Family

To match the time when Grandpa comes home, I decided to cook Miso Soup (soup made with tofu and seaweed).

I am not a great cook, but this dish was something we both loved. That's why I decided to cook the miso soup.

Having lived with Grandpa for this long, I'm already used to grocery shopping, and doing household chores like laundry and cleaning is something I can do with my eyes closed.

For someone like me, cooking something like Miso Soup is a piece of cake.

As I cooked, I reflected on the things I gained today.

Skills: <Ace Mentality (M)>.

Health recovery potion.

And the player card I drew from the gold card pack.

The health recovery potion isn't something you actually consume, but when used, it helps you recover to a decent health state, like resting for a day or two, excluding injuries.

It's basically like a potion in games, I suppose.

Rather than being disappointed with the potion from the silver card pack, I immediately opened the gold pack.

Wow, wow!

A shiny, beautifully edged purple border.

It was my first card, but I could feel the aura of something great.

Did they say purple means epic?

Although it might not be the best card you can draw from a gold pack, the moment I saw the name on the player card, I was momentarily stunned.

Then, after seeing the card's effects, I almost hit my head on the ceiling.

I shouted with joy so loud that it felt like the house was about to fly away.

"Hahahaha! This is great!!"

[Hideo Nomo (Epic)

Card equipped: Velocity +1, Control +2

Stabilization period: 180 days

After stabilization, the skill "Tenacity" becomes available. Increases curve movement. Control +1.]

It's none other than Hideo Nomo.

A legend of Japan, who excelled in MLB too.

Along with Coach Nanji Kantarou, he lit up the 1980s, and he was my Grandpa's favourite player.

There was an old movie I watched with Grandpa on DVD once. It was a movie about the rivalry between Coach Nanji Kantarou and Hideo Nomo, called Perfect Game.

Since it was quite an old movie, I looked up Choi Dong-won on my phone while watching.

He joined the pro league in 1995.

By the time he retired in 2008, he had appeared in 323 games, pitched 1,976.1 innings, achieved 123 wins, 109 losses, 0 saves, struck out 1,918 batters, and left an ERA of 4.24.Grandpa said many baseball fans loved Choi Dong-won, and I think that was inevitable.

There's no innings eater like him.

But his true innings-eater prowess was showcased when he pitched a staggering 40 innings during the 1998 Japanese Series.

Winning 4 games out of 7 in the Japanese Series, he led the Fighters to victory.

Is it real? Winning 4 games by himself?

He had so many stories and was truly a legendary player.

It was a bit surprising that Hideo Nomo's card was only of epic grade, but since he was a player who shined 20 years ago and considering that the player cards might not be limited to NPB, I began to wonder how amazing the higher-grade cards might be.

The stabilization period refers to the bonus you get after equipping the card for a certain amount of time.

Curious, I asked the manager (I've gotten used to calling him that), and she said that the count starts after first equipping the card, and even if I unequip it, the stabilization period will still apply.

I checked out the skill: <Tenacity >, which increases the pitch limit by 15% and mental fortitude by 5%.

Haha, only a skill for Hideo Nomo would have a name like that...

The impressive thing about this skill is that my pitch limit is around 100 pitches (as agreed with my coach), but I could throw about 15 more pitches without issue.

As I'm still growing and my shoulders are becoming stronger and more flexible, the 15% increase in pitch count could make me an innings eater on a whole other level.

I was told that I could equip the player card in my status window, and as soon as I equipped it, I saw its effects immediately.

I haven't opened the "Platinum Box," which I received as a regression reward yet.

I can't wait for tomorrow.

When Grandpa returned from his hike, he looked just like I remembered, or perhaps even more vibrant than before.

I ran all the way to the big gate outside and opened the door for him.

"Have you eaten?"

Such a Grandpa-like question.

It contained so much warmth within it.

Whenever Grandpa came home from work and we met, he always asked me that.

It was his way of checking in on me.

"I already had lunch, and I cooked Miso Soup for dinner. Let me take your bag."

Out of excitement, I grabbed the backpack he was carrying and slung it over my right shoulder.

Then, in a slightly exaggerated manner, I gestured like a waiter at a fancy restaurant, guiding him towards the entrance.

"This way, sir."

"This is my house, you rascal."

"Just for today, please be our guest."

"Haha— Is there something good going on? Why are you acting out of character?"

Still, he seemed pleased with my antics, laughing as he headed toward the entrance.

Indeed, something good is happening.

I feel like I've been born again. No, I was born again!

But I didn't say it out loud.

While cooking, I didn't notice it, but now that I've come back inside, the rich aroma of Miso Soup filled the living room.

"I'll get everything ready, so go wash up."