[Ding...]
[To win against opponents, you must first win against teammates. Winning against teammates is a fundamental quality of a competition king.]
[Congratulations, Host, for successfully completing a low-level internal competition in daily training - long-distance running, by exceeding your teammates' training volume by double.]
[Gained Stamina - Competition King Value +0.1.]
...
The sudden system notification sound startled Akira Akashi, bringing him back to reality. Akira Akashi was surprised to find that, at some unknown point, all the remaining members of the volleyball club, except for himself, had disappeared from the field.
At the same time.
On the system panel, in the box representing stamina, a plus sign appeared next to both endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Akira Akashi's spirits immediately lifted upon seeing this.
He felt like he had figured out this crazy system's 'sweet spot.'
With simple, fool-proof operation, Akira Akashi's thought made the 0.1 Stamina - Competition King Value on the panel quickly disappear, replaced by the endurance value on the panel changing from 70 to 70.1.
The next second.
A faint warm current flowed through the depths of his body for a moment.
Then Akira Akashi felt it, but didn't feel anything.
After all, it was only a 0.1 increase. If he really had a sudden surge of power, feeling strong enough to kill a bull with one punch, that would be abnormal.
"Exceeding teammates' training volume by double is low-level internal competition, so what if it's more than double?"
Akira Akashi, vaguely aware of the system's 'sweet spot,' kept running. Today's club training volume wasn't very large, so even after jogging ten laps around the 400-meter track, he still had stamina left.
However, as the running distance grew longer, Akira Akashi's breathing gradually became heavier, and his legs felt as heavy as lead.
But the thought of giving up never crossed his mind.
This wasn't because Akashi Asuka had exceptionally strong willpower. It was because anyone who has truly participated in sports training knows that the moment your body is exhausted is actually when the real training begins.
Ding...
Congratulations, Host, you have successfully completed a medium-level internal competition in daily training - long-distance running, by exceeding your teammates' training volume by two times.
Obtained Stamina - Competition King Value +0.2.
After Akashi Asuka successfully ran fifteen laps, the system's prompt sounded again.
This time, upon hearing the prompt, Akashi Asuka slowly stopped, leaning his hands on his knees, and began to gasp for breath.
Although he really wanted to know how many times the training volume was for a high-level internal competition, it was clear that Akashi Asuka's current physical condition could no longer support him in continuing to compete.
Besides,
Akashi Asuka also planned to save some energy to try and develop this system from other stances.
Having just gained 0.2 Competition King Value, Akashi Asuka didn't hesitate much and added it all to his stamina, bringing it to 70.3.
After resting for a few minutes on the spot,
Akashi Asuka then dragged his sweat-drenched body, step by step, back towards the volleyball gym.
It was already past five in the evening. Even though summer was approaching and the sunset time was gradually receding, the sky was already dimming at this time.
Back at the volleyball gym,
most of the volleyball club members had already left, leaving only Nishimori Tomohiko, the junior whom Akashi Asuka first met after his transmigration, still diligently cleaning and organizing equipment.
When Akashi Asuka came in, Nishimori was just about to put the last basket of volleyballs into the equipment room.
Seeing this, Akashi Asuka quickly said, "Nishimori, wait a moment. You don't need to put away that basket of balls for now. Leave them there; I'll take care of them later!"
Nishimori Tomohiko asked in surprise, "Huh? Akashi Senior, are you going to continue practicing?"
Akashi Asuka nodded and said, "Yes,
I plan to continue practicing for a while. You go home first! I'll take care of these balls later."
After speaking, Akashi Asuka pulled the cart, preparing to go to the side to develop new stances for the system.
However, just then,
he heard Nishimori Tomohiko behind him suddenly say, "Um... if, if Akashi Senior doesn't mind, I can set for you."
"Huh?"
Akashi Asuka turned around, saw Nishimori Tomohiko looking sheepish and nervous, and asked, "Are you a setter?"
"Yes... yes, although I'm still not as good as Senior Sanjo, if it's just for practice, it shouldn't be a problem." Tomohiko Nishimori lowered his head, looking timid, his voice getting softer as he spoke.
Asuka Akashi saw this and was slightly speechless.
The relationship between "seniors" and "juniors" in island nation schools is much stricter than in many countries around the world, almost forming a kind of "class solidification."
Plus, Asuka Akashi already had a "delinquent" buff.
And Tomohiko Nishimori's personality was clearly not the outgoing type.
It could be said that just that one had already almost exhausted all of his courage.
In fact, at this moment, Tomohiko Nishimori's internal fluctuations were far more intense than Asuka Akashi imagined.
"Oh no, oh no, I just greeted Senior Akashi in a moment of impulse, what should I do now? The coaches have all gone home, what if Senior Akashi gets angry later? It's just the two of us here!"
"I'm doomed, Mom, I think I've caused big trouble!"
Just as Tomohiko Nishimori was wondering where his mother would bury him after he died, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Then I'll trouble you. Next, we'll practice spiking. You just need to stand by and pass the ball to me."
"Huh!" Hearing the voice, Tomohiko Nishimori was stunned.
"Why are you still standing there stunned? We don't have much time, let's hurry up and practice." Asuka Akashi pushed the ball cart to the net and urged.
"O-okay, I'm coming right away."
Tomohiko Nishimori snapped back to reality and quickly came to the net. Looking at Asuka Akashi, who was warming up her shoulders not far away, Tomohiko Nishimori suddenly realized, "Senior Akashi doesn't seem as scary as they say!"
While thinking, Tomohiko Nishimori tossed a ball into the air. At the same time, Asuka Akashi leaped high.
The next second.
Bang!!!
The silent volleyball gym seemed to erupt with a sudden clap of thunder. The volleyball, hitting the floor like a bullet, flew high after landing and directly smashed against the wall.
Tomohiko Nishimori, experiencing Asuka Akashi's spike up close for the first time, instantly stared blankly.
"...Mom, I was wrong. Senior Akashi is indeed still very scary."
...
"Feels good, playing volleyball seems pretty awesome too!"
Asuka Akashi stretched her arm, quite satisfied with her recent spike.
Actually, if Tomohiko Nishimori hadn't spoken just now, Asuka Akashi had originally planned to practice her overhand serve technique. But now that there was a setter to help, Asuka Akashi naturally wanted to strengthen her spiking technique.
Because in the original body's memory, there was less than a month left until the Miyagi Prefecture Citizens' Sports Tournament Men's Junior High School Boys' Volleyball Competition.
In such a short time, strengthening one's own advantages is clearly more effective in improving combat power than making up for weaknesses in technology.
"Akashi-senpai, how many shots should we spike?"
"Let's start with a hundred shots!"
"What? Senpai is going to spike that many shots?" Tomohiko Nishimori's eyes widened.
"Is that a lot? These basic techniques all rely on quantity to achieve a qualitative change. A hundred shots aren't many at all!"
"I see!"
Hearing this, a thoughtful expression appeared in Tomohiko Nishimori's eyes.
······
Half an hour later.
[Ding······]
[Secretly doing extra practice is an essential quality for a 'king of overachievers'.]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully completing a low-level 'internal competition' by training twice as much as teammates in daily training—spiking.]
[Successfully gained Spike·Overachiever Value +0.1.]