June 2nd arrived with a clear sky and a heat that almost made the asphalt boil in front of the sports hall.
Karasuno stepped off the old bus charged with a tension you could cut with a knife. I was there, at the back of the line, bag on my shoulder and eyes fixed on the monumental entrance.
"Hey, Yuya!" Hinata yelled, jumping like a spring. "Do you smell that? It's the smell of the court! Do you smell it?!"
"I only smell your sweat, Hinata. Calm down," I replied with a half-smile, even though my heart was beating at a frantic pace.
Once inside the hall, the noise was deafening. Dozens of balls bouncing simultaneously created a constant thunder. As we headed toward our court for the warm-up, we passed several teams. Some players looked at us and whispered: "Look, it's the fallen crows."
"Ignore them," Daichi said in a voice that allowed no room for reply. "Just focus on warming up."
Our first opponent was Tokonami. On paper, a mediocre team. But for me, every single action was a challenge. The ceiling of the hall seemed infinitely higher than the one in our gym. We walked in line, the black Karasuno jackets drawing curious glances filled with prejudice.
"Guys, I... have to go. Again," Hinata murmured, his face turning from deathly white to olive green. He was clutching his stomach, bent double.
"Again?! That's the third time in twenty minutes, you idiot!" Kageyama growled, grabbing him by the collar of his uniform like he was a kitten. "If you run away now, I'll drag you onto the court by your ears!"
"Let him go, Kageyama, or he'll leave us a little souvenir on the parquet before we even start," Tanaka chuckled, crossing his arms behind his head. "Debut nerves are a classic. Right, Yuya?"
"I'm fine," I replied, even though my hands were ice-cold. "I'm going to wash my face. Hinata, hurry up or we'll start without you."
I moved away from the group, looking for some silence. Before entering the service tunnel, I stopped for a moment in an isolated corner.
"System, show unlocked skills," I thought intensely.
[SKILL MENU]
Sharingan (1 Tomoe) Wall (Read Block) - lv.2 Reception (Trajectory Analysis) - lv.2 Spike (Technique Copy - Base) - lv.1
I smiled. Those techniques were the fruit of a hellish week, hours spent staring at every single movement of my teammates until my pupils burned. The Sharingan didn't just give me sight; it was teaching me to rewrite how my body interacted with the ball.
As I turned the corner toward the restrooms, I almost collided with a tall figure. He was wearing a white and turquoise jacket.
I stopped abruptly.
It was him.
"Ohhh, Karasuno," said a voice that was melodious and irritatingly self-assured.
Oikawa Toru was looking down at me with a plastered smile that didn't reach his eyes at all. Beside him, Iwaizumi gave me a detached look.
"Are you new? I didn't see you in the last match against us," Oikawa continued, tilting his head slightly. "You're definitely tall. Another jumping little brat would have been too much for my nerves."
"I joined the club recently," I replied, keeping my tone firm. "My name is Kazuki Yuya."
"Kazuki-chan, huh?" Oikawa chuckled, running a hand through his brown hair. "Well, I hope you're more useful than Tobio-chan at handling pressure. This hall eats beginners for breakfast. Don't get a stomach ache like your friend with number ten."
"Thanks for the advice," I countered, taking a step forward.
Oikawa's smile grew thinner, almost sharp. "See you around, Kazuki-chan."
The opening ceremony was a whirlwind of colors. Over 10 teams lined up on the main parquet. When they announced Karasuno, I heard a few snickers from the stands.
"Ignore them," Ukai ordered as an animalistic smile emerged on his face. "Let's go to court 3. It's time to shut them up."
Tokonami was already there. They looked determined, but their aura wasn't remotely comparable to what I sensed from Kageyama or Tanaka.
I sat on the bench. I was a reserve, just as expected. I had to wait for my moment.
[DEBUT MISSION ACTIVATED]
[OBJECTIVES: 2 Kill Blocks + 2 Perfect Receptions] [REWARD: +20 Sharingan]
The referee whistled. BEEP!
Kageyama served first.
BOOM!
A jump serve that zipped onto the sideline like a bullet. Ace. 1-0. "Yesss!" Hinata screamed, jumping a meter off the ground.
The match immediately got into full swing. Tokonami tried to react. Their hitter, Ikejiri, struck with power.
BAM!
The ball hit Nishinoya's arms and zipped toward Kageyama. "Hinata!"
SWISH!
Number ten disappeared from sight only to reappear on the other side of the net.
CRACK!
A quick attack that left the opposing block motionless.
The first set flew by 25-15.
We were dominant, but I could see Tsukishima was fatigued. Constantly jumping to block Tokonami's high attacks was draining his energy. At the start of the second set, at 14-10 for us, Ukai turned to me.
"Kazuki, warm up. Tsukishima is slowing down. Take his place in the middle." I entered the court. My heart was beating so hard I feared it would jump out of my chest.
Tsukishima passed by me, switching out. "Try not to ruin the lead," he muttered under his breath. I ignored his teasing and stepped onto the court. I positioned myself at the net. In front of me, the Tokonami setter looked nervous. He was bouncing the ball rhythmically on the ground.
BEEP!
Service.
The ball came easy into Daichi's hands.
POF!
