Morning practice at Minamiyama High carried an unfamiliar tension.
Shoes squeaked sharply against the floor. Balls struck palms with heavier sounds. Players warmed up in near silence, each one subconsciously aware of the court and the people moving on it.
Kazuki stepped inside the boundary lines, fingers already taped, eyes scanning the spacing between players.
'Everyone's alert'
Coach Aoyama stood near the scorer's table, clipboard tucked under his arm. His gaze moved slowly across the court, pausing briefly on Kazuki before shifting away.
"Warm-up's short today," Coach Aoyama said. "Scrimmage focus. Sloppy play gets called out."
No one complained.
Ren Takahashi clapped once. "Same rotations as yesterday."
The whistle sounded.
The first rally unfolded cleanly until the receive drifted wide. Ren sprinted, barely reaching the ball, forcing an awkward set.
Kazuki adjusted mid-approach.
The spike landed just inside the line.
Coach Aoyama marked something down without comment.
The second rally broke harder. Keigo Fujimura took a low receive, forcing the ball off-center. Ren moved, then hesitated as a blocker crossed his vision.
Kazuki was already there.
Hands rose.
'Broken play.'
The set floated clean and high.
Keigo reacted instantly, hammering the ball through the seam.
The gym fell quiet.
Ren stared. "You covered that fast."
Kazuki stepped back. "You were screened."
Coach Aoyama finally spoke. "Ren, notice your footwork. Kazuki read it before you did."
Ren swallowed and nodded.
Play resumed.
Movement around Kazuki subtly shifted. Hajime Kanzaki edged forward on defense. Shou Arai altered his approach angle without realizing it. Keigo closed blocks earlier, trusting coverage behind him.
Coach Aoyama's eyes narrowed slightly.
'They're syncing without calls.'
Another serve came in sharp. Kazuki passed cleanly, sending the ball perfectly into Ren's hitting window.
Ren didn't hesitate.
The attack scored.
Ren blinked afterward. "That pass felt… easy."
Kazuki wiped sweat from his jaw. "Your shoulders were open."
Coach Aoyama tapped his clipboard. "Awareness like that keeps rallies alive. Don't waste it."
Across the net, Ryuusei Nakamura bounced lightly, eyes locked onto Kazuki.The next rotation placed them opposite each other.
Ryuusei launched into a powerful swing. Kazuki read it instantly, closing the block with Keigo.
The ball slammed straight down.
Coach Aoyama's whistle cut in. "Good read. Ryuusei, vary your approach."
Ryuusei clenched his jaw. "Yes, sir."
The rally restarted.
A deflection sent the ball scrambling. Ren chased but got pulled wide.
Kazuki slid into position again.
Hands up.
Another emergency set.
This one went back-row.Shou barely processed it before smashing the ball down.
Shou froze after landing. "You didn't even look."
Kazuki replied evenly. "Your steps were loud."
Coach Aoyama exhaled slowly. "Spikers setting in broken plays isn't fancy. It's fundamentals applied correctly."
Hajime muttered, "It didn't look basic."
Water break followed.Players gathered near the benches, towels over shoulders.Breathing stayed heavy, though focus never fully dropped.
Keigo spoke first. "Practice feels stricter lately."
Coach Aoyama looked up. "Stricter or clearer?"
Keigo paused. "Clearer."
Hajime nodded. "Mistakes stand out more."
Coach Aoyama's gaze swept the group. "Pressure reveals habits. Good habits make teams better."
His eyes briefly returned to Kazuki.
Scrimmage resumed.
Ryuusei adjusted his approach, delaying his swing. Kazuki tracked it, fingertips brushing the ball just enough to slow it.
Hajime dug cleanly.
Coach Aoyama pointed. "See that? Reading intent matters more than jumping high."
Ryuusei exhaled sharply.
'He's always ahead.'
Practice ended with players sprawled across the floor.
Keigo sat up first. "Kazuki."
Kazuki looked over.
"You don't say much," Keigo said. "Still, playing with you feels… demanding."
Kazuki listened.
Coach Aoyama added calmly, "Presence changes teams. How you use it matters."
Ryuusei stood and faced Kazuki directly. "Playing against you makes everything feel slow."
Kazuki met his gaze. "Then speed up."
Ryuusei smirked. "I will."
Night settled quietly.Kazuki lay on his bed as the system interface appeared.
__________________________________
[COMPLETE VOLLEYBALL SYSTEM — STATUS UPDATE]
Spike Power: 83
Timing: 89
Court Awareness: 91
Setting Precision: 79
Stamina: 79
Passive Skill: Anchor Effect — Level 2
Presence stabilizes team rhythm during high-pressure rallies.
Kazuki closed his eyes.
'This pace isn't enough yet.'
The real test wouldn't come in practice.
It would come when the court refused to bend.