——
Host: Akashi Asuka
Strength: 73 [Core Strength: 71 | Arm Strength: 75]
Speed: 69 [Explosive Speed: 68 | Reaction Speed: 70]
Stamina: 71 [Endurance: 70 | Cardiopulmonary Fitness: 72]
Vertical: 67 [Jump Height: 72 | Hang Time: 62]
Basic Skills: 55.6 [Serve: 50 | Bump: 54 | Set: 48 | Spike: 70 | Block: 66 | Defense: 46]
Advanced Skills: [None]
——
A sudden chime echoed in Asuka's mind, an alert from the system. But to his own surprise, he remained completely calm, barely fazed by the intrusion.
After all, he had already been through reincarnation. What's a system on top of that?
"Alright, System, why don't you introduce yourself?"
He asked politely in his mind.
No response.
Clearly, this system wasn't exactly intelligent.
Beep!
Just then, the referee's whistle snapped Asuka's attention back to the court.
A second-year substitute on the Blue Team served the ball to the backcourt. It wasn't fast. Junior high students' bodies were still developing, but they rarely hit powerful serves. In most cases, the receiving side held the advantage.
Oda Miki, the starting opposite hitter with soft, flowing hair, received the ball easily. Seeing this, Asuka quickly stepped back two paces, then sprinted forward and leapt into the air…
From the stats on the system's panel, it was clear: Asuka's strength, stamina, vertical, and spiking ability were already excellent compared to others in his age group.
Especially his arm strength, which was near the top even among Junior Highers.
According to the system, a score of 60 represented the global average for players of the same age. With just a glance, Asuka could tell, this body wasn't naturally gifted for volleyball.
In the original Asuka's memories, he hadn't been the most diligent in training, but he rarely skipped practice either.
Yet after two years, his athleticism had improved, but his volleyball skills; serve, bump, set, spike, block, and defense, had advanced at a snail's pace. As for more advanced techniques? He hadn't even scratched the surface.
At present, only his spike and block skills were above average. The rest didn't even meet the baseline.
And Asuka knew that. If not for the current Asuka taking over, the original would've likely quit volleyball once he entered high school.
Ryuhei Sanashita, the starting setter, had already partnered with Asuka many times. The moment he saw Asuka take flight, he instinctively tossed the ball right above him.
There was no fancy technique.
Truthfully, Asuka didn't have the skills for a technically advanced spike. All he could do was aim for the gap between the two middle blockers, and swing with everything he had.
Boom!
A thunderous crack rang out.
The ball punched through four arms like a missile, tracing a sharp line of light before crashing violently onto the floor.
Silence.
A heartbeat later—
"Yikes~~"
From the sidelines, Nishimori Tomohiko shivered, arms wrapped around himself, and swallowed hard. "Scary… Was it just me, or did Asuka-senpai's spike feel way more powerful than usual?"
Asuka's spiking had always been one of the few things that made their no-name school volleyball team stand out.
So even though he managed to blow past a double block, the team wasn't all that shocked.
But this spike… was different.
Not only was it stronger than any of his previous hits, but more than that, it carried a menacing presence. The two blockers who had faced him head-on probably felt it the most.
How should they describe it?
When that spike came at them, it didn't feel like he was trying to score…
It felt like he was trying to smash the ball right into their heads.
The sheer aggression in the air made them instinctively want to pull back and shield their faces.
If Asuka could read minds or facial expressions, he would've told them: they weren't wrong.
Because in that split second, Asuka had unconsciously used his basketball dunking technique from his previous life.
All aerial power techniques share a key principle:
The use of the core, specifically, the abdominal and waist muscles.
Ground power comes from the legs.
Airborne power? From the core.
The original Asuka had always struggled with this. His spikes relied mostly on arm strength.
But Akashi, his current self, had extensive experience. And that's why he was able to unleash a spike far stronger than anything this body had ever produced.
"Oh?"
Up in the spectator seats, the average-looking middle-aged coach's eyes lit up. He clearly saw the secret behind Asuka's spike.
Now the question was…
Had Asuka truly mastered this technique, or was it just a fluke?
Asuka's sudden explosion on offense certainly shook the Blue Team.
But it didn't change the overall flow of the match.
Everything comes with a trade-off. As Asuka tapped into his basketball background to enhance his spikes...
At the same time…
His lack of volleyball fundamentals dragged down the rest of his game: receive, bump, set, defense… all bottom-tier.
When Asuka rotated to the front row?
He was "King of the Court."
But the moment he rotated to the back row?
He became "Sorry for existing."
…
Twenty minutes later.
Game over.
Thanks to Asuka's breakout offensive performance, the Red Team barely edged out a win, 25–23, in this intense practice match.
"That's it for today. Everyone heads to the track and runs five laps to finish with some endurance work. Then you're dismissed."
"Yes, sir!"
The volleyball club members quickly lined up and jogged out of the gym.
As everyone left, the coach remained behind, staring at Asuka's retreating figure, deep in thought.
If that first spike had made him wonder whether it was coincidence, the rest of the match convinced him, Asuka had definitely learned a more advanced spiking technique.
If that was the case, then their training plan might need a few revisions.
…
Running around the track, Asuka's mind was still immersed in the system panel. He was trying to figure out exactly how to use this thing.
No one understood better than Asuka the importance of talent in competitive sports.
It was a wall. A chasm.
Hard work and training could take a person to 99.
But that final step? That last, invisible barrier?
It cruelly shut out the untalented.
Team sports always preached teamwork and unity. But in truth, when the game was on the line, it was always one person who stepped up and took control.
And those people?
They all had one thing in common: Exceptional talent.
Without a cheat like this system, even as a reincarnator, Asuka knew he'd never beat monsters like Tobio Kageyama or Shōyō Hinata…
Yes.
That's right.
He finally remembered where he had reincarnated.
This was the world of the anime he used to watch—Haikyuu!!
"Hey! Asuka! Practice is over! Are you seriously still running?" Oomae Masato called out, seeing Asuka keep going even after five laps.
But Asuka didn't hear a word.
"We're heading out, then!"
Still no response.
So Oomae and the others just left the track.
Asuka, completely absorbed in the system, hadn't noticed. He was trying to understand the conditions for using this so-called "Grind System."
And just as the last of his teammates disappeared—
Ding...
A clear chime rang through his mind.