Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 281

Mound Villain – Episode 281

Mound Villain Episode 281

The score was 15 to 0.

Following Ha-sung’s grand slam, additional points piled up, securing Korea’s complete victory.

-Is this score for real?

-Wow… This is the first time I’ve seen such a score in a Korea-Japan game.

-As expected, Jung Ha-sung is Jung Ha-sung.

-He’s not a Major League legend for nothing.

-We won’t have to worry about the national team while he’s active.

-I think we can relax and watch the Korea-Japan games for the next 10 years or so.

-A cycling home run [hitting a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game], seriously…

-How did that even happen, lol?

-I looked it up, and it only happened in the minor leagues.

-He’s doing it at the Olympics…

The fans were ecstatic about the record-breaking achievement that seemed like a dream.

But his record-breaking streak was not over yet.

[Top of the 9th, Jung Ha-sung is back on the mound.]

[If he strikes out all three batters here, Jung Ha-sung will achieve a perfect game.]

[This season, Jung Ha-sung achieved a perfect game in the Major League, marking a three-year consecutive record, didn’t he?]

[That’s right. If he achieves a perfect game at the Olympics, it will be a world first.]

Facing Japan, with a perfect game in sight.

Ha-sung, back on the mound, rubbed rosin on his hand and turned to look at the Japanese dugout.

There was Murakami, not even icing his arm.

Ha-sung made eye contact with him and gestured, drawing his hand across his neck [a throat-slitting gesture, indicating ‘you’re finished’].

[Ah~ Jung Ha-sung is provoking the Japanese bench!]

It was specifically aimed at Murakami, but viewers saw it as a provocation towards Japan.

Naturally, the umpire didn’t let it slide.

“Ha-sung! If you do that again, you’re ejected!!”

A strong warning was issued.

But Ha-sung nonchalantly raised both hands, gesturing that he wouldn’t do it again.

‘That bastard…!’

It was only natural that the Japanese team was furious at his provocation.

‘I’ll definitely pay you back…!’

The batter at the plate felt the same.

He was sharpening his sword of revenge, but the problem was that Ha-sung’s pitches were too sharp.

Pow-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung strikes out the first batter!!]

[Despite the sudden action, he is still striking out batters with powerful pitches!]

[Ah~ I was really surprised. I never expected such a provocation in an international game.]

[It seems Jung Ha-sung is under a lot of stress, but such actions should never happen.]

Even the commentators were criticizing Ha-sung’s behavior.

But Ha-sung on the mound, whether he knew it or not, leisurely prepared for his next pitch.

Wham-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

The second out count went up.

The Japanese batters tried to hit Ha-sung’s ball no matter what.

They aimed for a single with concise swings, but they only cut through the air every time.

With their swings, it was difficult to even touch Ha-sung’s ball.

‘I will get on base no matter what…’

The last batter stood at the plate.

His mind was not on getting a hit or scoring, but only on getting on base.

‘I can’t let this bastard get a perfect game!’

The reason was to prevent the perfect game.

‘I’ll stop it even if I have to bunt.’

Originally, it was an unwritten rule not to use tactics such as bunting when a perfect game was in progress.

Especially not when the score was so far apart.

That was the case even in international matches.

‘Screw the unwritten rules. I can’t be a sacrifice to the record of a guy who insulted us.’

Ha-sung’s provocation became the trigger that broke even those unwritten rules.

As the batter made up his mind, Ha-sung went into his windup as if he had been waiting.

And the moment he threw the ball with all his might.

[Jung Ha-sung throws!!]

[Ah~! The batter takes a bunt stance!]

He gripped the bat with both hands and took a bunt stance.

Ha-sung noticed it, but it was already too late to do anything.

He continued his normal pitch, and soon the ball left his hand and flew.

Whoosh-!!

The bat headed towards the fast-flying ball.

And for the first time in a while, the sound of a hit was heard.

Clack!!

But the batted ball did not fly in the desired direction.

The ball hit the top of the bat, and the high-flying ball flew straight to Ha-sung on the mound.

Ha-sung reached out his glove and easily caught the ball.

“Out!!”

[Caught it!! Jung Ha-sung handles the 27th out count himself!! The Korean national team defeats Japan!!]

* * *

The game was over.

Ha-sung, having achieved another historic record, became the target of reporters.

“Jung Ha-sung, you achieved the world’s first cycling home run. Can you say a few words about your impressions?”

“I didn’t think about it from the beginning. But the Japanese pitchers threw batting practice balls better than I thought, so I was able to succeed. I especially want to thank Murakami.”

The reporters stirred.

They never dreamed that such an answer would come out.

“Are you saying that the level of Japanese players is low?”

“I wouldn’t have succeeded in the Major League. It was possible because they were Japanese pitchers.”

It was a clear provocation.

“Can you also say something about achieving a perfect game?”

“Ah, I aimed for this from the beginning.”

“Yes?”

“They kept provoking me, so I was going to show them the difference in skill so they wouldn’t mess with me again. So I gave it my all.”

This answer also far exceeded the reporters’ expectations.

Then a Japanese reporter who was listening shouted.

“Are you ignoring Japanese baseball?!”

People’s attention was focused on him as he shouted.

Ha-sung also looked at him and opened his mouth.

“Are you a Japanese reporter?”

“That’s right!”

