Saturday morning.
I'd given it my all for the past few days.
"Ji-won, any Orange Na in stock?"
The day I'd checked Park Jin-woong's mentality, I'd stopped by Jiwon Mart first and bought up a huge haul of the carbonated drink that was really a [Velocity Enhancement Potion (E)].
"How many do you want?"
"All of them!"
"Pardon? We just got a box... you want the whole thing?"
"How many in a box?"
"Twenty."
"Perfect! I'll take them all. Right now."
Twenty whole bottles.
All of them, miracle elixirs that would boost my sluggish velocity.
Now, Park Jin-woong—my rival for the team's number two starter spot. The day I caught up to his top speed of 146 km/h wasn't far off.
"Plus, I'm one of the few lefties on the team. Who cares about Park Jin-woong?"
Once my velocity hit 146 km/h, surpassing him would put me in the running against Shin Su-ho. It wouldn't be some distant dream.
"If I can just get past Shin Su-ho... pro debut via regional first-round draft pick? Totally doable!"
I was pumped.
Until now, hope had been nowhere in sight.
Even after tweaking my delivery, the max velocity this small frame could muster was 139.9 km/h.
I could never break that cursed 140 barrier.
It had crushed me.
But now, with this full box of Orange Na?
Draining them all would upgrade my 142 km/h velocity multiple times over.
"Huh. Workouts are going great."
With real hope on the horizon, training felt easier.
And there was more good news.
"Whoa... I grew taller!"
Not just velocity—my growth plates had stalled too. Yet in just a week, I'd shot up noticeably.
"Hang in there a bit longer, growth plates. I'm a pitcher, after all. Gotta top 175 cm, right?"
I added jump rope and cardio—supposed to stimulate growth—to my routine.
Chest work and biceps, forearms for power.
Shoulders and lower body, core for velocity.
I already had a packed workout schedule, but enjoying it sped up recovery somehow.
And to top it off, I started sipping those velocity potions alongside.
"Ahh, refreshing!"
Cracking open the boxful bit by bit.
[Velocity permanently +1.]
I downed three bottles first.
Like with Coach Jo Jong-hoon the other day, sudden spikes might raise eyebrows.
Better to bump stats gradually, keep it subtle.
Still, the effects were plenty.
Next day. Bullpen session.
Tang!!
[142.9 km/h]
[Fastball Spin Rate: 1,858 rpm]
Feeling my body grow by the day, I hurled pitch after pitch with glee.
A full rest day later, I unleashed with everything I had.
The tracking system lit up.
Another personal best.
Not quite 143, but with Deokyang High just two days away—and me focusing on personal training—it was solid.
Even with fatigued muscles from heavy use, I topped my max effortlessly.
"Heh heh... Hyun-jun, your velocity's up again?"
Pitching Coach Jo Jong-hoon grinned at my improved speed.
Any doubts about my growth? Gone. He was genuinely thrilled, and I answered with pure honesty.
"Eating right and hitting workouts hard."
"Excellent."
Relieved by his response, I downed five more Orange Na that day.
[Velocity permanently +1.]
Satisfying.
That velocity-up message floating in my vision.
Five times in a row.
"Urk... yes!"
My belly bloated out, but with velocity climbing daily, my lips kept curling up on their own.
"Heh heh. Good morning, everyone."
"Huh? Oh, good morning, sunbae."
Even at school, I greeted classmates and underclassmen first, all smiles.
The old Song Hyun-jun—treated like a no-name pitcher, cowering for so long? Vanished.
I even brightly greeted the Manager and Coach.
"Morning, Coach!"
"Morning, Hyun-jun. Looking sharp—you're killing it lately!"
"Thank you!"
"Haha, these days, seeing your face is my highlight. Let's crush it today."
"Yes, sir!"
I was changing fast.
No more hanging my head like a guilty man.
Shoulders back, like the team's top prospects, diving into training.
And bit by bit,
my reputation shifted.
"Hyun-jun sunbae seems different lately, right?"
"He was always a good guy, but that delivery tweak? Whole new person."
"It's cool to see."
With my rep improving, even underclassmen approached me warmly now.
Fueled me even more.
"Hiyah!!"
Workouts, training—you name it.
Plus, with the weekend start looming, I dumped my remaining 400-ish points into power boosts.
"Grandma's soup, please!"
Back to Grandma's Soup House.
No gorging till I burst this time.
Three days till the weekend league game, and low on points—no need to rush.
[Power permanently +1. ]
One bowl a day.
Couldn't overload my stomach—had to temper my body like Seo Ji-hoon said.
And the final bullpen before my start.
Tang!!
[144.2 km/h]
"Whoa?!"
"What?!"
The Manager and Coach's shocked voices rang out.
Velocity had finally broken 144.
"Hyun-jun's velocity... it's faster again?"
The Manager sounded stunned.
Felt great, but I played it cool.
Instead, I trained diligently, face set like I could do even better.
Tang!
Another 144 four-seam fastball.
No one could call this high school slow anymore.
"Ha... nothing beats velocity. Electric."
