Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 24

 

 

Thud thud, the firm yet soft ground gets trampled by spikes.

Children who screamed but quickly chat with those next to them or run around playing pranks.

“That’s the kid, right? The one who crushed Flash.”

“Yeah! Ah? If it’s that kid, could he beat the fifth graders…?”

Students below fifth grade look at the fifth graders who have more playing opportunities due to their superior physique and strength.

“What’s with those looks?”

“Leave them be. That’s just how kids that age are.”

They’re the ones with more playing opportunities anyway. They could easily laugh off such impure gazes.

‘That goes for… that bastard too.’

Johann, a stone that suddenly rolled in.

A pitcher hopeful who joined the club even though it wasn’t the fall semester of the first term.

It’s not like there are no kids who knock on the baseball club’s door during the spring semester of the second term.

But…

‘I need to put him in his place.’

He wants to pitch even one more inning.

He wants to play even one more game.

To do that, he had to break that rival’s momentum first. He had to show him there’s a big physical difference between fourth and fifth graders.

“Going ahead.”

The pitchers who shared the same sentiment charged forward, and Johann narrowed his eyes as he watched them.

“You’re doing pretty well.”

“You look like you’re about to die though.”

Flash’s face, flushed red, looks like it’s about to burst.

But Flash is still better off. At least he can still talk.

Only the eighth lap.

The kids in the leading group behind are pale-faced and panting as if they’re about to collapse.

They look like they’d fall and not get back up if you just poked them.

‘Only? This much?’

Seeing the kids dying from running that wouldn’t even serve as post-meal entertainment with his wolf brothers, he could tell how protected these children had grown up.

“Just, just this much and wh, what!”

“Right. Breathe. More importantly, is it okay to run ahead like that?”

“It, it is?”

They just need to run twenty laps somehow.

“Ah, really?”

Johann furrows his brow.

“I matched their pace for nothing.”

He thought that was the rule since they were all running together.

When ‘Rack, Dennis Eckersley’ practiced with the team, they ran in formation maintaining rows and columns, so he thought it had to be the same here.

But it wasn’t.

Pointless waste of time. Waste of stamina.

‘Running slowly is more tiring than just running.’

“What?”

“Going ahead.”

Johann unleashed the power he had been holding back, and a refreshing wind of liberation rushed toward him.

“Wa, wait… damn it!”

Shocked, Flash gritted his teeth and chased after Johann.

 

* * *

 

“Gasp!”

“Wheeze! Cough!”

Everywhere, they gasp for a single breath.

Exhausted eyes follow Johann.

Johann, who surged to the lead from the eighth lap and ran with the frustrated pitchers trailing behind him.

But that was only temporary. By the tenth lap, he had lapped them once, and by the thirteenth lap, he had retired all the pitchers.

Even so, far from his pace dropping, by the end of the run he was ahead by a full five laps and was perfectly fine except for slightly irregular breathing.

‘Mon, monster!’

‘They said he lived hunting with wolves…!’

“Johann! Why are you so good at running?! I knew you had good athletic ability, but I didn’t know your stamina would be this good too!”

The better the stamina, the longer one can maintain peak condition.

That directly connects to performance.

Johann scratched his cheek while watching Flash jump around in excitement.

“I was running moderately though.”

“…Huh?”

The enormous stamina consumed with each hunt. That’s why wolves learn to run at a moderately fast pace.

“If you fail the hunt even after pouring out all your stamina, you die.”

“…”

Johann glanced at the silent students and turned around, while Bob Lee Swagger watched Johann and the club members with a pleased smile.

‘He’ll be a good stimulus.’

Twelve years old, fifth grade – the age limit for Little League.

A being appeared who would be good stimulus for the fifth graders who act complacently thinking they’re bound to have more playing opportunities, and for the lower grade students who watch them and wish to quickly become fifth graders.

“Alright, everyone gather by position and start stretching! Johann, who’s participating in training for the first time today, come here!”

“Yes, coach.”

As Johann approached, Bob Lee Swagger got into position.

“Athletes need to relax their muscles and ligaments once their body warms up. It’s for injury prevention. Now, follow me. This is good stretching for pitchers.”

‘Oh?’

