The Genius Pitcher Dad Throws for His Daughter - Chapter 68

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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 68
#68.
The Busan Dolphins were preparing for their matchup against the Seoul Buffaloes.
The bus ride from the hotel to the stadium was silent.
Normally, there would be some chatter and bustle, or at least teammates exchanging a word or two to check on each other’s condition, cracking jokes to lighten the mood—but today was different.
Today felt different.
“….”
Kang Ho-jin sat in the front seat, eyes closed, arms crossed, utterly still.
Ordinarily, he’d be the first to greet his seniors and encourage the newer players who’d just joined, but now he sat alone in complete focus—and everyone on the bus immediately sensed it the moment they boarded.
Knowing he was the starting pitcher today and was channeling his concentration, they all maintained the silence together to preserve that intensity.
Up to that point, everyone could understand.
The problem was Kang Ho-jin’s aura during warm-ups at Jamsil Baseball Stadium before the game began.
“Damn… why’s it so intense?”
“How many batters is he trying to kill with that kind of focus?”
“It’s definitely a completely different vibe than usual.”
“He’s like a blade. You’d get cut just brushing past him.”
His presence had grown even sharper than on the bus.
The piercing chill that evoked a Siberian gale made even the Clutch Team members, who normally analyzed the opposing team with ease, hesitant to approach him.
The Pitching Coach had even tried to approach for a final check, only to flee—then returned with the Senior Coach, only to retreat again.
Even Manager Bong Jun-sik, the final boss himself, simply nodded and left it at that.
Three pitchers who’d joined on the expanded roster stared at him in a daze, overwhelmed by his immense concentration and radiating intensity.
“Damn… that’s so cool….”
“Is that what a pitcher chasing Rookie of the Year truly looks like?”
“You really do have to go that hard to establish yourself like Senior Ho-jin did.”
Their eyes sparkled.
There had been players who frequently moved between the 1st Team and 2nd Team, but no one in recent years had established themselves so decisively in one go. The 2nd Team Manager and coaches had been so amazed that even players still in the 2nd Team held him in high regard.
Especially considering his debut was extraordinary.
In an intense battle where both teams burned through exceptional pitchers, he’d taken the mound in the worst situation and etched a powerful impact with three strikeouts, then immediately claimed the closer role.
“That was insane back then.”
“The dormitory was in complete chaos.”
“I still get chills thinking about it.”
These three had watched that game too.
Despite the late hour, the dormitory had erupted—everyone was watching, and no one had stopped the younger players’ excited cheers.
The next day, training began with praise from the 2nd Team Manager and Pitching Coach, so they couldn’t possibly forget.
After that, he’d achieved six consecutive saves, then suddenly appeared as an emergency starter during the team’s losing streak and earned the win, and from the second half onward, he’d truly established himself, becoming the Kang Ho-jin of today.
For these three who’d just arrived in the 1st Team, Kang Ho-jin was an incredible senior.
“If I focus that hard too, could I make it?”
“Come on, we’re not….”
“That’s right. We can’t even do what we’re told right now, so I don’t think we can pull that off.”
Their brief spark of motivation had already faded.
The Three Hitters had allowed runs just days ago, so I moved to seize the second opportunity coming soon.
* * *
I first came up to Seoul and spent time with my Daughter.
I told her about everything that had happened and reported to her, and I also shared stories that brought back memories with her mother.
As a bonus, I invested the points I’d earned from winning the last game to help my Daughter recover.
[Kang Ye-jin]
– Stamina : 5
– Special Notes : Afflicted with a rare disease and in a state of unconsciousness.
– Possibility of Consciousness Recovery : 5%
The word “terminal” had vanished.
As the word that had saddened my heart most disappeared, tears came pouring down.
I wept quietly like that for a long while, and only after I finally composed myself did the dark night arrive.
Leaving the Hospital Room, I headed straight to the Hotel Gym.
I was delighted that my Daughter’s condition had improved so much, and realizing I needed to grow stronger to not lose this, I honed myself with sharp discipline.
‘But nobody’s coming?’
The Coach, who would normally be holding strategy meetings, wasn’t there, nor were Senior Pitcher Kang Do-bin who would catch for me, or the pitching staff seniors who would come by saying they’d studied hard yesterday.
While it was good for maintaining concentration without anyone around, it was a bit strange that nobody came at all.
‘Well, if there’s a problem, they’ll tell me.’
I refocused like that, and after looking at my Daughter’s photo one last time, I left the Locker Room.
“Play ball!”
The game had started.
The top of the first inning was our turn to bat.
Two days of rest certainly tasted sweet.
From the start, Senior Pitcher Choi Ji-ho got a hit and even stole a base on the first pitch.
The senior quickly reached scoring position, and the other seniors didn’t miss the no-out opportunity.
Crack!
The ball stretched into the Outfield.
As the batted ball extended all the way to the Warning Track near the Right Field Wall, Senior Pitcher Choi Ji-ho advanced to Third Base via a tag-up.
Next at bat came the foreign mercenary Batter Rodrick, who executed textbook baseball.
Crack!
This time too, the ball extending to the Warning Track was caught just in front of the Left Field Wall, and Senior Pitcher Choi Ji-ho easily scored at Home.
