Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

After training, Karasuno is always filled with the smell of sweat mixed with Salonpas.

Today is an exception; there's only cold air in the air.

Sawamura Daichi waved his hand generously and announced that he would treat everyone to meat buns at Sakashita Shop. The group of guys who usually had bottomless stamina bars instantly came back to life, and even Tsukishima, who kept saying he wanted to go home, was half-heartedly dragged away.

Lu Ren did not go.

His health bar was empty, and he was still losing health.

Today's catching drill was like a living hell. Ukai Shishin seemed to treat him like some kind of test suit dummy that could be infinitely rewound, constantly slamming the ball into those tricky corners. Now, whenever Lu Ren sees a round object flying towards him, his body will twitch in a way called "conditioned reflex".

His stomach was churning, and he couldn't eat meat buns, or even lobster.

"Really not going?" Qingze Yazhi walked beside him, carrying two schoolbags in her hands.

"No, what I need right now is a save point, which is my bed." Lu Ren waved his hand, his steps unsteady, like a refugee from an internet cafe who had just stayed up for three nights in a row. "If I eat any more, I'll start having rainbows."

The two walked down the slope, their shadows stretched long by the setting sun.

As I passed a convenience store, a dull thud entered my ears.

boom.

boom.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear next to the quiet street.

Lu Ren stopped in his tracks, his ears twitching. He recognized the sound all too well; it was the echo of a volleyball hitting a wall.

He turned his head and looked at the dimly lit alley next to the convenience store.

"What's wrong?" Yazhi stopped and followed his gaze, only to see a few stacked plastic baskets and shadows.

"Someone's leveling up." Lu Ren narrowed his eyes, a strange smile playing on his lips. "You know, in those classic RPG games, these inconspicuous alleyways are usually where side quests are triggered."

Ya-zhi rolled her eyes: "Speak like a human being."

"I mean, there's usually a hidden master, like a hermit monk, secretly cultivating here." Lu Ren lowered his voice and analyzed with an air of seriousness, "The protagonist happens to pass by, discovers it by chance, is then overwhelmed by the master's domineering aura, and finally learns unparalleled martial arts. This is the standard plot, textbook level."

"Did you mess up your brain from all that training?" Ya-zhi said with a hint of disdain, but still followed Lu Ren and took two steps toward the alley entrance.

Lu Ren peeked out half his head like a thief.

To be both open and aboveboard, yet sneaky and furtive, is a stealth technique that only seasoned players understand.

Deep in the alley, under the dim streetlights, two figures were moving about.

A man in a green apron was holding a volleyball, while another man in a black Karasuno tracksuit was panting heavily.

He's not some kind of unassuming monk.

"So it's Yamaguchi." Lu Ren straightened up, the excitement of "discovering a hidden boss" in his tone instantly dissipating, replaced by his usual laziness.

People in the alley heard the noise and turned around abruptly.

A flicker of panic crossed Yamaguchi Tadashi's usually cautious face, but upon recognizing the newcomers, his panic turned to surprise: "Lu Ren? Qingze? What are you doing here...?"

The man standing opposite him smiled. It was Makoto Shimada, the guy who was really good at serving jump floats in the town club and was also a senior who graduated from Karasuno.

"Hey, isn't this the 'liar' who's getting on the receiving end?" Shimada tossed the ball.

"Greetings, senior. I'm a tactical support, not a fraud," Lu Ren corrected, giving a respectful bow.

Ya-Chih also bowed.

"What are you doing here?" Yamaguchi wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes darting around.

"I was just passing by and heard some really impactful sound effects, so I came to check it out." Lu Ren pointed to the ball in Yamaguchi's hand. "Haven't you practiced enough yet? Everyone's rushing to grab meat buns. If you're late, Hinata won't even leave you the wrapper."

Yamaguchi lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously digging into the texture of the volleyball.

"I want to become stronger."

The sound was very soft, but it echoed clearly in the alley.

Yamaguchi raised his head, and in those eyes that always followed Tsukishima, a flame that refused to be extinguished burned.

"In first grade, I was the only one who never played a game."

