"WaaaaAAAAHH—"
Riku's first sensation upon waking was… confusion.
He couldn't move properly. His arms flailed like noodles. His vision was blurry, like someone smeared petroleum jelly over a camera lens. Everything was louder than it should've been.
What the hell—where am I?!
A face hovered into view. A woman—maybe mid-thirties—with soft, kind eyes and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her voice trembled with joy.
"He's beautiful… Riku. My little boy."
Wait... Riku? She just said my name. MY name!
It hit him like a truck. Or rather, like an elevator.
I've been reincarnated. As a literal baby.
Another figure appeared beside her—a tall man with a calm, dignified presence. His dark eyes scanned Riku, then softened into a rare smile.
"Looks like he's going to be tall like his father."
Riku gurgled unintentionally. He felt the overwhelming urge to cry, not because he was sad, but because—
My motor functions are out of my control. This is humiliating.
Still, his mind—his genius-level intellect—remained intact. He remembered Rob. The system. The challenge. Kiyoko Shimizu.
So this is where it all begins…
The system dinged faintly in his consciousness.
[SYSTEM UPDATE – Welcome to the World]
Status: Reborn – Age 0
System Functions Locked Until Age 10
Early Development Quests Available: Learn to Walk | Learn to Speak | Develop Motor Control
Reward: +0.1 Base Stat Bonus Per Task
You've got to be kidding me.
[Time Skip – 10 Years Later]
Riku Amagami stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, examining himself.
Fifteen years old. Karasuno High's white-and-black uniform fit snugly over a lean, athletic build. His black hair was just long enough to brush against his collar, and his face—well, even he had to admit he looked like a model straight out of a teen drama.
His eyes were sharp, his jawline clean, and thanks to retaining perfect memory from his past life, he'd been topping academic scores since elementary school. He was fluent in four languages, dominated mid-school track and basketball, and had earned a local reputation as "Karasuno's Prince."
And yet…
"I still can't serve a volleyball to save my life," he muttered.
[VOLLEYSYSTEM UNLOCKED – AGE 15]
Player: Riku Amagami
Strength: C- | Agility: C | Stamina: C | Technique: F | Volleyball IQ: F
Charisma: B+ | Intelligence: A+
Skill Tree: Locked (Beginner Tier)
Quests Available:
Join the Volleyball Club
Complete 100 Basic Serves (0/100)
Meet Kiyoko Shimizu (Pending)
No volleyball knowledge. No special skills. I'm a genius in everything... except the one thing that matters here.
Riku had never played volleyball before. Not in his past life. Not even in gym class. He knew the rules from watching Haikyuu!! as a casual fan, but he wasn't a hardcore follower. He didn't even remember all the characters.
Still, when he walked through Karasuno's front gate that spring morning, cherry blossoms drifting lazily on the wind, he felt the quiet hum of anticipation.
The team that was once called "Flightless Crows."
He would help them fly again.
Flashback – Age 10
The first time Riku had seen a volleyball was at a local gym. A community coach was trying to get elementary kids interested. Most were clumsy, but one girl—slim, focused, with her hair tied neatly back—stood off to the side with a clipboard.
Kiyoko Shimizu.
He'd recognized her instantly. Even at that age, she was striking. Not in a loud way—but in a calm, composed way that seemed rare even among adults. He didn't speak to her. But that day, he picked up a volleyball for the first time.
And missed the ball entirely.
"Yup. That's a skill issue," he muttered, rubbing his face from memory.
Back to Present
It was after classes when Riku finally made his way to the gym. He peeked inside. The Karasuno volleyball team wasn't practicing yet, but he saw signs of life—cones, tape, nets half-raised. The court was marked, familiar and foreign.
He stepped inside.
Quest Triggered: "Join the Volleyball Club"
Reward: +0.5 XP | Unlock Team Interaction Menu
"Yo, can I help you?"
The voice came from a tall, broad-shouldered guy with short, bristly hair. His tone was more friendly than suspicious.
Daichi Sawamura.
Riku recognized him immediately.
"I'm Riku Amagami. First-year. I want to join the volleyball club."
Daichi looked him up and down. "You play?"
Riku hesitated. "I want to."
Daichi blinked. Then shrugged. "Tryouts are open. Practice starts tomorrow after school. Bring indoor shoes."
Then a second figure entered.
Long black hair. Glasses. Clipboard. Eyes like glaciers.
Kiyoko Shimizu.
Riku's throat dried.
Quest Updated: "Meet Kiyoko Shimizu" – Objective Complete
New Quest Unlocked: "Impress the Iron Maiden" (0/3 Tasks Completed)
Task 1: Perform a clean overhand serve
Task 2: Land a successful spike
Task 3: Compliment her without sounding like a simp
Challenge accepted.
She looked at him for a moment. Then nodded slightly.
"Another first-year?" she asked Daichi.
"Yeah. Says he wants to join."
Kiyoko glanced at Riku for a brief second longer than necessary. Then returned to her clipboard.
That's progress, right?
As Riku stepped back out into the late afternoon light, his system pinged again.
[Skill Tree Unlocked – Beginner Tier]
Choose Starting Focus:
Power (Attack-based growth: spike force, physical strength)
Control (Precision-based growth: setting, accuracy, finesse)
Mind (Strategy-based growth: reading plays, situational awareness)
Riku smiled.
"I don't want to just hit hard or play smart—I want to control the tempo of the entire match. Like a conductor."
He chose Mind.