The morning sunlight seeped into Arata's small rented room. He groaned, rolling over, every muscle in his body aching from yesterday's match.
"Oww… it feels like I ran a marathon while carrying a refrigerator…" he muttered, forcing himself to sit up.
As soon as his eyes opened, the familiar translucent screen popped up.
> [Daily Training Mission Unlocked!]
Objective: Complete today's practice with 80% efficiency or higher.
Bonus Reward: +5 Stamina, +5 Reflex, [Skill: Stamina Recovery Lv.1]
Arata sighed. Great. The system doesn't care if I can walk or not. It just wants results.
---
Morning at Karasuno
The gym smelled faintly of sweat and polished wood as Arata arrived early. Surprisingly, Hinata was already there, bouncing a ball against the wall with unrelenting energy.
"Arata! You're here too!" Hinata's voice carried a mix of excitement and friendliness.
Arata blinked. "Do you ever get tired?"
Hinata tilted his head. "Huh? Not really. I just… wanna get better! If I stop, then Kageyama will leave me behind."
At that, Kageyama walked in, expression as stern as always. "Oi, dumbass. If you don't practice properly, you won't even be able to keep up with my sets."
Hinata pouted. "See? That's why I have to keep moving!"
Arata chuckled. "You two are like fire and oil… but somehow it works."
---
The Warm-up
When practice officially began, Daichi led the team through stretches and running drills.
But something was off for Arata. Every step felt twice as heavy. His legs burned, his lungs strained. It wasn't just fatigue—he realized with a jolt that the system had doubled the resistance on his body.
> [System Notice: Training environment adjusted to maximize growth. Current weight increase: +25%.]
Arata nearly tripped mid-run. You've got to be kidding me! No wonder I feel like my legs are filled with lead.
Yet when he glanced at Hinata and Kageyama, they were sprinting as usual. Nobody else was affected.
"This… is only happening to me," Arata whispered.
---
Receiving Hell
"Alright, pair drills!" Daichi announced. "Receives first."
Arata partnered with Nishinoya, Karasuno's libero. The moment the first spike came his way, Arata braced himself—
BAM!
The ball slammed into his arms like a cannonball, nearly knocking him backward.
"Too stiff!" Nishinoya yelled, smirking. "Loosen your arms, let the ball's energy flow!"
Arata grunted, adjusting his posture. Another spike. Another sting. The ball ricocheted sideways.
"Not bad, rookie. Again!"
The barrage continued. Sweat streamed down Arata's face as his forearms throbbed. Yet beneath the pain, he noticed something—the system was tracking his attempts.
> [Receive Accuracy: 23% → 29% → 34%]
Each repetition pushed him further, but also improved his technique incrementally.
By the tenth spike, he finally managed a clean receive, the ball soaring upward perfectly into the setter's zone.
"Nice!" Nishinoya clapped him on the back. "See? You've got potential."
Arata exhaled, barely standing, but a smile crept onto his lips.
---
A Hidden Trial
Halfway through practice, the system chimed again.
> [Hidden Training Mission Detected!]
Title: Endurance Wall
Objective: Survive 50 consecutive receives from Tanaka and Asahi.
Reward: +10 Defense, [Skill: Iron Guard Lv.1]
Arata's jaw dropped. "Fifty?! Are you serious?!"
"Oi, rookie!" Tanaka called, spinning a ball in his hands. "You ready?"
Arata froze. Wait… did the system just… set me up?
Asahi gave a quiet nod, his presence towering. "Don't hold back. It'll help him grow."
And just like that, the assault began.
Tanaka's spikes were fierce, wild, almost taunting. Asahi's, in contrast, were crushing and precise, each hit like a sledgehammer.
Arata struggled, his arms screaming in protest, but he refused to collapse. Each time he thought he'd fall, the system whispered encouragement.
> [Receive Accuracy: 41% → 47% → 52%]
"Come on, Arata!" Hinata cheered from the sidelines. "You can do it!"
By the fortieth spike, Arata's legs wobbled, his chest heaved, and his arms felt like lead. But when Asahi's final smash came, Arata lunged forward, perfectly cushioning the impact.
The ball soared cleanly upward.
"Perfect receive!" Nishinoya shouted in delight.
Arata collapsed on his knees, drenched in sweat, gasping for air.
> [Hidden Mission Complete!]
+10 Defense
New Skill: Iron Guard Lv.1
Stat Growth Achieved!
---
Cooldown and Reflection
After practice, the team sat together, passing water bottles around. Hinata plopped down beside Arata, eyes shining.
"You were amazing! I thought you were gonna collapse, but you didn't!"
Arata laughed weakly. "I almost did…"
Kageyama, sitting on Arata's other side, gave a curt nod. "Your receives are still shaky, but… you improved fast. Faster than normal."
Arata smirked. "Guess I just learn well under pressure."
Daichi walked past, overhearing. "Good. Keep that spirit. But remember, volleyball isn't just about endurance—it's about trust. Work with your team, not just for yourself."
Arata bowed his head. "Yes, captain."
---
The Status Check
That evening, back in his room, Arata lay flat on his futon. His body screamed in pain, but his heart felt light.
"System… show me my status."
The glowing panel appeared.
> [Status Screen]
Name: Arata Minami
Rank: C (Progress: 42%)
Strength: 39
Speed: 41
Stamina: 45
Reflex: 44
Defense: 42 (+10)
Attack: 52
Skills:
Basic Receive (C)
Jumping Power (D)
Spike Instinct Lv.1
Smash Break Lv.1
Iron Guard Lv.1
Arata chuckled. "So this is how it feels to grind in real life. Painful as hell… but worth it."
---
Closing Scene
Before sleep claimed him, Arata pulled out a notebook and scribbled a few lines:
Day 2 at Karasuno.
Almost died under 50 spikes. But I'm still standing.
Hinata's smile… Kageyama's trust…
I think I've finally found something worth chasing.
His eyelids grew heavy, but he fell asleep with a faint smile. Tomorrow promised new challenges, and for once in his life, Arata couldn't wait.