“Are the reporters in Japan also of a low standard?”

“What?!”

“If you look at today’s game, isn’t it worth ignoring?”

“That’s…!

The Japanese reporter, lost for words, closed his mouth.

That’s because Ha-sung’s performance today was the best.

“Murakami said before the game that he would make sure Korean baseball couldn’t catch up with Japanese baseball.”

Attention was focused on Ha-sung, who quoted Murakami’s words.

“I’ll give those words back to him. As long as I’m here, Japan will never beat Korea again.”

* * *

[Korean national team’s Jung Ha-sung says to Japanese reporter, “Japan will never be able to beat Korea again!”]

[Jung Ha-sung smashes the Japanese national team with a record-breaking performance! What is the next goal?]

[Jung Ha-sung unleashes villainous venom!]

Ha-sung’s remarks became a big topic.

Because he was such a popular player worldwide, various reactions poured out not only in Korea but also in other countries.

-He’s really outspoken.

-Still, aren’t you looking down on the Japanese national team too much?

└ Murakami provoked first.

└└ Considering the relationship between Korea and Japan, this is mild.

└└└ Neighboring country. What’s wrong?

└└└└ Study some history.

-Jung Ha-sung’s wide-area provocation was amazing.

-Judging from the records set this time, he seems to be the real final boss.

-I think Thanos in the baseball world is him.

└ I don’t know if Japan is the Avengers, lol.

└└ If they are the Avengers, Thanos would have collected all the Infinity Stones.

-Who’s going to stop Ha-sung now~

-What’s certain is that Korea will win this Olympics.

Thanks to Ha-sung’s provocation, foreigners who were not interested in Korea-Japan relations began to look for related information.

Thanks to this, the keyword Korea-Japan history exploded on Google.

One thing for sure was that Ha-sung’s influence was great.

No matter how strong a comment he threw, his popularity no longer declined.

People cheered and supported his outspoken comments.

The reason it was possible was because he showed the people what they wanted to see.

Overwhelming skill.

As long as he shows that, people will not stop supporting him.

* * *

The Korean national team, led by Ha-sung, was a terror to their opponents.

Pow-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

When he went to the mound, he threw 100-mile pitches.

Clack!!

[Hit it!! This batted ball goes over the fence!!]

When he stood at the plate, he often hit the ball over the fence with overwhelming power.

From the opponent’s point of view, he felt like an opponent that could not be won no matter what.

Occasionally, they would use intentional walk tactics, but the problem was that the level of the Korean national team was by no means low.

Whack!

“Ball! Base on ball!!”

[Walk! Jung Ha-sung gets his third walk of the game today!]

[The Canadian national team is choosing to avoid a showdown with Jung Ha-sung.]

[There’s nothing strange about making this choice. Jung Ha-sung is the final boss himself in this Olympics!]

[That’s right. But avoiding Jung Ha-sung doesn’t solve everything.]

Kim Min-ki stepped into the plate next.

[Kim Min-ki, the hottest player in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] this season, steps into the plate!]

[I hope Kim Min-ki hits one here.]

Kim Min-ki, standing at the plate, focused and watched the pitcher’s ball.

Whack!

“Strike!!”

[He just lets the first low ball go by!]

[Even if you hit this kind of ball, it is likely to be a ground ball to the infield. When there are runners, it can be a headache if you touch it unnecessarily.]

As Kim Min-ki just let the first ball go by, the pitcher started to feel pressured.

‘Damn it, he just let a well-controlled ball pass.’

He had no choice but to feel impatient because the ball he had thrown with all his heart had failed.

Especially since there were runners on base.

Such impatience shook his control.

“Hup!!”

[The 2nd ball is thrown!!]

The ball that left the pitcher’s hand was concentrated in the center.

And Kim Min-ki caught it without missing it.

Clack!!

[Hit it! To the left fence! To the fence!! Kim Min-ki hits a three-run home run!!]

[As expected, he is the 4th hitter of Joseon [an old name for Korea]!]

Kim Min-ki’s three-run home run sealed the victory against Canada.

* * *

[The Korean national team defeats the Canadian national team and advances to the finals first.]

[The baseball national team is writing the myth of the Beijing Olympics!]

Beijing Olympics.

It was the most decisive tournament that caused the baseball boom in Korea.

At that time, they won the Olympic gold medal with an undefeated record, gathering tremendous topicality.

Since they are creating the same results at the London Olympics following that tournament, the people can’t help but cheer.

-It’s all thanks to Ha-sung.

-Honestly, if it wasn’t for Jung Ha-sung, I don’t know what would have happened to the Korea-Japan game, lol.

-lol He’s a real national treasure.

-Who will come up to the finals?

-Wouldn’t the United States come up?

The United States was the most likely opponent in the Olympic finals.

The reason was simple.

[The US national team, made up of Major League representatives, defeats the Cuban national team and advances to the finals!]

At this London Olympics, Major League players were allowed to be drafted.

This decision gave the US national team the opportunity to select elite members.

And the US national team formed a team with the most powerful players ever.

And at the forefront was Clayton Kershaw, the hottest pitcher in Major League Baseball along with Ha-sung.

[US national team, Clayton Kershaw scheduled to start in the match against the Korean national team!]

[Ace vs. Ace showdown confirmed!]

The final opponent has been decided.