Perfect reception. Kageyama didn't look at me, but I felt his intention. He tossed the ball high toward me. It was a high set, perfect for my range of action.
I jumped.
Swosh!
Time seemed to stop. I saw the hands of the opposing block opening up. I hit with all the strength I had in my body.
SMASH!
The ball exploded on the opponent's parquet before they could even react. "Great attack, Yuya!" Sugawara yelled from the bench. But the mission wasn't about the attack. I had to defend.
Tokonami served again. A messy reception by Tanaka. The ball was going out. Kageyama recovered it with a dive. "Asahi-san!"
The Tokonami block was ready this time.
The ball bounced back toward our court. I ran back, diving.
I felt the ball hit my forearm. "Got it! Cover it!" I yelled.
[PERFECT RECEPTION: 1/2]
The ball stayed alive. Hinata threw it over with a dink. Tokonami rebuilt. Their setter tried to surprise me with a quick in the middle.
Sharingan activation.
My pupils burned for an instant. I saw the contraction of the setter's wrist. He wasn't tossing to the wing; it was a feint. I moved to the side even before the ball left his fingers.
I jumped straight in front of their middle blocker.
My hands intercepted the ball dead-on. I felt the leather pressing against my skin. I pushed downward. The ball fell vertically. Block point.
[KILL BLOCK: 1/2]
"Wow, what a read!" Coach Ukai exclaimed, standing up. "He moved even before the set!"
The set continued. Tokonami didn't give up, driven by the desperation of those who know this could be the last match of their school career. Ikejiri hit a messy ball, trying for a wipe-off (tooling) on my fingers. Reflex. I pulled my hands back at the last second. The ball flew out of bounds. "Out! Karasuno point!"
We were leading 24-18. Tokonami attacked again. A high, desperate ball. The hitter wound up the shot. Focus. I saw his shoulder drop.
Sharp diagonal. I jumped, crossing my arms.
BAM!
The ball hit my wrists and flew back as if it had hit a concrete wall.
[KILL BLOCK: 2/2]
The ball rolled on the ground.
25-18.
"We won!" Hinata yelled, tackling me in a hug that almost knocked me over. As we greeted the opponents at the net, I locked eyes with Ikejiri. His eyes were glossy. "You're strong," he said, shaking our captain's hand. "Don't stop."
Leaving the court, I looked at the User Status flashing.
[MISSION COMPLETED] [REWARD ASSIGNED: +20 Sharingan]
Sharingan: 36/100
[CURRENT STATS] Strength: 18.5 Agility: 18.5 Stamina: 18
I felt like a loaded spring. As we headed back toward the rest area, we passed under the Aoba Johsai stands again. Oikawa was there, leaning against the railing. He wasn't smiling anymore. He stared at us in silence, analyzing our every move.
"Well done, Kazuki," Ukai said, handing me a water bottle. "You held the block better than I hoped. But rest now. The next match won't be a walk in the park." I looked at my hands. They were red from the hits, but they weren't trembling.
After the match, while the boys were still celebrating or wiping away sweat, Coach Ukai gave me a nod. He pointed to a more secluded corner of the gym, away from Hinata's shouting and Tanaka's laughter. His gaze was serious, almost scrutinizing.
I approached, trying to steady my breathing. I still felt my temples pulsing from the Sharingan activation, a residual heat that struggled to fade.
"Kazuki," Ukai began, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. "You played well. Very well for someone who, until yesterday, didn't even know how to do a crossover step."
"Thanks, Coach," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.
He took a step forward, lowering his voice slightly. "I've spent my life on volleyball courts. I've seen natural talents, I've seen training fanatics, but what you did today is different. It's not just instinct."
He stopped, looking me straight in the eyes. I looked away for an instant, fearing he might read too much into those still slightly reddened pupils.
"In three different actions," Ukai continued, "you moved even before the Tokonami setter decided where to throw the ball. You closed the hitting angles as if you already knew the trajectory. How do you do it? How do you manage to read the opponents' bodies with such precision after barely three weeks of practice?"
My heart accelerated. I couldn't tell him. "I... I don't know exactly, Coach," I replied, forcing myself to sound confused. "It's like, when I concentrate hard, everything else becomes blurry. I only see how the hitter's shoulders move or how the setter's wrist rotates. It seems logical to me that the ball is going there, so I move."
Ukai remained silent for several seconds, studying my expression. Then he let out a long sigh, running a hand through his dyed hair.
"Logical, you say? For most players, it takes years to develop what we call game-reading. You seem to have some kind of hyper-perception. But listen to me carefully, Kazuki, the body has limits. I noticed that after those actions, your coordination dropped sharply. You stumbled going back into position."
He stepped even closer, his tone becoming fatherly but stern. "Whatever you are doing to force your vision or your concentration, be careful. If your reflexes are faster than your muscles, you'll break. And against Datekokgyo or Aoba Johsai, if you miss a reaction time because your brain is fried, balls will rain down on you that you won't even be able to see."
"I understand, Coach. I'll be careful," I promised, feeling the weight of his warning. "Good. Now go stretch. I don't want to see you limping tomorrow," he concluded, giving me an encouraging pat on the shoulder. As I walked away, I still felt his gaze fixed on my back.