The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 80

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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 80
The Locker Room was heavy with tension.
Where there would normally be boisterous chatter, a suffocating silence hung like waterlogged cotton, pressing down on everything.
That was the reality.
Each player was managing their anxiety in their own way.
They all knew the All-Star roster announcement would come soon.
Tap. Tap.
Mark bounced his leg nervously.
Team leader in home runs.
He’d returned from injury and had a successful season, yet hunger still gnawed at him.
He wanted proof—proof that what he’d shown was a true comeback, not merely a fleeting spark.
That proof would be his All-Star selection.
Liam stared blankly at the wall.
His mind churned with complexity.
He was the one who’d hit the deciding blow that toppled Victor Moretti.
Yet he’d credited it all to Soo-ho.
Even Casey, who usually exuded confidence, seemed different today.
He combed his hair in the mirror, but his gaze kept drifting toward the speaker mounted by the door.
Three-time High School Invitational MVP. His star power was already overflowing, but official recognition on the professional stage was another matter entirely.
He too was tense.
And there, sitting among them, was Soo-ho.
Arms crossed, I leaned deep into my chair.
On the surface, I appeared calm, but my insides weren’t entirely at ease.
‘I’m nervous.’
My heart beat with a heavy rhythm. But not from the same anxiety as my teammates.
‘I’ve done everything I could.’
I rewound through the past weeks slowly in my mind.
It wasn’t perfect, but at least I had no regrets.
First.
‘I wanted to improve my power hitting.’
It was a battle with myself and a test of wills against the organization.
When my participation in the Arizona Fall League was confirmed, the Dodgers hitting coordinator Thomas had given me these instructions.
-You’re fast, so don’t fly the ball. Hit ground balls or line drives to boost your on-base percentage. That’s your path to survival.
A typical slap-hitter development philosophy.
But I refused.
-No, sir. I want to challenge myself my own way during this period.
I proposed boldly to Thomas.
I’d increase my exit velocity by five miles per hour or more and post an OPS above 0.9.
‘And I was satisfied with the results.’
Second was recognition.
I tightened the velcro on my glove, announcing my intention to steal a base.
‘A famous baseball YouTuber did an in-depth analysis of it, which helped build my recognition a bit.’
And the third, final one.
A decisive blow.
I toppled Victor Moretti, the league’s strongest pitcher and a prospect bound for the majors.
It was a victory forged not through mere luck, but through meticulous psychological warfare and strategy.
Through this incident, Soo-ho made it known across the entire nation that he was not merely an SNS sensation, but a giant-killer with genuine skill.
‘At this point… I’ve shown every card I had to show.’
I chuckled softly.
But if I don’t get picked even now?
‘Then there’s nothing I can do about it.’
It’s beyond my control.
Perhaps it doesn’t align with the decision-makers’ preferences, or perhaps the timing simply isn’t right.
Whatever the reason, there’s nothing I can do.
But one thing I was certain of.
I had given my all, and the result was absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
‘Oh Soo-ho. You’ve grown, haven’t you?’
Just this fact alone filled me with joy as if I were soaring through the sky.
In my professional career, where I had always kept my eyes on the ground, I was now spreading my wings and flying.
Coming to the United States was truly the right choice.
‘My baseball skills have definitely improved too.’
That was when it happened.
Creak.
The Locker Room door opened, and Harry entered with an expressionless face.
He held a single sheet of paper in his hand.
In that instant, every breath in the Locker Room ceased.
We all knew what that paper meant.
“Everyone looks tense.”
He unfolded the paper.
“Without further ado, here’s the roster for our team’s participation in the Fall Stars Game, decided after a long meeting with the Administrative Office.”
Gulp.
I heard someone’s throat tighten.
Harry’s gaze turned toward the first name.
“Liam.”
Liam’s shoulders flinched.
Soon after, he clenched his fists tightly.
He seemed immersed in undeniable joy.
“Yes, yes!”
“Congratulations. You’re the first.”
Harry added the reason with a smile.
“You don’t need me to spell it out, do you? You just hit the game-winning hit against Victor Moretti.”
“Th-thank you!”
Liam bowed his head, his face flushed with emotion.
Harry’s gaze shifted to the side.
“Next is Mark.”
Mark’s eyes widened in surprise.
He hadn’t expected his name to be called.
“You’re in too.”
“…!”
“First in home runs on this team. Your power is undeniable. The fans want a spectacular home run, and you’re the batter who can deliver it. Show them what you’ve got.”
“Yes! I’ll make sure to prove myself out there!”
Mark’s voice trembled as he answered.
This was the moment his comeback was officially recognized.
And Harry’s gaze naturally drifted to the next person.
“Third. Casey.”
Casey finally exhaled the breath he’d been holding and regained his composed smile.
“Of course you’re included.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to explain in your case. Go out there and show them your overwhelming skill and star power.”
All the expected members had been called.