Chest puffed with pride.
But the high didn't last.
"Big fuss over barely hitting 144."
Park Jin-woong, crossing paths by chance, picking a fight.
"Why the hype over sub-145? Tch. Slug finally throwing human pitches."
"What? Isn't your max around 146? Average 144?"
"Hahaha, that's what you think?"
What was with this guy?
Bursting with weird confidence. Superiority oozing off him.
His tone screamed victor's swagger.
"Song Hyun-jun, that junk won't fool our lineup. Let alone Gyeongin High's hitters?"
"Hm..."
"Squirm all you want—this start's mine. Dream on."
Mocking provocation.
Regained his shattered mentality in days?
I smirked back.
"Velocity isn't everything for a pitcher."
"Huh?"
"I'll show you when the chance comes. What a pitcher's really about."
"What bullshit?"
I ignored him.
Results beat trash talk any day.
Tang!
[Fastball Spin Rate: 1,903 rpm]
Whatever with Park Jin-woong—my spin rate, the mark of power, topped 1,900.
Way past the sub-1,800 range where they compared me to middle schoolers.
"...How?"
Worried the Manager might suspect like Coach Jo? I poured max effort into every session.
"Hup!"
Workouts on workouts.
While dissecting Gyeongin High's lineup for the weekend clash.
"Huh? Gyeongin High hitters' stats... why so good?"
Their bats, overshadowed by ace Sa Seung-jun.
Data made me uneasy.
"Starting this game could tank me...?"
First official league start of the year. Blowing it? Disaster.
"Get it together, Song Hyun-jun! There's always a way to attack."
Studying the scouting reports over and over, time flew to game day.
Saturday morning dawned.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Devils scout team.
Seo Ji-hoon, heading out first thing, got asked by his senior scout.
"Where to? Outing today?"
"Yeah. High school game at Mokdong."
"Matchup?"
"Seomun High vs. Gyeongin High."
Senior scout nodded at Seo Ji-hoon's words.
"Gyeongin High's ace Sa Seung-jun is a beast. Who ignores a lefty firing 154 km/h heat? GM's drooling over him too. Me as well."
"True."
"Haha, but your vibe says it's not Sa Seung-jun. Spill—who's the rookie stealing our Seo Ji-hoon's heart?"
Senior scout prodded.
"Seomun High... going for Shin Su-ho again?"
"Shin Su-ho's Shin Su-ho, but... there's another pitcher nagging at me."
"Who? Park Jin-woong? Yoo Seung-hwan?"
"No."
"Then? Besides those three, another Seomun High arm worth watching?"
Senior's question brought a young pitcher's face to Seo Ji-hoon's mind.
Small frame, slow velocity, lefty.
Nothing eye-catching to most. But Seo Ji-hoon couldn't shake him.
"Pitcher named Song Hyun-jun."
"Song Hyun-jun? Seomun High has a guy like that? Freshman?"
"Third-year."
"What? Why scout a nameless third-year?"
Senior brushed it off. But not Seo Ji-hoon.
"He's been sticking in my head lately."
"Huh?"
"Something I want to check in today's game. Report after. Later."
With that to his senior, Seo Ji-hoon headed straight for Mokdong Ballpark.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Mokdong Ballpark.
I found out late.
"What? Park Jin-woong hit 148? How?"
Heard my starting rival for today unleashed fireballs.
Why'd Park Jin-woong... awaken like this?
"No way...?"
My fault? Nah.
That arrogant prick only saw Shin Su-ho as competition. No one else.
I'd rattled him for days exploiting that.
"This means the start's slipping away...?"
If I were Manager, I'd start 148 complete-game Jin-woong over my 144.
"Actually... better this way?"
I smirked.
Scouting report verdict?
Starting today would've been poison.
Regardless of my thoughts, tense player chatter filled my ears.
"We're last year's Blue Dragon Cup champs. Why fight for a weekend league berth?"
"League changed rules—winners need second in region for Blue Dragon ticket."
"Keeps us motivated. Good thing."
Competition everywhere.
No complaints—gave me a shot.
"Lineup."
Manager's voice froze the locker room.
Park Jin-woong starts, me second. Best call.
No way he names me first?
Ninety percent chance of getting shelled today... my hot streak's got me nervous.
Not that I lacked confidence if called.
Manager spoke again.
"Today's starter... Park Jin-woong."
Yes! That's right.
Today's tank: Park Jin-woong. Dud dud dud.
Smirk.
Clueless Park Jin-woong flashed a victory grin my way.
You didn't scout Gyeongin High properly, huh?
Park Jin-woong, you're toast soon.
I grinned back.
Smirk.
Game underway.
Soon enough, we saw it.
"Song Hyun-jun."
"Yes."
Pitching Coach calling me from the bullpen.
"Get ready."
Manager's order to take the mound.
As expected—starter Park Jin-woong getting lit up by Gyeongin High.
My regular league debut chance had arrived.
"Yes, sir!"
With a crisp reply, I burst through the bullpen door toward the mound.
Time to etch my name on the real stage.
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