Position-specific stretching that ‘Survival Expert, Johann Jaeger’ always emphasized as important, but wasn’t established during ‘Rack, Dennis Eckersley’s’ active days.

‘If this existed back then, he wouldn’t have suffered from injuries…’

The injury that contributed to Dennis Eckersley, originally a starting pitcher, becoming the world’s first specialized closer.

Various other incidents intertwined, causing his performance like ball control to decline, but Tony La Russa, the Oakland Athletics manager who felt sorry for his talent at the time, worked his characteristic magic to turn Dennis Eckersley into a one-inning closer.

Time really has passed by a lot.

Johann stretched more earnestly at the amazing sensation of his stiff muscles and ligaments becoming supple, and once his warmed body relaxed, Bob Lee Swagger began refining Johann’s pitching technique.

Basic content taught to all Fairmont Little Pumas pitchers.

“When throwing the ball, think of gripping your thumb with your index and middle fingers.”

“…Like this?”

Pop!

“My goodness.”

The moment he threw the ball, a thrill ran through his body. He ended up understanding what Bob Lee Swagger was trying to say.

“The time my fingers stay on the ball… got longer.”

As his fingers pressed the ball for a longer time, the ball’s spin increased. This improved velocity, speed, and movement all at once.

‘Does this make sense?’

The so-called concept of “gripping” or “having a gripping day.”

Just by gripping with the thumb, that gripping concept was about to be reproduced.

‘How much has Major League developed since then?’

How much has it developed since ‘Rack, Dennis Eckersley’s’ era that even a Little League Baseball Club coach knows such treasure-like secrets that money can’t buy.

And how high has the league’s level become.

“Yes! That’s exactly it!”

‘Is this child truly a genius!’

No matter how much they’re taught, most children can’t accomplish what he not only mastered in one go, but even immediately deduced the meaning contained within.

Genius. Johann was truly a genius without a doubt.

Johann glanced at him making a fuss and looked at his fingers.

‘This…’

The prime years of ‘Rack, Dennis Eckersley’ that couldn’t be fully reproduced due to physical limitations like height.

‘Maybe even beyond that…’

Johann’s eyes began to sparkle, and the pitchers of the Fairmont Little Pumas began to despair.

“…Did you just see that?”

The ball flew like a living snake.

It was a pitch never seen before in Little League.

“It’s, it’s okay! A-anyway, there was originally one starting position vacant!”

The 5-starter system, a concept created by Tony La Russa, who was the manager of the Oakland Athletics, and the modern baseball pitching rotation method.

It was just returning from a 4-starter system to the normal 5-starter system.

‘Playing opportunities will decrease, but…’

Still, they would keep their starting positions.

They tried to console themselves that way.

 

Meanwhile, the Elementary Scout Teacher standing at the entrance of the baseball field and watching the scene bit his lips.

Even to him, a non-professional, the situation looked serious.

‘This, this shouldn’t be happening…’

“That kid needs to be scouted…”

He, who had tried to get Johann’s permission from Bob Lee Swagger to take him out, couldn’t help but become anxious.

 

* * *

 

Swoosh!

Inside the moving car, a baseball floating in the air fell into Johann’s palm as he gripped his thumb with his index and middle fingers then released it.

‘The more I think about it, the more absurd it is.’

Bob Lee Swagger’s coaching, where every single word was like a gem.

Among them were knowledge he didn’t know at all, and mechanisms his body knew but didn’t understand the theory behind.

‘Really… humans develop so quickly.’

Humans, the most evolved life form among all living creatures on Earth.

They evolve so rapidly that it’s a shame to look away for even a moment, every period, every instant.

Even just looking at this baseball.

Since baseball was created in the 1800s, what was once just a game of throwing, hitting, and running had science incorporated into it and became a national sport generating billions of dollars in revenue annually in America alone.

Enormous funds were invested in technology, and the exclusive skills of talented individuals were standardized and recorded as knowledge for everyone to access.

Also, countless pieces of such knowledge are discarded each year, and better theories emerge.

Baseball, a sport that develops differently every day.

‘Flash says it would be really interesting if legendary players from past prime eras played against current legends, but… well…’

In Johann’s opinion, it would probably be rather boring.

The gap in knowledge was that significant.

