The birds were chirping sweetly, with the sun peeping from the horizon. Kirito just got up from deep slumber. He looked at his phone, it was 6:15 am.
"UI." Kirito said.
[Name: Kirito Yagami
Height: 196 cm(+13)
Speed: 75(-2)
Strength: 75(-2)
Stamina: 80
Jump: 75(-6)
Spiking power: 75(-2)
Balance: 65(-16)
Skills: Adaptation(unlocked), Infinite Physical Body(unlocked)
Technique: Spiking(75), Receiving(72), Blocking(75), Serving(75), Digging(72)]
After the enormous growth spurt he hit, his physical attributes hit a toll. His body was out of balance and was out of adjustment.
He quickly needed to get in shape and increase his stat points. The major hit was his balance attribute. Due to getting tall all of a sudden, his body felt imbalanced. He had to address this issue.
So, he surfed through the internet about increasing his balance attribute. After watching a few videos, he went out for jog and did the exercises to improve his balance attribute.
He did planks, single-leg stand, squat, lunges and many more. He took his pillow, and stood on them. Took a ball and started to catch/throw the ball while balancing himself on the pillow.
He did the same exercises for 2 weeks, doing it dozens of time everyday without missing a single beat.
After 2 weeks, he finally accumulated to the previous stats he had.
[Name: Kirito Yagami
Height: 196 cm(+13)
Speed: 77(+2)
Strength: 77(+2)
Stamina: 80
Jump: 81(+6)
Spiking power: 77(+2)
Balance: 81(+16)
Skills: Adaptation(unlocked), Infinite Physical Body(unlocked)
Technique: Spiking(80), Receiving(77), Blocking(80), Serving(80), Digging(77)]
During that 2 weeks, he didn't seat idly about not playing volleyball. Despite his poor balance and drop in other attribute stats, he went to the local volleyball gyms and played matches with the veterans.
At first, it was difficult to run, then sometimes it was difficult to jump. He couldn't feel the rhythm of his body at all. He felt out of place. But despite that issue, the veterans were encouraging him to work hard.
Today, he finally achieved the previous stats he had. And, from now on, he has to increase those stats too. After closing his UI, he went straight to the local volleyball gym to have a match.
He was itching to have the revenge on those veterans. Though, they were encouraging him, they would not leave an ounce of space to mock him. Sometimes about having that great height and cannot play volleyball to saying that their grandkids played better than him.
Today, he was going to dig their grave. He went straight to the group of old veterans and shouted, "Hey, old timers, it's about damn time I pay my respect to you!"
"Heh, look the baby dinosaur has arrived." one of the veterans said.
The veterans and Kirito locked eyes with each other and went to form a group.
[The Veterans vs Youth]
A player from Youth team stepped up to serve and hit a float serve.
On the veterans side, they picked up the ball easily, quickly passed it to the setter.
The setter saw his ace was calling for the ball. "Give it to me." He declared.
The setter set a perfect ball to his ace. The ace made his approach and planting his foot firmly in the ground, took off in air.
Upon, seeing the set up, Kirito and other two players from Youth team set a triple block.
Despite seeing the triple block, the veteran's ace was not bothered, instead grinned wildly and targeted Kirito's fingers.
BOOM!
The ball hit Kirito's finger and went out of bounds.
"Block out spike!"
[The Veterans 1 - 0 Youth]
"You ain't reaching near my level, kid!" The veterans ace shouted smugly.
Kirito didn't speak a word and turned around. Seeing Kirito didn't provide a speck of reaction despite that taunting, the veteran just clicked his tongue and returned to his position.
"Sorry, guys!" Kirito said to his teammates.
"Don't mind!" The team said.
Then, an intimidating heavy metallic sound was heard from Kirito's soul.
*CLINK*
Kirito adapted to that spike.
The veterans served.
The ball headed towards the Youth teams libero. The libero received it cleanly and passed it to the setter.
The setter quickly set it to Kirito. Kirito was a walking giant in this gym. He was the tallest standing at 196 cm.
So, it was no brainer to set it to the tallest dude in the team.
Kirito ran from left side of the court and made his approach. He planted his foot firmly on the ground and leapt high into the air.
Seeing Kirito leap high into air, the Veterans quickly set up a triple block.
But what they were used to see was the spiker's face, now they were seeing Kirito's chest.
Kirito's whole arm, neck and face were above the block.
Kirito concentrated his core and arched his back into a picturesque form. Then, using all the core strength, he channeled it into his arms and palm.
He violently smashed the ball ignoring the triple block.
"BOOOM!"
The ball landed between the back row and front row of the Veteran's court.
"Spike over the block!"
[The Veterans 1 - 1 Youth]
Kirito landed and silently went back to his position.
The Youth team served.
The ball went to into Veteran's court but was picked up by their libero and passed it to their setter.