Hinata is a monster, Kageyama is a genius, and Tsukishima, though sharp-tongued, has both height and brains. Only he, Yamaguchi Tadashi, aside from his slightly better serve, has mediocre stats in every other aspect, like an un-promoted villager A.

"So I asked Master Shimada to teach me how to jump with a float shot." Yamaguchi clenched his fist. "I want to have my own weapon."

Lu Ren looked at him.

This feeling is familiar. It's like in a game, seeing that minor character who always silently follows behind the main group, adding buffs and delivering potions, suddenly one day not wanting to just be a background character anymore.

"Great." Lu Ren gave a thumbs up. "Wanting to change jobs is a good thing. Put all your points into attack power. I have faith in you."

Shimada chimed in, "This kid's really working hard, and he's already showing some results. But since you're here too, you might as well help take a look. Aren't you pretty smart?"

"Me?" Lu Ren pointed to himself. "My serve is so-so, except I'm pretty good at hitting it towards the ceiling."

"The onlooker sees most of the game." Yamaguchi took a step forward, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Lu Ren, don't you also know how to do the floating dance? Help me see if there's anything wrong."

It is unethical to refuse a player who is working hard to improve their skill level.

Lu Ren sighed and handed the schoolbag to Ya Zhi: "Alright, I'll try my best. You take one."

Yamaguchi nodded, took a deep breath, and walked to the bottom line.

Start, toss the ball, swing your arm.

The movements were completed in one smooth motion.

The ball floated out, its trajectory somewhat wobbly, but it ultimately missed its intended target and crashed into the wall beside it.

"How is it?" Yamaguchi turned around, looking expectant.

Lu Ren didn't speak, but just stared at the spot where Yamaguchi had jumped, the data panel in his mind starting to scroll.

In that instant, Yamaguchi's movements were broken down into countless frames in his eyes.

"Are you always this fast?" Lu Ren asked.

"Fast?" Yamaguchi paused for a moment. "Is it alright? Isn't the serve supposed to use momentum?"

"No, I wasn't referring to the ball speed."

Lu Ren walked to the spot where Yamaguchi had just stood and gestured.

"Your loading time is too short."

"Read...a note?" Yamaguchi and Shimada both looked bewildered.

"It's your preparatory movements," Lu Ren put it another way. "From the moment you get the ball, to the moment you throw it, to the moment you wave, you're rushing the whole process. It's like playing a fighting game where you release the button before your special move is fully charged, or like you're frantically pressing buttons during a QTE (Quick Response Event) segment, afraid of missing the judgment time."

Lu Ren looked at Yamaguchi, his tone becoming serious.

"If it were Shimada-senpai, his movements would be fast because his skill level is already maxed out; that's muscle memory. But you're still a beginner; your skill level is only at the very beginning."

He took a deep breath on the spot.

"There aren't many chances to make mistakes on the court, especially with the serve, which is the only rally that you have complete control over. If your rhythm is off, your shot will naturally be off too."

Lu Ren pointed to his chest.

"Slow down. Give yourself a buffer period. Even if it takes two extra seconds, calm your heartbeat, confirm your throwing point, and then start. Stability is more important than speed; that's the key to success for beginners."

The alley was quiet for a few seconds.

Shimada stroked his chin thoughtfully: "Indeed... this kid gets unsteady when he's in a rush. Is it because he's too anxious?"

Yamaguchi stood there, his brows furrowed, seemingly processing Lu Ren's words.

He closed his eyes and simulated what Lu Ren had said about "reading the bar".

Instead of rushing to throw the ball, feel the touch of your palm against the ball, adjust your breathing, and wait for that most comfortable moment.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze calmer than before.

"I understand." Yamaguchi nodded emphatically. "Thank you, Lu Ren."

"You're welcome. Remember to treat me to milk next time you use the strategy fee." Lu Ren took the schoolbag from Ya Zhi and waved. "I'll be going now. Don't practice too late, or you'll drop a level due to overwork."

As I stepped out of the alley, it was already completely dark outside.

The streetlights came on, casting somewhat blurry shadows of the two people.