‘Ah, so that’s why the size of those beings…’

Johann recalled the pitchers he had searched for when Flash and Andy Clark met during volunteer work, and Rick Bottom was amazed watching such Johann.

‘To be able to do something like that inside a moving car…’

Yesterday’s singing and guitar skills.

The outstanding modeling talent that warranted Giselle Buncheon giving him one-on-one lessons.

And today he was even performing tricks with a baseball.

What had Larry brought back from the Rocky Mountains as his artist?

“…We’ve arrived.”

“Ah! Thank you for your hard work, Rick!”

Johann slung the guitar case placed in the back seat over his shoulder and entered Rocky Management.

“School’s already over?”

“You look handsome today too?”

“Haha. Good afternoon, everyone!”

Johann greeted the staff members and artists passing through the lobby today as well and headed to the CEO office.

“Larry, I’m coming in. Huh?”

There was a guest in the CEO office.

And it was someone he knew.

 

“8 to 2… you said?”

Bruno Mars, the leader of the producing team Smizingtons, blinked his eyes.

He had come with the mindset of just hearing Larry out after receiving his scouting contact, only to hear an unbelievable story.

“Well, the first year of signing the contract is 7 to 3, but this is simply unavoidable due to the high initial investment costs, and I have no intention of disparaging Smizingtons’ abilities… Why are you like that? Does the ratio not suit your liking?”

“Oh, no. No. Could we talk for a moment?”

“Of course.”

Bruno Mars stood up with the friend who came with him and headed to a corner of the CEO office, and Larry watched them while bringing coffee to his lips.

‘They must be surprised.’

As he found out, Smizingtons had been receiving ridiculous treatment all this time.

‘The settlement ratio was 6 to 4.’

And Smizingtons only got 40 percent.

The label that had contracted with Smizingtons didn’t even do proper business while also cutting down their settlement ratio.

“Ph-Phil. What do you think?”

“At least… it doesn’t seem like a scam.”

Rocky Management. Though small in scale, he had never heard of them causing trouble with their artists over money issues.

“First of all, Larry Jefferson, I heard that guy is rich.”

Rocky Management’s headquarters located on this expensive Sunset Boulevard, the 4-story building, was owned by Larry.

They had looked into it after receiving Rocky Management’s call this morning.

Moreover, perhaps because of the contract, they were clearly showing respect for them.

“But for us to be worth that much…”

Bruno Mars, who was speaking, closed his mouth. The words he was about to say got stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out.

“Whew. Should we hear more of the story first?”

“Let’s do that.”

They apologized and sat back down, and Larry opened his mouth.

“Continuing from what I just said, we’ve set the contract fee at $100,000.”

Flinch!

“Of course, compared to the revenue that Team Smizingtons generates, it’s a ridiculously small amount, but this is our limit.”

“W-wait a minute. $100,000 is… much less than the amount we generate?”

“…Oh, you didn’t know, I see.”

Larry, wearing a troubled expression, opened his mouth to their burning gazes.

“Well, the fee we paid when we previously commissioned a song was $20,000…”

Commission fees from other places would be similar.

In other words, if Team Smizingtons worked on just five songs a year, that would be $100,000.

But Smizingtons was famous for being prolific. Not just composition, but producing as well.

“My goodness.”

“That’s impossible…”

They had never received such money.

When composing or producing, the money that fell to them was barely $1,000 per song. After settling with team members, it was tight even to pay rent.

“…What’s your reason for revealing such secrets to us?”

“Phil?”

Larry looked at the bald black man called Phil.

‘I can’t deceive them any longer.’

They were filled with emotions of betrayal. If he hid his true intentions here, they would storm out of their seats.

“We at Rocky are saying we won’t deceive you, that we want you this much.”

“….”

Though flustered by Larry’s serious gaze, they began to feel trust.

“Of course, we won’t be able to manage you as perfectly as famous agencies.”

From connecting artists to performances when Team Smithingtons’ own album comes out later, they wouldn’t be able to perfectly handle everything an agency or management should do.

Rocky Management was that small of a company.

“However, we’re currently negotiating with staff from famous record labels and agencies for your sake, and we’re also planning to rent a studio to use as a workspace.”

“Th-that means you’ll create a team just for us?”

“If you sign a contract with us, that’s what will happen.”

“Huh….”

