It had been three days since Riku joined Karasuno's volleyball club. Three days of exhausting drills, sore shoulders, and stumbling footwork. And yet, something in him had awakened.
The gym had become more than just a room. It was a canvas—and each player a brushstroke moving across it.
To most beginners, volleyball was chaos. Balls flying, players shouting, bodies colliding.
To Riku, it was beginning to look like patterns.
[Skill Unlocked – "Analyze" (Active)]
Temporarily boost court awareness and opponent read ability.
Duration: 10 seconds | Cooldown: 2 minutes
"Alright, practice match!" Daichi called out on Friday afternoon.
They had split into two teams. Riku was placed with Sugawara, Tanaka, and a couple of second-years against Daichi's team, which included Asahi and Nishinoya, who had just returned from a brief break.
As the teams took position, Sugawara patted Riku on the back.
"You'll be playing opposite hitter today. Stay in the back row and rotate forward when needed. Focus on receiving and positioning. Don't worry about spiking yet."
"Got it," Riku said.
Analyze—Activate.
His vision sharpened. Subtle shifts in feet, eye movements, body tension—they all painted a map. When Asahi adjusted his shoulders just slightly to the left, Riku knew where the spike would land.
When Nishinoya crouched just a little deeper than normal, Riku could tell it would be a rolling receive.
Even in practice, Karasuno's tempo was unpredictable. Daichi's team pushed hard, testing everyone.
But Riku was holding up—better than expected.
[Quest Update – First Practice Match]
Receives: 5 | Digs: 2 | Misreads: 3
Stat Gain: Agility +0.2 | Volleyball IQ +0.4
By the end of the second set, Riku was panting, sweat dripping down his temple, but his eyes were glowing with focused energy.
He started calling out rotations before they were announced.
"Tanaka, cross over! Back-left's open!"
"Sugawara-senpai, your angle's being read. Try a dump shot!"
Even Daichi was surprised. "He's got good court sense for a first-year."
But not everyone was thrilled.
"Stop shouting plays every second," Tanaka snapped at one point. "You're not the coach."
Riku paused, confused. "I was just trying to help."
"You're making us feel like puppets," Tanaka growled. "We're not code to debug, genius."
It stung more than Riku expected.
Later that evening, the team sat outside the gym, stretching and drinking water. The sun had dipped low, staining the sky orange and pink.
Sugawara sat beside Riku, who was silently scrolling through his system log.
"You see a lot more than most of us do," the vice-captain said. "But sometimes… less is more, y'know?"
Riku looked up.
"You mean I'm overthinking?"
"No. I think you're playing like a lone strategist in a team game."
Riku frowned. "In my old life, I always solved things alone. Nobody kept up. I learned not to depend on anyone."
"Well," Sugawara said with a gentle grin, "this team might surprise you."
Later That Night
Riku sat at his desk, replaying memories of the match like a movie in his head.
The system interface shimmered.
[System Advisory – Mental Path Divergence Available]
New Passive Unlocked: "Game Sense Lv.1"
You can now anticipate simple plays based on opponent motion.
Optional Trait: "Tactician's Instinct"
+10% read speed on formations and serve reception patterns
Team Bonding Penalty: -5% effectiveness if used alone
Even the system is telling me: play WITH them, not above them.
He accepted the trait—but made a promise to himself.
I'll learn to be more than a strategist. I'll learn to be a teammate.
Saturday – Early Morning Gym
Despite being optional, Riku showed up at 6:00 AM for extra reps.
The gym was dark, only a few lights buzzing overhead.
And she was there.
Kiyoko Shimizu.
She was unwrapping new volleyballs from their packaging, placing them into the cart, checking air pressure with precise motions. Her work was methodical, quiet. Alone.
Riku approached, carefully.
"Morning."
She looked up, blinking once. "Morning."
"…You're here early."
"So are you."
A pause.
"I thought I'd come practice," Riku said, scratching the back of his head. "I need all the help I can get."
She gave him a soft glance. "You've improved quickly."
Did she just compliment me?
Quest Progress: Impress Kiyoko – 2/3 Tasks Complete
"I have… a long way to go," he admitted. "But this team—it's different. I'm starting to see that now."
She didn't smile, but her gaze lingered a bit longer than usual.
"You'll be fine," she said, placing the last ball in the cart. "Just remember… volleyball isn't won by one person."
Then she walked out of the gym, clipboard in hand, ponytail swaying.
Riku exhaled.
She's like a phantom—quiet but sharp. Stronger than she looks.
No wonder the side quest is called 'Iron Maiden.'
Evening Practice – Match Simulation Drill
Riku applied his lessons immediately.
He stopped barking commands.
He moved with his teammates, not around them. Instead of calling out plays, he made suggestions during breaks. He picked up on Tanaka's rhythm, complimented Suga's sets, asked Asahi how he preferred his toss angles.
They responded.
Slowly.
But they did.
And when Riku received a wicked serve from Daichi and returned it smoothly—
Whap.
Sugawara grinned and set him up perfectly.
Riku jumped—form clean, wrist aligned—
CRACK.
The ball flew across the court, hitting the ground just inside the line.
A clean point.
The gym erupted.
"YES!" Tanaka howled. "He finally nailed one!"
Kiyoko's head lifted from her clipboard.
Riku grinned, panting.
[Quest Complete – "Land a Successful Spike"]
Side Quest Progress: 3/3 Tasks Completed
Kiyoko Affection: +5
New Title Unlocked: "Evolving Rookie"
Later, as practice ended, Daichi pulled him aside.
"You've got potential, Riku. You think faster than most of us. Just remember—you're part of a flock now."
"I know," Riku said, bowing slightly. "And I'm learning to fly."