The mood of autumn baseball had never burned hotter.

Ilhyeon, grinding its teeth after last year's failure, showed a fierce determination to win the championship no matter what, and the fans' shared conviction that this really was the year came together to raise the temperature even further.

Gathered around player Seung-hyeok Yang, the mood of the Ilhyeon Baseball Club looked almost like an army heading into battle.

"I think Saturday's Game 1 of the Korean Series might be the single most important game of my baseball life. I'm going to do everything I can to win that first game, by whatever means it takes, so that Ilhyeon can finally take the championship."

Seung-hyeok Yang finished the interview without a single smile, his expression grim and resolute.

It was a completely different Ilhyeon Baseball Club from the one seen the previous year — back then, players had joked and laughed with each other before the Series began, as if they were simply going to pick up a championship that had already been set aside for them.

And that same mood carried straight through into the stadium.

Waaaah~

Il-hyeon!

Il-hyeon!

Il-hyeon!

Watching the game from the VIP box, Director Jeong-seop Yun turned to Seong-ho Kim with a pleased expression.

"The momentum's clearly shifted our way — I think we'll take Game 1 without much trouble."

"We can't relax yet. A five-run lead can be caught up at any time."

Byeong-jin Jo, sitting nearby with a tense expression, warned against letting their guard down.

Jeong-seop Yun clapped him on the back at that.

"I know that much myself. But think back to last year. This is clearly a different mood than when we lost so meaninglessly last year. Even with a five-run lead right now, can't you feel that the players' focus is different this year?"

"It has to be different. There was a promise made about what happens if we win this year, after all this support — it can't be the same as last year."

"Right. Which is exactly why we're going to win this year."

Jeong-seop Yun's chest was already…