Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 5

Mound Villain – Episode 5 (5/285)

Mound Villain 5

As winter receded, the reorganization at Taeil High School concluded.

A new coach was appointed, and the players resumed their intensive training regimen.

However, upon arriving at school, Haseong noticed the players weren’t training.

‘A week-long break.’

During this transition from winter to spring, the players were granted a week-long vacation.

‘It’s a consideration, more like, giving the players ample rest to prepare for the spring tournament.’

In reality, only the starting players could fully relax during this period.

Their professional debut was practically guaranteed.

Barring a significant incident, their debut wouldn’t be jeopardized.

That’s why they could afford to rest comfortably.

“But the guys whose debut is uncertain are desperate, so they’re out here training every day.”

Haseong’s gaze shifted to the field.

He spotted a player running, sweating despite the lingering cold.

‘He’s been coming out to run every day without a break.’

A classmate in his third year.

His name was Han Jeongsu.

He alternated between playing infield and catcher.

As a right-handed batter and thrower, his stats were average.

Being average in high school baseball meant a slim chance of going pro.

‘Even S-class players often become C-class players when they turn pro. That’s why pro teams aim to recruit at least A-class or higher prospects.’

It’s a harsh reality.

And Han Jeongsu was a B-class player.

‘Well, that’s not the main point.’

Haseong walked towards Han Jeongsu, who was running.

Jeongsu noticed Haseong approaching and gradually slowed down.

“It’s not even warm yet, and you’re running?”

“I do it every day.”

His voice, as solid as his physique, was impressive.

“Weren’t you recovering from an injury?”

“It’s over today.”

“Congratulations.”

There was no insincerity or sarcasm in his words.

It was a genuine sentiment.

He could tell from his own experiences.

He knew this guy hadn’t been betrayed by anyone yet.

Otherwise, that kind of voice couldn’t exist.

“Thanks. And since I’m grateful, I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Catch some balls for me.”

“Are you going to throw right away? It hasn’t been long since your rehab ended. Why don’t you rest a little?”

“There’s something I want to test. Is it possible?”

“It’s not a problem.”

Han Jeongsu readily agreed.

He was also feeling stiff from training alone.

He was simply happy to have someone to play catch with.

“I’ll warm up quickly and come.”

“Let’s do it together. I cool down fast if I rest.”

“Suit yourself.”

Haseong nodded and began to warm up lightly.

Han Jeongsu warmed up beside Haseong.

It was a simple routine, starting with stretching and progressing to running.

“Huff… Huff…!”

But something felt off.

He was breathing faster than usual, and his heart was pounding.

‘Why… why is this happening? The routine isn’t that different from mine?’

Han Jeongsu carefully observed Haseong’s routine.

And he soon understood why.

‘There’s almost no rest.’

There were no breaks during stretching.

The running involved alternating between slow and fast sprints, but the fast sprints lasted longer.

In other words, he wasn’t allowing his body any recovery time.

‘I feel like I’m going to die like this…’

Haseong was handling it with ease.

No, not with ease.

“Hoo! Hoo!”

His breathing became labored, and he was sweating profusely.

He was struggling so much that his lungs felt like they were vibrating.

Nevertheless, he persevered.

‘I can’t give up!’

Han Jeongsu also gritted his teeth and followed Haseong.

Haseong was slightly surprised by that.

‘Judging from his usual habits, he doesn’t seem to do interval training. He’s managing to keep up.’

Interval training.

This training method, also known as Taereung Training (named after the national training center in South Korea), was designed to enhance athletes’ physical fitness for the Olympics.

This method, which maximizes stress on the cardiorespiratory system to boost endurance, allows for almost no rest.

That’s why newcomers often end up vomiting.

‘I can see he’s struggling, but he’s keeping pace.’

It wasn’t solely due to his physical abilities.

‘I should attribute it to his mental fortitude.’

How far would he go?

Haseong grew curious and increased his speed.

“Eek!!”

Han Jeongsu gritted his teeth and kept up with Haseong.

* * *

I might have pushed it too far.

“Are you alright?”

“Hee… Hee…!”

Han Jeongsu, sprawled on the ground, was gasping for air.

“Tsk, at this rate, throwing is out of the question.”

He kept up better than I anticipated.

That’s why I got serious.

As evidence, Haseong was also drenched in sweat.

Haseong retrieved a towel and a t-shirt from his sports bag, wiped his sweat, and changed.

“Wipe off your sweat and rest. You’ll catch a cold.”

Haseong tossed a fresh towel to him.

“It seems like it’s too much for today. Let’s meet again tomorrow.”

Would he even show up tomorrow?

If he doesn’t, I’ll just do it alone.

With that thought, Haseong packed his belongings.

* * *

The next day.

A smile spread across Haseong’s face as he arrived at school.

“Hoo! Hoo!”

Han Jeongsu was running around the field.

He was repeating the interval training, just like yesterday.

“Not bad?”

He liked it.

Haseong warmed up lightly with stretching and soon began to synchronize his breathing with him.

Thirty minutes later.

The two finished warming up.

The unfortunate event of Park Jeongsu collapsing like yesterday didn’t occur.

“Hoo…”

“You’re holding up well today.”

“It’s just that I wasn’t prepared yesterday.”

It was because he adjusted and did it for him.

But Park Jeongsu didn’t admit it.

It wasn’t a bad thing.

You could see it as a form of competitive spirit.

If that turns into arrogance, it will become toxic, but if it remains a competitive spirit, it will benefit him.

‘Well, I guess he’ll manage it himself.’

I don’t have the luxury of helping others.

I also have my own path to pursue.

