The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 118

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 118
“An authority figure.”
A raspy voice brimming with confidence.
Soo-ho’s body went rigid as if struck by lightning, and he turned his head sharply.
That distinctive confidence that bordered on arrogance.
Yet with genuine skill backing it, the man was anything but unlikeable.
It was Alex Rivera.
“Ah…!”
Soo-ho shot up from his seat.
His jaw dropped.
It had been less than three seconds since he’d told Paul he wanted to learn from Coach Alex.
And yet here he was, appearing from behind as if he’d been waiting all along.
Had he teleported or something?
‘That can’t be right.’
My gaze flickered between Paul’s grinning face and Alex’s composed expression.
In that instant, the puzzle pieces clicked into place in my mind.
This was no coincidence.
This was a planned meeting.
‘They knew all along.’
My chest resonated with a heavy realization.
From the very moment I first met Alex on American soil.
How I trained, who influenced me, what style of baseball I aspired toward.
The Dodgers had seen through every footprint I’d left behind.
There was no other way they could have had my ideal mentor waiting here like this.
‘They really… are looking after me.’
I wasn’t just one prospect among countless others being managed.
Now that I was on the 40-Man Roster.
The organization was paving the path for me to grow in the most comfortable and certain way possible.
And because of that, my chest swelled with emotion.
‘I’m not alone anymore.’
The reality that this massive organization had my back became tangible against my skin.
“Lighten up that face, would you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Alex tilted the brim of his fedora slightly and let out a soft chuckle.
“It’s truly an honor to see you again.”
As Soo-ho bowed sincerely, Paul, watching from the side, shrugged his shoulders with satisfaction.
“See? I told you I was right? I said Soo-ho would definitely choose you.”
“Hmph. Of course he would. Any man with eyes couldn’t possibly overlook me.”
Alex spoke with swagger, though the smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed his true feelings.
He too had clearly been anticipating this reunion with Soo-ho.
Paul grasped the door handle with a satisfied expression.
“Alright, I’ve set the stage. Now it’s up to the two of you. Alex, don’t damage our treasure—polish him up nicely for me.”
“Stop nagging. Don’t you know that when these hands touch something, even a stone becomes a diamond?”
“Ha, fair point.”
Paul laughed heartily, his gaze settling on Soo-ho.
“That’s all I can do. For the rest, ask that authority figure over there.”
“Wait!”
Soo-ho called out urgently, trying to stop Paul.
I had to express this gratitude somehow.
But Paul simply waved his hand dismissively, his back still turned.
“Save the thanks for when you actually succeed. I’ll take it then.”
Soo-ho straightened up, abandoning his bow.
I withdrew the gesture of gratitude just as quickly.
Just as Paul said—when I truly succeeded.
When I became a Major League player and walked the Ground with confidence.
That’s when I would offer my thanks in the most impressive way possible.
“I’ll be waiting.”
Click.
The door closed, and Paul vanished.
Now only Soo-ho and Alex remained in the room.
After a brief silence.
Alex broke it with an intentionally stern voice.
“You can bow respectfully to me. I have no intention of refusing.”
At those words, Soo-ho’s tension melted away.
A small laugh escaped.
He was still the same.
Confident, cheerful, and genuinely skilled—an eccentric.
Which was precisely why I couldn’t help but trust him.
* * *
Alex slowly circled around Soo-ho.
His piercing gaze meticulously scanned my shoulders, waist, and lower body.
Like a mechanic inspecting a vehicle that had just arrived at the Repair Shop.
His eyes gleamed with deep skepticism and wonder.
‘No matter how I think about it, something’s off.’
Alex stroked his chin and clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘He’s still too small.’
By ordinary standards, his physique was certainly solid.
But this was the United States—a stage teeming with monsters.
Surrounded by bulging, muscular frames, Soo-ho’s build looked almost herbivorous in its frailty.
Of course, Alex had known from the beginning.
The true nature of this guy.
‘I thought his raw talent was exceptional enough that he’d make it big.’
But that was only true at the Low-A Level.
With that scrawny physique, I never imagined he’d dominate the Arizona Fall League—the battlefield of stars.
It couldn’t be helped; American Baseball here is merciless.
Especially the Arizona Fall League, where each organization’s top prospects converge.
Physicality, technique, experience.
Anyone unprepared in even one of these cannot survive on that stage.
So what about Soo-ho?
Only three months since arriving from Korea.
He hadn’t had time to grow accustomed to American pitchers’ fastballs.
He was in a transitional period, dismantling and rebuilding his existing batting mechanics.
In short, an unprepared player.
By common sense, he should have been crushed miserably and felt the wall—that was the normal outcome.
‘Yet he delivered MVP-caliber performances there.’