The atmosphere in the Locker Room began to ease with congratulations and relief.
It was customary for about three players to be selected from each team.
The players began murmuring, thinking everything was settled.
But Harry didn’t fold his paper.
His gaze remained fixed on one more spot.
“And… one last person.”
A mysterious smile played at the corners of Harry’s mouth.
“Oh Soo-ho.”
In an instant, the Locker Room fell silent as if doused with cold water.
Soo-ho’s eyebrows twitched.
“You’re going too.”
Harry paused for a moment before speaking with the most emphasis.
“If those three are the brilliant flowers, you are the roots that made them bloom. The gaps you created, the mental pressure you applied, the game you orchestrated—our team won on that stage. The Administrative Office hesitated, but I was certain.”
“….”
“The giant killer who brought down Victor Moretti. Prove on that grand stage that it was no accident.”
“Th-thank you.”
Soo-ho rose from his seat almost involuntarily and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.
Truth be told, even this gesture came from his subconscious.
He’d hoped to be selected, had fought for it, but never truly believed it would happen.
Yet it had.
That was why it came as such a shock.
I had now qualified to stand on the highest stage the Arizona Fall League had to offer.
After Harry left the Locker Room, it erupted into chaos once more, yet I remained seated.
I stared blankly at the door through which he’d departed, turning over his words in my mind.
‘The Administrative Office hesitated, but the Manager was certain….’
I was not one to let anything slip past me carelessly.
This meant that had the Manager not strongly advocated for me, I might not have made this roster at all.
But I had made it.
What did that signify?
‘I’m being trusted….’
So what must I do?
‘I cannot disappoint him.’
My gaze settled into a composed intensity.
The Fall Stars Game.
This stage was not a festival or spectacle for the fans like a typical All-Star Game.
It was a stage watched intently by scouts and general managers across the entire nation.
My value could skyrocket to unimaginable heights.
Or conversely, I could plummet, dismissed as mere hype—a merciless crucible of judgment.
So then.
‘I want to perform well there too.’
No. I had to perform well.
I wanted to earn greater recognition, to climb higher still.
‘To do that… I need to prepare.’
I moved instinctively.
There was no time to indulge in sentiment.
I had to do what I always did—what I did best.
I had to strategize and prepare to deliver strong results at the Fall Stars Game, to ascend to greater heights.
It was at that moment.
“Soo-ho. How about the party today? Today’s actually perfect for it!”
It was Mark.
He understood.
How hard I had worked to become a Fall Star.
So surely it was fine to take a breather on a day like today, wasn’t it?
But that wasn’t all.
“Instead of doing something grand, I think it’d be better if we just grabbed a meal together.”
Casey too nudged my arm with his elbow as he spoke.
He also seemed eager to celebrate this occasion.
‘Eating out, huh.’
That was an excellent idea.
When one achieved something.
If that was the goal I’d been yearning for, wasn’t it only right to claim some reward?
But in exchange.
“Should I bring one more person along?”
Mark and Casey exhaled in unison.
They couldn’t possibly not know that one person was Liam.
It wasn’t that they were disappointed.
It was just so typical of Soo-ho.
They envied that leadership of his—the way he looked after himself while never forgetting those around him.
Soo-ho approached Liam, who was visibly relieved.
“Liam.”
“Huh? Oh, Soo-ho. What is it?”
“Don’t you want to grab a steak?”
“Huh? What?”
Liam’s face went pale.
Was he asking him to buy again?
He awkwardly reached back to touch his back pocket where his wallet sat.
Honestly, when he’d bought steaks for Soo-ho’s group last time, he’d completely wiped out his living expenses.
As a result, he’d been surviving on energy bars scattered around the Locker Room for breakfast and dinner.
And for lunch, he’d been stuffing himself at the Team Cafeteria to get by.
And now steak again.
‘Should I decline? But he’s my benefactor—the one who made me the hero of the winning hit….’
Liam’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
Soo-ho, sharp-eyed as always, couldn’t possibly have missed that desperate situation.
Soo-ho chuckled softly and spoke.
“This one’s on me.”
Was it a problem to treat everyone on a day as good as this?
Money wasn’t what mattered.
I knew better than anyone that I’d been selected for the All-Star Game because I’d been with these guys.
And.
‘There’s something to gain from this.’
To perform well at the All-Star Game, I needed information.
And I was certain these three had exactly that information.
“Really? You’re buying for us?”
Mark, Casey, and Liam.
All three asked simultaneously.
Soo-ho nodded as if it were nothing.
“Yes. On the condition that we talk about baseball.”
Ah….
The three exchanged glances.
So this wasn’t just a casual celebration after all.
He’s speaking quite seriously about the All-Star Game.
By now, the three of them were beginning to understand what kind of person Soo-ho was.
Yet on the other hand, they were filled with anticipation.
What kind of magic would he conjure this time?
What prophecy would he fulfill?

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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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