"Even Yamaguchi is working this hard." Lu Ren put his hands in his pockets, looking at the pebbles he was kicking with his toes. "Looks like I need to work harder too, otherwise I'll really be stuck on the bench forever. That feeling of watching my teammates do great on the field and me cheering from the sidelines is okay once in a while, but it's too boring if I do it all the time."

Ya-zhi turned her head to look at him, and the light from the streetlamp reflected a small bright spot in her eyes.

"Shall I give you a little extra push today?" She raised her fist, her knuckles cracking.

Lu Ren instantly jumped to the side, his face righteous and awe-inspiring: "That's not necessary! Using physical cheats will get you banned! What I need now is mental encouragement, not physical torture!"

Yazhi chuckled and withdrew her fist.

"Speaking of which, the winter break will begin after the competition ends."

She suddenly changed the subject, her tone becoming somewhat nonchalant, but her steps noticeably slowed down.

"Have you figured out how to introduce me to your family there?"

Lu Ren suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The family over there.

That was the "main quest" he had to face after transmigrating to this world. Although they occasionally kept in touch by phone, in this world, Yazhi was also his childhood sweetheart, and their families had a close relationship. He would definitely meet her when he went back home for winter break.

That's not the point.

The key point is the subtext in Ya-Chih's words.

Introduction. How to introduce it?

Is she just the neighbor's daughter? Or a childhood friend?

Lu Ren felt his cheeks burning, which was definitely not because he had walked too fast. He looked up at the sky, trying to distract himself with a description of the surroundings.

"This sunset is truly a beautiful sunset..."

"It's nighttime now, and there are only streetlights." Yazhi exposed him mercilessly, then moved a little closer.

Her breath brushed lightly against Lu Ren's earlobe, carrying a hint of mischievous laughter.

"Are you shy?"

Lu Ren felt half of his body go numb, as if he had been hit by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, and it was a critical hit at that.

In the past, he would have definitely used various gaming terms to change the subject or pretended to be clueless.

But today, watching Yamaguchi exert all his strength for a serve in the alley, he suddenly felt that if you keep "reading the bar" and don't release some things, you might miss the best judgment point.

"How is that possible!"

Lu Ren suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked directly at Ya Zhi.

He took a deep breath and made the most naive, yet also the bravest, decision of his life.

He suddenly jumped back a big step, creating distance, and then struck an exaggerated pose similar to the JOJO pose, pointing at Yazhi and shouting so loudly that it startled a stray cat passing by.

"Then! I'll just leap into the house like that!"

"Then, pointing at you, he loudly announced to my family on my side—"

Ya-zhi was startled by his sudden action, and her eyes widened slightly.

Lu Ren's face turned as red as a boiled crab, but he did not look away. Although his voice trembled slightly, he emphasized every word.

"This is Qingze Yazhi! The only woman I, Lu Ren, have chosen! My personal healer! An irreplaceable teammate in the story of my life!"

The wind stopped.

The streetlights were buzzing.

Lu Ren remained in that incredibly embarrassing position, feeling his CPU rapidly heating up, about to smoke and crash.

Ya-zhi stared at him blankly.

A few seconds later, her cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed, spreading all the way to her ears.

She lowered her head, and her shoulders began to tremble.

"Pfft... Hahahaha!"

Yazhi laughed so hard she bent over and reached out to tug at Lu Ren's sleeve.

"Idiot... what do you mean by 'exclusive healer'? That sounds awful."

Although she complained, she held onto Lu Ren's sleeve tightly and didn't let go.

"Let's go." She pulled the still-frozen "gamer" forward. "If we don't go home soon, there won't be any food left."

Lu Ren moved forward following her force, feeling as if his soul had just returned to his body.

"Don't worry." He scratched his head and muttered softly, "My mom would rather starve herself than let you starve. You're the real child, I was just a freebie with a phone top-up."

"That's because Auntie has good taste."

"Yes, yes, you're right."

The two figures gradually blended into the night.

"Hey, Lu Ren."

"what?"

"You're not allowed to do that position at home."

"……oh."

"But words can be spoken."

"……Um."