His head hurt. It was treatment he had never once considered, so his mind became tangled in complexity.

“Shall we start by looking around some studios?”

Team Smithingtons would choose the studio they wanted from among several candidates.

“Yes, yes. L-let’s do that….”

“Larry, I’m coming in. Huh?”

‘They must be making a contract!’

“Hello. We met before, right? I’m Johann Jefferson.”

“Oh, yeah. H-hello?”

“Haha. Sorry. Just a moment.”

Larry, who asked for understanding, smiled warmly at Johann.

“School’s over? Today was your first baseball club training. How was it?”

“…It was good.”

Even without ‘Rack, Dennis Eckersley’, it was training that made him like the sport of baseball.

“That’s a relief.”

It was regrettable. That he couldn’t watch Johann’s first training.

“Then do you want to rest for a bit?”

“Where are you going?”

Larry explained the situation.

“…Oh, really?”

He had a lot he wanted to say, and he wanted to see what a studio looked like too, but it couldn’t be helped.

Even thinking simply, this recruitment would cost an enormous amount of money.

‘I can’t interfere.’

“Got it. Have a good trip.”

“Sorry. See you later.”

Larry, who ruffled Johann’s hair, turned around.

“Haha. Let’s go then.”

“Oh, yes….”

Bruno Mars and Phil, who turned around with awkward smiles, glanced at Johann who was about to sit on the sofa.

Johann was much smaller than Bruno Mars, who was the leader and the shortest among the team members.

It really didn’t seem like it would work.

“Um, Mr. Jefferson…?”

“We’re fine, so please come with us.”

“Pardon?”

Johann also looked at them in surprise.

 

* * *

 

‘Wow.’

Johann stuck out his tongue as he looked at the small studio.

Bruno Mars and Phil felt exactly the same.

‘A real studio?!’

It wasn’t an empty space like an office, but a studio equipped with all the equipment for producing and recording.

“G-Gene. Look at this.”

“My goodness. This model is?”

All equipment that was superior to the models they were currently using. Even the microphone cost thousands of dollars.

“Why don’t you try using it?”

“What? W-would that be okay?”

They were expensive equipment that they were even careful to touch.

“Of course.”

This was equipment they would need to use in the future. They had to carefully examine everything – whether the equipment worked well, whether there were any inconveniences.

If there were problems, they would have to go to a different studio.

“That would be okay, right?”

“…Let’s do that.”

Normally it wouldn’t be allowed, but with the economy destroyed, income had been cut off. He had to bow down to pay the interest on the loan for the house he bought recently and the studio’s monthly rent.

“Oh!”

The two, whose faces brightened considerably, sat in front of the equipment but then hesitated.

“…Phil. You go in.”

“Gene, wouldn’t it be better if you went in?”

“My ears are more sensitive.”

“Oh. I’m in charge of drums, Gene.”

Looking at each other, they simultaneously extended one hand toward each other and made a fist with the other, hitting their open palms.

Larry and the studio owner watched as if it was ridiculous.

But perhaps because they knew each other too well.

The rock paper scissors match wouldn’t end.

Then….

“That’s right!”

“Damn it.”

It was the moment Phil was getting up with a scrunched face.

“How about I do it?”

“L-little Jefferson?”

Johann glanced at the surprised pair and looked at Larry.

Even though Johnny, the head of the sales team, or the head of the scout team could have stepped forward, Larry was personally taking care of this. This meant he considered them that important.

“Is it okay if I do it?”

“…Of course.”

He wanted to stop him. But seeing Johann’s sparkling eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to stop him.

Johann smiled brightly and entered the recording booth.

‘Ah, this smell.’

More precisely, this atmosphere.

The tension naturally drawn in the narrow, enclosed space, and the tranquility felt because it was narrow. Perhaps because of ‘Eagles, Joseph Fidler Walsh’s’ experience, it even felt comfortable.

Johann skillfully lowered and fixed the microphone that was adjusted to adult height, sat in the chair, and took out his guitar.

‘First time….’

This was also a first-time experience.

Johann closed his eyes and absorbed ‘Eagles, Joseph Fidler Walsh’, then sent an okay sign toward the outside and placed his hand on the guitar with the jack plugged in.

And….

“My goodness….”

Bruno Mars’s eyes widened.

 

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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