"Wake up, wake up…How can you fall asleep while standing? The coach is calling you!"
He was shoved forward from behind. Startled by the slightly angry-looking middle-aged man in front of him, his mind cleared in an instant. Memories surfaced—this was Aoba Johsai's training camp, and apparently, he was a substitute.
Worse, he had been caught dozing off on the sidelines!
"Taichi, after the match, I want you to dive around the court five times as punishment. Right now, go sub in for Matsukawa. Use your speed to assist with receiving. Whatever you do, don't let them score off their serve!"
The moment the name Taichi reached his ears, his body moved instinctively. Listening to the coach's instructions, he suddenly became aware of a shocking truth—he had transmigrated into the world of Haikyuu!!.
But…aside from a basic understanding of volleyball from some university gym classes, Amakawa Taichi, knew next to nothing about the sport. As he wandered dazedly onto the court, a sense of helplessness washed over him.
How was he supposed to compete with the monsters from Haikyuu?
At that moment, a sharp voice, akin to the chime of a bell, echoed in his mind.
[DING! The Sigma Grind System is activating. Please wait…]
[Welcome, host! The Sigma Grind System is now operational. Adapting to Japanese High School Volleyball League standards…]
Huh? Even though Taichi was a ten-year veteran of webnovels and well-versed in the "transmigration plus cheat system" trope, experiencing it firsthand left him in a state of disbelief.
[Ding! Data calibration complete. Here's an explanation of the High School Volleyball stats system:
The average stat is set at 60. High school team players cap at 100.
Below 50 represents amateurs.
Players with scores between 60-69 are standard team members.
Players with scores between 70-79 are intermediate players.
Players with scores between 80-89 are advanced players.
Players with scores between 90-99 are elite players.
Host's current total stat: 65.]
"Wait, does that mean no one has a perfect 100?"
[A score of 100 represents a player's peak performance in exceptional moments]
As he digested the explanation, a translucent stats panel materialized before him:
[Host: Taichi Amakawa]
Height/Weight: 183 cm/72 kg
Total Stat:65
Strength:75
Jump:60
Stamina:60
Speed:90
Key Attributes:Serve:40, Receive:40, Set:40, Spike:40, Block:40.
"..." Great, so aside from physical stats, I'm basically useless. What am I even doing here? If I embarrass myself, get benched, and never see the court again…Ugh, what a tragic fate! Don't you agree, Mr. System?
[…]
[Acknowledged]
[A one-time beginner's package is now available for the host]
Taichi couldn't shake the feeling that the system emphasized the words "one-time" a little too strongly.
Beginner's Package:
Player Experience Cards:One Intermediate, One Advanced, One Elite (Each card temporarily grants the host corresponding-level abilities for 5 minutes).
Beginner's Training Mode: Until all technique stats reach 60, stamina regeneration during training will be significantly enhanced, preventing exhaustion.
Stamina Potions x10:Restores stamina to 50% upon use.
Staring at the spinning Beginner's Package, Taichi's heart raced. This was his moment to shine! But which card should he use? Intermediate felt too ordinary, while Elite seemed too precious to waste right now. Then…
"Mr. System, use the Advanced Player Experience Card."
[Acknowledged]
Taichi eagerly watched as a golden card appeared and began spinning rapidly in midair.
"Please give me something good! Please give me something good! Please..." Though he knew it was pointless, his gacha instincts kicked in.
As the card slowed, it finally stopped with a soft ding. The image revealed a red-haired boy with a playful smirk.
[Tendō Satori!]
Was it sheer coincidence that they shared the same first letter 'T' in their names? Looking at the card, Taichi noticed Tendō's overall stat: 88.
Just shy of elite status—solid!
Most importantly, his blocking stat glowed gold: 92. Taichi's fingers itched with anticipation; he couldn't wait to try it out.
"Taichi, you've got guts, falling asleep on the bench. Were you dreaming of something fun?" Oikawa Tōru turned with a teasing grin as soon as Amakawa Taichi stepped onto the court.
Taichi silently retorted in his mind, Yeah, I dreamt of Iwaizumi-senpai beating you up. Outwardly, he put on an innocent, apologetic expression.
"Ignore him. Focus on the match," came Iwaizumi Hajime's calm and steady voice. It was hard to believe he wasn't the captain.
"Yes!" Taichi straightened up and took his position.
Aoba Johsai's opponent today was a team of college students from Miyagi University. To expose the first-years to their limitations, the training adopted a 6v6 format, pitting Aoba Johsai against the older, more experienced university players.
For Aoba Johsai, the core lineup consisted of third-years Oikawa, Iwaizumi, and Hanamaki, while the younger players rotated in every five points. The coaching staff used this setup to evaluate potential lineups for the season.
The current score was [Miyagi University 15 - 9 Aoba Johsai]
Miyagi's ace, Maeda Atsushi, had already racked up two consecutive service aces. On his third serve, Aoba Johsai managed a shaky reception, resulting in a chance ball for the opposition. The university team wasted no time.
Boom!
Their ace delivered a crushing spike, leaving no room for defence.
Three points down, and with Maeda still serving, the pressure was palpable. Even standing on the court, Taichi could feel the weight of the situation.
The whistle blew. The referee signalled for the serve.
Maeda stood five meters behind the baseline, bouncing the ball rhythmically. After adjusting his timing, he crouched slightly, tossed the ball high, and leapt forward. As his hand struck the ball, it shot across the court like a missile.
Boom!—
So fast! Taichi couldn't even react. The sheer intensity of watching Maeda serve up close was overwhelming.
"I've got it!" Aoba Johsai's libero, Watari Shinji, dashed into position. Drawing from the previous serves, he managed to predict the trajectory and barely receive it. But the ball ricocheted back to Miyagi's court, creating a perfect opportunity for them.
"Chance ball!" The university team capitalized on the moment. Their setter delivered a quick set to Maeda, who approached the net with unshakable confidence. It doesn't matter if you receive my serve. If you can't counter, this point is still mine.
But Taichi, driven by an inexplicable force, had already moved to the net. Fixating on Maeda's movements, his mind instinctively calculated the spiking angle. The moment Maeda jumped, Taichi followed suit.
Boom!—
—Smack!
Bounce, bounce, bounce…
The sound of the ball hitting the court—on Miyagi's side caused everyone to widen their eyes in disbelief.
Coach Irihata shot to his feet. A block point?! This was completely unexpected. Was it pure instinct?
Could this first-year be a blocking prodigy?
_____