Only the Strong Deserve an Excellent Setter

[The story features a custom Sentinel-Guide setting. Everyone has cute animal spirit companions, but this doesn't affect the volleyball.]

[The custom Sentinel-Guide setting has nothing to do with sexual roles.]

"Only the strong deserve an outstanding setter."

Sakurai Kurei has worked hard toward this goal since childhood, all so he can collect the world's best setters!

After all, his spirit companion is a bird of prey, so he must become a super-powerful spiker! And as a Sentinel, he'll surely become the most incredible top ever, too!

First, he needs to get close to the setters so they'll give him extra practice. So Sakurai Kurei begins his elaborate schemes:

He approaches Oikawa-senpai, who only likes Guides, by pretending to be a sweet, obedient junior Guide;

He acts like a mature, reliable, and understanding ace spiker in front of Kageyama;

He even becomes a die-hard Ushijima fan at Shiratorizawa to win over its setter;

He won't even let a meetup with his gaming friend, whose stamina is at zero, pass him by!

On his first day joining the Fukurodani volleyball club, he makes the same request for the third year running: "Akaashi, please set for me after practice!"

Konoha, already getting a headache: "Why don't you and Bokuto just fight it out?"

Konoha in his third year: "Why don't you just marry a setter someday?"

Sakurai refuses ten times over: If I get married, I'll only have one setter who can set for me!

Sakurai Kurei has stacked eight hundred layers of personas. As long as he casts a wide enough net, um, no, as long as he's strong enough, he'll eventually become another setter's one true love.

That year, Sakurai Kurei achieved his dream: he won the Spring High MVP title and earned his opponents' respect!

"Sakurai, just you wait. One day, I'll set for you!"

The blond fox points at him haughtily, as if he's not the same person who looked down on his spirit companion before the match.

A setter is actually volunteering to set for him!

Sakurai Kurei is stunned!

Then he refuses ten times over again.

Because... Kobe and Tokyo are just too far apart!

*

Years later, the sports forums are ablaze with debate. Every year, volleyball fans discuss a few fascinating questions:

[How did national team player Sakurai become who he is today?]

[Poll]: Is Sakurai Kurei a Sentinel or a Guide?

[And who is his favorite setter, anyway?!]

[24.5, revised 6]

[Important]

1. The main story is about personal growth and Fukurodani winning the championship.

The male lead is a volleyball-sexual, a smart volleyball idiot.

2. Features my own custom Sentinel-Guide setting. The animal spirit companions and volleyball are a perfect match, hehe, but this won't affect the volleyball.

Theme: Life, too, needs to bend and stretch