Ace of Ace - Chapter 3

 

“Mr . Gun Choi, Are you okay?”

 

Gun nodded to the doctor’s question .

 

“I don’t feel any pain at all . Thank you very much, Doctor”

 

The doctor let out a smile of relief .

 

“I think your determination to overcome this injury allowed such a quick recovery to occur”

 

However, Gun knew that it wasn’t the doctor, nor his determination that allowed this .

 

– trainee angel mission program –

 

Veness had implanted an Angel Mission Program which had a quick body recovery system incorporated into Gun’s body, and Gun knew that it was this program that led to his miraculous recovery .

 

After the doctor had gone, Gun called out his stats on the program .

 

– displaying user’s general stats –

 

Health: C

 

Strength: C

 

Agility: C

 

Responsiveness: B

 

Trust: C

 

Luck: B

 

Mental Strength: A+

 

Gun was relieved to see every category of his stats higher or equal to a C .

 

‘I don’t know what my ordinary stats are meant to be, but I’d assume this is very close to full recovery’

 

In reality, he had no sore or aching parts anymore .

 

‘Transform’

 

At the command he whispered in his mind, the system’s stats list immediately disappeared . His vision was clear again .

 

Gun shifted his attention to a table that was placed next to his bed . On it, there were fresh flowers and presents that were given by his fans .

 

After the day he saved the baby on the pram, numerous news reports had been made .

 

“A Minor League baseball superstar unconscious after saving a baby”

 

“Gun Choi, sets an examples of a baseball player”

 

“Gun Choi, one of most anticipated Minor League superstars, unconscious after saving a baby, recovery yet to be made”

 

“Honourable player, Honourable citizen Gun Choi, Company “L” declares full coverage for his medical fees!”

 

Gun wondered if all these were gifts sent from the angel . He didn’t have to worry about his medical fees, and had received a significant amount of donations from all around the nation for his honourable deed .

 

‘I guess the only thing left to do is succeed as a baseball player’

 

A few days later, Gun walked out of the hospital with his mother .

 

It was his first time entering the society since the accident .

 

Despite sending no commands, a message popped up before his eyes .

 

The message contained the information that from now on, all his injuries will be recovered 22% faster than before .

 

Gun headed home with a big smile .

 

After de-hospitalisation, Gun was contacted by numerous places .

 

Professional baseball managers, journalists from various places, a number of community service organisations and finally governmental bodies .

 

He was starting to feel overwhelmed at the attention he was receiving for his single deed .

 

‘hm, let’s not worry too much, it must be a gift from the angel’

 

Gun contacted all the national baseball teams that had contacted him after his return .

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey, this is Mun Cheol Kim from AT telecom, how are you today?”

 

“Hey, I’m fine thanks . ”

 

Mun asked in a bright tone .

 

“Player Gun Choi, have you decided yet?”

 

“Yes, I want to play with the AT Telecom players”

 

AT Telecom’s contract offer was a rehabilitation program with the organisation’s B team .

 

This was a win-win situation on both parts .

 

AT Telecom would acquire a player that was nationally popular with a honourable citizen image, and Gun had found a place which he could comfortably begin his rehab .

 

“Tomorrow we will send one of our guys to pick you up”

 

“Could we start today?”

 

“Today? Yeah, there is nothing wrong with that . We will send a person within the next 2 hours”

 

“Thank you”

 

After he hung up the phone, Gun prepared his gear for training .

 

Suddenly, a message popped up before his eyes .

 

Beep .

 

– starting rehabilitation . Utilise Acceleration? –

 

The trainee angel’s mission program didn’t merely stop at Gun’s recovery . The program inside Gun’s body had progressed in an entirely different direction as that of which was anticipated by Angel Veness .

 

Gun hesitated at the word ‘acceleration .

 

‘Does that mean I need to exchange pain and time like last time?’

 

He let down a dry gulp .

 

The pain he had endured on his nursing bed was none like he had experienced before .

 

‘Do I have to endure that kind of pain even during the rehabilitation trainings? This pain is too overwhelming to be classified as a ‘gift from angel’’

 

Gun had anticipated something more grand, luxurious and warm when he first heard of a gift from an angel .

 

‘Is this what the angels endure to train themselves? To be success?’

 

After a long sigh, he asked the system .

 

‘How long can I reduce the time?’

 

– calculating time required for full rehab –

 

time required for full rehab: 2,751 hours

 

time reduced from acceleration: 1,288 hours

 

Gun was slightly frustrated at everything displayed in hours .

 

‘Can’t you show that in days?’

 

days required for full rehab: 114 days

 

days reduced from acceleration: 53 days

 

With the acceleration, he could potentially save close to 2 months .

 

‘Sigh… yeah, let’s do this . Pain is temporary’

 

Gun recalled a quote that was written on a table at his previous training facility .

 

‘If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it’

 

Gun decided to try his best to enjoy the pain .

 

‘Start the accelerated rehab’

 

System responded quickly .

 

– initiating acceleration –

 

Rehabilitation Day 8

 

Gun’s body was improving at an incredible speed .

 

However, his face was not so bright .

 

Training Acceleration .

 

It wasn’t as simple as enduring pain like last time .

 

As soon as he started the acceleration, his body became instantly heavier, as if the force of gravity applied to his body had multiplied .

 

He could not grow accustomed to this sensation even after a week .

 

‘No pain, No gain’

 

‘I mean, yeah I can accept the whole enduring part and the pain part . But wouldn’t this much pressure on the body incur another injury?’

 

As if the system was conversing with his thoughts, it responded .

 

– it is impossible to attain any injuries during training acceleration –

 

Gun had previously gained injuries due to excess training . The system’s assurance of his freedom from injuries during rehab delighted him .

 

‘Okay, so I can train as hard as I want and I still won’t get any injuries right? Then I’ll be able to lift up a gear in my training . This, I like . ’

 

He began his training routine . Even the most basic stretching and warm-up lifting routines had left him in exhaustion .

 

*pants*

 

Gun was breathing heavily after his pre-training warm up routine .

 

‘Damn it, I will overcome all this and enter the Major League . And I will show that bastard Thompson who kicked me out that his decision was wrong . That’s all I need to think about right now’

 

As Gun was resting after his warm up, the ATcom’s agency trainer approached him .

 

“Mr . Gun, let’s work on your form”

 

“Sure thing”, Gun replied rigidly, as if he was nervous .

 

‘Why am I all frozen up?’

 

The trainer began the training, completely unaware of what Gun and his body was going through due to the accelerated rehab program .

 

“Mr . Gun, please follow my lead”

 

Gun carefully observed the trainer’s form and tried his best to copy it . As Gun embraced the form, the trainer supported Gun’s legs with his hands .

 

“Very good”

 

“How long do you want me to hold this position?”

 

“Just for a few more seconds”

 

Gun stood up from the position after he was signalled to stop by the trainer . And he repeated this process over and over .

 

A repeated process of perfecting his pitching form was enough exercise for him to experience tremendous physical fatigue .

 

‘If this acceleration program doesn’t have a clear impact on my rehab, I don’t care whether angel or demon, I will destroy them’