With a hit, a stolen base, and two fly balls, we cleanly scored one run.
After securing the first run cleanly, excited cheers erupted from the Dugout, and the senior whose clothes had gotten dirty from the stolen base returned with a bright smile, receiving everyone’s welcome confidently.
With one run on my back, I carefully stood from my seat.
“Myung-su.”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Catch some for me.”
“You got it!”
Normally Senior Pitcher Kang Do-bin would catch, but since he was in the On-deck Circle now, I had no choice but to find someone else. Senior Bang Ho-gun was in the Bullpen catching for other seniors, so instead I called over the youngest Catcher to catch for me.
Looking thoroughly nervous with all his gear fully on, I didn’t hesitate and threw the first pitch.
Thwack!
“Ugh…”
A groan escaped me the moment I caught the first pitch.
Come to think of it, this was the first time Hyun Myung-su had caught one of my pitches.
I’d considered throwing it easy, but knowing this would be valuable experience for him, I threw without hesitation.
“G-great pitch, Senior!”
“Good.”
At Myung-su’s words, I threw one final curveball.
“Oof!”
Watching my junior scramble after dropping the ball and chasing it as it rolled backward, I was transported to the past—to when I first met Do-bin.
It would be tough for him now, but with continued practice, he’d grow accustomed to it.
That’s exactly how Do-bin had grown, and now he confidently held his starting position.
Since I’d heard he was being groomed as the next starter, it seemed I’d need to call Byung-ho for practice pitches for the time being.
It wasn’t just for the team’s sake.
To earn points, having Kang Do-bin, my starting catcher, shoulder the responsibility from the season’s beginning to end was ideal, but life is unpredictable.
Bang Ho-gun was a capable catcher too, but considering he wasn’t much older than Kang Do-bin, it was right to develop Hyun Myung-su starting now.
“Myung-su.”
“Yes, Senior.”
“From now on, all practice pitches will be with you. So give it your best.”
“Yes? Yes! Thank you so much!”
Meanwhile, our team’s offense had ended.
We extracted one run through high-level baseball, causing the opposing pitcher to falter momentarily and throw consecutive balls, but I induced a grounder in front of the pitcher against the sixth batter, finishing the inning with just one run allowed.
The pitcher who’d thrown 18 pitches since the first inning stepped aside with a troubled expression, and I took his place on the mound.
‘Investing 1 point into velocity.’
After confirming the point deduction, I watched the batter stepping into the box.
I had no sense of whether they’d focus on breaking balls like other teams I’d faced, stick to their own style, or come out aggressively.
So I made my choice.
Four-seam fastball, dead center.
With my velocity up, I shoved the ball right down the middle.
Thwack!
“Strike!”
A batter who didn’t flinch at all.
Rather, the way his body jerked—whether he’d stopped himself from swinging or was determined to let the first one go—I couldn’t tell.
That’s fine.
If I don’t know, I’ll just keep throwing until I do.
This time, I chose a four-seam fastball tight to the body.
As a left-handed batter, he already felt the ball coming toward him, and with it riding tight inside, he flinched noticeably.
With the count now in my favor, I simply drove the ball into the strike zone.
“Swing! Batter out!”
Seeing he’d only watched two pitches, I started against the next batter with a four-seam fastball down the middle.
Crack!
Remarkably, the batter swung his bat like lightning as if he’d been waiting for this moment, and the ball shot off the bat in a straight line.
The First Base Cheering Section stirred in surprise, but the Left Field caught it easily at a comfortable position.
“Out!”
With the Third Base umpire’s call, the ball returned to me from the Outfield.
That’s when I understood.
The Seoul Buffaloes batters’ strategy today was to attack me each in their own style. If that was the case, then I knew our nerd Deok-hwan’s data would be sufficient.
After that, I didn’t need to press the pitch communication device.
It seemed Kang Do-bin also sensed the same thing, as he didn’t hesitate and began aggressively attacking the opposing batters.
“Strike! Batter out!”
I struck out the third batter with three straight pitches and came down from the Mound.
Walking toward the Dugout entrance with a calm expression, my seniors and juniors shouted.
“Nice pitching!”
“Senior, you’re the best!”
“Killing the ball, Ho-jin!”
“Good, good! Let’s keep it up like this!”
Thanks to the good start, I didn’t need to maintain the intense concentration required before the game began, so I could afford a little breathing room.
“Do-bin, the ball combination feels good right now. Let’s keep going with it.”
“Huh? Yeah, let’s do that.”
My senior nodded at my words and loosened his catcher’s gear halfway before sitting down a step away.
As I waited comfortably for my turn to pitch, a towel and a drink suddenly appeared in front of me.
“Feeling a bit better?”
“Geez, it’s good that you’re focused, but loosen up your expression. We’re scared to approach you.”
“I had something to ask, but I’m only getting to ask now.”
Before I knew it, my Clutch Team seniors came over and each threw in a word.
The Dugout, which had been quiet until the game started, finally seemed to come alive a little.
Then Choi Sung-hyuk asked me.
“What did you eat so well in Seoul that your velocity keeps increasing?”
At those words, I simply smiled faintly.
Now 152 kilometers per hour.
I still have a long way to go.

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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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