the baseball, but Park Heemin seems to know where it is.

“Damn.”

All he can do is curse. Geum Jimaengho, who set a record of six consecutive home runs, casually tosses the bat with one hand after hitting, then starts jogging slowly towards first base.

[Geum Jimaengho’s hit! Left field! Left field! Over the left field fence! Geum Jimaengho’s sixth consecutive home run! Geum Jimaengho achieves a record that will go down in baseball history! The best hitter in Korea! Geum Jimaengho!]

[Wow, finally this record comes out. Six consecutive home runs. Wow… Is this record even possible? Really… Look at his swing. From the take-back to the follow-through. Perfect. Knowing about the forkball, he slightly bent his knee to handle the low pitch. Honestly, when I was playing professionally, trying a swing like this was a dream… Impressive. Geum Jimaengho. He’s much younger than me, but as a fellow baseball player, I respect him.]

– Wow, impressive with the six consecutive home runs. Actually, there were rumors that Geum Jimaengho’s personality wasn’t great, so I didn’t like him much, but his skills are legit.

– That’s all just rumors lol. Just spreading rumors out of jealousy lol.

– Seriously amazing.

– He’s just that good.

– Crazy lol. Are you only looking forward to the Olympics? Honestly, it seems like they could win.

– Yeah, if they can’t win with Geum Jimaengho, the pitchers should come swimming lol.

– Ah, damn, send that guy to the majors quickly. Honestly, it doesn’t make sense, damn.

– Those bastards are using cheats themselves lol.

– Oh, feeling so frustrated.

– They’re also using Ju Seungcheol lol.

– Wow, nothing but admiration. Geum Jimaengho, amazing.

After Geum Jimaengho recorded six consecutive home runs, the atmosphere never quite recovered. AT Thunder’s starting pitcher Jang Yoon sealed off Hancheol’s lineup with 7 innings and 2 earned runs, ultimately leading AT Thunder to victory.

“Player Geum Jimaengho, today you’ve become an outstanding player with 5 at-bats, 2 hits, 1 home run, and 4 RBIs. How do you feel?”

“To be honest, I feel like it should be Senior Jang Yoon receiving the accolades, not me. I’m sorry for doing this interview, probably because of the record of six consecutive home runs. Honestly, 5 at-bats, 2 hits, 1 home run isn’t really an interview-worthy performance. It’s just what I usually do.”

“Huh? Oh… Player Geum Jimaengho, you think that way? Well, since we’re on the topic, you set a record with six consecutive home runs…”

“Well, of course, I feel good. I’ll continue to work hard to set such records in the future so that everyone in Korea knows my name.”

“Huh? Were there people who didn’t know Player Geum Jimaengho?”

“What, it was there. Anyway, even if you don’t know baseball, I will make sure you know the name Ji Maeng-ho.”

“Impressive ambition. Unfortunately, he didn’t hit seven consecutive home runs. How did you feel at that time?”

“Just had bad luck. Got caught right at the end of Jamsil. If it were a different stadium… Manager! Pull in the fence a bit!”

“…Haha, very witty indeed… Sending a video message to Director Yoon like this! Hahaha. Yes, yes. Oh, yes. Well then, onto the next question…”

“Haha, today, for some reason, we managed to conduct an interview properly. Ji Maeng-ho tried to block the interview -_-”

“Why, the young player is cute.”

“Fact: Actually, the interview wasn’t normal from the beginning.”

“But what was that story earlier? Something about not knowing someone?”

“Do you still not know Maeng-ho? Looks like he met a girl on a club or chat app and got dissed because she didn’t recognize him haha”

“This is 100% true.”