Haikyuu: Zero to Almighty

Despite Aoba Johsai's volleyball team adhering to a weekly rest day, for Taichi Kaedehara, this day felt almost unbearable, as if his passion for volleyball refused to be contained.

The joy of levelling up—the magical transformation from novice to adept—was like an addictive spell, pulling him deeper into the sport with every step forward.

So, on this supposed day of rest, he decided to head to a nearby park alone, immersing himself in serving practice. This private ritual allowed him to bask in the tranquillity of dedication and the joy of refining his craft.

In the park, sweat glistened on Taichi's brow as he tirelessly tossed and spiked the ball, repeating the fundamentals of serving over and over. Each strike carried his unwavering resolve to perfect the motion.

Not far off, a man with medium-length hair and a hoodie caught Taichi's attention. The man appeared to glance his way, his gaze betraying a mix of curiosity and faint admiration.

He looked vaguely familiar, but Taichi couldn't quite place him. Still, if he seemed familiar, perhaps he was a volleyball player?

Driven by his curiosity, Taichi silently asked his system for confirmation.

[Tenma Udai. Former high school player. Not currently in the database.]

No way—it's him! The once-legendary ace of Karasuno's volleyball team, dubbed the "Little Giant" for his diminutive height yet incredible skill. He had led Karasuno to the Nationals, becoming an icon of inspiration, even for Hinata Shoyo, whose volleyball journey began after watching a fleeting image of Tenma on TV.

Back in high school, Tenma's short, jet-black hair had exuded a fierce intensity. Now, his shoulder-length, slightly wavy hair....well, it had a surprisingly soft and endearing quality.

Taichi couldn't let this opportunity slip away. Without hesitation, he darted toward his target.

"Excuse me, are you Tenma Udai-senpai?"

Caught off guard by being recognized, Tenma blinked in surprise. "Who's asking?"

"Nice to meet you, Little Giant-senpai! I'm Taichi Kaedehara, a middle blocker from Aoba Johsai. Seeing your incredible plays on TV is what inspired me to take up volleyball!" Taichi declared with unwavering confidence, not even the faintest hint of embarrassment.

Sorry, Shoyo, I'm borrowing your line for now.

"Really?" Tenma gave the towering high schooler—easily over 180 cm—a sceptical once-over.

"It's true! But, senpai, Karasuno has a new Little Giant now. He's a huge fan of yours!"

"Haha, is that so? I didn't think I was that amazing back then." Tenma chuckled, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Senpai, could you teach me how to play better?" Taichi's eyes sparkled with hope as he held the volleyball out to Tenma.

"Huh?" Tenma blinked, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Were all high schoolers this forward nowadays?

"Is it because I'm from Aoba Johsai? You don't want to help a rival?"

"No, no, that's not it," Tenma quickly clarified. "It's just... I haven't played in a long time."

"Really?" Taichi played along, though he already knew the truth from finishing the manga ages ago.

"It's been a while..." Tenma admitted as he took the ball from Taichi's hands. "I'm in college in Kanto now, and I've found other interests. So, I stopped playing after graduating high school."

Taichi's gaze shifted to the sketchpad near Tenma's side. "Senpai, are you working on a manga?"

Tenma stiffened, slightly startled. How did this kid guess that? He hadn't told anyone yet. But, well, being a mangaka wasn't exactly an obscure dream in Japan.

With a faint smile, Tenma admitted it. "You're right. I've been working on a story about a zombie swordsman that I want to bring to life through manga." His eyes gleamed with creative passion.

Taichi nodded eagerly. "Can you tell me about it, senpai?"

Though hesitant, Tenma found himself unable to resist Taichi's earnest expression.

"Alright, let's head to the family restaurant nearby. We can talk it over some food," he said with a sheepish grin.

-----

"It's about a skeletal swordsman—he understands the concept of false death, yet he himself knows nothing of true death—"

"His only companion is a raven that cannot speak…"

"Ohhh, that's such a cool setup!"

In the family restaurant, two overgrown kids still brimming with a middle-schooler imagination enthusiastically discussed Tenma Udai's envisioned manga storyline.

Tenma's tone carried a mix of mystery and shyness as he described a world entirely different from the volleyball court. It was a realm of thrilling adventures, a zombie swordsman cutting through perilous obstacles, life-and-death dilemmas, and courage transcending the boundaries of mortality.

"Zobishu must make an epic entrance, saving the heroine from an enemy attack," Tenma explained, his eyes lighting up. "The enemy should be someone Zobishu knew in his life, before he became a zombie. And the heroine—she's crucial to Zobishu's journey to becoming human again. Of course, she has to be cute, strong-willed, and determined to fight, but still evoke a sense of protectiveness—"

As he got carried away, Tenma became increasingly animated with his ideas flowing out like an overflowing dam.

"And then?" Taichi prompted, fully engrossed.

"Then... the hero and heroine set off on their journey together." Truth be told, Tenma had spent so much time agonizing over the opening scenes that he hadn't even begun to think about the rest of the plot.

"You haven't figured out the rest of the story, have you?" Taichi gave him a knowing look. He was starting to understand why Zombie Swordsman Zobishu, the manga Tenma would later serialize in Weekly Shonen BYE, ended up getting the boot prematurely.

"I've just been focusing on perfecting the short story version," Tenma muttered, wiping his palms on his jeans nervously. For some reason, he felt like he was being scolded.

As someone who had reincarnated with memories of countless incredible stories from his previous life, Taichi held back from suggesting ideas outright. He knew Tenma had a unique story to tell, and this wasn't the time to overshadow it. Instead, he decided to help Tenma flesh out his vision.

"Alright, then, Udai-senpai, what's the heroine's character concept? Don't tell me she's just some mascot."

"She's the snarky, straight-talking type. Kind of like the hero's partner," Tenma replied thoughtfully.

"Speaking of which, what exactly is the hero supposed to be? And by the way, I've been meaning to ask—zombies and skeletons are two entirely different things, aren't they?"

"Haha, but skeletons are so much cooler…" Tenma admitted sheepishly, realizing he couldn't bluff his way out of this one.

"If the heroine's the snarky one, the hero can't just be all about looking cool, right?"

"Maybe he should have a bit of a goofy side?"

"That's a tough balance to strike. Wouldn't it risk turning the whole thing into a gag manga?"

"Hmm… And then there's the antagonist's design, the protagonist's motivation, and the world-building—surely, Udai-sensei, you've thought those through?"

Tenma slumped his shoulders, looking like a child being chastised, before casting Taichi a pleading glance. "Taichi-sensei, please guide me!"

They locked eyes for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"This almost feels like we're actually creating a manga!"

"Well, we are serious, aren't we?"

The two continued brainstorming in the cosy family restaurant, their voices lively as they shaped an imaginary world. Before they knew it, evening had arrived, and the golden light of dusk filtered through the windows.