Hinata stood on the court, his hands clenched into fists and his eyes burning with excitement.
It had been a week of grueling training, but he had loved every second of it.
The early morning routine had become second nature—waking up at 5 AM, completing his daily mission, and heading to coaching after dropping off Natsu.
After seven days of consistent training, the system rewarded him with steady growth.
[Daily Mission Completed: +0.01 Stat Points]
[Total Bonus: +0.07 Stat Points Earned Over the Week]
Although he couldn't allocate them yet, he could feel his progress.
His movements were becoming sharper, his footwork quicker, and his receiving more fluid.
Even though he couldn't use the stat points until they reached 1 full point, he was content with the gradual improvement.
"It'll add up soon enough."
Coach Naruto stood in front of him, arms crossed, a gruff but satisfied expression on his face.
"You've been training hard this week, huh?" he asked, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Hinata nodded eagerly, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the boy's light, quick movements.
'His footwork's getting sharper. He's learning fast.'
The coach's voice snapped Hinata out of his thoughts.
"Alright, you're joining the matches today."
Hinata's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait, already?!"
Naruto grinned mischievously.
"What, you scared?"
"No way! Bring it on!" Hinata puffed out his chest, his grin wide.
Naruto chuckled lightly and motioned toward a group of kids on the far court.
"You'll be playing with the juniors today. They're fresh—just joined the center. You'll fit right in."
Hinata nodded excitedly and hurried over, his heart pounding.
The junior court was slightly smaller than the regular one, but it still had all the essentials.
The net was lower, and the players were around his age, though slightly taller.
As he approached, several kids turned to look at him, their expressions curious but friendly.
One of them—a scrappy-looking boy with short brown hair—waved at him.
"Hey! You the new guy?"
Hinata grinned and nodded.
"Yeah! Hinata Shoyo!"
The group quickly gathered around, introducing themselves.
"I'm Kenta—setter."
"Ryo—opposite hitter."
"Kenji—middle blocker."
Hinata greeted them all enthusiastically, his nervousness fading with their friendly banter.
Then, Kenta turned to him with a curious smile.
"What position do you play?"
Hinata's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Ace!" he declared with fierce confidence, his voice unwavering.
The group blinked in surprise, then exchanged amused glances.
A few kids snickered lightly, clearly doubtful.
Kenji, the middle blocker, grinned playfully.
"Whoa, big talk for a little guy."
Hinata didn't back down, his determination burning bright.
The teams lined up on the court, and Hinata's group was on receive.
The opposing team's server, a lanky boy with short black hair, tossed the ball into the air.
It was a simple underhand serve, nothing fancy.
The ball soared toward Hinata's side, and without hesitation, his body moved instinctively.
He shifted into position, knees bent, arms out.
"You've got this."
With a smooth, clean motion, he received the ball perfectly, sending it straight to the setter.
The pass was accurate, and the ball floated into the perfect setting zone.
The setter quickly set the ball, creating a beautiful arc.
Hinata's eyes locked onto the ball, his muscles coiling in anticipation.
"It's flying high… perfect for a spike!"
His legs tensed, and he launched himself into the air.
And boy, did he soar.
The court seemed smaller, the ceiling closer—he flew higher than anyone expected.
Even Hinata himself was shocked by how high he jumped.
"I'm… flying?!"
The opposing team's eyes widened as they saw the tiny boy float into the air like he had wings.
But there was one problem—his spiking technique was still awkward.
As he swung his arm, his timing was off.
He misjudged the ball's position, and instead of making contact with the ball…
THWACK!
The ball bonked him right on the forehead.
Hinata crashed onto the court, arms flailing.
For a moment, there was stunned silence.
Then… the entire court erupted with laughter.
"Pfft—Did you see that?!"
"Haha! He spiked with his face!"
The players on both teams doubled over, clutching their sides.
Even some of the parents watching nearby chuckled at the sight.
While everyone else was howling with laughter, Naruto remained still, his eyes locked onto Hinata.
He hadn't missed the awkward fail, but more importantly—he hadn't missed the jump.
The height Hinata had reached was… insane.
The kid had no spiking technique, but that jump alone was something special.
His eyes narrowed slightly, lips curling into a smirk.
"He's raw… but damn… he's got something special."
Hinata pushed himself up, rubbing his forehead with a sheepish grin.
"Ow… haha… I meant to do that!" he joked, earning another round of laughter.
Despite the embarrassment, his eyes were still filled with determination.
"I'll get it next time. Just watch!"
Naruto's eyes glinted with intrigue, already making mental notes for his future training.