“Now that we’re warmed up, let’s start with 10m lightly.”

Jeongsu nodded.

Tossing begins at a short distance and gradually increases.

At the same time, it loosens the muscles of the shoulders and the entire body.

‘It’s been a while.’

It’s been half a year since I last wore a glove.

Including my past life, it’s been decades.

It felt new.

Then Jeongsu’s voice broke through his thoughts.

“What are you doing? I’m throwing!”

“Okay.”

Jeongsu, already prepared, threw the ball.

He lightly caught the ball, which flew in a slight arc.

Thwack!

The ball landed accurately in the pocket of the glove.

It had been a while, but my body remembered.

A smile naturally appeared at the sting in the palm of my hand that I felt through the glove.

‘Yeah, that’s what it felt like.’

I placed my hand in the glove and gripped the ball.

Without thinking, my index and middle fingers crossed four seams and gripped the ball.

It was the most basic grip, the four-seam fastball.

It was the first grip pitchers learn, as it allows them to throw the ball the fastest.

‘As expected, my body remembers.’

There was no need to consciously think about it.

My body simply remembered.

I lightly threw the ball.

Whoosh-!!

Jeongsu hurriedly raised his mitt to catch the ball flying in a straight line.

Pow!!

“Ugh!”

A sharp pain shot through his palm, even through the mitt.

Jeongsu groaned at the pain that even affected his wrist.

“Hey! That’s too strong!”

Jeongsu complained, but Haseong smiled.

“I threw it softly.”

“Liar!”

Jeongsu didn’t believe him.

This level of ball is a soft throw?

But he realized it was true as the distance increased.

Thwack!

“Keuk!”

Pow!

“Ugh!”

Pow Pow Pow!!

“Argh!”

Even as the distance increased, Haseong’s ball didn’t lose power.

Instead, the speed gradually increased.

Above all, his ball was becoming more and more linear, maintaining the same trajectory.

‘What… what is it? It’s already 40m. Does this trajectory even make sense?’

Jeongsu was genuinely shocked.

Creating this trajectory at 40m without a running start is rare even among professionals.

But Haseong was doing it effortlessly.

‘And this speed… Can I even catch it?’

The sensation when it hit his hand was completely different from when he was close.

‘As he said, throwing from close range wasn’t his full power.’

It was incredible.

What would happen if this guy threw from the mound?

I was curious.

And the moment to satisfy that curiosity was approaching.

Thwack!

Haseong, after catching the ball from Jeongsu, said.

“I’m warmed up enough, so I want to throw from the mound. Please catch the ball.”

At those words, Jeongsu nodded as if the moment had arrived.

“Okay.”

* * *

The first time I wore a catcher’s mask.

Jeongsu found it very uncomfortable.

Because it obstructed his vision.

However, he always wore protective gear for safety.

But after a while, once he got used to receiving the ball, he stopped wearing it during practice.

‘Not today.’

But today was different.

Jeongsu wore full gear and sat in the catcher’s box.

‘I might not be able to catch it if he throws with all his might.’

I sensed it during the long toss.

That his ball would be extraordinary.

“Are you ready?”

“Okay! Throw it anytime!”

Jeongsu answered and held out his mitt.

The target is right in the middle.

It just needs to pass over home plate.

Haseong, seeing that, applied rosin to his hand.

He stepped onto the pitcher’s plate and said quietly.

“Concentrate. You’ll get hurt if you’re careless.”

Jeongsu nodded, knowing it wasn’t a bluff.

He focused and looked at Haseong.

“Hoo…”

Haseong took a deep breath.

I was also curious.

‘What was my ball like back then?’

It’s been too long.

I remember it was fast.

I think the highest speed was in the early 150km/h [approximately 93 mph].

‘Can I really throw that fast now?’

Haseong’s goal was to reach the early 150km/h range.

He had gained weight and increased his muscle mass.

It was natural that his speed should increase compared to his previous life.

The problem was Haseong’s current physical condition.

‘I rested for too long.’

After retiring in his previous life, he hadn’t held a ball for a long time.

This was a ball thrown in that state.

I wondered if it would even reach 150km/h.

‘There’s no need to worry.’

Haseong’s eyes changed.

Worry vanished, replaced by firm determination.

‘The answer will reveal itself when I throw it.’

Haseong, having cleared his mind, kicked his leg.

Whack-!

He twisted his pelvis and upper body with the kick.

It was an extreme windup, so much so that Jeongsu could see Haseong’s back number.

The twisted upper body rotated with the stride.

Quajik!

The moment the baseball shoe hit the mound.

The rotation of his upper body accelerated.

Whoosh!!

Haseong, rotating his upper body in an instant, brought his arm forward.

‘A little more…!’

Haseong, bringing the release point to its limit, put all his power into the ball.

“Haat!”

The ball left his hand with a shout.

Swaaaaaaack-!!

The ball, flying through the cold air, cut through space.

Jeongsu couldn’t react to the speed that exceeded his expectations.

He could only hold out his mitt.

Pow Pow Pow-!!

There was no need to move.

The ball was sucked into the mitt as if drawn by a magnet.

“Ugh!!”

Jeongsu groaned at the pain in his hand.

‘What… what’s so fast?’

Jeongsu felt surprise before pain.

It was a speed that far surpassed his expectations.

I had never seen such a fast ball before.

Haseong was also surprised by the result that exceeded his expectations.

‘Is it this much?’

I knew I had talent.

But I never imagined it would be this significant.

‘Major League Baseball…’

It was a place that initially felt distant.

But I felt it after throwing the ball.

‘It’s possible.’

The stage of dreams.

To stand on the mound of Major League Baseball.