"Right wing! Right wing!"
"Watch the pass, don't rush it..."
"Careful, they're going for the spike!"
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On the afternoon of the first day of hell training, Nobuteru Irihata followed the schedule and organized an intrasquad scrimmage. But unlike the usual matches, this one was beach volleyball.
The rules, however, were still those of indoor volleyball.
There were major differences between beach and indoor volleyball. Not only was the sandy ground soft and unstable, but the ocean breeze blowing in from the sea made it far more difficult to control passes.
"Block him! Get ready, one, two, jump...!"
The team had been split into two for the match. Akashi Asuka was on the red team, while his opponents, Hajime Iwaizumi, Issei Matsukawa, Akira Kunimi, and others, formed the blue team.
As Asuka went up for a spike, Iwaizumi shouted a command, coordinating a triple block.
The moment he shouted "Jump!", Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Kunimi all pushed off the ground with all their strength, arms reaching to form a wall above the net.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Despite using their full strength, the three found themselves barely leaving the ground. It was as if they were a bunch of awkward toads trying to leap but only managing to bounce in place.
Akashi Asuka fared slightly better, at least his forearm cleared the height of the net. But just as he was about to swing his arm and strike the ball, a gust of ocean wind blew through. The ball suddenly veered midair, drifting just out of his hitting range.
"Damn it!" Asuka cursed inwardly.
Thinking quickly, he twisted his torso and raised his left hand, slapping the ball down with a loud smack!
Thud!
The ball hit the sand and bounced weakly before coming to a stop.
Tweet!
"Game over! Red team wins, 25 to 21!"
Acting referee Sadayuki Mizoguchi blew his whistle and announced the result.
"Ugh! We lost again!" groaned Yahaba Shigeru, who collapsed flat on the sand like a defeated fish.
Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Kunimi were all bent over, gasping for air, their eyes locked on Asuka with expressions like they'd just seen a ghost.
To put it into perspective,
It was already past 4:30 PM, which meant they'd been training for over two hours that afternoon alone. The sand might be soft, but it wasn't the only reason they could no longer jump. After hours of drills, their legs felt like they were filled with lead, that was the real reason they could barely get off the ground.
And yet, Akashi Asuka was still leaping high into the air.
That kind of stamina was just inhuman.
"Alright, take a few minutes to rest–" Irihata called out as he approached. "Next up, we'll run a few rounds of 2v2 matches."
He had clearly noticed the players' stamina nearing their limits, and didn't want to push them too far and risk injury.
The 2v2 format would not only help train individual reflexes and technical skills, but also allow more rest between matches by spreading the players out.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief and shuffled over to the benches to rehydrate.
Meanwhile, Akashi Asuka found a quiet patch of sand, sat down, and opened his status panel.
────────── ✦ ──────────
Host: Akashi Asuka
Strength: 83.1 (Core: 83.1 / Arm Power: 83.2)
Speed: 80.0 (Explosiveness: 79.8 / Reaction Speed: 80.2)
Stamina: 82.0 (Endurance: 82.0 / Cardiopulmonary: 82.1)
Jumping: 83.7 (Vertical: 84.0 / Hang Time: 82.4)
Basic Technique: 76.4
Serving: 81.1
Bumping: 75.6
Setting: 69.0
Spiking: 82.9
Blocking: 82.1
Defense: 76.4
Advanced Technique:
Cross Spike: 82.2
Line Spike: 82.3
Sharp Cross Spike: 58.7
Deep Cross Spike: 57.6
Power Jump Serve: 83.2
Banana Jump Serve: 51.7
Tactical Spike: 60.4
────────── ✦ ──────────
Compared to before Nationals, Asuka's data had changed considerably.
His physical attributes had all seen steady growth, but what stood out was the number of new skills listed under Advanced Technique, four of them had appeared during Nationals, without warning.
That said, most of them were still at beginner levels. He could use them, sure, but unless he was in top condition, the chances of pulling them off cleanly were slim.
"That settles it–" Asuka thought to himself. "For this summer training camp, I'll focus on improving these new techniques. And when it comes to physical attributes, the priorities will be Strength and Jumping."
Unlike his teammates, Asuka had the advantage of seeing his own growth numerically, allowing him to set clear training goals.
Why emphasize strength and jumping?
Because his battle with Hakuzaka High during Nationals had taught him a painful lesson: when one attribute surpasses human limits, it can become a weapon of overwhelming power.
Take Wakatsu Kiryu, for example.
Among the nation's top six aces, not just the top five anymore, Wakatsu's spiking technique might be among the weakest. He probably ranked near the bottom of the elite.
And yet he held a firm spot in the national top three.
Why?
Because of his inhumane strength, the kind that didn't need finesse or strategy.
Pure brute force was enough for him to tear through Aoba Johsai's defenses single-handedly.
Asuka had learned his lesson.
Irihata's summer camp had the whole team groaning and gasping, with many wishing they could tap out.
But when offered the chance to quit, not one of them did.
Not because of pride, but because Nationals had revealed to each of them their glaring weaknesses.
To be blunt,
If it hadn't been for Asuka and Oikawa carrying the team, most of them would've been knocked out in the first round.
No one said it aloud, but everyone knew it deep down.
That was why, even if they had to grit their teeth and crawl, they would survive this hellish summer training.
────────── ✦ ──────────
Three days passed in a flash.
On the afternoon of Day 3, Oikawa Tooru and Yutaro Kindaichi finally passed their makeup tests and rushed to the training camp by train, practically bursting with energy.
But as soon as they stepped off the platform and looked around…
They saw a group of people who absolutely shouldn't be there.
==========
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