Not merely through luck, but by overwhelming skill that dominated completely.
Alex had no choice but to acknowledge it.
‘This can’t be explained by talent alone.’
The instinct to survive even when unprepared.
The sense to absorb like a sponge and apply even what wasn’t taught.
A mutant outside all standards.
That was exactly Oh Soo-ho standing before him.
‘Enviable talent. Truly.’
A passion welled up in his chest—not just as a mentor, but as a craftsman.
If he could polish this raw gem, he couldn’t even fathom what diamond would emerge.
But Alex didn’t let that excitement show on his face.
What was needed now wasn’t praise, but the whip to drive toward greater heights.
Alex stopped walking and stood directly before Soo-ho.
“Soo-ho.”
“Yes.”
“You’ve probably already heard from Paul, but this winter, we’re going to see hell.”
All playfulness vanished from Alex’s expression.
“This isn’t just training. You’ll need thorough, intensely painful preparation.”
Alex tapped Soo-ho’s chest.
It was solid, but thin.
“You need to generate more power than you do now. Major League pitchers throw rocks, and with your current body, even if you make solid contact, the ball won’t carry—it’ll die in your bat.”
Increased strength.
That was not an option but a necessity.
But Alex immediately raised his index finger in warning.
“However, you cannot lose flexibility and speed.”
This was the most difficult challenge.
Generally, as muscle mass increases and the body grows larger, the range of motion decreases and the body becomes sluggish.
Once you become what’s called a “muscle-bound player,” a fatal side effect occurs—bat speed and explosiveness, the lifeblood of a baseball player, deteriorate.
You gain strength only to lose the game itself.
Is this even possible?
Maintaining flexibility and speed while bulking up.
Alex continued as if to resolve that very doubt.
“If it were impossible, I wouldn’t have asked you to do it in the first place. It’s not about simply enlarging muscle size like a bodybuilder. You combine training fast-twitch muscles necessary for baseball with exercises that expand your range of motion.”
And isn’t that exactly what we see in reality?
Players like Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout possess massive, muscular frames yet move faster and more fluidly than anyone else.
That’s because they’ve built functional muscles for movement, not muscles for show.
Alex drove the point home, holding my gaze.
“Only then can you achieve the next level—the growth of your mechanism.”
“….”
“The hitting theory I’m going to teach you demands extreme rotational power. If your body can’t withstand it, your lower back gives out. If your body is sluggish, your bat comes out late. To leverage all your strengths—your contact and instincts—while also gaining power, mastering this balance is essential.”
Whether it’s Double-A, Spring Camp,
or the Major League beyond.
“In the end, it’s a non-negotiable element for survival.”
Alex continued.
“Starting in January, we’ll conduct separate training sessions. It’s November now, and you have two full months until January. During that time, build your physique on your own while maintaining your speed and flexibility.”
Do it yourself, then.
Yet I wasn’t flustered.
Alex had been assigned as my coaching staff.
I’d expected that starting tomorrow, he’d stick by my side and teach me everything from A to Z.
Alex’s eyebrows twitched at my reaction.
He’d anticipated I’d challenge him or whine about why he wasn’t teaching me, but instead I accepted it without complaint.
“You’re not going to ask why?”
“No. I think I understand.”
Through our conversation, I was grasping something.
That Alex wasn’t neglecting me out of laziness.
‘It’s a test. And an education.’
Professional players aren’t made by coaches.
The season is long, and a coach can’t be attached to your side 24 hours a day.
Ultimately, the player themselves must know their own body best.
Which foods make the body feel heavy, which exercises build muscle most effectively.
‘If I don’t know my own body, I can’t sustain a long career.’
Growth is necessary, and the organization’s support is real.
But ultimately, a player must learn to manage their own body.
This was Alex’s first assignment for me—the initiation rite into becoming a true professional.
And I grasped it immediately.
Other prospects probably would have asked for specific instructions.
It was the moment when Soo-ho’s instincts shone through.
Had he read that glint in Alex’s eyes?
“Good. You really do catch on quick.”
Alex’s lips curved upward in satisfaction.
“Then, January 5th. Come to my personal training facility here in Los Angeles. I’ll give you the address when the time comes. You make sure you’re in peak condition by then.”
Alex adjusted his fedora and gave Soo-ho’s shoulder a light tap.
“Don’t disappoint me.”
With those words, Alex turned without hesitation.
Tap, tap.
The sound of his footsteps faded, leaving Soo-ho alone in the conference room.
But my eyes burned far more intensely than before.
“Disappoint you?”
I clenched my fists tightly.
“I’ll amaze you instead.”
With thorough preparation, I could grow stronger—that’s what he was saying.
Wasn’t this exactly what I wanted?
So absolutely not.
I would never let this opportunity slip away.

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