The morning air outside the gym was sharp.
Not cold enough to sting, but crisp enough to keep everyone awake.
Kazuki adjusted the strap of his bag as Minamiyama's team gathered near the entrance. Players from other schools moved past them in clusters some loud, some quiet, some already wearing the expression of people who expected to win.
No one looked at Minamiyama twice and that was fine.
Inside, the court assignments were posted along the wall. Kazuki stepped closer, scanning until he found it.
Court B
Second Match
He exhaled slowly.
'Enough time to settle'
Ryuusei leaned over his shoulder.
"…We're opening, huh"
Kazuki shook his head.
"Second"
"Still early" Ryuusei said "Crowd won't be warm yet"
Kazuki didn't respond. His attention had already shifted toward the court.
Their opponent was warming up.
Tall middle. Compact libero. Wing spikers with disciplined footwork. No wasted motion, no unnecessary noise.
Not weak and famous just solid.
Coach Aoyama gathered them in a tight circle.
"First match of qualifiers" he said "This decides nothing" "But it introduces us"
His gaze settled briefly on Kazuki.
"Don't rush" "Let the court tell you what it wants"
Kazuki nodded.
"Yes, Coach"
They took the court.
The whistle blew.
The first serve came fast and deep, forcing Minamiyama into a stretched receive. Ren adjusted smoothly, setting high to the left.
Kazuki approached the block closed cleanly, he rolled the ball off the hands and into the backcourt.
Point.
No celebration just rotation.
The rallies grew longer. The opposing team played conservatively, targeting seams, forcing Minamiyama to earn every point. Kazuki felt it immediately not pressure, but density.
Every rally demanded a decision.
Basic Insight hovered quietly.
Not visually, conceptually.
'Their block waits'
The next set came faster. Kazuki delayed his jump by a fraction. The block rose early, his swing followed late.
Hands out.
Point.
Ren glanced at him briefly, Kazuki nodded once.
Midway through the set, Minamiyama led by three.
The opposing coach called a timeout. Kazuki wiped sweat from his brow, breathing evenly.
'They're about to shift'
When play resumed, the serve targeted him directly.
Short.
Kazuki stepped forward, passing cleanly.
The next rally, the block shaded his angle early he didn't force it. He tipped deep into zone four, drawing the libero out of position.
Ryuusei finished the next ball cleanly.
Coach Aoyama didn't speak he continued to watch.
The first set ended 25–21.
Clean and not dominant.
Between sets, Kazuki gathered the team.
"They're reading patterns, not players" "Change spacing, not speed"
Ren nodded.
"I'll widen the middle"
Second set.
The opponent adjusted aggressively, committing their block early and serving harder. Minamiyama stumbled briefly, dropping two quick points.
The crowd stirred.
Kazuki felt it then the pressure wasn't louder, it was closer.
_______________________________________
Basic Insight reacted.
Reaction Time: stable
Prediction Window: fluctuating
Pattern Depth: strained
________________________________________
'Too many options at once'
He narrowed his focus not on winning the rally but on choosing correctly.
The next sequence stretched long.
Three digs. Two resets. A free ball returned awkwardly.
Ren sent a high set Kazuki approached, saw the late close, and changed his swing mid-air.
Point.
A murmur rippled faintly through the stands.
Not cheers.
Recognition.
The opponent's setter glanced at Kazuki for the first time. The rally after that, Kazuki was blocked.
Clean.
The ball dropped straight down.
No frustration surfaced he turned, clapped once.
"Next one!"
The third block attempt hesitated.
Kazuki hit through the seam.
Point.
Basic Insight flickered.
Not stronger busier.
'I can see it, but I can't hold it all'
The set tightened.
22–22.
The gym grew quieter. Ren set from off-balance. Kazuki adjusted his approach, choosing control over force, sending the ball deep into the corner.
In.
Match point.
The final rally ended on a serve error from the opponent.
No explosion.
Just a whistle.
Minamiyama High won.
25–23.
Kazuki exhaled slowly, hands on his knees.
Coach Aoyama approached once they regrouped.
"Good"
That was all.
As they left the court, Kazuki felt it not applause, not eyes burning holes into him.
Awareness.
A man near the scorer's table scribbled something down.
Kazuki didn't bother to look he already knew.
Outside, Ryuusei stretched his arms overhead.
"…That felt different"
Kazuki nodded.
"Yes"
Ren adjusted his wrist tape.
"They adjusted faster than I expected"
Kazuki met his eyes.
"And we kept up"
The system did not appear again but the strain lingered.
Not as pain but as friction.
'This is only the first match'
Kazuki looked back at the gym doors.
Qualifiers had started and they were demanding more from him.