Host: Akashi Asuka
Strength: 83.8 [Core Strength 83.8, Arm Strength 83.8]
Speed: 80.2 [Explosive Speed 80, Reaction Speed 80.4]
Stamina: 82.9 [Endurance 83, Cardiopulmonary 82.9]
Jump: 83.7 [Vertical Jump 84.5, Hang Time 83]
Basic Skills: 76.5 [Serve 81.3, Dig 75.8, Set 69, Spike 83.1, Block 82.1, Defense 76.4]
Advanced Skills: [Cross-court Spike 82.5], [Straight Spike 82.4], [Short Cross Spike 70.6], [Wide Cross Spike 71.4], [Power Jump Serve 83.8], [Banana Jump Serve 69.8], [Tactical Hit 69.9]
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"Almost there… just a bit more!"
In Aoba Johsai's backcourt, Akashi Asuka multitasked, keeping his eyes on the unfolding game while opening his mental stats panel.
Thanks to recent intense training, all his basic attributes had finally surpassed 80. Physically, Akashi no longer had any weak spots.
His newly learned advanced techniques had also improved rapidly.
One reason was his already solid foundation, learning new skills came naturally and quickly.
The other was the countless high-intensity matches played recently.
According to the system's rules, attribute improvement follows two training methods:
One, through intense regular training for natural growth.
Two, through even more intense training to earn "Grind Points."
With Akashi's current stats, basic physical attributes over 80 could only be improved by earning Grind Points, he'd already broken the natural limits of a high schooler's physique.
But technical skills were different, they could improve through regular practice and often faster through high-intensity matches.
That made sense.
Many offensive techniques were less about pure skill and more about experience. For example, "Tactical Hit" was impossible to improve without strong opponents to practice against.
Of course, no matter how Akashi trained, the system's core rule remained unchanged:
Grind.
No matter where or when, on the court Akashi had to be the player with the most touches. Scoring points was another matter.
As long as he kept grinding, even during matches he could earn Grind Points.
So this kind of training was only feasible in practice matches, otherwise, in official games, Akashi was certain he'd be crushed for overexerting himself.
"Another ball!"
Akashi shouted to Oikawa Tooru.
He was now close to leveling his Tactical Hit and Banana Jump Serve skills to 70. Once upgraded during this match, his new advanced techniques could officially debut in upcoming games.
Hearing Akashi's call, Oikawa didn't hesitate and passed the ball.
Since this was just a practice match, the primary goal was player growth. Winning was secondary.
Plus, Akashi and Oikawa had already agreed on this before the match.
The ball went overhead.
Akashi jumped up, facing Itachiyama's double block. Still, he didn't choose a powerful attack but instead targeted the opposing blocker's side arm with a parallel spike.
Thud!
Smack!
The ball hit the blocker's side arm and bounced out of bounds.
Touched out. Aoba Johsai scored.
22:24.
Aoba Johsai gained a point but still trailed by two.
Right after the point, a notification beep sounded in Akashi's mind.
[Ding...]
[Congratulations, host has successfully completed a minor grind during the match and earned +0.1 Grind Points for Tactical Hit.]
After relentless effort, Akashi finally earned enough Grind Points in the first set to push Tactical Hit over the 70-point mark.
And the next ball was his serve.
"Watch out, his power jump serve is dangerous."
Komori Motoya's gaze fixed on Akashi, who was preparing to serve behind the net.
Compared to his still-maturing spin serve, Akashi's mastered power jump serve posed a far greater threat to Itachiyama.
After all, Itachiyama wasn't Mujinazaka High. They lacked a powerful jump server like Wakatsu Kiryu, whose serve was almost identical to Akashi's.
Against Akashi's level of power jump serve, even Komori would struggle if he guessed wrong on positioning.
Seeing the serve was one thing; catching up to it was another.
Akashi, however, couldn't guess what Komori was thinking.
He wasn't the type to scheme. Oikawa, if in his position, might have used this insight to plan.
From the start, Akashi had no tricks up his sleeve, his cards were all on the table.
Thump!
Calming his mind briefly, Akashi tossed the ball up and unleashed a Banana Jump Serve.
He hadn't mastered this technique yet, his failure rate was frighteningly high, but this time, he succeeded.
The ball spun at tremendous speed, flying past the net and slicing a small curve toward the right foot of Itachiyama's backcourt.
With a thud, it hit the floor.
Itachiyama's players froze.
Onlookers from Shiratorizawa and others were equally stunned.
This seemed to be the first time many of them had seen Akashi's Banana Jump Serve in person.
During Nationals against Itachiyama, Akashi had only used spin serves.
Though he'd practiced this serve during training matches, he'd always sent spin serves, not a successful Banana Jump Serve.
Seeing it live had a completely different visual impact.
The biggest difference: spin serves drift unpredictably, but Banana Jump Serves have both wide drifting and the speed comparable to power jump serves.
At that moment, on Akashi's stats panel, the 69.8 value next to Banana Jump Serve quietly jumped to 70...
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