The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 81

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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 81
“This is… a Korean Steakhouse?”
Liam’s eyes widened as he gazed up at the sign.
The subtle aroma of charcoal smoke tickled the tip of his nose.
But the moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere felt distinctly different from the upscale restaurants I usually frequented.
My eyes couldn’t tear away from the metal griddle embedded in the center of the table and the long ventilation hood descending above it.
Soo-ho chuckled softly and led the way.
“It’s a Korean Steakhouse. Please, have a seat.”
Sizzle!
Moments later, brilliant crimson beef was placed atop the glowing charcoal.
It was premium short rib, its marbling spreading like snowflakes across the meat.
As the meat sizzled and the savory aroma of rendered fat wafted through the air, all three of our eyes widened.
But the shock came next.
Soo-ho picked up tongs and scissors, then began cutting the perfectly cooked meat into chunks.
“Oh, my God!”
Liam let out a cry.
His face went pale as if he’d witnessed a crime scene.
“You! You! What are you doing to that sacred meat? Scissors on that beautiful beef? That’s a crime! It’s sacrilege against the meat!”
For Americans, the virtue of steak lies in slicing thick meat with a knife to seal in the juices.
But to hack it apart with scissors?
For Liam, it was pure culture shock.
But Soo-ho calmly flipped the meat he’d cut with the scissors.
“In America, it’s about the taste of slicing. In Korea, it’s about the flavor bursting in your mouth with one bite. Just try it.”
Before Soo-ho could finish speaking, chopsticks attacked the griddle.
It was Mark.
“I’m grateful for this meal.”
He showed no hesitation.
Being someone who naturally enjoyed Korean cuisine, his chopstick technique was refined.
Moreover, he picked up a perfectly cooked piece of meat, dipped it precisely in the sauce, and brought it straight to his mouth.
Chew, chew.
Mark’s brow furrowed slightly.
A sign of satisfaction.
And that wasn’t the end of it.
He spread a lettuce leaf across his palm, then skillfully layered the meat, grilled garlic, and sauce on top, wrapping it all into a bundle that stretched his cheeks as he took a bite.
“….”
Liam stared blankly at the sight.
He wondered if that was something a human should be doing.
It couldn’t be helped.
The lettuce wrap culture. It was foreign to America.
Meat was eaten as meat, vegetables as vegetables—that was the norm.
But Mark was eating with such obvious relish.
Casey, seated beside me, showed no hesitation either.
‘Him too?’
Perhaps it was thanks to his previous experience eating Korean beef with me.
When Casey saw me place a dab of wasabi on the meat, he skillfully mimicked the gesture and popped it into his mouth.
“Mm. That cuts through the richness perfectly.”
With even Casey satisfied, Liam finally couldn’t resist any longer.
His eyes full of skepticism, he carefully picked up a piece of meat that had been cut with scissors.
‘Damn it. It better not taste good.’
The moment he chewed it.
Pop!
Liam’s eyes flew wide open.
If American steak was a heavy punch of savory juices, this was a firework bursting inside the mouth.
The savory fat, infused deeply with charcoal smoke, wrapped around and caressed his tongue.
But most of all, the texture was different.
When eating with a knife, you had to chew for a long time.
This Korean beef, however, melted away like snow after just a few bites.
“What, what is this?”
“Delicious, isn’t it?”
“Delicious doesn’t even begin to cover it! This is… wow, this is absolutely insane.”
From that moment on, it was a battlefield.
Liam abandoned all pretense and essentially used his chopsticks like a fork, stabbing at the meat.
Whenever it felt too rich, spicy kimchi arrived; whenever his throat felt parched, miso stew went down—there was no chance to tire of it.
If American barbecue had been a tedious solo performance to him until now, this Korean spread was like a magnificent orchestra.
When unfamiliar food turned out to be delicious, the emotional rush always came flooding in like a tidal wave.
After the storm passed and the meat on the grill had vanished, all three of them patted their bellies and stretched back in their chairs.
“Haa… you killed it. Soo-ho, I’m seriously impressed. Share that list of delicious Korean food with me.”
Liam patted his belly with a satisfied expression.
I smiled broadly and refilled the water glasses.
Now that our bellies were full, it was time to get down to business.
“I’m glad it suited your palates. Now it’s time to earn your meal, wouldn’t you say?”
My tone became serious.
All three of them tensed—they knew this was coming.
I didn’t waste time on small talk and dove straight into the main topic.
“First, I’d like to know more details about the All-Star Game. I’ve heard it’s different from the Major League All-Star Game. That everyone takes it seriously. But I’m not quite sure what the benefits are if you perform well there.”
With full bellies and the taste of excellent meat still lingering, they were in good spirits.
Liam leaned back in his chair with a rather generous expression.
“It’s simple. The Major League All-Star Game is a festival for the fans, right? Home run derbies, casual All-Star games, laughing and joking around.”
“Right.”
“But the All-Star Game is different. That’s not a festival—it’s a battlefield. The stands are packed with scouts and team management rather than fans.”
Liam’s eyes grew serious.
He tapped the table rhythmically as he continued.
“Just being selected for this is already a passing grade. It’s a gathering of monsters who devour the league. I’ve never seen a player whose name made that list fail to advance to at least the next tier—and if luck’s on your side, you might even get an invitation to Major League Spring Training.”
This much I had anticipated.
After all, I had been working toward this goal from the beginning.
And even if I didn’t perform well in that game, there would be no penalty.
That’s how baseball works.
‘Performance fluctuates based on the day’s condition.’