The setter was viewing his option. But, suddenly their ace called for the ball. The setter locked his eyes with the ace and smiled.
The setter set the ball towards the ace.
"Hmph, you dare to ignore to me, I will show you the real power of a seasoned ace!" the ace thought and grinned wildly.
"Show me what you've got, you brat!" he shouted.
Seeing the ball being set to the Veteran's ace twice, Kirito silently gave a signal to other teammates to jump on the other side incase the setter tried something funny.
BOOM!
Smack!
The ball got stuffed quickly by Kirito and returned back into the Veteran's court.
"Block point!"
[The Veterans 1 - 2 Youth]
"Tch, you won't get lucky next time!" the veteran ace said.
Kirito didn't speak and just returned to his position.
The Youth team served.
The ball was sent to the front row of the Veteran's court. The setter without wasting any motion just directly served to ace.
It was quick set(first tempo) and the ace seeing the set, quickly jumped and spiked the ball.
Boom!
Smack!
But a large pair of hands appeared infront of him. The ball got killed and returned to the Veteran's court.
"Block point!"
[The Veterans 1 - 3 Youth]
"Next point for sure!" The Veteran's ace said.
Kirito didn't say anything and went to the back row.
Still getting no reaction from Kirito, the veteran was getting agitated.
The Youth team served.
The ball went towards left side of the back row, where the ace was positioned. He quickly passed it to the setter.
The setter quickly set it to the middle blocker. The middle blocker seeing the ball set to him, leapt into air and spiked the ball.
But, a pair of hands emerged to kill the spike.
Boom!
Smack!
The ball landed back into Veteran's court.
"Block point!"
[The Veterans 1 - 4 Youth]
Now, the Veterans team were sweating and getting anxious. They had been stuffed for 3 consecutive points. Sure, Kirito was tall and able to block, but it wasn't on this level. Before they could trick him or just overwhelm with sheer power but now they were getting stuffed.
The slow feeling of sinking into darkness and nothingness, the pressure exerted by Kirito was slowly depleting the Veteran's team morale.
"We can't keep doing this! We have to fight back!" The Veteran's ace said loudly.
"Yes!" The Veteran's team said in unison.
On the Youth team side, they were comparatively relaxed. They were hyping each other up.
On the sidelines-
*CLINK*
Again, Kirito's body adapted. But, this time to the gameplay and playstyle of the Veteran's team.
*CLINK*
Another metallic click sound appeared inside of Kirito's soul.
This time, Kirito's body adapted to correct his weakness.
Kirito grinned. Now he was going to annihilate them.
The Youth team served.
Kirito stepped up to serve. He deliberately bounced the ball in a slow rhythmic motion.
Then, he tossed the ball high into air, he quickly approached beneath the ball and leapt into air. His body moved violently and when he reached at the apex hit point, served the ball with full impact.
BOOM!
The Veteran team's libero quickly tried to received it, but couldn't handle the ball's power and speed. The ball hit his arm and went out of bounds.
"Service point!"
[The Veterans 1 - 5 Youth]
*CLINK*
Kirito again adapted to the serve he had done. The serve was almost picked up by the opponent's libero.
Kirito again served.
He tossed the ball high into air. He took powerful strides in each step. The Veteran team players quickly swallowed their saliva stuck in throat. They could feel the sheer violent serve about to explode into them.
BOOOM!
The ball landed into the back row of the court and no one was there to receive it.
The ball after landing, bounced high into air again.
Nobody on both side of the court could see the ball. It vanished from their sight.
[The Veterans 1 - 6 Youth]
The match continued.
[The Veterans 1 - 17 Youth]
The Veteran Team were completely locked up to 1 point. Meanwhile, Kirito alone scored 17 points of the total 17 points of the team.
The Veterans couldn't play anymore. They were blocked, stuffed, got spiked brutally until their morale shattered.
By now, Kirito was also drained up. His stamina was quickly emptying from all the adaptation. But he did not end there.
The match continued till the end.
[The Veterans 1 - 25 Youth]
Kirito massacred the Veteran's team. He alone took 23 points.
The Veteran team quickly surrendered and forfeited. It was understandable. When you get stuffed to only a single point, there was no point going further.
Kirito finally spoke to the Veteran's team's ace.
"Good game." Kirito said.
"Shut up and never come back here!" The Veteran's ace said.
Kirito just smiled at him.
The Veteran's ace face instantly changed from displeasure to horrifying.
"No way! Please don't! You are destroying my morale!" Veteran's ace said.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow then!" Kirito said as he dashed out of the gym.
"Wait! NOO!" The Veteran's team said in unison.
Kirito left the gym quickly and ran to home.
At home, Kirito quickly took shower and lay in his bed. He was very happy and ecstatic about the Adaptation skill.
The other team couldn't do anything after he adapted to everything.
Kirito smirked and grinned. He couldn't wait for his High School journey.