Kazuki Hayama was still a first-year.
That fact didn't change no matter how heavy his legs felt at the end of practice or how often he was the last one to leave the gym. It didn't matter that his body had begun to move more smoothly, or that his eyes picked up patterns he would've missed weeks ago. In the hierarchy of high school volleyball, first-years were supposed to learn quietly, make mistakes, and wait their turn.
Kazuki did none of those things quietly.
The first week passed in a blur of repetition. Early mornings in the empty gym. Afternoons filled with drills that left his arms burning and his calves trembling. He didn't train harder than everyone else, he trained longer, focusing on the same movements until his body stopped resisting and started adapting. His spikes didn't become stronger overnight, but they became more consistent. His sets didn't turn perfect, but they stopped wobbling. He began to understand where he needed to stand before the ball even crossed the net.
So this is what progress feels like, Kazuki thought one morning as he adjusted his footwork mid-approach without consciously planning it. Not flashy. Just… correct.
The Complete Volleyball System updated only when something measurable changed.
[PLAYER STATUS – KAZUKI HAYAMA]
Year: 1st Year
School: Minamiyama High
Position Preference: Wing Spiker / All-Rounder
Overall Player Level: Lv.1 → Lv.2
Stamina: 42 → 47
Jump Height: 49 → 51
Power (Spiking): 46 → 50
Technique: 40 → 44
Speed: 43 → 45
Setting: 22 → 28
Receive: 31 → 36
Serve: 28 → 32
Mental Fortitude: 55 → 57
Game Sense: 47 → 52
Active Skills:
• Spiking Fundamentals (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
• Overhand Setting Basics (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
• Jump Timing Sense (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
____________________________________
By the second week, Minamiyama High began scrimmaging against nearby schools. Kazuki felt the difference immediately. External opponents didn't adjust for his age or year. They served harder, blocked higher, and exploited hesitation mercilessly. At first, he struggled. His receives popped too high. His timing lagged behind faster sets but he didn't panic, he observed.
During one rally, a bad pass forced the setter to retreat. Without calling for it, Kazuki stepped in, lifted the ball cleanly, and transitioned into attack. The play wasn't spectacular but it worked. Later, when an opposing blocker sealed the line, Kazuki altered his wrist angle instinctively, brushing the ball off the block instead of forcing power.
That was when his teammates began to notice.
"He's… thinking" one second-year muttered during a water break. "That's not normal for a first-year."
Kazuki pretended not to hear. He was too focused on the court, on how the angles shifted depending on the setter's posture, on how defenders leaned before committing. Every mistake sharpened him instead of dulling him.
The tournament arrived at the end of the month.
A regional preliminary. Crowded, loud, and unforgiving.
Minamiyama wasn't favored. They weren't even mentioned in pre-tournament notes. As a first-year, Kazuki wasn't expected to contribute much beyond filling rotations. That expectation collapsed during the second match.
A broken play. A rushed toss. No one called for the ball.
Kazuki jumped anyway.
His swing wasn't powerful enough to overwhelm the block but it was precise. The ball slipped past the fingertips and landed cleanly. Later in the same set, he received three consecutive serves, transitioned immediately, and took the second touch when the setter was late. The middle scored off his set without hesitation.
The crowd reacted, not loudly, but attentively.
Between matches, Kazuki noticed a man near the back of the gym. Neutral clothes. Calm posture. He didn't cheer or speak. He watched quietly, eyes following Kazuki's movements rather than the scoreboard.
When Kazuki looked back, the man was writing something down.
The system responded.
[External Observation Detected]
Status: Logged
Impact: None
Recommendation: Continue Natural Development
__________________________________
By the final match, Kazuki's body was exhausted but stable. He made fewer errors than before. His choices became sharper. He wasn't dominating the court, but he was present in every rally.
Minamiyama didn't win the tournament but when the month ended, something had shifted.
Coaches spoke his name more often.
Teammates trusted him without question.
And somewhere, a report was being filed.
That night, Kazuki lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The All-Japan Youth Training Camp surfaced in his memories faces he recognized, names that would soon become national. Kageyama Tobio. Miya Atsumu. Players who would attend early in their high school careers.
Second year, Kazuki thought. That's when the door opens.
The system remained silent but Kazuki knew, this first month had placed him on the map.
[PLAYER STATUS – END OF MONTH]
Overall Player Level: Lv.3