The American baseball officials weren’t fools.
They would be sufficiently understanding about it.
But my curiosity wasn’t about that.
‘On the other hand, if I perform well here instead….’
What would happen if I could actually deliver results?
On that day, everyone would feel the pressure.
That’s when everyone becomes an unfamiliar pitcher and batter.
They might not be able to keep pace with the game’s tempo.
But what happens if I endure all of that and still produce results?
Casey opened his mouth as if he understood my intention.
“Let me just narrow down your options. If you win the Joe Black Award there.”
The Joe Black Award.
The MVP of the All-Star Game.
“You could secure a spot on the 40-Man Roster.”
My eyes widened at the word “secure.”
And that was exactly the answer I had been seeking.
This is the United States.
I’m not American, but even from my brief experience here, I understood it well enough.
If your ability is certain, they treat you according to your merit—age, nationality, and background don’t matter.
So I was confident there would be appropriate compensation.
‘A confirmed 40-Man Roster spot is enough.’
No more worrying about being a foreigner.
No more fretting over being older than other prospects.
So.
I let out a small smile.
“Sorry, but I’ll have to compete this time.”
I used the word “compete.”
Because the MVP was a position given to only one person.
And my goal was exactly that MVP.
It might be unfair to my friends.
But my goal had become to become a Major Leaguer, and to achieve that goal, I had to make the 40-Man Roster.
At my sudden bombshell announcement, Liam’s jaw dropped.
I hadn’t known Soo-ho for long, but I understood he wasn’t the type to throw down such a challenge lightly.
And on the other hand.
‘Damn. I’ve become rivals with the most dangerous player.’
That was it.
We’d be playing on the same team at the All-Star Game.
But despite wearing the same uniform, we were ultimately enemies competing for the MVP award.
Because Liam was also aiming for the MVP.
He’d already received an invitation to Spring Training.
But if he won MVP here, he could reach for the Major League.
He could finally solve the hospital bills for his mother that he’d yearned for so desperately.
So he had to face off against Soo-ho.
It couldn’t have been more complicated.
Especially since I now knew Soo-ho’s abilities all too well.
‘It won’t be easy at all.’
What kind of performance would that prophet show this time?
I couldn’t even get a read on it.
And Mark, sitting beside him, let out a heavy sigh.
‘Damn. You too, Soo-ho.’
Mark was also aiming for the MVP.
He knew that even if he won MVP in Low-A, he couldn’t become a Major Leaguer immediately.
But the 40-Man Roster.
He could confidently rank in the upper tier of promising prospects within the Dodgers.
It was as if the Major League was right within reach.
And if he became a Major Leaguer.
He could solve all his family problems.
But….
‘Of all people, Soo-ho is my rival.’
He’d become the opponent I least wanted to face.
Could I really win MVP without Soo-ho’s help?
Even if I was in peak condition that day.
Even if I flew high and soared, could I surpass Soo-ho?
That magician?
‘Sigh. I don’t know….’
But.
Still, I had to give it my all.
Mark’s eyes grew resolute.
And finally.
Casey was biting his lower lip as if suppressing a smile.
‘Look at this.’
Soo-ho was his only rival.
That supposedly remarkable prospect for the Major League, Victor, was also beneath Casey’s notice.
He was certainly a good pitcher, but Casey held the unwavering conviction that he could ultimately surpass him.
However….
‘Soo-ho is different.’
The Soo-ho that Casey had observed operated on an entirely different plane.
Though he might still be incomplete as a baseball player in certain aspects like hitting and various other dimensions.
‘He possesses the ability to change the game.’
In other words, he wielded clutch ability—a talent that only superstars could possess.
However, Soo-ho’s clutch ability differed in nature from his own.
His own ability was something one could typically predict.
When the team struggled, he would deliver one hit and shift the momentum.
‘But Soo-ho is different.’
He possessed a freshness that no one else had.
Even without relying on hitting, he carried the talent to overwhelm his opponents.
To become enemies with such a player.
Casey finally released his lower lip, which he had been chewing relentlessly.
Then, as if he could no longer contain himself, the corners of his mouth curved upward in a smooth arc.
It was unmistakable joy.
‘I can only claim the throne of the 40-Man Roster by defeating Soo-ho.’
Where could there be a stage more thrilling and perfect than this?
For the first time in a long while, his blood felt as though it were boiling.
Separate from friendship, of course.
Above the Dining Table, where palpable tension hung in the air.
Soo-ho drained his water glass and murmured inwardly.
‘This won’t be easy at all.’
The roster of competitors vying for the MVP was far too dazzling.
Liam—I had only just met him here, so I didn’t know him well.
But his ability as a hitter was genuine.
‘And Mark and Casey….’
No explanation was necessary.
Having traveled together from Low-A to here, I had felt it keenly.
Those two were the real deal.
In terms of pure baseball talent alone, I might be several steps below them.
They were the best baseball players I had ever encountered.
But.
My gaze settled with unwavering resolve.
‘I should consider myself fortunate.’
To pass through the narrow gate of the Major League, ultimately someone had to fall behind.
There were no exceptions, even if they were friends.
Someday, I would have to surpass both Mark and Casey.
‘If I can’t avoid it, now is the perfect time.’
An MVP earned by competing against mediocre players paled in comparison.
A crown seized by surpassing those monsters would shine far brighter and hold infinitely greater worth.
‘So I’ll give it everything I have.’
Just as I always had.
In my own way.
And so the All-Star Game would be.
A fierce competition of noble rivalry that would test the very limits of our souls.

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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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