After washing up, Guren Ichinose lay quietly on his large bed, eyes blank, staring into nothing.
This was his usual routine after volleyball training. Thanks to his powerful visual memory, his recollection during post-training analysis was crystal clear.
He began mentally reviewing the day's training—analyzing each mistake, why it happened, how to avoid it next time.
What posture might be better? He'd try something different tomorrow. If it didn't work, he'd adjust again—searching for the spike technique that suited him best.
"Aoba Johsai's got a guy they call 'Mad Dog'—his core strength's insane. He can adjust his body and power output midair."
"Tokyo's NekoNeko team is rumored to have a half-Japanese player coming up. His spiking motion looks like a whip—whip-lash effect should give it insane speed, but probably hard to control."
"And that ace from Inarizaki... his wristwork is unreal. I remember that warm-up stretch in the manga, fingers almost touching his arm. Like, does he even have bones?"
As his thoughts drifted, he gathered them and focused. With a thought, a virtual data panel appeared before him.
Same old frustrating 2K-style interface, as always. He quickly navigated to the data screen.
[2K Sports]
Player: Guren Ichinose
Current Template: D-Rank Player – Shannon Brown
Unlockable Template: Undrafted Player – Akobundu Ehiogu
Height: 183cm (rounded mathematically)
Standing Reach: 245cm
Standing Vertical: 91cm
Max Reach (with approach): 342cm
Equipped Item: [LeBron's Headband] – Reduces risk of illness/injury by 97%.
When he first arrived in this world, Guren thought he had time-traveled to Japan in the 1990s. But soon enough, he realized things were... very different.
Like how the Ichinose family's wealth came from the manga industry, or how bizarre the gaming industry had become.
He only realized he had a "cheat" after starting volleyball in elementary school.
"Beep-beep-beep... Beep-beep-beep..."
The alarm snapped Guren out of his panel-trance.
He glanced at the phone on his nightstand—it was his self-set bedtime reminder.
"Good night, world."
Mid-April, Yukioka Junior High
"Eh?!!"
"For real?!!"
"Ichinose! Are you serious?!!"
In the volleyball club's activity room—a space on the top floor of the club building, built on a previously unused school lot, fully funded by the Ichinose family and approved by the local board of education—
Guren calmly confirmed:
"Yeah, my PE teacher already submitted our team registration."
"It's us from the volleyball club, plus your two buddies from basketball and soccer."
"But you know, if their own matches aren't over, they might not make it in time."
Hearing this, Shoyo Hinata burst into wild celebration, bouncing all over the room with childlike excitement.
Hands raised over his head, reaching up repeatedly, circling the table like a gorilla on a sugar high.
Yudai Momozawa, who was sitting quietly nearby, looked utterly bewildered, his head turning in circles following Hinata's laps.
"Hinata's celebration dance is... uniquely his, huh?"
After a few rounds, Yudai started getting dizzy.
Guren quickly rubbed the back of Yudai's neck and scolded,
"Yudai, what are you doing? He's an idiot—you don't have to be one too. Why are you following him with your eyes?"
Hinata suddenly slowed down, a realization striking him mid-spin.
He started counting on his fingers, eyes narrowing in deep thought. His excitement visibly faded, and his spiky orange hair slowly drooped as his calculations repeated again and again.
Step by step, he walked up to Guren, looking like the soul had left his body.
He asked, in a trembling voice full of anxious hope and quiet despair:
"Um... Guren... I know I'm bad at math, but...
You, plus me, makes two people...
Add Yudai, that's three...
Plus my two friends... five, right?"
"But... volleyball's a six-player game... isn't it?
You need six to register, right?!"
Tears welled in his eyes, hands trembling as they gripped Guren's shoulders.
It was like Guren held his entire future in the next sentence.
Guren scratched his head with his index finger and glanced at Yudai.
"Yudai, you didn't tell him?"
Yudai blinked, then chuckled sheepishly:
"Ah... sorry. I forgot."
Despite normally acting like a golden retriever, Hinata's instincts flared like a wild animal's.
Eyes shining, he looked back and forth between Guren and Yudai like an eager puppy awaiting a treat—practically vibrating with anticipation.
Guren sighed at this "puppy mode" Hinata, and finally relented:
"Alright, alright. We've got four new first-years joining this year. I already listed them on the team roster. I told Yudai to pass that on."
"But—out of the four, three are complete rookies. Haven't even hit their growth spurts yet. Basically like elementary kids who don't know how to play."
"The last one's in our grade. Interesting guy. Transfer student—like me and Yudai."
"Counting your two friends, that makes... maybe four of us who can actually play volleyball."
"And besides..."
His voice grew more serious.
"None of us have any real match experience.
So tell me, Hinata—how far are you trying to go with this?"
Guren fell silent, eyebrows raised, watching Hinata curiously—wondering what his answer would be.
Just moments ago, Hinata looked ready to cry. But now, knowing he could compete, the fire reignited instantly.
Color returned to his cheeks. He took a deep breath—then pounded his chest with a clenched fist and declared:
"That's easy—
We're going all the way.
We're gonna win it all!!"
A strong gust of wind blew through the half-open window, sending the curtains flying.
Guren and Yudai exchanged a smile as they watched the ever-excited, ever-hopeful Hinata standing tall in the middle of the room, eyes full of fire.
(End of Chapter 2)
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